I love it! A surrender hotline not for hot babes, but for survival in war of aggression!
How many Russian soldiers have surrendered so far in total?
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem: Why I have no sympathy for Congress and TikTok
Bravo governor! Noem banned the use of TikTok on all government devices and state employees from using TikTok for espionage and security reasons.
Who will be the GOP presidential candidate in 2024? DeSantis, Noem, ?
She turned 51 today!
With Mount Rushmore in the background!
The New Italian Government Signals a Closer Relationship with Taiwan
Good news! The new Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni is making history!
"... During the electoral campaign, Meloni expressed surprisingly firm support for Taiwan in the face of the PRC’s coercive actions. This position is not coincidental, and has to be considered as a part of a broader strategy of reassurance that Meloni is conducting regarding her government’s foreign policy. The new Italian government is adopting a firmer stance vis-à-vis the PRC, and shedding renewed light on the importance of European ties with Taipei.
Last July, Giorgia Meloni met with Andrea Sing-ying Lee (李新穎), head of the Taiwan representative office in Rome, and addressed him as “the ambassador of Taiwan.” During the meeting, Meloni promised both to promote Italy-Taiwan relations and to play a positive role in advancing wider EU-Taiwan ties in the event of her appointment as prime minister. Then, in a September interview with Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA)—the first one by an Italian candidate in decades—Meloni expressed support for Taiwan. She defined the island as “a strategic commercial partner for Italy and Europe,” and firmly condemned “together with all the democracies in the world” the PRC military activities in the Taiwan Strait in August. ..."
Last July, Giorgia Meloni met with Andrea Sing-ying Lee (李新穎), head of the Taiwan representative office in Rome, and addressed him as “the ambassador of Taiwan.” During the meeting, Meloni promised both to promote Italy-Taiwan relations and to play a positive role in advancing wider EU-Taiwan ties in the event of her appointment as prime minister. Then, in a September interview with Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA)—the first one by an Italian candidate in decades—Meloni expressed support for Taiwan. She defined the island as “a strategic commercial partner for Italy and Europe,” and firmly condemned “together with all the democracies in the world” the PRC military activities in the Taiwan Strait in August. ..."
Phone app successfully predicts heart failure through speech on average 18 days before incident
Your smartphone, your personal medical doctor!
"Speech-processing startup Cordio Medical announced that its HearO app successfully predicted 82 percent of first congestive heart failure cases in patients that took part in a study, on average 18 days before the incident occurred.
The study collected 460,000 voice samples from 180 patients across 10 medical centers in Israel. The participants used the HearO app at home and sent a voice sample once a day in Hebrew, Arabic or Russian.
The company reported an 82% success rate, noting that a third of the 18% misdiagnosis rate was related to sounds from other respiratory diseases. ..."
Corning's new Gorilla Glass can better survive concrete drops
Good news! More durable smartphones! What is not to like about that!
"... The company's testing of its new Victus 2 glass showed that it could survive drops of up to 1 meter on a "surface replicating concrete." Corning claims that "competitive aluminosilicate glasses from other manufacturers typically failed when dropped from half a meter or less." Further testing showed that Gorilla Glass Victus 2 could also survive drops of 2 meters (or a little over selfie-taking height) on an asphalt-analogue surface. It can also resist scratching "up to four times better" than competitors. ..."
Birth control for men. Finally?
Men have been waiting for it since about 1960 when the first oral birth control pill was approved and marketed! How many times since then have we seen reports about this subject!
This is a very long article covering several different, new, and promising approaches!
Of course, the obligatory and absurd propaganda and demagoguery had to be included by the American Chemical Society:
"Note: Contraception is an issue that affects people of all genders. Although most people who can become pregnant are cisgender women, many transgender men and nonbinary and intersex people can as well. Similarly, “male contraception” would benefit not only cisgender men but also many transgender women and nonbinary and intersex people. Historically, gender diversity has not been considered in contraception development or research, and this article is limited by this trend."
"IN BRIEF
For decades, researchers have been working on what has popularly been called “male birth control”—and surveys show there is demand for it. But concerns about side effects, efficacy, and more have kept such options from getting to market. In June, the US Supreme Court ruled that the US Constitution does not confer a right to abortion, and that decision has renewed calls for new birth control options. [????] Several drug candidates are getting close. Is a pharmaceutical contraceptive that can be marketed to men finally on the horizon?"
"... are one of thousands of couples around the globe participating in a Phase 2 trial for the NES/T gel, a topical contraceptive that combines Nestorone—a synthetic progestin—and testosterone. Together, these hormones suppress sperm production. Efficacy has been much higher than expected ...
the gel may have a lower failure rate than that of birth control pills with typical use. But hormonal birth control that targets sperm has gotten to Phase 2 trials before. Despite decades of research, no method has made it to market. ...
Past impediments included concerns about side effects and efficacy. But the NES/T trial differs from past ones in significant ways. NES/T is not an injection, and it’s self-administered. The trial also has checks in place for mental health. Side effects so far have been minimal. ...
the gel may have a lower failure rate than that of birth control pills with typical use. But hormonal birth control that targets sperm has gotten to Phase 2 trials before. Despite decades of research, no method has made it to market. ...
Past impediments included concerns about side effects and efficacy. But the NES/T trial differs from past ones in significant ways. NES/T is not an injection, and it’s self-administered. The trial also has checks in place for mental health. Side effects so far have been minimal. ...
And the recent US Supreme Court decision that the US Constitution does not confer the right to abortion has renewed those calls. [????] ...
Researchers see an opportunity to create birth control that uses nonhormonal methods to target molecules involved in the production or function of sperm. Some candidates target proteins that play key roles in generating sperm. Others target proteins that are important later in the sperm’s journey, like those that enable sperm to swim properly. YourChoice’s lead candidate targets a protein called retinoic acid receptor (RAR-α), which is involved in sperm production.
RAR-α is part of the vitamin A pathway. Certain cells in the body convert vitamin A (also known as retinol) from food into retinoic acid, which is involved in cell growth, differentiation, and more.
Normally, retinoic acid binds to RAR-α, which results in the expression of some genes related to sperm production. YourChoice’s drug, YCT-529, binds to RAR-α so that retinoic acid can’t. As a consequence, some genes needed for sperm production don’t get expressed.
