BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts judge dismissed criminal charges Monday against a backer of Karen Read who admitted placing dozens of yellow rubber ducks and fake $100 bills around town in support of Read. Richard Schiffer Jr. had argued in Stoughton District Court that he had a First Amendment right to support the defense theory that Read — into her boyfriend John O’Keefe with her SUV and leaving the Boston police officer to die in a snowstorm — has been framed in the polarizing murder case. Schiffer’s attorney Timothy Bradl said Monday that the judge made the right call by quickly tossing the felony witness intimidation and criminal harassment charges against Schiffer. The ruling comes as another judge decided Monday to push back Read’s retrial to April after was declared in July when jurors couldn’t reach an agreement. Read was facing and two other charges. Her attorneys have argued that other law enforcement officers were responsible for O’Keefe’s death. Regarding Schiffer’s charges, Bradl said, “There wasn’t a leg to stand on.” “Hats off to the judge. He didn’t make everyone wait and ruled from the bench. Everything was completely protected by the First Amendment. This was political speech,” Bradl said. The Norfolk District Attorney’s office declined to comment. Schiffer has said he got the ducks idea after thinking about a defense lawyer’s closing argument that . Alan Jackson told jurors that “if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s a duck.” Schiffer’s actions did not rise to the level of witness intimidation and criminal harassment “nor does his speech, or in this case his written word on fake currency and use of rubber toys, which are afforded the protections of the First Amendment,” Judge Brian Walsh wrote. “It is the view of this Court that the defendant’s conduct and speech, though a rather sophomoric expression of his opinion, is nonetheless protected speech,” he wrote. Walsh concluded the two-page ruling with quotes from Indiana poet James Whitcomb Riley, believed to have coined the “walks like a duck” phrase, and Robert McCloskey, author of the children’s book “Make Way For Ducklings.” The defense alleged that O’Keefe was actually killed inside the home of his fellow Boston officer Brian Albert and then dragged outside. They argued that investigators focused on Read because she was who saved them from having to consider law enforcement officers as suspects. Schiffer has been among the dozens of who accuse state and local law enforcement of a widespread cover-up. Their demonstrations have led to confrontations, especially in the town of Canton where the murder happened, between those who support Read and others who believe she is guilty. Schiffer, who owns Canton Fence and has said that he knows practically everyone in town through his contracting work, was accused of placing some of the ducks outside a pizza shop run by Brian Albert’s brother, Canton Selectman Chris Albert. Other ducks appeared in O’Keefe’s neighborhood.DECEMBER 3-6 _ Women’s volleyball, NCAA Division III Championship, Bloomington, Ill. 5 or 6 _ College football, Mountain West Championship, at TBD. 5-7 _ Auto racing, F1, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi, UAE. 5-7 _ Men’s college soccer, NCAA Division III Championship, Salem, Va. 5-7 _ Men’s water polo, NCAA Championship game, Stanford, Calif. 5-8 _ Women’s college soccer, NCAA Division I Championship, Kansas City, Mo. 6 _ College football, Big Ten Championship, Indianapolis. 6 _ College football, Southeastern Championship, at TBD. 6-8 _ Women’s college soccer, NCAA Division III Championship, Las Vegas. 7 _ Major League Baseball, Hall of Fame and Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee vote announced, Orlando, Fla. 7-10 _ Major League Baseball, Winter meetings, TBD. 11 _ Major League Baseball, Rule 5 Draft, Orland, Fla. 11-13 _ Women’s volleyball, NCAA Division II Championship, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 11-15 _ Men’s and women’s college soccer, NCAA Division II Championship, Matthews, N.C. 12-14 _ Women’s golf, LPGA Tour, The Grant Thornton Invitational, Naples, Fla. 12-15 _ Men’s college soccer, NCAA Division I Championship, Cary, N.C. 14 _ Running, Honolulu Marathon. 15 _ Major League Baseball, International signing period closes, 5 p.m. EST. 18-20 _ Women’s volleyball, NCAA Division I Championship, Kansas City, Mo. 21-Jan. 18 _ Men’s soccer, African Cup of Nations, Morocco. TBD _ College football, CFP Playoffs, First Round, at TBD. TBD _ College football, CFP Playoffs, Quarterfinals. TBD _ College football, Heisman Trophy Ceremony, New York. TBD _ College football, NAIA Championship game, at TBD. TBD _ College football, NCAA Division II Championship, at TBD. TBD _ College football, NCAA Division III Championship, at TBD. TBD _ Major League Baseball Draft Lottery, Orlando, Fla. TBD _ Men’s college soccer, NAIA Championship. TBD _ Men’s soccer, 2026 World Cup draw. TBD _ Men’s soccer, MLS Cup. TBD _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Next Gen ATP Finals, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. TBD _ Pro basketball, NBA G League regular season begins. TBD _ Women’s college soccer, NAIA Championship. 3-6 _ Women’s volleyball, NCAA Division III Championship, Bloomington, Ill. 5 or 6 _ College football, Mountain West Championship, at TBD. 5-7 _ Auto racing, F1, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi, UAE. 5-7 _ Men’s college soccer, NCAA Division III Championship, Salem, Va. 5-7 _ Men’s water polo, NCAA Championship game, Stanford, Calif. 5-8 _ Women’s college soccer, NCAA Division I Championship, Kansas City, Mo. 6 _ College football, Big Ten Championship, Indianapolis. 6 _ College football, Southeastern Championship, at TBD. 6-8 _ Women’s college soccer, NCAA Division III Championship, Las Vegas. 