Do you have a snoot noodle or other variation of sighthound? If yes, there’s new heart health research for the breed happening!
A researcher at Texas A&M whose work I’m familiar with is starting a new study looking at genetic factors contributing to heart disease in Borzoi and related breeds. They just put out a call for dog owners who are willing to submit saliva samples & (noodle) medical records. Studies like this need a big sample size! They’re accepting new sign-ups starting now until March 1, 2025, for dogs both in the US and internationally.
Let’s help make some science!
From the study page:
“Background and purpose
Recent research in Borzoi dogs has revealed that dogs of this breed experience sudden, unexplained death. About 85% of sudden, unexplained deaths in humans are linked to an underlying heart disease. Our existing research in Borzoi dogs has shown that they are predisposed to developing arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) and dilated cardiomyopathy (a heart muscle disease causing dilated heart chambers and weak pumping function).
Due to our documentation of the frequency of these conditions in Borzoi dogs, we seek to identify responsible genetic variations similar to what is seen in humans with electrical cardiac diseases that trigger arrhythmias and dilated cardiomyopathy.
The objective of our study is to identify genetic mutations associated with heart disease in Borzoi dogs and document their existence in other sighthound breeds.
What happens in this study
We are collecting saliva samples from both healthy Borzoi and Borzoi dogs affected with arrhythmias and/or dilated cardiomyopathy. We will also collect saliva samples from any other sighthound breeds.
We will extract DNA from these samples and perform genomic sequencing on a select number while retaining the remainder for further screening.By analyzing the sequencing data, we can compare the genes of healthy and affected Borzoi dogs and identify variants linked to their heart conditions. We will also compare the findings in Borzoi dogs to results from other sighthound breeds.
Pet owner responsibilities
A swab kit will be sent to you for at home use along with a link to an instructional video on how to properly obtain a swab of the mouth. The kit will contain equipment to collect the saliva swab, a history form for your pet, a client consent form and a shipping label to return samples to us.
Participation requirements
To participate, you must have a Borzoi dog or a sighthound breed that is either healthy or affected by arrhythmias and/or dilated cardiomyopathy. Pets may be any age or sex. Electronic or paper veterinary medical records will need to be provided.
Benefits and risks of participating
There is little to no risk for taking a brief swab of the mouth for saliva collection if procedures outlined in the video are followed. No individual genetic test results will be provided to study participants.
Compensation
There is no cost to the owner for participating in this study. No compensation will be provided.”
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Tags to use for photosensitive content
[Plain text: Tags to use for photosensitive content End plain text.]
"Flashing lights" and "flashing" are good catch-all tags, even if there is no flashing or strobe effects. The reason being is that these are the most common tags that photosensitives will have filtered. Blinkies are included!
"Eyestrain" is a good tag for content with lots of high-saturation and bright colors, or high contrast. This is not exclusive to gifs and videos, but also still images and artwork.
"Glitch" is referring to glitch effects, which can trigger photosensitivite conditions. While not the ideal tag, it is best used as well as the first two in the list.
From the notes - "strobing" and "strobing lights" are also used, but not as often as the first two. For strobe effects.
Tags that should not be used for photosensitive content
[Plain text: Tags that should not be used for photosensitive content End plain text.]
Any type of tag that includes "tw," "cw," or any other changes to the base tag. To Tumblr, the tag "tw flashing lights" and "flashing lights" are entirely separate tags. Someone who has "flashing lights" filtered will not automatically have "tw flashing lights" filtered. There are so many variants of these alternative tags that it is hard for photosensitives to filter them all, so using the base tags is the best for safety.
Any tags that use a photosensitive condition as the warning. The most common one is "tw epilepsy," which shows up in the search for "epilepsy" on this site, which will make sure that those who are epileptic will see that content. Think of it as similar to putting body-checking posts with "tw ED" and it showing up for people with EDs who are trying to recover. Other tags like this include "epileptic content" and "photosensitivity warning," and it can also make discussion of these conditions harder to find for those experiencing it.
The tag "seizure warning" is not a viable tag because it is not a warning of what the post contains, only what it may cause. People need to know what a post may contain through the tags to identify how much of a risk that content is for their condition.
Do not use any community tags as a filter tag, such as "epilepsy", "photosensitivity", "photosensitive epilepsy", etc. This puts your post in the tags used by the group you are trying to avoid seeing them. That will make sure everyone with that condition sees it.
