Sehr empfehlenswert! Die Bananenrepublik hat die höchsten Elektrizitätspreise weltweit. Echt Spitze! Der Klimawahn macht es möglich! Wenn Schildbürger und Gartenzwerge das Land regieren!
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Gezielter, strategische Kauf von Europäischen Firmen durch China
Empfehlenswert! Anscheinend ist Europa immer noch etwas blauäugig in dieser Hinsicht!
"Seit mehr als einem Jahrzehnt kauft China heimlich europäische Unternehmen in strategischen Sektoren auf, insbesondere in den Bereichen Technologie und Energie. China scheint diese europäischen Vermögenswerte zu nutzen, um die Ambitionen der Kommunistischen Partei Chinas (KPCh) zu erfüllen, eine globale Kraft zu werden, die technologisch unabhängig vom Westen ist und letztendlich die USA als wirtschaftliche, politische und militärische Supermacht der Welt verdrängt. ..."
Thanks to a bit of diamond smashing, practical room-temperature superconductivity could be close to reality
After several decades were are still working on the holy grail of room temperature superconductors. This is kind of a background article.
"... The force rearranged the elements into carbon sulfur hydride (CSH), reported to be the first substance that can conduct electricity with no electrical losses at room temperature—a chilly room, to be sure.... That experiment ended the same way nearly all such efforts do: The diamond jaws exploded, and the world’s only room-temperature superconductor vanished in a puff. ...
Together, the hydrides have revolutionized superconductivity, showing it can happen at temperatures only dreamed of in the past, when superconductors revealed their powers only when cooled below –100°[K]. But so far, the materials can only be made in fractions of grams and only superconduct when squeezed to outlandish pressures. That limitation makes them wholly impractical for real-world applications. ...
These are difficult experiments done on extremely small samples under intense pressure,” ... critic of claims for hydride superconductivity. “... but an experimental artifact.” ..."
Together, the hydrides have revolutionized superconductivity, showing it can happen at temperatures only dreamed of in the past, when superconductors revealed their powers only when cooled below –100°[K]. But so far, the materials can only be made in fractions of grams and only superconduct when squeezed to outlandish pressures. That limitation makes them wholly impractical for real-world applications. ...
These are difficult experiments done on extremely small samples under intense pressure,” ... critic of claims for hydride superconductivity. “... but an experimental artifact.” ..."
How personalized brain organoids could help us demystify disorders
Good news!
"The researchers also grew organoids using cells from a 25-year-old woman and a 5-year-old girl with Rett syndrome, a [rare genetic neurological and] developmental disorder marked by seizures, autism and developmental lags. Rett syndrome is thought to be caused by changes in a gene called MECP2, mutations that the lab-grown organoids carried as well.
These organoids looked like those grown from healthy people, but behaved differently in some ways. Their nerve cells fired off signals that were too synchronized and less varied. Some of the brain waves these organoids produced are reminiscent of a brain having a seizure, in which a bolus of electrical activity scrambles normal brain business.
With organoids carrying Rett syndrome mutations, scientists can better understand the syndrome and even begin to test possible treatments. ..."
From the abstract:
"Brain organoids represent a powerful tool for studying human neurological diseases, particularly those that affect brain growth and structure. However, many diseases manifest with clear evidence of physiological and network abnormality in the absence of anatomical changes, raising the question of whether organoids possess sufficient neural network complexity to model these conditions. Here, we explore the network-level functions of brain organoids using calcium sensor imaging and extracellular recording approaches that together reveal the existence of complex network dynamics reminiscent of intact brain preparations. We demonstrate highly abnormal and epileptiform-like activity in organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem cells from individuals with Rett syndrome, accompanied by transcriptomic differences revealed by single-cell analyses. We also rescue key physiological activities with an unconventional neuroregulatory drug, pifithrin-α. Together, these findings provide an essential foundation for the utilization of brain organoids to study intact and disordered human brain network formation and illustrate their utility in therapeutic discovery."
Identification of neural oscillations and epileptiform changes in human brain organoids (no public access, but the article above contains a link to the PDF file)
Mitigating the Trade-Off Risks of Taiwan’s Over-Reliance on its Semiconductor Industry
Recommendable!
Other questions, the article below did not address: E.g. will Taiwan destroy its semiconductor industry if China invades?
"Taiwan’s growing reliance on its semiconductor industry as an asset and international diplomatic tool is widely heralded by strategists, economists, and business professionals alike. Yet, the country’s lack of export diversification, centralized prioritization of resources, and a sober expectation of long-term market dominance present a high-risk environment in which Taiwan is vulnerable to both endogenous and exogenous shocks. ...
For instance, Taiwan’s extended drought in the first half of 2021 placed severe pressure on both local and national water supplies. Government regulators had to incentivize farmers to skip this growing season and even to halt irrigation altogether in order to divert water to neighboring chip manufacturing processes. ...
The importance of the semiconductor industry in Taiwan is now internationally recognized—and for good reasons. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) alone manufactures 84 percent of the world’s most advanced chips. ...
For instance, Taiwan’s extended drought in the first half of 2021 placed severe pressure on both local and national water supplies. Government regulators had to incentivize farmers to skip this growing season and even to halt irrigation altogether in order to divert water to neighboring chip manufacturing processes. ...
The importance of the semiconductor industry in Taiwan is now internationally recognized—and for good reasons. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) alone manufactures 84 percent of the world’s most advanced chips. ...
As of June 1 [2021], TSMC began construction on a USD $12 billion chip factory in Arizona, with plans to open for production in 2024. This project, however, remains one of the few tangible international partnerships at the company level within the Taiwanese semiconductor industry. ..."
Local delivery of mRNA-encoded cytokines promotes antitumor immunity and tumor eradication across multiple preclinical tumor models
Other uses of mRNA than SARS-CoV-2/Covid-19 vaccines! Cancer is history!
"Cytokine-based treatments for cancer have been hindered by both off-target toxicity and difficulty in achieving local delivery. To address these challenges, Hotz et al. developed a saline-formulated mixture of four mRNAs delivered by intratumoral injection. The mRNAs encoded interleukin-12 (IL-12) single chain, interferon-α, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and IL-15 sushi. The combination led to robust antitumor immune responses and tumor regression in multiple mouse models, including models with more than one tumor. Together, these data support further development of cytokine-encoding mRNAs as a treatment for cancer."
