#immune system overview

[kira-akira]

What I Want You To Know About Long COVID

Well lads, I've been suffering from Long COVID for over a year now. My life is at a complete standstill. I'm 25 years old and I'm too sick to go back to school, I can't work, I had to move back in with my parents and I'm still stuck here.

Here are just a few things I wish people knew about Long COVID, including things I didn't know myself until I got it.

COVID destroys your immune system. Yes, even if you don't have Long COVID. Are you getting sick more often now? When you get sick, does it last longer? There are many studies showing that COVID causes t cell depletion, even in mild COVID cases! T cells are how your body remembers how to fight off infections you've had before so losing those cells? Bad news.

Your initial infection can be mild and you can still get Long COVID. Right from Yale Medicine, "Most people with Long COVID had mild acute COVID." (This is also a good link for a basic Long COVID overview).

There can be a gap of time between when you "get better" from the initial COVID infection to the onset of Long COVID symptoms. Some people get sick with an initial COVID infection and never get better. Some get better and then weeks or months later start developing Long COVID symptoms. Long COVID symptoms can even fluctuate over time, can go away for months and then suddenly come back.

So many people have Long COVID and don't realize it. Do you feel more tired lately but no matter how much you sleep, nothing helps? Is it harder to concentrate at work or school? Can you just not think like you used to? You could have Long COVID and not even know it. Even mild post-COVID symptoms are still Long COVID.

COVID can do anything to your body. Long COVID has over 200 recognized symptoms and can affect basically any part or system of your body. There is no one mechanism or cause of Long COVID which unfortunately also means there's no one cure either.

The effects of COVID are cumulative. Each COVID reinfection increases your chances of developing Long COVID. COVID is also affecting your body in other ways, yes, even if you're otherwise young and healthy! "Repeat COVID-19 infections increase risk of organ failure, death".

Once you have Long COVID, repeat COVID infections will make your symptoms worse. "80% [of Long COVID patients] saw their symptoms worsen [from reinfection]. In 60% of people who were in recovery or remission from Long COVID, reinfection caused a recurrence of Long COVID."

There is a lot more I want to say about Long COVID but I want to keep this post at least somewhat manageable to read. Like how when COVID is contracted during pregnancy, those COVID-exposed fetuses have a 6.3-fold increased risk of motor developmental delays, or that another study found 50% of babies exposed to COVID in utero had developmental delays.

You need to keep caring about COVID, for others around you and also for yourself even if you're "healthy". Everyone is at risk. And don't forget 40-60% of COVID infections are asymptomatic, which is why masking even if you feel fine is crucial. The only way right now to not get Long COVID is to not get COVID in the first place. It's not too late, if you've stopped masking it's never too late to start again! I know it's easy to get distracted by things in your life that seem more real than the possibility of getting sick some time in the future, and the peer pressure to not mask can be intense. But it only feels less real or less important until your entire life is having Long COVID. Trust me.

I know this is a complicated issue, many people can't afford to stay home when sick even if they want to because of their jobs, there are disgusting policies trying to ban wearing masks, but please if you can. Keep masking. Masking works, masking saves lives.

This post got a bit longer than I wanted so below the cut is a non-exhaustive list of my Long COVID symptoms and some of my experiences as one of the "healthy young people" who got "unlucky". cw brief mention of suicidal ideation.

Welcome to the Thunderdome that is my body with Long COVID. Keep in mind these are just my experiences and symptoms, Long COVID can cause any range of symptoms at varying severities.

Dysautonomia: Exercise intolerance, Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM), fatigue, and heat intolerance. What do those things mean? Here's some specific examples. Absolutely terrible circulation I am so cold all the time but also, if I get a little too warm I will pass out. Eating hot food makes my heart rate spike, I sweat, my body feels heavy. Blood pooling and pins and needles in my feet when I walk. Don't even think about exercising past walking, it's impossible. I used to work out an hour a day 4 times a week and now walking up one flight of stairs makes my heart pound and I can't breathe. Can't take even just warm showers anymore or I will pass out. Heat rashes from being in the sun for 10 minutes.

Digestive issues: Honestly too many to name but: constant bloating, extreme nausea, constipation, slow motility, lack of appetite, just so much cramping and pain. I lost 18 pounds from Long COVID, as someone who was already considered underweight their entire life, and almost had to get a shunt put into my chest to deliver nutrients because I was nearly completely unable to eat. For the first 6 months of Long COVID, if I could manage 600 calories a day, that was a good day.

Histamine intolerance: Oh boy. My worst symptoms, I don't even know where to start with it. If you know Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) it's very similar. I can only eat 19 foods. If i eat a single bite of something not on that list, it's 48 hours of absolute hell. Coughing, migraines, itchy eyes, such extreme nausea I cannot even describe it, panic/feeling of doom, racing heart rate, derealization, rash, uncontrollable muscle tremors. I only learned about histamine intolerance 5 months into having Long COVID so before that, I was experiencing these symptoms nearly every single day. Terrifying isn't even a strong enough word to describe how it felt to experience all this and have no idea what it was, how to stop it, or if it would ever stop. Really dark times.

Neurological issues: More of that derealization. Inability to concentrate. Anxiety. OCD-like symptoms such as thoughts getting "stuck" in my head, repeating 24/7 completely unable to stop them, genuinely felt like my brain had cracked open and I had lost my mind. Constant dizziness like I'm on a boat.

Sleep issues: I sleep like garbage. I have insomnia, I wake up dozens of times every night and every single time I sleep I have intensely vivid dreams. I can't sleep longer than 7 hours total no matter how exhausted I am. It is exhausting. I'm exhausted, I'm so so tired.

And finally. Just. Really intense suicidal ideation. My body, my health, my entire life has been stolen from me because someone else decided my life was worth less to them than wearing a mask or staying home if they feel sick. Before I got Long COVID, I was preparing to go to South Korea to teach English, then on to a PhD in neurolinguistics, I was supposed to meet my long distance partner and had already booked plane tickets when I got sick. All of that has been destroyed.

Most of us with Long COVID are stuck in a cycle of being extremely sick, then if you're lucky you'll slowly get better over months, just to get reinfected and go right back where you started or worse. Honestly, I'm not scared of dying from COVID. I'm scared of living for a long time, suffering from Long COVID the entire time. This isn't living.

I don't know how to end this now. I'm still fighting, I'm trying experimental treatments, I'm not giving up yet. I hope everyone reading this stays healthy and well.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

By Amy Norton

The virus can trick your body into attacking itself.

Brittany Underwood was 37 when she was hit with COVID early in 2021. Her case was mild, and, like the mom she is, she took care of everyone else because of course the rest of her family had it too. It wasn’t until a couple weeks later that she started to feel lousy—wiped out, constantly thirsty, and dealing with weird issues like blurry vision in one eye.

When Underwood brought those symptoms to her doctor, he decided to run some blood tests. “My blood sugar was through the roof,” Underwood tells SELF. It was so high, in fact, she ended up in the hospital that same day, where they handed her a diagnosis that would change her life: type 1 diabetes.

This autoimmune disease is most often diagnosed by the age of 14—it used to be known as juvenile diabetes because it’s the type that most often hits kids, teens, and young adults. Because Underwood was approaching 40, her case was unusual. But her doctors raised a possible explanation: She’d just had COVID, and they suspected the infection might have triggered her diabetes.

Nearly four years later, we have a lot more than suspicions. In fact, the pandemic has been blamed for a spike in type 1 diabetes. New cases in kids and teens jumped up 16% in the first 12 months of the pandemic and 28% in the following year. (Before 2020, the typical increase was 2% to 3% per year.) And it’s not just type 1. Other autoimmune diseases—including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, and lupus—went up too. Exactly why that happens isn’t fully clear, Sonia Sharma, PhD, an associate professor at La Jolla Institute for Immunology, in La Jolla, California, tells SELF. “But,” she adds, “we do have some clues.”

When your immune system turns on you The idea that COVID could set off a chronic autoimmune disease might seem out there. But, Dr. Sharma says, “it’s not a new concept at all.” Autoimmune diseases are caused by a misguided immune system attack on the body’s own healthy tissue. For that to happen, a perfect storm of conditions has to come together. Genes definitely matter, Dr. Sharma says, since autoimmune diseases tend to run in families, and studies have tied certain genes to higher risks of the conditions. (Underwood says she has a family history of autoimmune diseases.) Your sex assigned at birth matters too: Autoimmune diseases are way more common in women than men, Dr. Sharma notes (though anyone can get them).