7 _ Major League Baseball, Hall of Fame and Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee vote announced, Orlando, Fla. 7-10 _ Major League Baseball, Winter meetings, TBD. 11 _ Major League Baseball, Rule 5 Draft, Orland, Fla. 11-13 _ Women’s volleyball, NCAA Division II Championship, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 11-15 _ Men’s and women’s college soccer, NCAA Division II Championship, Matthews, N.C. 12-14 _ Women’s golf, LPGA Tour, The Grant Thornton Invitational, Naples, Fla. 12-15 _ Men’s college soccer, NCAA Division I Championship, Cary, N.C. 14 _ Running, Honolulu Marathon. 15 _ Major League Baseball, International signing period closes, 5 p.m. EST. 18-20 _ Women’s volleyball, NCAA Division I Championship, Kansas City, Mo. 21-Jan. 18 _ Men’s soccer, African Cup of Nations, Morocco. TBD _ College football, CFP Playoffs, First Round, at TBD. TBD _ College football, CFP Playoffs, Quarterfinals. TBD _ College football, Heisman Trophy Ceremony, New York. TBD _ College football, NAIA Championship game, at TBD. TBD _ College football, NCAA Division II Championship, at TBD. TBD _ College football, NCAA Division III Championship, at TBD. TBD _ Major League Baseball Draft Lottery, Orlando, Fla. TBD _ Men’s college soccer, NAIA Championship. TBD _ Men’s soccer, 2026 World Cup draw. TBD _ Men’s soccer, MLS Cup. TBD _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Next Gen ATP Finals, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. TBD _ Pro basketball, NBA G League regular season begins. TBD _ Women’s college soccer, NAIA Championship.DXP Enterprise: Reiterating Buy As Prospects Only Getting Better
WNBA coaching tracker: Wings hire USC assistant Chris Koclanes, Fever bring back Stephanie WhiteFury as Labour were warned MONTHS ago by Vauxhall owners that electric car targets threatened Luton factory
: Syria’s prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad, but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country’s public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt.” Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighboring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Assad’s brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said Monday they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the U.N. official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was long known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met for the first time with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali, who stayed in Syria when Assad fled. “You will see there are skills” among the rebels, al-Sharaa said in a video shared on a rebel messaging channel. Israel said it carried out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets to keep them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew. In northern Syria, Turkey said allied opposition forces seized the town of Manbij from Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States, a reminder that even after Assad’s departure, the country remains split among armed groups that have fought in the past. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores.TJ Bamba led Oregon with 22 points and five assists in the Ducks' 78-68 victory over San Diego State on Wednesday in pool play of the Players Era Festival at Las Vegas. The Ducks (7-0) won both games in the "Power Group" and will play in the championship Saturday against the top team from the "Impact Group." San Diego State (3-2) will await its opponent for one of the secondary games Saturday. The matchups are based on seeding dependent on performance of the first two games. Bamba made 7 of 14 shots from the field, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range. Keeshawn Barthelemy had 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field and hit 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. Nate Bittle finished with 11 points and nine rebounds, Brandon Angel 12 points and six rebounds and Jackson Shelstad paired 12 points with four assists. BJ Davis led San Diego State with 18 points before fouling out. Nick Boyd finished with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Neither team led by more than four points until Oregon scored nine unanswered to take a 34-27 lead with 2:20 left in the first half. Barthelemy started the run with a jumper and finished it with a 3-pointer. Oregon outscored San Diego State 16-4 in the last 4:23 of the half to take a 41-31 lead into the break. Bamba and Barthelemy combined for 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting in the first half. Boyd led San Diego State with 13 points, making all three of his 3-point attempts and going 5-of-6 overall. A 7-2 run for Oregon increased its advantage to 48-35 with 17:36 remaining, but San Diego State cut the lead to 56-53 with 10:58 left following a 9-0 run. A Bamba 3-pointer closed an 8-2 stretch with 4:15 remaining to increase Oregon's lead to 73-63. San Diego State did not get closer than eight points the rest of the way. Davis fouled out with 31 seconds left and Oregon leading 77-68. --Field Level MediaVideo games and video game consoles have remained popular gift ideas for the Christmas holiday for many years, with the holiday helping to provide a boost to the overall gaming sector. Here's a look at whether parents and loved ones would have been better off buying a video game or stock in leading video game retailer GameStop Corporation GME last Christmas and over the last five Christmas holidays. What Happened : GameStop is one of the most popular retail destinations for people looking for video game gifts during the holidays. The company has also had one of the most popular stocks in recent years thanks to a historic short squeeze in 2021 and the notoriety of being a meme stock. A visit to GameStop around the holidays would find many new release games carrying a $69.99 retail price. While children likely prefer an item like a video game that carries the instant gratification of being able to play it on Christmas Day and in the subsequent days, there are other gifts that might hold their value longer. Video games often lose value over time as new versions of sports games come out or sequels to video game franchises. The release of new consoles