From the abstract:
"Local immunotherapy ideally stimulates immune responses against tumors while avoiding toxicities associated with systemic administration. Current strategies for tumor-targeted, gene-based delivery, however, are limited by adverse effects such as off-targeting or antivector immunity. We investigated the intratumoral administration of saline-formulated messenger (m)RNA encoding four cytokines that were identified as mediators of tumor regression across different tumor models: interleukin-12 (IL-12) single chain, interferon-α (IFN-α), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and IL-15 sushi. Effective antitumor activity of these cytokines relied on multiple immune cell populations and was accompanied by intratumoral IFN-γ induction, systemic antigen-specific T cell expansion, increased granzyme B+ T cell infiltration, and formation of immune memory. Antitumor activity extended beyond the treated lesions and inhibited growth of distant tumors and disseminated tumors. Combining the mRNAs with immunomodulatory antibodies enhanced antitumor responses in both injected and uninjected tumors, thus improving survival and tumor regression. Consequently, clinical testing of this cytokine-encoding mRNA mixture is now underway."
Saturday, January 22, 2022
How to Limit Social Media's Power without Big Government
Recommendable!
"... From 1949 to 1987 [abolished by President Reagan], the so-called [Federal Communications Commission] fairness doctrine was used to utterly silence the Right—Rush Limbaugh was a salesman for the Kansas City Royals until Reagan finally repealed the rule, and Murray Rothbard famously could fit the entire libertarian movement in a living room. The doctrine’s repeal opened the floodgates for talk radio, then Fox News, and now content from the Mises Institute to Praeger University to the Babylon Bee. Given that the vast majority of federal workers remain partisan Democrats—the “Deep State,” if you will, hasn’t changed its colors. Reimposing regulation of speech likely means a return to socialist domination of speech.
However, actual solutions being proposed involve not more regulation, but less. In particular, narrowing an immunity that was granted to online platforms in Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. This was a special immunity from liability for user-posted content so long as the company was acting as a platform open to all comers—think “common carrier” rules like with the phone company. ...
Given the existential importance of the shield, social media companies started gradually demonetizing users so they couldn’t earn money on their channels. They moved on to outright bans, again starting gradually by banning intentionally provocative users like former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopolos and Alex Jones of Infowars, and now on to increasingly mainstream users, including, last week, the largest conservative newspaper in the US, the New York Post.
Because a divided Congress won’t rewrite 230, practical reform involves narrowing 230 immunities so that egregious censorship becomes, once again, a bad choice for social media. Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas has openly wished for a test case so the court can do this, while market-friendly FCC director Ajit Pai has proposed rules narrowing 230 immunities back to what they used to be. ...
Unfortunately, the market isn’t as competitive as it used to be. Conservative-friendly social media startups such as Gab and Parler have faced a gauntlet of harassment and choke points, from being denied bank accounts or payment accounts to being denied essential services like web hosting or hacker protection. Given the recent explosion in corporate “wokeness,” this harassment isn’t going away, and in fact is likely to increase. ..."
However, actual solutions being proposed involve not more regulation, but less. In particular, narrowing an immunity that was granted to online platforms in Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. This was a special immunity from liability for user-posted content so long as the company was acting as a platform open to all comers—think “common carrier” rules like with the phone company. ...
This meant, up until 2016, that social media companies were very careful to maintain a hands-off policy, allowing essentially all legal speech so they wouldn't lose that shield.
This started changing in 2016, as progressive pressure was brought against social media companies for the sin of giving voice to conservatives during the Brexit referendum, followed soon after by Donald Trump’s election victory. Meanwhile, individual judges increasingly interpreted 230 more broadly as permitting censorship at will. In fact, European regulators actually started requiring censorship for any speech individual regulators personally regarded as too right-wing. This, unfortunately, built a broad censorship capability in social media companies.
Because a divided Congress won’t rewrite 230, practical reform involves narrowing 230 immunities so that egregious censorship becomes, once again, a bad choice for social media. Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas has openly wished for a test case so the court can do this, while market-friendly FCC director Ajit Pai has proposed rules narrowing 230 immunities back to what they used to be. ...
Unfortunately, the market isn’t as competitive as it used to be. Conservative-friendly social media startups such as Gab and Parler have faced a gauntlet of harassment and choke points, from being denied bank accounts or payment accounts to being denied essential services like web hosting or hacker protection. Given the recent explosion in corporate “wokeness,” this harassment isn’t going away, and in fact is likely to increase. ..."
On the microbiome of centenarians
What are your chances to become 100 years old and still be healthy?
More research on centenarians would be welcomed!
"... The team found that the microbiomes of centenarians differed from the other two [age] groups. Centenarian microbiomes had more Proteobacteria and Synergistetes and fewer Actinobacteria species than microbiomes in the other two cohorts. But what Honda found much more intriguing were the results of a metagenome analysis, which revealed increased abundance of bile-acid-inducible genes in the 100-year-old-plus age group. Some bile acids play a role in host metabolic and immune responses, including blocking pathogens such as Clostridium difficile from colonizing the intestines. ..."
From the abstract:
"... Here we show that centenarians have a distinct gut microbiome that is enriched in microorganisms that are capable of generating unique secondary bile acids, including various isoforms of lithocholic acid (LCA): iso-, 3-oxo-, allo-, 3-oxoallo- and isoallolithocholic acid. Among these bile acids, the biosynthetic pathway for isoalloLCA had not been described previously. By screening 68 bacterial isolates from the faecal microbiota of a centenarian, we identified Odoribacteraceae strains as effective producers of isoalloLCA both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we found that the enzymes 5α-reductase (5AR) and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSDH) were responsible for the production of isoalloLCA. IsoalloLCA exerted potent antimicrobial effects against Gram-positive (but not Gram-negative) multidrug-resistant pathogens, including Clostridioides difficile and Enterococcus faecium. ..."
Gut Bugs May Help Centenarians Reach Their 100th Birthdays Centenarians have distinct microbiomes with species that produce unique bile acids, which may help thwart illness.
Genderwahn: Nur mehr weibliche Form bei Stellenangeboten und Zusatz (a) für „alle“
Die Bananenrepublik Deutschland im Wahn:
Klimawahn, Coronawahn, Genderwahn ...
Que vadis! Wahnsinnig!
"In Deutschland gibt es bekanntlich 146 Genderprofessuren an Universitäten und 50 Genderprofessuren an Fachhochschulen. Das entspricht nahezu der Anzahl der Pharmazieprofessuren (191). Nachdem diese immens wichtigen Lehrenden und sonstige Innen nicht sagen können, dass aufgrund ihrer Tätigkeit alles jetzt doch passen sollte, müssen naturgemäß immer neue Segnungen für die Menschen ausgebrütete werden. ..."