But those kinds of risk factors aren’t enough on their own. People have to be exposed to one or more “triggers” that tip the immune system into self-attack mode. And microbes are among those potential sparks, Akiko Iwasaki, PhD, professor of immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine, tells SELF.

Studies have linked a slew of infections—including super-common ones like the flu, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus—to various autoimmune diseases. Epstein-Barr, which eventually infects nearly everyone and is usually no big deal, may be the prime example: A recent study found that the infection likely plays a role in most cases of multiple sclerosis (an autoimmune disease that destroys the protective covering around nerve fibers).

There are different theories on exactly how it happens, but Dr. Iwasaki offers a (relatively) basic overview. First, she says, it’s a little known fact that everybody has some number of immune system cells that are “autoreactive,” meaning they’re capable of going rogue against you. Thankfully, they usually don’t. But in certain people, under certain circumstances, an infection might “activate” those autoreactive immune cells.

“Once they’re activated,” Dr. Iwasaki explains, “they can divide and travel to different tissues in the body, and may start to attack your own cells.” All of that, she adds, is more likely to happen when an infection generates lots of inflammation in the body. An ordinary cold probably won’t do that, but COVID might.

How big is the risk? Even though it can seem like we’ve been living with COVID forever, it’s still a very new thing. Because of that, Dr. Sharma says, it’s only recently that studies have been able to turn up strong evidence that the infection does trigger autoimmune diseases.

That includes this 2023 study of close to 4 million Americans. It found that people diagnosed with COVID had higher odds of developing autoimmune diseases over the next six months, versus COVID-free people. On average, they were roughly three times more likely to be diagnosed with conditions like RA, lupus, psoriasis, celiac disease, and type 1 diabetes.

Really important to point out here: Although three times more likely might sound huge, the risk of any one person developing an autoimmune disease after COVID is still low, Sara Martin, MD, medical director of Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Adult Post-Acute COVID Clinic, in Nashville, tells SELF.

Another 2023 study, published in Clinical Rheumatology, helps put things into context. It found that of 565,000 people with COVID and no history of autoimmune disease, 1% were diagnosed with an autoimmune condition over the next 3 to 15 months. That was 43% higher than the rate among people who didn’t have COVID during the same period. Although that sounds like a lot, it was an increase from roughly 11 to 15 cases per 1,000 people per year. So…not a huge amount, but not something to dismiss either. And if you’re one of the unlucky people who does develop an autoimmune condition, that’s a heavy toll.

“All of a sudden I had this huge life-altering thing,” Underwood says of her diabetes diagnosis. People with type 1 have to take insulin injections every day to stay alive. So Underwood was forced to quickly learn the intricacies of carb counting, adjusting insulin doses, timing meals to avoid dangerous blood sugar drops—and managing them when they did happen. Time and experience, as well as connecting with other people with type 1 diabetes, have taught Underwood a lot. “But I’m still learning, three years later,” she says. “It’s just a constant thing. You can’t take a day off.”

Is there a way to protect yourself? At this point, many of us have had COVID more times than we’d prefer. So does your immune system get used to the virus, and maybe make an autoimmune reaction less likely?

Unfortunately, Dr. Iwasaki says, there’s reason to believe the answer is no. That’s based on what researchers have learned about long COVID, a collection of symptoms like extreme fatigue and brain fog that hits many people post-infection. Prior bouts of COVID do not seem to lower the odds of developing long COVID (and the risk might even go up each time you’re infected). Long COVID, Dr. Iwasaki notes, is different from autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes and RA because the cause isn’t clear and may be due in part to direct damage caused by the virus. But she and other researchers have found that autoimmune reactions to COVID infection may also be behind long COVID symptoms, at least in some people. “I think that’s one clue that reinfection would not lower the risk of autoimmune disease,” Dr. Iwasaki says.

Okay, now for the good news: COVID vaccination might be protective. For one, Dr. Martin says, research shows that vaccination can lower the risk of long COVID, and the more vaccine doses you get, the greater the protection.

There’s also this large study published last year by researchers in China, which found that although COVID was associated with an increase in many autoimmune conditions, those risks were lower among people who’d gotten at least two COVID vaccine doses, versus unvaccinated people.

It’s “absolutely” plausible that vaccination helps, Dr. Sharma says. Vaccination, she explains, primes your immune system to stop the COVID virus “at the front door”—your respiratory tract—so that it can’t hitch a ride around the body, churning up inflammation and, potentially, an autoimmune reaction. And while people can develop autoimmune disease after a mild case of COVID (as Underwood did), research suggests that the odds might be substantially greater if you become severely ill.

“We already recommend vaccination for everyone,” Dr. Martin points out. “It reduces the potential for severe COVID, and we know it also reduces the risk of long COVID.” If you’re worried about autoimmune disease (say, because you have a family history of them), Dr. Martin says that’s one more reason to stay up-to-date on your COVID shots.

[buttonbuckfarm]

Broad Breasted vs. Heritage Turkeys, and the importance of heritage preservation

I’ve been asked about the differences between heritage and broad breasted turkeys, so here’s a write up that provides a pretty good overview idea of the differences and why I breed heritage turkeys. You can also read this on my Substack because I guess that’s a thing I’m gonna try for a bit.

I’m often asked why I raise turkeys if I’m not eating them, or selling them for meat.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve got nothing against raising birds for meat, nor do I mind if a handful of my birds each hatch end up making a meal for someone. But most of my birds either stay with me or go to other breeders, never making it to an oven or slow cooker. This is, paradoxically, because I would like for more people to be eating turkeys from my lineages.

I raise what we call heritage turkeys. This distinguishes them from the domestic turkeys you find in the factory farms of Perdue and eventually in the freezer aisle of the grocery store phenotypically (the physical expression of genetics), but they are not genetically distinct “breeds.”

The USA consumes about 218 million turkeys per year. Of that vast number, around 1% are heritage turkeys. The rest are known as “broad-breasted” turkeys, sometimes referred to simply as production turkeys. A broad-breasted turkey is, as the name suggests, a turkey that has been bred to produce a substantially larger portion of breast meat compared to a turkey more closely related to its wild relatives.

The broad-breasted turkey may be the animal that suffers the most as a result of factory farming and our fixation on efficiency and maximized output. The increased breast size of a broad-breasted turkey has made them so unwieldy that they often struggle to walk, falling and breaking their own toes. Their bodies cannot keep up with the rapid meat growth focused in the breast, shortening their lifespans considerably (though they are not meant to survive past butcher reaching weight anyway, rendering their rapid drop in quality of life moot). Broad-breasted turkeys cannot even mate - their bodies are so awkward and unmanageable that they must be artificially inseminated. Smaller farms often have slightly healthier production birds, able to keep themselves upright and mobile till butcher date, but they still suffer from higher mortality rates from stressors and significantly more fragile immune systems.

A lack of genetic diversity is partially to blame, as broad-breasted turkey stock overwhelmingly come from three large companies, but the intensive selection for meat production above all else obviously comes with significant costs to health and well-being.

Heritage turkeys, on the other hand, are more similar to their wild relatives, though a bit larger. Naturally, they have a lower feed to meat conversion rate than a broad-breasted turkey and take longer to reach butcher weight. They exhibit much greater color diversity than broad-breasteds, given the narrowed genetic pool of production turkeys, and can come in hundreds of varieties. The array of heritage turkey phenotypes is widely unknown to those outside the poultry fancier world.

Because of their substantially lower ‘efficiency,’ heritage turkeys quickly started to be replaced with broad-breasted turkeys after their development in the 1920s. A 1997 census conducted by the Livestock Conservancy found that less than 1,500 breeding heritage turkeys were left in the entire country. Many thought they’d go extinct completely.

Fortunately, a wave of renewed vigor for the preservation of heritage turkeys surged across the small farms in the country. As is often the case, many tiny, isolated farmers found out they had rare stock on their hands without ever knowing it, and the push to make the plight of the heritage turkey known allowed these small farmers and many others to re-introduce their stock to the greater breeding population. The rebound was truly incredible, bringing us up to over 15,000 heritage turkeys as of the 2015 census.

This is still a tiny fraction of the millions of turkeys produced for meat in the United States, of course. And beyond the brief wave of zeal that pushed them from the brink of extinction, heritage turkeys have remained a niche, almost novel agricultural interest.

To bring us back to the start of this: I think we should be eating more heritage turkeys. The animals we raise for meat deserve dignified and peaceful lives, and struggling to sustain excessive meat growth to the point of being unable to move properly ought to be an unacceptable state for our livestock. Additionally, the genetic monoculture of the broad-breasted turkey has left them - and all other production-bred strains of livestock - dangerously vulnerable to epidemics. When every animal in our food system is equally immunocompromised, we are playing with fire - we’re nervously watching the avian influenza’s impact on our food systems as is.

