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Napoleon Dynamite returns for 12-year-old leukemia patient
Napoleon Dynamite
Although it's been 10 years since the world first saw Jon Heder play the role of Napoleon Dynamite, the actor proved to a 12-year-old girl that he hasn't lost it. - photo by YouTube screenshot

It's been 10 years since the world first saw Jon Heder play the role of Napoleon Dynamite, but the actor recently proved he hasn't lost his ability to slip into the awkward yet endearing role.

Twelve-year-old Mary Elizabeth Paris is an avid "Napoleon Dynamite" fan and is fighting for her life. Having been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in April, Mary Elizabeth spent three of the past five months at the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and filled much of that time watching Heder in his quirky role in her favorite movie.

"Mary Elizabeth just mentioned to one of her favorite nurses that she loved 'Napoleon Dynamite,'" Mary Elizabeth's mother, Mandi Paris, told Today.com.

"And the next day, she brought (Mary Elizabeth) the movie. We have watched that movie probably 15 times."

The hospital staff also decorated Mary Elizabeth's room in gold, the color for childhood cancer awareness.

"I know I can't give up and I know God's always there for me," Mary Elizabeth told Atlanta Alive.

After Mary Elizabeth's story was featured on her local news station, viewers sent messages to Heder asking him to reach out to his No. 1 fan. But rather than simply writing a letter to her, Heder took on the role of Napoleon Dynamite and sent a video message to Mary Elizabeth's mother on Twitter, stating "All my prayers and wishes go to you in this difficult time. Rooting for you!"
In the video, posted Sept. 3, Heder shared encouragement from Napoleon.

"I just wanted to say good luck, hang in there, you're going to do awesome and just listen to your heart. That's pretty much all I do," Heder said in the video.

Mandi Paris expressed her appreciation for Heder on Twitter.
A Go Fund Me account has been set up for Mary Elizabeth and her family.

Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.