#Standard Enzyme

[phagodyke]

INTERVIEW DONE GETS UP FROM MY DESK AND WALKS INTO THE SEA FOREVER.........

[raskies456]

me, finally managing to equalize my enzyme concentrations despite a faulty spectroscope: 🙂

my substrate concentrations:

[rxttenfish]

The Common Chupacabra (F.N. 03761, I. gastroferrugo ) is a common sight for paranatural workers of all stripes. Occupying an ecological role not dissimilar to a fox or other mid-sized canid, they are often dealt with in very similar ways and thus hold minimal threat to humans.

While their feeding habits can be gruesome, chupacabras remain skittish around humanity and avoid areas of human contact. Indeed, the titular "goat-sucking" that they are so named for is only known from specimens who were already injured or displaced, and thus habituated to humans and their livestock for lack of more suitable prey items. They can, and often do, act defensively if backed into a corner, but the most common chupcabra defense mechanism is that of flight and avoidance, only taking more drastic actions if forced to or if young are threatened.

It is because of this that paranatural agencies will commonly use them as training material, assigning newcomers lost, confused, hurt, sick, displaced, or habituated chupacabras as their first mission. Due to their straightforward nature and lack of threat to humans, many hold positive views of chupacabras, some even using their local morphological strain as mascots.

It is not uncommon to see chupacabras in captivity, as they take well to basic training for veterinary assistance, research purposes, or education among the agencies who keep them. While far from the training associated with domestics such as the dog, chupacabras can still be taught using methods spearheaded in zoos, and are often food and toy motivated. Small rodents, pre-killed, or disposable pouches filled with warmed blood are often used as treats, and enrichment is provided through offerings of different sources of blood.

Chupacabras are sangivores, and thus primarily feed on blood. However, this is where the subtle gradient between sangivory and typical carnivory becomes apparent, as certain morphological strains of chupacabra will vary in their feeding methods. Certain strains local to parts of South America or Northern Africa will inject a digestive enzyme into their prey to liquefy their innards. Other strains found in Arctic locations or high altitudes will demonstrate a lack of preference towards food choice, consuming solid parts of the muscle and organs alongside their primary target of blood. Other strains, most commonly associated with Oceania, have a "messy" feeding style that will force the entire head into the body cavity, both manually blending the flesh into a liquid, and in more accidental consumption of solid matter. Most chupacabras will target prey that is a fraction of their own body size, but will readily bring down prey targets as large as deer as well.

The most notable trait of chupacabras is their large variety of morphological strains. Those who are not yet familiar with the paranatural may assume that there are many different species of chupacabra and that they are an ancient lineage which has experienced much speciation.

They are not. Early researchers made the same mistake in categorizing them, assigning the chupacabras they were most familiar with as the Common Chupacabra and providing a list of, now defunct, names for the other varieties that they saw. Some speculated that chupacabras were not, in fact, a genus, but that they were a niche that multiple different animals had specialized into.

Later research proved them to be wrong. All chupacabra are a single species, fully capable of interbreeding with every other member of their species, regardless of the differences in morphology, reproductive strategy, or feeding methods. The variety of morphological strains observed, then, is a highly visible demonstration of chupacabra relatedness and gene flow. A population will be equally related to each other, and thus arrive at a standard for morphology, but as this population is split up and gene flow is disrupted, more isolated populations will begin to veer wildly from their initial appearance.

Indeed, this has been used to form maps of chupacabra genealogy and movement patterns, as well as serving as excellent indicators for other monster activity. The most isolated populations can appear nothing at all like their forebears, due in large part thanks to their supernatural skills of adaptation. All chupacabra have a high degree of mutation when they breed, with a high number of these mutations being not only survivable, but thriveable, and occurs with a high prediction for environmental stresses. It is commonly accepted that local strains will remain close to their initial body plan with minimal variation, but research is still being done on the genetic drift over time, as well as reports of sudden, abrupt change in response to environmental catastrophe.

This is exaggerated even further when chupacabra from only distantly related populations interbreed. Further research needs to be conducted.