In order to raise awareness that they even exist, provide more breeding stock to farmers, promote genetic diversity, and demonstrate the strengths of heritage turkeys compared to broad-breasted birds, we simply need more heritage turkeys. There’s not enough of them for us to even begin to transition away from production turkeys as a staple of our diets.

Additionally, and on a more lighthearted note, there are hundreds of potential color varieties in heritage turkeys. Many of these have been lost, or simply remain undocumented to this day. Alongside the implications for our food system, I want to preserve the beauty and diversity these birds have visually, particularly when so many varieties are teetering on the edge of nonexistence. They’re a dark horse in the bird world, but in recognizing the beauty and diversity of the domestic turkey, I hope we can also recognize and utilize their potential impacts on our food systems.

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

What species can a gallifreyan/timelord reproducw with?

What species can a Gallifreyan or Time Lord reproduce with?

So far, the only well-documented successful natural hybridisation we've seen is between Gallifreyans and humans. That doesn't mean other pairings are impossible—just that the universe hasn't documented them properly.

In theory, Gallifreyans could reproduce with any species that is biologically compatible, both genetically and physically. Compatibility in this context includes:

Similar cellular structure

DNA compatibility

Physically. You know. Logistics.

🔁 Interspecies Offspring & the Triple Helix Problem

Gallifreyan DNA includes a triple helix structure with unique nucleotides, which rule regeneration, time sensitivity, and psionics.

For a hybrid child to survive and thrive, they must inherit that triple helix. If not, issues may occur:

Embryonic failure

Severe congenital conditions

Infertility

Inability to regenerate or process temporal physics

So while cross-species offspring are possible, they're more likely to succeed with closely compatible humanoid species with flexible genomes and stable chromosome structures. (And, ideally, a forgiving immune system.)

🧪 What About Looming?

Of course, natural reproduction isn't the only option. Looms—Gallifrey's artificially engineered method of procreation—can theoretically process interspecies genetic material with modifications.

However, rewiring the Loom is complicated and very dangerous, and you may end up with less of a cute baby and more something that wants to eat you.

🏫So…

Yes, Gallifreyans can reproduce with other species, but nature has conditions, and the Loom has instructions. If the triple helix gets passed down, great. If not, you're potentially looking at a biologically unstable or non-viable outcome.

Related:

💬|🍼👽How long would it take for a Gallifreyan-Human hybrid child to realise they're not human?: All the little clues a new hybrid might pick up on as they grow.

💬|🍼👶What would a Human/Gallifreyan pregnancy look like?: Details on the possible gestational aspects of a hybrid pregnancy.

💬|🍼🧶Can a human and a Time Lord loom a child?: Overview of the looming process for hybrids.

Hope that helped! 😃

Any orange text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →📢Announcements |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts → Features: ⭐Guest Posts | 🍜Chomp Chomp with Myishu →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[sicktember]

Sicktember 2023 Prompt-Based Resources to Help You Get Started! 💚

Types of Self Care

everydayhealth.com (comprehensive overview)

mhanational.org (Mental health recovery self-care)

recreation.ku.edu (7 pillars of self-care)

How the Immune System Works

Youtube (basic explanation)

my.clevelandclinic.org (comprehensive overview)

Ways to Avoid Getting Sick

intermountainhealthcare.org (basic prevention)

health.harvard.edu (boosting your immune system)

Fevers

texaschildrens.org (myths and facts)

merkmanuals.com (fevers in adults)

kidshealth.org (fevers in children)

White Coat Syndrome

healthline.com (white coat hypertension)

wellnesscounselingmilwaukee.com (fear of doctors)

Old Wives Tales

premierhealth.com (colds, fevers, and the flu)

womanshealthmag.com (old wives tales that work)

Anxious Stomach

adaa.org (causes of stomach pain and calming techniques)

psychcentral.com (anxiety and vomiting)

themighty.com (blog post: vomiting during a panic attack)

Cramping Pain

my.clevelandclinic.org (abdominal)

mayoclinic.org (muscle)

reumatology.org (growing pains)

Terms of Endearment

fluentinthreemonths.com (nicknames by language)

joincake.com (nicknames by relationship)

mypetname.com (cute/funny nicknames by relationship)

Coughing

truecare.org (types of coughs)

coughpro.com (types of coughs- more detail)

foundation.chestnet.org (about coughing)

Sneezing

healthline.com (comprehensive overview)

expedia.ca (worldwide responses to sneezing)

inpactgrouphr.com (worldwide sneeze onomatopoeia and responses)

Confusion/Disorientation

healthdirect.gov.au (comprehensive overview)

nhs.uk (sudden onset)

Conjunctivitis/Eye Infection

health.maryland.gov (PDF 'pink eye' fact sheet)

demi.org (types of conjunctivitis)

aao.org (how to apply eyedrops w/ an alt method for anxiety)

Uncooperative Patient

seniordirectory.com (written for seniors but very good advice)

kidcarepediatrics.com (giving meds to an uncooperative child)

hpclive.com (tips for handling an angry patient)

side effects/adverse reactions

fda.gov (finding and learning about medication side effects)

mhaus.org (adverse reactions to anesthesia)

buzzrx.com (5 types of meds w/ serious side-effects)

Patient Zero

cdc.gov (monitoring and tracking diseases)

contacttracing.ashm.org.au (how contact tracing works)

Hugs!

dignityhealth.org (four benefits)

somatechnology.com (how hugs affect humans)

Headaches

medicalnewstoday.com (11 types of headaches)

ninds.nih.gov (comprehensive overview)

[stari-hun]

Reverse 1999 Yappin Masterlist

𓆙 Orange marks the best content

My other Masterlists ! Headcanons and Ships , Wilderness , Critters

Reverse 1999 Character Diagram - Full Game 1.8

Timeline of Events

Insight 2 - Timeline of Insight 2 , Insight 2 is like Winx

Character Bonds - General , Greenlake, Book 6 , Book 6 part 2

The Atlas : Overview and the Narrator's Omniscience

The Atlas : Book 6

What would I ask the Cave of Truth?

Character Analysis

Sonetto - Insight 2 , One Day Sonetto Will Go Against Pavlov

Constantine - Before the Storm, The Happiest about the Storm, Constantine would've always ripped Verneider apart

Sophia and 37 , Looking to you and Looking beyond you

Small Arcana piece from the web event - "The wise ones drew a circle at their feet and declared themselves apart from this realm."

General

Shitty Summaries - Book 3. , Book 5.

Reverse 1999 is an Existential Horror - Vereinsamt and Uncannt Valley Instinct

Scoops of Angst - Marcus , Verneider Vs Isokania , Vertin's Trauma from Book 3 , Sophia and 37 vs Sonetto and Vertin , Sophia left right before the truth reached Apeiron , Mr Karl not being outed as an abuser before or after his death is... , Monologues , KB Shamane and Kumar : The Bullet ,

MESMER AND MEDPOC SIBLINGOLOGY !!!!

37 is the only cast member of Apeiron who truly suits the island, but it's also what makes her naive

"Crush me into dust."

As close as they are, Sonetto and Vertin can never go back to the bond they had as kids while Sonetto is a field agent

Book 6 : Cause it needs its own tab

E Lucevan le Stelle Mini Summary

E Lucevan le Stelle Diagram - 1. , 2.

The Pacing of E Lucevan le Stelle : How the Isolde keeps herself off innocuous until she's ready to enter the stage

Isolde - The Small Room - Isolde Character Story , Isolde is a man hater and it would 100% include Kakania if she was a man

Kakania - My gripes with her , Kakania is an unreliable narrator and dependent on Isolde as well

Marcus - The worst birthday ever (and possibly Isolde's gift)

Isokania - Outside Perspective on Isokania , Doomed from the Start , Their comic panels line up...

Theopil , Theopil Continues to Haunt the Narrative

The Dittersdorf's - Theopil

Isolde and Playwright

Heinrich and Diggers

Isolde - + Jessica , Character Bingo, Trista made the servants think she was crazy, Insight 2

Theories

Arcanists as a Community Don't Think of Sexuality or Gender

Character Stories are The Stories Arcanists WANT to Tell

The Player isn't Vertin

Pandora's Magic on Vertin

The Storm's Origin

Vertin's mom casted the immunity spell on her

Arcana knows the original name for arcanists

Arcana put out the ads for the Manus and information about the Storm out so it could reach the SPDM children

Worldbuilding

The Foundation vs Manus Vindictae

The Foundation (+ School of Discipline and Laplace)

The Artificial Somnambulism and Modern Perspective

The Foundation is Brainwashing People

Zeno - Greenlake's View Versus Rayashki

Reverse 1999 and Customs after the Storm

Shamane's Character Story was good insight on how the ecosystem in Reverse 1999 works.

