#journals on cancer medicine

[biomedres]

SARS-CoV-2 and its Transmission Ability Through the Nasal and Oral Cavities

SARS-CoV-2 and its Transmission Ability Through the Nasal and Oral Cavities in Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research 

https://biomedres.us/fulltexts/BJSTR.MS.ID.006075.php

Since the beginning of the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, it was identified that its ligand Spike Protein (S protein) is the receptor of the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is present in epithelial cells of the nasal mucosa, the surface of the tongue in the oral cavity, the pharynx, and the salivary glands [1]. These last have a higher ACE2 expression, which facilitates the virus to infect a person. Because saliva is a secretion from the oral cavity produced by the parotid, sublingual, and submandibular glands, it is in constant contact with perioral tissue, such as the tongue, which due to its mobility, facilitates saliva to be in contact with the entire oral cavity [2]. The presence of viral RNA in saliva has allowed the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the early stages of infection and promptly identify asymptomatic individuals [2,3]. Saliva also contains IgA and IgG isotype antibodies which could be relevant in immunized people against SARS-CoV-2 [2]. In general, if a healthy person comes into contact with aerosols contaminated with the virus, the following alternatives can occur: a) If the virus enters through the open oral cavity, it will come into contact with saliva. The viral particles could go into the digestive tract because the epiglottis blocks saliva access to the lungs [4], thus reinforcing findings of the virus in feces [5] and gastrointestinal symptoms.

For more articles in Journals on Biomedical Sciences click here bjstr

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[atavist]

An ob-gyn in Virginia performed unnecessary surgeries on patients for decades. He took their reproductive organs, gave them false cancer diagnoses, and did other terrible harm. When his victims learned the truth, they fought back. Issue no. 146, DAMAGES, is now available: 

[Debra] requested her medical records and was stunned to find discrepancies with what Perwaiz had said to her during appointments. Most glaringly, she didn’t see any mention of precancerous cells on her cervix; the tests Perwaiz performed on her had come back normal. “If I was normal,” Debra said, “why did I have a surgery?”

There were other inconsistencies. One form from an appointment described Debra complaining of back and pelvic pain, which she told me she never did. Another document dated the day before her surgery stated that she “insisted on having those ovaries removed through the abdominal wall incision and not vaginally,” and that the “consent obtained after entirely counseling the patient [was] for abdominal hysterectomy.” In fact, she had requested the opposite surgical approach, and she recalled no such conversation with Perwaiz; the only time she’d spoken with him in the lead-up to her procedure was in passing in the hospital hallway.

Debra was sure she had a malpractice case. She went to several lawyers, but none of them would take her on as a client. “So many men—man after man saying, ‘You had a decent amount of care, and that’s all you’re afforded,’ ” she said. Frustrated, she came up with a new plan: “I said, ‘Alright, I’m going to learn how to sue this bastard myself.’ ”

[meggettes]

my mom died a year ago

[ahmed25646]

Dietary supplements contain medicinal plants

Dietary supplements contain medicinal plants

Some herbal food supplements have effects similar to drugs without being as well supervised, alarms the Academy of Pharmacy, stressing the dangerousness of those containing aloe juice or rhubarb roots, used for their effect. laxative. “There are plants authorized in food supplements which have never been used in food, but for pharmacological purposes, that is to say in medicines”, lamented…

[thelegend9798]

Scientists Discover Gene Plays Critical Role in Embryo Development

Scientists Discover Gene Plays Critical Role in Embryo Development

Newswise — LOS ANGELES (May 24, 2022) — A new study co-led by a Cedars-Sinai investigator identified a gene that plays an important role in a biological pathway involved in embryo development. The gene’s impact at the cellular level could explain why some babies are born with physical abnormalities and why some adults develop diseases such as cancer. The findings are published in…

[astrobaeza]

CAREER ASTROLOGY

potential careers for your midheaven sign! 👩🏽‍💻💼🔎

Astrology can indicate what areas of life you might naturally excel at, your talents, and even your destiny. The Midheaven or MC is a point in your birth chart that represents your public persona, reputation, and how you choose to present yourself to the public. Your MC suggests what most makes you feel alive and your legacy in yor lifetime. Though it will take years for you to grow into your MC sign, you can use your Midheaven sign, ruler, placements and aspects to both to identify what career path might suit you. This is helpful for people especially in their 10th house profection year, where themes of career, reputation, and legacy are significant or even if you just want to prepare for the future.

Disclaimer: These are recommendations for what might be easier or more natural for you! REMEMBER: You can be anything you want in this lifetime!

(For example, The Weeknd has an Aries Midheaven – he is a trailblazer, leader, and icon in the music industry with a unique sound. Also the first to win many awards and to hold a lot of coveted titles --> very Aries-like)

ARIES MIDHEAVEN --- themes: bold, passionate, self-starting, trailblazing, aggression, leading

☆ ruling planet: Mars

☆ recommended careers: entrepreneurship, athletics, anything where you can lead yourself

--------------------------------------------------------------------

TAURUS MIDHEAVEN -- themes: classy, tasteful, beautiful, talented, artistic, wealthy

☆ ruling planet: Venus

☆ recommended careers: beauty, musician, modeling, makeup artist, fashion designer, arts, photographer, finance, anything involving aesthetics, design, visuals and money

--------------------------------------------------------------------

GEMINI MIDHEAVEN -- themes: good communicator, intelligent, versatile, witty, charming, vocal

☆ ruling planet: Mercury

☆ recommended careers: journalism, performance, teaching, writing, the Arts, design, fashion, sales, public relations, advertising, commentator, observer, translator and broadcaster

---------------------------------------------------------------------

CANCER MIDHEAVEN -- themes: nurturing, kind, sweet, affectionate innocent, intuitive, ambitious, security driven

☆ ruling planet: Moon

☆ recommended careers: health workers, chefs, real estate agents, social workers, ministers, politics, musician, nanny, teacher, doctor