over time often diminishes the value of older video games as well. Another gift idea is giving the stock of public companies, but most kids or younger relatives might not understand the value of an investment and potential gains over the years. Here's a look at the comparison between buying a video game versus buying stock. Read Also: GameStop Q3 Earnings: Revenue Miss, $4B+ Cash, No More Offerings Planned In Fiscal Year Stock Instead of Game : While many kids would have been happy with the latest video game last Christmas, it turns out they might be wishing that they got GameStop stock instead. A new video game cost $69.99 last Christmas, while GameStop stock traded at a high of $17.20 on Dec. 22 last year, the last trading day before Christmas. The same $69.99 used for a video game could have bought 4.07 GME shares. Based on a price of $30.80 at the time of writing, the GameStop shares would be worth $125.36 today, up 79.1%. While the GameStop stock rose in value, chances are the $69.99 video game is now worth less than half of its original value due to being opened, used, and somewhat outdated. Going back to past years, here's a look at how the same $69.99 invested in GameStop stock would have performed. 2019: Price on Dec. 23 $1.52, 46.05 shares with $69.99 investment, $1,418.34 today, +1,926.5% 2020: Price on Dec. 23 $5.59, 12.52 shares with $69.99 investment, $385.62 today, +451.0% 2021: Price on Dec. 23 $38.75, 1.81 shares with $69.99 investment, $55.75 today, -20.3% 2022: Price on Dec. 23 $20.62, 3.39 shares with $69.99 investment, $104.41 today, +34.4% Add in the 2023 investment and over the past five Christmas shopping seasons, the investment would look like this: $349.95 invested in GameStop instead of video games = $2,089.48 today, +497.1% It's hard to predict if GameStop stock will trade higher in 2025 and if investing in the stock this Christmas will perform better than a video game. With a price of $30.80 today, the $69.99 investment used for stock instead of video games could buy 2.27 GME shares. Read Next: GameStop Rockets As Roaring Kitty Returns To X: What Does His Tweet Signal Ahead Of Q3 Earnings? This article was previously published by Benzinga and has been updated. Photo: Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Court challenge over vote to extend post-Brexit trading arrangements dismissedApple Inc. AAPL is reportedly developing a smart doorbell camera with Face ID technology that could unlock doors using facial recognition. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his “Power On” newsletter, the innovative device may be released by the end of 2025 "at the soonest." The smart lock system would function similarly to an iPhone, unlocking doors when a registered user or resident is recognized by the camera. Apple plans to integrate its Secure Enclave chip, which securely stores and processes Face ID data separately from other hardware, ensuring high security. In his post , Gurman suggests that the device will likely work with third-party HomeKit-enabled smart locks. Apple may also partner with a smart lock manufacturer to deliver a complete system at launch. Additionally, the doorbell camera is expected to utilize Apple's in-house "Proxima" chip, a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combination set to feature in upcoming HomePod Mini and Apple TV models next year. Also Read: Could Apple Set Revolutionize Tablet Market With 18.8-Inch Foldable iPad? “Also next year, Apple will roll out upgrades to existing home devices: its TV set-top box and HomePod mini smart speaker. That will add an advanced wireless chip dubbed Proxima and better support the new Thread standard for wirelessly linking products in the home,” Gurman wrote in the post. This doorbell camera is part of Apple's broader push into smart home technology under its Apple Intelligence initiative. Rumored products include new smart home cameras, an Apple-branded TV, and smart displays. These displays are said to include an iPad-like device that attaches magnetically to wall mounts or speaker bases and another equipped with a robotic arm for enhanced flexibility. Apple's continued expansion into smart home solutions signals its commitment to creating a cohesive ecosystem of devices designed to enhance daily life with seamless integration and advanced security. Read Next Apple’s Tabletop Robot: The Future Of Home Technology Or A Potential Misstep? © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Cooking up a breakthrough: Engineers refine lipid nanoparticles for better mRNA therapies November 22, 2024 University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science Engineers have cooked up a new way to improve mRNA delivery, developing an optimal 'recipe' for ionizable lipids -- key ingredients in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the molecules behind the COVID-19 vaccines and other innovative therapies. The method mirrors the iterative process of developing a culinary dish and may lead to safer, more effective mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email Penn Engineers have cooked up a new way to improve mRNA delivery, developing an optimal "recipe" for ionizable lipids -- key ingredients in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the molecules behind the COVID-19 vaccines and other innovative therapies. The method, described in Nature Biomedical Engineering , mirrors the iterative process of developing a culinary dish and may lead to safer, more effective mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. Just as a chef perfects a dish by experimenting with flavors and textures, the researchers used an iterative process, testing variations to find the ideal structure for the ionizable lipid. This lipid's structure influences the ability of LNPs to successfully deliver their contents and advances mRNA therapies for vaccines and gene editing. A Breakthrough in LNP Design Nanoparticles have transformed how mRNA vaccines and therapeutics are delivered by allowing them to travel safely through the