... works on sperm ion channels, is taking another approach by zeroing in on a target that affects how sperm swim. ... Sperm gain this quality, called hyperactivated motility, after ejaculation as they progress toward the egg.
... targeting a protein called CatSper, a calcium ion channel in the sperm flagellum that is key to hyperactivated motility. In animal models such as mice, editing out the gene that encodes CatSper prevents sperm from attaining hyperactivated motility, so they swim only symmetrically ... Even if sperm could somehow get to an egg with their faulty swimming, CatSper is also important for other processes key to conception, like the reaction that allows sperm to penetrate the egg coating. Without CatSper, that step is blocked.
Eppin Pharma also has a drug in the works that interferes with sperm function. The small molecule, EP055, binds to EPPIN (epididymal protease inhibitor), a protein on the sperm surface. In binding, it prevents steps that make the sperm functional, like a rise in pH, an influx of calcium ions in the sperm cell, and hyperactivation of sperm motility.
The structure of Eppin Pharma's drug candidate EP055.
Targeting sperm motility has a potential advantage: such drugs would take effect more quickly than drugs that cut off sperm production from the start, which take months to achieve a contraceptive effect.
... a contraceptive that can be taken on demand and halt fertility almost immediately. Their compound would target an enzyme called soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC), which catalyzes the creation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), a messenger molecule needed for sperm motility. Their drug candidate would inhibit sAC, preventing cAMP from being produced, and stopping sperm from swimming altogether.
They envision that people will take the compound as needed, like the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra. It might be taken around 30 min before sex, and it could last a few hours, a day, or even a weekend. But users wouldn’t need to take it every day. ..."
They envision that people will take the compound as needed, like the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra. It might be taken around 30 min before sex, and it could last a few hours, a day, or even a weekend. But users wouldn’t need to take it every day. ..."
What are the values of the American Chemical Society? Political correctness!
It is truly mind blowing how far this propaganda and demagoguery of DEI has spread! It is scary!
See About ACS "As a non-profit scientific organization with more than 140 years’ experience, we are a champion for chemistry, its practitioners and our global community of members.
Founded in 1876 and chartered by the U.S. Congress, we are one of the world’s largest scientific organizations with membership of over 151,000 in 140 countries. Our mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people. Our vision is to improve people’s lives through the transforming power of chemistry."
Unprecedented simultaneous quantum tunneling reaction discovered
Amazing stuff! I am not sure what the implications are, but it may open up new discoveries etc.
"Two conformers of the same molecule react independently to form a different rearrangement product rather than taking the much lower energy barrier pathway of interconverting into the other conformer, chemists have discovered. The unprecedented process, entirely controlled by quantum tunneling, ‘is completely breaking the classic transition state rules’ ... Understanding what and how tunneling controls chemical reactivity could be ‘a game changer for selectivity’ ..."
From the abstract:
"We present here a new example of chemical reactivity governed by quantum tunneling, which also highlights the limitations of the classical theories. The syn and anti conformers of a triplet 2-formylphenylnitrene, generated in a nitrogen matrix, were found to spontaneously rearrange to the corresponding 2,1-benzisoxazole and imino-ketene, respectively. The kinetics of both transformations were measured at 10 and 20 K and found to be temperature-independent, providing clear evidence of concomitant tunneling reactions (heavy-atom and H-atom). Computations confirm the existence of these tunneling reaction pathways. Although the energy barrier between the nitrene conformers is lower than any of the observed reactions, no conformational interconversion was observed. These results demonstrate an unprecedented case of simultaneous tunneling control in conformer-specific reactions of the same chemical species. The product outcome is impossible to be rationalized by the conventional kinetic or thermodynamic control."
Simultaneous Tunneling Control in Conformer-Specific Reactions (no public access)
Two conformers of 2-formylphenylnitrene can undergo two different quantum tunnelling processes, leading to two different products. Hydrogen atom tunnelling results in the formation of an imino-ketene (top) from the anti conformer and tunnelling involving an oxygen and nitrogen atom in the syn conformer produces a 2,1-benzisoxazole (bottom)
English for trippers: Do you prefer to tunell or to tunel?
Another one of those British versus American spelling curiosities!
Today, I came across quantum tunnelling versus quantum tuneling.
Three Nigerian men were traveling by sitting on ship rudder
Incredible! Human ingenuity!
"A photo shared by the coastguard shows the men sitting on the rudder at the oil tanker's stern, their feet less than a metre away from the water.
They were taken to hospital at the tanker's destination in Gran Canaria and treated for moderate dehydration.
It's unclear if they spent the entire journey perched on the rudder. ..."
You have to look close!
Brazil Approves Use Of Bitcoin As Payment
Good news!
"Voted on Tuesday evening in Brasilia, the country’s capital, the new rules recognize bitcoin as a digital representation of value that can be used as a means of payment and as an investment asset in the South American nation. ..."
House Democrats elect Hakeem Jeffries as new leader, first black American to lead major party in Congress
Can the Dimocratic Party not find better leaders!!!! After the nutty and erratic 82 year old Nancy Pelosi now follows this corrosive ideologue!
He ran unopposed for one of the highest political jobs in the country!
He worked as a corporate lawyer in his previous career!
Was he elected, because the Dimocratic Party again wanted to deliver a first like the first female black Vice President? I am afraid so!
This is really bad for democracy and for the republic! When reason and common sense is replaced by agitation and demagoguery!
Linux Foundation Newsletter: Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Horrible, the Linux Foundation is also spreading this propaganda and demagoguery!
Since I use a Linux distribution operating system (Fedora) on my notebook, I am not amused!
"Words Matter: The Language of Diversity, Understanding, and Acceptance (Open Mainframe Project Webinar replay)
Diversity Scholarships are offered for events. For more eligibility information and how to apply, please visit the individual event’s website (all listed here), click the “Attend” tab, and select the “Registration Scholarships” option.
The Linux Foundation’s Travel Fund enables open source developers and community members to attend events they would otherwise be unable to attend due to a lack of funding. We emphasize funding applicants from historically underrepresented or untapped groups and those of lower socioeconomic status. Please click here for more information and to apply."
