The Funeral Service to celebrate the life of Dale Tapping will be held at the MCG's Members Dining Room on Monday Those looking to attend can enter via the main entry to the MCC Members Reserve at Gate 2 Tapping sadly passed away on February 4 after an 18-month battle with Myeloma inspiring many within football circles and the wider community along the way Live streaming and donations in memory of Dale will be available via michaelcrawfordfunerals.com.au The Essendon Football Club is in mourning after the passing of VFL Senior Coach Dale Tapping.Tapping had bravely fought Myeloma since January 2023 and passed on Tuesday morning surrounded by his family.He is survived by his wife Kellie “On behalf of everyone at the Essendon Football Club we are deeply saddened by Dale's loss," Essendon President Dave Barham said "Dale was a man of impeccable character who was universally loved and respected by those who were lucky enough to have crossed paths with him over his 28 years in the football industry “Our Club’s thoughts are with his wife Kellie and the extended Tapping family at this most challenging of times He has left a lasting impact on the Essendon Football Club and across the broader football community and will be remembered as a selfless individual whose passion and care for people and the game was evident in everything he did Summer and Mason in this incredibly tough time," Essendon CEO Craig Vozzo said "Dale was a wonderful person and mentor of young men – a man of outstanding character and integrity We were incredibly fortunate to have Dale work at our Club over the past three years but has left us with many lasting learnings and memories.” Essendon forwards coach Dale Tapping courageously recounts the hard moment of telling his kids about his recent cancer diagnoses but his true legacy lies in the profound impact he had on players and staff personally," Senior Coach Brad Scott said "His dedication to their growth - both on and off the field - along with his genuine love for seeing people succeed were qualities admired by all “It was a privilege to have coached with him and his legacy at the Club will endure through the players and staff he mentored throughout his career Dale will be deeply missed by the AFL industry and everyone at the Bombers who have shown incredible strength throughout this difficult time.”Tapping brought more than 28 years of experience to the game before beginning his coaching career at local level with roles at Old Brighton and Old Scotch in the VAFA Tapping moved into the elite Under 18 competition coaching the Sandringham Dragons and eventually joining Collingwood's VFL program leading them to a preliminary final and being named the 2016 VFL Coach of the Year Tapping then served as an Assistant Coach at the Brisbane Lions working with their midfield for five seasons before joining Essendon at the end of 2021 He initially served as an Assistant Coach in our AFL program He was highly regarded for his communication skills and ability to develop players he transitioned to the role of VFL Senior Coach further demonstrating his commitment to player development and the club's success The Tapping family wish to highlight the care and support of St Vincent’s Haematology Ward and Cancer Centre and Myeloma Australia through this difficult time Anyone wishing to support these organisations St Vincent’s Cancer Centre Myeloma Australia Read the key individual stats from Thursday night’s close win North Melbourne pip Dons by 10 points at Windy Hill Jordan Ridley and Jade Gresham will all miss against Sydney We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Custodians on whose Country we are based We acknowledge their ongoing connection to Country and pay respect to their Elders We extend that acknowledgement and respect to all First Nations peoples throughout Australia Essendon's VFL coach and former assistant at Brisbane and Collingwood Tapping was diagnosed with myeloma, a type of blood cancer, in 2023 and has continued to work with the Bombers while receiving treatment He passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 59 "On behalf of everyone at the Essendon Football Club we are deeply saddened by his loss," president Dave Barham said "Our club's thoughts are with his wife Kellie children Summer and Mason and the extended Tapping family at this most challenging of times He has left a lasting impact on the Essendon Football Club and across the broader football community and will be remembered as a selfless individual whose passion and care for people and the game was evident in everything he did." Tapping coached at junior and lower levels before joining Collingwood and was named VFL Coach of the Year in 2016 after guiding the Magpies to a preliminary final He then moved to the Lions to work under Chris Fagan for five years before joining the Bombers in 2021 initially as a forwards coach for the AFL side He was appointed Essendon's VFL coach last year Tapping spoke openly two years ago about how telling his teenage children of his illness put his coaching roles into perspective "Conversations leaving players out of finals teams are a walk in the park compared to speaking to your 14-year-old son and 17-year-old daughter about your challenge," he said "They've been fantastic and I'm really proud of how they've handled it "The challenge is accepting what I've got and now having a strategic plan and process of treatment I've got a really good plan and handled by the best specialists and give us our greatest chance to live a long healthy life." Despite leaving Brisbane three years before the club's premiership triumph the Lions say Tapping was an influential figure in their flag win "Dale played an instrumental part in our football program and our growth and journey over a five year period," Brisbane footy boss Dany Daly said "He was fantastic to be around and a well-loved staff member "His fingerprints are all over our premiership cup and we will miss him enormously and send our condolences to Kellie a premiership teammate of Tapping at Old Xaverians "On behalf of the AFL our thoughts are with the Essendon Football Club and the wider football industry following the passing of Dale Tapping," he said "Dale was very well respected throughout the football community and made a significant impact in various coaching roles at Essendon Old Brighton and Old Scotch as well as being a premiership teammate of mine at Old Xaverians "Dale helped develop and was a great mentor to many players who have gone on to enjoy successful football careers and in 2016 was named the VFL Coach of the Year after leading Collingwood to the preliminary final "We send our deepest sympathies to Dale's wife Kellie as well as his extended family and friends." Bombers head coach Brad Scott said coaching alongside Tapping was a "privilege" but his true legacy lies in the profound impact he had on players and staff personally," Scott said "His dedication to their growth — both on and off the field — along with his genuine love for seeing people succeed "It was a privilege to have coached with him and his legacy at the club will endure through the players and staff he mentored throughout his career who have shown incredible strength throughout this difficult time." Gold Coast Academy’s Usher on her ACL injury rehab battles and best friend Havana Harris incredible misses and more in our look back on the April action of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership season Three-time premiership coach Mick Malthouse gives host Bharat Sundaresan the rundown on how Australian football began and how it became such a significant part of Australian culture With a challenging month of away clashes ahead Fremantle needs to find a way to win on the road if it's to seriously contend in 2025 One of footy's famous rivalries will kick off the AFLW season to mark the 10th season of the competition Check out all the action from the state leagues around the country Damian Barrett and Matthew Lloyd with the latest news and opinions from Round 8 Defence is shaping as a hard position to fill in Fantasy Classic this year as Roy from The Traders runs through all the main options Footy Feed: Sarah Olle and Riley Beveridge with the latest news Check out the Rising Star for AFL’s Round 8 Will a hard tag from Jack Viney be the reason Harley Reid leaves the Eagles Vote now on your favourite marks from Round 8 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season The Match Review findings for Sunday's round eight games are in In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today The latest in-depth documentary from Simon Alkin focuses on the talent behind Eruption – a song that changed the guitar world forever The mini-documentary is the sixth short film to be masterminded by EVH obsessive and filmmaker Simon Alkin offering a comprehensive insight into the writing of the band’s 1978 self-titled debut album The newly-released part puts its game-changing track Alkin utilizes old interviews from Eddie Van Halen to tell the story through the words of those who were a part of it is “to make it as truthful and impactful as possible” with Eddie Van Halen discussing how the band “wouldn't take no for an answer” in their quest to earn a record deal to sign the band “because of Ed” “I didn't care about anybody else,” Templeman says “I just wanted that genius to be recognized by the world.” It also takes in the young band’s ignorance and how they signed “the worst deal for us you could ever imagine” with David Lee Roth joking that “Ted still makes more money than I do on those first two records” The band had recorded the album in five days Speaking of his father’s impact on the guitar world, which was immediate upon Eruption’s release, Wolfgang Van Halen says his dad “kind of ruined” the 1980s guitar scene as an army of Eddie impersonators vied for the world’s attention and one that Alkin says is “a significant step up on anything I've made previously” with no official Van Halen content out there his work helps “fill the void” for the band’s devoted fanbase Alkin has also been thorough with his fact-checking, and has thanked Guitar World contributor and Van Halen expert Chris Gill – “an absolute authority on the subject” – for his help with the film Gill co-wrote the book Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen and also granted Alkin access to previously unheard audio Alkin has also credited author Steve Rosen who let him lift limited amounts of his Tonechaser interview with the late virtuoso The documentary’s release comes after hours of unseen B-roll footage, captured for a canned documentary on the band during the 1980s, was released on YouTube in which he slings an 8-string Strandberg Boden Original churning that low string through a variety of tunings He's also a published author and is currently penning his debut novel which chucks fantasy mythology and humanity into a great big melting pot you will then be prompted to enter your display name ‘Do you want to play with Joe?’ Before I could say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ he brings Joe over and tells him ‘Jason wants to play a set’”: Jason Sinay on jamming with Joe Bonamassa – and why his early sessions with Mike Campbell were a struggle “I remember there was a video of Gary Moore and he played Red House on this Fiesta Red Strat and I thought it was just the most incredible thing”: Is Toby Lee Britain’s next blues-rock superstar Klon Centaur creator Bill Finnegan once said that the hype around his pedal was “ridiculous,” yet originals still fetch $10,000 or more on the secondhand market why does the Klon remain a holy grail pedal Problems logging in? We have just received the sad news of the passing of our former player and assistant coach who died early this morning just weeks short of his 60th birthday was a premiership player with the Red ‘n’ Blacks in 1995 Joining Old Xaverians under Matt Hannebery in 1993 after 105 VFA games with Prahran he represented the Big V that year and the next Dale coached Old Brighton from 1997 to 2001 and led the Tonners to a B Section premiership in his first year He returned to Old Xavs in 2007 as an assistant coach under Barry Richardson who had been his coach in Big V games and then at club level in 1995 “We used to call him the Running Man,” Richardson said He did well wherever he went and gained much respect as a coach and as a person “He was much loved by the Old Xavs fraternity and to have been considered something of a mentor in Dale’s coaching evolution,” Richardson said Tapping became an assistant coach at the Western Jets More recently he was the midfield development coach at Collingwood after which he joined the Brisbane Lions and spent five seasons as their AFL midfield coach This year he was to have coached the Bombers’ VFL team Tapping was diagnosed with myeloma in early 2023 but had been recovering well after intensive treatment He took ill again very recently after contracting pneumonia late last year Dale had a strong commitment to our club as a player and assistant coach When reminded recently about the upcoming 30th anniversary of the ’95 flag by long-serving former OXFC President Tapping said he hadn’t forgotten and was looking forward very much to catching up with his Xavs’ premiership teammates Simon and Dermot Dann visited him and presented him a cap and scarf and an Old Xavs Centenary jumper The Old Xaverians Football Club extends its deepest condolences to Kellie and their children Summer and Mason who have lost a husband and father all too suddenly The many hundreds of friends and admirers that he acquired along the way through football will mourn him too Friends & Colleagues are respectfully advised that the Funeral Service to celebrate the life of Mr Dale William Tapping will be held at the MCG Members Dining Room (Enter via main gate to MCC members reserve - Level 2) on Monday 17 February) commencing at 12:Noon A private cremation will follow. Live Streaming & Donations in Memory of Dale are available via michaelcrawfordfunerals.com.au Brisbane Lions CEO Greg Swann, General Manager, Football, Danny Daly and Lions Senior coach, Chris Fagan have all paid tribute to former Lions midfield coach, Dale Tapping who passed away on Monday evening following a lengthy battle with Myeloma. Tapping was with the Lions for five seasons from 2017 – 2021 before joining Essendon at the end of 2021. He was also a successful coach with Collingwood’s VFL program and at the Sandringham Dragons in a coaching career spanning over 25 years. Lions CEO, Greg Swann:“Dale was a terrific bloke who made a massive contribution to the Lions. He joined the club at the same time as Fages and played a key role in developing our squad with his knowledge and enthusiasm. “He was a great football person and an even better bloke. On behalf of the Lions, we send our love and condolences to Kellie and his kids Summer and Mason.” General Manager, Football, Danny Daly:“Dale played an instrumental part in our football program and our growth and journey over a five year period. He was fantastic to be around and a well-loved staff member. “His fingerprints are all over our Premiership Cup and we will miss him enormously and send our condolences to Kellie, Summer, Mason and the wider Tapping family.” Brisbane Lions coach, Chris Fagan:“I met Dale at a Leading Teams leadership seminar in 2016. I immediately admired his enthusiasm and love for coaching and AFL football. “A few months later I was appointed coach of Brisbane. I knew the job was going to be tough and that I would need resilient and positive people around to help get the team back on track. “Dale was exactly the type of person and coach that we needed so I gave him a call and he and his family agreed to come. He was just as I thought he would be during his five years of service, and he influenced our progress significantly. “We were disappointed when he and his family moved back to Melbourne but were also totally thrilled with the contribution he made. He was a fantastic football person, a super coach, a great Dad to Summer and Mason and husband to Kel. We will all miss him dearly.” The Brisbane Lions are proud to launch their 2025 Sir Doug Nicholls Round guernsey. For the 2025 season, we're asking you to vote for the Brisbane Lions player that was the ultimate MVP. The player who stood up and put forward a performance that separated them from the rest of the pack. Brisbane is still king of the Queensland hill, storming to the top of the competition table with a 17-point QClash victory over Gold Coast at a sold-out Gabba on Sunday night. Watch Brisbane’s press conference after round eight’s match against Gold Coast Will Ashcroft delivers a standout performance and shares a special moment with his dad while accepting the Marcus Ashcroft Medal The Lions and Suns clash in round eight of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season Watch the Lions celebrate their round eight win The Brisbane Lions VFL side have defended home turf with a late Harry Arnold goal sinking the Gold Coast SUNS by two-points at Brighton Homes Arena. Join us for an exclusive Legends Lunch at Lions@Springwood. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land the Yuggera and Turrbal people and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) '#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0 location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}()); It involves tapping specific points on your body while focusing on an emotion or issue you want to release Could a few well-placed taps on your body be what it takes to help reduce stress and even ease physical pain but there’s some compelling science behind the Emotional Freedom Technique Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy In fact, a 2022 review of more than 50 research studies found that EFT tapping is moderately to largely effective in managing a variety of conditions Functional medicine specialist Melissa Young, MD how to do it and what it may be able to do for you It’s hard to imagine that using your fingers to tap tap on your eyebrow or clavicle could help melt away stress and relieve some of your pain but that’s the idea behind Emotional Freedom Technique evidence-based practice is one that you can do on your own You use your fingertips to tap on specific points on your body — mainly on your head and face — while you focus your mind on a particular issue or emotion “I like to think of it as a blend of modern psychology and acupressure points to lower stress and help with issues like anxiety “It’s a nice blend of connecting the mind and body to help calm stress.” The idea is that tapping on these points helps to reduce stress and anxiety and EFT tapping might simply make you feel better, period, whether or not you’re feeling bad to start with. One study found that at the time it was performed “Another study showed that it can lead to up to a 43% decrease in cortisol levels which is one of the body’s primary stress hormones,” Dr Other studies on EFT tapping have shown that it may be able to help relieve symptoms of various conditions: This means that some EFT research relies on individuals to confirm their diagnoses and to assess their changes in symptoms If you think you have a specific health condition you should discuss the use of EFT tapping to manage your symptoms with your provider before beginning Like breathwork techniques EFT tapping is relatively easy to learn and perform and you can do it just about anywhere — meaning that if you’re in the midst of a busy or stressful day all you need to do is duck out for five to 15 minutes of solitude Ready to learn more about what it is and how to do it EFT tapping (literally) taps into nine acupoints in a specific sequence But it’s not all tapping: The tapping sequence is bookended by an exercise in thinking about the issue that you want to address Young walks us through how to do EFT tapping The first step to EFT tapping isn’t tapping at all identify the emotion or problem that’s bothering you in this moment “You may want to put a hand on your chest and close your eyes as you focus inward on the emotion or issue that you want to deal with.” Once you’ve identified the emotion or issue that you’re facing where 0 is “totally fine” and 10 is “the absolute worst.” Setting a benchmark for your state of mind before the EFT tapping allows you to better assess how you feel once you’re done with the process Adopt a phrase that acknowledges both the issue you’re facing and your own self-acceptance Your setup statement should be self-reflective and about what’s going on with you rather than focused on someone else or the environment around you “It’s about what you’re feeling and being able to acknowledge but it’s OK and I accept myself despite it.’” You’re now ready to work your way through nine tapping points continue to repeat the phrase that you’ve come up with and expand on it as you go through each tapping point “Even though I have all this stress in my body Gently tap each of the following points seven to nine times apiece slowly working your way through them and repeating variations on your setup statement as you go continue to think about the stress in your life and in your body,” Dr “This is a time we want to bring up those feelings We want to feel them because we’re working on that mind/body connection.” Young recommends completing five to seven rounds of the tapping sequence finish by assessing the final intensity of the emotion or problem that you were trying to address through EFT tapping “If that feeling hasn’t resolved or calmed or if you feel like you still have more work to do you can certainly do more rounds than that,” she says You may choose to tap on only one side of your body (for example inside the left eyebrow and then inside the right eyebrow “It’s all up to your personal preference, so if you’re right- or left-handed or one feels better than the other, just choose that,” Dr. Young says. “There’s no data on this, but I’m partial to tapping on both sides so that both sides of the brain are getting input.” just try to remain consistent throughout your tapping session While this therapy hasn’t become as commonplace as other traditional Chinese medicine-based techniques there’s no harm in adding EFT tapping to your daily or weekly routine That’s not because practice makes perfect (what is “perfect,” anyway?!) but because your body starts to get used to it and welcome it as a means of calming down “Even practicing in smaller amounts of time throughout the course of a day can be helpful.” This treatment may reduce stress, relieve pain and allergy symptoms, and help with sinus pressure Supplements with colloidal silver offer no proven health benefits and could be harmful Connecting with the Earth and its energy might improve your mental and physical health — but it’s not a cure-all These terms are becoming outdated as providers turn to an ‘integrative’ approach instead This alternative medicine is based on the premise that diluted ingredients will treat symptoms Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old medical system These ancient practices are all about mind/body balance Fulvic acid is a chemical compound formed by the breakdown of soil If you’re feeling short of breath, sleep can be tough — propping yourself up or sleeping on your side may help If you fear the unknown or find yourself needing reassurance often, you may identify with this attachment style If you’re looking to boost your gut health, it’s better to get fiber from whole foods Dave Wilkinson fought off intruders during a recent break-in at his general store and post office in regional NSW Public opinion polling suggests an increase in the proportion of voters who list crime as one of their top priorities ahead of the federal election While national statistics do not reflect a significant increase in crime rates across the board the Coalition has been campaigning on the issue promising to "take crime seriously" Crime statistician Don Weatherburn says perceptions of crime can be amplified by media reporting Link copiedShareShare articleAs polling day draws closer federal Coalition candidates have been campaigning on crime and believe it could swing votes in some seats with one suggesting people in his electorate don't feel safe taking public transport and going to the shops has promised that a Coalition government would "take crime seriously" and "reduce the problem" in suburbs across the country "Community safety demands serious leadership — and only the Coalition has the strength and the plan to deliver it," the opposition leader has declared crime is a potentially potent one that the Coalition is keen to capitalise on in communities increasingly concerned about public safety Crime has been front of mind for business owner Dave Wilkinson since a group of people broke into his shop and attacked him with a golf club Mr Wilkinson had been fast asleep in his house out the back of his general store and post office in Willawarrin CCTV footage suggests the intruders were in the shop stealing cash and cigarettes for about seven minutes Mr Wilkinson tried to confront them but was struck repeatedly with the golf club A broken flat screen TV was within his reach "The TV screen was taking 90 per cent of the blows," Mr Wilkinson told the ABC "I did get hit on the arm and they must have got one around my kidney areas voters have raised community safety as a top concern in conversations with reporters and politicians and in public opinion polling ahead of the election A recent Roy Morgan survey of about 14,000 voters shows public anxiety about crime has risen significantly since the last federal election in 2022 Asked to choose "which three issues are the most important to you?" almost a quarter of respondents selected "reducing crime and maintaining law and order" Vote Compass data shows cost of living is the most important issue for respondents ahead of the federal election It sits below cost of living — ahead by a country mile — and improving health and hospital services as the third-most chosen issue Roy Morgan's data suggests there's been an increase in concern around crime across supporters of all major parties and in all states and territories the biggest increases were in Queensland and Victoria where around a third of respondents in both capital cities and regional areas listed it as a top issue in 2024 Other polls also showed a slight increase in concern around crime compared to previous years the data doesn't suggest a widespread rise in crime rates — that is offenders or criminal incidents per 100,000 people But there are pockets of the country that have seen increases in some types of crime recently Political campaigns focused on being "tough on crime" tend to be framed around property crimes, such as break-ins, burglaries and vehicle thefts, while policy to address rising domestic violence rates is often separate a former director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR) says trying to get a national snapshot of crime statistics is very difficult because methods for recording offences differ across states and territories Professor Weatherburn now works for the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre "I could go on about how bad the national crime statistics are It's an absolute shambles," he said and there are not enough offences included." Based on his analysis of the national data available from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Professor Weatherburn said most states and territories were experiencing a decrease in property crime and increases in violent crime has seen an increase in the period between 2019 — 2023 in robbery motor vehicle theft and other theft," he said "And the Northern Territory has also had problems: it's seen increases in robbery are generally doing pretty well — big decreases in most cases." Want even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 federal election coverage rates of assault and sexual assault offences have increased in most states and territories but Professor Weatherburn said the data on these types of crime was more difficult to evaluate That's partly because the rate of offences being recorded by police didn't align with victimisation rates recorded in the ABS's annual Crime Victimisation Survey Professor Weatherburn suggested increased reporting of domestic violence and sexual assault offences in recent years including historical cases uncovered during the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse go some way to explaining this discrepancy While statistics didn't point to a significant rise in crime across the board Professor Weatherburn said perceptions of crime could be amplified by media reporting and sharing of experiences on social media "What happens is that in one location there will be an increase in crime the media will latch onto that and report it that will arouse concern — not only in the area where there was an increase in crime While nationally collated statistics suggest that crime has not spiked there are voters whose lives have been impacted by shocking personal experiences some voters have told the ABC they may back the candidate promising a tougher stance on law and order In the Local Government Area (LGA) of Kempsey there has been an increase in the rate of some criminal incidents Mr Wilkinson said while he has voted for the Nationals in previous elections he is waiting to see which party has the toughest stance on law and order this time around "I do believe One Nation's always tougher on crime and that sort of thing They'll probably end up getting my vote," he told the ABC says he will wait to see which party has the toughest stance on crime The Coalition has also tapped into anxiety over the so-called "post and boast" phenomenon, where offenders steal cars and post video of joy rides on social media Such accounts also publish vision of intruders breaking into homes while the occupants are sleeping Mr Wilkinson's local member is Nationals MP Pat Conaghan He has reported several of these accounts to the independent regulator for online safety and asked for them to be shut down Pat Conaghan was joined on the campaign trail by Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie and party leader David Littleproud who holds the seat of Cowper on a 2.4 per cent margin has endured tight contests in the past two federal elections but has never observed so much concern about crime "I said recently in parliament that the crime issue in my electorate is as prevalent than the cost of living issue," he told the ABC Further north in Alice Springs — which falls into another marginal seat the Labor-held electorate of Lingiari — many locals are similarly on edge Crime statistics from the Northern Territory are difficult to compare and analyse after a change in reporting in late 2023 prompted concern from the police union that some figures could be inaccurate Presiding over the worst categories of offending in the NT Supreme Court Judge Jenny Blokland is afforded a unique view of how justice is served NT's chief minister and police commissioner flagged the possibility of asking for federal support to address the problem But the place where crime could significantly swing votes is Victoria "Victoria is where the issue is on crime and the Coalition are a chance of nabbing one or two seats because of it and definitely reducing Labor's margins," he said who once advised former Prime Minister Scott Morrison said internal and external polling showed crime had become the "number two issue" in the outer suburban seats of Dunkley And it had "definitely" become the second most pressing issue for voters in the regional seat of Bendigo which is held by Labor's Lisa Chesters on safe margin of 11 per cent Victorian crime data shows the rate of criminal incidents involving stealing from cars and retail stores has risen in Bendigo Bendigo coffee shop owner Alex Davis has noticed customers expressing more frustration around local crime in recent months "People [have] sounded like they weren't far off taking things into their own hands," he said says local crime is a topic of conversation among his customers but just the vigilante mindset started to set in and people are just getting sick of being robbed He speculated whether there could be a connection to the cost-of-living crisis Professor Weatherburn said there was an association between cost of living and increases in crime in some communities "When economies contract you tend to get increases in property crime … particularly for crimes such as shop stealing where the opportunities are plentiful and the risks fairly modest," he said Another Bendigo local who spoke with the ABC recounted how friends recently had their car stolen and home broken into He believed the issue would "absolutely" affect how community members vote at the federal election "For me personally it will come down to who I think is actually going to do something about it," he said There is little that federal politicians can do to manage policing or punishment But the Commonwealth can tinker around the edges While on the campaign trail in Victoria, Peter Dutton announced $750 million for a crime package dubbed 'Operation Safer Communities' which included funding for a federal police-led taskforce to tackle trafficking and organised crime "[It] is a game changer in relation to how we can help keep our communities our towns and our suburbs safe," he said the federal Coalition has been borrowing from playbooks that have proven successful for conservative governments in recent state and territory elections Bendigo made national headlines after CCTV vision was released of two separate incidents where youths attacked a civilian and a security guard the local Liberal and Nationals candidates promised $360,000 to upgrade 57 CCTV cameras across the regional city on the back of Mr Dutton's pledge to revive the Coalition's controversial Safer Communities Fund the announcement about CCTV cameras in Bendigo "went off" Another told the ABC "crime is red hot in Bendigo" The Nationals have been targeting the safe Labor seat since 60 per cent of the electorate voted against a Voice to Parliament Their candidate is a strongly built publican named Andrew Lethlean While making an election promise to upgrade a local sporting facility Mr Lethlean told reporters the investment would "help keep kids off the street" Nationals candidate for Bendigo Andrew Lethlean (second from left) was joined on the campaign trail by Nationals leader David Littleproud (centre) and Senator Bridget McKenzie While on the campaign trail in the NSW seat of Cowper Nationals leader David Littleproud told journalists: "I get that all the criminologists and everybody is telling us about civil rights where the civil rights of the individual need to be put aside for the civil rights of the community "When a community doesn't feel safe you've got to make sure that you act and that there's a deterrent and a consequence They go away to detention and come back better criminals." He urged all states and territories to follow Queensland's lead when it comes to youth crime arguing that children as young as 10 should be sent to "outback camps" which "rebuild them" and "give them a purpose in life and a worth" Hear the latest election news as it happens on the Election Central Playlist That result came just months after the NT's Country Liberal Party campaigned on a promise to stamp out crime claiming a decisive victory over Labor in August prime minister Anthony Albanese has largely steered clear of campaigning on crime commenting that it was primarily a state issue but that his government "provides whatever support is required when it is requested" But in communities where many residents have a story about crime — or know someone who does — promises to keep people safe may cut through with voters Having trouble seeing this form? Try this link. Dale Tapping has been appointed VFL Senior Coach for at least the next two seasons Tapping has over 25 years of coaching experience including playing a key role in Essendon's AFL program as an Assistant Coach over the past three seasons Tapping was awarded the 2024 AFL Coaches Career and Education Award for furthering his coaching credentials through study and career development Tapping has overseen the Bombers' forward line and is highly regarded for his communication skills and ability to develop relationships to maximise players' talent Before joining Essendon at the end of 2021 Tapping led the Brisbane Lion's midfield for five seasons and was a successful coach at Collingwood's VFL program and at the Sandringham Dragons Essendon Football Club is proud to announce that Dale Tapping has been appointed VFL Senior Coach for at least the next two seasons Tapping led them to a preliminary final and was named the 2016 VFL Coach of the Year Tapping said he is excited by the opportunity to continue growing the club's development program and working in alignment with the AFL program "It's a great opportunity to take on the role of VFL Senior Coach I'm excited about where the club is in our development space and that there's an area of real growth to continue building on the foundations we've established already and I see my role as continuing to drive the development of our players and ensure they are constantly striving to be the best players they can be," Tapping said it's fundamental to have a really strong alignment between the AFL and VFL programs Together with Michael Hurley and Travis Cloke and the rest of the AFL Assistant Coaching group we have real capability within the team to ensure that both levels work in unity "Archie Roberts was a great example this year of how playing at VFL level can set a player up for to succeed for the demands of AFL football We want all players to have a solid body of work behind them so they learn how to behave and play at a level that allows them to play sustainable AFL football when given the opportunity This is what we want the foundations of our VFL program to be based on." The Bombers have invested heavily in development over the past 18 months with AFL Talent & Operations Manager Matt Rosa working with the VFL program in 2024 enhance the connection and alignment between the AFL and VFL programs General Manager – AFL Daniel McPherson said Tapping's appointment will further enhance this focus "Dale has been a key member of our AFL coaching panel over the past three seasons and he is an excellent person to be now leading the VFL program," McPherson said "With his extensive coaching knowledge and pre-existing relationships among our coaches and players Dale will continue to build on our progress over the past 12 months in ensuring our AFL and VFL programs are closely aligned This role is crucial in ensuring player development is at the forefront of our AFL program and a strong and aligned VFL program is critical in setting the club up for sustained success at both levels "The Club’s commitment to growing our VFL program as further evidenced by Dale’s appointment as VFL Senior Coach was influential in the re-commitment of 2024 Captain Xavier O'Neill and Vice-Captain Jackson Hately as well as Jared Eckersley and Cam Nyko for the 2025 season The retention of players is an important part of building a strong and these four players will be crucial in how we continue to build on the foundations we have already established." Former Demon's new role at Windy Hill has been key to Essendon's form Themes of consistency and retention have been clear in the opening months of Dale Tapping’s tenure as Essendon VFL Senior Coach the Bombers’ former AFL Forwards Coach has looked to build upon the foundations of the squad’s late season form in 2024 where they won six of their final seven games to consolidate their best season record in the competition since 2019 With a majority of last season’s playing group signed for 2025 and a slew of new recruits bolstering their depth including former Kangaroos key forward Tyler Sellers Tapping is keen for his side to keep establishing their identity this year “I’ve been really impressed with the current group,” Tapping said “Last year there was a fair amount of work put together around assembling the identity of the group and one of the aims for us was to build some retention for our VFL squad amongst the whole club “We’ve been able to retain the majority of the current VFL squad and pleasingly we’ve been able to add to them with some quality signings as well pre-seasons are obviously always positive but with what we’ve put in place and built upon from those foundations last year Tapping’s usual focus and skillset in the development space has helped the integration as Senior Coach Equipped with over 25 years of coaching experience taking the reins of a full team is a new challenge for Tapping at this level of play but he cites his support staff and existing relationships around the club as key factors in making an immediate impact on the group it’s been an awesome experience so far,” Tapping said “I’ve spent a lot of time in the development pathways and I suppose my reputation as a coach throughout my career has been based around my capability in that area so that wasn’t lost on me even when I was coaching our forwards group at senior level “I’ve obviously still got a part to play in nurturing those younger AFL boys both during training and on our VFL gamedays but I’ve found myself really enjoying the totality of the role “I knew a few of the boys pretty well because you naturally see them around the club a bit working hand-in-hand with them and the leaders in particular has given me an immense amount of joy “I’ve been really well supported by coaches and staff on that front Having Assistant Coaches like Travis Cloke Cohesion is a prominent touchpoint in Tapping’s coaching both in terms of his desired on-field product and the overall team environment As far back as his first formal team address Tapping spoke to the importance of maintaining elite behaviours around the club and working on the same page with all the support staff and coaches Seeking to mirror the AFL squad in their day-to-day approach the Bombers are hoping that their emphasis on consistency across all programs will allow for even more promising results on-field in 2025 “It’s really about tying in what we’re doing with the AFL team,” Tapping said “We’ve worked really hard on implementing some of the teachings from the senior program pre-Christmas and there’s a lot we’ll continue to add as we integrate back into training now I’m pretty confident that’ll translate between both squads (being connected) was something I spoke about with the group What we’ll see is a strong cohesion between our off-field staff our coaches and obviously our playing group “The early indication is that we’re gaining some really good traction in that area “We know where we’re at and there’s still a lot of improvement to make but we’re confident we can keep taking those next steps and work from what we established in the program last year.” Get down to see the Dons for their first open training of 2025 Mammoth – now without the WVH tag – returns with a statement video that features rock royalty Wolfgang Van Halen and his band Mammoth (which has now seemingly dropped the ‘WVH’ tag) have returned with a wild new song that goes big on the two-hand tapping – and it's joined by a horror film-inspired music video video that boasts an all-star There’s a wiff of From Dusk Till Dawn in the video for The End The band arrives at a club and are greeted by Danny Trejo who tells them that certain regulars don’t like loud noises – playing ballads would be advised The mystery letter that had sent Mammoth there asks for a rock show that will kill – and that it does Telling his band to keep things “civil”, Wolfgang launches into an unapologetically incendiary tapping run that nods to his late as none other than Slash looks on approvingly Wolfgang then hurtles into a nifty, harmonic-laced verse riff, backed by some commendable slap bass from Ronnie Ficarro Trejo had strictly told the band “No solos!” half the audience gets savaged before their eyes by there's also a now-zombified Myles Kennedy The way he looks into the camera as he does so, waltzing over the tables as chaos ensues around him, is a direct salute to his father's moves from the Hot For Teacher video Wolfgang has also nailed the fine balance between honoring his father's playing style and establishing his own. We've seen him deliver some other show-stopping tapping solos Wolfgang's mother, Valerie Bertinelli, who recently shared her thoughts on a Van Halen biopic throwing punches while Slash continues to look nonchalantly on this feels like the first big rock video in quite some time and neither the song nor the playing gets overshadowed by the blood-soaked visual entertainment Horror effects icon Greg Nicotero (Pulp Fiction “I’ve had the tapping idea on the intro for The End since before Mammoth,” Wolfgang reveals “I was able to fit it into this world but it’s also melodic and controlled I was doing some different things on the record and I knew this was going to be a big step The dropping of the ‘WVH’ moniker feels like a big moment for the band, too. Historically, Wolfgang has written and performed all instruments on their records and has previously said he’s a drummer first But this might be the dawn of a more collaborative future for the band and it’s a genius promotion for the band’s Autumn U.S on Halloween in a currently unspecified location where the tour wraps in another to-be-confirmed location but essentially it’s an instrument that belongs to the 20th century in many ways what can you do to try to reinvent that vocabulary to make it seem relevant?”: Steven Wilson on the making of a cosmic prog epic Monday | May 05 2025 | While emphasising that consumers try out new states that the concept of premiumisation is still urban-centric and will take time to reach the tier two and three cities Shah highlighted that with there being an expectation of healthy monsoon driving rural demand this year and with urban consumption showing green shoots of revival the company is anticipating at least about 12 to 13 per cent growth rate this year across all segments The VP at Parle Products shared insights into the evolving tastes and preferences of Indian consumers the growing trend towards health-conscious products as well as the importance of having a well-directed advertising campaign Since Parle’s products cater to diverse age groups how do you ensure to have a uniform appeal?Parle is a corporate brand Parle has multiple offerings catering to diverse age groups which spans across multiple age groups and multiple socio-economic classes to probably health-conscious where we have a Nutricrunch or highly indulging options like Milano We have something or other for every consumer and that is how we try and cater to different needs Biscuits are not as homogeneous a food as one may think of; they are pretty heterogeneous given the kind of options which are available today There has been a surge in the trend for premium products What is your take on the acceptance of such products What has been the company’s status on this?As aspirations premium and niche things and that that is something we have seen Some consumers are looking at experiential things and that is why your Milanos and black bourbons of the world are selling We have brands like Hide and Seek black bourbon which is a premium bourbon with dark cocoa in it increasing influence and changing aspirations The second trend that we have seen is migration towards healthier options and that is where we have another portfolio under Nutricrunch primarily catering to the health-conscious consumers these are two trends we have seen regarding affluence and premium products Is the concept of Premiumisation still urban-centric or has it moved beyond the metros?No We will see a little bit of time before we see it going down to tier two and three towns There has been a certain degree of urban slowdown What is the core reason that has driven this trend?There was a certain amount of urban slowdown It was there because of the huge amount of credit off-take Inflation and credit off-take both put together auto numbers and durable numbers were at their peak a good part of these durables come on debt debt and defaults are at their highest ever levels your consumption of other things goes down We have seen early green shoots of revival in consumption in urban India We are very hopeful that in the coming year because of the measures taken by the government we will see a good demand coming in from urban areas as well How have the tastes and preferences of Indian consumers evolved over the years in the industry that you are in?There has been a phenomenal change in consumer expectations how discerning consumers have become and their expectations from this category From probably about 25 years back when I joined Parley I still remember that glucose used to be a dominant category and almost 66 per cent of the households used to buy only one category of biscuit which mostly would be either the glucose or Marie less than 20 per cent of the households are buying only one category of biscuit there are multiple categories of biscuits that they buy there are at least four to five categories which are bought in a household of various biscuits Which is the one category that the company is betting big on this year?Health is one category which will be really driving growth in the coming year because consumers are getting more health conscious they are looking at options which are healthier that is one category which we think would really see a huge amount of growth in the coming years Consumers have doubts regarding the claims of certain products being the healthiest and how is Parle ensuring that it is meeting the expectations You can never say that this is a healthy thing or that this is an unhealthy thing If there is a biscuit which has a high amount of sugar or fat in it compared to another biscuit which has less of it and it probably gives you some added benefit It is not that you can say that this is the healthiest thing rather than making false claims… What we are trying to say is that it has to be in moderation and then if it is in moderation and if you are moderately consuming but then you cannot project that product to be very very healthy and say no matter how much you eat expectation of a healthy monsoon and a rise in disposable incomes there is a positive vibe regarding demand revival What is the growth rate that the company is eyeing this year?You have summed it up very nicely With normal or a little higher than normal monsoon being predicted We have seen that the single biggest correlating factor in rural demand is the normalness of the monsoon you see good demand coming in from rural areas; that is the single largest correlated variable We are expecting good demand coming in from rural areas as well The food industry is largely dependent on agricultural products and inflation would be in check if a good monsoon is there We are anticipating at least about 12 to 13 per cent growth rate this year across all segments How are the advertising marketing campaigns helping the company and how are you making sure that they present the company's diverse range of products to the customers?We have multiple brands on IPL IPL becomes a good platform for any company or brand to advertise which is predominantly in Hindi-speaking markets (HSM) only you would only restrict yourself to the southern channel you reach all India irrespective of which market you are talking about the best way to use an IPL kind of property is for impact and not for frequency but it gives you an impact and there are reasons behind it There is a lot of buzz around what is being advertised there People make ads specifically to air on IPL Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on our latest news French scientists have uncovered an odd superpower triggered by tapping your finger to a rhythm – it can help you hear and understand someone talking to you in a noisy environment But its application in broader contexts is largely unknown "The motor system is known to process temporal information and moving rhythmically while listening to a melody can improve auditory processing," the scientists wrote "In three interrelated behavioral experiments we demonstrate that this effect translates to speech processing Motor priming improves the efficiency of subsequent naturalistic speech-in-noise processing under specific conditions." 35 participants each tapped a finger to different beats – slow fast – before having to take in a lengthy spoken sentence buried in intrusive background noise The idea is that because speech has different natural rhythms among its syllables and words priming your brain to tune into this pattern could help your brain process rhythmic language better The researchers found that there was much better comprehension of that noisy sentence after tapping along to a medium-paced beat which sought to find out if it was the tapping the hearing of the beat or both that appeared to make a difference at this 1.8-Hz rate tapping – either on its own or along to a beat – delivered better speech comprehension while just listening to a beat without a physical response was not as impactful This suggested that "active" rhythmic priming was key a third experiment featuring another 28 participants analyzed whether saying a single word before exposure to the noisy (but yet unknown) sentence would improve sensory processing regardless of whether the word related to the sentence content the act of saying it out loud appeared to improve the brain's listening skills hinting that the physical movement is the important aspect of rhythmic priming "These findings provide evidence for the functional role of the motor system in processing the temporal dynamics of naturalistic speech," the researchers wrote in the paper The study was also purely behavioral and observational; the scientists propose that the mechanism involves the motor areas and the auditory dorsal pathway but that remains a theory until brain imaging can support the findings the findings open the door to further study that could ultimately help in the areas of learning and rehabilitation And while more research is needed, this is at least one series of experiments you can safely perform at home. And as someone with ADHD-related poor sound filtering The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B Source: Aix-Marseille University via Scimex we can't find the page you are looking for Western Football League club Yarraville Seddon is mourning the death of coaching director Dale Tapping who died on Tuesday following a two-year battle with cancer Better known as the Victorian Football League coach at the Essendon Tapping also held part time roles with the Eagles including being the assistant coach of the club’s premiership winning under-16s team featuring his son Mason last year Tapping joined Yarraville Seddon after moving to the inner-west following his return to Melbourne to work for Essendon in 2021 the then 57-year-old was diagnosed with Myeloma Yarraville Seddon secretary Dmitri Colebatch said Tapping’s commitment to the club despite battling cancer and it not being his primary role “No matter where he was with his health he was there for us even insisting on joining interviews by video when in hospital for treatment,” said Colebatch who credited Tapping with being a huge part of the club’s growth over the past few years and had a firm but calm demeanour that was highly effective After playing a playing career in the AFL reserves the Victorian Football Association and amateur football rising to positions with Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions before spending the last four years at Essendon Essendon president David Barham said everyone at the club was deeply saddened by his loss “Dale was a man of impeccable character who was universally loved and respected by those who were lucky enough to have crossed paths with him over his 28 years in the football industry,” he said Essendon coach Brad Scott said it was a privilege to have worked alongside Tapping and to have witnessed his impact on players and staff “His dedication to their growth—both on and off the field—along with his genuine love for seeing people succeed were qualities admired by all,” Scott said the Tapping family wished to highlight the