450+ Scientists' Letter to Advertisement & PR Agencies: Drop Fossil Fuel Clients
These are not scientists, but propagandists!
Many of the signers are listed having a PhD, but fail to mention their affiliation or institution.
However some signers indicate Oak Ridge National Lab, Georgetown University, Smithsonian Institution, Virginia Tech, "USDA Forest Service, retired", "US Fish and Wildlife/NOAA (retired) "
Many of the listed affiliations/institutions have little to do with climate science e.g. animal hospital. US National Park Service etc.
This letter is supported by "We are strategists, creatives, and industry leaders who believe that fossil fuel clients represent a threat to our shared future."
Friday, January 21, 2022
Chaka Khan: "You've Got the Love" 1974 My first time on SoulTrain
Enjoy! I wish they had remastered this video!
Iran, Russia & China hold Naval drills in the North Indian Ocean
When authoritarian regimes get together!
Angela Merkel demütigt Friedrich Merz und die ganze CDU
Sehr empfehlenswert!
Hier ist meine Abrechnung mit der SED Kanzlerin!
"... Den Verdacht, dass sie die Partei nie liebte, sondern von Anfang an nur als Mittel zum Zweck ihrer Macht benutzte, hat Angela Merkel nun jedenfalls doppelt bestätigt. Sie hat ja selbst nie einen Hehl daraus gemacht, dass sie in jenen Monaten nach dem Mauerfall, als sie auf der Suche nach einer Karrieremöglichkeit war, auch bei den Sozialdemokraten vorfühlte. ..."
Physicists detect a hybrid particle held together by uniquely intense “glue”
Recommendable!
"In the particle world, sometimes two is better than one. Take, for instance, electron pairs [Cooper pairs]. When two electrons are bound together, they can glide through a material without friction, giving the material special superconducting properties. ...
Now ... physicists have detected another kind of hybrid particle in an unusual, two-dimensional magnetic material. They determined that the hybrid particle is a mashup of an electron and a phonon (a quasiparticle that is produced from a material’s vibrating atoms). When they measured the force between the electron and phonon, they found that the glue, or bond, was 10 times stronger than any other electron-phonon hybrid known to date.
The particle’s exceptional bond suggests that its electron and phonon might be tuned in tandem; for instance, any change to the electron should affect the phonon, and vice versa. In principle, an electronic excitation, such as voltage or light, applied to the hybrid particle could stimulate the electron as it normally would, and also affect the phonon, which influences a material’s structural or magnetic properties. Such dual control could enable scientists to apply voltage or light to a material to tune not just its electrical properties but also its magnetism.
The results are especially relevant, as the team identified the hybrid particle in nickel phosphorus trisulfide (NiPS3), a two-dimensional material that has attracted recent interest for its magnetic properties. If these properties could be manipulated, for instance through the newly detected hybrid particles, scientists believe the material could one day be useful as a new kind of magnetic semiconductor, which could be made into smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient electronics. ..."
The particle’s exceptional bond suggests that its electron and phonon might be tuned in tandem; for instance, any change to the electron should affect the phonon, and vice versa. In principle, an electronic excitation, such as voltage or light, applied to the hybrid particle could stimulate the electron as it normally would, and also affect the phonon, which influences a material’s structural or magnetic properties. Such dual control could enable scientists to apply voltage or light to a material to tune not just its electrical properties but also its magnetism.
The results are especially relevant, as the team identified the hybrid particle in nickel phosphorus trisulfide (NiPS3), a two-dimensional material that has attracted recent interest for its magnetic properties. If these properties could be manipulated, for instance through the newly detected hybrid particles, scientists believe the material could one day be useful as a new kind of magnetic semiconductor, which could be made into smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient electronics. ..."
From the abstract:
"In van der Waals (vdW) materials, strong coupling between different degrees of freedom can hybridize elementary excitations into bound states with mixed character. Correctly identifying the nature and composition of these bound states is key to understanding their ground state properties and excitation spectra. ...These results demonstrate NiPS3 as a platform to study strong interactions between spins, orbitals and lattice, and open pathways to coherent control of 2D magnets."
Physicists detect a hybrid particle held together by uniquely intense “glue” | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology The discovery could offer a route to smaller, faster electronic devices.
Buster Keaton - One Week (1920) Silent film
Very recommendable! Have fun! Buster Keaton was an absolute genius making all those funny silent movies! Where did he get all these ideas from?
Back to normality in South Africa as Covid cases fall
When will Western countries especially the U.S. return to fairly normal life like before the pandemic?
The new variant Omicron was first discovered in early November 2021 in South Africa and scientists in South Africa have immediately judged this variant to be very infectious, but little harmful compared with earlier variants!
Why SARS-CoV-2/Covid-19 is a relatively harmless disease and why the cure was worse than the disease.
Joe Biden: "I Have No Idea" Why Voters Think I’m Not Mentally Fit to Be ...
No comment! Become a great president by stepping down!
Thursday, January 20, 2022
Why Russia is Building an Arctic Silk Road
Very recommendable! This is a gigantic mega project around the Northern Sea Route. It also involves the transport of enormous amounts of fossil fuels. There is apparently also a heavy involvement by China. An alternative to the Suez Canal.
John Deere Is Facing a Farmer Revolt
Recommendable! This is about the farmer's right to repair their own equipment!
Virginia Governor Youngkin Appoints Chief Diversity, Opportunity & Inclusion Officer
What! This seems kind of an oxymoron! This does not look like a great move by the new governor. He should have either abolished this office or should have renamed it appropriately! Two thumbs down!
Is this office not superfluous anyway!
"Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced he has chosen Angela Sailor to be Virginia’s Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Governor Youngkin also issued Executive Order #10, designating Sailor as a member of his cabinet as the Commonwealth Chief Diversity, Opportunity & Inclusion Officer with a stronger and more focused role on promoting ideas, policies, and economic opportunities for disadvantaged Virginians, including Virginians living with disabilities and bringing Virginians of different faiths together. ..."
"Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday named a new diversity officer who opposes critical race theory to lead the state’s diversity, opportunity, and inclusion efforts.
Angela Sailor was appointed to an existing post as Virginia’s director of diversity, equity, and inclusion, according to a press release. Youngkin also issued his 10th executive order, which designates Sailor as the commonwealth’s chief diversity, opportunity, and inclusion officer as part of his Cabinet, replacing the word “equity” with “opportunity.” ..."
China's Chang'e 5 lunar lander finds evidence of water
Amazing stuff! What an achievement!
