#protein characterization

[wikipediapictures]

Protein sequencing

“A Beckman-Coulter Porton LF3000G protein sequencer.” - via Wikimedia Commons

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Novel Raman technique breaks through 50 years of frustration

Raman spectroscopy—a chemical analysis method that shines monochromatic light onto a sample and records the scattered light that emerges—has caused frustration among biomedical researchers for more than half a century. Due to the heat generated by the light, live proteins are nearly destroyed during the optical measurements, leading to diminishing and non-reproducible results. As of recently, however, those frustrations may now be a thing of the past. A group of researchers with the Institute for Quantum Sciences and Engineering at Texas A&M University and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) have developed a new technique that allows low-concentration and low-dose screenings of protein-to-ligand interactions in physiologically relevant conditions. Titled thermostable-Raman-interaction-profiling (TRIP), this new approach is a paradigm-shifting answer to a long-standing problem that provides label-free, highly reproducible Raman spectroscopy measurements. The researchers published their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Read more.

[bommagoni]

Protein Characterization And Identification Market Size, Share

[futuretonext]

Global Protein Characterization and Identification Market

The Global Protein Characterization and Identification Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 13.4% during the forecast period, i.e., 2022-27. The growth of the market would be driven primarily by the growing population suffering from chronic diseases and the mounting focus of governments of different countries on strengthening their healthcare industries & developing new therapeutics to cater to the patient influx worldwide. It, in turn, is surging the demand for protein characterization & identification methods to analyze the cellular dynamics & bring developments in treatments.

[covid-safer-hotties]

also preserved on our archive

By Erica Sloan

These days, it’s tempting to compare COVID-19 with the common cold or flu. It can similarly leave you with a nasty cough, fever, sore throat—the full works of respiratory symptoms. And it’s also become a part of the societal fabric, perhaps something you’ve resigned yourself to catching at least a few times in your life (even if you haven’t already). But let’s not forget: SARS-CoV-2 (the virus responsible for COVID) is still relatively new, and researchers are actively investigating the toll of reinfection on the body. While there are still a lot of unknowns, one thing seems to be increasingly true: Getting COVID again and again is a good deal riskier than repeat hits of its seasonal counterparts.

It turns out, SARS-CoV-2 is more nefarious than these other contagious bugs, and our immune response to it, often larger and longer-lasting. COVID has a better ability to camouflage itself in the body, “and it has the keys to the kingdom in the sense that it can unlock any cell and get in,” says Esther Melamed, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of neurology at Dell Medical School, University of Texas Austin, and the research director of the Post-COVID-19 program at UT Health Austin. That’s because SARS-CoV-2 binds to ACE2 receptors, which exist in cells all over your body, from your heart to your gut to your brain. (By contrast, cold and flu viruses replicate mostly in your respiratory tract.)

It only follows that a bigger threat can trigger an outsize immune response. In some people, the body’s reaction to COVID can turn into a “cytokine storm,” Dr. Melamed tells SELF, which is characterized by an excessive release of inflammatory proteins that can wreak havoc on multiple organ systems—not a common scenario for your garden-variety cold or flu. But even a “mild” case of COVID can throw your immune system into a tizzy as it works to quickly shore up your defenses. And each reinfection is a fresh opportunity for the virus to win the battle.

While you develop some immunity after a COVID infection, it doesn’t just grow with each additional hit. You might be thinking, “Aren’t I more protected against COVID and less likely to have a serious case after having been infected?” Part of that is true, to an extent. In the first couple years after COVID burst onto the scene, reinfections were generally (though not always) milder than a person’s initial bout of the virus. “The way we understand classic immunology is that your body will say to a virus [it’s seen before], ‘Oh, I know how to deal with you, and I’m now going to deal with you in a better way the second time around,’” says Ziyad Al-Aly, PhD, a clinical epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine and the chief of research and development at the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System.

But any encounter with COVID can also cause your immune system to “go awry or develop some form of dysfunction,” Dr. Al-Aly tells SELF. Specifically, “immune imprinting” can happen, where, upon a second (or third or fourth) exposure to the virus, your immune cells launch the same response as they did for the initial infection, in turn blocking or limiting the development of new antibodies necessary to fight off the current variant that’s stirring up trouble. So, “when you get hit an [additional] time, your immune system may not behave classically,” Dr. Al-Aly says, and could struggle with mounting a good defense.

Pair that dip in immune efficiency with the fact that your antibody levels also wane with time post-infection, and it’s easy to see how another hit can rock your body in a new way. Indeed, the more time that passes after any given COVID infection, the less of a “competitive advantage” you’ll have against any future one, Richard Moffitt, PhD, an associate professor at Emory University, in Atlanta, tells SELF. His research found that, while people who got sick initially during the delta phase were less likely to get reinfected during the first omicron wave (as compared to folks who were infected in a prior period), that benefit leveled off with following omicron variants.

There’s also the fact that no matter how your immune system has responded to a prior strain (or strains!) of the virus, it could react differently to a new mutation. “We tend to think of COVID as one homogeneous thing, but it’s really not,” Dr. Al-Aly says. So even if your body successfully thwarted one of these intruders in the past, there’s no guarantee it’ll do the same for another, now or in the future, he says.

Getting COVID again and again is especially risky if it previously made you very ill. Dr. Moffitt’s study above also found that the “severity of your first infection is very predictive of the severity of a reinfection,” he says. Meaning, you’re more likely to have a severe case of COVID—for instance, requiring hospitalization or intensive care, such as ventilation—when reinfected if you had a rough go of it the first time around.

It’s possible that some folks are more prone to an off-kilter immune response to the virus, which could then happen consistently with reinfections. The antibodies created in people who’ve had severe cases “may not function as well as those in folks who’ve had mild infections or were able to fight the virus off,” Dr. Melamed says. Though researchers don’t fully understand why, some people’s immune systems are also more likely to overreact to COVID (remember the cytokine storm?), which can cause serious symptoms—like fluid in the lungs and shortness of breath—whenever they’re infected.

Being over the age of 65, having a chronic illness or other medical condition, and lacking access to health care have all been shown to spike your risk of serious outcomes with a COVID infection, whether it’s your first or fifth fight with the virus.

But you’re not home free if you’ve only had, say, a brief fever or cough with COVID in the past; Dr. Moffitt points out that a small subset of people in his research who had minor reactions with their initial infection went on to be hospitalized with a repeat hit. The probability of that might be lower, but it’s still a possibility, he says.

Even if you’ve only had “mild” cases, each reinfection strains your body, upping your chances of developing long COVID. A 2022 study led by Dr. Al-Aly found that COVID reinfections also increase your risk of complications across the board, regardless of whether you recovered just fine in the past or got vaccinated. In particular, it showed that reinfection raises the likelihood that you’ll need hospitalization; have heart or lung problems; or experience, among other possible issues, GI, neurological, mental health, or musculoskeletal symptoms. “We use the term ‘cumulative effects,’” Dr. Al-Aly says, “so, multiple hits accrue and then leave the body more vulnerable to all the potential long-term health effects of COVID.”

That doesn’t mean your experience of a second (or third or fourth) infection will necessarily be worse, in and of itself, than what you felt during a prior case. But with each new hit, a fresh batch of the virus seeps into your system, where, even if you have a mild case, it has another chance to trigger any of the longer-term complications above. While the likelihood of getting long COVID (a constellation of symptoms lingering for three months or longer post-infection) is likely greatest after initial infection, “The bottom line is, people are still getting diagnosed with long COVID after reinfection,” Dr. Moffitt says.

Researchers don’t totally know why one person might deal with lasting health effects over another, but it seems that, in some folks, the immune system misfires, generating not only antibodies to attack the virus but also autoantibodies that go after the body’s own healthy cells, Dr. Al-Aly says. This may be one reason why COVID has been linked to the onset of autoimmune conditions like psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.

A different hypothesis suggests that pieces of the virus could linger in the body, even after a person has seemingly “recovered” (reminder that SARS-CoV-2 is scarily good at weaseling its way into all sorts of cells). “Maybe the first time, your immune system was able to fully clear it, but the second time, it found a way to hang around,” Dr. Al-Aly posits. And a third theory involves your gut microbiome, the community of microbes in your GI tract, including beneficial bacteria. It’s conceivable that “when we get sick with COVID, these bacteria do, too, and perhaps they recover [on initial infection], but not on the second or third hit,” he says, throwing off your balance of good-to-bad gut bugs (which can impact your health in all sorts of ways).

