Thursday, October 31st, 2024

Happy Halloween! 🎃 
Did you know that Halloween originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, marking the end of the harvest season and the start of winter? 👻 

Health Sciences

Speedy Brain Surgery

A 75-year-old woman recently became the first person to have a brain tumor removed via an eyebrow incision, according to the UK’s NHS. This procedure not only cuts down on time spent in surgery but also speeds up recovery significantly.

After a previous craniotomy failed to remove her tumor, Doreen Adams underwent this new technique, leaving the hospital just two days post-surgery. NHS surgeon Anastasios Giamouriadis adapted the procedure, which minimizes scarring to a small mark near the eyebrow and a temporary black eye, unlike traditional methods that require part of the skull to be removed. This eyebrow keyhole approach takes just three hours, compared to the 8-10 hours of a typical craniotomy. “The recovery from the craniotomy was long and tough,” Adams noted. “This time, I was back to my normal life almost immediately.”

Dr. Giamouriadis didn’t invent this surgery, but he refined it to allow faster and more precise access to large tumors. “We’re removing sizable tumors, something that hasn’t been done elsewhere with this technique,” he said. “It’s much less invasive, sparing patients from full forehead scars.” Endorsed by British and European neurosurgical societies, this method also benefits surgeons, who can reach the tumor in 30-40 minutes, reducing the risk of errors from extended operating times. After surgery, patients wake up immediately and often return home the next day.

“With this technique, patients recover faster, freeing up hospital resources,” said Giamouriadis. Doreen reflected on her experience, “To think you can have brain surgery and be back to normal within days is quite incredible.”

Entertainment

Star-Studded Hurricane Relief

Country music stars gathered on Saturday night for a benefit concert aimed at raising funds for hurricane relief.

Headlined by Luke Combs and Eric Church, the Concert for Carolina raised $24 million to assist communities in North and South Carolina recovering from hurricanes Helene and Milton. Featured guests included Sheryl Crow, James Taylor, and Keith Urban. The Bank of America Arena in Charlotte hosted over 80,000 attendees, thanks to pro bono support from Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, whose foundation contributed $3 million to the relief efforts after the destruction caused by Hurricane Milton.

“This will undoubtedly go down as the night I am most proud of in my career,” Combs said on Instagram. “Being able to give back to the place that gave me so much.” Other performers included Billy Strings, Bailey Zimmerman, The Avett Brothers, Scotty McCreery, Chase Rice, and Parmalee. Combs, a native of Huntersville, NC, recalled watching the devastation from his home in Nashville while struggling to reach friends and family who lost cell service. Motivated to help, he reached out to Church to propose the benefit.

“North Carolina is both of our homes,” Church stated during a press conference before the concert. “The small communities in western North Carolina are strong and proud. They help each other in times of trouble, but in this case, there is no community next door; it’s all been destroyed. So tonight, we are that community.”
Combs noted that organizing such an event typically takes a year or more, but they managed to pull it together in just three weeks.

Environment

First Salmon Since 1912

This fall-run Chinook salmon was spotted in a tributary of the Klamath River on October 16, marking the first return of its species to the Klamath Basin in Oregon since 1912. This follows the recent removal of the J.C. Boyle Dam, which had blocked salmon migration for over a century.

The salmon likely traveled about 230 miles from the Pacific Ocean to reach this tributary, despite the fact that all four hydroelectric dams were taken down just two months ago. Since the dam removal, fish biologists have been monitoring the Klamath River and its tributaries to track the repopulation of fish species in collaboration with the Klamath Tribes. ODFW Director Debbie Colbert stated, “This development in the Klamath Basin shows the resilience of salmon and steelhead and motivates us to continue restoration efforts in the upper basin. I appreciate everyone who has contributed to this work over the last two decades.” Roberta Frost, Klamath Tribes Secretary, expressed gratitude for the return of salmon, calling it “overwhelming” for the tribe. “This is what our members worked for and believed in for so many decades,” she added, noting the salmon's determination to return home.

Mark Hereford, leader of ODFW’s Klamath Fisheries Reintroduction Project, was part of the team that confirmed the presence of the fall-run Chinook. He recalled seeing a large fish the day before but wasn’t sure if it was a salmon or a large rainbow trout. Upon returning on the 16th and 17th, they confirmed the salmon were in the tributary. The removal of the dams followed two decades of advocacy and legal challenges from the Yurok Tribe and various other groups. Concerns about water quality and fish mortality, particularly an outbreak that killed tens of thousands of salmon due to stagnant, warm water, prompted investigations. This raised questions about the necessity of the dams, which had become less relevant as a source of electricity for the community.

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Mind Stretchers

⁉️

A house with two residents - sometimes one, seldom three. Crack the walls, eat the dwellers, then throw it away. What is it?

Yesterday’s Answers to the Mind Stretchers:
When rain falls, does it ever get up again?

• Yes, in ‘dew’ (due) time! hah! Albert Knox got this correct first! 💧 

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to[email protected]or reply to email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.