-

A little sketch and blurb for a Monster of the Week game I help co-DM with @carthus-flame-arc! One of our players took home a chupacabra joey last time, and so I thought it best I draw some growth charts for it.

[rottenpumpkin13]

Something I don't understand about crisis core is how genesis invented apple juice. That means they didn't have apple juice before? No one thought of making apple juice from the dumb apples before it doesn't make sense

I'll say they did have apple juice (humans have been juicing fruit forever), but they didn't have Banora White apple juice.

Bear with me as I go boring amateur science to explain why Genesis is a genius and a master chemist too.

Not all apples have the same density and fruit concentration, making it so that juicing varies according to variety; different apple varieties have different concentrations of food, water and pectin—pectin is a natural component found in fruit that's also used in the food industry to thicken and increase viscosity—think jams, jellies, preserves, etc.

Different apple varieties have varying amounts of pectin. For example, Granny Smith (a type of white apple like Banora White) contains high levels of pectin. Think: low pectin = mushier, easier to juice; high pectin = denser, less juice. Apples with lower pectin are easier to process and generate more juice, which is essential for commercial juice production.

The process of making apple juice is typically the same: there's the selection and washing portion, crushing/pressing and maceration for juice, filtering and then pasteurization (when the juice is heated up and treated to kill harmful bacteria).

All of this changes when it comes to Banora Whites because they grow at random times of the year. The irregular harvesting would make it difficult to ensure the taste, quality, etc., stays consistent. The juicing process would be harder on top of what we're given to understand is already a hard fruit to juice and make good-tasting juice out of, and not worth it on the financial and commercial scale.

That's where Genesis comes in. First he'd have to figure out how to make it so the ripeness for all apples stay uniform for juicing and figure out the correct sugar content of each apple from different seasons, compare them, and see which blend of which apples works the best. If the apples are harvested at different seasons and different stages of ripeness, he'd have to figure out different maturity areas for them to ripen uniformly before juicing, not to mention the storage. Genesis would've used enzymes to standardize the breakdown of pectin and other compounds, ensuring a consistent texture, and he figured out the correct % to use of apples from different harvest times to balance flavors and sugars to have a consistent taste every time.

Apple boy created a uniform recipe/formula for the apple juice based on harvest times, which he would've had to track according to the season, flavor, density content, etc., and tailored the enzyme treatments based on the apple maturity for easier juice extraction since the apple would be hard to juice.

Another thing I noted: The process for pasteurization from what I hear isn't adjusted according to the pectin content, but a detail about Banora White juice is that we always see it in cans, never really in juice boxes (we see posters of it in bottles but the cans are most notable). The packaging material affects the quality, taste, and shelf life of the juice. Canned juice has a longer shelf life compared to juice in boxes because the metal is impermeable to air and light, but canned juice undergoes heat sterilization, which affects the flavor and nutritional content due to higher temperatures used compared to other pasteurization methods.

Definition I ripped straight from google:

While sterilization destroys all the microorganisms and spores present in the food, in pasteurization, a part of the most resistant microorganisms, a part of enzymes and bacteria spores survive. Not carrying out these processes correctly can lead to enormous dangers both for public health and for your canning business.

Pasteurization is generally required for apple juice (I say generally because not all juices need pasteurization) meaning the Banora White juice we see in the game underwent both pasteurization and sterilization. Pasteurization doesn't have as much of an effect on flavor/nutritional content as some sterilization processes which affect taste and can reduce some nutrients.

Not only would Genesis have to figure out the right pasteurization method based on the apple characteristics I mentioned before and the uniform flavor of the juice, but the sterilization process as well.

Another thing: Genesis won first place at the national agriculture awards, which is an award that recognizes contributions to the advancement of agriculture and research in agricultural development. And this child from Banora won first place in processed foods. Iconic.

I'll leave you with the thought of Genesis, believing he's proficient in chemistry and medicine enough to concoct a cure for himself, only to be proven wrong.

[someartistsammy]

Genesis's childhood award, the basis of pasteurization, and the supposed fragility of Banora Whites.