---------------------------------------------------------------------

LEO MIDHEAVEN -- themes: confident, fun, creative, flamboyant, visible, competitive, 'superstar', popular, entertaining

☆ ruling planet: Sun

☆ recommended careers: performing arts, acting, politician, spokesperson, social media influencer, reality TV, anything that allows you to shine

---------------------------------------------------------------------

VIRGO MIDHEAVEN -- themes: precision, diligence, organization, detail-oriented, communicative, practical, moral, skillful

☆ ruling planet: Mercury

☆ recommended careers: medicine / healthcare professional, engineering, hospice care, accountant, HR, manager / administrative jobs

--------------------------------------------------------------------

LIBRA MIDHEAVEN -- themes: beautiful, elegant, charming, social, harmonious, diplomatic, collaboration, communication, aesthetics

☆ ruling planet: Venus

☆ recommended careers: decorating, fashion designer, beauty industry, musician, lawyer, counseling, therapist, law enforcement, customer service, human resources

--------------------------------------------------------------------

SCORPIO MIDHEAVEN -- themes: power, control, allure, mysteriousness, enigmatic, strength, magnetism

☆ ruling planet: Pluto

☆ recommended careers: researcher, psychologist, investigator, finance (tax, banking, investing), scientist, occultist, politician, s3x work, mortician

---------------------------------------------------------------------

SAGGITARIUS MIDHEAVEN -- themes: wisdom, education, knowing, funny, bold, personable, philosophy, energetic, honest, sincere

☆ ruling planet: Jupiter

☆ recommended careers: sales, teachers (specifically university), travel consultants, comedians, preacher / spiritualist, pilot, flight attendant,

--------------------------------------------------------------------

CAPRICORN MIDHEAVEN -- themes: power, status, drive, ambition, respect, honor, recognition

☆ ruling planet: Saturn

☆ recommended career: CEO, doctor, manager, banker, property owner / investor

----------------------------------------------------------------------

☆ AQUARIUS MIDHEAVEN -- themes: innovation, influence, freedom, orginality, service, socialization

☆ ruling planet: Saturn / Uranus

☆ recommended career: scientific or mathematical fields, engineer, innovator, astronomy, astrology, engineering, environmental science humanitarian work

----------------------------------------------------------------------

☆ PISCES MIDHEAVEN -- themes: enchanting, talented, creative, intuitive, dreams, passionate

☆ ruling planet: Neptune

☆ recommended career: musician, director, author, healer, psychic / occultist, spiritualist

[storiesfromgaza]

Hi, everyone.

Yesterday, I shared here a series of posts written by a girl named Nada Bedair on Twitter, where she discussed new information, she learned after watching a documentary.

It was revealed in this documentary that Israel has something called the "Bank of Skins," which is the largest skin bank in the world, specializing in treating burns, skin cancer, and more.

In this documentary, it became clear that most of these skins did not belong to Israeli soldiers but were taken from the bodies of deceased Palestinians, their identities deliberately obscured through disfigurement or lack of proper autopsy.

At the same time, numerous reports emerged from Palestinians, stating that after the arrest of individuals from Gaza and the West Bank, their families were surprised by their return as deceased, with their bodies missing certain body organs!

Simultaneously, an article was published by the head of the Forensic Medicine Institute, claiming that Israel kills and harvests organs from deceased Palestinians without their consent or their families' consent!

Here is the link to the complete post, including the sources: https://www.tumblr.com/storiesfromgaza/732558400585613312/today-i-learned-about-something-terrible-and-i?source=share

It is crucial that you read this before continuing with this article.

After I shared it yesterday, @chimaeraonwards wrote a comment, attaching a link to a Journal Article | Social Research by anthropologist Nancy Scheper-Hughes titled, "The Body of the Terrorist: Blood Libels, Bio-Piracy, and the Spoils of War at the Israeli Forensic Institute." In this article, the author describes in detail what happened and how it happened in around 38 pages.

you can read it here:

Scheper-Hughes, N. (2011). The Body of the Terrorist: Blood Libels, Bio-Piracy, and the Spoils of War at the Israeli Forensic Institute. Social Research, 78(3), 849–886. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23347019

Your reading of it won't take much of your time, but it will significantly increase your awareness of things you might not have imagined happening!

If reading it is a challenge, it's worth to mention that yesterday, @chimaeraonwards did an amazing thing. She wrote a breakdown of some of the content of the 38-page article. Ensure you read it; it's not very long, but it's highly enlightening. Link: https://www.tumblr.com/chimaeraonwards/732568635164524544/whatever-youre-thinking-about-this-its-actually?source=share Support her by sharing it because she truly deserves it.

[thehappybroadcast]

Over seven million women suffer from breast cancer, making it one of the deadliest cancers across the globe.

A team of researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSM) has been working on a breast cancer vaccine for over the last 20 years. In their recently published study, they finally revealed the results of the phase one human trials of their breast cancer vaccine.

The study is published in the journal JAMA Oncology. During the phase one trials, the experimental breast cancer vaccine has proved to be safe and highly effective in preventing the growth of human epidermal growth receptor 2 (HER2) cancer tumor cells. High levels of HER2 protein in the body are responsible for causing the most complex, aggressive, and rapidly spreading type of breast cancer in women. Therefore, the new vaccine might turn out to be a groundbreaking discovery in the field of modern medicine.

