Where passion for animals, science, and medicine lives…
Have you ever asked, “What are my odds?” For most people, this question seeks information different from what an epidemiologist, mathematician, or gambler inquires after. If you thought the answer would give you risk, the odds are against you. Here’s a quick test. If you have a pair of dice and you take one die […]
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Great stories require great villains, which implies three-dimensional, well-developed characters. Often, they generate more interest and fascination than the hero, hence, the prevalence of antiheroes in modern movies and tv. From DC comics, Poison Ivy instills ambivalence. As Batman’s nemesis, we begin hating her, but may discover ourselves admiring her. Her passion revolves around the […]
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Paraphrased, Nietzsche said, “There are no facts, only interpretation.” This could apply to malarial species. If you do some intense data searching, that is, you have a computer, Wi-Fi, and then Google, “number of malaria species that infect people” – typical results include 4, 5, and 6. They could all be correct. Four has been […]
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Welcome back. In the last malaria podcast, we covered the background and challenges malaria presented regarding vaccines. Today, we will lightly touch upon some of the intricacies of Mosquirix, the first-ever vaccine against the disease. You may also know this vaccine by the catchy name RTS,S/AS01. Can hardly imagine why anyone would want to label […]
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The Chinese Nei Ching text dating back more than 4000 years (2700 BCE), attributes malaria to the machinations of three demons: one carrying a hammer, another a bucket of water, and one, a stove. While this helped explain the headaches, chills, and fevers then, today, vaccine researchers might be tempted to count a higher number […]
Continue ReadingImagine a story. Earth’s population faces extinction from a predator that takes no prisoners. Every fortress invaded; the population dies… to the last individual. No survivors, no mercy, and no solution. Then an outsider steps forth from obscurity with a gift providing hope. Sounds like a great novel doesn’t it? In some ways, the story […]
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“Would you bathe with these people?” “Would you bathe with these people?” That is what you are doing. You are about to jump into chlorinated bathwater used by the people you see before you and those who came earlier. What do people do after they get out of a pool? Usually, shower off. For everyone’s […]
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What Lurks Beneath the Sand? Sand fleas and beach fleas, jigger or chigger? Red bugs or bed bugs. Who do you figure? Can ya tell ‘em apart just by who’s bigger? Not so easy, not so fast. To learn all about them, listen to our podcast! Has this list piqued your interest? Oh yeah, and […]
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I love capers! When I see these tasty little delicacies included in the description of a savory dish, my mouth is already watering. Being a native Californian, I also have a love for all things avocado. In my experience whether it is a pickled flower bud or a green protein- and potassium-rich single-seeded berry, they […]
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One of my all-time favorite TV shows is Frasier from the ’90s. In one episode, Frasier’s brother Niles reminds us of the axiom, “Less is more,” to which Frasier quips, “Yes but if ‘less is more,’ think how much more, more would be!” In our last podcast, we discussed the importance of rabies vaccines in […]
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