care and support of St Vincent’s haematology ward and cancer centre and Myeloma Australia through this difficult time To donate to Myeloma Australia, visit: myeloma.org.au/make-a-donation-2 or to St Vincent’s Haematology Ward and Cancer Centre: www.svhm.org.au/support-us/st-vincents-foundation/ways-to-give Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Then she utters an affirmation: “Even though I’m feeling so stressed about this situation I deeply and completely love and accept myself.” The points she taps send signals to her organs and her brain Fiona Redding finds tapping makes a big difference to her health.Credit: Simon Schluter Tapping is a type of energy psychology also known as “emotional freedom techniques” It’s an alternative therapy with a growing number of adherents The university claims it can be used to treat PTSD Its academics are researching whether tapping can cure poor eyesight and it is training a cohort of psychology students in the practice But other academic commentaries describe it as “pseudoscientific and discredited” Professor Peta Stapleton demonstrates tapping Tapping advocates claim the therapy sends electrical signals from the face to the brain reducing stress and altering gene expression which is the way genes are switched on or off who claim in academic commentaries that tapping “is not compatible with any branch of science” Bond University describes the therapy as “incredibly effective” and “widely successful” The university claims it “has been found to help a range of a range of psychological and physiological conditions” including eating disorders It offers tapping training as part of a $297 microcredential in “energy psychology” It also states it has been accepted as a treatment by the National Disability Insurance Scheme But under changes to eliminate non-evidence-based alternative medicine announced this week the NDIS has now formally banned funding for energy healing “There is no mainstream medical, anatomical basis behind any of those claims whatsoever,” said Gary Bakker, a clinical psychologist at the University of Tasmania who has published critical papers on the treatment Tapping is not on the Australian Psychological Society’s list of evidence-based therapies and the Academy for Eating Disorders says it is not indicated to treat such conditions there are dissenting views,” Bond University said in a statement Western medical practitioners doubt the efficacy of acupuncture as they cannot locate meridians – energy paths through the body “Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for example took years to gain widespread acceptance “Bond University is committed to following the evidence as it emerges and encourages new theories to be tested and has a responsibility to educate students about new treatments.” Tapping works by stimulating electrically sensitive points on the skin which send signals to organs along “energy pathways” known as meridians Professor Peta Stapleton leads Bond University’s tapping research. She said there was now good scientific evidence showing acupressure points existed and that stimulating those points could electrically signal the brain “There does appear to be the ability for stimulation of [acupuncture points] to send at least to some areas of the brain,” she said Stapleton said new therapies were often met with strong scepticism and it typically took years for research to translate to accepted clinical practice “Those sort of things can threaten the status quo.” Advocates point to systematic reviews showing tapping is highly effective against depression, PTSD and anxiety Stapleton is also the director of Evidence Based EFT, which offers premium accreditation to practitioners for about $6250. She said she did not perform training through the company but had earned about $25,000 a year over the past eight years from activities such as workshops Sceptics argue the evidence for tapping is weak and that for meridians “Even though we can put people on the moon do all sorts of wonderful things for our health with radiation therapy all those amazing people have never found the energy of acupuncture.” Some of the benefits seen for tapping are in studies where there is no control group to compare with. Other studies compare tapping to doing nothing – meaning the effects could be placebo “As with many alternative or physical therapies the lack of blinding and appropriate study controls make it impossible to determine whether the treatment is truly effective or whether this is due to the expectation of benefit,” said Professor Paul Rolan spokesman for Friends of Science In Medicine paid Stapleton to deliver two education sessions to its members on tapping Society president Dr Catriona Davis-McCabe said it did not endorse tapping but “we do acknowledge its therapeutic potential” It’s free and she can do it wherever she is “You get awareness of what those things are that might be troubling for you thoughts or beliefs or trapped emotions – blocked emotions in your meridians or your chakra system,” she said “The science is starting to catch up with this.” Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter Then she utters an affirmation: \\u201CEven though I\\u2019m feeling so stressed about this situation I deeply and completely love and accept myself.\\u201D Tapping is a type of energy psychology also known as \\u201Cemotional freedom techniques\\u201D It\\u2019s an alternative therapy with a growing number of adherents But other academic commentaries describe it as \\u201Cpseudoscientific and discredited\\u201D who claim in academic commentaries that tapping \\u201Cis not compatible with any branch of science\\u201D Bond University describes the therapy as \\u201Cincredibly effective\\u201D and \\u201Cwidely successful\\u201D The university claims it \\u201Chas been found to help a range of a range of psychological and physiological conditions\\u201D including eating disorders It offers tapping training as part of a $297 microcredential in \\u201Cenergy psychology\\u201D anatomical basis behind any of those claims whatsoever,\\u201D said Gary Bakker a clinical psychologist at the University of Tasmania who has published on the treatment He described it as a \\u201Cpseudoscientific Tapping is not on the Australian Psychological Society\\u2019s list of evidence-based therapies \\u201CAs with any emerging field of study there are dissenting views,\\u201D Bond University said in a statement \\u201CCognitive Behavioural Therapy for example took years to gain widespread acceptance \\u201CBond University is committed to following the evidence as it emerges and encourages new theories to be tested and has a responsibility to educate students about new treatments.\\u201D which send signals to organs along \\u201Cenergy pathways\\u201D known as meridians Professor Peta Stapleton leads Bond University\\u2019s tapping research She said there was now showing acupressure points existed and that stimulating those points could electrically signal the brain \\u201CThere does appear to be the ability for stimulation of [acupuncture points] to send at least to some areas of the brain,\\u201D she said \\u201CThose sort of things can threaten the status quo.\\u201D Advocates point to systematic reviews showing tapping is highly effective against Stapleton is also the director of Evidence Based EFT no anatomy for it,\\u201D says Mandy-Lee Noble \\u201CEven though we can put people on the moon all those amazing people have never found the energy of acupuncture.\\u201D Some of the benefits seen for tapping are in studies to compare with Other studies compare tapping to \\u2013 meaning the effects could be placebo \\u201CAs with many alternative or physical therapies the lack of blinding and appropriate study controls make it impossible to determine whether the treatment is truly effective or whether this is due to the expectation of benefit,\\u201D said Professor Paul Rolan but \\u201Cwe do acknowledge its therapeutic potential\\u201D It\\u2019s free and she can do it wherever she is \\u201CYou get awareness of what those things are that might be troubling for you thoughts or beliefs or trapped emotions \\u2013 blocked emotions in your meridians or your chakra system,\\u201D she said \\u201CThe science is starting to catch up with this.\\u201D Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Canadian explorer Dark Star Minerals (CSE:BATT) is working to unlock the full potential of its Ghost Lake property in the Newfoundland and Labrador province after completing a soil sampling program The company collected 19 rock samples and 52 lake sediment samples from across the property which lies within the Central Mineral Belt of Newfoundland and Labrador that hosts several uranium deposits The samples will now undergo comprehensive geochemical analysis CEO Marc Branson says the samples could provide important geological data that will help Dark Star better understand the property and guide its next steps in exploration including identifying potential targets for follow-up exploration “Now that the sampling program is complete we are looking forward to taking the next step in unlocking the full potential of the Ghost Lake property,” he says. The 28,575-hectare Ghost Lake property is bordered on three sides by properties held by Atha Energy (TSX-V:SASK) that host several uranium deposits including Anna Lake The project also overlaps structural trends with known deposits such as Paladin Energy’s (ASX:PDN) Michelin project and the Mustang Lake and Jacques Lake deposits now owned by Atha Energy following its merger with Latitude Uranium which has a market capitalisation of C$3.3 million ($3.7 million) says a historical radiometric survey completed across the Anna Lake and Ghost Lake B grids delivered “promising results” and outlined multiple anomalous regions. The survey identified two prominent radiometric trends that may represent a single Dark Star says these findings support the potential presence of a large uraniferous system warranting further follow-up exploration to the northeast and southwest to determine its full extent. The company also believes the anomalies identified on the Ghost Lake B grid merit additional investigation in all directions to better understand the scope and significance of the radiometric signatures Dark Star is an explorer focused on the acquisition and development of critical mineral resources specifically the rare-earth complex. The company has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Ghost Lake claims and has signed a non-binding agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the 515-hectare Bleasdell Lake Uranium Project in Northern Saskatchewan Write to Angela East at Mining.com.au Unico Silver makes ‘multiple new discoveries’ at Cerro Leon Unico Silver (ASX:USL) says the final results from phase-two diamond drilling at.. Dateline Resources pursues OTCQB listing in US North Bay advances gold production optimisation Gilded market: Has jewellery demand lost lustre? ASX ends winning streak as energy sector... Critica readies to drill satellite rare earths... Metro on track to hit 2025 bauxite... ASX shifts down a gear Stay Informed on up-to-the-minute mining news Get the best articles straight to your inbox ASX ends winning streak as energy sector tumbles05 May Military Metals discusses antimony exploration in Slovakia05 May Unico Silver makes ‘multiple new discoveries’ at Cerro Leon05 May Critica readies to drill satellite rare earths targets 05 May © 2025 Hyderabad Media House Limited/The Hans India. All rights reserved. Powered by hocalwire.com with an average age of 29 - an extraordinary demographic figure particularly compared to the Western world's ageing population The stage has been set for a dominant workforce and a significant consumer 25% of the global workforce will be of Indian origin Its large and growing stock market is now the fourth largest in the world (only behind the US China and Japan) with approximately 45% of the market owned by local founders and family structures co-founder and CIO of boutique investment firm India Avenue and asked him to tell us more about why a group of ex-ING employees cut loose to use their combined experience and network to focus solely on India as a single investment region Watch the video to learn more about this emerging market and how India Avenue's new fund (CBOE: IAEF) helps investors easily access the region India Avenue was born from a simple but powerful idea: bring deep insight and access to one of the world’s most exciting growth markets to Australian and New Zealand investors While many global and emerging market funds stick to the large caps Most fund managers focus on the top 50 stocks the real opportunity lies in the next tier where smaller companies often grow faster than the economy and can offer outsized returns for those willing to dig deeper One of the most compelling aspects of this region is the sheer scale and youth of the population This demographic wave underpins a long-term growth story that touches every sector—from consumer goods to healthcare to financial services India Avenue’s investment strategy is underpinned by local expertise and relationships something Siva believes is non-negotiable when it comes to accessing this market effectively with a team in Australia to tell the story to local investors and deep connections in India that include local asset managers This network enables them to filter 6,000 listed companies down to a curated portfolio of around 70 names Investing in a single emerging market does come with its own set of risks - currency volatility But Siva argues that these risks can be mitigated through knowledge and strong local relationships Their due diligence goes beyond financials; engaging with peers and employees to form a comprehensive view of each business For investors wondering where this fits into their overall strategy long-term allocation best suited for wealth accumulation Given its low correlation with the Australian market and a different currency exposure it can also offer diversification benefits to a traditional portfolio India Avenue's Active ETF gives investors an easy and convenient way to harness India's growth story with exposure to 60-80 companies listed on Indian stock exchanges Hannah Yelin has received funding from Independent Social Research Foundation The Sociological Review Foundation and Lancaster University Laura Clancy has received funding from the Independent Social Research Foundation Lancaster University provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation UK View all partners When she passed her PhD viva, literature researcher Ally Louks posted a picture of herself and her thesis on X (formerly Twitter) in November 2024. The photo shared her thesis title: “Olfactory Ethics: The politics of smell in modern and contemporary prose”. The post garnered over 11,000 responses, some deeply negative. Louks received rape and death threats Academics in UK universities are increasingly encouraged to share their research with the public or by writing for non-academic outlets such as The Conversation This work can be extremely valuable and can come with social and professional rewards The institutions that offer funding for research often ask for a plan for “impact” as part of the applications academics must submit Having a public profile can have career benefits within a university: it may be considered when researchers seek promotion this work has the potential to make a positive impact on society and to make academic research available to a much wider audience than might encounter it otherwise However, our research with UK academics who conduct public engagement work shows that this public access to academic expertise is under threat fear of an abusive backlash now renders the cost of entry into public debate too high We have collected 85 survey responses and carried out 13 in-depth interviews with UK academics across disciplines in arts We found that 74% of the survey respondents said they had experienced online harms as a result of sharing research traditional media – such as television and radio appearance and news articles – or social media The academics told us they lacked training on how to deal with online abuse This left them in vulnerable circumstances and unsupported by universities and research organisations One said: “They [universities] offer training in how to communicate – write etc – but absolutely nothing on how to deal with the difficult stuff.” hacking and doxxing (having identifying information about them made public) Some had experienced stalking and targeted harassment at their workplaces and around their homes the academics’ workplaces had been contacted with calls for them to resign One academic told us they had a folder in their email marked “hate mail” Another described their experience of the hostile tapping of their phone: I kept having to tell the police all the time about these threats and my phone was tapped … That was really bad because I couldn’t seek support from my support network … not on my phone anyway the respondent who had been targeted “on a daily or weekly basis for years … It put me in a 24/7 cycle of having to think about and respond to abuse.” A further respondent talked about the strain that managing the abuse put them under: “It just takes all of your time and energy.” Our research has found that this hate has a massive impact on victims because time spent managing abuse takes away from doing a job But it also spills into their personal lives The experiences reported by people in our study included hospitalisations depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) This led to some taking long-term sick leave while others had to leave their job or move house One academic said: “I couldn’t go walking on my own These are not just harms that stay in the workplace but are severely affecting researchers’ everyday lives Many of our respondents said they felt their institutions were more interested in protecting their reputations than providing adequate support or defending their academics who were subject to this toxic media coverage and abuse Safety issues rarely come up when the value of engagement or research impact is discussed These discussions tend to focus only on an academic’s role in service of society without recognition that they exist within and as part of the same society Impact and engagement activities aren’t simply projects that academics complete and move on from – they may have ramifications that last for years and spill over from professional into personal lives We are developing training and guidance for organisations to provide better support for academics in the public eye. Universities and higher education leaders have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their employees and more must be done to provide institutional support for those who are subject to digital hate This is probably not the page you’re looking for President Donald Trump accused Russian leader Vladimir Putin of "tapping me along" amid fragile peace talks to end the war in Ukraine "There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas and towns over the last few days," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Saturday "It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war through 'Banking' or 'Secondary Sanctions?' Too many people are dying!!!" Trump added Trump's comments came a few hours after he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday The two men were photographed sitting across from each other at the funeral of Pope Francis the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church "We discussed a lot one-on-one," Zelenskyy posted on X "Hoping for results on everything we covered Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic the president posted on Truth Social: "A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine Trump hinted that negotiations were nearing a breakthrough, saying "most of the major points are agreed to," though he didn't provide specifics on the terms The US president has acknowledged that the peace talks have become "very fragile" and warned that the US will halt its mediation efforts if they fail to reach an agreement Trump pledged to "settle" the war within the first 24 hours as president negotiations are still ongoing as Ukrainians and Europeans fail to come to a consensus on the terms of the deal Ukraine rejected the proposal to accept Russia's annexation which has become a key issue in the negotiations Zelenskyy said Ukraine will not concede any territory to Russia "The United States rejects Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea and pledges to maintain this policy until Ukraine's territorial integrity is restored," Zelenskyy wrote in an April 23 post on X Russian forces launched deadly missile and drone strikes against Kyiv killing at least 12 people and injuring 90 Trump condemned the strikes in a post on Truth Social saying he is "not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv." US senators introduced legislation that would authorize sanctions against Russia if the country refuses to maintain a peace deal and engage in peace talks "The sanctions against Russia require tariffs on countries that purchase Russian oil and other products," the senators said in a statement But it is unclear if Trump intends to impose new sanctions Manchester City find themselves in more hot water having been accused of 'tapping up' Real Valladolid starlet Juma Bah Beautiful, Blue-Eyed Babes! 