The researchers are now conducting phase two trials of their vaccine. If successful, it’d be one of the greatest miracles of medical science – fingers crossed! Source: Interesting Engineering (link in bio) #science #cancer #innovation https://www.instagram.com/p/CnCQgiVO_xi/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[biomedres]

Laboratory Evaluation of Ethanol Production from Jatropha Curcas as Compared to A Selected Sugarcane Variety (DB 7869)

Laboratory Evaluation of Ethanol Production from Jatropha Curcas as Compared to A Selected Sugarcane Variety (DB 7869) in Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research 

https://biomedres.us/fulltexts/BJSTR.MS.ID.006062.php

This is driving research to use Ethanol as a transportation fuel in view of the fact that it is more efficient, cleaner and a cheaper source of energy. Engines have been converted for the use of ethanol in countries like Brazil, India, United States of America. Jatropha curcas or commonly called ‘physic nut’ is of the Euphorbiaceae family, a perennial crop, with a higher efficiency of biofuel production than Sugarcane, a crop that requires limited attention in its cultivation. Jatropha curcas is seen as having potentials for commercial production in Guyana, as such large-scale cultivation will commence in the near future so as to reduce fuel importation cost, create a cleaner atmosphere and aid in creating job opportunities. Sugarcane occupies some 50,000 ha of land along the coast of Guyana. The potential for commercial ethanol production from sugarcane has been extensively studied in recent years by Guyana Sugar Cooperation (Guysuco) and other agencies with the interest to increase the diversity of products from sugarcane. The procedure for this project involves primarily laboratory work in which Jatropha curcas leaves and seeds were collected as well as Sugarcane variety (DB 7869) juice, isolated with yeast, Saccharomyces cereviseae and fermented for a week. Ethanol produced from these materials was obtained from simple distillation. The results attain showed that Jatropha curcas produced a higher percentage of ethanol than Sugarcane variety (DB 7869). The quality (percentage of alcohol) and purity (alcohols/esters) of the ethanol was tested at Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and Guyana Pharmaceuticals Company (GPC), in which Sugarcane variety DB 7869 was found to be purer than Jatropha curcas. This experiment was done on a small scale and a lot of knowledge was acquired about the ability of producing biofuel from both of these plants however, further research needs to be carried out on a larger scale to enhance the results and to pick up what has been overlooked, all for the benefit of commercial production and a cleaner atmosphere.

For more articles in Journals on Biomedical Sciences click here bjstr

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[marzipanandminutiae]

Let’s talk about arsenic, bay-bee

Let’s talk about how, in 1893, doctors working for the Boston Journal of Health chemically analyzed samples of “Dr. Campbell‘s safe arsenic complexion wafers,“ one of the most prolific brands thereof sold in the United States as complexion aids, and found that the product contained either no arsenic at all or amounts so tiny they were barely detectable (varied from wafer to wafer), and that indeed the wafers were mostly made of “milk sugar” AKA lactose

Proving once and for all, I guess, that the safest way to consume arsenic is to take out the arsenic

(also, yes, a lot of people back then did think that eating arsenic sounded as ridiculous as it does today. The only reason the trend enjoyed any success at all is that I’m guessing people were aware that certain toxic compounds can be used to produce medicine, just like today)

(I also found a Dr. Campbell’s ad with a fake testimonial claiming that his wafers could cure cancer. Where the hell am I)

[msbarrybeeson]

Before You Go - P.6 | Future Donatello & April O’Neil Insight

(Reader Included)

A/N: Any constructive criticism is appreciated. Reader comments and feedback are also welcomed a lot. 

I have been gone for a long time. Just occupied with my studies! No fan fiction author curse or anything (yet).

Summary: You’re both adopting-parents of Casey. The story follows the perspective of Donatello and April O’Neil during the Kraang apocalypse. You and Leonardo decided to ask them to watch over thirteen-year-old Casey.

In other words, familial interactions between April, Donnie, and Casey Jr.

Reader: Gender-neutral pronouns are used, except the terms “(Mom / Dad)” are also used. Second POV.

Pairing: Rise! Future! Leonardo X Reader

Warnings: Bittersweet.

Word Count:  ~3490

Parts: One / Two / Three / Four / Five / Six / ...

~

Donnie knew how much of a genius he was.

It was no surprise after all. In his late teens, he improved NASA’s satellites to communicate with planets light centuries away. He cured breast cancer through the use of protons in radiation therapy to target specific cells, rather than affecting the harmless. Hell, he even managed to discover a new type of radioactive particles: mutons. By that point, he—.

“—should have been given a Nobel Prize in Medicine and in Chemistry.” Donnie cursed under his breath. He strolled over to his lab bench, equipping his goggles.

Squeeeak. 

April– who was found seated on Donnie’s roughed-up, spinning gaming chair– raised an eyebrow. Her hair had grown out and was left unbounded. Faint wrinkles and eye bags on her features displayed maturity, in contrast to a couple of years ago. However, everyone was well aware that time was not the only factor. 

“Whatcha going on about now, Donnie?”

The softshell huffed. “Recall when I wrote a report about my experimental findings with an invention meant to revive a deceased human being?”

“...You mean the one where you thought it was a good idea to open up Curie’s tomb? Even gone as far as to ask for my help?” April grimaced. “Who’d ever forget that.”

She proceeded to massage her temples. 

“God. You were in all kinds of messed up for that, Don.”

Lightning-like yellow sparks flickered as Donnie had his robotic hands occupied with a butane torch. His goggles were sealed tight around his eyes as he built a oval-looking device on his lab bench. Titanium outer-layer over a seriously complex circuit-board; appearing as if Samsung marketed grenades.

He scoffed. “Oh please. It wasn’t as if I’d taken long to understand how Marie Curie deserves her rest for her great contributions to radiation. Thus is why–.”

“–You decided to take a poor random husband of an old wife,” April interjected.

“Ahem.” Donnie pronounced. “The poor woman was begging me for her husband to be alive again. I was simply gracious and generous enough to not charge her for the process.” He set aside the butane torch. “At least it progressed well; he stayed alive for an additional two years. It gave his wife psychological comfort, and I was able to submit my paper to the N.S.F..” 

He picked up a screwdriver. “Except....” 

April could tell her friend’s eye was twitching. 

“They rejected my findings, nearly had me detained, and claimed it was far too ‘unethical.’” Donnie raised his volume. “Scoff! As if those researchers weren’t committing the crime themselves! Taking bodies away from families and claiming them as scientific property without permission.

If I could go back in time and shove my documents in their jaws, you bet I would.”

