Category: Health / Healthcare / Illness / Vaccines

2 For Science, on Monday

Each of these struck my fancy, so I’m sharing.

Could we hit the “pause button” on human embryo development?

September 27, 2024 Imma Perfetto

The mechanisms that allow some mammals to pause the development of their young inside the womb also seem work in human cells, according to a fascinating new study published in the journal Cell.

Biologists discovered they could induce a dormant state in human cells by decreasing the activity of the mTOR signaling pathway, which they previously showed is a major regulator of this process in mice.

They triggered this dormant state not in human embryos, but in human pluripotent stem cells and stem-cell based models known as blastoids, which mimic the blastocyst stage of embryonic development at about 5 days post-fertilisation. (snip)

Until now it was unclear whether diapause could be triggered in humans.

“The mTOR pathway is a major regulator of growth and developmental progression in mouse embryos,” says co-senior author Aydan Bulut-Karslioglu of the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Germany.

“When we treated human stem cells and blastoids with an mTOR inhibitor we observed a developmental delay, which means that human cells can deploy the molecular machinery to elicit a diapause-like response.”  

Cells in this dormant state show reduced cell division, slower development and a decreased ability to attach to the uterine lining. The ability to enter this dormant stage seems to be restricted to the blastocyst stage of development. (snip-MORE)

Explosive energy-dense material made from air (with plasma)

September 29, 2024 Ellen Phiddian

Chemists have made an extremely energy-dense, environmentally friendly fuel out of nitrogen.

They’ve done it by employing one of chemistry’s favourite hobbies, bullying nitrogen n (N2) into weird structures. An explosion occurred, but it was a small one.

The Chinese team has successfully made the element adopt a diamond-like structure, called cubic gauche nitrogen (cg-N) and importantly made it without extremely high pressures. In fact, they managed it at standard atmospheric pressure.

They’ve published their triumph in Science Advances.

Pure nitrogen-based molecules have drawn interest from chemists because they can release a tremendous amount of energy when they decompose. (snip-MORE)

Anti-Trans Campaigner Outed As Having Forged Evidence – WPATH Files

I love Ethel’s videos and I have learned a lot about trans people from her.  She often does videos with herself in them but also sometimes does them with the drawn figures.   She has been very open with her transitioning journey, and I have followed her since she was a teen before she transitioned.   Her videos are remarkable for the detail and receipts she brings to them.   She does a lot of research, especially on trans women in sports issues.  She documents everything for the viewers to check in the about section and encourages fact checking her. 

In this video she sets up the fact that the anti-trans activist that falsely made claims about the WPATH files has a history of lying to try to push their issues.  I love watching her videos and if you are interested in trans issues and ways to debunk what the trans haters say, she is worth looking at her back work.   Her take down of the entire WPATH Cass report was wonderful and showed how totally false and misleading the report was.  The Cass report has now been totally debunked now in part to Ethel’s work.  Hugs.  Scottie

Today’s video returns to the #WPATHFiles which alleged malpractice by medical institutions who support the scientific legitimacy of gender affirming care, exposing the Files’ fatal flaws and its publisher’s sordid history of forging evidence. Hi, welcome to Essence of Thought with me, Ethel Thurston, as your host.

I Love Leslie Jones

I watched this late in the evening yesterday (it was a hard day,) and it was just what I needed while I was watching. I hope everyone enjoys it, too.

Peace & Justice History for 9/27:

September 27, 1962
Rachel Carson’s book indicting the pesticide industry, Silent Spring, was published.

The scientist (17 years with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and writer demonstrated the connection between the excessive and ubiquitous use of DDT and its long-term effect on plants and animals.

Rachel Carson at work c. 1936
The impact of her book proved seminal to a new ecological awareness. But even 30 years later, Carson was denounced for “preservationist hysteria” and “bad science.” But she had said when the book was published: “We do not ask that all chemicals be abandoned. We ask moderation. We ask the use of other methods less harmful to our environment.“ Rachel Carson, her Silent Spring and its impact
 September 27, 1967
An advertisement headed “A Call To Resist Illegitimate Authority,” signed by over 320 influential people (professors, writers, ministers, and other professional people), appeared in the New Republic and the New York Review of Books, asking for funds to help youths resist the draft.
September 27, 1990
The last U.S. Pershing II tactical nuclear missiles were removed from Germany, fewer than ten years after their installation provoked a massive anti-nuclear movement across Europe.The range and accuracy of the Pershing II pushed the Soviet Union to negotiate the Treaty on Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) which completely eliminated all nuclear-armed ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers (about 300 to 3400 miles) and their infrastructure.
The INF Treaty was the first nuclear arms control agreement to actually reduce nuclear arms, and the signatories destroyed almost 2700 nuclear weapons (including 234 Pershing II) by May of 1991.
September 27, 1991
President George H.W. Bush announced a major unilateral withdrawal of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons:
“I am . . . directing that the United States eliminate its entire worldwide inventory of ground-launched short-range, that is, theater, nuclear weapons. We will bring home and destroy all of our nuclear artillery shells and short-range ballistic missile warheads. We will, of course, insure that we preserve an effective air-delivered nuclear capability in Europe.
“In turn, I have asked the Soviets . . . to destroy their entire inventory of ground-launched theater nuclear weapons . . . .
“Recognizing further the major changes in the international military landscape, the United States will withdraw all tactical nuclear weapons from its surface ships, attack submarines, as well as those nuclear weapons associated with our land-based naval aircraft. This means removing all nuclear Tomahawk cruise missiles from U.S. ships and submarines, as well as nuclear bombs aboard aircraft carriers.”

https://www.peacebuttons.info/E-News/peacehistoryseptember.htm#september27

Well, this is a big deal-

Former Sen. Kassebaum-Baker made one brief statement about the changing Republican and political climate when she retired; that’s pretty much what she said: that it was changing. She retired, as did Bob Dole, with the first wave of Tea Partiers (though a couple of years apart.) Since then, she’s been even more discreet, mostly concentrating on land and habitat conservation. This endorsement is a Big Deal. (I’ll copy it in here so you don’t have to take your computer to the carwash to get the stupid off.)