A take on it from a farm kid that actually specializes in growing apples.

Was talking with a good friend of mine last night about various takes in the fandom last night and was reminded of one I had seen semi-recently about Genesis's childhood genius in supposedly inventing pasteurization.

I want to believe this is a take that comes from being uninformed as to what pasteurization actually is, considering him being the first to invent it around the time of 1990 would show a stunning lack of technological advancements in the world of FF7. Let me explain.

Shinra has had a lot of technological advancements, and we can see those constantly portrayed clear as day throughout the world of FF7. However even in the time before Shinra, during the time of the Republic of Junon, it can also be assumed that they would have pasteurization, a process that in the real world was invented in the 1800s. Exploration of the world in Rebirth also reveals multiple areas that have shipment docks from the time of the Republic. This would include the assumption that this is how people both traveled as well as transported and exchanged goods.

Pasteurization is an incredibly important technological advancement as it's allowed for the easier shipment and trade of food on a global level. The definition can be found below.

In food processing, pasteurization is a process of food preservation in which packaged and unpacked foods (e.g., milk and fruit juices) are treated with mild heat, usually to less than 100 °C (212 °F), to eliminate pathogens and extend shelf life. Pasteurization either destroys or deactivates microorganisms and enzymes that contribute to food spoilage or the risk of disease, … (continued on Wikipedia)

There are different methods such as Low-temperature long time (LTLT), High temperature/short time (HTST) and Ultrahigh temperature (UHT) (also called Ultraheat treated) however that isn't super important to this, just know that HTST is the standard for apple juice.

The point in this being that if Genesis were to have invented pasteurization ~1990, the rest of the world would have been taking incredibly risky measures in transporting food and risking spoiling for decades, as well as various things being unsafe for consumption such as milk. With the advancements the world already had by this time such as phones, war artillery, windmills, and mako reactors, I find it highly unlikely that he would've been the one to invent pasteurization.

I feel as though it is important to mention that Genesis's award was first place in the National Agriculture Awards, but more specifically, an award in the processed food category. The processed category in these awards directly gives it away in the fact that food was already processed enough to have its own category for awards. Presentation on this is in relation to the presentation of a processed product, and not a form of processing itself. In the assumption that these reflect actual reward categories, there are different categories for scientific invention as well as processing systems.

Reference page for the names/categories presented. This is not the description document.

Agricultural Proficiency Award Area Descriptions.

Although there is the argument that they likely didn't use this same style categorizing, its important to note that they did use categories within the national agricultural awards, and they specifically made the choice of processed food, instead of any of the other choices. If he really made such an important invention, why wouldn't it be stated anywhere as clearly being pasteurization, something that would revolutionize the world, or for that matter why wouldn't it be awarded in the name of development of food science?

I believe its also worth mentioning that the Crisis Core Complete Guide says "Because the fruit can only be harvested in this region, it sells for a high price on the market, but the village children don't seem to know this, …" This would be due to the fact that the Banora Whites are common-place in Banora. In a similar way to how wagyu in Japan is significantly cheaper than it is in the United States, due to export; Genesis would have an easier and cheaper time attempting experimentation methods, if there even needs to be any variation for them, resulting in juice with correct pasteurization due to his being local to Banora. (Market price on them in Banora would be naturally lower due to supply likely being higher than demand, as well as not having to worry about import and export fees. Not to mention being the place where it is naturally grown).

*In the above example I used wagyu as a comparison, however this could just as easily be any other exported food that becomes considered rare when exported, another example which is actually more rare would be the black diamond apple.

While mentioning this, I also want to say that his invention is specifically upon Banora White Juice, not apple juice in its entirety of existence. In similarity to pasteurization, this feels like an over-exaggeration of what Genesis actually accomplished.

While branching through this topic, I also want to bring attention to a take I was sent a while back on the supposed fragility of Banora Whites. While going through the Ultimanias with assistance of a friend, nothing could be found on sources hinting towards Banora Whites being fragile. My next assumption is that this conclusion was likely reached on the basis of Banora Whites being mentioned to be region exclusive, and a high-price market item.