April smirked. “Well, I have my regrets too, Donnie.”

“You sound rather amused, April. Is that so surprising? And here I never thought you would regret your part-time job at Albearto’s. Or the fact you wasted money to switch to journalism in university.”

WHACK!

April threw her bat at Donnie’s head, flying back to her hand like a boomerang.

“Watch your mouth, mister. I may have regretted Albearto’s, but not a single moment in my life did I ever regret my journalism passion.” She stood up.

“Ouch.” The softshell vocalized, squinting his eyes toward her. His robotic clampers paused, setting aside the torch and taking off his goggles. 

“Mind yourself, April. Horse-playing is forbidden in the laboratory. I am not consenting to having yet another silver-titanium apparatus get scratched because of you.” Donnie gritted his teeth. “Can you hear the negative connotation?”

“Seriously, Donnie? Where’d that come from? Not only was that years ago but it ain’t anything except a simple accident.” 

“‘Simple accident?’” the softshell repeated with dramatic offense. “An accident, like many others in science labs, which could have caused severe damage! Remember the incident when your teacher dumped bleach and vinegar into the trash bin?

You know, if you had paid any attention in your chemistry class, those two would make mustard gas?” Donnie side-eyed his friend. “Simple accidents can have serious consequences, O’Neil.”

A hand crept up the lab bench.

“Uh-huh, and I’m supposed to believe an instance of me knocking over your phone and books would kill somebody?” April crossed her arms. “If anything, the blame’s yours for not organizing your desk when you got drunk on coffee.”

The hand took ahold of the butane torch.

“Donatello? Disorganized? Sounds cheap coming from you, a student majoring in Journalism.”

April pulled up her coat’s sleeves. “Oh boy, you’re about to get it—.”

Squeeeak!

Heads spun and found a 13-year old boy, replacing April’s spot on Donnie’s chair. Casey eyed the torch with a great yet concerning amount of curiosity.

“Yo, what’s this for, Uncle Don?”

At lightning speed, while April ran to move the gaming chair away further from the workbench, Donnie snatched the tool from his hands. “Child. Casey. Young man.” The softshell heaved loudly. “I must inform you this is NOT meant to be handled with such casual ease. How in Hawking did you even—.”

“Don’t your lab have a passcode or something?” 

“–Is what I am wondering myself, O’Neil. I refuse to believe this child remembers the beginning thirty numbers of π–.”

“Nope, only us.” April and Donnie lifted their gazes to his lab entrance. You leaned on the frame while a dear red-eared slider stood just behind. A couple of steps inside, and the metallic lab door shut close. 

Donnie– strangely– was quick to hide his device-in-progress off to the side.

“You’re back!” April grinned. “Hell, you would not believe the convo Donnie and I were having a minute ago.” She hurried to hug you.

“Figures,” Leo remarked. “We could practically hear you yards off.”

“Sounds like things never get old.” You smiled.

There was a side-eye between Donnie and April, before the Commander proceeded to inquire, coughing: “Anyhow.. care to explain the occasion? You two don’t seem to be in a hurry.”

“The only times you ever visit my laboratory are to prepare for immediate combat engagement, and you look awfully collected.” The softshell furrowed his brows.

“No, no.” You waved your hands, shaking your head. “Thank God no. We came here to ask if you two could take care of our Casey here while we head out.” The other turtle scrunched his in-quote eyebrows. “You— You came here to request us to... babysit him?”

April jabbed him in his plastron.

“You see? Just like I said.” Leo turned to you. “I know my brother, love. Don’s not the kind of guy to take responsibility for a kid. Or anyone, really.”

“Hold on.” Donnie narrowed his eyes. “I never said I refused, Leo.”

“Don’t know, it sounds like it to me.”

“Well, my misinformed brother, contrary to your belief, I am perfectly capable of handling a child.”

You huffed with amusement. Your husband only winked back.

“If you say so, Don.”

“Where are you two heading off for if you needed us to watch over him?” April inquired. “Wondering, ‘cause this never happened even when you two leave for patrol.”

“Just finding some time for ourselves.”

April exclaimed, “As in a honeymoon? Why not just say so? We’ll leave you two alone–.”

“–In this economy and climate?” Donnie interjected. “Has it also not been six years since your yet-to-be-legal marriage?”

“Alright, alright,” Leonardo chuckled. “Cut us some slack, bro. Finding time wasn’t easy when there’s Kraang above our necks.”

“Right, and you’re going on a honeymoon, how?” The softshell crossed his arms. “Simply because you’re the leader does not equate to you making wise decisions, Leo.”

“His ōdachi can teleport anyone to anyplace, we have some hope we can easily teleport to a remote area,” you answered. “One without Kraang infestation. It’ll be hard, but we may as well try.”

“Bonus points if we find clear skies and an ocean.” The red-eared turtle grinned, wrapping his arm over your shoulders.

“What’s a honeymoon, (Mom / Dad)?”

Your hand went to caress Casey’s cheek. “Parent quality time. It just means you get to handle yourself like the responsible grown-up you’ll become one day. Just promise me you’ll be on your best behavior around Uncle Don and Auntie April?”

“I promise, (Mom / Dad)!”

“Good boy,” Leo laughed, ruffling the kid’s hair.

“You didn’t ask Mikey and Raph to help out too, or?”

“Between you and me, I think you guys are better of making sure Casey doesn’t get into any chaos,” you whispered to April. “Don’t tell them that, though.”

She laughed. “Okay, I see how it is. You both have fun.” 

Donnie bit his lip. Right as Leonardo and (Name) turn to exit the laboratory, he extended his arm out to them.

“Leo, (Name).”

You two faced back to him once more.

“Don’t kill yourselves out there.”

Everyone’s eyes widened– April, you, and Leonardo himself. But the brother in blue snickered, holding a smile that reached his eyes. “So you do also care for me, Don. And all this time I thought you were plotting to put me in my grave or something.”

“We won’t.” Leo placed a hand on your shoulder. “You got my word.”