35 Dog Breeds With Blue Eyes 11 Hairless (and Partially Hairless) Cat Breeds Why Is My Dog Shaking? From Over-Excitement to Medical Issues, Experts Break Down the Reasons Dogs Tremble BirdsAll Birds Cockatoo Chicken Parrot The 150 Best Bird Names Best Pet Chicken Breeds for Beginners (& Those to Avoid) Home/Pet NewsTuxedo Cat ‘Tapping Paws’ Wins Best Audition For Phil Collins’ ‘In the Air Tonight’ Drum SoloYou’ve never seen an iconic musical performance like this sassy cat before A Tuxedo cat poses for the camera while wearing a cute bow-tie There are a million funny takes on the legendary Phil Collins‘ hit song, “In the Air Tonight.” One of the most notable is a scene in The Hangover when Boxer Mike Tyson tries his hand at the infamous drum breakdown before the chorus there's an even better rendition and it's not Tyson or Collins—or any other human and her take on the song's drum solo is the best thing I've ever seen We’re unable to load this content right now View directly on TikTok In the incredible 7-second clip partially captioned “she’s so cute I’m literally gonna cry,” Tina hit every beat in the imaginary song playing in her head (which is clearly “In the Air Tonight”) drumming definition of “too cute for words,” and she has no idea I'm just grateful Mom @larlarzz captured the absolute rizz this girl was blessed with Thousands of people who didn't know about the talented Tuxedo cat before took the time to comment on her epic performance “Ohh the tippy tapper paws are precious,” one person praised the kitty Another had a great idea suggesting someone “edit this with drum under her while she tapping,” and YES PLEASE who was most definitely a musician in a past life was rescued the day another icon Tina Turner so talent seems to somehow be in her feline DNA “She’s a lil diva,” her mom wrote in the comments Put Tina in a drum battle and I'm confident she'll blow the judges and her competition away There isn't a lot more known about Tina—not even other photos or videos—except she doesn't currently live with Mom in NYC this worldly cat is “living her best life” with her mom's family in Ireland Wherever this hilarious Tuxedo girl is or what she endures may her drum talents carry her—and the rest of us—through every bad day 🐶 SIGN UP to get “pawsitivity” delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends 🐾🐾 social infrastructure and energy transition assets SaveLog in or to save articleShareCopy link Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe As Australia’s booming superannuation sector edges past $4 trillion it has long ago outgrown local markets and even listed options And while unlisted investments in infrastructure and real estate are still a favourite of industry funds even those asset classes are getting too saturated to provide the diversification and home for capital they sorely need So where are funds looking to increase their exposure locally and offshore? Private credit and equity instruments are still a small part of their portfolios, but are rapidly growing as they partly fill this space Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. The five-time World’s Strongest Man suffered a shock 30-second TKO defeat against Eddie Hall at the PreZero Arena the 48-year-old has been incessantly posting on social media about his third loss in a row On Monday, Pudzianowski hit back at KSW matchmaker Wojslaw Rysiewski, who was highly critical of his performance, which is believed to have earned him between 1.5 and 2 million złoty [$400,000 to $530,000]. Just 24 hours later, the 28-fight MMA veteran responded to claims he tapped out to strikes against Hall. “Let the experts see this,” Pudzianowski captioned cageside footage taken during his latest bout. “I don’t resent Eddie Hall – The Beast – one bit because there’s excitement in the fight etc. And I’ll invite one or other gentleman who talks about tapping and I’ll give him a backhand four times and ask him if he knows where he is!!! And let the experts see it for themselves. “Eddie did what he did, the first time he stepped into the cage – he won ok he was better!!!. But where was the referee? …………………. 150kg guy was stroking. Hmm till I got on my knees.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mariusz Pudzianowski (@pudzianofficial) Pudzianowski made a MMA retirement admission ahead of his ‘World’s Strongest Fight’ with Hall the end of this episode called ‘sport’ and I will have to start a normal life,” he said When Hall suggested they rematch during his post-fight interview, Pudzianowski hinted at retirement again. “I’m not thinking about the future,” he admitted. “I turned 48, almost 49. The sport is for young people. News / Solutions This article first appeared in the Solutions newsletter. Click here to learn more and sign up Louis Solutions newsletter to learn about public problems and possible fixes Hence the name of a legal phenomenon spreading across the metro region: the tap-in center It’s a weekly window of opportunity in which folks who missed a court date for a low-level offense and thus face an arrest warrant can simply get a new court date by calling or meeting with coordinators—without fear of being jailed in the process. “The people who want to flee accountability—they’re not trying to contact us,” says Miranda Gibson, the St. Louis County Library employee who leads the effort “The people seeking us out really do want to address the situation.” And it appears to save time and resources for everyone involved The logic of tap-in policies is appealing to more and more area jurisdictions Louis County level has since spread to the city of St to Florissant and University City (in 2024) officials in Webster Groves have expressed interest in setting up a center consider whom it serves—and whom it doesn’t. Gibson says it’s for people facing charges such as drug possession Some choose to skip because the alternative seemed worse (e.g. leaving babies at home; missing a shift and thereby losing a job) Others intended to appear but a family emergency arose Gibson says that nearly half of participants report never receiving the mailed notice That itself can result from a variety of circumstances: the court’s sending the letter to a previous address or an ever-evolving living situation. lots of defendants don’t realize that they can most likely show up to court and reschedule without consequence—or they don’t trust that to be the case ‘That sounds like a trap.’ And the municipalities in St Louis County are all disjointed with their own rules and procedures so it’s hard to know what each municipality will do.” because although police officers aren’t required to arrest people with “bench warrants” (which are issued for a failure to appear) many officers do make such arrests—and being thrown in jail does a special kind of damage to those barely keeping their heads above water That kind of damage became a hot topic after the Ferguson unrest and the court reforms that followed—and in fact, that’s the context in which this policy arose. In 2016, St. Louis County received a grant from the MacArthur Foundation to reduce its jail population was coordinating it; when she went to work for the county library to locate the center in the Florissant Valley Branch of SLCL because it’s a non-intimidating space.) Using tap-in centers to avoid bench-warrant arrests doesn’t merely help defendants and judges of the burden of dealing with them “it’s a benefit to each part of the criminal-justice train.” On a recent evening, two of Lorentz’s case managers and an attorney who handles misdemeanors were posted up in a meeting room on the second floor of downtown’s Central Library. The public defender’s office was available remotely. Every Wednesday, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., people facing bench warrants can stroll in or even just make a phone call to access the entire group. “I’ve had a few of them cry,” said Sopheea Vomund, a case manager, “because they have so much going on and everything’s spinning out of control.” Also on hand were two representatives of Mission: St. Louis, who can link up participants with wraparound services upon request. “I don’t know what the general population’s opinion is of humans who have traffic warrants,” Lorentz said, “but they’re just good people who had things go wrong.” No humans walked into the tap-in center that night. “Very typical,” said Lorentz, adding that the vast majority simply call in. “If it were easy to get here,” she said, “it would be easy to get to court.” Listen Here Listen Here Listen Here Listen Here SOLUTIONS NEWSLETTER Subscribe to the St. Louis Solutions newsletter to learn about public problems and possible fixes. 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Our award-winning content brings readers revealing profiles Start your mornings with a fresh take on the day’s top local news Resnick would go on to follow in the footsteps of Eric Clapton and Peter Green in blues legend John Mayall’s band – and win plaudits from Lee Ritenour and Ted Greene Though he was one of the early pioneers of the two-handed tapping technique which went on to be popularized by Eddie Van Halen Randy Resnick plays down his own importance I don’t feel I was very influential.” But Resnick himself counters: “I don’t think any of those famous players saw me But I am on several albums that people are still listening to 50-plus years after the recordings “I saw that article about Harvey and I went back to the YouTube video History of Tapping,” he says “I’ve been trying to figure out the time I began doing it I don’t pretend to be the first one – that’s obvious.” but he’s proud of his accomplishments “Over 60 years I went from the typical kid copying Clapton’s solo in Sunshine of Your Love and Jimi Hendrix’s Purple Haze to my own distinct approach “It’s blues-rock based with some jazz influence “An uncle was given a beautiful Goya classical guitar We did some of those songs at school with friends Tell us about the Rickenbacker 12-string you gave George Harrison in 1965 “I worked at a music store called B-Sharp in Minneapolis Sometimes groups came through as Jim Lopes was a dealership for Fender Jim would get group photos signed and put them up on a bulletin board “When I learned about The Beatles’ concert in Minneapolis I had this idea: I asked Jim if we could give George a guitar for publicity and he somehow got me and another employee into the press conference “There’s a video on YouTube – all four Beatles are clapping as I come up with the Rick at the five-minute mark.” When did you first come across the two-handed tapping technique “I wanted to play fast legato like John Coltrane This particular music is played by singing an ‘ooh’ note and blowing into a bottle “There’s no way to get such a sound by picking When you pull off on the open high E string and tap your index finger on a high note like an octave up you get that legato on two far-apart notes “To then get the Coltrane ‘sheets of sound’ that made me jealous I added more fingers and I could move between the strings That gives fast scales with a little gymnastics I’m pleased Harvey is able to say he got it from me now “An example of that is in Fools Paradise from my 1995 CD The track is also interesting also because of the great players on it – Tower of Power rhythm section Victor Conte and Ron E Nate Ginsberg played keyboards in Herbie Hancock’s Monster Band - think about that “Victor, who was in that same Herbie band, was also the second bass player in Pure Food after Larry Taylor left. Coleman Head plays a great first guitar solo on the track then at 1:50 there’s a rhythmic riff I also did the tremolo thing I learned from Sugarcane Harris around 2:27.” Did you first meet Harvey Mandel through Pure Food and Drug Act “The band was formed by drummer Paul Lagos who’d played on a John Mayall tour with Sugarcane Harvey was not in what was called the Sugarcane Harris Band We played at El Monte Legion Hall in 197,1 and at the local clubs like the Troubador and the Ash Grove “At some point Harvey was brought in But nothing would have happened without Lagos – he was the motor behind that band which could have gone much further if Don [Sugarcane] could have stayed clean “I’m struggling to remember because I’m not into hardware at all I’m pretty sure I was playing a Strat I’ve only owned two and I’ve played them all my professional career Harvey had a Les Paul and one or more pedals “Harvey was always playing long notes sustained into distortion and harmonics – a little Hendrix-like which I’d liked since I heard his albums.” Harvey says he picked up two-handed tapping from you ‘Cop and blow.’ We all copy our inspirations; it was natural that he adapted his own thing I heard it on his subsequent albums – I think I’m on at least one of them “What we do is very different rhythmically Harvey started telling people he discovered it when we were playing side-by-side in PFDA but I can’t find any tapes of PFDA that have tapping on them.” John Mayall offered an expenses-paid holiday to the whole band… I was the only one who had no one to go home to Harvey also mentions that George Lynch and Eddie Van Halen saw him do it “We’ll never know the exact answer There are several well-known players cited in the discussion; who cares which one saw the other And EVH brought that fire to the guitar!” Lee Ritenour said he’d seen you tapping in LA in 1974 “I know that both Lee and Larry Carlton knew of me and at one point I spoke to Lee on the phone I think I sent him a cassette of our 1993 studio recordings even though we never met in person.” Does Harvey deserves more credit for popularizing the technique It seems as though you did it first on a more widespread level “I have to be honest – in front of the major players who are always mentioned I don’t put Harvey or myself in that league by the time I recorded with Mayall or on my own work “But I’m pleased Harvey is able to say he got it from me now What were John Mayall’s expectations of his guitar players “I got that call after Jesse Edwin Davis was fired I had met Jesse at the Whiskey when he played with Taj Mahall He was the nicest guy; we talked about how to get in a band and such It underlines an important thing about playing music: you have to be on good terms with people including Tom Waits; and Paul was a mentor to me Musicians helping each other is the greatest part.” but it had a blue horn for highs for the violin and I haven't found a photo showing that.” John Mayall cited you as one of his favorite guitar players Each one of the Mayall players I toured with was great who toured with Ike & Tina; Red Holloway a world-class sax player; and High Tide a great blues and R&B player I took one lesson from Ted Greene… I’m very proud of being called a legend by him “John and I both drank a lot back then The EU tour was shortened as he broke his knee before we were supposed to leave but I was probably the only one who had no-one to go home to!” “I was in touch on and off; we exchanged short emails I saw him when he played here a few years ago I reached out again when I saw his kind mention of me.” “I haven't spoken to Harvey since Pure Food and Drug Act or shortly after mainly because I’ve lived outside the USA for over 40 years But I replaced him in Canned Heat on two blues festival gigs here in France when he had a family emergency.” Ted Greene cited you as “one of the real legends of the LA guitar scene” “I took one lesson from Ted and then I had a job and couldn’t continue Ted and Lenny Breau were the most mind-blowing jazz guitarists of the day – so I’m very proud of being called a legend by Ted Greene Chord Chemistry had a huge effect on my musical knowledge.” Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. “I remember there was a video of Gary Moore and he played Red House on this Fiesta Red Strat, and I thought it was just the most incredible thing”: Is Toby Lee Britain’s next blues-rock superstar? “I love the guitar, but essentially it’s an instrument that belongs to the 20th century in many ways. So it’s a question of, what can you do to try to reinvent that vocabulary to make it seem relevant?”: Steven Wilson on the making of a cosmic prog epic “Norm was like, ‘Do you want to play with Joe?’ Before I could say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ he brings Joe over and tells him, ‘Jason wants to play a set’”: Jason Sinay on jamming with Joe Bonamassa – and why his early sessions with Mike Campbell were a struggle Volume 16 - 2025 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1539112 Introduction: Motor symptoms are frequent in patients with schizophrenia and have multiple presentations Understanding the neural basis of psychomotor slowing may help improve future therapies in schizophrenia we performed task-fMRI using a finger-tapping task in slowed patients Methods: The study included 36 patients with schizophrenia and psychomotor slowing (Salpêtrière-Retardation-Rating-Scale-Score (SRRS) >15) and 33 healthy controls who successfully performed a motor task during fMRI with four conditions: paced and fast thumb-index finger tapping and thumb alternating finger opposition The performance was videotaped and taps were counted We compared task-related neural substrates between groups Results: Slowed patients with schizophrenia showed significantly lower tapping speed than controls in both unpaced conditions (Δ=-.80 (CI=-1.46; -.14)taps/s p=.019; Δ=-.80 (CI=-1.32; -.28)taps/s p=.003) while non-slowed patients had a tapping speed between the other two groups Discussion: In both task complexity and movement onset factor levels all the groups activated sensorimotor areas Slowed patients had no regulation of the task-dependent cerebellar involvement while showing insufficient deactivation of the SPL pointing to altered recruitment of neural resources in response to motor demands in schizophrenia especially when associated with psychomotor slowing Finger-tapping is a relatively simple motor task that can be executed in the confined space of an MR scanner. Studies examining the neural responses to finger-tapping in schizophrenia found lower activation in pre- and postcentral gyrus, supplementary motor area, and cerebellum in patients compared with controls and treatment-naïve patients showed overactivation of subcortical structures (34–38) these studies only compared patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls Since patients with schizophrenia and psychomotor slowing show different associations of physiology and imaging measures than patients without slowing the response to tasks may differ between these patient groups as well To examine the specific effect of psychomotor slowing on neural responses to finger-tapping we compared schizophrenia patients with and without psychomotor slowing we also expected altered activation of the cerebello-thalamic circuit and image quality issues (excessive motion defined as mean framewise displacement >.5 mm total translation or rotation in any axis > 3 mm; benign incidental tumour; excessive signal extinction Patients were recruited from the in- and out-patient departments of the University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy in Bern Healthy controls were recruited from the general population Patients were eligible for inclusion if they had been diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders according to DSM-5 Exclusion criteria for both groups included age lower than 18 or higher than 65 years active substance dependence other than nicotine neurological or musculoskeletal disorders affecting motor abilities history of severe brain injury with consecutive loss of consciousness for several minutes All participants provided written informed consent The study protocols adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki and were approved by the local ethics committee (KEK-BE 2018-02164) We performed imaging at the Translational Imaging Center Bern of Sitem-insel Bern on a 3T Magnetom Prisma scanner (Siemens Healthcare we acquired structural T1-weighted images (MPRAGE flip angles=4°/5°) and then task-based fMRI (multiband accelerated echo-planar BOLD images An investigator confirmed the correct execution and counted the number of taps based on these recordings Participants with at least one correct instance of every condition were included in further analyses Figure 1. Schematic depiction of the task conditions. TIFpaced: Sound-paced thumb-index finger tapping; TIFunpaced: unpaced thumb-index finger tapping; TAFpaced: Sound-paced thumb-alternating finger opposition; TAFunpaced: unpaced thumb-alternating finger opposition; Rx: run number x. Adapted Figure from Wüthrich et al. (49) under CC license Participants with excessive residual movement (mean framewise displacement >.5mm total translation or rotation in any axis > 3mm) were excluded from further analysis Statistical analyses were carried out in R (The R Foundation and tapping performance in the unpaced conditions between PS and HC using Chi-square tests and one-way ANOVAs where appropriate Post-hoc tests were carried out using Tukey honest significant difference To assess neural response to the task conditions we first performed a first-level analysis in SPM12 by building a general linear model with one regressor for each active and both rest conditions We included the six movement parameters (x- z-translations and rotations) as covariates to account for residual motion Each active condition was contrasted with the corresponding rest condition we explored the main factor effects and the interaction between them using F-tests We applied a cluster-forming threshold of p <.005 and false discovery rate cluster threshold of qFDR <.05 We performed post-hoc t-tests when there was a significant interaction or if one significant main factor effect had more than two levels To address the issue raised by the small non-PS group we performed a between-groups comparison in an ROI approach patients with schizophrenia (merging PS and non-PS) contrasts during any conditions We also correlated the brain activations with both task performance (TIF and TAFunpaced) and motor-related clinical scales (SRRS and UPDRS) using Kendall’s Tau and an FDR correction We considered a cluster-level FDR-corrected p<.05 with connection threshold p<.05 to be significant for the gPPI analyses The tapping performance during the TAFunpacedcondition correlated negatively with the three motor-related clinical scales. Better performance was associated with less motor impairment. The strongest correlation was observed with BFCRS (Figure 2) Scatter plot of the correlation between motor-related clinical scales and performance during TAFunpaced The solid line is the “line of best fit” a line that minimizes the vertical distances between the data points and the line itself The “line of best fit” is a useful way of representing the linear trend The gray shading around the line represents the 95% confidence interval around the line of best fit unpaced thumb alternating finger opposition; SRRS Salpêtrière retardation rating scale; BFCRS Bush-Francis catatonia rating scale; UPDRS unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale In the 3x2x2 design, we found main effects of the three factors (group, task complexity, and movement onset), as well as the following interactions: task complexity by group, movement onset by group, and task complexity by movement onset (Figure 3) Main group and interaction effects from the 3x2x2 model Red scale represents the significance of the F-tests (F) interaction complexity by movement onset In the 2x2x2 design, comparing only the two patient groups, we found main effects of task complexity and movement onset factors, and the following interactions: task complexity by group, and, task complexity by movement onset (all F>7.98 and qFDR<0.005), (Figure 4) Main group and interaction effect from the 2x2x2 model (D) interaction complexity by movement onset Regardless of the design, all three factors and all levels (Figure 5, and Supplementary Table S1) showed consistent task-related activations (all t >2.6 and qFDR<0.005) in M1 and deactivation in the precuneus (all t < -2.8 and qFDR<0.005) Activations (red) and deactivations (blue) per groups for both complexity and movement onset factor levels slowed patients; complexity TIFs: combined TIFpacedand TIFunpaced; complexity TAFs combined TAFpaced and TAFunpaced movement onset paced combined TIFpaced and TAFpaced; movement onset unpaced combined TIFunpaced and TAFunpaced. Between groups comparison in whole-brain BOLD response regarding both complexity and movement onset factor levels slowed patients; complexity TIFs: combined TIFpacedand TIFunpaced; complexity TAFs combined TAFpacedand TAFunpaced Group difference in task-related brain activation per group we contrasted only group by task complexity as there was no group by movement onset interaction and found no difference between PS and non-PS neither in complexity TIF nor complexity TAF level In the 3x4 design, we observed a significant group by conditions interaction (Supplementary Figure S2). The post-hoc test are displayed in Supplementary Figure S3 the group differences in these areas are related to deactivation PS showed higher deactivation than HC and non-PS Group by conditions comparison in ROI extracted beta values from significant clusters of HC vs schizophrenia contrasts The figure displays trimmed violin plots including box-and-whisker plots The center line represents the median value the lower bound of the box represents the 25th percentile the upper bound of the box the 75th percentile and the whiskers represent 3 times the interquartile range In HC, better TIFunpaced performance is associated with lower activation in left M1 and S1 while we found no association in patients with schizophrenia (merging PS and non-PS) with neither TAFunpaced nor TIFunpaced (Figure 8) Scatter plots of the correlation between brain activation and performance during TIF and TAFunpaced conditions in HC The gPPI analyses showed no difference between the three groups we examined fMRI task responses to finger-tapping in schizophrenia patients with and without psychomotor slowing and healthy controls about one-half of the schizophrenia patients were unable to perform this simple motor task correctly Slowed patients had lower tapping frequency in the unpaced tapping conditions Regardless of the task complexity (TIF or TAF) and the movement onset (paced or unpaced) the three groups showed activations in the expected core areas of the motor network including M1, S1, premotor cortex as well as SMA, bilateral cerebellum IV-V-VI-VIII, and DLPFC, and deactivations in precuneus (as in the posterior parts of the DMN (57, 58)) We found group differences in whole-brain task-based neural substrates: i) higher involvement of M1 and cerebellum IV-V-VI in HC than patients in all the task complexity and movement onset factor levels ii) patients with schizophrenia showed higher involvement of SPL and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) than HC in all the task complexity and movement onset factor levels At the ROI level, the role of the cerebellum appears to be more complex. While its activation remains fairly constant across all conditions in the PS group, the other two groups seem to adjust the cerebellum’s involvement based on the specific task. This study extends prior work by focusing on patients with severe psychomotor slowing specifically (PS) (49) These observations need to be confirmed in future studies with an extended number of non-PS patients unmodulated cerebellum activation during finger tapping in schizophrenia may impair tapping performance via altered error correction While we found SPL to be deactivated in most of the conditions in HC and non-PS, about half of slowed patients activated the SPL instead of deactivating it. This may be related to the role of the SPL in multimodal integration and spatial processing (67, 68). In fact, altered SPL neuroimaging measures are related to deficits in manual movements such as gesturing in schizophrenia (69–73) the activation of SPL in half of PS possibly represents the recruitment of additional neural resources to compensate for the alteration of cerebellar function These findings speak towards poor cerebellar-cerebral connectivity in psychosis which seems to be specific to patients with PS we recorded daily medications but lacked information on total antipsychotic and benzodiazepine exposure accounting for potential effect of current medication dosage (OLZeq. diazeq) we included medication as a covariate in the patient groups comparison Slowed patients with schizophrenia show poorer finger-tapping performance that is paralleled by the inability to modulate cerebellar activity and insufficient deactivation of the superior parietal lobule compared with HC Half of the patients with schizophrenia recruited additional neural resources in response to the task but this did not compensate for the poor performance The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors The studies involving humans were approved by Kantonale Ethikkommission Bern The studies were conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements The participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (#182469 to SW) and the National Institute of Mental Health (#R01 MH118741 to SAS We thank Danai Alexaki and Daniel Baumann Gama for conducting some of the clinical assessments The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest The author(s) declare that no Generative AI was used in the creation of this manuscript All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1539112/full#supplementary-material Parsing the components of the psychomotor syndrome in schizophrenia doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2012.01846.x PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Psychomotor Slowing in Schizophrenia: Implications for Endophenotype and Biomarker Development Neuropsychological and functional outcomes in recent-onset major depression bipolar disorder and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: a longitudinal cohort study Correlation of subjective well-being in schizophrenic patients with gait parameters Physical activity ameliorates the association 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organization of the praxis network predicts gesture production: Evidence from healthy subjects and patients with schizophrenia The cortical signature of impaired gesturing: Findings from schizophrenia Dysbalanced resting-state functional connectivity within the praxis network is linked to gesture deficits in schizophrenia Lefebvre S and Walther S (2025) Reduced finger tapping speed in patients with schizophrenia and psychomotor slowing: an exploratory fMRI study Received: 03 December 2024; Accepted: 21 March 2025;Published: 28 April 2025 Copyright © 2025 Wüthrich, Zindel, Nadesalingam, Nuoffer, Kyrou, Bernard, Shankman, Mittal, Lefebvre and Walther. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Florian Wüthrich, Zmxvcmlhbi53dWV0aHJpY2hAdW5pYmUuY2g= †These authors have contributed equally to this work Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher. 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish. Meanwhile, the no- and low-alcohol content beverage category has grown considerably over the past several years, driven largely by the movement toward healthier lifestyles. Global sales of non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits (BWS) reached nearly USD 20 billion in 2023, double the amount reported in 2019.9 The IWSR, a data provider on beverages, estimates that the market for non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits will deliver incremental growth of USD 4 billion by 2028.10 The rise of the non-alcoholic beverage market presents the alcohol industry with an opportunity to mitigate ESG-related risks, such as shifting consumer preferences, growing health concerns, and rising regulatory pressure. Investors can use Sustainalytics’ ESG Risk Ratings to identify alcohol companies that are focusing on non-alcoholic products and are well positioned to tap into the growing market and offset a potential decline in sales. Non-alcoholic drinks typically contain less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) and include a variety of labels, such as “alcohol-free,” “non-alcoholic,” and “zero-alcohol.” Low-alcohol beverages contain about 1.2% ABV or less; however, there is currently no universal standard. No- and low-alcohol alternatives have become an integral part of many companies’ ESG strategies to align with public health goals, while meeting evolving consumer demand. Non-alcoholic variations do not pose the same cancer-related risks as alcohol, and they tend to have fewer calories.12 Many non-alcoholic drinks are also low in sugar, considering they still undergo the fermentation process, with the alcohol being removed later. Figure 1 below shows that 50% of BWS companies in Sustainalytics’ research universe have activities or programs to develop non-alcoholic alternatives (e.g., 0.0-0.5% ABV), signaling that companies view the non-alcoholic space as a valuable opportunity. Most companies focus on creating non-alcoholic brand extensions, while others enter the space through acquisitions. While companies have started adding non-alcoholic varieties to their product lines, only some have shown evidence of integrating no- and low-alcohol products into their longer-term strategy. As shown in the chart below, only 18% of companies have set targets and deadlines related to expanding their no- and low-alcohol alternatives, and 13% are monitoring and reporting on their progress. Moreover, only 18% of companies clearly acknowledge in their reporting the harmful health impact of alcohol. Figure 1. BWS Companies’ Performance on Select Criteria of Nutrition and Health Programs Source: Morningstar Sustainalytics.Note: Data as of February 10, 2025. Figure 2. Strength of BWS Companies’ Nutrition and Health Program by Region Four brewers stand out as potential top choices for investors looking for companies prepared to tap into the growth of the no- and low-alcohol space. Belgian brewer, AB InBev, meanwhile, does not clearly acknowledge the negative health impacts of alcohol in its reporting, but it has a strong program. It aims to ensure no- or low-alcohol beer products represent at least 20% of its global beer volume by the end of 2025.19 In FY2023, AB InBev reported that 6.8% of its global beer volume was less than 3.5% alcohol by volume; however, the company does not report on figures relating explicitly to non-alcoholic alternatives. As the market for no- and low-alcohol products continues to grow, additional ESG-related risks could arise that companies and investors may need to navigate. Companies often market their no- and low-alcohol products using the same branding as their alcoholic counterparts, allowing them to promote brands in spaces they would