Appraiser Arcanum - General (Getian, Pandora, Windsong, Marcus) , [Features of Bones]

Arcane Traces last 15,000 - 17,000 years

Numbers System for Book 5

Economy Ramble

Events

Nightmare at Greenlake Relationship Chart

Blonney would be into Creepypasta

Kumar and Shamane : Doomed Family

Kaalaa Baunaa and Divination after Kumar's death

What if Vertin was in Mor Panhk?

Kumar is my favorite NPC and she should be yours too

Shamane and Kaalaa Baunaa and the remnants of Kumar

Makower Overreacted Super Hard

Uluru Games : Ezra saw someone die in his character story??

Bessmert and Getian

Notes on Shuori ; Jiu Niangzi, Getian, and Jessica)

Farewell, Rayashki - Windsongs Vibe , General Vibe + Me being sad and upset

Ley Lines: A Strong Supporting Field

Evgeni is Anti Earth

Series of Dusks -

Semmelweis in imperfect and she embraces it

Kakania is INSUFFERABLE outside of the perspective of someone who needs her

Theory ! The Director intercepted Semmelweis' death

[darkmaga-returns]

Different effects of quercetin on immune cells involved in asthma.

The more we learn about Natural therapeutics for treating Spike Protein injury/disease, the more we realize that, in addition to Vitamin D, Quercetin may be one of the most essential supplements. In addition to the previously discussed benefits of Quercetin, there is yet another, which is equally important. This is the ability of Quercetin to stabilize Mast Cells and inhibit their activation.

Why is this important? Because the Spike Protein, regardless of source, can activate Mast Cells.

The viral or vaccine Spike protein can induce various major impairments and dysfunctions within the human body [8-20], among which is MCAS. Thus, the latter can be triggered by natural infection with SARS-CoV-2 or be directly induced by vaccination or booster shots against COVID-19. This occurs through dysfunction of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and overactivation of AT1R and Toll-like (TLR) receptors, which drive innate immunity (and therefore adaptive or acquired immunity) [9-11]. In patients with this syndrome, mast cells exhibit hyperactivation, releasing chemical mediators excessively and inappropriately.

SARS-CoV-2 or Vaccinal Spike Protein can Induce Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38693735/

For readers who may not know what MCAS is, here is a brief overview.

[sometimes-men-need-help-too]

About Shigella Infection Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men

Overview

Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men are among groups at high risk for infection with Shigella germs. This infection is called shigellosis. Shigella germs spread easily and rapidly among people, including during sexual activity.

Men who have sex with men are particularly at risk for infections with antimicrobial-resistant Shigella. Antimicrobial resistance happens when germs like bacteria and fungi develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. That means the germs are not killed and continue to grow. Shigella germs are increasingly resistant to antibiotic treatment.

Causes and spread

Antimicrobial-resistant Shigella

Infections with antimicrobial-resistant Shigella have been on the rise in the United States since 2013. Most people with Shigella infection—including those infected with antimicrobial-resistant Shigella—recover within 5 to 6 days without antibiotics. However, some people need antibiotics, including people who have a severe or long-lasting infection or are at risk of one.

People at risk of a severe or long-lasting infection include those with a weakened immune system due to certain medical conditions (such as infection with HIV) or treatments (such as chemotherapy for cancer). These people are also at increased risk for the infection spreading into the blood, which can be life-threatening.

Shigella germs can spread during sexual activity

Shigella germs pass from the poop (stool) or unclean fingers of one person to the mouth of another person. This can happen during sexual activity through:

Direct sexual contact: Anal or oral sex, or anal play (rimming, fingering)

Indirect sexual contact: Handling contaminated objects, such as sex toys, used condoms or barriers, and douching materials

Symptoms typically start 1 to 2 days after swallowing the germs and include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. However, not everyone with a Shigella infection has symptoms.

Shigella germs can be found in the poop of people with diarrhea and can continue to be found in their poop for up to two weeks after the diarrhea has gone away.

Protect yourself and your partner

Take steps to reduce oral contact with poop during sex:

Wash your hands, genitals, and anus with soap and water before and after sexual activity. Wash hands, especially after touching sex toys, used condoms or barriers, and douching materials.

Use barriers like condoms or dental dams during oral sex and oral-anal sex.

Use condoms the right way, every time you have anal sex or oral sex. Condoms will also help prevent other sexually transmitted diseases.

Use latex gloves during anal fingering or fisting.

Wash sex toys with soap and water after each use and wash hands after touching used sex toys.

If you or your partner has been diagnosed with shigellosis, do not have sex. To reduce the chance of Shigella germs spreading, wait at least two weeks after diarrhea ends to have sex.

[lazy24circus]

Part 2: Transformation, Species, and Character Bios

Costume Species Transformation Guide

How Transformation Works

Humans can become Costume Species through a variety of magical and mystical means. Each transformation method is carefully themed to match the unique style and culture of the resulting form:

Transformation Items & Methods

• Gothic Potions:

Dark, mysterious elixirs that grant gothic-themed forms, often with dramatic makeup and shadowy flair.

• Kabuki & Geisha Magic Tea:

Enchanted teas that transform the drinker into a Kabuki or Geisha-inspired Costume Species, complete with traditional patterns and theatrical elegance.

• Magic Shiny Clown Noses:

Placing a sparkling, enchanted clown nose on your face triggers a transformation into a clown Costume Species, with vibrant colors and a playful spirit.

• Mime Paint Brush:

A single stroke of this magical brush can turn someone into a silent, expressive mime Costume Species, complete with invisible walls and classic white face paint.

• Corpse Paint Amulet:

Wearing this amulet transforms the user into a gothic or metal-inspired Costume Species, featuring bold black-and-white corpse paint and a dramatic presence.

• Punk Gem:

Touching this rebellious gemstone gives you a punk-themed Costume Species form, complete with wild colors and edgy accessories.

• Transformation Spells or Machines:

Some may use ancient incantations or futuristic devices to trigger their magical transformation, allowing for endless creative possibilities.

What They Can’t Have

• No Facial Hair:

Costume Species cannot have facial hair (beards, mustaches, etc.), except for eyebrows, which are often stylized as part of their makeup markings.

Side Effects of Transformation

• Height Change:

Becoming noticeably taller or shorter than your original form.

• Colorful Hair:

Hair may become bright, multi-colored, or take on unusual textures and shapes.

• New Personalities:

The transformation can influence your personality, making you bolder, more dramatic, or more whimsical.

• Bulbous Clown Noses:

Especially for clown forms, a large, colorful nose becomes a signature feature.

• Other Unique Features:

Depending on the species, you might gain animal ears, magical accessories, or other fantastical traits.

Other Species & Mask Species

• Other Species:

While Costume Species have their own transformation quirks, other species (like Beasts, Cyberhumans, and Omni Mutants) may experience similar but uniquely themed changes.

• Mask Species:

Transformations for Mask Species work in a similar way, but can also grant immortality and nearly limitless magical power, depending on the mask’s design.

Species Overview

Omni Mutants

• Immortal, gem-hearted beings with diverse powers.

• Abilities: Shapeshifting, elemental control, flight, energy manipulation.

• Traits: Born as they are, cannot be created or destroyed by normal means.

Costume Species

• Magically transformed humans, themed by costume (Clown, Punk, Kabuki, etc.).

• Immortal: Once transformed, Costume Species do not age, cannot die of natural causes, and are immune to disease and most forms of harm.

• Permanent transformation with a 5-hour human disguise limit.

• Signature powers by type.

• Outfits are indestructible, summoned by will.

• Makeup and hair are natural and permanent.

Cyberhumans

• Cyborgs with built-in weapons and advanced tech.

• Do not age but can die from system failure.

• Appear mostly human with metal features.

Beasts

• Half-human, half-animal mortals with heightened senses and instincts.

• Physical traits reflect their animal heritage.

Spiritwalkers

• Immortal, half-zombie, half-ghost beings revived after death.

• Super strength, speed, intangibility, and spiritual flight.

• Lack human emotions.

Mask Species

• Humans transformed by magical masks into mask-themed entities.

• Immortal: Mask Species do not age, cannot die of natural causes, and possess nearly limitless magical potential.