Another unnerving possibility: The shock to your system triggered by COVID may “wake up” a latent (a.k.a. dormant) virus or two lurking in your body, Dr. Melamed says. We all carry anywhere from eight to 12 of these undetected bugs at a time—things like Epstein-Barr, varicella-zoster (which causes chickenpox and shingles), and herpes simplex. And research suggests their reactivation could be a contributing factor in long COVID. Separately, the systemic inflammation often created by COVID may spark the onset of high blood pressure and increased clotting (which can up your risk of stroke and pulmonary embolism), as well as type 2 diabetes, Dr. Melamed says.

There’s no guarantee that any given COVID infection snowballs into something debilitating, but each hit is like another round of Russian roulette, Dr. Al-Aly says. From a sheer numbers standpoint, the more times you play a game with the possibility of a negative outcome, the greater your chances are of that bad result occurring. And because every COVID case has at least some potential to leave you very ill or dealing with a host of persistent symptoms, why take the risk any more times than you need to?

Bottom line: You should do your best to avoid COVID reinfection and bolster your defenses against the virus. At this stage of the pandemic’s progression, it’s not realistic to suggest you can avoid any exposure to the virus, given that societal protections against its spread have been rolled back. But what you should do is take some common-sense precautions, which can help you avoid any contagious respiratory virus. (A cold or the flu may not pose as many potential health risks as COVID, but being sick is still not fun!)

It’s a good idea to wear a mask when you’re in a crowded environment (especially indoors), choose well-ventilated or outdoor spaces for group hangouts, and test for COVID if you have cold or flu-like symptoms, Dr. Al-Aly says. If you do get infected, talk to your doctor about whether your personal risk of a severe case is enough to qualify for a Paxlovid prescription (which you need to take within the first five days of symptoms for it to be effective).

The other important thing you should do is get the updated COVID vaccine (the 2024-2025 formula was recently approved and released). Unlike getting reinfected, the vaccine triggers “a very targeted immune response…because it’s [made with] a specific tiny part of the virus,” Dr. Melamed says. Meaning, you get the immune benefit of a little exposure without the potential of your whole system going haywire. Getting the current shot also ensures you restore any protection that has waned since you received a prior jab and that you have an effective shield against the dominant circulating strains. Plus, research shows that being vaccinated doesn’t just lower your chances of catching the virus; it also reduces your risk of having a severe case or winding up with long COVID if you do get it.

So, too, can the deceivingly simple act of keeping up with healthy habits—like exercising regularly, eating nutritious foods, and clocking quality sleep. Maintaining this kind of lifestyle can help you stave off other health issues that could increase your risk of harm from COVID, Harlan Krumholz, PhD, a cardiologist at Yale University and founder of the Yale Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), tells SELF. “Given that we will be repetitively exposed to the virus, the best investments we can make are in our baseline health,” he says.

Doing any (or all!) of the above is a big act of compassion for yourself, the people you love, and your greater community. “For the average person, it’s like, ‘Oh, COVID is gone,’ but they’re just not seeing the impact,” Dr. Al-Aly says, noting the invisibility of long COVID symptoms like disorienting brain fog and crushing fatigue. The truth is, in plenty of people, just one more infection could be the difference between living their best life and facing a devastating chronic condition.

[freaktoru]

Hi, I'm actually a new follower I love your Igris bf head cannons, I'm not if you've done Manager Woo, 👉👈 I'm a sucker for this man.

✰ pairing: woo jinchul x reader ✰ summary: what woo jinchul would be like as your boyfriend! ✰ warnings: smut, fluff a/n: yk what...ur onto something with him. i hope i did a good job of characterizing him! sadly we get literal crumbs of him in the anime and manhwa but regardless enjoy <333 likes and reblogs always appreciated!

hes a go-getter, he knows what he wants and he will not stop at anything to get it.

in this case, it's you.

he'll be the one to ask you out and he'll take you on a date, somewhere really nice in the city.

super straight forward and bold, he will be the one to ask you to be his significant other

this man works like there's no tomorrow, he's always at the office, always in a meeting or even at home he's always WORKING.

it kinda pisses u off... but he gets that bank soooo you don't complain

likes expensive things

lives in a super modern penthouse apartment in the heart of seoul and drives a super expensive sleek black car

i mean being the right hand man of the chairman of the hunters association does have it's perks right?

spends his lunch breaks only with you <3

his coworkers want to have lunch? hell no. he's spending every spare minute he has with you.

lovessss when you visit him at work and bring him food or coffee to his office!!

a city man at heart.

really likes exploring coffee shops with you

and shopping omgggg he loves to buy you expensive jewelry and nice clothes.

his baby gotta look good next to him.

while he's straight forward and all his communication style can be kind of confusing. he comes off as super blunt and direct and unknowingly hurts your feelings sometimes

but don't worry, if he does, he'll apologize for it later by eating you out.

doesn't like to cook, he's a takeout kind of guy but if you cook him food? he'll be on his knees within minutes.

very very protective. always has a hand on your waist in public, or always touching you in some way to make sure no one can hurt you while he's not looking!

his love language is definitely gift giving and physical touch

buys you flowers AT LEAST once a week

and you know they're the most expensive ones too...

really likes showering together. it does not count as a good shower if he has to do it alone.

he's got really healthy habits and loves sticking to a routine.

morning run, workouts after work, healthy food, protein shakes you name it he probably incorporates it into his busy schedule somehow. tbh he's so inspirational.

likes when you practice these habits with him!! like going to the gym together :p and fucking in the locker room

hates deviating from his routine, i think he's kinda anal about how and when things are done.

just be consistent with the man that's all he asks

but despite his serious demeanor he is so lovey and sweet <3

very cuddly and loves spending his weekends cuddling up on the couch together to watch movies

likes having an arm wrapped around you when he sleeps.

feeling sad? he'll give you the best, most tender hugs.

super great at comfort. he's super direct but also great at knowing when you want solutions vs when you just want to rant (we need more men like him fr.)

onto the spice:

has insane stamina and a HIGH sex drive.

a bit of an exhibitionist

likes semi-public sex, hes just not patient enough to wait until you two get home

OFFICE SEX! fucks you rough on his desk late at night.

thigh riding. fucking loves having you ride his thigh like a needy puppy when he's working.

"keep it goin' baby you're doing well" his warm whisper hits the shell of your ear and sends light shivers of pleasure down your spine. you're desperately rubbing yourself against his thigh, needing more than just the friction from his nice, expensive dress pants. but he won't give it to you. no, he likes you all worked up and fucked out BEFORE he even thinks about putting his dick inside of you. "jinchul e-enough, just fuck me already" you whine between sobs, pushing and pounding your curled up fist on his chest. but he doesn't take well to whiny, needy brats like you. "i told you to be patient" he grabs hold of your hand, intertwining his fingers with yours. "do that again and i won't be so merciful" he whispers, his voice low and seductive, before turning back to his computer to work.

lmfao i'm down bad

anyways

he's lowkey a fucking freak. he appears to be so locked into his job and so serious all the time but that man needs to get that pent up stress and anger out somewhere.

you're his favorite outlet <3

huge fan of morning sex before work. he claims it gets him going for the day lol

even if you don't have to wake up as early as him he will wake you up with a cock in your warm, wet pussy and fuck you slow and good in missionary.

this is your favorite way to wake up.

also really likes car sex. after every date, any grocery run, honestly anytime you're in the car with him the two of you will fuck.

HUGE fan of blowjobs. SUCK THIS MAN OFF!!!

remember how i said he likes showering with you? well obviously that entails shower sex. he will fuck you so good against those expensive, marble, shower tiles of his.

[mindblowingscience]

For many years, it was widely believed that fossils no longer contained any original organic molecules as the fossilization process was thought to destroy them. Now, a groundbreaking study, led by the University of Liverpool, has revealed strong evidence that Mesozoic fossils still preserve their original organic materials. Using advanced mass spectrometry and other techniques, researchers identified preserved collagen remnants in the hip bone of an Edmontosaurus, a duck-billed dinosaur, helping to resolve a debate that has spanned three decades. The study, published in the journal Analytical Chemistry, used several techniques, including protein sequencing, to detect and characterize bone collagen in the 22-kilogram fossil.