"China’s Chang’e 5 lunar lander became the first to discover water on the moon on-site and in real time.
Water was first discovered on the moon from orbit in 2009 by India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission. The team used NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper instrument to definitively detect water. Since then, water has been extensively mapped from orbit in missions like NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
The Chang’e 5 lander used its mineralogical spectrometer, which was specifically designed for finding water, to detect the water. It did so by determining spectral reflectance measurements of soil and rocks on the moon.
The water on the moon is believed to be from deposition from solar wind, a constant stream of charged particles coming from the sun. It was found near the Oceanus Procellarum on the moon’s near side.
Chang’e 5 landed on the moon on December 1, 2020 with a mission to collect lunar rocks and soil to bring back to Earth. This is China’s first ever sample return mission, however the country has had four successful robotics missions to the moon before the Chang’e 5. ..."
New Israeli submarines to have new capabilities like vertical missile launch system
For a country with nuclear weapons, this is quite step up towards becoming a [regional] superpower!
"The price of the new submarines that Israel has purchased from Germany may have doubled because of new weapon capabilities, possibly including a vertical launch system (VLS), Naval News reported on Wednesday.
The price of the three Dakar-class diesel-electric submarines built by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems will cost €1.2 billion more than originally planned, costing Israel double for a total of €2.4b. ...
While most details about Israel’s submarine fleet are under heavy guard and rarely publicized, the Israel-bound subs in question are said to have 16 multipurpose torpedo tubes that can fire torpedoes, Turbo Popeye cruise missiles, and even swimmer-delivery systems. According to foreign reports, these submarines provide Israel with nuclear second-strike capabilities, carrying long-range cruise missiles with nuclear warheads. ..."
While most details about Israel’s submarine fleet are under heavy guard and rarely publicized, the Israel-bound subs in question are said to have 16 multipurpose torpedo tubes that can fire torpedoes, Turbo Popeye cruise missiles, and even swimmer-delivery systems. According to foreign reports, these submarines provide Israel with nuclear second-strike capabilities, carrying long-range cruise missiles with nuclear warheads. ..."
"... Thanking the German government “for its assistance in advancing the agreement and for its commitment to Israel’s security,” [Israeli defense minister] Gantz said ..."
Israel, Germany sign agreement for three new submarines The deal costs Israel an estimated €3 billion and would see the submarines reach Israeli shores in 9 years.
The Spanish Jesuit Priest Who Rebelled Against Authoritarianism and Inspired Classical Liberalism
Recommendable! His books were banned and destroyed!
His story is also an excellent example why religious freedom is so important!
"... Though the roots of the classical liberalism that led to the American Revolution can be traced back through early Judeo-Christian writings to the works of Aristotle, many of liberalism’s basic principles were codified in the 16th-century by Mariana and other like-minded scholars during Spain’s Golden Age. Of course, Mariana’s new book did more than bluntly denounce the government’s manipulation of money and blame it for the nation’s crippling price inflation—though that was certainly enough in those days to justify an arrest warrant. The professor had also insisted that kings did not own the private property of their citizens and asserted that any king “who tramples everything underfoot and believes everything to belong to him” was nothing more than a tyrant. ...
Mariana even argued that nations do not have the right to tax the people without their consent, since imposing unapproved taxes amounted to stealing what belonged to them ...
Mariana had made the even more audacious claim that the people had the right to overthrow their rulers whenever they shut down their freedom of speech and assembly, seize their property unjustly, or impose taxes without their consent. ...
Mariana – who would be widely read in England during his final years and after his death -- thus anticipated John Locke’s (1632-1704) theory of popular consent and the superiority of the people to their government. He also was the forebear of the great English philosopher’s assertion that men establish governments in the first place to protect their natural rights. ...
Thomas Jefferson discovered Mariana and even gave copies of one of his books to friends; and America’s second president, John Adams, included at least two of Mariana’s works in his library, including On Kings and Royalty. ...
In [his then] new book, Mariana explained in simple terms the truth about monetary debasement, or what is today called “money printing.” In those days, debasement consisted of removing coins’ precious metal content for its use by the king and his government. Mariana had seen how this policy had impoverished the citizenry and hurt commerce, creating widespread discontent. Watching the fiscal chaos unfold, he likened the policy to outright theft ..."
Mariana even argued that nations do not have the right to tax the people without their consent, since imposing unapproved taxes amounted to stealing what belonged to them ...
Mariana had made the even more audacious claim that the people had the right to overthrow their rulers whenever they shut down their freedom of speech and assembly, seize their property unjustly, or impose taxes without their consent. ...
Mariana – who would be widely read in England during his final years and after his death -- thus anticipated John Locke’s (1632-1704) theory of popular consent and the superiority of the people to their government. He also was the forebear of the great English philosopher’s assertion that men establish governments in the first place to protect their natural rights. ...
Thomas Jefferson discovered Mariana and even gave copies of one of his books to friends; and America’s second president, John Adams, included at least two of Mariana’s works in his library, including On Kings and Royalty. ...
In [his then] new book, Mariana explained in simple terms the truth about monetary debasement, or what is today called “money printing.” In those days, debasement consisted of removing coins’ precious metal content for its use by the king and his government. Mariana had seen how this policy had impoverished the citizenry and hurt commerce, creating widespread discontent. Watching the fiscal chaos unfold, he likened the policy to outright theft ..."
Bioelectricity generation from live marine seaweed
Will seaweed compete with solar power in the future?
"... Many different species of seaweed grow naturally on the Mediterranean shore of Israel, especially Ulva (also known as sea lettuce) ... After developing new methods to connect Ulva and BPEC [Bio-PhotoElectrochemical Cells], currents a thousand times greater than those from cyanobacteria were obtained – currents that are on the level of those obtained from standard solar cells. ... these increased currents are due to the high rate of seaweed photosynthesis, and the ability to use the seaweed in their natural seawater as the BPEC electrolyte – the solution that promotes electron transfer in the BPEC. In addition, the seaweed provides current in the dark, about 50% of that obtained in light. The source of the dark current is from respiration – where sugars made by the photosynthetic process are used as an internal source of nutrients. In a fashion similar to the cyanobacterial BOEC, no additional chemicals are needed to obtain the current. The Ulva produce mediating electron transfer molecules that are secreted from the cells and transfer the electrons to the BPEC electrode. ..."