• Can shift between various entity forms, wield cosmic powers, and are immortal.

Main Character Bios

Mint

• Age: 21

• Species: Omni Mutant (Sad Clown)

• Personality: Sad and clumsy, yet kind and strong-willed.

• Talents: Melancholic slapstick routines, signature pie-in-the-face acts, spreading kindness, colorful clown artistry.

• Powers: Rubber physiology, detachment and levitation, shapeshifting, emotional aura manipulation, weather and energy control, force field creation.

Mr. Magical

• Age: 26

• Species: Omni Mutant (Goth Clown/Cyberhuman Hybrid)

• Personality: Kind-hearted, playful, empathetic, and edgy.

• Talents: Slapstick comedy, clown tricks, improvisational humor.

• Powers: Cartoon physics, object summoning, shapeshifting, rubber physiology, force fields, energy manipulation.

Topsy / Grim Jacket

• Real Name: Topsy (later Grim Jacket)

• Age: 37–53 (across the timeline)

• Species: Omni Mutant & Costume Species (Magical Clown/Joker)

• Personality: Heroic, loyal, struggles with betrayal and anger, ultimately seeks peace.

• Background: Once a hopeful hero, became a Joker out of heartbreak, but later seeks redemption and leadership.

Alastair

• Age: 34–50

• Species: Omni Mutant & Costume Species (Sad/Goth Clown)

• Personality: Complex, sad, angry, sometimes happy, capable of empathy but haunted by pain.

• Background: Longed for recognition, became an assassin to support his family, later joins the Broken Hearted out of grief.

Ava

• Age: 26–42

• Species: Omni Mutant & Costume Species (Pastel Happy & Shy Clown)

• Personality: Cheerful, shy, empathetic, nurturing, deeply supportive of Mint.

• Background: Dreamed of being a clown, became a support clown and devoted mother after tragedy.

Miss Positivity

• Age: 27–43

• Species: Omni Mutant & Costume Species (Half Clown, Half Jester)

• Personality: Kind, bubbly, protective, resilient.

• Background: Founder of Funland Center, dedicated to spreading joy and supporting her friends and community.

Mr. Sparkles

• Age: 30

• Species: Costume Species (Clown)

• Personality: Sassy, flamboyant, narcissistic, secretly loyal.

• Background: Born into a family of heroes and villains, became the star performer at Funland Circus.

Supporting & Notable Characters

Scarlet, Springtime, Harper, Raphael, Alejandro, Komatsu, Miss Crafty, Xavier, Juan, Lemon Lime, Mr. Explosive, Miss Gravity, Miss Silly, Professor Chemistry, Mark the Mime Spider, Akari, Clumsy

Active, Deceased, and Injured Characters

Active Characters:

Mint, Scarlet, Springtime, Harper (injured but survives), Alastair, Raphael, Alejandro, Ava, Komatsu, Miss Positivity, Mr. Magical, Mr. Sparkles, Miss Crafty, Xavier, Juan, Lemon Lime, Mr. Explosive, Miss Gravity, Miss Silly, Professor Chemistry, Mark the Mime Spider, Akari, Clumsy

Deceased Characters (during the story):

Antonio (killed by Akimitsu), Akimitsu (killed by Alastair), Captain Stratosphere (killed by Topsy/Grim Jacket), Lawrence (killed by Xavier)

Injured Characters (during the story):

Harper (shot in the spine and leg by Alastair, but survives), Raphael (assaulted and injured by Alastair), Alejandro (assaulted and injured by Alastair), Ava (assaulted and rendered unconscious by Alastair), Miss Glory (broken back by Topsy), Miss Mechanic (broken back by Topsy), Miss Glitter (broken left leg by Topsy), Brody (broken right wing by Topsy), Kira (hands cut off by Topsy), Shooting Star (stabbed and injured by Topsy), Shield Star (stabbed and injured by Topsy), Mr. Crashout (injured by Topsy), Mr. Bulldozer (injured by Topsy), Komatsu (punched in the face by Topsy), Callen McLaren (brutally beaten and thrown at a wall by Topsy), Barrage the Joker (emotionally affected)

Mint’s Year of Change: The Hawaii Story

During the past year, Mint found it easier to share her experiences through writing, video messages, and photography. She documented her thoughts in journals, created heartfelt video diaries, and captured special moments with her camera. These became her primary ways of communicating, especially when words felt too heavy to speak.

Miss Ava’s Devotion

After the tragic incident that changed their lives, Miss Ava never left her daughter Mint’s side. Determined to support Mint through her recovery and new beginnings, Ava took a job as a clown at the Funland Center in Tokyo. There, she worked alongside Miss Positivity, and the two quickly became both colleagues and close friends. Together, they created a joyful, supportive environment for children and families, and Ava’s gentle presence became a source of comfort for Mint.

The Hawaii Vacation

One summer, Mint traveled to Hawaii for a well-deserved vacation. She was accompanied by Miss Ava, Miss Positivity, and a group of coworkers from the Funland Circus. Mr. Magical and Mint’s other friends were not present; this trip was a special time for Mint to bond with her mother and the Funland crew.

While exploring the vibrant streets of Waikiki City, Mint heard the faint sound of crying and coughing coming from beneath a cardboard box in a quiet alley. Curious and concerned, she gently lifted the box and discovered four orphaned children—quadruplets—who were half-human and half-spider. Their small faces were streaked with tears, and their eyes reflected both fear and exhaustion. It was clear they had been alone for some time, and their sadness was deepened by the knowledge that no one had come to care for them.

Mint’s heart ached for the children. She immediately reached out to Miss Ava and Miss Positivity for help, hoping they could guide her in finding the quadruplets’ parents. Together, they contacted the local police and began searching for answers.

The police soon delivered heartbreaking news: the children’s parents had died from a sudden illness, and the quadruplets had lost their home just a few weeks later. With no one left to care for them, the children had become homeless, forced to survive on the streets of Waikiki.

Mint’s Decision

Moved by compassion, Mint decided to take the children under her wing. She gave them new names—Rin, Eve, Rin, and Yuki—inspired by characters from a Japanese storybook she cherished.

• Rin (boy), age 10

• Eve (girl), age 10

• Rin (girl), age 5

• Yuki (boy), age 5

Miss Ava and Miss Positivity were initially concerned, knowing that Mint had little experience as a mother. However, their concern quickly turned to support as they saw Mint’s determination to give the children a better life.

Both women took it upon themselves to teach Mint the essentials of motherhood. They showed her how to be protective and responsible, how to nurture the children’s unique needs, and how to create a loving, stable home. Mint listened carefully, eager to learn and to ensure that Rin, Eve, Rin, and Yuki would grow up safe, happy, and surrounded by love.

As Mint embraced her new role, she realized that being a mother was about more than providing shelter and food—it was about offering guidance, comfort, and hope for the future. With Miss Ava and Miss Positivity by her side, Mint was determined to give her adopted children the life they deserved.

Meeting Mint’s Adopted Children

Once back in Tokyo, Mint was ready to introduce her beloved children to her closest friends and her husband, Mr. Magical. She spent the day preparing her apartment, decorating the living room with colorful streamers and setting out sweet treats and snacks. The children, excited yet a little nervous, gathered around her, each with their own unique energy.

• Rin (boy, age 10): The eldest by a few minutes, Rin is thoughtful and observant, always looking out for his siblings and quick to offer a helping hand. He loves reading adventure stories and solving puzzles, often acting as a quiet leader among the quadruplets.

• Eve (girl, age 10): Eve is creative and joyful, filling the room with laughter through her jokes and imaginative stories. She adores drawing and often gifts her friends and family with colorful sketches.

• Rin (girl, age 5): The gentle soul of the group, young Rin is shy and soft-spoken, tending to stay close to Mint, especially around new people. She expresses affection through small gestures—a comforting hug, a handmade card, or a shy smile that can melt anyone’s heart.

• Yuki (boy, age 5): Yuki is the bundle of energy. Fearless and endlessly curious, he is always the first to try something new or ask a bold question. His laughter is infectious, and his playful antics often draw everyone into his orbit.

When Mr. Magical and the circus crew arrived, they were genuinely surprised to meet Mint’s new family. Their astonishment quickly turned into admiration as they saw how naturally Mint cared for the children, her kindness and patience shining through in every interaction. The crew exchanged proud glances, recognizing the warmth and love Mint had brought into her home.