Freie Wähler: Erneuerbare Energie Gezielt Ausbauen Statt Ausbremsen! Wirklich!
Auch die politische Partei der Freie Wähler taugt nicht viel! Auch sie ist dem Klimawahn verfallen! Schade!
"Auf ihrem heutigen kleinen Parteitag in Kassel fordern die FREIEN WÄHLER ein klares Bekenntnis zum gezielten Ausbau der Erneuerbaren Energien in Deutschland. Die vielfältigen Chancen der verschiedenen Erneuerbaren Energien, beispielsweise Photovoltaik, Solarthermie, Windkraft, Wasserkraft, Erdwärme, Biogas, Biomasse, Holz und Hackschnitzel, grüner Wasserstoff inklusive der jeweiligen Infrastruktur müssen durch gute Rahmenbedingungen und gezielte Förderprogramme genutzt werden. Dazu gehört auch die Lade- und Tankinfrastruktur für Strom und Wasserstoff. ..."
Die «A4-Revolution» – Weisse Blätter dienen den Chinesen als mächtiges Protestmittel Wirklich!
Das ist keine DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung) A4 Revolution! Manche Journalisten sind etwas zu kreativ und daneben!
Florida Governor DeSantis Responds To Chinese Protesters, Blasts 'Maniacal CCP'
Bravo DeSantis! A strong potential contender in the U.S. presidential elections of 2024 spoke bluntly!
The demented and senile 46th President completely failed so far on this matter, because he and his clan are probably seriously compromised thanks to accepting huge bribes from China and who knows what Hunger Biden did!
Incredible aerial video shows lava fountains at the summit of Mauna Loa
What a mesmerizing landscape! Like the volcano Etna on Sicily, a very special place!
Irene Cara - Flashdance "What a Feeling" (Music Video) 1983
Enjoy! A tribute to the recently deceased singer Irene Cara! Dance all your troubles way!
Tuesday, November 29, 2022
"India going to be Silicion Valley outside of Silicon Vallley", says Sanket Atal, Managing Director of Salesforce India
India, a giant wakes up! This is a bold statement, but I am afraid it might come true in the near future!
Tucker Carlson: Apple is covering for the Chinese government
Very recommendable!
Apple under CEO Cook would have done business with Hitler Germany and that is not a hypothetical! Among other things, Apple banned the use of AirDrop in China since the protests to help the dictator suppress the protests!
Annoyances: Websites prompting for cookie acceptance
Almost every time you visit a website for the first time or after you cleared your web browser cache, the website will prompt you about their cookies!
This frequent annoyance has been going on for about two decades now! Most cookies are harmless! It really sucks!
It appears, we have to thank the European Union in their endless paternalistic zeal to protect consumers for requiring user's consent since 2002!
Should protections e.g. not be implemented in the browser or by installing browser extensions etc. etc.? I don't think the Google Chrome browser (my main browser) cookie settings are very helpful. There seems to be a missing option. I definitely, do not want to allow all cookies.
U.S. to Auction Almost 1 Million Acres Off Alaskan Coast for Oil Drilling
Good news! Bravo! We have to be thankful to one of the too few reasonable Democratic U.S. Senators!
"The United States Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), inside the Department of Interior, will put hundreds of thousands of acres off Alaska’s southcentral coast up for auction on December 30 for new oil and gas drilling projects. The lease sale has to be completed by the end of the year to comply with the IRA, which was added to the piece of legislation to win support from West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin. ..."
To limit rise in average global temperatures to as close as possible to 1.5 ºC above pre-industrial levels. Really!
Pre-industrial levels means before about 1750, which was during the Little Ice Age (from about 13th century to about 1850). Do not get fooled by those who downplay the Little Ice Age as a regional phenomenon! Thus, we have only recently come out of an Ice Age. Before the Little Ice Age was the Medieval Warm Period (roughly 950-1250)!
Climate models and their projections are mostly junk! We can not even predict local weather accurately beyond 48 hours! Make no mistake, the complexity of both natural phenomena is similar and interrelated. Not to mention that we lack sufficient and critical understanding about this complex natural phenomenon climate!
The pretense and fantastic precision of 1.5 degrees Celsius and average global temperatures! This is totally absurd! This is demagoguery at its worst! What if most of the measured temperature increases are due to solar activity and the heat island effect?
The Global Warming Hoax and Climate Change Religion is the greatest scam perpetrated on humanity in the last 50 years or more! I blogged here extensively about it! The scam is certainly big business for some!
It is incredible megalomania to assert that humans can change climate by 0.5-1 degrees Celsius! This gigantic hubris!
"The Paris Agreement aims to limit the rise in average global temperatures to well below 2ºC and as close as possible to 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels."
Colorado voters pass historic psychedelic decriminalization act
This is a famous conundrum for classical liberalism!
Decriminalization of psychoactive substances versus individual responsibility!
In my opinion, once an individual consumes alcohol or psychoactive substances, the individual automatically assumes more individual responsibility and culpability! I am not sure this is properly reflected in how the possibly negative consequences of such consumption is treated with respect to the individual!
What about the expected increase of accidents caused by individuals under the influence of psychoactive substances?
What about the increased potential of becoming addicted and the resulting costs to society?
"In a stunningly close result, voters in Colorado have passed the most progressive drug reform measure ever seen in the United States. Known as Proposition 122, the measure creates a regulatory framework for psychedelic clinics to operate in the state and completely decriminalizes personal use and possession of several natural hallucinogenic plants.
Known as the Natural Medicine Health Act, the ballot measure presents a framework for regulated access to certain psychedelic plants and fungi. The Act calls for the creation of a government-run Natural Medicine Advisory Board that will develop rules to establish licensed psychedelic therapy clinics by the end of 2024.
The Act is somewhat similar to a ballot measure passed in Oregon back in 2020, however, this Colorado initiative is broader, including provisions for more psychedelic substances than just the magic mushroom compound psilocybin. ..."
Known as the Natural Medicine Health Act, the ballot measure presents a framework for regulated access to certain psychedelic plants and fungi. The Act calls for the creation of a government-run Natural Medicine Advisory Board that will develop rules to establish licensed psychedelic therapy clinics by the end of 2024.