“Bye (Mom / Dad)! Bye Papa!”

“We’ll be back soon, Casey!”

Donnie stood in silence as you finally left, leaving himself with none other than his best friend and his nephew. “I refuse to believe this is the future we have to deal with.”

“Times changed all of us, didn’t they?” April spoke. “One day we wish each other a good one, and the next, we hope we just don’t die. I could’ve been a famous news anchor by now, make my mother happy, fight crime without worrying about dying the next second.

..I wonder if there’s anyone else out there besides the small number of us down here.”

“..I doubt it.”

Donnie pulled himself together and walked back to his workbench, operating his clampers to work once again. He put on his goggles. Casey, being a young teenager of enthusiasm, peeked over.

“Watch yourself, boy,” April warned.

“Don’t worry about me, Auntie. I’m only standing over here.” Casey narrowed his eyes upon the glowing and metal-like ball his uncle had his tools on. “What are you working on, Uncle Don?”

“A sphere.”

“A sphere?”

“You heard correctly.”

“That sounds kind of boring.”

Donnie had to hold himself back from remarking with: ‘That is exactly what every child whose intellect is doomed would say.’

“I’m sure your mother would find it rather moving.”

“(Mom / Dad)? I don’t understand what’s emotional about a ball, though.”

“Hey Casey.” April coughed. “Why not tell us about your mask here? Haven’t taken a good look at it before. Maybe Uncle Don would like to hear it too.”

“You actually want me to talk about my mask?”

“Ain’t a problem, is it?”

“No.” He fidgeted with his fingers a bit. “You don’t have anything else to do?”

“We were just told to watch over you, kid.”

“Yeah, but everyone I know is always busy with the Kraang or supplying weapons. I never really get chances to hang out.”

There was a brief pause in the butane torch’s flame.

April’s expression softened. Her hand came up to brush his black hair. “Things have gotten calmer up there. So you’ve got plenty of time with us now.”

Casey smiled.

“So your mask?” 

The boy alternated between covering his face and removing it. “(Mom / Dad) gave it to me. She told me it is based on the one worn by my biological mother. (Mom / Dad) also said that my birth mother was kind of crazy-funny and likes to be loud. She would have a stick to play– what was it– hockey?

I don’t know what kind of game hockey is supposed to be, but I guess it’s nice to know how life was like before all the Kraang.”

A sad smile crept on April’s lips. 

“Anyways, I thought the mask looked kind of plain, so I decided to draw red marks on it. See?” Casey showed his mask off, fingers tapping the surface. “Guess who it looks like!”

There were two bold and thick streaks of red. Each one ran through one eye, truly a defining characteristic. The Commander chuckled, already imagining how much pride her friend in blue would feel from the fact a kid– let alone one he had been parenting– looked up to him so much.

“You know, I am seeing someone familiar here.” April hummed as she put on a thoughtful facade. Fingers holding her chin and everything. “Got to be Uncle Don.”

Named turtle paused for a moment and raised a brow.

“Seriously, Auntie April?” On the other hand, Casey gave her an incredulous look and shook his head. “You probably want to get your eyes checked out, ‘cause Uncle Don doesn’t have any red stripes.” Off to the side. “And even if he did, he won’t look as cool as Dad.”

April snickered behind her palm as Donnie eyed the boy from behind his goggles.

“You’re right, you’re right. Just messing with you, kid.” Her hand ruffled his hair once more. “Sounds like you really admire your Papa, don’t you?”

“Why wouldn’t I? Dad has an awesome sword that opens up portals. He always moves so quickly whenever he’s fighting. Bam! And the Kraang’s gone!” The teenager stretched his arm for emphasis. “Even as the leader, Papa knows when to get serious and when to make people laugh. He also cares a lot about me, (Mom / Dad), you guys, and everyone!”

It made even Donnie himself smile. 

However, the way Casey’s enthusiasm died down had not gone unnoticed. “I’ve always wanted to help out though.” He sighed, shoulders slumping. “I want to fight the Kraang right by his and (Mom / Dad)’s side. Except I barely get the chance to, because they keep telling me to stay close to base and hide behind a giant rock.”

April crossed her arms and went quiet. His feelings were nothing new. In fact, she experienced the same thing herself, seeing she had always been a human. It was like that until–.

“Have no hard feelings,” Donnie spoke up, his hands and eyes remained on his spheric gadget. The sparks were flying. “Your parents are merely worried about your well-being.”

“I know, I know. They won’t have to though, if I can have enough training or something.” Casey sighed. “Then again, I also know I’m only a normal sensitive human.

...Why can’t I be a mutant instead?”

“Ahem. You are classified as a human. That is a true statement and one you cannot change.” Donnie hummed. “However, that does not mean you cannot be strong and capable in other ways.”

“Why does it sound like you’ve been in my place before?”

“Perhaps I did. Did you truly think being a soft-shell turtle is easy? I happened to be born as one of the only Testudines species whose outer shell cannot protect.” Donnie remarked. “Casey, your mask.” His hand signaled.

“What about my mask?”

“I merely want to add something.”

Confused, he hopped off the chair and handed the mask over. “Hmm. As long as you don’t mess with the stripes, Uncle Don.”

“Who says I won’t?”

Casey kicked Donnie’s leg.

“‘Ow,’ I say sarcastically without feeling physical pain.”

“Hmph.” He crossed his arms. “Why do you keep saying things like that?”

“Such as?”

“You say those action verbs, even when you’re already doing them.”

April snorted. “Just his thing, kid. Uncle Don’s got his special quirks.”

“Do you have a quirk?”

“Picking unnecessary fights for one,” Donnie commented.

“You only call them ‘unnecessary,’ because you never want to fix the problem.”

He rolled his eyes. “My solution would’ve been ten times more efficient if you had allowed my technology and I to do the work.”

Casey wondered. “Does your tech ever go haywire, Uncle Don?”

“No.”