otherwise not be permitted, such as close to schools or through sports sponsorship. The WHO warns that a lack of consistent governance around the labeling and marketing of no- and low-alcohol products could mislead minors, raising potential risks for companies, such as deceitful marketing practices.22 Portfolio Strategies to Support Decarbonization in the Real Economy: An Overview Discover a framework for portfolio strategies exploring decarbonization in carbon-intensive sectors within emerging markets. A New State of Play: Impact of Changing Regulatory Priorities on US Banks and their ESG Views Insights on how regulatory shift in the US could impact how banks consider ESG within their business activities. Public Policy Drives Sustainable Investing Markets in 2025 A look at the regulatory outlook for sustainable investing and the latest data for fund flows. EU Corporate Climate Disclosures: An Evaluation of Completeness and Quality In this article, we evaluate European issuers’ preparedness to manage the shift toward a low-carbon economy using data from Morningstar Sustainalytics’ Low Carbon Transition Rating. Copyright © 2025 Sustainalytics. All Rights Reserved. Aegros employees received a memo asking them to ensure their personal email addresses were up-to-date in the work system because they were about to lose access to their corporate accounts a blood plasma start-up hoping to rival ASX-listed giant CSL had struggled to make payroll on time for much of the year In an interview with NBC News US President Donald Trump once again stated that he needs time to respond to whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is "tapping him along." Trump was reminded of a post in which he suggested that the Kremlin leader "is tapping him along" and may not want to end the war in Ukraine during a conversation with journalists at the end of April he said he needed two weeks to respond to whether he trusts Putin Trump said it would take another couple of weeks or a month I'll tell you about it in a month from now I can tell you this: his ambition was stopped to a large extent when he saw that I was now leading the charge Because he wasn’t dealing with anybody in Europe he wasn't calling them back," Trump responded Five days ago, on April 30, Trump, in an interview with ABC, showed that he still believes Putin supposedly wants to end the war against Ukraine This was despite posting the above-mentioned statement just a few days earlier suggesting the opposite amid intensified Russian shelling At the same time, Politico, following the funeral of Pope Francis and a series of Trump's meetings in the Vatican, reported that he was convinced that Putin was "tapping him along." Years before Eddie Van Halen put it in the early pages of the guitar textbook Harvey Mandel was highlighting his performances with flourishes of two-hand tapping – grabbing the attention of onlookers in the process… It sounds like something out of one of those corny classic rock-themed parodies of Renaissance paintings The setting is one of the most famed rock venues of all time Onstage is Harvey Mandel, the underrated guitarist who highlighted his performances with flourishes of two-hand tapping years before Eddie Van Halen put the technique on every guitar player's radar Now, these are rock stars after all, and so each of them is either hammered, or well on their way to being so. Morrison, as was often the case is much further along that path than anyone else and confident enough to pull tapping out of his bag of six-string tricks the reaction wasn't exactly one of slack-jawed euphoria Asked about his thoughts on tapping in a wide-ranging 1991 conversation with Guitar World “Thank goodness it's come to an end.” “The first person I saw doing that hammer-on stuff was Harvey Mandel at the Whisky a Go Go in '68,” he went on to recall “It was so funny,” Blackmore added with a laugh “Jim Morrison was carried out because he was shouting abuse at the band Then Harvey Mandel starts doing this stuff [mimes tapping] ‘What's he doing?’ everybody was saying While the lingering – and most fun, if we're being honest – image from this scene is a belligerent Morrison getting physically dragged out of the venue, it's fascinating to imagine Hendrix, who himself wrote and rewrote whole chapters of the electric guitar book witnessing the technique that would help define an era that began years after his death says that the late guitar hero was inspired by one of his performances at “He [Van Halen] actually came to the Whisky a Go Go when I was playing there one night in L.A. and saw me do the finger-tapping thing,” Mandel told Guitar Player in 2023 he took off with it – went his own way and did it great He totally took my thing and went nuts with it and did his thing the whole world has been doing finger tapping.” As for Van Halen himself? He told Guitar World in 2008 that he got it from Jimmy Page “I think I got the idea of tapping watching Jimmy Page do his Heartbreaker solo back in 1971,” he said “He was doing a pull-off to an open string but what if I use my finger as the nut and move it around?’ I just kind of took it and ran with it.” Complicated as these lineages tend to be to draw the scene of two guitar heroes of a certain era witnessing a spark that would help light the flame of a future era is a striking one to imagine and everything that falls under its massive umbrella you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now Strong results have come for Connected Minerals as part of its maiden trenching and sampling program at the Etango North-East uranium project in Namibia Among results from the newly named Ondapanda prospect trench one returned 1m at 5413 parts per million (ppm) uranium oxide (U₃O₈) with other notable intercepts including 2m at 2084ppm U₃O₈ and 1m at 4847ppm U₃O₈ in trench six “We are very excited by the results from this extended programme at Etango North-East, which is located along strike from, and within the same rock units as Bannerman Energy’s world-class Etango uranium project,” Connected Minerals managing director and chief executive officer Warrick Clent said extend the high-grade area of mineralisation identified by the company from our initial exploration programme with three potential zones identified by the scintillometer survey we certainly have multiple targets to focus on in the coming months and build on this promising start.” The company collected 132 rock chip samples over 139m length of newly extended trenches confirming and expanding upon previously reported high-grade uranium mineralisation A detailed scintillometer survey identified three key areas of interest including the Ondapanda prospect extending north and covering 1000m by 500m The Onkumbwa prospect is in the south-west showing similar geological characteristics is also demonstrating strong potential for mineralisation “Given the success to date at Etango north-east we are looking to commence our maiden drilling program as soon as possible,” Clent said we are currently in discussions with multiple drilling firms to identify the earliest date we can commence drilling.” The Etango North-East project is located within the same rock units as Bannerman Energy’s Etango project which holds 429 million tonnes of resources at 225ppm U₃O₈ Subscribe to Australian Resources & Investment and receive the latest news on commodity prices Australian Resources & Investment is this country’s premier mining journal dedicated to providing readers with cutting-edge insights into resource developments in Australia and from Australian companies operating around the world © document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) All Rights Reserved Australian Resource and Investment is a registered trademark of Prime Creative Media Metrics details Tapping line detection and rubber tapping pose estimation are challenging tasks in rubber plantation environments for rubber tapping robots This study proposed a method for tapping line detection and rubber tapping pose estimation based on improved YOLOv8 and RGB-D information fusion YOLOv8n was improved by introducing the CFB module into the backbone fusing the EMA attention mechanism into the neck and modifying the loss function as NWD to realize multi-object detection and segmentation the trunk skeleton line was extracted by combining level set and ellipse fitting the new tapping line was located by combining edge detection and geometric analysis the rubber tapping pose was estimated based on the trunk skeleton line and the new tapping line The detection results from 597 test images showed the improved YOLOv8n’s detection mAP0.5 The improved YOLOv8n’s effect and efficiency were superior compared to other networks and it could better detect and segment natural rubber tree image targets in different scenes The pose estimation results from 300 new tapping lines showed the average success rate and average time consumed for rubber tapping pose estimation were 96% and 0.2818 s this method offers an effective solution for rubber tapping pose estimation and provides theoretical support for the development of rubber tapping robots it is imperative to develop intelligent rubber tapping robots to replace manual rubber tapping tapping line detection and rubber tapping pose estimation are key technologies of robot intelligent rubber tapping and are necessary guarantees for effective rubber tapping When the rubber tapping robot operates in the rubber plantation environment the object color and morphological characteristics are similar to the environment and shape of different tree ages and tree shapes vary greatly These non-structural and uncertain factors make tapping line detection in a rubber plantation environment extremely challenging if there is only position information about the new tapping line the end effector of the rubber tapping robot is likely to collide with the non-new tapping line area of the rubber tree when moving toward the new tapping line resulting in a reduced rubber tapping success rate it is very important to estimate its rubber tapping pose the end effector can move toward the new tapping line without colliding with the non-new tapping line area of the rubber tree YOLOv8 was released by Ultralytics on the GitHub website in 2023 and can simultaneously complete tasks such as object classification YOLOv8 builds on the success of previous YOLO versions introducing new features and improvements to further improve performance and flexibility YOLOv8 is divided into five versions according to the depth and width of the network structure It can maintain the minimum storage occupation and the fastest recognition speed while ensuring high detection and segmentation accuracy which is conducive to installation and implementation on mobile devices YOLOv8n has great potential for natural rubber tree tapping line detection in rubber plantation environments when YOLOv8n is used for tapping line detection tasks it has a good effect on the detection and segmentation of large For small objects and natural rubber tree images with complex backgrounds the detection and segmentation performance of YOLOv8n is not ideal YOLOv8n needs to be improved in terms of feature information extraction and so on to adapt to the needs of natural rubber tree tapping line detection in natural environments These studies point out that target pose estimation can’t be performed only through RGB images Depth information is crucial for target pose estimation the 3D pose information of the target is more critical depth information is indispensable for rubber tapping pose estimation the method of fusion of RGB-D information for rubber tapping pose estimation is proposed in order to solve the problem of tapping line detection and rubber tapping pose estimation for natural rubber trees in a natural environment at the same time this study proposes a tapping line detection and rubber tapping pose estimation method for natural rubber trees based on improved YOLOv8n and RGB-D information fusion which provides theoretical support for the rubber tapping robot’s vision system development and the end-effector’s motion planning in future research The main contributions are summarized as follows: A data set suitable for natural rubber tree tapping line detection and rubber tapping pose estimation under multi-angle and all-weather conditions was established The CSPLayer_2Conv (C2F) module of the backbone network was replaced by the convolution focal block (CFB) module an output layer was added into the neck network the efficient multi-scale attention (EMA) mechanism was fused into the neck network and the Complete-IoU (CIoU) loss was replaced by the Normalized Wasserstein Distance (NWD) loss to improve YOLOv8n The improved YOLOv8n was used to realize the multi-object detection and segmentation of the natural rubber tree image On the basis of the detection and segmentation of the natural rubber tree image the trunk skeleton was extracted by the combination of level set and ellipse fitting and the new tapping line was located by the combination of edge detection and geometric analysis the rubber tapping pose was calculated by the combination of the trunk skeleton and the new tapping line to realize the rubber tapping pose estimation The tapping line detection and rubber tapping pose estimation methods based on improved YOLOv8n and RGB-D information fusion were trained and tested to accurately detect and segment the object on the natural rubber tree image and effectively estimate the rubber tapping pose The remaining parts are organized as follows: Section "Materials and methods" introduces the composition of the image dataset and the rubber tapping pose estimation algorithm the experimental results of tapping line detection and rubber tapping pose estimation are given and the results are analyzed and discussed in detail Section “Conclusions” gives the main conclusions of the study and suggestions for future research Image acquisition and mask visualization. (a) and (b) are image acquisition locations (figures were generated by the software Google Earth Pro 7.3.6.9796, and the URL link is https://earth.google.com/web/) which were then converted into txt format and coco format using the json to txt and json to coco scripts to complete the production of RGB image data labels To avoid the singularity within the image samples and ensure that the image set contained natural rubber tree images under various natural conditions 597 images of the entire RGB image data set were randomly selected as the test set and the remaining 2397 images were used as the training set the test set included 297 RGB images and 300 sets of RGB-D images To evaluate the performance of the rubber tapping pose estimation algorithm the optimal rubber tapping pose needs to be obtained The steps to obtain the optimal rubber tapping pose are as follows: For the 300 sets of RGB-D images in the test set Labelme was used to mark the trunk and optimal tapping line in the RGB image the RGB image was registered with the depth image to obtain the trunk point cloud and the optimal tapping line point cloud the optimal rubber tapping pose was marked in MATLAB The four different scale feature outputs of the neck network were used as the inputs of the prototype generation branch and the prediction head branch which can effectively alleviate the negative impact caused by scale variance and improve the accuracy of small object detection and segmentation Although the operation of introducing the new output layer of the neck network into the prototype generation branch and the prediction head branch increases the calculation amount of the model to a certain extent it has greatly improved the detection and segmentation capabilities of small targets EMA was involved in the bottom-up feature fusion of the neck network which further improved the feature extraction ability of each output layer of the neck network to the target information of the natural oak image and suppressed invalid redundant information thereby improving the detection and segmentation accuracy of the network model The loss function of YOLOv8n is shown in Eq. (1) The classification loss and mask loss are calculated by the binary cross-entropy loss while the regression loss is computed by the distribution focal loss and CIoU loss and ${{L}}_{{{{CIoU}}}}$ are the total loss and ${{p}}_{{{i}}}$ and ${{y}}_{{{i}}}$ are the predicted probability of the category and the true probability of the category in turn i is the serial number of the category in the image and y is the coordinate of the prediction box yj and yj+1 denote integers closest to the left and right of the prediction box coordinates bgt) represents the intersection ratio of the prediction box and the real box ${\uprho }$ represents the geometric center distance between the prediction box and the real box ${{c}}$ denotes the diagonal length of the minimum circumscribed rectangle between the prediction box and the real box and ${{v}}$ denotes the variance of the diagonal inclination angle of the prediction box and the real box ${{k}}$ is the serial number of the pixels in the image and N1 is the total number of pixels ${{p}}_{{{k}}}$ and ${{y}}_{{{k}}}$ are the predicted and true values of the category to which the k-th pixel belongs NWD models the box as a Gaussian distribution and then uses the Wasserstein distance to measure the similarity between the two distributions Even if the two boxes do not overlap at all or overlap a little and the ability to measure the similarity of disjoint frames NWD solves the problem of CIoU loss and improves the performance of small object detection and segmentation where ${{L}}_{{{{NWD}}}}$ is the NWD loss ${{N}}_{{{a}}}$ is the Gaussian distribution of the prediction box ${{N}}_{{{b}}}$ is the Gaussian distribution of the real box ${{C}}$ is a constant with a value of 12.8 ${{W}}_{{2}}^{{2}} \left( {{{N}}_{{{a}}} {{ N}}_{{{b}}} } \right)$ represents the Wasserstein distance between the prediction box and the real box (${{cx}}_{{{a}}}$,${{cy}}_{{{a}}}$,${{w}}_{{{a}}}$,${{h}}_{{{a}}}$) represents the center coordinate value and (${{cx}}_{{{b}}}$,${{cy}}_{{{b}}}$,${{w}}_{{{b}}}$,${{h}}_{{{b}}}$) represents the center coordinate value Trunk skeleton extraction and new tapping line location process (d) New tapping line pixel position calculation (o) Trunk skeleton line and new tapping line ${{z}}_{{{i}}}$) are the 3D coordinates of the registered color image pixel i ${{v}}_{{{i}}}$) are the pixel coordinates of the registered color image pixel i ${{f}}_{{{y}}}$) are the internal parameters of the infrared camera of Kinect V2 where a, b, c, d, and e are polynomial coefficients, which are obtained by substituting the x and y coordinates of each point in QS into Eq. (5) zzmin is the minimum value of the points in the QS along the z axis direction The specific