From the abstract:
"The conversion of solar energy into electrical current by photosynthetic organisms has the potential to produce clean energy. Bio-photoelectrochemical cells (BPECs) utilizing unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms have been studied, however similar harvesting of electrons from more evolved intact photosynthetic organisms has not been previously reported. In this study, we describe for the first time BPECs containing intact live marine macroalgae (seaweeds) in natural seawater or saline buffer. The BPECs produce electrical currents of >50 mA/cm2, from both light-dependent (photosynthesis) and light-independent processes. These values are significantly greater than the current densities that have been reported for single-cell microorganisms. ..."
Bioelectricity generation from live marine photosynthetic macroalgae (no public access)
Self-Healing of Crystal Voids in Perovskite Nanocrystals
Good news!
"... The field of self-repairing materials is rapidly expanding, and what used to be science fiction might soon become reality ... scientists who developed eco-friendly nanocrystal semiconductors capable of self-healing. Their findings, recently published in Advanced Functional Materials, describe the process in which a group of materials called double perovskites display self-healing properties after being damaged by the radiation of an electron beam. ...
They saw that the holes moved freely within the nanocrystal but avoided its edges. The researchers developed a code that analyzed dozens of videos made using the electron microscope to understand the movement dynamics within the crystal. They found that holes formed on the surface of the nanoparticles, and then moved to energetically stable areas inside. The reason for the holes’ movement inwards was hypothesized to be organic molecules coating the nanocrystals’ surface. Once these organic molecules were removed, the group discovered the crystal spontaneously ejected the holes to the surface and out, returning to its original pristine structure – in other words, the crustal repaired itself."
Nanocrystals are the smallest material particles that remain naturally stable. Their size makes certain properties more pronounced and enables research approaches that would be impossible on larger crystals, such as imaging using electron microscopy to see how atoms in the materials move. This was, in fact, the method that enabled the discovery of self-repair in the lead-free perovskites.
The perovskite nanoparticles [researchers] examined the particles using a transmission electron microscope, they discovered the exciting phenomenon. The high-voltage electron beam used by this type of microscope caused faults and holes in the nanocrystals. The researchers were then able to explore how these holes interact with the material surrounding them and how they move and transform within it.
From the abstract:
"... Void trajectories and velocities are calculated for TEM [transmission electron microscopy] videos. An inaccessible, protected volume for migration near the nanocrystal outer surface is discovered, confining the migration of voids to inner crystal parts. Once surface passivation in the form of organic ligands is removed, void dynamics changes, to enable annealing of the voids and self-healing of the crystal. It is determined that surface ligand protection against void migration is extending several atomic layers below the crystal surface. Modeling based on these results predict equilibrium positions for the voids, which are discovered in the data. The study suggests that tuning of organic ligand density influences structural stability and crystal defect tolerance in double perovskites. ..."
Hildegard von Bingen
Sehr empfehlenswert! Aber die Dokumentation endet ungefähr in der Mitte des Lebens dieser Frau. Sehr seltsam! Eine sehr beeindruckende Frau! Hat sich Hildegard von Bingen etwa an Drogen berauscht?
From Bitcoin to DeFi (in 12 Short Years)
Recommendable! Clearly, the future is digital money/currency! Paying with metal coins or paper money is totally antiquated and inconvenient! To privatize money on free markets worldwide is certainly preferable over the current system. This could become one of the greatest transformations of global finance in world history, but it appears to be in a very early stage.
Wednesday, January 19, 2022
'Ready to defend our values': Tensions rise in Sweden's Gotland amid Russian threat
Tensions are rising and affecting more countries! When will the Russian people finally get rid of Putin the Terrible!
Nocebo underlies many Covid-19 vaccine negative side effects
So many of the reported negative side effects by people who received Covid-19 vaccinations are imaginary!
"Most of the side effects that people experience after a COVID-19 vaccination can be blamed on the ‘nocebo’ effect. The nocebo effect is like the evil twin of the placebo effect — for example, it heightens pain if a person anticipates that something will hurt. Researchers reviewed 12 randomized clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines and found that the nocebo effect accounted for 76% of common adverse reactions, such as headache and fatigue, after the first dose. ..."
"Question What was the frequency of adverse events (AEs) in the placebo groups of COVID-19 vaccine trials?
Findings In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 articles including AE reports for 45 380 trial participants, systemic AEs were experienced by 35% of placebo recipients after the first dose and 32% after the second. Significantly more AEs were reported in the vaccine groups, but AEs in placebo arms (“nocebo responses”) accounted for 76% of systemic AEs after the first COVID-19 vaccine dose and 52% after the second dose.
Meaning This study found that the rate of nocebo responses in placebo arms of COVID-19 vaccine trials was substantial; this finding should be considered in public vaccination programs."
A low-cost and shielding-free ultra-low-field brain MRI scanner
Good news! This could be a major breakthrough in diagnostic imaging!
"A compact ultralow-field (ULF) brain MRI scanner that does not require magnetic or radiofrequency shielding and is acoustically quiet during scanning has been developed at the University of Hong Kong. ...
They team estimates that the machine could be built in quantity with material costs under $20,000. ...
The researchers developed a deep-learning-driven electromagnetic interference (EMI) cancellation technique to model, predict and remove external and internal EMI signals from MRI signals. This EMI cancellation procedure eliminates the need for a traditional RF shielding cage. Meanwhile, the high temperature stability of SmCo removes the need for any magnet temperature regulation schemes to stabilize temperature-dependent fields. ..."
They team estimates that the machine could be built in quantity with material costs under $20,000. ...
The researchers developed a deep-learning-driven electromagnetic interference (EMI) cancellation technique to model, predict and remove external and internal EMI signals from MRI signals. This EMI cancellation procedure eliminates the need for a traditional RF shielding cage. Meanwhile, the high temperature stability of SmCo removes the need for any magnet temperature regulation schemes to stabilize temperature-dependent fields. ..."
From the abstract:
"... There are approximately seven scanners per million inhabitants and over 90% are concentrated in high-income countries. We describe an ultra-low-field brain MRI scanner that operates using a standard AC power outlet and is low cost to build. Using a permanent 0.055 Tesla Samarium-cobalt magnet and deep learning for cancellation of electromagnetic interference, it requires neither magnetic nor radiofrequency shielding cages. The scanner is compact, mobile, and acoustically quiet during scanning. ..."
Die Corona-Politik der Wahrheitsleugner zerstört das Staatsvertrauen
Empfehlenswert! Roland Tichy beleuchtet den deutschen Coronawahn!
Scheint so als ob der neue Bundesgesundheitsminister Karl Lauterbach vergleichbar ist mit dem Amerikanischen Clown und Scharlatan Anthony Fauci!