“Oh man,” April began, “you should’ve been there for this one time. Your Uncle Don was building some kind of overprotective bed to keep your late Gramps from waking up from his beauty sleep.”

“Gramps likes to sleep?”

“You’d be surprised to hear that he sure does.”

“Then what happened?”

“Uncle Don asked your Dad, Uncle Mikey, and Uncle Raph to try punching, slicing, throwing whatever they could on the bed. They were attacking it like crazy!”

“And then?” 

“And the bed was even more insane, ‘cause there were actual missiles shooting out! They went straight for his brothers. At some point, it got overboard, so Uncle Don tried to command it to stop.”

“I’m hearing a ‘but’ coming.”

“But it malfunctioned and thought Uncle Don was the enemy!”

“However!” Donnie pointed his finger up, interrupting the story-telling. “It did not take long for my creation to recognize his master.”

“Still went haywire in my book,” April remarked. 

“Ignoring that.” His robotic hand tapped the edge of his workbench, grabbing Casey’s attention. “Come here, young man.” He slid back the mask, except in his hands, it felt as if the frame had thicken.

“It looks the same, but it doesn’t feel the same?”

“Try wearing it over your face.”

The boy did as told. All of a sudden, a bunch of green rectangles and words appeared in his vision. He gasped in awe. He spun around slowly, watching the rectangle focus on a figure through the wall.

“Yes yes, I know. I am well aware of how amazing I am.” Donnie huffed in pride. “I have opted to construct an interface with your mask. I cannot see why you shouldn’t have something to defend yourself with,” he reasoned. “I have other updates in mind later on. As of now, however, your mask will help you detect life forms across other rooms or through other objects.” 

“That’s so cool!” The boy hesitated though. “But I don’t want to break it or anything.”

“Hey.” April rested her hand on Casey’s shoulder, giving a firm squeeze. “Our resources are already scarce. Using then losing them is better than nothing. You better make the most of our tech. Understood, soldier?”

Casey grinned underneath his mask. He fixed his posture up and saluted. “Gotcha–! Understood, Commander!” 

He faced the inventor, whose hands were already back to being occupied with the “sphere.” “Thanks so much, Uncle Don!” Casey exclaimed, leaping towards the turtle to give a tight hug. “You’re the best!” 

Upon contact, Donnie stiffened up, but his lack of experience with physical touch did not prevent a smile forming on his face. He extended a robotic arm, patting Casey’s back. 

The boy then scanned around curiously with his mask. “Hey! Think I spot Uncle Mikey and Uncle Raph two floors down! They’re holding hands over a table or something. Why are so many people circling around them?”

April rolled her eyes. “Sounds like another arm-wrestling match between the our youngest and oldest brother.” 

Just like that, Casey booked it out of the laboratory so quickly, it reminded her of a certain red-eared slider. “What the–! Casey!” April groaned. “And here I thought we don’t have to deal with runaway kids. I better catch up to him.” 

“Would not worry about him too much,” Donnie commented. 

“What do you mean by that?”

“Considering we will not always be alive to protect him... the sooner we leave him to himself, the easier it will be for him to survive alone.” 

“Hey. Come on now.” April walked to her best friend’s side. “Don’t you say things like that. We’re all going to survive this together–.”

“April.” Slight pain wavered in his voice. “You know as well as I do how our current reality is. It is only a matter of time before the Kraang finds everyone.” 

“Yet you’re still here trying.”

No response.

“It’s all because of the kid, isn’t it?” April affirmed. “He ain’t any genius prodigy you were expecting long ago. But he gave you a reason to try– he became someone worth fighting for.”

“I would not put it as simply as that.”

She shrugged. “That’s how I’d say it. You know you’re not the only one whose life changed because of Casey.”

Donnie paused his work, turning off the butane torch and finally pulling his goggles off his eyes again. “...Casey reminds me of when we were young, being rash and immature teenagers like any other. I hate admitting to such thing, but I was one too. And I hate admitting much more how much I missed those times.

The child has known nothing of the trouble we’ve experienced outside, April: when Cassandra was killed, when Draxum was torn apart, when Dad decided to sacrifice himself despite the slim odds.” His hands clenched into fists.

“Do not expect me to have any false hope for our future, but do not assume I would want Casey to feel the same way. For as long as he can, I want him to hold onto that false hope.”

“...” April had her arms crossed. Her eyes slowly came to linger on the workbench. “Is that ‘sphere’ his false hope?”

“..No. Not his.” Donnie traced his thumb over his contraption. “It’s for (Name).”

[reasonsforhope]

"One in five Americans will experience major depressive disorder in their lifetime, and many will not find relief from current therapies. But now researchers have identified an unexpected source of the problem: inflammation.

Inflammation in the body may be triggering or exacerbating depression in the brains of some patients. And clinical trial data suggests that targeting and treating the inflammation may be a way to provide more-precise care.

The findings have the potential to revolutionize medical care for depression, an often intractable illness that doesn't always respond to conventional drug treatments. While current drug treatments target certain neurotransmitters, the new research suggests that in some patients, depressive behaviors may be fueled by the inflammatory process.

It appears that inflammatory agents in the blood can break down the barrier between the body and the brain [and specifically the blood-brain barrier], causing neuroinflammation and altering key neural circuits, researchers say. In people at risk for depression, inflammation may be a trigger for the disorder.

Research suggests that only a subset of depressed patients - roughly 30 percent - have elevated inflammation, which is also associated with poor responses to antidepressants. This inflammatory subgroup may be a key to parsing out differences in underlying mechanisms for depression and personalizing treatment...

The inflamed body and the depressed brain

...A number of studies show that depressed patients tend to have increased inflammation compared with non-depressed subjects, including more inflammatory cytokines and C-reactive protein — which is produced by the liver in response to inflammation — circulating in the blood. Patients with autoimmune diseases have inordinately high rates of depression. And postmortem brain samples from people who died by suicide showed more activation of the brain’s immune cells, which release inflammatory agents.