The Act is somewhat similar to a ballot measure passed in Oregon back in 2020, however, this Colorado initiative is broader, including provisions for more psychedelic substances than just the magic mushroom compound psilocybin. ..."
Self-organization: What robotics can learn from amoebae
Amazing stuff!
"... Background: The term “active matter” refers to biological or technical systems from which larger structures are formed by means of self-organization. Such processes are based upon exclusively local interactions between identical, self-propelled units, such as amoebae or indeed robots.
Inspired by biological systems, ... authors propose a new model in which self-propelled agents communicate with each other. These agents recognize chemical, biological, or physical signals at a local level and make individual decisions using their internal machinery that result in collective self-organization. This orientation gives rise to larger structures, which can span multiple length scales.
The new paradigm of communicating active matter forms the basis of the study. Local decisions in response to a signal and the transmission of information, lead to collectively controlled self-organization.
... a possible application of the new model in soft robots – which is to say, robots that are made of soft materials. Such robots are suitable, for example, for performing tasks in human bodies. They can communicate with other soft robots via electromagnetic waves for purposes such as administering drugs at specific sites in the body. The new model can help nanotechnologists design such robot systems by describing the collective properties of robot swarms. ..."
From the abstract:
"The emergence of collective motion among interacting, self-propelled agents is a central paradigm in non-equilibrium physics. Examples of such active matter range from swimming bacteria and cytoskeletal motility assays to synthetic self-propelled colloids and swarming microrobots. Remarkably, the aggregation capabilities of many of these systems rely on a theme as fundamental as it is ubiquitous in nature: communication. ... Here we report on the multi-scale self-organization of interacting self-propelled agents that locally process information transmitted by chemical signals. We show that this communication capacity dramatically expands their ability to form complex structures, allowing them to self-organize through a series of collective dynamical states at multiple hierarchical levels. Our findings provide insights into the role of self-sustained signal processing for self-organization in biological systems and open routes to applications using chemically driven colloids or microrobots."
Self-organization: What robotics can learn from amoebae LMU researchers have developed a new model to describe how biological or technical systems form complex structures without external guidance.
Multi-scale organization in communicating active matter (open access)
Fig. 1: Schematics of the agent-based model for communicating active matter and summary of collective dynamic states.
Russian Power in Decline
Recommendable! Unfortunately, the article is kind of wordy and some of the examples seem to be very selective, but it summarizes some serious issues affecting Russia.
The successor of Putin the Terrible is facing a gargantuan task to solve!
Abundance of natural resources can be a curse see Russia!
The population of Russia has continued shrinking and ageing. Emigration has accelerated since the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian war, especially young, well educated Russians are leaving. Mostly Muslim ethnic minorities in Russia are growing. The mortality rates due to alcoholism, injuries, and accidents are significantly above normal and worse than in low income countries.
The author also points out that the innovative and technological performance of Russia since the end of the Soviet Union has been more reminiscent of a low income country!
Teaching photonic chips to do machine learning
Good news!
"... Photonic integrated circuits, or simply optical chips, have emerged as a possible solution to deliver higher computing performance, as measured by the number of operations performed per second per watt used, or TOPS/W. ..."
From the abstract:
"There has been growing interest in using photonic processors for performing neural network inference operations ... Here, we propose on-chip training of neural networks enabled by a CMOS-compatible silicon photonic architecture to harness the potential for massively parallel, efficient, and fast data operations. Our scheme employs the direct feedback alignment training algorithm, which trains neural networks using error feedback rather than error backpropagation, and can operate at speeds of trillions of multiply–accumulate (MAC) operations per second while consuming less than one picojoule per MAC operation. The photonic architecture exploits parallelized matrix–vector multiplications using arrays of microring resonators for processing multi-channel analog signals along single waveguide buses to calculate the gradient vector for each neural network layer in situ. We also experimentally demonstrate training deep neural networks with the MNIST dataset using on-chip MAC operation results. Our approach for efficient, ultra-fast neural network training showcases photonics as a promising platform for executing artificial intelligence applications."
Teaching photonic chips to learn A multi-institution research team has developed an optical chip that can train machine learning hardware.
Silicon photonic architecture for training deep neural networks with direct feedback alignment (open access)
Fig. 1. Training photonic neural networks
Made-to-fade tattoos
I like that idea of ephemeral tattoos!
"US start-up Ephemeral has developed what it describes as one of the first systematic innovations in tattooing in hundreds of years: a way to make tattoos disappear naturally rather than requiring laser surgery. ..."
Bird flu: Over 50 million birds die in record US outbreak
So egg, chicken, and turkey prices in the U.S. are not only going up because of price inflation? Unfortunately, the article is ambiguous about killed poultry versus killed wildlife birds versus killed urban areas living birds.
"... This year's total of 50.54m birds - including chickens and turkeys - has surpassed a previous high set in 2015.
Flocks in over 40 states have been affected, more than double the number of states in the previous outbreak. ..."
Erdgas aus dem Emirat Katar reicht nicht: Fracking und neue Kernkraftwerke!
Wann wird Realitätssinn endlich wieder in Deutschland zurückkehren! Die Verteufelung von fossilen Energien ist so dumm wie es nur geht (Global Warming is a hoax and Climate Change is a religion)!
Am deutschen Unwesen wird die Welt nicht genesen!
U.a. hat die irrsinnige Energiewende D. in eine Bananenrepublik verwandelt!
D. könnte Weltmeister im Bau und Exporteur von modernen, modularen Kernkraftwerken sein!
D. sitzt auf enormen Reserven an fossilen Energie, die durch Fracking sicher und auch umweltfreundlich gewonnen werden könnten!
"... Denn die vereinbarte Menge von zwei Millionen Tonnen Flüssiggas liefert laut Branchenverband „Zukunft Gas“ etwa 30 Terawattstunden Energie. Das sind etwa drei Prozent des deutschen Jahresbedarfs."
Deutschland erhält ab 2026 LNG aus Katar – statt eigenes Gas zu fördern Derzeit schießen Gasverbrauch und Gaspreise in die Höhe. Grund: die Energiewende. Denn hinter jedem Windrad muss ein Gaskraftwerk stehen. Die Gaslieferungen aus Katar werden weder den Bedarf decken noch die Gaspreise senken. Besser wäre die Förderung eigener Gasvorkommen.