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Unsteady
Paring: Miguel O'Hara x Nurse!Reader
Summary: It's barely been a week since the movie came out and I hate myself. Enjoy a miguel smut everyone
Warnings: smut; vaginal fingering; slight blood (typical nurse shit); language; not proof-read; almost added some Spanish phrases because it's hot but my white ass would've easily botched that shit
Word Count: 1.8k
'When it comes to a snack-pack I can't lie'
"I wanna ride." You hummed along with the song, voice rising slightly higher to match the background singers. "Ride."
The speaker echoed throughout the room, disrupted only by the slight pitter-patter of medications falling into their correct places with each passing minute.
Organization had always been moderately calming to you, but it definitely helped to have music in the background, turning what some would call monotonous chore into a mindless state of productiveness.
Of course, this was also quite effective at stealing your attention.
The satisfaction of each pill finding its proper section had apparently replaced your spatial awareness, along with the realization that someone was standing in your door.
"Where's the doctor?"
“Shit!” You jumped, surprised at the unexpected voice. The nerves got even worse as you spun on your heels, meeting the stone-cold gaze of none other than Miguel O'Hara.
"Sorry, but he's not in right- " You fiddled with the speaker, finally managing to pause the music that suddenly seemed much too loud before clearing your throat and turning to face him again. "Oh, shit! What happened?!"
Considering the infinite possibility of universes, it really shouldn't have been all that shocking that this one was home to an arachnid-themed physician.
But for someone living in a spider society, you definitely couldn't identify as a spider-man, woman, or any other unworldly alternative that managed to find its way in your path.
You were, in essence, a completely normal person, a little factoid that didn't aid your constant surprise at all the different webby variants that this place had to offer.
It had all started a few months ago when your world cracked apart.
What many could describe as a boorishly typical day quickly turned into cosmic devastation. You couldn't even remember when the hole opened up, swallowing your home and all the people with it into its murky abyss.
Horrifying was an understatement.
In the midst of this chaos, in all the screaming and tears and crumbling buildings that you had once shopped or stayed in, your line of sight caught wind of a large, bright light.
People were running from both it and the blackness, terrified of whatever supernaturally apocalyptic entity that had come to wreak havoc on their lives.
Still, this bright alternative seemed vastly more inviting than the inky chasm fracturing main street.
So, pushing away the common sense in turn for the human instinct to avoid certain death, you had jumped.
Obviously, when you had leaped into the unspecified glowing hole, you hadn't been expected this.
But fear had quickly been replaced with relieved gratitude when your new comrades hadn't thrown you back into your quickly vanishing world, but allowed you to stay.
Over time, you had acclimated to their society, even picking up a nursing assistant position under their own spider-medic.
Regardless, you found yourself constantly nervous around most of these people, despite their usual friendliness.
It also didn't help that you were simultaneously terrified and attracted to your current boss.
Your boss who was standing in the doorway with a large gash above his elbow and a stream of blood leaking down his arm.
"Did you get stabbed?"
"I'm fine."
The statement wasn't exactly surprising.
Miguel was a closed-off person, even if that meant patching up the non-lethal injuries by himself. Despite the constant abundance of danger the man put himself in, he didn't visit your office often.
Still, you took hold of his free arm and dragged him towards the medical bed. "Uh, no offense, but then why are you here?"
You watched his jaw harden slightly, eyebrows furrowing in what you quickly recognized to be agitation. "Byte locked me out of the computer system and wouldn't let me back in unless I came here."
Spider-byte, or Margo, was one of the most technologically skillful individuals here, and someone you would consider to be your closest friend at the moment.
Somehow, she had been able to pry out your attraction to the organization's leader.
According to her, she was under the impression that Miguel was fond of you, but you honestly couldn't think of any other reason for his lessened hostility besides that fact that you were one of the only people here without superpowers.
But if it was pity-masked by his tolerance, it wasn't hard for you to become increasingly attached to him over time, a fact that someone as perceptive as Margo was easily able to pick up on.
And seeing as she knew both Spider-medic's and your schedule, it wouldn't exactly surprise you if she chose today, specifically at 3:37 in the afternoon, to nag Miguel about the importance of medical care done by a professional.
"So... what happened?" You twisted the cap off the bottle of saline solution and allowed it to fall over a cloth. "The usual, I'm guessing?"
"Basically," he nodded, barely moving when you gently cleaned his wound. His left sleeve had been cut away, leaving his entire bicep exposed.
While this made for a quick job...
Oh, fuck
Swallowing, you tossed the cloth to the side, reaching for the roll of gauze and keeping your eyes to the floor.