Mr. Magical, however, found himself feeling a mix of pride and anxiety. He had never imagined himself as a father figure. His edgy, whimsical nature seemed at odds with the nurturing, gentle role he believed a parent should play. The idea of fatherhood made him nervous—he worried he wouldn’t know how to comfort the children or be the sympathetic, supportive presence they deserved.

Despite his uncertainty, Mr. Magical was determined to try. As Rin (the older boy) shyly introduced himself and offered a carefully folded origami crane, Mr. Magical smiled and thanked him, sensing the boy’s quiet strength. Eve eagerly asked if he could teach her a magic trick, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Young Rin peeked out from behind Mint, eventually offering a timid wave, while Yuki bounced up to Mr. Magical, tugging at his sleeve and asking if he could juggle.

Seeing their trust and curiosity, Mr. Magical realized that being a good parent wasn’t about having all the answers—it was about showing up, being kind, and sharing joy. He joined the children in their games, performed a few magic tricks, and even allowed Yuki to draw a clown nose on his face with washable marker, much to everyone’s delight.

The rest of the evening was filled with laughter, storytelling, and playful circus acts. The crew taught the children how to balance on toy stilts, juggled colorful balls, and shared tales of their own childhood adventures. Mint watched with a full heart as her family—old and new—came together in harmony.

By the end of the night, the apartment was filled with warmth and happiness. Mint hugged her children close, grateful for the love that now filled her life. Mr. Magical, glancing at Mint and the quadruplets, realized that family was not about perfection, but about caring, trying, and creating moments of joy together.

To be continued...

[lizpaige]

this is sooooo not my normal posting, but I wanted to dump my thoughts in a post here in case it helps someone out there.

i have a five year old french bulldog. she is the best dog ever. all she wants to do is snuggle, she loves people, lights up when i say my friend's names, etc.

i was uneducated when i got her from an unethical backyard breeder and i am privileged and lucky enough to be able to afford all her vet bills. i do not regret getting her, she has legitimately saved my life when i was super depressed during covid, but...

i think a lot of people get frenchies because they think they're cute and don't understand the EXTENT of their issues. let me give you a brief overview of what she's had wrong over her short five years so far:

Coccidia/Giardia (normal for puppies, but she had giardia for a looooong time because it is prevalent in the city I am in and her body could not get rid of it)

Irritable Bowel Disease - Her immune system has a super active tummy response to anything that isn't her strict diet prescribed by her internal medicine specialist. This is treated right now with a strict diet and daily steroids.

Middle Ear Infection - she had a neurological side effect from a severe middle ear infection. Her ear/allergy specialist (yes she has another specialist) said that it is very common for the breed because their anatomy can make it so their middle ear can't drain properly.

Skin allergies - She has to have a cytopoint injection to stop itching every 6 weeks in the spring and summer, and every 3 months in the fall and winter. She has anti-fungal shampoo and sprays to help with her inflamed skin in between shots and gets a lot of dandruff. She had a full allergy panel done last year where I received a 28-page report of all the things she is allergic too (a lot of it plant pollen as well as wasps, which I knew already from experience).

Scoliosis - This is also pretty common with the breed, but has to be monitored as they are prone to IVDD. My cocker spaniel growing up had IVDD and it is devastating. Also very expensive surgery to fix and not an option for all cases.

Added risk when she goes under anesthesia - Not only do frenchies in general have an added risk when going under anesthesia, she also has an immune system response (stemming from her IBD) where she has tummy trouble after surgery. She needs to be put on a higher dose of her steroids and tapered off before/after surgery.

Other things I have learned:

Managing multiple vets - Basically anytime she has anything done I need to consult with her tummy specialist, her ear/allergy specialist, and her regular vet. When she went to the ER vet with hives from a wasp sting, that vet needed to call her tummy specialist to consult about a treatment plan that wouldn't hurt her tummy and negatively impact her steroid meds.

Every vet has a different opinion so it has taken me the whole 5 years to put my foot down and look for another vet if I feel like I don't trust the advice being given. (I already have to do that in the US Healthcare system, now I gotta do it for my dog too because who else will advocate for her??)

I am SUPER lucky that I got pet insurance that covers up to 70% of her accident/illness vet bills before she was diagnosed with a bunch of things. (It's SPOT Pet Insurance, if you're interested.)

This is my first dog on my own. She has literally saved my life. I have no regrets. BUT PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH.

It breaks my heart to see so many frenchies surrendered when they have these issues because people cannot afford to help them. I get it, it is a lot, but before you get a frenchie, assume the worst case scenario.

Last year alone, my dog went to the vet TWENTY-TWO TIMES. 22!! Between IBD flare ups, a wasp sting where she had hives for two weeks even while on steroids and antihistamines, a middle ear infection that needed surgery, a CT scan to diagnose her middle ear infection, etc. (Also in talking with her regular vet today she said my frenchie isn’t even the worst case she has seen walk through her office.)

Total cost WITHOUT insurance: $11,090 Total cost WITH insurance: $4,033

Suffice it to say I did nothing for myself last year 🙃 I would not change it for the world. I am very lucky to be able to afford this and take care of her, BUTBUTBUT...

If you are getting a french bulldog, think about the worst case scenario. Think about owing $11,090 to the vet in one year if you didn't have insurance or even the lower bill if you did. Could you do it?

And you might say well I was "dumb for not going to an ethical breeder, I'm going to get my dog from an ethical breeder", unfortunately it is an oxymoron to say there is an ethical french bulldog breeder out there. This breed can't even give birth without medical intervention. They should not be bred. They are SWEETHEARTS but we as humans are slowly killing this breed and making each and every one of them, year after year, worse off by our own stupidity.

So please think about it before you get a french bulldog. k love u bye.

[kulreulea]

What is a Kulreulian?

A Kulreulian is a human—genetically altered and neurologically transformed by a highly evolved strain of the rabies virus. No longer entirely human, and yet not fully something else, Kulreulians exist on the edge of science fiction and biological horror—living evidence of nature’s darkest mutations.

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The Rabies Virus: A Brief Overview

Rabies is a neurotropic virus most commonly transmitted to humans through the saliva of infected animals, typically via a bite. In the United States, known carriers include bats, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and skunks, while in developing countries, stray dogs remain the primary vector.

Once symptoms begin—hallucinations, hydrophobia, aggression—the virus is almost always fatal. For centuries, this knowledge drove medical efforts to contain and eliminate rabies through vaccines and post-exposure treatments.

──────────────────

The Collapse of Control: Rabies in the 21st and Early 22nd Century

By the late 21st century, these treatments began to fail. Despite humanity's best efforts, the virus adapted.

Subtle mutations allowed rabies to resist traditional vaccines. At first, the changes were barely noticed—occasional anomalies in treatment success rates. But over time, the strain became more aggressive, more intelligent in its infection patterns, and far more resilient.

It began attacking the nervous system in novel ways, exploiting pathways previously untouched. It altered behaviors more deeply, more completely. It no longer simply killed—it rewrote.

The Evolutionary Leap

As the virus evolved, it began integrating into the human genome. Its mutations extended beyond neurology, seeping into the very DNA of its hosts. The infected didn’t just suffer symptoms—they changed. Their bodies adapted to the virus. Their minds were reshaped. And their physiology began to reflect a terrifying new hybridization.

These altered humans—dubbed Kulreulians or Inhumans—represent a form of forced evolution. They exhibit heightened physical abilities, intelligence, extreme resistance to pain.

──────────────────

The Birth of a Kulreulian: Viral Legacy in the Womb

Despite its lethality, the evolved rabies virus—now considered a sentient strain by some xenovirologists—demonstrated remarkable strategic adaptation in the 22nd century. Once infected, a human host might show no signs of disease. In fact, most never do.

Modern vaccines, though increasingly ineffective in eliminating the virus completely, have succeeded in one way: they suppress active neurological infection. However, this only forces the virus to evolve further.

Rather than destroying its host, the virus waits.

Dormancy and Inheritance

In its dormant state, the virus embeds itself deep within the host's genome, undetected by the immune system and unaffected by standard antivirals. It lingers silently—harmless in appearance, but always present.

The true transformation doesn’t occur in the infected individual, but in their offspring.

During pregnancy, the virus exploits a narrow biological window. As the fetus begins to form, the virus—carried within the mother or father—activates. It bypasses immunological defenses and integrates into the developing embryo at the genetic level.

Over the course of nine months, the virus alters neurological pathways, enhances musculoskeletal development, and triggers dormant genes associated with primal survival instincts. The result is a child that is born fundamentally different from its parents.

──────────────────

Anatomy of a Kulreulian Birth

These children emerge with distinct features: heightened muscle density, sharpened reflexes, and eyes adapted for tracking movement in low light.