Habeck verbeugt sich!
Why we like hot peppers according to science
Recommendable! I can not live without Sriracha sauce, I admit it!
WHO renames monkeypox to 'mpox'
What is wrong with monkeypox? This is so absurd! I will continue to call this disease monkeypox! This is again an attempt by ideologues to manipulate language and history etc.!
"Monkeypox was first identified as a distinct illness in 1958 among laboratory monkeys in Copenhagen, Denmark." (Wikipedia)
Will somebody finally fire the head of the WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus!
"... When the outbreak of monkeypox expanded earlier this year, racist and stigmatizing language online, in other settings and in some communities was observed and reported to WHO. ..."
Monday, November 28, 2022
Returns Are the Retail Industry’s Quietly Mounting Logistics Problem
Recommendable! In the end, all customers are paying for the returns!
State-owned Lufthansa spreads Diversity Wins propaganda!
Awful! I think, a boycott of this airline is in order! Who came up with this stupid campaign!
"... Because there is one thing we’re sure of: #DiversityWins. ...
#DiversityWins - even above the clouds
Culture, sport, people—football represents many things, but one thing above all: diversity. We remain convinced of this and want to carry this statement from Germany above the clouds to the World Cup. Working with Peter Phobia, a renowned German illustrator from New York, we have provided the Airbus 330 in which we are flying the German team to the World Cup with a very special message: #DiversityWins. ..."
Commuting by seaplane between Boston-to-New York City
Sounds like fun to me! Commuting by seaplane!
"... The bumper-to-bumper traffic is someone else’s problem as you begin a 1-hour journey to New York City that brings you a few docks down from the United Nations. ..."
Ending attacks Against Health Care personnel and facilities in military Conflicts
A very disturbing trend in recent military conflicts!
Let the international war crimes tribunal against Putin the Terrible and his accomplices begin immediately, preferably in Nuremberg, Germany!
"... In recent years, the health and human rights community has documented increasing numbers of attacks on health care—the arrest, detention, and killing of health care workers, the destruction of hospitals and clinics, and attacks on patients—in the context of civil and cross-border conflicts. In Syria alone, Physicians for Human Rights has documented 601 attacks on medical facilities. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has to date included more than 600 attacks on health care. Following the bombing of a maternity hospital in Mariupol, a heartbreaking image of a pregnant woman on a stretcher circulated in the news (neither she nor her child survived). And the nonprofit Insecurity Insight documented more than 4,094 attacks worldwide from 2016 through 2020. But to date, despite long-standing international prohibitions on attacking health care workers and health facilities, there has been just a single international prosecution for this widespread crime, let alone convictions. ..."
In other news today:
Surgeons work by flashlight as Ukraine power grid battered
Children and maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine after bombing
Why have so many Russian aircraft crashed since September?
Recommendable! It is not a new phenomenon and certainly predates the Russo-Ukrainian war! I suspect, some of the causes may date back to the communist Soviet Union era!
Russian air force pilots surely keep their fingers close to the eject button!
"At least six Russian military aircraft have crashed since September due to what appear to be internal malfunctions. ...
One noteworthy crash, however, was when a Su-34 fighter-bomber crashed into a Russian apartment building in Yeysk, exploding and killing 15 people. This was notable because the Su-34 is not an old fighter jet like the Su-25. Rather, it only officially entered into service with the Russian Air Force in 2014. ..."
One noteworthy crash, however, was when a Su-34 fighter-bomber crashed into a Russian apartment building in Yeysk, exploding and killing 15 people. This was notable because the Su-34 is not an old fighter jet like the Su-25. Rather, it only officially entered into service with the Russian Air Force in 2014. ..."
Ultrasound activated microbubbles enhance the activity of standard of care therapeutics in pancreatic cancer | AZBio
Good news! Cancer is history (soon)! Notice, the new therapy is already a registered trademark.
"Scientists ... report that the ultrasound based Acoustic Cluster Therapy ... significantly enhanced the antitumor efficacy of standard care therapies in a preclinical model for pancreatic cancer. ...
The ACT® technology is based on microclusters of microbubble-microdroplets and when sonicated, vaporization of the microdroplets lead to the formation of larger ACT® bubbles. The formation and subsequent oscillation of the ACT® bubbles in the microvasculature produces mechanical bioeffects that enhance drug delivery and efficacy. TGen has evaluated the effectiveness of the technology in a preclinical pancreatic cancer model, and the results demonstrated that ACT® significantly improved the therapeutic efficacy of two cornerstone treatment regimens in the management of pancreatic cancer. ..."
The ACT® technology is based on microclusters of microbubble-microdroplets and when sonicated, vaporization of the microdroplets lead to the formation of larger ACT® bubbles. The formation and subsequent oscillation of the ACT® bubbles in the microvasculature produces mechanical bioeffects that enhance drug delivery and efficacy. TGen has evaluated the effectiveness of the technology in a preclinical pancreatic cancer model, and the results demonstrated that ACT® significantly improved the therapeutic efficacy of two cornerstone treatment regimens in the management of pancreatic cancer. ..."
From the abstract:
"Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas respond poorly to chemotherapy, in part due to the dense tumor stroma that hinders drug delivery. Ultrasound (US) in combination with microbubbles has previously shown promise as a means to improve drug delivery, and the therapeutic efficacy of ultrasound-mediated drug delivery is currently being evaluated in multiple clinical trials. However, most of these utilize echogenic contrast agents engineered for imaging, which might not be optimal compared to specialized formulations tailored for drug delivery. In this study, we evaluated the in vivo efficacy of phase-shifting microbubble-microdroplet clusters that, upon insonation, form bubbles in the size range of 20–30 μm. We developed a patient-derived xenograft model of pancreatic cancer implanted in mice that largely retained the stromal content of the originating tumor and compared tumor growth in mice given chemotherapeutics (nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine or liposomal irinotecan) with mice given the same chemotherapeutics in addition to ultrasound and acoustic cluster therapy. We found that acoustic cluster therapy significantly improved the effect of both chemotherapeutic regimens and resulted in 7.2 times higher odds of complete remission of the tumor compared to the chemotherapeutics alone."