Continue Reading.

[giulliadella]

Speculative Biology of Euclydians (and Bill Cipher) part 2

Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, UPDATE, Part 5

So this part is what you've all been waiting for, it took so long, but you'll quickly understand why. This part is:

The Biology of Bill Cipher

As always, this analysis is based on two assumptions:

Before Bill Cipher became a demigod, he was a biological, living organism and so were the rest of his species.

Even after Bill Cipher became a demigod, he still retained some physical characteristics of his biological form.

And a fair content warning: This contains anatomy illustrations. This isn't anything gory, but there are people who are squeamish, so you've been warned.

Click on the images to get better quality!

And without further ado, let's begin.

External structures

Euclydians are animals with a very specific shape. They have a shell in a form of a geometric shape and four limbs. Bill is an equilateral triangle, so my analysis will be just on triangular Euclydeans.

They have bilateral symmetry. This type of symmetry is characterized by having a left and a right side placed like mirror images of each other. Humans and majority of Earth’s animals also have this feature.

Bilaterally symmetrical organisms usually have a distinct head region, because of a process known as cephalization. This process moves the animal’s brain and sensory organs towards one end of the body – the head. Euclydians have a head. It’s the “tip of the pyramid” on Bill and that’s where the eye and other sensory organs and brain are located.

Finally, Euclydeans are segmented. Their segments are clearly visible as those weird brick lines on their body. Bill also often separates his body into three segments. This is a part of his god powers, but it tells us that Euclydeans have three major body segments, I’ll call them the tip, the middle and the base. Each segment contains specific organs.

Euclydeans are invertebrates. And yes, I know this image exists, but this is just Bill’s trolling. He’s making fun of human classrooms where we often find skeleton models. That skeleton wouldn’t even be functional, because it doesn’t have any joints in arms and legs, so it wouldn’t be able to move. And it has a hole where the brain would be, so you know, the fucking brain would fall out.

It was outright stated that Bill has an exoskeleton. Having both external and internal skeleton would be a big waste because you have two systems that do the same thing. Besides, the way Bill's limbs move is much more similar to an invertebrate. His shell is also somewhat bendable which would not be possible if it was made of bone. And the eye-mouth complex that Bill uses to eat would also be completely impossible with a set of vertebrate jaws.

Euclydean shell (or exoskeleton) is nothing like anything here on Earth. It’s most likely made out of silica combined with proteins. I say this because Bill turned to stone when he died and he also likes to eat glass, which is pure silica.

The exoskeleton is made out of several parts. It has a front (ventral) and back (dorsal) part. Both the front and the back part of the exoskeleton are made out of head region (the tip) and three layers of “bricks” which are just segments of the exoskeleton.

The front tip is probably made of more protein and elastic tissue than the back, because Bill has a very expressive “face”. This means that he also has quite complex facial muscles. The back of the head is probably the hardest part of the exoskeleton because it protects the brain. Bricks are in the middle since they have a very important role in speaking and breathing, but also allow the shell to bend.

Can Euclydeans change color, or is it just Bill Cipher using his god powers? Well, since he changes his color on instinct, I think they could! Bill can change color to black, yellow, red and blue. This means that he has a complex system of chromatophores – cells that contain little sacs full of pigment. When the sacs inflate, the body appears to be the color of the largest sac, whilst those deflated are invisible. Color changes depending on the pigments contained in inflated sacs. In Bill, the pigments are red, blue and yellow. Yellow is the standard color, it signifies neutral or content emotional state. He turns red when he's angry or wants to look intimidating and blue might signify fear, despair and cry for help. Black is the color of Euclydean’s skin, so when they look black, it’s because all pigment sacs have deflated and the transparent shell allows us to see the skin underneath.

And yes, Euclydeans have black skin. I know some people say that Bill wears thigh high boots and long gloves, but to me, that doesn’t make any sense. Like, that image of him in Theraprism is showing him with clothes over his supposed gloves and boots. Why would they make him wear sneakers over boots? And why baby Bill has yellow hands? Well, that’s something I’ll tell you in the next part where I’ll talk about babies.

Anyways, the skin is black, but we have no idea what it feels like. Seriously, so many people shook hands with Bill and nobody wrote down how his skin feels like! But we know that he has fingerprints. That means that he has very sensitive fingertips and that those little paws were made for grabbing things. Also, Bill doesn’t have any growths on his skin: no nails, hairs, scales etc. I know a lot of people love to draw Bill with claws, but he doesn’t have claws, not even in his most eldritch form. His fingers always remain small and soft. The legs have no fingers and the skin of the sole of their feet is probably thick.

Internal Structures

Coelom

Coelom is one of the most important organs, that you probably don’t know you even have! It’s a fluid filled cavity whose role is to separate internal organs from the muscles of the body wall. This allows organs to move and grow independently of your muscles and it also protects and cushions them against impact. In humans coelom is complex and it’s made out of pericardial cavity (around the heart – allows heart to pump blood), pleural cavity (around lungs – allows lungs to expand while breathing) and peritoneal cavity (around digestive system – allows for expansion and movement of digestive organs).

I believe that Euclydeans also have some form of a coelom. Coelom is even more important in invertebrates, as that’s where their immune system is and it can also serve as a supportive hydroskeleton. Since Euclydeans have a hard shell, they need the protection around their organs. Every shelled animal on Earth has coelom for that reason. They also need room for the food they eat, since the shell can’t expand and their limbs can enter the shell, so they need room for that too.

2. Nervous system

Euclydeans have a vast range of emotions, capability to communicate using speech, body language and even color shifting. They are as intelligent, or more intelligent than humans. They have a highly developed eye and other senses and all of this requires a nervous system. We saw Bill’s optic nerve when his eye got pulled out during Weirdmageddon, so he does have a nervous system, but I can't tell you how exactly it looks like.

There’s one part of Bill that I bet is similar to human - it’s his brain. Bill claims that he can take control over any being a long as they have neurons. This is his god like power, but then, why just beings with neurons? Well, most likely, because he has neurons too and kind of understands how they work. Maybe his brain even produces similar neurotransmitters as ours, so we’re easy to control with them. The brain is in the tip of the pyramid, slightly above eye and it likely has a lot of neurons and a very complex structure. I can’t tell you how exactly is his brain organized, but since he's bilaterally symmetrical, it’s very likely that it has hemispheres. He likely also has two neural cords, like most invertebrates, and those run down the dorsal (back) side of his body

3. Senses

Euclydeans have camera lens type eyes. Now here I can only speak of Bill, since we haven’t seen any other Euclydian. Bill’s eye is large, placed in the center of his “face”. It has eyelids with “eyelashes” (more on them later) and produces tears (Bill cries after his break up with Ford). The pupil is slit and vertical and there is no iris. However, there are muscles that can change the shape and dilation of the pupil. The eye looks similar enough to human that I can confidently say that he has cornea, lens and sclera. The eye is filled with refractory fluid and has some form of retina in the back. Bill’s eye changing color and being used as a projector or to shoot lasers are all parts of his god powers, however, it is possible that his species has a tapetum lucidum, a reflective layer of cells which help animals see in low light conditions and also makes the eye glow in the dark. Bill has color vision and he claims that he can see every part of the electromagnetic spectrum, but I think that's a part of his god powers. However, Euclydeans definitely could see in color, since their alphabet was basically a color code and they also use colors to express emotion.

Since Bill has fingerprints, we can confidently say that his fingers are the most sensitive part of his skin. Bill can feel through his shell too, just like every shelled organism ever (that's why he used Ford as a backscratcher). Tactile senses are very primitive, so Eucliydeans could feel cold, heat, pain, pressure, vibration and everything else just like we do.