"Das ist ein Tiefschlag für Millionen von Bürgern, die der Impfpolitik vertraut hatten: Diejenigen, die sich mit dem Vakzin von Johnson&Johnson haben behandeln lassen, verlieren ihren Status als Vollgeimpfte.
Ohne Begründung und ohne öffentlichen Hinweis hat Gesundheitsminister Karl Lauterbach für mehrere Millionen Genesener die Befreiung von der faktischen Impfpflicht aufgehoben.
Durch die Einführung von 2G+ werden Doppeltgeimpfte plötzlich eingesperrt, nachdem man ihnen versprochen hatte, dass eine zweifache Impfung den Weg zurück aus den Beschränkungen für sie führe. ...
Der Höhepunkt ist, dass Karl Lauterbach klammheimlich an einem Freitag eine Regelung geschaffen hat, wonach das RKI von sich aus darüber entscheiden darf, ob Millionen von Bürgern noch am breiteren gesellschaftlichen Leben teilhaben dürfen oder nicht, indem es ihren Impfstatus verändern kann. ..."
New Evidence for the Ferguson Effect: Police protests reduce police proactivity leading to a surge in crime in cities
Recommendable!
"In 2015 and 2016, the coincidence of a major surge in homicides following mass protests over the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, prompted a heated debate about whether the demonstrations, and the anti-police hostility they engendered, helped cause the murder spike. Law enforcement leaders and some public commentators ... identified a “Ferguson Effect,” whereby public scrutiny reduced police proactivity and led to an increase in violent crime. ...
Two new studies, however, rely on better data sets and methods to provide strong evidence that highly scrutinized officer-involved fatalities reduce discretionary police activity and lead to an increase in violent crime. ...
In the immediate aftermath of Brown’s death, self-initiated arrests fell 62 percent. Similar declines are seen across nine out of 11 categories of self-initiated activities, including foot patrol (down 82 percent) and pedestrian checks (76 percent). Notably, the decline in arrests is concentrated among misdemeanor arrests (more discretionary than felonies) and among arrests of blacks (rather than whites). This reduction in police activity persisted for at least the next two years. In the same period, the city experienced a significant rise in homicide and aggravated assault."
Two new studies, however, rely on better data sets and methods to provide strong evidence that highly scrutinized officer-involved fatalities reduce discretionary police activity and lead to an increase in violent crime. ...
In the immediate aftermath of Brown’s death, self-initiated arrests fell 62 percent. Similar declines are seen across nine out of 11 categories of self-initiated activities, including foot patrol (down 82 percent) and pedestrian checks (76 percent). Notably, the decline in arrests is concentrated among misdemeanor arrests (more discretionary than felonies) and among arrests of blacks (rather than whites). This reduction in police activity persisted for at least the next two years. In the same period, the city experienced a significant rise in homicide and aggravated assault."
Stevie Wonder: Why *won't* you, Senators?
What a fool! Play great music and sing great songs like Superstition or Living for the city! Stay out of politics!
Soviet Submarine Hunters: Canada and the Cuban Missile Crisis
Very recommendable!
These were the Canadian huntresses of Soviet submarines
Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik appears in court appealing for early release
What a travesty! This mass murderer of 77 lifes was only sentenced to 21 years in prion in 2012? What???? So in 2033, this killer born in 1979 could be out of jail again at the age of 54?
If anybody deserved and is qualified for Capital punishment this would be him! All that taxpayer money that is wasted on this monster for 21 years or more!
Singapore: The Most Militarized Country in the World?
Very recommendable! This a very impressive little country! Quite incredible for this tiny city state! I did not know this! Meet the poisoned shrimp, the porcupine, and the dolphin defense doctrines! What can Taiwan learn from Singapore?
Singapore air force features perhaps the most and latest Lockheed Martin F35 fighter jets of all countries except the U.S.
Israel was there from the beginning to arm and train the Singapore military.
Lee Kuan Yew was an extraordinary visionary leader!
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Tucker Carlson: We’re watching civilization collapse in real time
Very recommendable! When e.g. cities spend much more money to benefit homeless people than on other important programs or promote and tolerate unacceptable behavior of homeless people ...
Israeli Prime Minister offers UAE intel, security aid in drone attack condemnation
President Trump's Abraham Accords keep on giving!
135+ Scientific Research Papers Find Extremely Low CO2 Climate Sensitivity
I discovered this one today (Credits). This list appears to have been growing over the years. The list is extremely awful and you can not even sort it etc. No introduction or explanation to this list provided!
I present it only as is!
Please infect me Coronavirus Omicron!
Caution: Satire!
You would get the best of the best of all possible worlds or is it just Panglossian:
- Most likely it will be a very mild and low risk disease if you are a relatively healthy person and under 60 years of age
- You gain natural immunity against SARS-Cov2/Covid-19 and be done with it
- The more people get infected with Covid-19, the faster we will reach the endemic stage and return to fairly normal life before the pandemic
Lab-grown hair cells to treat baldness could be on the way
More snake oil or have researchers indeed finally come up with a solution that works? I have little doubt that we are coming closer to defeating baldness in men!
"... company says it can produce the components of hair follicles by genetically “reprogramming” ordinary cells, like blood or fat. Their hope is that the technology could eventually treat the underlying cause of hair loss. Given about half of men undergo male-pattern baldness, some starting in their 20s, there would be a substantial market. ..."
"Biologists at several startups are applying the latest advances in genetic engineering to the age-old problem of baldness, creating new hair-forming cells that could restore a person’s ability to grow hair. ...
In practice, though, the formula for producing specific cell types can prove elusive, and then there’s the problem of getting lab-grown cells back into the body. So far, there have been only a few demonstrations of reprogramming as a way to treat patients. Researchers in Japan tried transplanting retina cells into blind people. Then, last November, a US company, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, said it might have cured a man’s type 1 diabetes after an infusion of programmed beta cells, the kind that respond to insulin. ..."
In practice, though, the formula for producing specific cell types can prove elusive, and then there’s the problem of getting lab-grown cells back into the body. So far, there have been only a few demonstrations of reprogramming as a way to treat patients. Researchers in Japan tried transplanting retina cells into blind people. Then, last November, a US company, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, said it might have cured a man’s type 1 diabetes after an infusion of programmed beta cells, the kind that respond to insulin. ..."
A hairless mouse sprouts a tuft of human hair
following a transplant of follicle-forming stem cells
Martin Luther King Jr. on Critical Race Theory
Of course, MLK is wildly spinning in his grave! Ideologies like Critical Race Theory shatter his dream!
