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My New Blogs on Substack and My New Book

I now post my new blogs on the following two publications:

SimpleScience.Substack.com: Connecting the dots and simplifying complex science issues. True education is an orphan today because it’s not sponsored by corporate media. I spend hours to separate good science from bad, noise from signal. Please sign up to support this reader-supported publication, a wiser alternative to corporate-sponsored publications.

Homoeconomicus.Substack.com: My often unconventional personal perspective on economy and philosophy in a world shaped by Homo economicus, a new breed of humans whose brains are mainly programmed and driven by unfettered quantitative growth.

My new book “Masks, Crutches and Daggers: The Science of our Self-Delusional, Addictive Homo economicus Brain” is finally being published in April after two years of research and writing. Fans, friends and supporters can pre-order signed or regular copies on my Bio page HERE. 

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Watch Melibe viridis, a sea slug with a gelatinous, retractable, shape-shifting vacuum cleaner for a head!

In my book, I explain how some green sea slugs become photosynthetic thanks to a long-term symbiotic relationship with algae they eat.

We become what we eat!

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Bee Venom Against Diabetes, Asthma, Cancer and COVID-19?

Bee venom is a biotoxin which can cause severe allergic reactions in some people due to the excessive stress response of the immune system. At the same time, bee venom and its main polypeptide component melttin, are linked, similar to expensive chemotherapeutic agents, to variety of cancer management effects including apoptosis, necrosis, cytotoxicity and mitochondrial disruption, inhibition of angiogenesis, metastasis and invasion of cancer cells, including prostate, breast, lung, liver and bladder.

Bee venom therapy, has also been used in traditional medicine to treat diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, rheumatism, pain, tumors, and skin diseases.

Melittin, is a non-selective cytolytic peptide which binds to negatively charged phospholipid bilayers membrane surfaces and therefore, physically and chemically disrupts all prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell membranes including our red blood cells, hence its biotoxic effect.

New research published by an international team of scientists proposes the use of bee venom as a potential adjuvant against COVID-19. The authors indicate the potential of bee venom to disrupt the protective membrane envelopes or the replication of a wide variety of enveloped and non-enveloped viruses, including Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Coxsackievirus, Enterovirus, Influenza A Viruses, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), H1N1, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), Junín Virus (JV), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) and Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV).

The authors point out that bee venom, in low doses and controlled dilute concentrations, triggers a range of anti-inflammatory responses, and have been deployed for management of diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, obesity, asthma, skin diseases, and central nervous system-associated diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and sclerosis. At low doses, bee venom can suppress inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).

Separately, another research group in India has also suggested the use of micro-dosed melittin-in-surfactant compounds or coconut oil-melittin nanoemulsions as a nasal spray to prevent against ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) associated with SARS-CoV-2.

Data published in sciencedirect.com indicates that beekeepers living in the epicenter of the SARS-CoV-2 virus did not contract the virus, and neither did a group of patients receiving apitherapy. A total of 5115 beekeepers were surveyed from February 23 to March 8, 2020, including 723 in Wuhan, the outbreak epicentre of Hubei. None of these beekeepers developed symptoms associated with COVID-19, and their health was totally normal.

The co-authors pointed out that “It reminds us the story of the discovery of cowpox and the eventual victory of humans over this disease.”

There is little known about the interactions of bee venom and melittin with SARS-COV-2 infection. In vitro antiviral assay results post melittin-treatments have shown significant decrease in the SARS-CoV-2 viral loads compared to the untreated group. Animal injection studies show melittin wrapped in nanoparticles increases the number of immune cells such as CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, NK cells, and monocytes. In humans, these cells all play an important role in control of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Other studies show that bee venom can activate T regulatory cells that control runaway inflammation (Cytokine storms).

One big caveat to the observation in Wuhan is the tolerance developed in those beekeepers to bee stings: “These people have one thing in common: they develop a tolerance to bee sting,” wrote lead author Wei Yang, an oncologist from China and two associates. In other words, bee venom is not immunogenic to certain people who are raised in cohabitation with, or live near bee colonies. For the rest of people who are in big polluted cities and away from feral bee colonies, and therefore, unsure of their reaction to bee venom, I would advise caution.

Related paper:

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How Does Nature Form Intelligent Adaptive Networks?