Graphical abstract:
Landmark 20-strain mRNA flu vaccine looks to prevent future pandemics
Good news! Perhaps, we can finally get rid of the annual flu shot!
"An incredible new study published in the journal Science demonstrates the potential for a single mRNA vaccine to provide protection from all 20 known influenza A and B virus subtypes. ...
This new work is far from the first to explore the potential of mRNA vaccine technology to fight influenza. A number of mRNA flu vaccines are in various stages of being trialed. Most recently a team of researchers demonstrated preclinical efficacy of a mRNA vaccine that targets four specific influenza proteins and is believed to offer universal protection against most strains.
But what is particularly unique, and potentially controversial, about this new 20-strain mRNA vaccine is its targeting of many types of influenza that are not currently a problem in humans. The big hypothesis is that delivering a vaccine like this, particularly to very young children, could help prime their immune memory against all influenza subtypes for their entire life. ..."
"An experimental mRNA-based vaccine against all 20 known subtypes of influenza virus provided broad protection from otherwise lethal flu strains in initial tests, and thus might serve one day as a general preventative measure against future flu pandemics, according to researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
The “multivalent” vaccine, which the researchers ... uses the same messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) technology employed in the Pfizer and Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. ...
In mice, the mRNA vaccine elicited high levels of antibodies, which stayed elevated for at least four months, and reacted strongly to all 20 flu subtypes. Moreover, the vaccine seemed relatively unaffected by prior influenza virus exposures, which can skew immune responses to conventional influenza vaccines. The researchers observed that the antibody response in the mice was strong and broad whether or not the animals had been exposed to flu virus before. ..."
In mice, the mRNA vaccine elicited high levels of antibodies, which stayed elevated for at least four months, and reacted strongly to all 20 flu subtypes. Moreover, the vaccine seemed relatively unaffected by prior influenza virus exposures, which can skew immune responses to conventional influenza vaccines. The researchers observed that the antibody response in the mice was strong and broad whether or not the animals had been exposed to flu virus before. ..."
From the abstract:
"Seasonal influenza vaccines offer little protection against pandemic influenza virus strains. It is difficult to create effective prepandemic vaccines because it is uncertain which influenza virus subtype will cause the next pandemic. In this work, we developed a nucleoside-modified messenger RNA (mRNA)–lipid nanoparticle vaccine encoding hemagglutinin antigens from all 20 known influenza A virus subtypes and influenza B virus lineages. This multivalent vaccine elicited high levels of cross-reactive and subtype-specific antibodies in mice and ferrets that reacted to all 20 encoded antigens. Vaccination protected mice and ferrets challenged with matched and mismatched viral strains, and this protection was at least partially dependent on antibodies. Our studies indicate that mRNA vaccines can provide protection against antigenically variable viruses by simultaneously inducing antibodies against multiple antigens."
Penn Scientists Develop 20-Subtype mRNA Flu Vaccine to Protect Against Future Flu Pandemics Promising results in animal models help pave the way for clinical trials
From Japan to Iceland, futuristic vertical farms are starting to bloom
Good news! The next agricultural revolution is in progress! Especially for Iceland with long dark winters!
"In 2016, a new farm in Japan made headlines. It wasn’t your average farm — instead of using soil, it used a hydroponic system, and instead of using sunlight, it used artificial LEDs. But the farm could grow 12,000 heads of lettuce per day, close to urban areas where the product is in high demand.
This isn’t an isolated example. Just one year later, another lettuce vertical farm was established in Iceland, producing a variety of greens that it sells to restaurants and retailers, without using any sunlight whatsoever. ...
When you think about indoor farms, something like a greenhouse likely pops up. But a sweeping trend is revolutionizing indoor farming, moving it from the horizontal to the vertical — and it’s no longer just a concept. All over the world, we’re seeing examples of vertical farming projects, and while significant challenges still exist, the appeal of the technology is hard to ignore. ..."
This isn’t an isolated example. Just one year later, another lettuce vertical farm was established in Iceland, producing a variety of greens that it sells to restaurants and retailers, without using any sunlight whatsoever. ...
When you think about indoor farms, something like a greenhouse likely pops up. But a sweeping trend is revolutionizing indoor farming, moving it from the horizontal to the vertical — and it’s no longer just a concept. All over the world, we’re seeing examples of vertical farming projects, and while significant challenges still exist, the appeal of the technology is hard to ignore. ..."
Biden admin slammed for allowing Chevron to resume oil drilling in Venezuela
The demented and senile 46th President is becoming more and more absurd!
For him, it is not enough to deplete the Strategic Oil Reserve to manipulate fuel prices or to stop oil drilling and fracking of domestic fossil fuels!
The U.S. became a net exporter of fossil fuels again after many years of being a net importer under President Trump! This utter fool in the White House had nothing better to do than to foil this great achievement!
Would Elizabeth Holmes Have Gotten More Time In Jail If She Were A Man?
What if women receive on average only half the sentence than their comparable male counterparts?
Men watch out in the battle of the sexes!
How clubfoot treatment is transforming Senegalese children's lives
It is a shame that this congenital deformity, which has long been successfully mostly eradicated in Western countries, still goes untreated too often in Africa!
Are there Undiscovered Elements Beyond The Periodic Table?
Very recommendable! Think about islands of stability!
Sunday, November 27, 2022
Kristi Noem: This is the reality of Biden's policies
Besides Ron DeSantis, the governor of South Dakota is also a strong contender for the becoming the presidential candidate of 2024! Mark my words!
US, NATO scramble to supply arms to Ukraine, the west tries to refill emptied arsenals
Recommendable! Apparently, the Ukraine is using huge amounts of ammunition per day! Russia also is struggling producing enough ammunition to supply this now over 9 months long war!
What if the Russian Military Rebels Against the Kremlin?
Recommendable! This video draws some interesting parallels to World War I. It also mentions e.g. the disproportionate human losses of minorities in Russia due to the Russo-Ukrainian War. Perhaps up to or more than 700,000 Russians fled Russia to avoid conscription!
Let the war crimes tribunal against Putin the Terrible and his accomplices begin immediately, preferably in Nuremberg, Germany!
How cephalopods develop their big brains
Amazing stuff!
