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Pennsylvania school cancels classes due to sleepwalking student
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A middle school in Pennsylvania canceled classes after a student sleepwalked into the building on Wednesday morning. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
News Division
Published: Feb 24, 2018, 2:39 PM
A middle school in Pennsylvania canceled classes after a student sleepwalked into the building on Wednesday morning.

According to the Associated Press, the seventh-grade student called 911 at about 2:30 a.m. to inform police that he had sleepwalked into Wendover Middle School, which sits in Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania.

Police said the student entered the school through a window.

It appears he went through a screen in the window and got himself in the school. He was in the school about 15 minutes, trooper Stephan Limani, of Pennsylvania State Police, told KDKA-TV. He believes he was sleepwalking and went to the school.

On Wednesday, the Hempfield Area School District canceled classes amid security concerns. Police swept through the building throughout the day.

Classes resumed on Thursday, according to the AP.

Police said the incident isnt related to a separate arrest earlier this week when a student allegedly threatened to shoot another student.

A couple days prior, we did have a male student verbally threaten a female student, saying he was going to shoot her, Limani said.

According to Fox News, the student accused of making the threat was arrested and sent to Westmoreland County Juvenile Detention Center.

The school will continue to increase security as it investigates why the sleepwalking student entered the building.

In light of the recent events, an added police presence will be at Wendover Middle School tomorrow and counselors will be available to talk with students regarding school violence and safety, as needed, Superintendent Tammy W. Wolicki said in a statement. Additionally, the PA State Police have indicated that they are striving to have an added presence at all district schools. This provides an opportunity for students to see law enforcement within the schools and to promote a sense of safety.
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
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
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.