Banora Whites are called just that because of their area of growth being only that of Banora in the Mideel region. The growth of Banora Whites is actually tied to the amount of lifestream that flows through the Banora Underground, this gives Banora a very unique type of soil that allows for the growth of Banora Whites. Since Banora is the only place where the crop grows, giving it a very limited area of growth, and since it cannot be grown globally, gives it a very high market value.

Now into the technicality of things, it could also be assumed that the sale of the Banora White was likely tied to its aesthetics, similar to the way that the pink pineapple is in the real world. The difference here being that when juiced, the pink pineapple loses most of what it has going for it in terms of its aesthetic appearance and thus reducing its marketability and price. Meanwhile, Banora whites, while although losing what would make them have a unique aesthetic appearance, could possibly have a specific flavor to them that translates into the juice.

You see, I believe Genesis's intelligence on the matter comes from not creating some life changing way of preserving things, but rather from preventing waste. Although I do not find any info on Banora Whites being fragile, it can be argued that all apples are fragile in a sense, or at least majority of them. They're truly one of those fruits where sometimes you can chuck them at a tree and only see a bruise or dent, and other times you look at them wrong and they'll split wide open.

When thinking of an apple in general, chances are fragile is not the first word that comes to mind, as many other fruits would be considered fragile long before them, and that'd be correct. However, the harvest and transportation of apples, as well as their general growth, can be littered with complications. When moving apples in a commercial wooden apple bin, when you have hundreds of them stacked together, driving faster than even 2MPH by tractor can cause shaking and damage to the fruit by rubbing damage which can create bruising.

Banora is a remote island location, and import and export of items is likely expensive, which would contribute to the income that Banora Whites would bring in (see earlier mention of wagyu and Japan vs US price) Due to being an island, the methods of exporting would have to be either by air, which would be incredibly expensive and fuel taxing, or by ocean. I mentioned earlier that FF7 Rebirth shows multiple docks and ports that would hint towards ocean being the likely way of transportation of food and people. This would require a boat to leave from down by Banora and travel all the way up the coast through the Meridian Ocean. Constant swaying of the ocean and anything unsecured likely leads to aesthetic damages which allow for even less of the Banora Whites to reach market in aesthetically acceptable shelf conditions.

Banora and in general the Mideel Region is a very coastal region that by flora alone also appears to be a very warm and tropical one. By this assumption not only would Banora Whites possibly be prone to sunburn, a reason they likely developed their darker appearance to survive, but also being internally cooked by the heat of the sun. Also being coastal could lead to strong storms brought in by the ocean leaving damage from heavy winds, pelting rain, hail, and similar damaging weather factors. Excessive rain also typically leads to apples suffering growth cracks, which also takes them off the table for being sold to market as-is.

In the assumption that the Banora Whites would survive possibly brutal conditions that are located down in that area, due to any damage caused by going across the sea, they would likely need to be packaged first while in Banora (hence the warehouse) which would also bring up the pricing on them. However, where does this leave the fruit that's been damaged? Just because it has a crack it it or an aesthetic-only scar across the skin does not mean that the fruit is ruined or inedible. This is fruit that can be used for many different things, including juicing. Juicing is a method that ignores damages that are purely aesthetic, and allows for profit where there would otherwise be none given. Genesis's invention is that of one that prevents waste, and allows for another source of income to the area.

Juicing of apples that wouldn't make it to market would keep the price of the pure solid apples that do make it to market still profitable, while also giving use to those that wouldn't be allowed onto the shelves. While its nothing groundbreaking for the world, like pasteurization would have been, it does allow for Banora to be able to sustain itself via income more, and just overall prevent the waste of more food.

Although to some its not as glamorous if he didn't do something that fundamentally changed the world as a kid, that doesn't mean that what Genesis did isn't still something that he was worth awarding for, especially as a youth. Not only did his creation prevent the waste of food, which earned him his award, but Banora White Juice also did become a famous global hit.