"Cephalopods are capable of some truly impressive behaviors. They can quickly process information to transform shape, color, and even texture, blending in with their surroundings. They can also communicate with one another, show signs of spatial learning, and use tools to solve problems. They are so smart they even get bored and start making mischief. ...
These marine animals, which include octopus, squid, and their cuttlefish cousins, have the most complex brains of any invertebrates on the planet. ...
These marine animals, which include octopus, squid, and their cuttlefish cousins, have the most complex brains of any invertebrates on the planet. ...
Researchers ... describe in a new study how they used a new live-imaging technique to watch neurons being created in squid embryos almost in real-time. They were then able to track those cells through the development of the nervous system in the retina.
They were surprised to discover that these neural stem cells behaved very much like those in vertebrates during nervous-system development. The results suggest that while vertebrates and cephalopods diverged from one other 500 million years ago, the process by which both developed big brains was similar. In addition the way the cells act, divide, and are shaped may essentially follow a kind of blueprint required for this kind of nervous system. ..."
From the highlights and abstract:
"Highlights
• Retinal progenitor cells in the squid undergo interkinetic nuclear migration
• Progenitor, post-mitotic, and differentiated cells are transcriptionally defined
• Notch signaling may regulate both retinal cell cycle and cell fate in the squid
Summary
Coleoid cephalopods, including squid, cuttlefish, and octopus, have large and complex nervous systems and high-acuity, camera-type eyes. These traits are comparable only to features that are independently evolved in the vertebrate lineage. The size of animal nervous systems and the diversity of their constituent cell types is a result of the tight regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation in development. Changes in the process of development during evolution that result in a diversity of neural cell types and variable nervous system size are not well understood. Here, we have pioneered live-imaging techniques and performed functional interrogation to show that the squid Doryteuthis pealeii utilizes mechanisms during retinal neurogenesis that are hallmarks of vertebrate processes. We find that retinal progenitor cells in the squid undergo nuclear migration until they exit the cell cycle. We identify retinal organization corresponding to progenitor, post-mitotic, and differentiated cells. Finally, we find that Notch signaling may regulate both retinal cell cycle and cell fate. Given the convergent evolution of elaborate visual systems in cephalopods and vertebrates, these results reveal common mechanisms that underlie the growth of highly proliferative neurogenic primordia. This work highlights mechanisms that may alter ontogenetic allometry and contribute to the evolution of complexity and growth in animal nervous systems."
Graphical abstract
Quantum microscopy sheds light on high-temperature superconductivity
Good news! Maybe, with the help of AI/machine learning we will also discover better superconducting materials.
Forget about all the nonsense of the unreliable and environmentally unfriendly euphemistically called renewable energy if we can make high-temperature superconductivity to work! Renewable energy is the biggest scam of our time and in more than a generation!
"Researchers have found quantitative evidence for a mechanism long predicted to be responsible for high-temperature superconductivity. ... the team used quantum microscopy to study a high-temperature superconductor called bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide (BSCCO). The work reveals that electrons in this material appear to enter a superfluid state due to strong electron pairing, which then allows them to move without any dissipation. ...
One possible theory ... involves a quantum phenomenon called superexchange. Unlike the more familiar exchange interaction, which affects electrons that are physically close enough to have overlapping quantum-mechanical wavefunctions, superexchange does not require overlap. Instead, it stems from the electrons “hopping” from the copper atom at one lattice site in a crystalline material to another copper atom at the next site ...
One possible theory ... involves a quantum phenomenon called superexchange. Unlike the more familiar exchange interaction, which affects electrons that are physically close enough to have overlapping quantum-mechanical wavefunctions, superexchange does not require overlap. Instead, it stems from the electrons “hopping” from the copper atom at one lattice site in a crystalline material to another copper atom at the next site ...
A key point in ... superexchange theory is that it implies that electrons seek out situations in which they can more optimally hop – for example, when the spins of neighbouring electrons point in opposite directions, establishing a regular spin-up/spin-down pattern. ...
Until now, it had been difficult to test such a theory, but ... using a modified scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) with a superconducting tip rather than the usual normal metallic one. By sweeping this superconducting tip across a sample of BSCCO, they were able to measure a current of electron pairs, rather than just a current of individual electrons. This allowed them to map the density of Cooper pairs surrounding each atom – a direct measure of superconductivity. ..."
Until now, it had been difficult to test such a theory, but ... using a modified scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) with a superconducting tip rather than the usual normal metallic one. By sweeping this superconducting tip across a sample of BSCCO, they were able to measure a current of electron pairs, rather than just a current of individual electrons. This allowed them to map the density of Cooper pairs surrounding each atom – a direct measure of superconductivity. ..."
From the significance and abstract:
"Significance
Charge-transfer superexchange interactions between electrons on adjacent Cu sites have long been hypothesized to generate the intense spin-singlet electron-pair formation in cuprate superconductors. But this concept is unproven, partly because there existed no analogue isotope effect in which one could controllably vary the charge-transfer energy E(r) and measure the changes in the electron-pair condensate Ψ. Our concept is to visualize both E(r) and nP(r)=|Ψ|2 directly at atomic scale and as a function of varying apical oxygen displacements δ(r) that occur in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x. These data provide access to controllable variations in E(r) and resultant effects on nP(r), yielding dnP/dE≈− 0.81±0.17 eV−1. This compares with recent prediction dnP/dE≈−0.9 eV−1 for superexchange-mediated electron pairing in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x, indicating that charge-transfer superexchange is the electron-pairing mechanism in hole-doped superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x.
Abstract
The elementary CuO2 plane sustaining cuprate high-temperature superconductivity occurs typically at the base of a periodic array of edge-sharing CuO5 pyramids. Virtual transitions of electrons between adjacent planar Cu and O atoms, occurring at a rate t/ℏ and across the charge-transfer energy gap E, generate “superexchange” spin–spin interactions of energy J≈4t4/E3 in an antiferromagnetic correlated-insulator state. However, hole doping this CuO2 plane converts this into a very-high-temperature superconducting state whose electron pairing is exceptional. A leading proposal ... it preserves pair-forming superexchange interactions governed by the charge-transfer energy scale E. To explore this hypothesis directly at atomic scale, we combine single-electron and electron-pair (Josephson) scanning tunneling microscopy to visualize the interplay of E and the electron-pair density nP in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x. The responses of both E and nP to alterations in the distance δ between planar Cu and apical O atoms are then determined. These data reveal the empirical crux of strongly correlated superconductivity in CuO2, the response of the electron-pair condensate to varying the charge-transfer energy. Concurrence of predictions from strong-correlation theory for hole-doped charge-transfer insulators with these observations indicates that charge-transfer superexchange is the electron-pairing mechanism of superconductive Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x."