Bill has a sense of smell and he even says which scents he finds attractive. This could mean that sense of smell plays a big role in reproduction of Euclydeans, but where is it located? Well, on the eyelashes. Except, those are not eyelashes, they are antennae. Bill has total eight of these antennae, 4 on lower and 4 on upper eyelid. They are very soft and sensitive, so he can retract them inside the eyelid. He does that when he feels threatened, so it’s probably a fight or flight response. His lashes get longer and he flutters his eyelid more near Ford, probably because he enjoys his smell. They are also located close to the mouth, so that’s how he samples the scents of the food.

Euclydeans have great hearing. They communicate vocally, sing, Bill can play the piano, so obviously, they hear. But I have no idea what they use to hear. It could be the bow tie, since it does look vaguely ear shaped, but it's possible that the bow tie isn't actually an organ. In that case, they could have an unknown structure inside them or they could just use their thin exoskeleton to catch sound vibrations.

They taste using their long tongue.

4. Muscles and movement

We have seen Bill’s muscles and they are striated skeletal muscles like mammals and insects have.

As the shell is kind of bendy, there is a lot of muscles underneath it. Those are the muscles of the body, they also move the face and bricks while speaking. The limbs have muscles too and two kinds at that.

When Ford shoots through Bill’s hat (which also a part of him) it is shown that inside of it are strange bone-like structures. These are not bones, since they aren’t articulated, but muscles do connect to them. They kind of remind me of echinoderm ossicles, but they don’t really look like them. This is another fully alien structure and I’ll call them anchors.

You know how Bill’s limbs can both bend just like human arms and legs, like he has elbows, wrists, knees and ankles, but they also bend like goofy rubber-hose cartoon anatomy? Well, that’s because there are two types of muscles in them. There are muscles attached to the anchor points and subcutaneous muscles.

Anchor points are located in the same places as joints in humans. Muscles that attach to them are long and strong and they are used for regulated, precise movement. The subcutaneous muscles (the one we see in his Weirdmageddon image) are used to bend the limbs in every other manner. They are not attached to anchors, but to the skin, so they resemble muscles of octopus arms. They are shorter and less strong, but when they act together they move the limbs in coils. These muscles are also responsible for squishing the limbs inside the shell when they are hidden.

Bill has incredible control and dexterity of his muscles, especially in arms and fingers. Even though his paws are soft and small, he can use them pretty much as efficiently as humans use their hands.

Possibly the strongest muscles in Bill's body are his jaw muscles, so let's talk about those jaws.

5. Eye-mouth complex and the digestive system

Having your eye used for feeding seems wild to us, but this adaptation is seemingly common in fictional geometric shaped people, as it has convergently evolved in Flatland’s inhabitants as well. And, speak what you like, but Euclydeans can’t choke on their food, so they have it better than humans.

I don’t know what Flatlanders eat, but Euclydeans are definitely predators. Now, I know that Bill sometimes depicts himself with human like teeth. The guy has a thing for teeth, especially molars, but he doesn’t have mammalian teeth. In every image where he opens his mouth that was not made by him, we see that he has cone shaped sharp teeth, like a predator. These teeth are great for biting and subduing prey, but they suck at chewing. Euclydeans can’t chew, so they they feed by swallowing chunks that they bite off, or swallowing their food whole if it’s small enough.

Here I depicted how this “eye-mouth complex” functions:

Euclydeans have a stomach in the middle of their body, but I have no idea what goes after it. My best guess is that they have a branching intestine. Our flattest organisms (flatworms, sea stars and brittle stars) all have this type of intestine. It basically means that, instead of just going like a tube, the intestine branches into different parts of the body. I also have no idea whether they have an anus and if it’s just one. This is just something I can’t tell you.

Since Euclydeans are capable of eating a lot of various things, I expect that they have accessory digestive glands (that’s liver and pancreas in humans). Strangely, despite the fact that his anatomy indicates a predator, Bill likes eating starch (pasta, empanadas, sandwiches etc). Most carnivores are unable to digest starch, so I went with god powers, but he ate sandwiches when he was a kid and had no god powers. So, we have two options. Either Euclydeans are omnivores (which, with those teeth, I doubt) or the animals on their planet store their excess calories as starch, not fat, so predators evolved the ability to digest it. If the second one is true, then Bill eating pasta is like your cat eating pure butter. It’s probably not healthy for him, but I don’t think he’s a guy who would give a single crap about that.

6. Breathing and speaking

In The Book of Bill, Bill says that “dumb trapezoids and rhombuses were sucking up his rightful oxygen”. This means that Euclydeans are aerobic organisms – they breathe oxygen. Their skin is dry, so they don't use it for breathing and they also speak, laugh and sing. All of this tells me that they have lungs.

I believe that their lungs are located near the base where the bricks are. The gaps between bricks have little tracheae that lead to the lungs. Bill most likely breathes in from his back side and breathes out from the front. The air is probably forced to travel through small crevices inside the lungs so that it can exchange the oxygen with blood. We don’t know whether Euclydeans exhale carbon dioxide, but they probably do, since they can eat our food, so they probably have similar metabolism to us Earthlings.

Since Euclydeans can speak and laugh, they probably have some kind of a diaphragm. In fact, I think they have two! Their voice has an echo, which means that, most likely, their lungs don’t always expel air at the same time. Air expelling causes the bricks to vibrate which produces sound. That’s why Bill seems to glow when he speaks – he’s actually vibrating. This action is also controlled by muscles. Depending on which row of bricks is vibrating and how many of them are involved, Bill changes the pitch and tone of his voice.

And the growling noise? Well, when Bill uses his demonic voice, he is doing one of two things. He is either using his god like powers to modify his voice, or that’s just how Euclydian vocal fry sounds. If you don’t know what vocal fry is, it’s produced when the vocal chords are vibrating slowly and they become out of sync. This produces a very specific sound and that sound can be made voluntarily. That’s how Mongolian throat singing works. Similarly, Euclydeans could slow down the rate at which their bricks vibrate and make them out of sync to produce that menacing “demon voice” as a threat display.

7. Circulatory system

We know how Euclydean blood looks like. It’s silvery and kind of seems like it glitches. It also contain chemicals that can make humans sick. This means that Euclydeans have much different blood from animals on Earth, but it certainly serves the same function. It’s used to transport nutrients and oxygen through their body.

Since the agents from The Book of Bill were able to draw his blood, it’s clear that Bill has a circulatory system and a closed one at that. The closed circulatory system means that blood vessels end in capillary nets and don’t open inside the body cavity like they do in molluscs and insects. If the agents used syringe to pull Bill’s blood and he had an open circulatory system, they could actually collapse the entire thing as they would pull his organs as well. That’s why I believe that he has a closed circulatory system.

Closed circulatory system requires a heart and I believe that Bill’s heart is located between his lungs, like ours. I have no proof that his heart looked anything like in the illustration, but I looove cardiology, so I did all this just because I wanted to draw a weird heart. I don’t think Euclydeans have a super complex four chambered heart like we do, they most likely have two or three chambered heart. The heart separates lung and body circulation and regulates their blood pressure.

The capillary nets are all located in important places: lungs where they exchange oxygen, intestines where they absorb nutrients and brain where they feed the neurons. Euclydeans have a rather large brain, so it probably uses most of their calories and oxygen.

8. Other systems

I can’t tell you anything abut Euclydean excretory system. I don’t know whether they produce urine or not, if they have kidneys, nephrocytes or something completely different. I genuinely have no idea.

They have to have an immune system because they are multicellular. Every single multicellular organism including sponges and plants has some form of an immune system. I believe Euclydeans have something similar to coelomocytes - a very common type of immune cells in invertebrates which reside in coelomatic cavity.

I'll talk about reproductive system in Part 3!

Are Euclydeans warm or cold-blooded?

This was a very tough one, because they could be both, but I am leaning more towards cold-blooded. They have very little muscle mass and heat is produced within the muscles via trembling or metabolic heat (heat released in various chemical reactions in the body). When an animal has very little muscle it isn’t used for that. Even mammals like sloths who have significantly reduced muscle mass become dependent on the surrounding temperature. Also, Euclydean flat shape can easily distribute heat they absorb, so they wouldn’t need to waste energy making their own. On top of that, Euclydeans don’t wear clothes, which can be a cultural thing, sure, but they could also not wear clothes because they need their skin exposed so that it could absorb heat.