Shit, his thighs are ginormous.
They caged your own in from the sides, leaving it almost impossible to ignore the heat of his gaze burning into your skin. The warmth of his own tickled the tips of your fingers as you wrapped the newly cleaned wound.
"Are you okay?"
"Huh?" You looked up, almost physically recoiling when you realized how close your face was to his.
He cocked an eyebrow. "You're nervous."
Scrunching your expression, you quickly took note of how fast your heart was beating against your ribs. "I thought you didn't have that weird, spider-sense thing."
"I don't." Miguel grabbed your wrist, barely leaving his wound properly secured. "Your hands are shaking."
Blinking in surprise, you shifted your gaze to your arm. It was small, but there were ripples of tremers coursing through the creases on your fingers.
The unsteadiness was unconscious, unaffected by the strength of your mental begging.
"Do I make you nervous?" A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth and you could've sworn that you were moments away from going into cardiac arrest.
"I... uh..."
"What's wrong, sweetheart?" The hand not gripping yours pushed a fallen strand of hair behind your ear. "Having trouble concentrating?"
He leaned forward slightly, warmth of his breath tickling the edge of your chin before he quickly moved back. His movements came to a sharp pause, a serious expression overcoming his features. "Do you want me to stop?
Your answer was almost immediate. "No."
"Good girl." His words sent an unconscious shiver down your spine, earning you a low chuckle. "Do you like it when I call you that?"
I'm gonna combust.
"So shy," Miguel clicked his tongue, running his thumb over your lip as the rest of his fingers forced your chin upward to meet his gaze. "Answer, princess."
Backing away, he slid his arms under your thighs and pulled you upward so you were straddling his.
You swallowed, watching his hands slip under the fabric of your coat, snaking around your bare waist. "Yes."
Red irises burned into yours, only beginning to match the intensity in his expression. "Any other appointments today?" His fingers toyed with the top of your jeans.
"No," your breath hitched. "But you spider-people always manage to get yourself into deep shit."
He drew forward, pressing his lips against your neck as his touch traveled under your waistline. "I'll make this quick then."
The feeling of his mouth sucking on your collarbone sent warmth sparking into your abdomen, the heat only growing as his thumb grazed over your clit.
"I think it's cute." He grinned, canines threatening to break the tender skin. "How nervous you get around me. I was guessing that you were either terrified of me or wanted me to fuck you."
You groaned when two of his fingers pushed into you, slowly pressing against your core in a way that had you turning to putty in his arms. "Both, probably."
He chuckled, continuing to trail his kisses over your skin, taking a moment to swallow the soft moans falling from your lips in his.
A part of you wondered if the door was properly locked, if the shades were completely shut, or if the room was soundproof. But every ounce of common sense seemed to leak out of you with each stroke of his thumb over your clit, each squeeze that he gave your thigh with his free hand.
And then the phone rang.
Panicking, you turned around, shaking hand reaching for the receiver. Miguel took your wrist into his free arm, pulling you back into him.
"It's okay, princess." He pressed down on your clit, pulling a cry from your lips. "You're almost there."
He was right.
Each thrust of his fingers into your core sent your mind further into a blissful haze, the subtle shaking of your thighs over his going unnoticed. It was only a moment later that he had you coming undone around his hands.
You took a few seconds, head resting on his chest as he slowly took you down from your high. It was odd how warm he felt, a large contrast to what many would describe as a cold demeanor.
The heat made you want to stay there forever, the only thing yanking you out of your pleasured mindlessness the incessant ringing of the device three feet away from you.
"Hello?" You cleared your throat, trying to get rid of the falter lacing your tone. "This is, uh, the spider... doctor office?"
The sound of your name echoed through the phone and you immediately recognized the voice of your current mentor. "Sorry again about leaving you alone for the day, hun. I just wanted to check and see if everything was okay back at the office."
"Oh, I'm fine! Take as long as you need!" You heard a line of praises coming through, but they barely registered in your mind. "Gotta go, kay, bye!"
With a breath, you set the device down in relief, barely recognizing the soft smirk gracing Miguel's lips.
"So... how’s your arm?"
Miguel laughed, a sound that was completely foreign to you, and the rest of the organization, probably.
"Fine." The limb in question slipped around your waist, pressing your body further into his. "But Byte told me that if I didn't ask you out then she'd add a matching scar to my other one."
You grimaced in embarrassment, the feeling slowly fading away as he laced a gentle hand through your hair, more affection that you had seen from the man in your entire time here.
"Of course she did."
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