This video is an interesting demonstration of work by Professor Hubler at University of Illinois on self-assembling wire networks. These consist of electrically polarizable particles which self assemble in response to an electric field. The optimization in self-assembling wire networks can be viewed as the network learning the nature of its environment, analogous to Hebb’s learning rule in neural networks.

Learning rules are mathematical algorithms (logic) that help an evolving intelligent system, such as a biological life form, learn from the existing local conditions and improve its performance over time through iteration when exposed to new conditions.

The Hebb learning rule, developed in 1949 by Donald Hebb, simply ensures “Neurons that fire together, wire together.” Mathematically, if two neighboring neurons activate and deactivate at the same time, the weight of the connection-line between those two neurons should increase. If the neurons activate in totally opposite phases, the weight between them should decrease. If there is no signal correlation, the weight should not change.

In regular Hebbian learning, the connection weights increase monotonically over time, just as the conductivity increases monotonically to infinity. In order to overcome this in modeling an adaptive self-assembling wire network, it must be able to increase the resistance of a connection naturally, or even destroy connections which are undesirable, when conditions change. In neural networks, this corresponds to having excitatory connections (which increase neuron activity) and inhibitory connections (which decrease activity).

The video is a great demonstration of self-assembling wire networks. 

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Sex Hormones Impact Our Immune Response

According to a paper published in Frontiers in Immunology, generally testosterone is found to be immunosuppressive but estrogen is immunoenhancing. So females are less prone to viral infections and cancers but more prone to autoimmune diseases and potential vaccine-related side effects than males.

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Why Do Oldest Millennials Suffer from Health Issues?

A BCBS analysis shows older Millennials (37-40 years old) are mysteriously unhealthier than Generation Xers of the same age.

There are many speculations as to why this is the case. One plausible and rational explanation is that oldest Millennials (Born 1981) were 16 in 1997 when mobile phones were rolled out across the country. So they are the first generation that grew up ALL their adult life WITH cell phones. This could mean a more sedentary lifestyle, or a longer and more intense exposure to electromagnetic fields.

For all such hypotheses, you can read The Invisible Rainbow which offers many theories about how electricity has affected our health and environment.

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The Effect of Changing Atmospheric Electromagnetics on Our Nerves and Health

A paper published by Ludwig and Mecke in 1968 showed that artificially manipulating the atmospheric electromagnetic fields, without changing light or temperature conditions, could put hamsters in and out of a hibernating state. For example, exposure of hamsters to artificial fields  with carrier frequencies of 10-100 kHz and 20, 10 or 5 Hz impulses is associated with a decrease in ambulation.

The authors hypothesized that nerve fibers act as antenna and the synaptic membranes as a leaky space. The electromagnetic-induced electrical current in the nerve fiber could cause a very high field strength at the synaptic membrane. 

In a related paper published in 1972, Persinger and his team demonstrated that the removal of male rats which have been exposed to an extremely low frequency (ELF) rotating magnetic field (RMF) for 21-50 days is associated with significant increases in ambulatory behavior. They hypothesize that RMF was interfering with the physico-chemical processes associated with what has been termed "memory".

According to a scientific appeal by the 5G Space Appeal group, the Earth, the ionosphere and the lower atmosphere form the global electric circuit in which we live. It is well established that biological rhythms - such as those of humans, birds, hamsters, and spiders - are controlled by the Earth’s natural electromagnetic environment and that the well-being of all organisms depends on the stability of this environment, including the electrical properties of the atmosphere. Cherry, in a groundbreaking paper, explained the importance of the Schumann resonances and why ionospheric disturbances can alter blood pressure and melatonin and cause “cancer, reproductive, cardiac and neurological disease and death”.

A 2016 study published in the Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy outlines some of the neurological concerns about human exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF): “Several factors may lead to chemical, morphological, and electrical alterations in the nervous system in a direct or indirect way. It is reported that non-ionizing EMFs have effects on animals and cells. The changes they bring about in organic systems may cause oxidative stress, which is essential for the neurophysiological process; it is associated with increased oxidization in species, or a reduction in antioxidant defense systems. Severe oxidative stress can cause imbalances in reactive oxygen species, which may trigger neurodegeneration.. neurological disease and associated symptoms, such as headache, sleep disturbances, and fatigue.”

