Raw oysters on the half-shell. Just the words invoke strong responses. For some, these trigger dreamy-eyed memories of Beausoleil or Bluepoint delicacies garnished with favorite toppings. Others wrinkle their lips at the idea of eating a chilled, living, or recently dead filter feeder with the consistency of sturdy phlegm. Neutral feelings on eating raw oysters […]
Continue Reading2020, A Year of Shift
As we trudged knee-deep through the course of this year, we witnessed dramatic adjustments in our life. In scientific measurement terms, we experienced a “shift-ton” of change. Many human and pet viral strains arise from genetic mutations, processes commonly referred to as “shift and drift.” Antigenic drift represents subtle changes that occur through transcription errors. […]
Continue ReadingMy Beauty Is Skin Deep, but My Drugs Go Deeper
Together, my rounded, asymmetric face, flirtatiously irregular hairline, upturned nostrils, and small, almost beady, eyes create a visage that Chris Hemsworth and Keanu Reeves envy. Yet drugs, injected, oral, or topical, penetrate deeper into my being. Sure, it is easy to believe that propofol could quickly rob me of my awareness or fentanyl might lay […]
Continue ReadingThe Common Misperception of Antibodies and Why That’s Okay
“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler” – Einstein “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler,” wise words from the man who developed the theory of relativity. Still, the World is a big place and there a ton of stuff it in. As a result, where’s the […]
Continue ReadingSurgical Masks vs. Respirators
When you see a person wearing a mask at an airport, why are they doing it? Should you be wearing one? Some look like simple surgical masks, and others look fancy. Which is better? To begin with, let’s separate masks from respirators. Masks provide more protection for the non-user than the user unless you are […]
Continue ReadingHow Cells NOx out Pathogens
NOx is an EPA Criteria Pollutant We often abbreviate nitrous oxides as NOx, where the “x” implies varying numbers of atoms to collectively refer to several caustic molecules. Nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) stand as the most common NOx gases which lead to the formation of smog, tropospheric ozone, and acid rain. For […]
Continue ReadingThe Half-Life Rule of Five
If you are outside of the medical field, the term half-life may conjure thoughts of radioactivity or carbon dating. Within the medical field, half-life tells us the time that the body must have to remove half of the drug. For many long-term medications, doctors need to establish an equilibrium level of drugs – a plateau […]
Continue ReadingDo you like your drugs right or left-handed?
Which are you? Are you right or left-handed? What about your DNA? That’s right, your DNA has handedness or what chemists call chirality. Unlike human populations which has a mix of right and left-handedness, all DNA, and most molecules made in nature do not present as mixtures. Understanding chirality explains essential aspects of both drugs […]
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