Every Kulreulian born this way is also a carrier. The virus lies encoded in their biology, present in their saliva, blood, and tissue. While the chances of transmission vary, a bite from a Kulreulian has a significantly high probability of spreading the dormant virus to others.

[crimeismydayjob]

Durant Care/Training Comprehensive Guide

Warning: This is a LONG post. I am taking requests for Pokemon to create guides for. Check this document to see what I've done and what has been requested:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MbFTUIxn33-6GJEnGCISkWlcD1AU1BXwdbhABTgPC7g/edit?usp=sharing

Overview

Classification: Iron Ant Type: Bug/Steel Abilities: Swarm, Hustle, or Truant Egg Group: Bug Gender Ratio: 50% male, 50% female Size: 1'00" / 0.3 m Weight 72.8 lbs / 33.0 kg Native To: Rocky mountains, dry grasslands & savannas, deserts, caves. They create sprawling nests underground. Primarily in Unova, Kalos, and Galar.

3/10 - Would not recommend anyone keep a Durant other than for battle or in an academic/educational context.

Diet & Nutrition: Opportunistic Omnivore - Durant primarily consumes vegetation and fungi, but they will hunt or scavenge smaller Pokemon when necessary, especially if food sources are scarce. Their diet is heavily influenced by availability and their environment as they're capable of adapting to many foods.

Recommended Foods: Leafy Greens & Tough Vegetation - Durant have strong mandibles suited for breaking down fibrous plant material (e.g., Gogoat leaves, hardy root vegetables) Fungi - Some colonies have been seen cultivating fungi underground, a few even harvest fungi from Foongus and Paras. Berries - Durant can digest a variety of berries but tend to favor Rawst, Aspear, and Chesto berries. Protein Sources - While not primary hunters, they scavenge fallen pokemon and attack weaker bug-types like Wurmple or Cutiefly when an easy meal presents itself. In captivity, protein supplements work just as well. Minerals - Durant's steel typing means they require metals to maintain their exoskeleton. In the wild they ingest iron deposits. In captivity, iron supplements are required. Foods to Avoid: Sugary or Soft Foods - Durant's digestive system is adapted for tough, fibrous materials. Sugary foods can cause digestive issues and sluggishness. Processed Pokemon Food - There are few Pokemon food brands that cater to Durant. Many lack the mineral content and fiber Durant need, leading to weaker exoskeletons over time. Fatty Meats - While Durant can digest proteins, excessive fats may cause lethargy due to not being able to digest the extra fat. Pokemon with Natural Toxins - Wild Durant may occasionally consume carrion but they don't possess the immunities to toxins produced by Pokemon like Venipede or Salandit.

Grooming & Maintenance: Durant are generally low-maintenance Pokemon in terms of grooming as their exoskeleton naturally protects them from dirt and damage. However, regular upkeep is necessary to prevent rust and weathering. More upkeep is required for Durants kept alone since they usually groom each other.

Rust Prevention - If a Durant is frequently exposed to moisture, they may develop rust along their joints. A dry environment and iron-rich diet help, but if rust appears a gentle rub with a fine-bristle brush (or steel wool in severe cases) can remove it. In severe cases, casts or bandages may be required to cover weakened areas after rust is removed. Mandibles - Durant rely on their mandibles or defense and foraging. In captivity they should be provided with hard minerals to chew to maintain strength and sharpness. It's also recommended to occasionally brush their mandibles to remove debris. Molting - While adult Durant do not molt like most bug-types they do shed thin flakes over time, periodic dust baths are recommended to help remove flakes. Young Durant require additional help with molting if it is housed alone, the metal exoskeleton is difficult for them to remove on their own. Providing rough surfaces for them to rub against is usually enough, in severe cases do not attempt to remove shed on your own, bring the Durant to a bug-type specialist.

Daily Exercise Requirement: Durant are high-energy Pokemon that require constant physical activity to prevent destructive behaviors. In the wild they are always moving and sleep only around 5 hours each day. A sedentary Durant may become restless and aggressive, especially if housed alone.

Recommended Activities: Digging - Durant should have access to diggable material (e.g., compacted soil, sand, or synthetic burrowing pits). If housing doesn't allow digging, artificial tunnels should be provided. Weighted Training - Durant are incredibly strong for their size and benefit from their strength being tested. Providing large stones or other heavy objects to transport mimics natural behaviors and provides physical activity.

Mental Stimulation Needs: Unlike highly intelligent Pokemon, Durant do not require complex mental stimulation but benefit from task-based enrichment.

Recommended Activities: Foraging - Hiding food within puzzle boxes, buried caches, or inside snuffle mats encourages natural foraging behavior. Scent Trails - Durant use pheromones and scent tracking to navigate. Setting up scent trails using pheromone sprays or strong smelling food is a good way to encourages natural tracking behavior.

Common Health Concerns:

Rust/Metal Degradation - Caused by frequent exposure to moisture or improper diet lacking in necessary metals. Identified by discoloration, joint stiffness, brittle exoskeleton. Prevention/Treatment - Maintain a dry habitat with proper ventilation. Ensure a mineral-rich diet. Remove rust gently with fine-bristle brushes in early stages. Aggression & Stress Disorders - Caused by solitary housing, lack of activity, or disruption of territorial instincts. Identified by increased hostility, attacking trainers, obsessive patrolling behavior. Prevention/Treatment - Pair or group housing is recommended for Durant as they thrive in colonies. Provide patrol routes or enclosed pathways to mimic natural behavior. If solitary, double down on exercise and enrichment to prevent restlessness. Overgrown Mandibles - Caused by lack of wear from proper chewing materials. Identified by difficulty eating, misalignment of mandibles, reduced effectiveness in battle. Prevention/Treatment - Provide hard materials to chew. In severe cases a specialist should manually file down mandibles.

Best Living Conditions: Durant require spacious, well-ventilated enclosures that allow for digging, patrolling, and maintaining a structured environment.

Burrowing Access - Durant should have access to diggable material such as compacted soil, sand, or synthetic burrowing pits. If tunneling isn’t possible, artificial burrows and tunnel networks should be provided. Strict Containment – Due to their compulsive digging and escape tendencies, enclosures should have reinforced flooring or deep perimeter barriers to prevent tunneling out. Cool, Dry Environments – Durant thrive in low-humidity, cool-temperature habitats. Excessive heat or moisture can cause exoskeleton degradation, rust, and lethargy.

Temperament

Generally Behavior: Durant are highly active, defensive Pokemon that thrive in structured environments. They are naturally territorial and protective, often displaying high aggression toward intruders, even those significantly larger than them. While they lack the problem-solving of more intelligent Pokemon, they exhibit strong instinctual behaviors and rely heavily on routine. They function the best in colonies or structured teams, as their natural inclination is to work toward a collective goal. Solitary Durant require careful management to prevent stress-induced aggression or erratic behavior.

Drive Level: High

Instincts:

Territorial - Durants are naturally defensivev of their homes and will aggressively attack intruders. Offensive Drive - While not mindless attackers, they rarely back down from threats and will fight to incapacitation if it feels threatened enough. Foraging - They are task-driven and will continuously seek out food, minerals, and nesting materials. Tunneling - Durant are natural burrowers and will attempt to dig anywhere they can. Including into furniture and walls if no adequate tunneling place is provided. Escape Prone - Not due to intelligence, but because they dig constantly and can tunnel out of enclosures if not properly contained.

How They Interact with Other Pokémon: Durant prefer working in groups and function best with Pokemon that share their work ethic. While cooperative within a structured group, they do not bond emotionally like more intelligent Pokemon. Durant are also highly territorial and will not tolerate strangers in their space even if not directly provoked. Due to natural predator-prey relationships with Heatmor, Durant may react aggressively toward fire-types. Non-threatening burrowers (e.g., Sandshrew, Diglet, Drilbur) may be tolerated.

Companion Pokémon:

Compatible - Paras, Foongus, Sandshrew, Drilbur Caution Advised - Any pokemon that might be seen as food (small bug-types) like Wurmple or Cutiefly. Not Reccommended - Heatmor and fire-types, as Durant have an extreme aversion to intense heat and flames.

Trainer Compatibility:

Best Suited For - Experienced trainers who can provide constant activity and structured environments. Competitive battlers looking for high-durability Pokemon. Trainers with the space to keep multiple Durant together. Not Recommended For - Casual trainers who want low maintenance Pokemon. Small apartment living. Trainers with delicate or small Pokemon. Trainers with aggressive or fire-type Pokemon unless kept separate.