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/former-republican-us-senator-endorses-kamala-harris-says-election-stark-choice

EXCLUSIVE: Three more Republicans are crossing the aisle to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the White House.

Former U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum, R-Kan., former Kansas state senator and Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger and Deanell Reece Tacha, a retired federal judge, condemned the current state of the GOP in a statement shared with Fox News Digital Thursday.

“This election presents a stark choice that is not easy for any of us. The Republican Party of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Bob Dole, Frank Carlson, Jan Meyers, and generations of Kansas leaders does not exist within the current Republican Party,” the former officials wrote.

“But, it requires Republicans speaking out and putting country over party when those values are at stake.”

They added that the race between Harris and former President Trump presented a “stark choice,” but not an easy one.

“No candidate is perfect, and we do not pretend that we subscribe to all the policy positions taken either by the national parties or any individual candidates,” they wrote.

“However, we fervently believe that we must do our part to try to build a brighter future, which is why we will be voting for Kamala Harris and [Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz] in this election. We believe they most closely align with the aspirations of Kansans and reflect our rich history of working together ‘to the stars through difficulty.’”

All three have backed Democrats in recent elections, however.

Kassebaum, who now goes by Nancy Kassebaum Baker, served in the U.S. Senate from December 1978 through January 1997. 

She was the first woman elected to represent Kansas in the chamber, and her career included a stint as chair of the Senate Labor Committee.

Tacha was nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit by former President Reagan in 1985 and served as chief judge from 2001 until 2008.

Praeger served as the Kansas Insurance commissioner from 2003 to 2015.

Harris’ campaign has made a point of courting Republicans in a bid to widen her appeal and cast Trump as an extreme and polarizing choice.

A majority of Republicans, particularly those still in elected office, do support Trump.  

The vice president has scored support from several notable GOP figures, however. Former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Trump administration aides Stephanie Grisham and Olivia Troye have all publicly stated support for Harris.

Troye is one of several people who headlined a Republicans for Harris event Thursday alongside former representatives Barbara Comstock, R-Va., and Denver Riggleman, R-Va.

A new Marist College poll found Harris and Trump neck and neck in three critical states.

(Snip-skipping blah-blah race tied crap to the final graf, which is satisfying:)

The Trump campaign said of the Harris endorsement, “Nobody knows who these people are, and nobody cares.”

The Joys of US Health Insurance

Navigating Insurance Challenges for Gender Affirming Surgery

Lots of info here. Take a minute when you have one, and take a good look-

Julia Serano on Male Socialization: A Critical Perspective

Clark State security finds suspicious package on campus, rules out threat

(I clicked on a Springfield New-Sun article the other day; they let you read everything if you start an account or register or whatever; email address, user name, and a password. Anyway, it’s a very polite paper, and the work, so far as I’ve seen, is exemplary. If you click through to the page, take a look at their headlines to see how things are going in Springfield, thanks to the Republican ticket. Some of it is good news for residents; there is balance.)

News By Brooke Spurlock 3 hours ago

Clark State is investigating after officials found a suspicious package this morning on the College’s Springfield campus.

The college’s security found the package around 8 a.m. on the Leffel Lane campus and immediately contacted police, according to a statement on the college’s website.

“Police responded quickly and determined that the package was not of concern and no threat exists,” the statement said.

Administrators and police searched the buildings and campus before the Springfield Police Division said the campus was safe at 11:12 a.m.

Clark State closed all of its campuses this week and moved to remote classes through Friday as a result of two email threats of a potential bombing and shooting from last weekend.

https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/clark-state-security-finds-suspicious-package-on-campus-rules-out-threat/4Z2NNWTAZRDS7MS4L7EUN76AFA/#

The post I lost and the last three days

I talk about my weekend and reasons for not going to the MS site anymore, the fact I wrote a long heartfelt post on WordPress and due to one mistake lost the entire thing, and how I plan computer upgrades before continuing to post more videos. Best wishes, and Hugs

Some Decent News from Kentucky

By  BRUCE SCHREINERUpdated 2:32 PM CDT, September 18, 2024Share

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear banned the use of “conversion therapy” on minors in Kentucky on Wednesday, calling his executive order a necessary step to protect children from a widely discredited practice that tries to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling.

The governor used his executive powers after Republicans who control the state legislature repeatedly blocked efforts to enact a state law banning the practice. Beshear said he would no longer wait for others to “do what’s right.”

“My faith teaches me that all children are children of God,” Beshear said during the signing ceremony at the Kentucky Capitol. “And where practices are endangering and even harming those children, we must act. The practice of so-called ‘conversion therapy’ hurts our children.”

It was the latest action in a national debate over conversion therapy and the rights of LGBTQ+ children and their families. (snip-MORE)

https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-conversion-therapy-andy-beshear-93a07354cd0ed2e7fc09c15f204f75c0