implementation steps are as follows: along the abscissa direction from point A to point B the maximum value yi of the ordinate corresponding to the abscissa xi was calculated every 10 pixels until the point B was reached and yi and xi were matched one by one to obtain the pixel coordinate set P = {(xi 1 + $\lceil{{(x}}_{{{A}}} {{ - x}}_{{{B}}} {)/10}\rceil$} of each key point of the tapping line on the tapped area the pixel coordinate of the key point of the tapping line was fitted by cubic polynomials to obtain the tapping line Q ${{y}}_{{{{E1}}}}$) is the pixel coordinate of the lower endpoint of E1E2 ${{y}}_{{{{E2}}}}$) is the pixel coordinate of the upper endpoint of E1E2 The 3D position information of the new tapping line was determined and the new tapping line location was realized where ${{m}}_{{1}}$ is the number of pixels moved down by the tapping line along the center line direction of the left and right edge lines of the tapped area Rubber tapping pose estimation process (d) The enlarged drawing of the estimated rubber tapping pose under the different viewing angles (e) The enlarged drawing of the estimated rubber tapping pose Experiment setting and evaluation indicatorsExperiment settingThe model training and experiment were carried out on two computers The model training hardware environment was an Intel (R) Xeon (R) Silver 4210 processor an NVIDIA RTX 4000 (8 GB of memory) graphics card The model training software environment was the Python 3.7 programming language and the PyTorch 1.10 deep learning framework The experiment hardware environment was an Intel Core i7-11800H processor an NVIDIA RTX 3050 (4 GB of memory) graphics card The experiment software environment was Python 3.8 and the PyTorch 1.9 deep learning framework The dataset used for model training and experimentation was the natural rubber tree image dataset created in Section "Image acquisition and dataset creation" The batch size of model training was 8 (due to the limitations of the model training hardware platform the batch size of Mask R-CNN and CondInst was 2) and number of iterations for model training were 0.01 TA is the total number of rubber tapping pose estimation and TS is the successful number of rubber tapping pose estimation mm denotes the total number of cut points in a single sample ${{d}}_{{\upbeta }}^{{{ p}}}$ denotes the predicted value of the cut point positioning ${{d}}_{{\upbeta }}^{{{ t}}}$ denotes the optimal value of the cut point positioning $\overrightarrow {{{{q}}_{{\upbeta }}^{{{ p}}} }}$ denotes the cut point estimation pose $\overrightarrow {{{{q}}_{{\upbeta }}^{{{ t}}} }}$ denotes the optimal pose of the cut point and ${{e}}_{{\upbeta }}^{{\upgamma }}$ denotes the error value calculated by a single sample ${\upbeta }$ means the different evaluation error $\overline{{{{e}}_{{\upbeta }} }}$ means the average error of the total sample and ${\upsigma }_{{\upbeta }}$ means the standard deviation of the total sample Comparison experiment results before and after model improvement (a) The loss curve and mean average precision curve of YOLOv8n-rubber (b) The P and R values of Model 1 and Model 6 (c) The average precision comparison of single classification detection between Model 1 and Model 6 (d) The average precision comparison of single classification segmentation between Model 1 and Model 6 According to Table 1 image detection and segmentation performance with Model 1 (YOLOv8n) as the benchmark are as follows: the detection F1 and mAP0.5 were increased by 1.3% and 2% the segmentation mAP0.5 and mAP0.5:0.95 increased by 0.7% and 0.2% and the detection mAP0.5:0.95 and segmentation F1 remained unchanged It showed that after replacing the C2F module of the YOLOv8n backbone network with the CFB module the model size was reduced without reducing the feature extraction ability of the network model the feature extraction ability of the network model was improved This indicated that adding an output layer to the neck network of YOLOv8n could reduce the size of the network model and the model could better fuse target features and improve the detection and segmentation performance of the network model This implied that after adding an output layer and fusing the EMA attention mechanism to the neck network of YOLOv8n the model could better fuse the target features while maintaining a smaller size pay attention to the characteristics of the target itself and effectively improve the detection and segmentation performance of the network model the detection F1 and mAP0.5 were increased by 1.4% and 2.4% and the segmentation F1 and mAP0.5 were increased by 1.3% and 2.3% The model size and detection segmentation mAP0.5:0.95 did not change This represented that after replacing the CIoU loss of YOLOv8n with the NWD loss NWD could improve the detection and segmentation performance of the model to a certain extent It meant that after replacing the C2F module of YOLOv8n’s backbone network with the CFB module adding an output layer to the neck network of YOLOv8n fusing the EMA attention mechanism in the neck network of YOLOv8n and replacing the CIoU loss of YOLOv8n with the NWD loss the model not only maintained a smaller size but also significantly improved the detection and segmentation performance of the model This was the result of the combined effects of the CFB module CFB reduced the model size and enhanced the feature extraction ability of the backbone network The new output layer enhanced the feature fusion ability of the network redundant information and paid more attention to the characteristics of the target itself and the ability to measure the similarity of disjoint bounding boxes which improved the detection performance of the small target So that Model 6 achieved the best detection and segmentation performance while maintaining a smaller model size YOLOv8n-rubber achieved the minimum model size and the best detection and segmentation performance without significantly increasing the detection segmentation time which verified the effectiveness of the model improvement In general, YOLOv8n-rubber’s indicators were the best. Although YOLOv8n-rubber was 0.0033 s slower than YOLOv8n in detection segmentation time, it had basically no impact on the practical application. YOLOv8n-rubber not only ensured that the model had the highest detection and segmentation performance and the smallest size, but also took into account the detection and segmentation speed of the model, which verified the effectiveness of the improved model YOLOv8n-rubber. Performance comparison of different models. Detection and segmentation results of different models Although the detection segmentation time of YOLOv8n-rubber was 0.0033 s slower than that of the fastest YOLOv8n it had advantages in detection segmentation mAP0.5 This indicated that YOLOv8n-rubber had the best comprehensive performance among these models As can be seen from Fig. 9 the detection and segmentation effects of the YOLOv5 YOLOv5 and YOLOv7 had the phenomenon of incomplete object segmentation RTMDet exhibited the phenomenon of over-segmentation YOLACT showed the phenomenon of object false detection and object missed detection CondInst had the phenomenon of object missed detection and object over-segmentation YOLOv8n-rubber still maintained a good detection and segmentation effect on the target YOLOv8n-rubber’s detection and segmentation mAP0.5 and mAP0.5:0.95 scores were higher it had a better detection and segmentation effect on the target and generalization performance were better YOLOv8n-rubber had the smallest model size and the second-least detection segmentation time indicating that YOLOv8n-rubber had obvious advantages in detection and segmentation accuracy Detection and segmentation results of objects before and after model improvement in different scenes As can be seen from Table 3 and mAP0.5:0.95 values of YOLOv8n-rubber were all higher than YOLOv8n indicating that the detection and segmentation performance of YOLOv8n-rubber was better than that of YOLOv8n in different scenes It is worth noting that in the cloudy scene and mAP0.5:0.95 values of YOLOv8n-rubber reached 82.3% and mAP0.5:0.95 values of YOLOv8n-rubber reached 76.7% indicating that the target of the natural rubber tree image was easier to detect by YOLOv8n-rubber in this scene and mAP0.5:0.95 values of YOLOv8n-rubber were lower than those in the cloudy scene and the detection and segmentation effect was better the target was affected by too strong illumination The target produced the exposure phenomenon The target color was aliased with shadows caused by light The target color was similar to the background The target contour and texture were blurred This made YOLOv8n-rubber difficult to detect the target in sunny and night scenes and the detection segmentation effect was poor the YOLOv8n-rubber detection segmentation P and mAP0.5:0.95 values in the two-year scene were higher than those in the one-year the scale change between the targets was relatively small the target was more conspicuous and easy to detect and the object detection and segmentation effect was better the scale change between the targets was relatively large and the size difference between the targets was relatively large resulting in poor object detection and segmentation effects In view of the relatively poor detection and segmentation effect of YOLOv8n-rubber in sunny the model detection and segmentation ability will be further improved by expanding the training data set and replacing the artificial light supplement equipment in the future It can be seen from Fig. 10 that YOLOv8n had the phenomenon of object false detection and the color and shape of the non-target in the rubber plantation were too similar to the natural rubber tree trunk resulting in false detection and over-segmentation The start area and end area in the natural rubber tree image were tiny targets and after the multi-level convolution operation of the model resulting in missed detection and under-segmentation YOLOv8n-rubber significantly improved the phenomenon of false detection YOLOv8n-rubber could accurately detect the position and category of the target without false detection or missed detection YOLOv8n-rubber significantly improved the target mask over-segmentation and the target mask under-segmentation making the segmentation accuracy of the target mask further approach the real area the detection and segmentation performance of YOLOv8n-rubber for objects in different scenes was better than that of YOLOv8n which indicated that YOLOv8n-rubber had a good detection and segmentation effect for objects on natural rubber tree images in different scenes To verify the performance of the rubber tapping pose estimation algorithm, the rubber tapping pose estimation experiment was carried out on 300 sets of RGB-D images in the test set. The experiment results are shown in Table 4 and Fig. 11. Rubber tapping pose estimation results and (d) are successful examples of rubber tapping pose estimation and (h) are failure examples of rubber tapping pose estimation According to Table 4 the average success rate of rubber tapping pose estimation in different scenes was 96% The success rate of rubber tapping pose estimation in the cloudy scene was 99.38% which was 6.18% and 10.49% higher than that in the sunny and night scenes and other features of the detection segmentation target were clear and obvious YOLOv8n-rubber’s detection and segmentation results for the target were more accurate There were more point clouds for tree trunk skeleton extraction and the quality of the point clouds for the new tapping line location was better The success rate of rubber tapping pose estimation was higher resulting in blurred target shape and texture and similar colors to the background YOLOv8n-rubber had poor detection and segmentation results for the target There were fewer point clouds for tree trunk skeleton extraction and the quality of the point clouds for the new tapping line location was unsatisfactory Due to the dual effects of object detection and segmentation results and the number and quality of point clouds the success rate of rubber tapping pose estimation was lower the success rate of rubber tapping pose estimation was 100% which was 9.62% and 3.55% higher than that in the one-year in the natural rubber tree image of cutting for two years the scale change between the targets was small YOLOv8n-rubber had better detection and segmentation results for the target accurately extracted the trunk skeleton and located the new tapping line and had a high success rate in estimating the rubber tapping pose the scale between the targets changed greatly and the detection and segmentation effect of YOLOv8n-rubber on the target was bad resulting in the inaccurate extraction of the trunk skeleton and the location of the new tapping line which made the success rate of rubber tapping pose estimation lower The reason for the failure of rubber tapping pose estimation was that in the unstructured rubber plantation due to the limitations of YOLOv8n-rubber detection and segmentation accuracy the trunk point cloud was missing or broken the new tapping line point cloud was missing the tree trunk skeleton extraction and the new tapping line location effects were bad resulting in the failure of rubber tapping pose estimation Another reason was that the shooting angle was not suitable for obtaining complete depth information of natural rubber trees In view of the failure of rubber tapping pose estimation the subsequent consideration is to fill the missing point cloud and improve the quality of the point cloud by improving the point cloud preprocessing algorithm The autonomous vision algorithm is studied to give the robot the ability to automatically and reasonably adjust the shooting angle and improve the accuracy of rubber tapping pose estimation The error analysis of 288 sets of sample images with successful rubber tapping pose estimation was carried out to evaluate the accuracy of the rubber tapping pose estimation algorithm. The results are shown in Fig. 12. Error analysis results of rubber tapping pose estimation It is obvious that the rubber tapping pose estimation of each natural rubber tree took about 0.2818 s which met the real-time operation requirements of the rubber tapping robot which takes up most of the calculation time the extraction speed of skeleton points will be accelerated by studying the method of determining skeleton points according to the position of the tapping line in the future a method of tapping line detection and rubber tapping pose estimation for natural rubber trees based on improved YOLOv8n and RGB-D information fusion was proposed the improved YOLOv8n was used to achieve multi-object detection and segmentation of the natural rubber tree image the rubber tapping pose was estimated based on the trunk skeleton and new tapping line It provides theoretical support for the future development of the vision system and motion planning of the end effector of the rubber tapping robot the model size of the improved YOLOv8n was reduced by 5.9% and mAP0.5:0.95 of the improved YOLOv8n were increased by 1.9% This indicated that after replacing the C2F module of YOLOv8n’s backbone network with the CFB module fusing the EMA attention mechanism into the neck network of YOLOv8n and the model detection and segmentation performance was improved the improved YOLOv8n had obvious advantages in detection segmentation precision which further verified the effectiveness of model improvement and mAP0.5:0.95 values of the improved YOLOv8n were higher than those of YOLOv8n indicating that the improved YOLOv8n could better detect and segment the natural rubber tree image targets in different scenes compared to YOLOv8n The rubber tapping pose estimation results of 300 new tapping lines in different scenes showed that the success rate of rubber tapping pose estimation in the cloudy scene was 99.38% which was 6.18% and 10.49% higher than that in sunny and night scenes The success rate of rubber tapping pose estimation in the two-year scene was 100% the average success rate of rubber tapping pose estimation was 96% the average time consumed of rubber tapping pose estimation was 0.2818 s which met the accuracy and speed requirements of rubber tapping pose estimation of the natural rubber tapping robot This study provides an effective solution for natural rubber tree tapping line detection and rubber tapping pose estimation in a rubber plantation environment the model detection and segmentation effects are relatively poor there are failures of rubber tapping pose estimation the model detection and segmentation abilities will be further improved by expanding the training data set replacing the artificial light supplement equipment and further optimizing the network model structure The speed of rubber tapping pose estimation will be accelerated by exploring the method to determine the skeleton point according to the tapping line position The success rate of rubber tapping pose estimation will be further increased by improving the point cloud preprocessing algorithm and studying the autonomous vision algorithm The datasets used and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request Enhanced natural rubber production in rubber dandelion taraxacum kok-saghyz roots by foliar application of a natural lipid Experiment of influence factors on sawing power consumption for natural rubber mechanical tapping The role of citrate synthase HbCS4 in latex regeneration of hevea brasiliensis (para rubber tree) Design and test of automatic rubber-tapping device with spiral movement Design and test of profiling progressive natural rubber automatic tapping machine Nighttime rubber tapping line detection in near range images An improved YOLOv5-based tapping trajectory detection method for natural rubber trees Tapped area detection and new tapping line location for natural rubber trees based on improved mask region convolutional neural network A method for 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RTMDet: An empirical study of designing real-time object detectors. arXiv preprint arXiv:2212.07784 (2022) Download references This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U23A20176) the National Modern Agricultural Industry Technology System (CARS-33-JX2) the Hainan Provincial Academician Innovation Platform (YSPTZX202109) and the International Scientific and Technological Cooperation R&D Project in Hainan Province (GHYF2023002) School of Information and Communication Engineering Mechanical and Electrical Engineering College and X.Z.; writing—original draft preparation The authors declare no competing interests Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79132-5 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing: AI and Robotics newsletter — what matters in AI and robotics research