In his own words:
- "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by their character."
- "When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every tenement and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old spiritual, “Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.”"
- "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."
- "If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective."
Sources:
A Jew betrayed Anne Frank's family, cold-case investigators conclude
Will we ever know the truth about who or how the hiding place of the perhaps most famous Jewish teenager Anne Frank was disclosed to the Nazis?
"... The man identified by a cold-case team that has been working for six years to identify the persons responsible for the discovery of the Franks by Nazi authorities in occupied Amsterdam was Arnold van den Bergh, a notary and a member of the Jewish Council, which the Nazis established to better control Dutch Jews.
The accusation is outlined in “The Betrayal of Anne Frank,” a book published Monday [1/18/2022] by the Canadian author Rosemary Sullivan. ..."
The full statement by the Anne Frank House:
"Jan. 17, 2022 — Since 2017 Proditione Media has been working on a production – ‘Cold Case Diary’ – in which an investigation led by retired FBI agent Vince Pankoke is carried out into the arrest of Anne Frank and the other people in hiding in the Secret Annex.
The book The Betrayal of Anne Frank by Rosemary Sullivan, which will be published on 18 January, reports on the investigation and the cold case team’s conclusions.The background to and events of the arrest of Anne Frank are questions that continue to occupy many people’s minds. The Anne Frank House was not involved in the cold case investigation, but it did share its archives and museum with the team, as well as its own 2016 investigation into the arrest of the people in hiding.The Anne Frank House is impressed by the work that the cold case team has carried out. The investigation was carefully set up and performed, and the book The Betrayal of Anne Frank reports on it in an engaging and readable way."
Covid-19: From Pandemic to Endemic
Let the endemic finally begin! Let's return to fairly normal life like before the pandemic! The hysteria, panic and enormous government overreaction for over two years to the pandemic need to end!
Until better medications or vaccines or other, better remedies are found, let the SARS-CoV2/Covid-19 be among us like the common cold or the influenza.
Why SARS-CoV-2/Covid-19 is a relatively harmless disease and why the cure was worse than the disease.
How Taiwan Became the Biggest Risk for a U.S.-China Clash
Recommendable! We will see whether and how far the ursurper and dictator for life Xi Jinping will go on the Taiwan issue!
Monday, January 17, 2022
Tucker Carlson: Biden is now getting bashed by this trusted group
Very recommendable! This is a classical must see Tucker Carlson! I cracked up several times about the phrases he used to describe the sad situation with the demented and senile 46th President
Die Bundesagentur Für Sprunginnovationen
Als ich zum ersten mal etwas von dieser relativ neuen Bundesagentur (gegründet im Herbst 2019) vernahm (heute 17.1.2022) dachte ich zuerst an die Echternacher Springprozession!
Was bitteschön ist eine Sprunginnovationen??? So etwas wie ein Sprung in der Tasse (Schüssel)? Oder ein Wortungetüm wie "Innovator:innen"?
Ist das eine Hinterlassenschaft der unsäglichen SED Kanzlerin Merkel? Hier ist meine Abrechnung mit der Kanzlerin!
Die Schildbürger der Bananenrepublik haben sich wieder mal einen schönen Streich geleistet! Lachhaft oder lächerlich? Ich fürchte beides!
Am deutschen Wesen soll die Welt genesen:
"... Unser Ziel ist es, von Deutschland aus neue Sprunginnovationen zu schaffen. Das heißt, Produkte, Dienstleistungen und Systeme, die unser aller Leben spürbar und nachhaltig besser machen.
..."
Räume schaffen, wie alter Lagerhallen:
Der Chef der Agentur posiert wie ein depressiver, schlaffer Bohème mit Unterarmen überkreuzt im schwarzen Hemd, Hose und Schuhen!
Google Scholar: Please show you're not a robot
Google Scholar has become so annoying!
I have automated my queries using the Python programming language and now I get almost every time I submit a paper title I get the above message returned! I do only dozens or perhaps at most 100-200 requests on some days and not even consecutively!
Long live the morons at Google Scholar!
Deutschland führt im Globalen Lockdown-Ranking - Meister der Maßnahmen
Typisch Bananenrepublik Deutschland im Coronawahn! Hoffe, die massenweise Proteste werden weiter gehen!
Why SARS-CoV-2/Covid-19 is a relatively harmless disease and why the cure was worse than the disease.
"Ein Datenanalyse-Tool der Universität Oxford zeigt an, welches Land aktuell die härtesten Maßnahmen im Kampf gegen Corona erlassen hat. Nach den Fidschi-Inseln liegt Deutschland an der Spitze. Mögen wir sonst keine Meistertitel mehr erringen, mit Corona haben wir es der Welt ein vielleicht letztes Mal gezeigt. Eine Glosse.
Nach nun fast zwei Jahren Pandemie und ebenso langer Pandemiebekämpfung belegt Deutschland den zweiten Platz, wenn es um die Verhängung von Maßnahmen zur Eindämmung des Coronavirus geht. Auf einer Indexdarstellung der Länder mit den striktesten Maßnahmen liegt Deutschland am 13. Januar mit 84,26 von insgesamt 100 Indexpunkten nur noch knapp hinter den Fidschi-Inseln."
Nach nun fast zwei Jahren Pandemie und ebenso langer Pandemiebekämpfung belegt Deutschland den zweiten Platz, wenn es um die Verhängung von Maßnahmen zur Eindämmung des Coronavirus geht. Auf einer Indexdarstellung der Länder mit den striktesten Maßnahmen liegt Deutschland am 13. Januar mit 84,26 von insgesamt 100 Indexpunkten nur noch knapp hinter den Fidschi-Inseln."
Large asteroid heading towards Earth late January 2022
This is a recurring real threat to our planet and life on earth!
The Global Warming hoax and the Climate Change religion not so much! Perhaps, these are just convenient distractions from more important issues! Or they are tools of scaremongering to subject people to more Big Government!
DNA Damage Makes Zebrafish Sleepy
Very recommendable! More evidence how important sleep is for our health! This research suggests that in the near future humans might be able to reduce their need for sleep by using more effective DNA damage repair.
"... By labeling repair proteins in live zebrafish larvae with florescent markers and using real-time imaging, the researchers found that during sleep, the repair proteins are recruited to DNA damage sites in the neurons of the dorsal pallium, the zebrafish equivalent of the brain’s neocortex. “Sleep increased the clustering of repair proteins to the DNA damage and the induced repair became more efficient” than during wakefulness, Appelbaum says. ...