[hemipenal-system]

You seem very eager to let us know how the inside of your draconic stomach looks and feels... But for those of us unlucky enough to be within biting range, could you describe it, perhaps?

sure! (this is gonna become a lore post lmao)

So You Got Eaten By A Dragon. Here's What To Expect:

Mouth:

dragons, being omnivores, have both cutting and crushing teeth. be careful to not get stuck between them! there's a lot of bite force there! most dragons you'll encounter are large enough to eat you comfortably, so as long as you don't thrash around and scream and make yourself hard to eat, the teeth won't be a problem.

the tongue, on the other hand. expect a lot of coiling and grabbing at you as the dragon manipulates you in its mouth, moving you into a position that'll be easiest to get down. you may be in the mouth for a while, depending on whether the dragon wants to savor you or just swallow you immediately. dragons, like cats, have tongues designed for grooming and pulling meat off bones, so expect a significant amount of force behind each gradual lick as the rough, spiked muscle sweeps along your comparatively small body. dragon saliva is the acting component in their flames, and it's thick, incredibly pungent, and sticks to the skin. you'll likely want to shower after any interaction with a dragon's tongue.

depending on the dragon, it may use its tongue to take your clothes off. some dragons get upset stomachs from their prey's clothing. you don't need to panic about that, or expect anything sexual – though some dragons may be alright with that! just ask, and remember, consent is key!

if the tongue coils around you a bit, don't worry! dragons instinctively coil themselves around each other and their valued possessions. it's a sign of affection, and that extends to their tongues. just lie still and let them show they love you! dragon tongues are very large and it can be a bit scary at first but they don't want to hurt you!

Throat:

so you've been swallowed! the most important thing is to not panic. it's definitely a weird feeling, but flailing around can hurt the dragon! holding still is safest for the dragon and you!

dragons have proportionately long necks compared to humans. when swallowed, you'll likely experience a long, slow slide down as its throat ripples around you, strong waves squeezing and gently pushing you downwards. it's damp, and usually dark, but you're very safe, even if it doesn't seem like that to you.

from here, there are two places you can go: dragons have the standard stomach for digestion, as well as a sort of pre-stomach, nicknamed the crop, that sits at the bottom of the throat, similarly to that of many birds (and gryphons, but that's a different post)

Stomach I:

a dragon's crop is used to hold and bring back pre-chewed food for hatchlings by their parents before they're old enough to chew themselves. however, at the moment it's going to be repurposed for keeping you nice and secure. this is the safest part of the dragon to be in, especially long-term.

compared to the rest of the dragon, the crop isn't large. In adult dragons, it can only fit one, maybe two people in it. think of it as being cozy! since it's at the base of the neck, the musculature is fairly dense there, since a dragon's neck has some of the strongest muscles in its body. you should expect it to squeeze around you, soft walls locking you in place. it won't be enough to damage you, but it'll likely be fairly firm, since most dragons instinctively squeeze their first stomach when it's full to make sure everything stays in place while they fly.

unlike the throat, which may retain some vestiges of light, the crop is dark. unless the dragon you're in has some kind of bioluminescence, you likely won't be able to see anything. it's also incredibly damp, thanks to the glands in the crop that secrete a weak enzymic fluid. it won't hurt you at all, though, since your skin is tough enough to repel it. worst case scenario, you'll get a bit red. you will get absolutely slathered in this slime, though. no one gets eaten by a dragon and comes out dry.

the trick for the crop is just to relax and enjoy the experience. it's like climbing into a dark, wet sleeping bag that seals itself to your body and is incredibly protective of you while you're inside. once you acclimate to the feeling of the damp flesh pulsing and twitching around you, it's supposedly very calming. it's fairly common for humans to fall asleep to the gentle vibration of their dragon purring around them.

once you're ready, the crop will flex and open around you, lifting you back into the throat, which will either guide you up and out of the dragon's mouth, or down into...