Here's how Bill Cipher's complete inner anatomy looks like:

There, I hope you enjoyed this! I'll see you hopefully next week to tell you about Euclydean reproduction and development.

Thank you @ok1237 @unoriginal-starwalker and @chrystalitar for your support :D

(Also, I hid Ford Pines in one of the anatomy illustrations. Can you find him? Click on the images for better quality!)

[butchvampireheimerdinger]

any sevika x butch reader hcs? :P

i see her as soooo butch4butch omg. Transgression is so core to her characterization and I think she would find gender non-conforming dykes soooo attractive. Anyways

Butch4butch! Sevika x reader headcanons

✯ You’ve both got lil peach fuzzy moustaches and neither of u remove ur facial hair so when u kiss ur moustaches tickle each other a little bit.

✯ You’re both rather lesbian obviously and so your love for women n other queer people extends beyond romance. If some dude is bothering some poor chick at the bar, you become the Woman Protection Squad. You’re everyone’s lesbian moms/guard dogs.

✯ Idk who her parents are but she gives off military brat vibes/raised by a strict army father. Now she’s incredibly anti-military (”I didnt always see eye to eye with my old man) but she makes her bed meticulously army style. She’s disciplined like that.

✯ It drives her wild seeing you in “more refined” clothing. Which, for her, means pants without holes that are not jeans, and one of your gay little button ups you probably have. Especially when she becomes a counselor and you show up in Piltover all dyked out in your menswear. Old rich ladies are clutching their pearls and she could probably just take you right there.

✯ Your fav Sevika outfit is the rumpled boxers and wife pleaser combo. Nuff said. Also you share a closet and there’s not a really clear boundary with what belongs to who, except for a few items of clothing that are your “signature.” Like your leather punky battle vest. And her poncho.

✯ You guys would be the punky type of older lesbians that never fought for gay marriage because it was seen as assimilating to a heteronormative society and making queerness palatable to a straight audience. Regardless, you do refer to each other as life partners, domestic partners, sometimes wife. Not really girlfriend unless in a cutesy ironic sorta way.

✯ And as for cutesy nicknames? You call each other “my butch.” Or “my woman” or “my old lady.”

✯ If you did end up having a ceremony with friends and family to celebrate your bond, its double suits fosho. Not exactly matching, but complementary. Maybe borrowed parts from friends and family because who is gonna buy a new suit in this economy? We have a revolution to run!!

✯ It’s at The Last Drop obvs and you hop behind the bar and pour beers, getting your suit all wet. Instead of a bouquet toss, all the single people gather for a rapidfire round of blackjack for who’s the next to get married.

✯ Your “honeymoon” is camping in the nearest wilderness. its all either of you had ever dreamed of. You ride off on your shimmer motorcycle with a billion illegal modifications with cans hanging from it and a sign on the back that says “just hitched.” And you get to watch her chop wood. And she gets to watch you gut a fish. It’s like butchdyke brokeback mountain.

✯ Housework isn’t a masculinity or femininity thing to either of you. She can cook meat, you can do all the plants and veggies cause maybe ur like a gym bro health nut type. Her tendency to load up on protein and nothing else drives you up the wall. “Colorful plate, Sev.”

✯ She does vacuuming and laundry cause she likes to fold stuff a certain way. You do dishes cause neither of you are sure just how waterproof her arm is. And you pick up the clutter so she doesn’t irritate her bad back.

✯ She grills on the barbecue at the summer parties. You pour drinks and set up the trampoline and tetherball thingy/yard games for the kiddos

✯ Affectionate touches include: ruffling each other’s short hair. Pulling you in by the belt loops. Absentmindedly straightening ur rolled up sleeves. You like to rest your head in her lap when its the two of you on the couch and you don’t feel like talking. She uses ur head as a little desk for whatever she’s reading.

✯ You both wear gay little rectangular reading glasses. At night she reads whatever religious text Janna worshippers use in bed next to you and you gab. She peers over her lil glasses at u. Zaun is more religious than Piltover so maybe you both are people of the faith. But if religious trauma exists in this context and you’ve got it, she would always be respectful cause she knows what its like to feel like an outsider.

✯ Obviously you work out together, but neither of you have a consistent routine for that cause ur gay and probably have adhd and her line of work has inconsistent hours.

✯ You have a punching bag in the basement and sometimes the two of you let off steam by punching it back and forth like pingpong. (That’s not how punching bags move, but use your imagination.)

✯ It’s never been a plan for the two of you to have kids and i don’t see formal adoption/ivf/sperm donors being widely accessible in the undercity. But i can see it happening where a disparaged youth on the street adopts the two of you and you become parental figures in that way. Maybe you take in a young trans fellow with a rocky home life. also there’s isha.

✯ If you end up with a younger child in ur care, they call you mama sev or mama vika and mama y/n. Or a cultural name for mom if you have one.

✯ Sevika would be weirdly good with kids because she sees them as people with feelings. She wouldn’t talk down to them or anything. She would be the bad cop but also kind of a gentle parent type. And you know how people sometimes put their naughty kittens or puppies in “air jail?” She is buff enough to do that with her kid one handed until they’re at least ten. And she is the BEST at doing the airplane thing.

Fin.

[frownyalfred]

I was reading a sky of honey and then ao3 crashed for me so I’m over here to say aaaaaaahhhhh Jason just got into the nest and I’m dying. I can’t wait until the next chapter loads. I really love Lex’s characterization *offers you (high-protein for your cut) soup* I love your writing so much

GOD FUCKING DAMN IT AO3 CRASHED??? AFTER I WROTE AND POSTED AN 8K CHAPTER??? AGHHHHHHHHHH IM GONNA FUCKING JUMP OFF A BRIDGE

(Thank you so much, appreciate the soup. I’m gonna go cry lmao)

[amber-tortoiseshell]

Elvtársak, végre.

The orange gene of cats has been identified as the Rho GTPase Activating Protein 36 (Arhgap36) gene.

This protein is part of the pigment production pathway: mutant Arhgap36 triggers the degradation of one of the participating enzymes, leading to red/yellow pheomelanon production instead of black/brown eumelanin.

This means not only that we now know the molecular mechanism of the red color, but also if everything goes well, red and tortie will be finally testable!

[transgenderer]

The crocodile icefish or white-blooded fish comprise a family (Channichthyidae) of notothenioidfish found in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. They are the only known vertebrates to lack hemoglobin in their blood as adults.[2]

Although they do not manufacture hemoglobin, remnants of hemoglobin genes can be found in their genome. The hemoglobin protein is made of two subunits (alpha and beta). In 15 of the 16 icefish species, the beta subunit gene has been completely deleted and the alpha subunit gene has been partially deleted.[13] One icefish species, Neopagetopsis ionah, has a more complete, but still nonfunctional, hemoglobin gene.[14]

Red blood cells (RBCs) are usually absent, and if present, are rare and defunct.[15] Oxygen is dissolved in the plasma and transported throughout the body without the hemoglobin protein. The fish can live without hemoglobin via low metabolic rates and the high solubility of oxygen in water at the low temperatures of their environment (the solubility of a gas tends to increase as temperature decreases).[2] However, the oxygen-carrying capacity of icefish blood is less than 10% that of their relatives with hemoglobin.[16]

Myoglobin, the oxygen-binding protein used in muscles, is absent from all icefish skeletal muscles. In 10 species, myoglobin is found in the heart muscle, specifically ventricles.[17] Loss of myoglobin gene expression in icefish heart ventricles has occurred at least four separate times.[2][18]

To compensate for the absence of hemoglobin, icefish have larger blood vessels (including capillaries), greater blood volumes (four-fold those of other fish), larger hearts, and greater cardiac outputs (five-fold greater) compared to other fish.[2] Their hearts lack coronary arteries, and the ventricle muscles are very spongy, enabling them to absorb oxygen directly from the blood they pump.[19] Their hearts, large blood vessels and low-viscosity (RBC-free) blood are specialized to carry out very high flow rates at low pressures.[20] This helps to reduce the problems caused by the lack of hemoglobin.