body, reach target cells and release their contents efficiently. On its own, RNA is fragile, and would otherwise dissolve without ever reaching its intended target. At the heart of these nanoparticles are ionizable lipids, special molecules that can switch between charged and neutral states depending on their surroundings. This switch is essential for the nanoparticle's journey: In the bloodstream, ionizable lipids stay neutral, preventing toxicity. But once inside the target cell, they become positively charged, triggering the release of the mRNA payload. Led by Michael J. Mitchell, Associate Professor in Bioengineering, the researchers refined this delivery process by optimizing the structure of ionizable lipids. Moving beyond existing methods limited by tradeoffs between speed and accuracy, the team developed a step-by-step, "directed chemical evolution" process. Through five cycles, with each further refining the lipids, they created dozens of high-performing, biodegradable lipids -- some even surpassing industry standards. The Secret Sauce: Directed Chemical Evolution To develop safer, more effective ionizable lipids, the Penn Engineers employed a unique approach that combines two prevailing methods: medicinal chemistry, which involves slowly and laboriously designing molecules one step at a time, and combinatorial chemistry, which involves generating many different molecules quickly through simple reactions. The former has high accuracy but low speed, while the latter has low accuracy and high speed. "We thought it might be possible to achieve the best of both worlds," says Xuexiang Han, the paper's first author and, until recently, a postdoctoral fellow in the Mitchell Lab. "High speed and high accuracy, but we had to think outside the traditional confines of the field." By borrowing the idea of directed evolution, a technique used in both chemistry and biology that mimics the process of natural selection, the researchers combined precision with rapid output to achieve their ideal lipid "recipe." The process begins with the generation of a wide variety of molecules, which are screened for their ability to deliver mRNA. The best-performing lipids are then used as starting points for generating another round of molecular variants, and so on, until only high-performing variants remain. An Innovative Ingredient: A 3 Coupling A crucial contributor to the team's recipe for improved ionizable lipids is A 3 coupling, a three-component reaction named for its chemical ingredients: an amine, an aldehyde and an alkyne. The reaction, which has never been leveraged to synthesize ionizable lipids for LNPs, uses inexpensive, commercially available ingredients and produces only water as a byproduct, making it a cost-effective and environmentally friendly choice for rapidly producing the large numbers of ionizable lipid variants needed as ingredients for directed evolution. "We found that the A 3 reaction was not only efficient, but also flexible enough to allow for precise control over the lipids' molecular structure," says Mitchell. This flexibility was key to fine-tuning the ionizable lipid properties for safe and effective mRNA delivery. Why This Advance Matters This new method for designing ionizable lipids is expected to have broad implications for mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics, which are poised to treat a range of conditions, from genetic disorders to infectious diseases. In this work, the optimized lipids improved mRNA delivery in preclinical models for two high-priority applications: editing genes that cause hereditary amyloidosis, a rare disease that results in abnormal protein deposits throughout the body, and improving delivery of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. In both cases, the engineered lipids showed higher performance than current industry-standard lipids. Beyond these specific applications, the new approach has the potential to accelerate the development of mRNA therapies overall. While it can take years to develop an effective lipid using traditional methods, the team's directed evolution process could reduce this timeline to just months or even weeks. "Our hope is that this method will accelerate the pipeline for mRNA therapeutics and vaccines, bringing new treatments to patients faster than ever before," says Mitchell. A New Frontier for mRNA Delivery LNPs represent a safe, flexible way to deliver genetic material, but their success hinges on the properties of their ionizable lipids. The Penn Engineers' iterative design process allows researchers to improve these lipids with unprecedented speed and precision, bringing the next generation of mRNA therapies closer to reality. With this innovative recipe for LNPs, Penn Engineers have taken a major step forward in advancing mRNA technology, offering hope for a faster and more efficient path to life-changing treatments. This study was conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science and supported by a U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's New Innovator Award (DP2 TR002776), a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award at the Scientific Interface (CASI), a US National Science Foundation CAREER Award (CBET-2145491), an American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant (RSG-22-122-01-ET) and iECURE. Additional co-authors include Kelsey L. Swingle, Junchao Xu, Ningqiang Gong, Lulu Xue, Giangqiang Shi and Il-Chul Yoon of Penn Engineering; Rohan Palanki, of Penn Medicine and Penn Engineering; Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh, Rakan El-Mayta, Garima Dwivedi, James M. Wilson and Drew Weissman of Penn Medicine; and Claude C. Warzecha of Gemma Therapeutics. Story Source: Materials provided by University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science . Original written by Ian Scheffler. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :
If you're like me, you know the struggles of getting enough quality sleep. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, roughly 30% of adults in the US have symptoms of insomnia, and 50 to 70 million Americans have chronic sleep disorders. Let's face it: We're all tired, and many of us are looking for solutions to help us sleep better at night . I've tried countless sleep-related hacks and products, from melatonin gummies to sleep masks and headphones to temperature-controlled mattress covers -- and most recently, personalized neurostimulation. The Somnee Smart Sleep Headband is an impressive sleep accessory, and it’s the first time this sort of technology has entered people's bedrooms. If you’re looking for a way to get through those restless nights sans sleeping pills, you’re in the right place. I sat down with a few key members of Somnee’s Dream Team -- Tim Rosa, chief executive officer, Dennis Miloseski, chief product officer and Ram Gurumoorthy, Ph.D., chief technology officer -- to get the inside scoop. What is Somnee? Even if you haven't heard of Somnee, you may be familiar with its chief science advisor. Matthew Walker, Ph.D., author of the bestseller Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams , is part of Somnee's founding research team. That team drove its published study on the device's technology: "Personalized transcranial alternating current stimulation improves sleep quality." What does that mean? Somnee is a headband you wear for 15 minutes before bed with two electrodes connecting to your forehead. It uses EEG (electroencephalogram), the gold standard for measuring the brain's electrical activity, and proprietary brain mapping algorithms to measure and alter your brain waves. Somnee provides non-invasive electrical stimulation during its 15-minute session (specifically, tACS or transcranial alternating current stimulation). The stimulation provided is personalized based on the real-time, individualized rhythms of your brain, gently nudging it into a sleepier state. Somnee delivers electrical pulses to your brain through its two gel electrodes. You wear the Somnee headband only during its 15-minute stimulation session before bed, not all night. You take it off before falling asleep -- unless you fall asleep during the session, which happened to me a few times. What is the overall goal? These nightly stimulation sessions aim to cut the time it takes you to fall asleep in half. They also aim to help you stay asleep throughout the night and increase your total sleep time by 30-plus minutes. How does Somnee alter your brain waves? During the first part of the session, Somnee’s EEG sensors “listen” and map your brain waves. The second part is the stimulation, and this is where it gets a little complicated. Since I’m no scientist, Dennis Miloseski, Somnee’s chief product officer, broke it down into simpler terms. “In that mapping phase, we detect where your sleep detractors are and where your sleep enhancers are. So, for instance, your brain may have needed to move its sleep enhancements to a certain rhythm and move your sleep detractors down to quiet that noise. That is what's waking you up in the middle of the night -- those detractors that are still active. When we send that little electrical pulse to your temple, your brain recognizes that pulse and begins to mimic the pulse, nudging your brain waves into the states that they need to be in to be better set for sleep,” Miloseski explained. The Somnee headband comes with a detachable flex clip for the electrodes. The last part of the session (which only lasts 30 seconds) is post-brain mapping, which is essentially an assessment of how the stimulation went. Read more: Somnee's Clinical Sleep Studies and Research My personal experience with the Somnee I was excited to start using Somnee. I opened the package, immediately plugged in the headband to charge it and downloaded the Somnee Sleep app onto my phone. The product comes in three main pieces: the charging base and cord, the headband and the electrode component, called the flex clip, with a pack of extra electrodes. I immediately noticed the headband's silky, soft and durable material. It's easily adjustable to fit your head, and I appreciate that the band is also washable by hand (as long as you remove the electronics first). At first, the setup seemed complicated. Once I logged into the Somnee Sleep app and began following the prompts, I realized that wasn't the case. I was impressed by how thorough and straightforward the instructions were. I watched the app's video tutorial and followed its step-by-step instructions for setting up my Somnee and connecting to Bluetooth. The app demonstrates how to properly fit and wear the band. It should be snug yet comfortable, with the electrodes in the proper place at the center of your forehead. It explains how to snap the electrodes into each side of the flex clip and how to begin your stimulation session. I was ready for my first night. The app provided tips for fixing the contact issue I encountered. I struggled to get my Somnee working on night one. I reset it multiple times, following the troubleshooting prompts through the app, only to finally realize that the gel electrodes weren't facing the correct way in the flex clip. Once I turned them around, they popped into place and the device began working. Whoops -- user error. Then, I struggled to get the band and electrodes in the right place, realizing I must have a small forehead. For the two electrodes to have complete contact with my skin and no hair in the way, the headband covers my eyebrows completely. I also have two giant moles in the middle of my forehead. The app specifies not to wear or use Somnee if you have a pimple or blemish on your forehead. I didn't want to risk it with my moles, so throughout the testing process, I wore my Somnee slightly to one side to avoid it altogether. It worked fine this way but did cause some slight discomfort with the band having to be directly on top of my eyebrows, nearing the bridge of my nose. I began my initial stimulation session, which the app notes: "After you start your session, it's safe to feel tingling, pulsing, warmth, or visual