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Pollen's decor
Stalled midway in putting on my trousers. I got up, drank coffee, took A shower, and now am gathering energy to finish dressing (IOW lying on my bed) and lamenting this headache. My brain hasn't been working very well this past week.
I wrote this at ten then neglected to publish :O
An NIH study regarding demyelination:
High-resolution real-time images show in mice how nerves may be damaged during the earliest stages of multiple sclerosis. The results suggest that the critical step happens when fibrinogen, a blood-clotting protein, leaks into the central nervous system and activates immune cells called microglia.
"We have shown that fibrinogen is the trigger," said Katerina Akassoglou, Ph.D., an associate investigator at the Gladstone Institute for Neurological Disease and professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, and senior author of the paper published online in Nature Communications.
29 November 2012
27 November 2012
Lying in bed watching The Great Dictator. I had a grocery delivery this morning and so cleaned the fridge early as it was empty. The drivers have all been very nice. I always specify no substitutions as the subs I have received have been disastrous. The delivery website food seems to be quite limited, even so I always have unfilled items. This time it was toast bread, a load of fresh green beans, Walker's shortbread I was ordering as an xmas treat, and some of my grapefruit juice. I only order it when it is on sale, and I can count on them not bringing some of it. I ordered 10 half gallon bottles, and was brought 6 so I can't complain too much. If I order 6 they bring 4
My republicwifi phone should be coming soon. I then have a month to test it in case I want to send it back for a refund; if it works well I'll ditch my stupid landline and the new phone will be the same cost. It's a very middling phone but there is no phone choice at the moment, but it's leaps and bounds above the cheesey phone I have now (which doesn't even work out here in the boondocks).
I've had more energy so seized the opportunity to get back to exercising. I can't be faulted for not doing it when I'm on the ropes, low energy, after a fall, but it's hard to claw my way back and takes a lot of determination.
The model I'm working on is just being a beast. I made it, textured it, then realised it was too big. Texturing it is incredibly tough, so that made my heart sink. Then I made it smaller but accidentally uploaded the slightly bigger one and textured it. Then I uploaded the small one but inexplicably it had much higher land impact. I need to just back off a bit as as my brain is just not approaching this correctly.
I also watched 'Beyond the Sea' which is an over-the-top biopic about Bobby Darin, made by Kevin Spacey (who for years I thought was a television actor who had wandered into film). Over the top, down the hill, and into the next county. It wasn't unenjoyable if you could overlook its vanity-project aspect.
24 November 2012
On reddit CheesewithWhine commented on the toxic milk whistleblower murder thread:
'The government and party officials have what's called "tegong" food, e.g. specially designated land that grows food exclusively to feed them. The well-to-do import formula from Canada and the USA, or get their expatriate friends and family to mail to them. North American stores are overwhelmed by demand and had to set rations.
'The government and party officials have what's called "tegong" food, e.g. specially designated land that grows food exclusively to feed them. The well-to-do import formula from Canada and the USA, or get their expatriate friends and family to mail to them. North American stores are overwhelmed by demand and had to set rations.
The poor have the "freedom" and "liberty" to choose which toxic local brand they buy.
Meanwhile, the dairy farmers don't eat their own cheese. The cabbage farmers don't eat their own cabbage. The shrimp farmers don't eat their own shrimp. Everyone just eats each other's toxic crap.'
23 November 2012
I watched Afternoons with Margeuritte yesterday, which was enjoyable. Gerard Despardieu is fascinating to watch. Today I saw Patrik 1,5 which is a Swedish film that from the begining reminded me irresistaly of Edward Scissorhands (it was the neighborhood and how its dynamic was depicted that made me feel that). It was so-so, however.
20 November 2012
This is my pater's birthday. He was born in 1919.
I'm in a spiral-of-doom where I'm weak so move less which makes me weaker, etc. Trying to break out. I heard something on the radio today which made me laugh. As far as I know I've never seen Elmo, but I do know it's a red puppet on Sesame Street. A man was analysing the potential for fallout from the Clash scandal to Sesame Street, and concluded that there would likely be no damage to Seasame Street 'or to Elmo himself.' Hah! Reminds me of that anecdote (Merv Griffin? dunno) regarding Edgar Bergen performing: the boom mic operator shifting the mic from Bergen to Charley McCarthy and back throughout the act.
19 November 2012
Yay! Trizzities!!
11 and no juice.
10 pm still off :(
Ugh no trizzities since 6:45. It's now 9:18. Queuing this blog entry.
18 November 2012
17 November 2012
Watch "Dogs Teaching Chemistry - Chemical Bonds" on YouTube
16 November 2012
14 November 2012
Labels: Glitch
Glitch is closing :(
Labels: Glitch
13 November 2012
Sunday's meeting to try to find Salazar by solving the portal problem.
12 November 2012
Today's mesh project: another seashell!
This one was a request.
It looks good but it isn't any use as a cave.
11 November 2012
WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO:
Peacefully grant the State of North Carolina to withdraw from the United States and create its own NEW government
As the founding fathers of the United States of America made clear in the Declaration of Independence in 1776:
"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."
"...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and institute new Government..."
Created: Nov 09, 2012
Hah.
Grid explorer Molly Montale sent me this Tronno film link. I lived there, once, however that was back in the days of the wooly mammoth.
