In this issue of

NewTampa | WesleyChapel Local Pulse

This Week’s Events

WEATHER

Local News

💊The Hidden Danger at Gas Stations: Unmasking the Risks of Tianeptine

📿Save the Seas, Save on Tickets: Florida Aquarium's Bead Recycling Discount!

🐕 Largo's Four-Legged Float Phenomenon: Ceilidh's Parade Adventures

Crime

🚗 Highway Havoc: St. Petersburg Child in Unlicensed Crash

Medical News

🧬RecA's Untwisting Tale: A New Chapter in Cancer Research

This Week’s Events in the NewTampa | Wesley Chapel FL Local Area

NT|WC AI Event Bot - Check and Submit Events (coming soon)

January 22

January 23 — Live Music: St Pete Saxophone Quartet,The James Museum, 530-730pm,

January 24 — Broadway through the Decades: Dinner Theater, Lion's Club of Zephyrhills, 530 Dinner/7 Show

January 25

January 26 — NTBC-Final Friday Networking Event, Walk-On's Bistreaux, 25372 Sirra Cntr Blvd, #304, WC, 4-6pm

January 26 — Sangria Night at Keel Farms, Keel & Curley Winery, 5-10pm

January 27

January 28 — Tiesto, Seminole Hard Rock, 11am

The Hidden Danger at Gas Stations: Unmasking the Risks of Tianeptine

 Tianeptine, known as "gas station heroin," is an unapproved tricyclic antidepressant in the U.S., but widely available at gas stations under names like "ZaZa Red" and "Neptune’s Elixir." Developed in France in the 1960s, it's legal in over 60 countries. Marketed as a safer opioid alternative, it's sought by those with opioid disorders due to its similar effects. However, it can cause serious health issues, including addiction, withdrawal, and even death.

The substance is falsely claimed to treat various ailments including anxiety and pain. Mixing it with other medications can lead to severe side effects like coma and death. Due to rising poison cases and health risks, nine U.S. states (including Florida) have banned or restricted tianeptine. The FDA is being urged to take action against its sale in the U.S.

Save the Seas, Save on Tickets: Florida Aquarium's Bead Recycling Discount!

In an innovative move to protect marine wildlife and promote environmental sustainability, The Florida Aquarium in Tampa has launched a unique initiative coinciding with the Gasparilla festivities. Patrons can now receive a significant 50% discount on general admission tickets by participating in a bead recycling program. For every 5-gallon bucket of Gasparilla beads donated, guests are eligible for this discount, fostering a "greener Gasparilla" spirit.

This initiative aligns with Florida's commitment to environmental conservation, as highlighted by Florida Statute 403.413 which prohibits the disposal of beads in waterways. Beads and similar non-biodegradable items pose a serious threat to marine life and water quality.

The collected beads are set to be donated to the MacDonald Training Center, an organization dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities. The Center will clean, repackage, and resell these beads, with proceeds supporting their vocational training and life enrichment programs.

This bead-recycling offer is valid until February 11, 2024, providing a timely incentive for community participation in environmental stewardship and offering a rewarding aquarium experience.

Click HERE for more information

Largo's Four-Legged Float Phenomenon: Ceilidh's Parade Adventures

In Largo, Florida, a Scottish terrier named Ceilidh, pronounced 'kay-lee', has charmed locals with her unique parade appearances. Owned by Gary Graham, Ceilidh became known as 'the parade dog' due to her presence in various local parades, including Memorial Day and Christmas events. To ease the strain on Ceilidh's small stature, Graham ingeniously modified a Radio Flyer wagon by attaching it to a monster truck radio control, transforming it into her personal float. This setup not only made parade participation easier for Ceilidh but also turned her into a local celebrity.

The monster truck, capable of hauling the weight of the wagon and Ceilidh, is decked out according to the theme of each parade. From reindeer motifs for Christmas to shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day, the truck and wagon are creatively adorned, complemented by Ceilidh's matching costumes. This attention to detail is evident in every parade, including the Scottish Highland games, 4th of July, and Memorial Day.

Gary Graham's commitment to this unique parade concept stems from the joy it brings to onlookers. "We enjoy putting smiles on faces. That's what it's all about," he says. Ceilidh's next appearance will be at the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Largo, with updates available on the City of Largo's website.

Highway Havoc: St. Petersburg Child in Unlicensed Crash

In a startling incident on Thursday evening, a 10-year-old boy from St. Petersburg, Florida, embarked on a dangerous drive by taking a family member's Nissan Altima without consent. The young driver entered Interstate 275, where he sideswiped a Ford F-250 pickup truck driven by a 27-year-old man from Wimauma. The incident, occurring shortly after 6 p.m. near the I-375 exit, resulted in the Nissan rotating and colliding with a bridge railing.

Miraculously, the child sustained only minor injuries, while the driver of the pickup and his two adult passengers emerged unharmed. This alarming event unfolded approximately 30 minutes after the boy had been reported missing. Following the crash, he was taken to a hospital and subsequently placed under the state’s Baker Act for involuntary commitment, as per Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson Steve Gaskins.

This case highlights critical issues regarding child safety and the importance of secure vehicle storage.

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RecA's Untwisting Tale: A New Chapter in Cancer Research

Tokyo Metropolitan University scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in DNA repair mechanisms, particularly in how the RecA protein repairs double-stranded DNA breaks. Contrary to previous assumptions, RecA can integrate a single-strand end into intact double strands without unwinding the DNA helix. This new understanding opens promising avenues in cancer research.

Homologous recombination (HR), a critical process for repairing DNA damage, is found across various life forms. In HR, the RecA protein (or its equivalents in different organisms) plays a vital role. When DNA breaks, RecA binds to the exposed single strand and an intact double strand, searching for the correct sequence to initiate repair. The Tokyo research team, led by Professor Kouji Hirota, has now revealed that this process doesn’t involve unwinding the DNA during the search phase, as previously thought. The finding was confirmed through experiments using a RecA mutant incapable of unwinding DNA and measurements of torsion in the DNA strand.

Understanding HR is crucial, especially given its connection to genetic diseases like breast cancer. Factors like BRCA1 and BRCA2, linked to breast cancer, are involved in loading single-stranded DNA onto RAD51, the human equivalent of RecA. Insights from this study could pave the way for new cancer research strategies.

Click HERE to read full article

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