More recently, in an article posted on Wall Street International, the author, himself an engineer in telecommunications and an Information Technology architect, shares his concerns: “The effects of millimeter waves on animals and plants have been studied only minimally, at best. This makes 5G a very large-scale experiment on living organisms. Danish attorney-at-law Christian Jensen has explained that 5G deployments threaten several treaties that protect wildlife, including the EU directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, the EU directive on the conservation of wild birds, on the precautionary principle as well as on the Bern- and Bonn-conventions on the protection of animals and plants.Why would we risk life itself only for faster video downloading? The precautionary principle calls to wait for proof of 5G’s safety for ecosystems before deploying it in public networks.

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Watch Your Desires!

Did you know that dopamine, the neurotransmitter our brain uses to mediate our goal-oriented pursuits and desires, dropping to very low levels is the cause of Parkinson's disease?

But too much dopamine stimulates nausea and severe vomiting? This was brilliantly captured in Awakenings, a 1990 movie starring Robert De Niro and Robin Williams. I will also discuss this concept in my upcoming book.

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Efficacy of Fermented Food Bacteria in Mitigating COVID-19 Severity

Two recent scientific research papers have confirmed the importance of probiotic bacteria such as lactobacilli (available in traditional fermented food) in mitigating COVID-19 severity and outcome. A summary of the papers follows:

Picture shows homemade kefir being fermented.

Cabbage and fermented vegetables: From death rate heterogeneity in countries to candidates for mitigation strategies of severe COVID-19

Large differences in COVID-19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbage have been associated with low death rates in European countries. SARS-CoV-2 binds to its receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As a result of SARS-CoV-2 binding, ACE2 downregulation enhances the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1 R) axis associated with oxidative stress. This leads to insulin resistance as well as lung and endothelial damage, two severe outcomes of COVID-19. The nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is the most potent antioxidant in humans and can block in particular the AT1 R axis. Cabbage contains precursors of sulforaphane, the most active natural activator of Nrf2. Fermented vegetables contain many lactobacilli, which are also potent Nrf2 activators. Three examples are: kimchi in Korea, westernized foods, and the slum paradox. It is proposed that fermented cabbage is a proof-of-concept of dietary manipulations that may enhance Nrf2-associated antioxidant effects, helpful in mitigating COVID-19 severity.

Efficacy and safety of novel probiotic formulation in adult Covid19 outpatients: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Methods Single-center, quadruple-blinded RCT. Symptomatic Covid 19 outpatients (aged 18 to 60 years) with positive SARS-CoV2 nucleic acids test were randomized to active (n=150; ≥2×109 colony-forming units (CFU) of probiotic strains Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KABP022, KABP023 and KAPB033, plus strain Pediococcus acidilactici KABP021) or placebo (n=150), take orally once daily for 30 days. Oral acetaminophen was allowed and controlled as co-intervention. Primary endpoint included: i) proportion of patients in complete remission (both symptoms and nucleic acids test) or progressing to moderate or severe disease with hospitalization; ii) death rate and duration on Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Safety was assessed in all patients. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04517422).

Findings 300 subjects were randomized (median age 37.0 years [range 18 to 60], 161 [53.7%] women, 126 [42.0%] having known metabolic risk factors), and 293 completed the study (97.7%). Remission was achieved by 78 of 147 (53.1%) in the active group compared to 41 of 146 (28.1%) in placebo (P<0.0001; ARR=25.0% [95%CI 14.1-35.9%]), still significant after multiplicity correction for the primary endpoint. No hospitalizations or deaths occurred during the study, precluding the assessment of efficacy on these endpoints. No serious adverse events occurred during the study. Replication studies with this probiotic formula are warranted.

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Version II Janken (rock-paper-scissors) beats humans 100% of the time via faster vision, pattern recognition and motor function than humans

So If we ever have to duel with them the old West style, we will go extinct!

Is our arrogance our weakness? We are the only species that has made tools to outperform and replace itself!

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Eat All You Can: Obesity, Diabetes Vaccines on the Way, Hopefully Not Mandated!

The pharmaceutical corporations seem to be working on a solution for weight gain and obesity so you can have an all-you-can-eat diet and sedentary lifestyle without the guilt.

For years, Texas Tech Professor of Nutritional Sciences Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar has received grants to research links between viruses -- such as adenovirus-36 or Ad-36 -- to human obesity and diabetes. Dhurandhar has coined the term infectobesity which means obesity is an infectious disease that can be ultimately treated with vaccines or pharmaceuticals. 