flashes. If it feels like too much, you can always stop the session." The band covers my eyebrows entirely if I want the electrodes to be flat on my forehead. I was intrigued but didn't expect much from this disclaimer, but I was quickly surprised by how intense it was. I felt a sizzling, burning sensation. It wasn't necessarily painful, but it was uncomfortable. I didn't want to experience that for the next 15 minutes. I ended the session and changed the intensity from maximum to medium. I definitely felt the warm tingling and pulsing the app mentioned. Afterward, I realized the overly sizzling sensation was likely caused by the face lotion on my forehead, where the electrodes connected to my skin. The app had warned about this when I first set up my Somnee, but I forgot. It's a valid warning -- oil or lotion will make a huge difference. Your skin should be completely dry. This could be a potential downside if lathering up your face with oil or lotion before bed is part of your nighttime regime (like it is for me), but you'll just have to wait to apply your product until after your Somnee session. Once the intensity was turned down, I quickly got used to the tingling sensation. I was pleasantly surprised to see pink flashing lights in my vision, as the app advised might happen. You can easily adjust the intensity of your stim session. The flashing lights and tingling sensations are natural, Gurumoorthy explained. "This kind of stimulation has been tested in several labs in over a thousand studies. It has been shown that those are known, non-harmful sensations you feel during stimulation, and they go away once the session ends," he said. There are a few soothing soundscape options to choose from that enhance the overall calming experience of the session. I was about halfway through my first stimulation session, reading a book and listening to relaxing ocean wave sounds when I had to put my book down and close my eyes because I was so sleepy. I woke up a few minutes after the session and took off the band, surprised by how tired I was. Read more: 4 Best Noise Colors to Boost Your Sleep Quality According to my Whoop band, I didn't sleep long that night (7:12 hours) but spent a lot of time in REM and deep sleep (2 hours each). This was a significant improvement as I usually spend much more time in light sleep than REM and deep . Though I had 37 minutes of awake time throughout the night, I felt much more rested than usual the following day. The second night was not as successful: I had trouble falling asleep, woke up quite a bit and spent most of the night in light sleep. On the third night, I fell asleep during the session again. This roller coaster happened during the first seven or so nights during Somnee's "brain mapping" or "learning" phase when the headband analyzes and evaluates your brain’s sleep patterns. After completing the mapping phase, you enter Somnee's 14-day "personalization phase," when it begins personalizing the stimulation for your specific brain waves to improve your sleep performance. Somnee congratulated me for finishing the brain mapping phase. During this phase, I noticed the electrodes' freshness makes a huge difference. The app prompts you to replace the electrodes every four days (whether you used the Somnee or not) as the gel dries out quickly. My sessions seemed better on the nights when I'd just replaced the electrodes -- the tingling was more intense, and I saw more flashing lights. It was usually on those nights that I started falling asleep during the session. On the third or fourth night of using the same set of electrodes, the tingling was less noticeable, and I had a harder time falling asleep. On the 12th night, I went to start my nightly session only to realize that my Somnee's battery was dead despite being plugged in. After some finagling with it and trying different outlets and cords, I found that it had to be plugged in just right for it to charge, and I eventually had to replace the charging cable with one of my own because it had stopped working altogether. The port on the charging base is still a little finicky with the cable being plugged in, but I've made it work. I don't love that you have to charge the Somnee after every use, especially when I fall asleep during the session and forget to put the headband back on the charger for the next night. The electrodes have to be replaced every four days. On the 17th night, I cranked the Somnee back to full intensity and found it wasn't as uncomfortable as the first time I had tried it. On the 18th night, I wrote in my notes, "Is it weird that I kind of like that tingling sensation and seeing those flashing lights now?" The final phase is the "adaptive" phase. At this point, the Somnee had studied how my brain falls asleep for 21 sessions and learned what it needs to do to help me fall asleep. It was also getting easier to incorporate the Somnee into my nightly bedtime routine . Rather than scroll on my phone in bed, I'd simply close my eyes or read during the session, listening to those calming ocean waves. How the Somnee affected my sleep quality Not every nightly session sent me immediately into a deep slumber, but generally, I seemed to fall asleep faster and wake up less on the nights I went to bed with the Somnee. I used my Whoop Band to track my sleep throughout the month, comparing the data on nights I used the Somnee with those I didn't. This is what I found: This graph shows my sleep averages for 33 nights of using my Somnee headband and 15 nights of not using it. The nights I didn't use it include a few nights before starting my Somnee trial and nights throughout the testing process when I didn't wear it (either I was out of town or the battery was dead when I went to bed). The data shows some interesting information. On nights when I used the Somnee: The results show that the amount of time I spent in light and REM sleep phases essentially flipped around, which is fascinating, and I’m not sure how to explain that. Overall, when I used the Somnee, I slept longer and spent