Training

Difficulty: Advanced - Durant are driven by instinct, making them stubborn and resistant to traditional training methods. While they can be conditioned to follow commands, their territorial nature and aggressive tendencies require strict structure, patience, and experienced handling.

Bonding: Durant do not bond emotionally like more intelligent Pokemon but form loyal relationships through routine.

Socialization: Should Be Limited - Durant are naturally territorial and do not react well to unfamiliar Pokemon or strangers. It is not usually worth it to try and socialize a Durant and often causes significant stress. If needed for work, Durant should be conditioned from a young age to tolerate specific individuals, but they will always be defensive towards strangers.

Common Behavioral Issues & Fixes:

Refusal to Back Down - Durant will fight until incapacitated if not properly conditioned. Trainers must actively train recall commands and reward highly for successful recall to prevent unnecessary injury. Escape Attempts - Provide designated digging zones and structured tunneling tasks to redirect the behavior. Bored Durant will chew or dig into anything.

Best Fit For:

Security & Guard Roles - Durant's territorial instincts and aggressive defense make them excellent for guarding. Entire colonies can be made to guard if all other needs are provided for. Mining & Excavation - Their burrowing skills and powerful mandibles make them ideal for clearing tunnels or transporting materials. Competitive Battling - Durant excel in defensive, endurance-based combat where their resistance help them to tire out and outlast opponents.

[covid-safer-hotties]

A literature review on vaccine skepticism: An intriguing intersection of history and virology.

Abstract

Global pandemics can be tackled by two means: lockdowns and vaccinations. As vaccination has a low impact on economic outcomes and better acceptance by people, it is the preferred method by most governments as a medium- to long-term solution. Vaccines have played a significant role in reducing the global burden of infectious diseases. They are designed to teach the immune system how to fight a particular infection before it causes a disease in subsequent exposures by creating a memory. Although vaccines effectiveness is well known, anti-vaccination movements pose significant challenges, even in high-income settings, leading to outbreaks of life-threatening infectious diseases. Hesitancy to take vaccines is not new and began with the first vaccination of smallpox. At that time, the problem was solved by a regulatory obligation to take vaccines, declared in England and Wales in 1853, which eventually led to its eradication in 1980. Different studies show that there is a decline in awareness of vaccines, hesitancy to take them, and concerns and trust issues regarding healthcare professionals. These problems have been rising over the past few decades for several reasons, notably, because of misinformation spread by social media. Therefore, the objective of this review is to provide a brief overview about vaccine hesitancy and attributable factors, illustrate the different types of vaccines, show the major challenges of vaccine development, and illustrate the pros and cons of each type.

[science-lover33]

"Delving Deeper into Glutathione: The Biochemistry Behind its Protective Powers"

Hello, Tumblr community! 🌿 Today, let's embark on an intellectual journey into the intricate world of Glutathione, a molecular marvel with profound implications for your body's defense mechanisms and overall vitality. 🧬

The Biochemical Symphony of Glutathione:

Glutathione, abbreviated as GSH, is a low-molecular-weight tripeptide comprised of three amino acids – cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine. Its presence is pervasive, with significant concentrations found within virtually every cell of your body. At its core, GSH serves as a central hub for a variety of biochemical reactions, many of which are critical for maintaining cellular health.

🛡️ Shielding Against Oxidative Stress:

At the heart of Glutathione's prowess lies its ability to act as an antioxidant. To understand this, we must venture into the realms of free radicals highly reactive molecules that can wreak havoc on your cellular structures. GSH swoops in like a molecular guardian, neutralizing these renegade radicals and preventing cellular damage.

🔄 Recycling Antioxidants:

GSH doesn't stop at just neutralizing free radicals. It has a unique capacity to regenerate other antioxidants, such as vitamin C and vitamin E, which are also instrumental in combating oxidative stress. This recycling process amplifies the body's antioxidant defenses, making it a true linchpin of cellular protection.

💪 The Multifaceted Benefits of Glutathione:

1. Immune Resilience: By fortifying the immune system, Glutathione empowers your body to defend against pathogens and infections more effectively.

2. Detoxification Dynamo: As a vital component in phase II detoxification, GSH aids in the removal of harmful substances, thereby bolstering liver health and overall detox processes.

3. Anti-Aging Elixir: The anti-aging properties of Glutathione are tied to its ability to quell oxidative stress and cellular damage, potentially slowing down the aging process.

4. Skin Health: Some individuals explore Glutathione for its role in skin lightening and brightening, although its effects can vary among individuals.

📚 Diving into the Research:

1. "The Role of Glutathione in Cellular Response to Chemotherapeutic Agents"

- A scholarly article by Maria Serpina and John D. Hayes, featured in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

2. “Glutathione as a Biomarker in Oxidative Stress: An Overview"

- An in-depth review by Farzaneh Rahmani and Hossein Aslani, published in the Journal of Medical Biochemistry.

3. "Mechanisms of Glutathione-Dependent Protection Against Oxidative Stress and Nitric Oxide-Induced Neurotoxicity in a Neuronal Cell Line"

While Glutathione supplements are gaining popularity, it's imperative to seek counsel from a healthcare professional before incorporating them into your regimen. Your individual health and physiology can influence the efficacy and safety of supplementation.

Stay curious, stay informed! 📖✨

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

How does Gallifreyan skin react to burns? I know you answered questions about scars, but burn marks are usually a little bit different. Is it still less prone to scars or are burn marks more severe?

Does Gallifreyan skin react to burns?

Gallifreyan skin is definitely able to burn, and results will vary depending on how long they plan on standing in a fire.

First, it's important to note that if your Gallifreyan has a visible injury, you probably need to err on the side of caution. Like a fortress, their defences are great against minor threats, but firing a cannonball at it might break the wall down and compromise the entire system. This means that minor injuries are likely rare; if a Gallifreyan is injured, they're more likely than not to need urgent care, no matter how much they might protest 'tis but a scratch'.

🔥 Classifications of Burns

Burns are classified into three main categories: first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree burns. Each type affects the skin differently and needs varying levels of care.

😟 First-Degree Burns

These burns affect only the outermost layer of the skin, (the epidermis). Symptoms include redness, mild swelling, and pain.

Gallifreyan skin is more resistant than human skin, so it can withstand higher heat for longer before enduring a visible injury, making first-degree burns a bit rare (but possible). If they do get them, they heal faster than humans and with no long-term effects. The immune system's efficiency will ensure that these burns heal without leaving anything visible behind.

😲 Second-Degree Burns

These burns penetrate the dermis, causing blisters, severe pain, and swelling.

If the dermis is breached, Gallifreyans are definitely at risk of infection. However, their upgraded immune system usually manages these infections without any problems, of course (though not always). The healing process will be faster than in humans, though scarring is possible, especially if the burn is particularly extensive.

🤬 Third-Degree Burns

These are the most gnarly, penetrating through the dermis to affect deeper tissues. The skin may appear white, blackened, or charred, and the nerve damage can result in numbness.

For Gallifreyans, third-degree burns are as serious as they are in humans. Their natural advanced healing might allow for some regeneration of damaged tissue, but without treatment, there will be permanent damage to that body, or it could even be fatal.

🩹 Healing Process

First and Second-Degree Burns: The healing process in Gallifreyans involves rapid cell regeneration and immune response to prevent infections. Their skin's resilience really reduces the likelihood of first-degree burns from occurring at all, and second-degree burns will mostly clear up without much hassle, with maybe a telltale scar if the dermis is significantly damaged.

Third-Degree Burns: These burns are pretty gnarly and may overwhelm the body's natural healing processes and defences. In these cases, medical intervention using advanced Gallifreyan technology would be essential. Full regeneration is a last resort, used only when the burns are extensive enough to endanger their life.

🏫 So ...

Gallifreyan skin reacts to burns similarly to human skin but with a greater capacity for healing and resistance. First-degree burns aren't so much a thing, and second-degree burns probably heal well with minimal scarring. Third-degree burns, however, are severe and may prompt a regeneration if they threaten the Gallifreyan's life.

Related:

💬|🦱👽Do Time Lords have the same skin and hair cycles as humans?: How skin and hair growth occur in Gallifreyans.

💬|🦱💥Do Time Lords get scars?: If and how Gallifreyans scar from trauma, and their skin's healing mechanisms.

💬|👁️💥How can Gallifreyans manage pain/chronic pain?: Overview of natural and medicinal aids to pain.

Hope that helped! 😃

Any orange text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →📢Announcements |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts → Features:⭐Guest Posts | 🍜Chomp Chomp with Myishu →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