The Southern Ocean is an atypical environment. To begin with, the Southern Ocean has been characterized by extremely cold but stable temperatures for the past 10-14 million years.[26] These cold temperatures, which allow for higher water oxygen content, combined with a high degree of vertical mixing in these waters, means oxygen availability in Antarctic waters is unusually high. The loss of hemoglobin and myoglobin would have negative consequences in warmer environments.[12] The stability in temperature is also "lucky", as strong fluctuations in temperature would create a more stressful environment that would likely weed out individuals with deleterious mutations. Although most research suggests that the loss of hemoglobin in icefish was a neutral or maladaptive trait that arose due to a random evolutionary event,[27] some researchers have also suggested that the loss of hemoglobin might be tied to a necessary adaptation for the icefish.[27] Most animals require iron for hemoglobin production, and iron is often limited in ocean environments.[28] Through hemoglobin loss, icefish may minimize their iron requirements. This minimization could have aided the icefish survival 8.5 million years ago when Arctic diversity plummeted dramatically.[27]

???

[4rrenstep]

A chunk from my essay on LotF that I wrote for english

- P.S. I really think the religious allegories in lotf are super interesting, so I decided to base my argumentative on them.

In Hebrew, the direct translation of the term ‘lord of the flies’ is Baal Zebub. In Greek, Beelzebub. Regarding Christian Mythology and the New Testament, Beezlebub is referred to as the prince of demons and a figure of Gluttony, chaos, and destruction; moreover, Beezlebub is even considered another name for Satan himself. William Golding’s choice of title for his novel Lord of the Flies–considering the derivation and linking of it to the themes Golding presents–steers and allows readers to observe the book through a religious lense that reveals more parables than they would get analyzing it at face value. The plot may appear very straightforward, but the descent to entropy and its catalysts aren’t simply just developing conflicts. Rather, it’s a combination–that of the circumstances interweaved with religious ideologies and the “ancient, inescapable” nature of mankind. The veridical reason the boys’ island falls apart is because of the human sin inherent in man (Golding 138).

Lord of the Flies explores the defects of humanity within society and the ethics of morality by forcing mankind (the boys) to start completely from scratch–strip it of everything it knows and allow a renew. When given this chance, marooned on a deserted island, man reverts back to his instincts, what he essentially was born with. He commits violence, incentifies fear, and justifies his evilness. During an assembly when the boys are trying to determine the actuality of the ‘Beast’, Simon proposes the idea that there is one, but it is only them. Golding primarily foreshadows the theme of his book with Simon’s hypothesis, in addition to confirming it later on when Simon encounters the pig head that Jack and his hunters speared on a stick as an offering for the 'Beast’. The head speaks to Simon during his hallucination, “Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! … You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s a no go? Why things are what they are?” (Golding 143). The ‘Beast’ isn’t the pig head, the Lord of the Flies, or even the Devil–it’s the manifestation of humankind’s wickedness, which is ineliminable . The ‘Beast’ is simply just an entity on the island, a rationale for the sins the boys enact on, much like the same way the adults and soldiers–the very reason the boys end up on the island in the first place–justify their violence by stamping ‘war’ on it.

In an attempt to fully illustrate the fall of a unified civilization and its cause, Golding writes Lord of the Flies as a catalog of human sin, checking off each of the Seven Deadly Sins by exhibiting them through the boys. The children demonstrate Sloth when they refuse to be responsible (e.g. build huts, keep the fire lit, use the restroom properly). Jack experiences Envy for Ralph because he’s chief and he isn’t. The use of terms relative to sexual intercourse during the graphic scene of the mother pig enduring death brought upon by Jack and his hunters depicts Lust. Jack’s Tribe, in a downward tumble of unprincipled ideals, portrays Gluttony–willing to sacrifice anyone and everything. Greed is characterized when Jack, despite already being chief, sends his group out on a manhunt to kill Ralph. Wrath is identified when the forest is set wholly ablaze to flush Ralph out and trap him like a pig. Pride when, without thinking about the consequences of achieving their pursuit, what would happen if they murdered Ralph and never got rescued by the naval officers. All chances of survival would’ve been obsolete and, besides water, the trees that were abundant in fruit and the pigs that were a source of protein would’ve been ash.

Contrasting to the showcase of the Seven Deadly Sins and man’s sin as a whole, Golding additionally displays his ‘hero’–notably more amiable–cast as the Four Cardinal Virtues, including an indisputably Christ-like character.

Simon, while also representing Prudence among the Four Cardinal Virtues, is primarily the only character in the novel–not accounting for the littluns–that doesn’t conduct any immoral acts in any of his appearings. He is benevolent, kind, and wise–giving his own food to Piggy when everyone is okay with letting him not eat, reassuring Ralph that he would get back home, and trying to tell everyone that the ‘Beast’ on the mountain is just a dead parachuter whilst they are too afraid to get a closer look. Tom Gaman, the actor for Simon in the 1963 film adaptation, had even said in the documentary Living Lord of the Flies that later in his life he realized he’d had “the best role,” having been “the good guy,” and therefore he “never carried any baggage into the world that directly related to Simon.” The way Simon dies is also very symbolic of Christ’s crucifixion, as he was speared to death as retribution for trying to do good. Simon can even be viewed as a sacrificial lamb, the doing away with bad–Jack stating that the ‘Beast’ had taken the form of Simon after he was killed–similar to how worshippers of God sacrificed animals as repentance in the Old Testament.

After Piggy is killed, Samneric join Jack’s tribe by force, and later on in the book, they as well rat out Ralph’s hiding space-although if they hadn’t, it would’ve been at the expense of their own lives. Samneric’s “betrayals” can be seen as deeds that contradict their entitlement to representing one of the Cardinal Virtues, but when Ralph is essentially exiled and they are on guard duty at Castle Rock, they feed Ralph and warn him of the manhunt to come the following morning. Samneric demonstrate Fortitude–show that despite all, they stand firm in the face of adversity.

Throughout the novel, many of the boys view Piggy as the whiner–and granted he is a bit of a complainer, most of his gripes are justified and rather intelligent. While he may not be physically nifty, Piggy assists in practical, logical problems, takes care of the littluns, and serves as an advisor for Ralph. Even though Piggy’s not afraid to speak his mind, he still displays great patience–representing Temperance–all the way up to his death.

Ralph, the evident protagonist of the book, is a very strong character with a strong sense of righteousness. He is picked as chief in the first assembly, empowers the idea of civilization and order, and never truly loses sight of the idea of rescue. After Simon is murdered and Ralph speaks to Piggy, he says “that was murder,” and when Piggy tries to rationalize Simon’s death with the mass terror, Ralph argues that he “wasn’t scared” (Golding 156). At the very end of the novel Ralph mourns for “the end of innocence, the darkness of a man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy” (Golding 202). Because Ralph experiences these feelings–because he acts the way he acts, he embodies Justice.

[hollow-lime-green]

oh my god i love seeing people’s “what’s in my bag” — building off of the last ask: what do you think would be in satoru’s/suguru’s bag in fiym? :)

ooh great question! thank you for the ask, anon, this was fun to think about! :)

i'll split this into mission bags and pockets. as much as i want to forcefem satoru into carrying an actual purse, i don't think he would.

satoru

pockets: chapstick (strawberry), wallet with cash (unsorted) and several old receipts, hard candy, candy wrappers (folded in half until they're too thick to fold), phone with no case

mission bag: phone charger, change of clothes, book (maybe 2 if overnight), 3-in-1 soap, medical kit (obligatory), snacks (protein bars, sweets), wired earbuds (wrapped/tied), mini toothbrush/toothpaste in case of overnight, mini sewing kit

suguru

pockets: lanyard with several keys and a multitool/pocketknife, wallet with cash sorted by value, lighter + cigarettes, phone with a simple black protective case, wired earbuds (tangled), extra hair ties (on wrist)

mission bag: phone charger, change of clothes, physical maps, 1-2 cursed tools (weapons), medical kit (well-maintained), hand lotion, flashlight, mini toothbrush/toothpaste in case of overnight, mini hairbrush, emergency blanket, disposable water bottle, survival knife

fiym characterization here -

satoru doesn't need a whole lot, even on missions. and he's not even really concerned with his own survival. most of what he packs is to overcome the convenience of being away from home for a weekend, not for possibly getting hurt. i also think he doesn't have a lot of personalization in his gear/accessories, hence not even having a phone case. i love all the art of satoru with cute cinnamoroll stuff etc, but fiym satoru is extremely sterile.

suguru, on the other hand, is a lot more prepared for random environmental obstacles. by third year, his cursed spirits could probably get him out of almost any situation; he wouldn't really need all of his survival tools. but because of his years on the street pre-jujutsu, i think he would default to preparing for a situation where he didn't have access to sorcery.