more time in deep sleep and less time awake . I fully acknowledge that my Whoop Band (and current sleep tracker technology in general) is not always 100% accurate, but these results demonstrate an overarching pattern with my Somnee usage. As Rosa, formerly the chief marketing officer at Fitbit , emphasized, it's important not to get too hung up on the numbers and sleep scores our wearables provide. "[Wearables] are good at trends, so you can look at the changes in your sleep patterns, but they're not always giving you the complete accuracy of your specific sleep phases. We [at Somnee] have our EEG data sets, but what matters most, as Dr. Walker said, is how you actually feel. Over time, you're going to see a correlation between the improvements in the different stages of your sleep and how you feel, how focused you are and how energized you are to take on the day," Rosa said. Read more: Obsessing Over Your Sleep Data Is Keeping You Up. Here's How to Stop App features: Sleep Journal and Sleep Readiness Score Tracking how you feel after your sessions is easy with Somnee's Sleep Journal feature. If you need reminders to complete tasks, as I do, I highly recommend going into your settings and turning the Sleep Journal reminders on. This will send you a text reminder at a time of your choosing. Gurumoorthy recommends filling out your Sleep Journal less than thirty minutes after waking up. "One measure that I notice is how I feel about a half hour after I wake up. I actually have more energy, even though I may have had less sleep. I may have slept 6 hours and 30 minutes, but I still feel better because of the sessions," Miloseski said. An example of the questions in the Somnee Sleep Journal feature. You can customize the Sleep Journal's daily questions to reflect your individual habits and the information you'd prefer to track. The app compiles this information and shows trends based on your answers, so it's easy to see Somnee's effects on how you feel over time. Another feature of the app is your Sleep Readiness Score. It details your onset (how prepared you are to fall asleep quickly), your maintenance (how prepared your brain is for fewer sleep interruptions) and depth (how prepared you are for deeper sleep). Like the sentiment about not obsessing over the actual sleep data numbers, I tried not to focus too much on my Sleep Readiness Score. Instead, I paid more attention to how I felt before my Somnee session, throughout the night and in the morning, as I didn't want this number to sway my mindset or experience. Of course, that's just personal preference, and this information might be extremely helpful for you. An example of Somnee's Sleep Readiness Score A few mornings after completing a Somnee session the night before, I noticed that the app didn’t track or record the session. This wasn’t a big deal for me but something to keep in mind if you’re closely monitoring your phase completions, Sleep Readiness Score or the Sleep Journal trends. Is neurostimulation safe? The Somnee is the first product of its kind that uses a closed-loop approach with personalized neural stimulation. The idea of a “first of its kind” device directly affecting your brain may make some people hesitant, so I made sure to ask the Somnee team about safety. "It's a completely safe form of neurostimulation," Rosa said. “There is what’s called generalized stimulation, which has been around for decades. It’s basically using the same current and frequency for everyone. But as you know, everybody’s brain is different. All of our patents are around the personalization of neurostimulation, and that’s what sets us apart from anything else that’s out there,” he added. In my personal experience with the Somnee, I never felt like it negatively affected my sleep or my brain. The only time I truly felt uncomfortable using the product was the very first time when it was on maximum intensity, and the electrodes were directly on my forehead moles. Pricing The Somnee Smart Sleep Headband requires a membership, which comes in two options: My final thoughts on the Somnee Smart Sleep headband Though I encountered a few minor hiccups using the product, and you have to constantly keep up with it (electrode replacement, daily charging and so on), I am excited about Somnee and its impact on the current sleep industry. It has enhanced my nightly bedtime routine, and the numbers show it's been slowly improving my sleep over time. My two main takeaways are: When I asked the Dream Team who this product is intended for, Rosa answered, "Everyone who struggles with sleep, which, as you know, is 1 in 3 people." According to the Philips Global Sleep Survey , up to 67% of adults worldwide don't sleep as well as they'd like, and 8 in 10 adults wish to improve their sleep. Many people turn to melatonin and other supplements for sleep disorders and insomnia , but they don't always work for everyone and can have side effects such as feeling groggy the following day. Rosa echoed my thoughts: "Our agenda is to completely disrupt the pharmaceutical industry around sleep. ... Essentially, we're electric medicine, and we're more effective than sleeping pills. We're right on the frontal cortex, directly focused on helping improve your sleep, and there aren't any side effects." "Many pharmaceuticals or sleep aids target improving sleep onset, or your ability to fall asleep. But we're seeing a lack of focus on your overall sleep quality. How do we help not just with sleep onset but also with your sleep interruptions in the middle of the night and ensure you're getting the proper deep sleep you need? Somnee focuses on the brain to help deliver across all three of those areas,” Rosa explained. Like any product, the Somnee won't fix your sleep issues if you use it once. It takes time for the device to map your brain and learn how to best alter your sleep detractors and enhancers. There's a learning curve with using the product and creating a bedtime routine with the Somnee that works for you. Some nights, you'll fall asleep mid-session; other