07 November 2012
Chance of snow on Friday...
06 November 2012
I believe I-502 passed here in Washington, which legalises pot to grow, sell, and use but adds weird driving impairment crap that is unscientifically gauged. It is still illegal by federal law.
Update
Imsorrymilo on reddit says:
According to scientific research cited by The Stranger, THC levels drop below the 5 nanograms-per-milliliter cutoff within a few hours of smoking. The 502 opposition drummed up this fear (and never cited any science) as a way to undermine the very core of the initiative's support.
Update
Imsorrymilo on reddit says:
According to scientific research cited by The Stranger, THC levels drop below the 5 nanograms-per-milliliter cutoff within a few hours of smoking. The 502 opposition drummed up this fear (and never cited any science) as a way to undermine the very core of the initiative's support.
05 November 2012
I've been waiting for my republic wireless beta invitation, which arrived today. Because cell service is weird here I have decided to wait a little longer and get the dual-band phone, which is supposed to come available by year's end. At the moment I have a stupid landline and a wholly-unsatisfactory cheap cell - paying for two phones, neither of which is what I want. The republic wireless concept uses wifi when available or cell if it isn't - perfect for me. It's 20 bucks a month.
04 November 2012
Also THIS:
Normal Spastin Gene Dosage Is Specifically Required for Axon Regeneration
Summary
Axon regeneration allows neurons to repair circuits after trauma; however, most of the molecular players in this process remain to be identified. Given that microtubule rearrangements have been observed in injured neurons, we tested whether microtubule-severing proteins might play a role in axon regeneration. We found that axon regeneration is extremely sensitive to levels of the microtubule-severing protein spastin. Although microtubule behavior in uninjured neurons was not perturbed in animals heterozygous for a spastin null allele, axon regeneration was severely disrupted in this background. Two types of axon regeneration—regeneration of an axon from a dendrite after proximal axotomy and regeneration of an axon from the stump after distal axotomy—were defective in Drosophila with one mutant copy of the spastin gene. Other types of axon and dendrite outgrowth, including regrowth of dendrites after pruning, were normal in heterozygotes. We conclude that regenerative axon growth is uniquely sensitive to spastin gene dosage.
Normal Spastin Gene Dosage Is Specifically Required for Axon Regeneration
Summary
Axon regeneration allows neurons to repair circuits after trauma; however, most of the molecular players in this process remain to be identified. Given that microtubule rearrangements have been observed in injured neurons, we tested whether microtubule-severing proteins might play a role in axon regeneration. We found that axon regeneration is extremely sensitive to levels of the microtubule-severing protein spastin. Although microtubule behavior in uninjured neurons was not perturbed in animals heterozygous for a spastin null allele, axon regeneration was severely disrupted in this background. Two types of axon regeneration—regeneration of an axon from a dendrite after proximal axotomy and regeneration of an axon from the stump after distal axotomy—were defective in Drosophila with one mutant copy of the spastin gene. Other types of axon and dendrite outgrowth, including regrowth of dendrites after pruning, were normal in heterozygotes. We conclude that regenerative axon growth is uniquely sensitive to spastin gene dosage.
This is sort of interesting:
Digestion products of the PH20 hyaluronidase inhibit remyelination
Abstract
Digestion products of the PH20 hyaluronidase inhibit remyelination
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) recruited to demyelinating lesions often fail to mature into oligodendrocytes (OLs) that remyelinate spared axons. The glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan (HA) accumulates in demyelinating lesions and has been implicated in the failure of OPC maturation and remyelination. We tested the hypothesis that OPCs in demyelinating lesions express a specific hyaluronidase, and that digestion products of this enzyme inhibit OPC maturation.
METHODS: Mouse OPCs grown in vitro were analyzed for hyaluronidase expression and activity. Gain of function studies were used to define the hyaluronidases that blocked OPC maturation. Mouse and human demyelinating lesions were assessed for hyaluronidase expression. Digestion products from different hyaluronidases and a hyaluronidase inhibitor were tested for their effects on OPC maturation and functional remyelination in vivo.
RESULTS: OPCs demonstrated hyaluronidase activity in vitro and expressed multiple hyaluronidases including HYAL1, HYAL2, and PH20. HA digestion by PH20 but not other hyaluronidases inhibited OPC maturation into OLs. In contrast, inhibiting HA synthesis did not influence OPC maturation. PH20 expression was elevated in OPCs and reactive astrocytes in both rodent and human demyelinating lesions. HA-digestion products generated by the PH20 hyaluronidase but not another hyaluronidase inhibited remyelination following lysolecithin-induced demyelination. Inhibition of hyaluronidase activity lead to increased OPC maturation and promoted increased conduction velocities through lesions.
INTERPRETATION: We determined that PH20 is elevated in demyelinating lesions and that increased PH20 expression is sufficient to inhibit OPC maturation and remyelination. Pharmacological inhibition of PH20 may therefore be an effective way to promote remyelination in multiple sclerosis and related conditions. Ann Neurol 2012.
Annals of Neurology Oct 2012 - accepted but not yet published
'Oregon Health & Science University' sounds off a matchbook cover, though.
Annals of Neurology Oct 2012 - accepted but not yet published
'Oregon Health & Science University' sounds off a matchbook cover, though.