Disclosure:

Dr. Dhurandhar has received $12 Million in grants and endowments. He has been a grantee or consultant for pharmaceutical companies like Ortho McNeil, Novartis, Novo Nordisk and formerly a researcher at Pennington Biomedical Research Center and a president of the Obesity Society (a partner to Pennington Biomedical Research Center) whose officers consulting fees and funding sources include relationships with Novo Nordisk, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies.

My view:

Virus are genetic codes so Dr. Dhurandhar’s assertions are scientifically plausible. However, as stated in my previous article, the modern immunological view of infectious disease, developed in the past 20-30 years, which mirrors some of the underpinnings of medical wisdom in ancient cultures such as India’s Ayurvedic, traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Iranian Medicine, points out to disruption of our organismic (i.e. whole human body taken as a system) “homeostatic balance” as the “main” source of empowering viral or infectious diseases. This view assigns as much credibility to the “microzymian theory” proposed by 19th century French scientist Antoine Béchamp (whose book was banned by the Catholic Church) as to the Louis Pasteur’s germ theory, which blames “exogenous” microbes for our health issues. Béchamp blamed diseases on an (unhealthy) imbalance INSIDE the organism and between the organism and its ecosystem.

For example, the etiology of the mysterious and deadly AIDS epidemic that baffled virologists in the latter part of the 20th century is now explained in terms of an “immunological imbalance” as elegantly described in a 2009 paper published in Trends of Molecular Medicine titled War and Peace between Microbes: HIV-1 Interactions with Coinfecting Viruses.

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Two easy at-home aging related fitness tests. Try only with supervision. Avoid pushing your limits!

1) The sitting-rising test: Ideally no knee, leg, arm or hand use

2) Push ups for upper body strength

Click on attached images/table to see your rating

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Oxygen in a Tank, Water in a Bottle? The LORAX coming true

People in parts of the planet are lining up to buy OXYGEN in a tank. In other parts of the world, people line up to buy bottled WATER because many inland rivers and water resources are contaminated. 

A MUST WATCH for children and adults: THE LORAX, the brilliant animated movie based on Dr. Seuss' 1971 book foreshadowing "fresh-air" sales and for-profit exploitation of nature by humans.

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Unlike Humans, Trees can Isolate Viral Injuries and Cancerous Growth

Unlike humans, trees ISOLATE abnormal growths (tumors/infections) resulting from fungal/viral stress. By isolating these rounded outgrowth called Burls, trees ensure the infectious cancerous growth does not disrupt the homeostasis of the tree.

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A Peaceful Healthy Life More Helpful than College Degrees in Preventing Brain Aging

Research shows higher education does NOT prevent atrophy (shrinkage) of Hippocampus (memory) and cortical (judgment/analysis) regions of the brain with age:

https://www.pnas.org/content/118/18/e2101644118

In my book I will share how chronic stress and anxiety are linked to atrophy of hippocampus and frontal cortex so it may be safe to conclude a peaceful, healthy, content life is more helpful in prevention of brain aging than high education or income.

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Everything is Fluid, In God’s and Nature’s Timescale

Change is just a matter of time!

The science of rheology deals with the fact that all materials flow in a viscoelastic fashion, meaning somewhere between Viscous (flowing, releasing energy like liquids) and Elastic (Holding, storing energy like solids). The degree of elasticity and viscosity will depend on the relative time scales of stress and the material’s molecular relaxations and stress release. For example, when cold, molecules tend to resist flowing past each other so materials will act more elastic than viscous at low temperatures. Or when it comes to certain rubbery elastomers, long polymer chains entangle and resist flowing past each other. As a result, they tend to store energy and not dissipate it through flowing. 

To characterize the relative viscosity and elasticity of a material, the ratio of material’s molecular relaxation time to the time scale of observation is used in rheology and called the “Deborah Number,” inspired by a verse in the Bible, stating "The mountains flowed before the Lord" in a song by the prophet Deborah in the Book of Judges.

Picture: Swirling sandstones at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Marble Canyon, Arizona

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Taking a break in serene natural ecosystems, even occasionally, can boost our immune system

Japanese researchers show shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing), boosts levels of NK (Natural-killer) immune cells, our first line of defense against viruses