times, entering dreamland may take longer than usual. The best advice I can give is to be patient, pay attention to how you feel each morning and look at the bigger picture: the improvements to your sleep trends over time. The only thing that could keep me from relaxing during the Somnee session was my cat. Though you have to replace and reorder the electrodes frequently, it's free and easy to do so. The reordering process involves pushing two buttons in the app, and they'll be at your door within a few days. Somnee's customer support is one of the best I've encountered when testing a sleep product. It's incredibly responsive and helpful. After the first night, when I had issues activating my Somnee, I received an email from Somnee customer support apologizing for the "frustrating experience" and offering additional tips on properly connecting the electrodes in the future. If you have any issues with the product, I have no doubt they'll take care of it and help you along the way. Pros: Cons: You should consider trying the Somnee if: You should skip the Somnee if:None
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Sean “Diddy” Combs has been denied bail as he awaits a sex trafficking trial by a judge who cited evidence showing him to be a serious risk of witness tampering and proof that he has violated regulations in jail. US District Judge Arun Subramanian made the decision in a written ruling following a bail hearing last week, when lawyers for the hip-hop mogul argued that a 50 million dollars bail package they proposed would be sufficient to ensure Combs does not flee and does not try to intimidate prospective trial witnesses. Two other judges previously had been persuaded by prosecutors’ arguments that the Bad Boy Records founder was a danger to the community if he is not behind bars. Lawyers did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the decision. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years, aided by associates and employees. An indictment alleges that he silenced victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings. A federal appeals court judge last month denied Combs’ immediate release while a three-judge panel of the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan considers his bail request. Prosecutors have insisted that no bail conditions would be sufficient to protect the public and prevent the I’ll Be Missing You singer from fleeing. They say that even in a federal lock-up in Brooklyn, Combs has orchestrated social media campaigns designed to influence prospective jurors and tried to publicly leak materials he thinks can help his case. They say he also has contacted potential witnesses through third parties. Lawyers for Combs say any alleged sexual abuse described in the indictment occurred during consensual relations between adults and that new evidence refutes allegations that Combs used his “power and prestige” to induce female victims into drugged-up, elaborately produced sexual performances with male sex workers known as “Freak Offs”.
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SHAREHOLDER INVESTIGATION: Halper Sadeh LLC Investigates AE, ENLC, SKGR, EVGR on Behalf of ShareholdersOne-time playoff contenders get together in Dallas, as the Cowboys play host to Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals on “Monday Night Football .” The game is scheduled to start at 8:15 p.m. ET with TV coverage on ESPN and streaming on-demand . How to watch: Live streams of the Cowboys vs. Bengals game are available with offers from FuboTV (low intro rate) , SlingTV (low intro rate) and DirecTV Stream (free trial) . For a limited time, FuboTV is offering $30 off the first month after the free trial period. With the $30 offer, plans start at $49.99. The “Manningcast” alternate broadcast with Peyton and Eli Manning will also be available on ESPN+ ($11.99/month) . Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) at Dallas Cowboys (5-7) NFL Week 14 matchup at a glance When: Monday, Dec. 9 at 8:15 p.m. ET Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas TV channel: ABC and ESPN Live streams: FuboTV (low intro rate) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial) | ESPN+ ($11.99/mo.) Frustration continues to build in Cincinnati and Dallas with both teams on the wrong side of .500 and looking anything but contenders. The Bengals are in the process of squandering a big season from Burrow, while the Cowboys continue to play without injured quarterback Dak Prescott for the remainder of the season. Cincinnati enters Monday as a 5.5-point road favorite to snap a three-game losing streak and maintain any mathematical chance of reaching the AFC playoffs. The Cowboys are 5-7 overall and 1-5 on their home field this season, but they do own back-to-back NFC East victories over the Washington Commanders (34-26) and New York Giants (27-20). RECOMMENDED • pennlive .com How to get Pittsburgh Steelers tickets for revenge game vs. Browns in Week 14: Prices, options Dec. 4, 2024, 2:24 p.m. How to get Eagles vs. Steelers tickets for NFL Week 15 at The Linc: Prices, options Dec. 9, 2024, 1:04 p.m. Dallas Cowboys vs. Cincinnati Bengals: Know your live streaming options FuboTV (low intro rate) - excellent viewer experience with expansive live sports content; monthly rate starts at $49.99. SlingTV (low intro rate) - discounted first month is best if you’ve run out of free trials or you’re in the market for 1+ month of TV. DirecTV Stream (free trial) - not the same level of viewer experience as FuboTV, but the 7-day free trial is still the longest in streaming. ESPN+ ($11.99/mo.) - best standalone in the industry for delivering live college football, including exclusive games. ESPN+ streams select, not all, Monday Night Football games. The Cowboys and Bengals are set for an 8:15 p.m. ET start on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+ . Live streams are available from FuboTV (low intro rate) , DirecTV Stream (free trial) and SlingTV (low intro rate) .
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