Moder art? Fig. 1 Superexchange magnetic interactions in transition-metal oxides. (A) Schematic representation of CuO5 pyramids whose bases comprise the CuO2 plane.
Nanoparticle-modified microrobots treat bacterial pneumonia in mice
Amazing stuff! Hybrid microrobots combined with nanoparticles and natural microalgae!
"Biohybrid microrobots, which combine the motility of natural micro-organisms with the multifunctionality of synthetic components, are being studied as an alternative to purely synthetic microrobots. Designs based on biocompatible and deformable materials serve as novel platforms for use in vivo, enhancing the potential of microrobots for biomedical applications. In a recent study ... researchers describe a bioinspired microrobot platform consisting of nanoparticle-modified algae for active delivery of antibiotics to treat lung disease. ..."
From the abstract:
"Bioinspired microrobots capable of actively moving in biological fluids have attracted considerable attention for biomedical applications because of their unique dynamic features that are otherwise difficult to achieve by their static counterparts. Here we use click chemistry to attach antibiotic-loaded neutrophil membrane-coated polymeric nanoparticles to natural microalgae, thus creating hybrid microrobots for the active delivery of antibiotics in the lungs in vivo. The microrobots show fast speed (>110 µm s−1) in simulated lung fluid and uniform distribution into deep lung tissues, low clearance by alveolar macrophages and superb tissue retention time (>2 days) after intratracheal administration to test animals. In a mouse model of acute Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia, the microrobots effectively reduce bacterial burden and substantially lessen animal mortality, with negligible toxicity. Overall, these findings highlight the attractive functions of algae–nanoparticle hybrid microrobots for the active in vivo delivery of therapeutics to the lungs in intensive care unit settings."
Nanoparticle-modified microrobots for in vivo antibiotic delivery to treat acute bacterial pneumonia (no public access, but article above provides link to PDF file)
Fig. 1: Preparation and structural characterization of the algae–nanoparticle hybrid microrobot (denoted as ‘algae-NP-robot’).
What a beauty! Pneumonia-fighting microrobot Coloured SEM image of a microrobot made of an algae cell (green) covered with antibiotic-loaded polymer nanoparticles (brown).
microRNAs Can Boost Gene Expression: Study
Amazing stuff! microRNA overlooked in the past, not anymore! Cancer is history (soon)!
"... This isn’t the first time that miRNAs were found to enhance gene expression. A paper published in Science in 2007 pointed to cases of miRNA-mediated upregulation in cells that had stopped dividing. Still, since then, upregulation was thought to be rare and limited to idle cells ...
They probed the miRNA profile of two glycosylation proteins: ST6GAL1, which is ubiquitously expressed, and ST6GAL2, which operates in just a few cell types. Work from their lab had previously found that ST6GAL1 is overactive in pancreatic cancer, peppering cancerous cells’ membranes with a sugar called 2,6-sialic acid. An abundance of sugars on their surface enables tumor cells to evade the immune system, metastasize, and invade other tissues. ...
They discovered that while the miRNAs that interact with ST6GAL2 downregulate its expression, those that interact with ST6GAL1 boost its expression and therefore increase levels of 2,6-sialic acid attachment. ...
the team soon replicated their findings in four cancer cell lines taken from the lungs, ovaries, pancreas, and colon. Furthermore, mutating potential miRNA binding sites caused the upregulation to disappear, suggesting that the miRNAs directly control the gene’s expression. ..."
They probed the miRNA profile of two glycosylation proteins: ST6GAL1, which is ubiquitously expressed, and ST6GAL2, which operates in just a few cell types. Work from their lab had previously found that ST6GAL1 is overactive in pancreatic cancer, peppering cancerous cells’ membranes with a sugar called 2,6-sialic acid. An abundance of sugars on their surface enables tumor cells to evade the immune system, metastasize, and invade other tissues. ...
They discovered that while the miRNAs that interact with ST6GAL2 downregulate its expression, those that interact with ST6GAL1 boost its expression and therefore increase levels of 2,6-sialic acid attachment. ...
the team soon replicated their findings in four cancer cell lines taken from the lungs, ovaries, pancreas, and colon. Furthermore, mutating potential miRNA binding sites caused the upregulation to disappear, suggesting that the miRNAs directly control the gene’s expression. ..."
From the abstract:
"Chemical biology has revealed the importance of sialic acids as a major signal in physiology and disease. The terminal modification α-2,6-sialic acid is controlled by the enzymes ST6GAL1 and ST6GAL2. Dysregulation of this glycan impacts immunological recognition and cancer development. microRNAs (miRNA, miR), noncoding RNAs that downregulate protein expression, are important regulators of glycosylation. Using our recently developed high-throughput fluorescence assay (miRFluR), we comprehensively mapped the miRNA regulatory landscape of α-2,6-sialyltransferases ST6GAL1 and ST6GAL2. We found, contrary to expectations, the majority of miRNAs upregulate ST6GAL1 and α-2,6-sialylation in a variety of cancer cells. In contrast, miRNAs that regulate ST6GAL2 were predominantly downregulatory. Mutational analysis identified direct binding sites in the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) responsible for upregulation, confirming it is a direct effect. The miRNA binding proteins AGO2 and FXR1 were required for upregulation. Our results upend common assumptions surrounding miRNA, arguing that upregulation by these noncoding RNA is common. Indeed, for some proteins, upregulation may be the dominant function of miRNA. Our work also suggests that upregulatory miRNAs enhance overexpression of ST6GAL1 and α-2,6-sialylation, providing another potential pathway to explain the dysregulation observed in cancer and other disease states."
High-Throughput Analysis Reveals miRNA Upregulating α-2,6-Sialic Acid through Direct miRNA–mRNA Interactions (open access)
Graphical abstract
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