Crucially, pro-inflammatory drugs can induce people to become depressed, which suggests a causative link. In one seminal study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Miller and his colleagues conducted a double-blind study of 40 cancer patients undergoing treatment with interferon-alpha, an inflammatory cytokine.

Though none of the patients had depression to begin with, the inflammatory agent had a striking effect: Many became depressed, a finding that has been consistently replicated.

"The patients recognize pretty much immediately that, 'Hey, you gave me something, and now I feel this way. I don't know why I feel this way,'" Miller said.

Can treating inflammation treat depression?

If inflammation can induce or exacerbate depression and its symptoms, then reducing inflammation could provide relief.

Even if inflammation is a disease modifier rather than the cause of the problem, “you have to take care of it in order for you to be able to get your therapeutics working to restore your circuitry and what’s happening in the mind,” said Eleonore Beurel, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Anti-inflammatory drugs, used alone or in conjunction with a standard antidepressant, may help some depressed patients. A 2019 meta-analysis encompassing almost 10,000 patients from 36 randomized clinical trials found that different anti-inflammatory agents, including NSAIDs, cytokine inhibitors and statins, could improve depressive symptoms...

“We’ve come to the tipping point,” Miller said. “And we know enough at this point to begin to target the immune system and its downstream effects on the brain to treat depression. We are there.”

How to manage your own inflammation

Experts agreed that people should not take anti-inflammatories without talking with their health-care provider. Your doctor can order a C-reactive protein blood test to measure your level of inflammation.

“There are so many patients who do not respond to antidepressants,” said Ole Köhler-Forsberg, a physician and associate professor of psychiatry at Aarhus University who has given anti-inflammatory drugs to his patients in addition to antidepressants. “So there is the issue of how can we improve the individual outcomes.” Tailoring treatment for each individual on a holistic basis may add some benefit.

More clinical tests for inflammatory markers may be a way to differentiate the effectiveness of antidepressant treatment. If confirmed, it would “be the first actual biomarker in psychiatry,” Raison said. “I mean, we’ve been looking for biomarkers for 50 years and had zero luck. And it’s ironic that it’s not a brain chemical.”

In the meantime, “you get much more mileage out of the lifestyle changes than you would out of supplements or any other over-the-counter drugs at this point,” Miller said."

-via The Washington Post (via Yahoo News), February 24, 2023

[liesmyth]

Now I need the TLT “good timeline” AU where the nukes don’t go off, Cassiopeia wins and gets John to let the damn ships go, whatever. There’s a minor political crisis when [world leader] dies in office but the VP is sworn in. Everyone is happy.

Except John who is trying to get his papers on remote corpse control and how to heal colon cancer with a touch published in the New England Journal of Medicine and keeps getting rejected because, surprise! nobody is able to replicate his results in a laboratory setting

[mindblowingscience]

As reported in the journal Science Advances, the findings create a foundation for a new area of investigation, fueled by the timely impact of environmental factors on human biology. “Parkinson’s disease has been called the fastest growing neurological disorder in the world,” says principal investigator Andrew West, professor in the pharmacology and cancer biology department at Duke University School of Medicine. “Numerous lines of data suggest environmental factors might play a prominent role in Parkinson’s disease, but such factors have for the most part not been identified.” Improperly disposed plastics have been shown to break into very small pieces and accumulate in water and food supplies, and were found in the blood of most adults in a recent study. “Our study suggests that the emergence of micro and nanoplastics in the environment might represent a new toxin challenge with respect to Parkinson’s disease risk and progression,” West says. “This is especially concerning given the predicted increase in concentrations of these contaminants in our water and food supplies.”

Continue Reading.

[numinousmysteries]

A Solitary Sno Ball

@today-in-fic [on Ao3]

Mulder wasn’t in the habit of profiling everyone he came across, but when Scully first walked into his office, his VCS days weren’t so far behind him that he couldn’t help subconsciously sketching an outline of her psyche. Spending hours together on their first few cases made it easy to flesh out the profile.

Full of youthful arrogance, he was sure he had her down pat. An overachiever who had been praised for her obedience her whole life, she approached her academic and professional career with a checklist mentality, imagining that success and fulfillment were guaranteed as long as she followed the rules and did as told. She was probably a middle child from a military family, very likely had daddy issues, practiced some form of Christianity (he’d put his money on Catholicism), and, he assumed, had a proclivity for older men in positions of authority.

(In many regards, he was right, although after years of working together he realized nothing about Scully’s essence fit a profile. She was truly one in five billion.)

The only thing he couldn’t figure out was her guilty pleasure. He knew she had to have one. Her type-A personality and anal retentive nature all but guaranteed it. It would be a self-destructive habit that went against everything she knew was good for her as a doctor

His first guess was cigarettes. Boggs let on that she’d stolen from her mother’s pack as a teenage act of rebellion. It wouldn’t be too far-fetched, then, for her to sneak a smoke in a stressful moment.

He could imagine the relief she’d feel. She’d make a ritual out of it. After a long day in the morgue or arguing with her jerk of a partner she’d get home, kick off her shoes, and reach for the pack in her bedside drawer. She’d have a lighter in there, too. She’d keep matches for lighting candles elsewhere. This cheap plastic lighter was just for her little dalliance. Maybe she’d push open her bedroom window to keep the smell out. If it were freezing cold outside, even better, the biting chill would be another element of self-punishment. She’d recite statistics on lung and mouth cancer to herself, summon up the mental images of blackened lungs she’d held in her own hands during autopsies, and then bring the cigarette to her mouth. She would light it then close her eyes, pulling the nicotine, tobacco, and tar deep into her lungs, relishing the burn. Reciting the cancer-causing chemicals infiltrating her cells would only intensify the pleasure.

Her rare, solitary cigarette and the ritual around it would bring a pleasure nearly sexual in nature. The release would flood from her throat, down her shoulders, into her belly, and then finally reach her liquid hot center, leaving her levitating with pleasure and guilt. She was a Catholic after all.