Parp1 detects DNA damage and recruits repair proteins to mend the breaks ... it might act as a sensor to trigger sleep. Indeed, the researchers observed that Parp1 clustering on chromatin in the brain increases during the day and reduces to baseline level by the end of the night. When they increased levels of Parp1 in zebrafish larvae, the larvae slept longer, but when Parp1 was inhibited, the larvae slept for a shorter period of time—though they caught up on lost sleep once the inhibitor was withdrawn. In the larvae treated with the Parp1 inhibitor, more DNA damage accumulated both during the day and the night than in larvae where Parp1 functioned normally. After the drug was withdrawn in the treated embryos and they caught up on sleep, DNA damage returned to normal levels, indicating that Parp1 reduces DNA damage in neurons and that even when DNA is intensely damaged, and larvae without functioning Parp1 don’t sense the need to sleep. ...
The researchers also found that inhibiting Parp1 reduces the length of non-REM sleep in adult mice, indicating that the same mechanism likely connects DNA damage, Parp1, and sleep in these mammals. ...
“They showed that fish sleep is important for DNA repair, [and] they confirm their findings in mouse and showed that Parp1 induced non-REM sleep,” ... adding that the mouse results indicate this mechanism must be present in humans as well. ..."
The researchers also found that inhibiting Parp1 reduces the length of non-REM sleep in adult mice, indicating that the same mechanism likely connects DNA damage, Parp1, and sleep in these mammals. ...
“They showed that fish sleep is important for DNA repair, [and] they confirm their findings in mouse and showed that Parp1 induced non-REM sleep,” ... adding that the mouse results indicate this mechanism must be present in humans as well. ..."
From the abstract:
"... In flies, zebrafish, mice, and humans, DNA damage levels increase during wakefulness and decrease during sleep. Here, we show that 6h of consolidated sleep is sufficient to reduce DNA damage in the zebrafish dorsal pallium. Induction of DNA damage by neuronal activity and mutagens triggered sleep and DNA repair. The activity of the DNA damage response (DDR) proteins Rad52 and Ku80 increased during sleep, and chromosome dynamics enhanced Rad52 activity. The activity of the DDR initiator poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (Parp1) increased following sleep deprivation. In both larva zebrafish and adult mice, Parp1 promoted sleep. Inhibition of Parp1 activity reduced sleep-dependent chromosome dynamics and repair. These results demonstrate that DNA damage is a homeostatic driver for sleep, and Parp1 pathways can sense this cellular pressure and facilitate sleep and repair activity."
Parp1 promotes sleep, which enhances DNA repair in neurons (no public access)
After several decades, are we finally able to clear the body of the HIV virus?
Good news! What took so long?
"... Worldwide, there are currently 38 million people living with HIV, and an estimated 36 million have died of HIV-related diseases in the decades since HIV began circulating, according to UNAIDS. ...
The UCLA-led study continues research on a strategy called “kick and kill,” which many of the same scientists first described in a 2017 paper. The approach coaxes the dormant virus to reveal itself in infected cells, so it can then be targeted and killed. In the earlier study, the researchers gave antiretroviral drugs to mice whose immune systems had been altered to mimic those of humans, and then infected with HIV. They then administered a synthetic compound called SUW133, which was developed at Stanford University, to activate the mice’s dormant HIV. Up to 25% of the previously dormant cells that began expressing HIV died within 24 hours. ...
In the new study, while the mice were receiving antiretrovirals, the researchers used SUW133 to flush HIV infected cells out of hiding. They then injected healthy natural killer cells into the mice’s blood to kill the infected cells. The combination of SUW133 and injections of healthy natural killer immune cells completely cleared the HIV in 40% of the HIV-infected mice. ..."From the abstract:
"HIV is difficult to eradicate due to the persistence of a long-lived reservoir of latently infected cells. ... Here we show the administration of allogeneic human peripheral blood natural killer cells delays viral rebound following interruption of anti-retroviral therapy in humanized mice infected with HIV-1. Utilizing genetically barcoded virus technology, we show these natural killer cells efficiently reduced viral clones rebounding from latency. Moreover, a kick and kill strategy comprised of the protein kinase C modulator and latency reversing agent SUW133 and allogeneic human peripheral blood natural killer cells during anti-retroviral therapy eliminated the viral reservoir in a subset of mice. Therefore, combinations utilizing latency reversal agents with targeted cellular killing agents may be an effective approach to eradicating the viral reservoir."
Iranian drone attacks on Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia
Some very concerning news! How close are to a potentially serious military confrontation in the region?
It does not help that the 46th President of the U.S. is demented and senile!
"Three people were killed and six were injured after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed responsibility for an alleged drone attack on the United Arab Emirates that occurred Monday morning, state media reported.
Shortly afterward, the Saudi-led coalition claimed that it had managed to down eight drones launched in the direction of Saudi Arabia.
Three fuel tankers exploded in Abu Dhabi's Musaffah industrial area near storage facilities of oil firm ADNOC and a fire broke out at a storage facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport. ..."
Sunday, January 16, 2022
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signs 11 executive actions
This will be an interesting governorship to follow! So far it seems very promising!
Virginia is open for business again!
Single-celled marine organism first to be found releasing oxygen in the dark
Amazing stuff! What little we still know about our planet!
"A previously unknown biological pathway allows a widespread type of oceanic archaeon to release both oxygen and nitrogen in the dark – the first time such a phenomenon has been seen in nature in an anoxic environment. The process, whose details are not yet fully understood, could transform scientists’ understanding of the cycle of key nutrients in oceans. Ammonia-oxidising archaea are among the most abundant microbes in the world’s oceans. They obtain energy by using oxygen to oxidise ammonia to nitrite. ..."
From the abstract:
"... Nevertheless, AOA [Ammonia-oxidizing archaea] are abundant in environments where oxygen is undetectable. By carrying out incubations for which oxygen concentrations were resolved to the nanomolar range, we show that after oxygen depletion, Nitrosopumilus maritimus produces dinitrogen and oxygen, which is used for ammonia oxidation. The pathway is not completely resolved but likely has nitric oxide and nitrous oxide as key intermediates. N. maritimus joins a handful of organisms known to produce oxygen in the dark. ..."
Oxygen and nitrogen production by an ammonia-oxidizing archaeon (no public access)
llustration of the role of ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) and nitrite-oxidising bacteria (Nob) in the marine nitrogen cycle inside oxygen minimum zones. Nitrification occurs below the zone where sunlight can penetrate the oceanic water column. But thus far, it was believed not to be possible in anoxic zones
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