[milgramfessing]

People are really odd when it comes to Mu in general. People swing between saying she's never done anything wrong ever, excusing her for literally telling the only doctor in the prison that Haruka was fine and implying he was eating,

24/06/22 (Haruka’s Birthday)

Shidou: ……I’m worried about Sakurai-kun. I haven’t seen him around in a while. You’ve been talking with him, right?

Mu: He’s fine. Here, look. I’ve been taking his food to him like this every day. Isn’t that great of me?

Shidou: Yes, very. I’m sorry I’ve been leaving it to you to look after him. Usually, that would be the job of us adults, and yet we’re leaving you with the burden.

Mu: Don’t worry about it. After all, me and Haruka-kun are friends.

Belittle her character by implying she's too stupid to understand the consequences of her behavior or the feelings of others around her. Despite how caring, observant, and socially aware she has shown herself to be over the course of the series.

20/05/28

Mu: It’s weird…… Even though we’re locked up in a place like this…… everyone seems fine. …………nothing’s happened to me so far…… b-but, who knows when they’ll do something horrible to me…… ……hey, are you listening to me? What are you staring at……?

Amane: I’m not staring at anything.

Mu: Liar, you definitely are…… What is it……? That rabbit? Jackalope…… I think that’s what it’s called. ……do you want to pet it?

Amane: ………… Eh, you want to pet it? If you want to, then I’ll be happy to go over and join you.

20/08/01

Mu: Somehow, he feels even fluffier today than usual…… so soft…… Ah, Haruka, do you want to touch too? Jackalope, I mean……

Haruka: Ah, I-I’m fine…… I’m n-not good, with animals…...

Amane: Hm. To think you’d have a problem with something so cute. You’re a really strange person, Haruka-san.

Haruka: …………I guess so.

All of her characterization gets downplayed and ignored as soon as she's done something harmful. In order to lessen her conscious involvement. People rudely go what was she meant to do to help Haruka she took him food she was trying her best to dissuade him.

Honestly, a good first fucking step would be to bring him something he can actually swallow and would settle on his stomach.

But maybe people are woefully ignorant of how starvation works. Maybe a lot of people don't know if you go long enough without food it becomes painful to even swallow or chew food. So bringing a starving man a whole fish and rice isn't the "I want to help" move people are making it out to be. But how was she supposed to know that- May I take you back to the timeline where she actively disuaded a doctor from checking on him?

Because I think the actual doctor would have been able to know and help in this situation while he was still alive.

If other characters can be responsible for how their actions or inaction indirectly hurt someone in and outside of Milgram despite how they couldn't have possibly known that would be the result what makes Mu better than anyone else who didn't know that they would happen, what makes her more deserving of justifications related to her age and alleged lack of knowledge?

The fucking kicker here is they canonically have something that would have saved Haruka's life in Milgram. If only it was just fucking given to him by one of the two parties that knew what he was doing before the point of no return.

20/06/09

Yuno: Thanks for the meal~! ……huh? Kotoko-san, what’ve you got? That’s so unfair, only you getting to drink something that looks so good.

Kotoko: ……it’s a whey protein shake. It doesn’t taste particularly good or anything. I sent a request for it to the guard. The food we get here isn’t bad in terms of nutrient balance, but it’s a bit lacking in protein for me personally.

Yuno: A protein shake, huh. I’ve never tried one before. It looks kinda like a lassi. Can I have a sip?

Kotoko: ……just one sip. Oi, that’s more than a sip. This is supposed to become my muscle.

But how could you be so sure Haruka could have been stopped through this method?

Well, for starters, it's something he'd be able to consume a little more easily (but may not be painless depending on how long it's been), unlike the food Mu was bringing. Two, it's something one could, in theory, force him to drink if it came to that.

Furthermore, protein drinks are literally what are recommended to help someone who has gone a long period without food get back into eating, be it due to illness or by choice. Because after going a long period withoit food it's not ussually recommended to eat foods that are heavy or too complex. It's either this, fluids, or a feeding tube. So, this is just something that factually could have straight up saved his life.

Beyond all that, he flat out admits this could have stopped him through him going out of his way to ask Kotoko (the one who has this) specifically not to interfere with his plan along with him being implied to have told her exactly what his plan was when asking her to not intervene.

23/12/15 (Kotoko’s Birthday)

Haruka: ……please, don’t tell anyone. And also, please, don’t get involved. All I can do, is ask, you……

Kotoko: ––Fufu, fufufufufu.That’s a crazy thing to be thinking. Honestly, it’s weird. But I don’t hate it. If only all the wrongdoers were like you.

Haruka: No…… that’s wrong…… That’s not, why I’m doing, this…… This, isn’t for me…… I have to protect…… so, Kotoko-san…… please……

Kotoko: Eh? Ah, yeah, yeah. Well, I promise I won’t get in your way. Honestly, if I could, I’d love to do it myself, but I’ll step back this time. As for what happens next…… I wonder. It depends on Es.

The Milgram prisoners have a shared kitchen. Everyone had access to this unless Kotoko was just hoarding it in her room, which I doubt. Yet even so, if anyone else was made aware of Haruka's plan earlier then they could have simply requested protein shakes themselves. Haruka did not have to die like this.

This is what makes Futa consistently bringing up the fact Haruka could have been saved so sad.

Futa (Trial 3 Voice Lines)

1 – Kajiyama Futa. Heh… Hahahaha. I see. Looking back, I probably didn’t need to be so scared.

2 – Who cares about forgiving and not forgiving any more. I don’t care about all the annoying voices I kept hearing. There’s something else more important to follow.

3 – I’m different from how I used to be. That person taught me. About faith, about the new world. It’s all down to me…

4 – There was nothing that could be done about the two who went against the commandments, but I feel bad for Haruka. He could’ve been saved like I was.

5 – Just leave everyone to that person. They can save this prison. Just look at me, I’ve already been saved!

It's what makes this timeline so sad,

24/04/19 (Futa’s Birthday)

Futa: ––Hey, are you really ok with this? If you come with me, there’s a chance you can be saved too…… Haruka.

Haruka: Yeah…… I’ve made my mind up. I have, something, that I have to do.

Futa: Ah, is that right…… Haruka, you know, you’re an idiot. There’s no way…… that will save you……

Haruka: Yeah, thank you. I’m glad you came to talk to me, Futa. Um, thank you, for being so kind. Really. But, I’m sorry. This is all I’m able to do……

Because it's the truth if he went with Futa in that moment if, he chose not to follow through when displayed the alternatives- Haruka would still be here. He would have a proper trial three and a song. Yet, instead of actually showing some consideration and understanding towards the people rightfully upset about the fact they won't have that closure with a character, they grew to care so much about...

Haruka and his characterization has been reduced to simple pity fodder for Mu. So people can go well she tried, she didn't fully understand, she's hurting too that was her friend, or the real kicker-

"Well, you should vote her innocent because that's what Haruka wanted. It's what he did that for. Do you want his last actions in the narrative to be in vain? This is why you should forgive her even though she didn't do as much for him as she could have. She just really didn't know."

As though we should just ignore the fact that despite Haruka crying out in All-Knowing All- Agony that he didn't want to be wiped out,

"Don’t wipe me out, don’t wipe me out- I just want to be your good boy."

Despite him saying blatantly he didn't want to die,

Q.17 How old do you want to live to be?

Haruka: I never thought about it. I don’t want to die.

The people who his character meant so much to are just meant to fall in line and show forgiveness to the person who blatantly said

"Why would I?"

When asked if she was trying to stop him since she knew his plan.

Mu Queen B 12:36s

Mu: Ah- But if you don't forgive me, Haruka-kun will die. So, I think it'd be best not to do that.

Es: ...!

[BELL TOLLS]

Es: So, you've heard about that nonsense, too?

Mu: Mhm. Haruka-kun told me. So I could rest easy, according to him. That made me happy... It made me really feel our friendship!