But Mulder was wrong. Her guilty pleasure wasn’t cigarettes or any of the other vices he’d dreamed up for her—unprotected sex with strangers, a late night binge and purge, or even a snorted line of amphetamines, perhaps a habit picked up in her high-pressure med school days.

No, it was something more perverse than even he could have imagined: saccharine sweet, artificially colored, pastel pink Hostess Sno Balls. They were calorie bombs with no redeeming nutritional value that stayed suspiciously shelf stable longer than anything found in nature. Dana Scully should not eat Hostess Sno Balls so, obviously, she craved them.

This was a woman who ate her eggs without yolks, her salads without dressing, and her popcorn without butter. She drank her coffee with a thimble of skim milk and believed a handful of raw, unsalted almonds was a fulfilling snack. So when he caught her trying to shove a package of Sno Balls into her purse on the way out of a gas station early in their partnership, he was endlessly amused.

“I didn’t get my copy of the New England Journal of Medicine this month,” he said, grinning as he topped off the gas tank. “Was there a groundbreaking report on the cardiovascular benefits of high fructose corn syrup and red 40 dye?”

“The journal is weekly,” she said, opening up the passenger side door without making eye contact. “And no, Mulder. It’s just been a shitty week and I want a fucking Sno Ball.”

He couldn’t argue with her there. They’d been stuck on a stakeout that ended up being a massive waste of time. The case was in a small town whose only lodging was a rundown motor inn with pathetic water pressure, sheets even he deemed too filthy to sleep under, and neither air conditioner nor cable TV. If anyone deserved a Sno Ball, it was his partner.

On the drive back to DC he teased out the details. She told him how the mass produced snack served as a reliable comfort during her nomadic childhood as a navy brat. She never knew what her new school would be like, if the kids would be nice, or if the teacher would be strict, but she always knew she’d find those friendly pink confections in the local supermarket. And they came two to a pack, so they were perfect for sharing with her sister.

“In fact, I’m going to give her one of these,” she said.

“You’re seeing your sister when we get back?”

“No,” she said. “Melissa is currently on a joy ride up and down the West Coast with her boyfriend so I probably won’t see her for weeks, but these things never go bad.”

“I’d say it’s good to hear there will be something for the cockroaches to eat after we humans manage to destroy all other forms of life on this planet, but somehow I doubt even the roaches will want anything to do with that.”

“I guess my cabinet is safe from roaches then.”

Once he found out about the Sno Balls, it became a ritual. After an especially grueling case he’d pick up a bag of sunflower seeds and a package of Sno Balls from the gas station on their way out of town.

The first time he bought them after Melissa died, he didn’t have the heart to give her a package of two, so he tore open the plastic and tossed one Sno Bal in the garbage before bringing it to her, a single Sno Ball in a ripped-open wrapper.

First, she cried. Next, she thanked him. And, finally, she told him it was a waste to throw out a perfectly good Sno Ball and that he should just eat it himself.

Of course, he couldn’t. Even a man who lived off cheap coffee, sunflower seeds, and processed deli meat sandwiches on Wonder Bread had his limits. So he kept the half-full packages in one of his kitchen cabinets. Once she discovered them, she started sneaking one whenever she was over late at night reviewing a case file. She was right that they never went bad. And he was right that, even unsealed, they never attracted roaches.

***

The perky blonde waitress at the Headless Woman Pub was skeptical when he showed up with a single, unwrapped Sno Ball and requested it be presented with a candle at the end of the meal for his dinner companion who had yet to arrive. She pointed out that serving outside food was against the health code. He never told Scully he had to flash his badge and play the terminal cancer card to get the waitress to agree to serve up a solitary pink Sno Ball of unknown origin. But seeing her face light up when it arrived at the table and watching the reflection of the sparklers dancing in her eyes made it all worth it.

[science-lover33]

The Power of Immunotherapy: A Deep Dive into Cancer Treatment

Immunotherapy, a groundbreaking approach in cancer treatment, has been making waves in the medical world. 🌟 But what exactly is it, and how does it work? Let's delve into the intricacies of this cutting-edge therapy. 💉

Immunotherapy at a Glance: 🔬 Immunotherapy, or immuno-oncology, is a therapeutic strategy that harnesses the body's immune system to combat cancer cells. Unlike traditional treatments like chemotherapy, which target both healthy and cancerous cells, immunotherapy is highly targeted, making it a game-changer in the fight against cancer.

Key Players in Immunotherapy: 🦠

Tumor Antigens are molecules found on cancer cells that act as red flags, signaling the immune system to attack. 👥

T Cells: The immune system's soldiers. They are trained to recognize and destroy threats, including cancer cells.

💡 Checkpoint Inhibitors: Proteins that, when blocked, enhance the immune response against cancer. 🧬

CAR-T Cell Therapy: Genetic engineering to supercharge T cells for precision attacks on tumors.

How Does Immunotherapy Work? Immunotherapy comes in various forms, but they all aim to accomplish one goal: boost the immune system's ability to recognize and eradicate cancer cells. Whether through checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines, or CAR-T cell therapy, the goal remains: empower the immune system's fighters!

Immunotherapy is a testament to the power of science and innovation, offering new hope to cancer patients worldwide. 🌍

Let's continue to explore, research, and advance this remarkable field to improve the lives of those affected by cancer.

References:

Postow, M. A., Callahan, M. K., & Wolchok, J. D. (2015). Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Cancer Therapy. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 33(17), 1974–1982. doi:10.1200/jco.2014.59.4358

Rosenberg, S. A., Yang, J. C., & Restifo, N. P. (2004). Cancer immunotherapy: moving beyond current vaccines. Nature Medicine, 10(9), 909–915. doi:10.1038/nm1100

June, C. H., & Sadelain, M. (2018). Chimeric Antigen Receptor Therapy. New England Journal of Medicine, 379(1), 64–73. doi:10.1056/nejmra1706164