Es: You know about it, and you're not trying to stop him? Haruka, that is?

Mu: Why would I? Haruka-kun says that's what he wants, so there's nothing I can do, right?

Not letting people mourn and recognize what they've lost along with the unjust nature of that loss all to secure one's own personal comfort- To push forward in ways such as that is an inconsiderateness that's simply the definition of unfairness to me.

Especially while other people within the fandom are allowed to mourn the loss of characters they loved due to the events of the series- Blaming whoever they feel fit be it characters within the series or fans of it. All the while many haphazardly attempt to revise in real time what occurred to defend a character who I don't doubt has a significant amount of depth and emotionality but feel a lot of characterization is being ignored in the way people try to bend and stretch her to fit this idea of what an innocent person to them may be.

Though people may simply do this to ignore her character and the rest of the prisoners' ability to purposefully and knowingly commit harm, something rooted deeply in all ten of their characterizations. I'm sick of seeing people act like Mu is being wrongfully held to task over something she had no involvement in. From the start to Haruka, Mu was the only reason he did this, and the only reason he felt it was all he could really do.

23/04/07

Haruka: Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. Please forgive Mu-san. PleaseforgiveMu-sanpleaseforgiveMu-sanpleaseforgiveMu-sanpleaseforgiveMu-sanpleaseforgiveMu-sanpleaseforgiveMu-san

23/06/22 (Haruka’s Birthday)

Mu: Haruka-kun, I brought your food. Are you still alive? Has any mould started growing?

Haruka: ……ah, thank you very much. Mu-san. Sorry, um…… I……

Mu: You shouldn’t just lock yourself in your room all day. You have to eat your food properly. Hm, well…… I do understand why you’re feeling down. It feels bad. The atmosphere recently.

Haruka: Um, I’m totally fine…… Just a bit, I’m thinking, about how to do it. What to do, what to do, to…… fulfil my promise. For Mu-san’s sake……

"This is all I’m able to do……"

"Haruka Sakurai"- The Third Trial 1:00s

Haruka: .....don't worry, Mu.

Mu: About what......

Haruka: ......you're going to be innocent, I know it.

Mu: ......you really think so?

Haruka: ......yes......

Mu: Haruka......you're ok with this......?

Haruka: Yes...... I'm so happy...... I helped you, I helped someone......

"I changed......I'm...... useful now......"

There's a lot of factors involved here, and I can understand caring about a character deeply and wanting to see them do well.

Yet, being Innocent doesn't equate to being better. Just being accepted isn't the end all be all cure for the problems people will face in their lives or within themselves.

Some characters aren't here to receive that acceptance or rejection anymore, and I think a lot of conversations surrounding Mu ignore that fact. As well as how many fans of the series have the right to be upset by it. Regardless of how others may rationalize and dismiss Mu's involvement.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

Hey! Look! A great breakdown of that thing I'm always talking about being a big yet entirely-overlooked deal by 90% of medical professionals in regards to this particular virus!

SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19, is not done with us. Over the past four years, it has shown a remarkable ability to adapt, with each new variant outmaneuvering our immune systems in unique ways. The recently published study on the XEC variant (November 22, 2024) provides fresh insights into how this virus is evolving. (1) Combining this with the broader history of immune evasion, we see a troubling pattern: the virus continues to find ways to evade the immune system and in many cases, persist, potentially leaving lasting impacts on our health even for those who experience only mild or asymptomatic infections.

What the Study Found: XEC’s Immune Escape Arsenal The latest study revealed that the XEC variant—an offspring of two previous variants, KS.1.1 and KP.3.3—has developed mechanisms that make it harder for our immune systems to neutralize it. Here’s how it works:

1. Glycosylation Mutations in the N-terminal Domain (NTD):

The XEC variant introduces new glycosylation sites, such as the T22N mutation, which act like a cloak, hiding key parts of the virus from antibodies.

These sugar molecules shield the receptor-binding domain (RBD), a crucial target for vaccines and natural immunity, making it harder for antibodies to bind and neutralize the virus.

2. Allosteric Effects:

Mutations in the NTD don’t just shield the virus—they also alter the behavior of the RBD through a process called allostery. These changes can make the RBD less accessible or alter how it interacts with human cells, further reducing the effectiveness of antibodies.

3. Potential Impact on Membrane Fusion:

The study hints that these mutations may also enhance how efficiently the virus fuses with human cells, potentially increasing its infectivity.

Immune Evasion: A Constant Tug-of-War The ability of SARS-CoV-2 to adapt is not new. Looking back at the history of immune evasion, we see a pattern:

The Early Days: Mutations like D614G made the virus more infectious.

Alpha and Beta Variants: N501Y and E484K mutations increased binding to human cells and evasion of neutralizing antibodies.

Omicron Era: A flurry of spike protein mutations allowed the virus to reinfect people with previous immunity and bypass vaccine-induced protection.

XEC is the next chapter in this story, combining these strategies with new tricks like glycosylation and allosteric modulation to stay ahead of human defenses.

Why This Matters: Beyond Infections Understanding immune evasion isn’t just about tracking infections—it’s about long-term health impacts. Here’s why this evolution is particularly concerning:

1. The Shadow of Long COVID:

Millions of people suffer from Long COVID, characterized by fatigue, brain fog, heart palpitations, and muscle pain. The virus’s ability to persist and evade the immune system might explain why symptoms linger for months or years in some individuals.

Chronic immune activation or hidden reservoirs of the virus could drive these long-term effects.

2. Asymptomatic but Chronic Damage:

Even in people without noticeable symptoms, SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to cause subtle, potentially long-term damage to:

Vascular systems: Leading to inflammation and microclot formation.

Neurological function: Disrupting brain activity and potentially accelerating neurodegenerative conditions. Early onset dementia

Musculoskeletal health: Causing unexplained weakness or pain.

Cognitive performance: Contributing to memory issues and reduced mental clarity. Are you or someone you know having more trouble finding words to use or losing things more often?

3. Vaccines Alone Aren’t Enough:

While vaccines remain essential, their effectiveness is limited by the virus’s rapid evolution. Variants like XEC show how SARS-CoV-2 can sidestep even the most advanced immune defenses, highlighting the need for next-generation vaccines targeting broader parts of the virus. We have know this for a long time now so where are the broader targeting vaccines?

The Future of SARS-CoV-2 Evolution The virus has already demonstrated its ability to adapt to our immune responses in multiple ways, and there’s no reason to believe it will stop. Here are some possibilities for future adaptation:

Further Refinement of Glycosylation: Adding or modifying sugar molecules could make the virus even more difficult to detect.

Enhanced Membrane Fusion: Mutations that improve how the virus merges with human cells could increase its infectivity.

Host Adaptation: Over time, the virus could become better at hiding within human cells, evading both natural immunity and therapeutic interventions.

Increased Chronicity: The virus might evolve to persist at low levels in the body, leading to ongoing inflammation and long-term health consequences.

What We Can Do: Adapting to the Virus’s Adaptations The XEC variant and others like it remind us that SARS-CoV-2 is still a formidable opponent. Here’s what we can do:

1. Invest in Better Vaccines:

Universal or pan-coronavirus vaccines that target conserved regions of the virus are critical.

2. Improve Diagnostics:

Detecting chronic or asymptomatic infections early could help mitigate long-term health effects.

3. Focus on Treatment:

Antiviral drugs that target different parts of the virus, combined with treatments for inflammation and immune dysregulation, could help reduce the impact of Long COVID.

4. Stay Vigilant:

For individuals, maintaining basic preventive measures during high transmission periods can significantly reduce risks.

Conclusion: Learning from the Virus SARS-CoV-2 is teaching us a harsh lesson about evolution. Its ability to adapt and evade our defenses, from antibodies to T-cells, shows no sign of slowing down. Variants like XEC underscore the importance of continued research, innovation, and public health vigilance. By understanding the virus’s strategies and preparing for its next moves, we can better protect ourselves—not just from acute infections but from the long-term consequences.

Reference:

Enhanced immune evasion of SARS-CoV-2 variants KP.3.1.1 and XEC through N-terminal domain mutations (November 22, 2024)

www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099%2824%2900738-2/fulltext