Stomach II:

the dragon's second stomach is more similar to a human's, being where the digestive process takes place. it's entirely possible to be here long-term and survive unmelted, but unlikely. for most things that end up here, the intent is to fully digest them for nutrients.

should you somehow end up here, it doesn't necessarily mean you're doomed. many dragons who consume curious humans have carefully tested magic to bring their tenacious explorers back, so being digested is usually not that permanent.

the digestion stomach, depending on dragon size, can be as large as a small room or the interior of a car. it has a moistness to the air, which has a strong organic smell. there are usually just a few feet of acid on the floor, unless they've just finished another meal, in which case some residual acid may still be there.

dragons eat large meals and digest slowly, so the acid isn't as strong as in some other species. you can sit down in it and it'll just itch a bit after a few minutes. by fifteen minutes in, you may see some redness with severe itching. acid reactions aren't usually the thing to worry about, however.

unless the dragon is actively pushing more air down into their stomach, the lack of oxygen will get to prey faster than the acid will. it's not scary, really, just a seeping tired feeling. you'll want to lay down in the slightly itchy hot tub water, your back leaning against the gently moving soft wall, and close your eyes. many dragons who plan to bring someone back from this stage will be talking to them, coaxing them through the process, keeping their nervousness from getting too bad.

it's easy enough to fall asleep. you're getting so tired, and the acid is faint enough that it doesn't burn, only tingle a bit, even as more drips from the walls and ceiling and the water level begins to rise up your legs slightly. when you sit back, the soft walls curl around you a bit, giving you a nice warm hollow to rest in. they're talking to you, calm words assuring you you'll be alright. you're perfectly safe, they promise. they would never let you do this if it could actually hurt you...

you just have to let your eyes flutter closed...

Outside:

...and then you wake up, sprawled out on the grass in the field, or tucked into the covers in the massive bed you share, or laying across their claws in front of the fireplace. their massive tongue is licking the digestive fluids off you, attempting to clean you, but only slathering you further in saliva. it's the thought that counts. you can see in their eyes they care about you and they're overjoyed that you're alright even though they knew you would be, because there was just a moment before you started breathing again that they worried about you.

their first question is always are you alright

the second one is did you have fun, accompanied by a jaunty third-eyelid wink and a sly, toothy grin

[hellsite-proteins]

Baker lab > alphafold

[Google didn't release af3 source code even though it's Nature's standard >:(]

i'm gonna be so honest with you i am much more of a biochem person than a computers guy. i did take a look at what baker lab is doing, and it looks really neat, and i agree google that not releasing the source code is less than ideal. standards about including data are an important part of the accountability and peer review process that is so integral to good science, and so i absolutely appreciate your frustrations! i always think its cool to learn more about different parts of the process, even if the math and code tends to go over my head a bit. to any of my followers who know more about this side of things, please keep sharing :))

however, i think i will still stick with alphafold because 1. i already know how to use it and 2. i don't think i have space to install anything else on my terrible computer

letter sequence in this ask matching protein-coding amino acids:

akerlaalphafldGgledidntreleaseafsrcecdeeventhghitsNatresstandard

protein guy analysis:

this is really more of one long noodle than it is a protein. i've included all the side chains because it's not like they're close enough together for it to look at all crowded. the tiny section of alpha helix feels more like a cruel joke. technically all of these are just strings of amino acids, but that has never felt more true than while looking at this thing. the worst part is, it actually has a consistently mediocre confidence rating, with values around 60-70% everywhere. the one exception to that is the handful of hydrophobic residues, with abysmal confidence to match how miserable they must be out in the open like that. this thing is so disgusting i don't even thing an E1 (ubiquitin-activating) enzyme would know what to do with it.

predicted protein structure:

[bethanythebogwitch]

It's Wet Beast Wednesday and this week's topic is Sphyrna tiburo, the bonnethead shark. This is a small and wildly adorable species of hammerhead shark that has some very unique features not found in other sharks.

As with most sharks, females are larger than males, reaching an average of about 0.7 to 1 meter (2.3 - 3.3 feet) in length with the longest recorded specimen being 1.5 meters (5 feet). They live in shallow waters, preferring to live in seagrass beds and muddy or sandy sediment. They are found on both coasts of the Americas in warm seas, though they can be found as far north as New England or northern California in rare cases. They migrate south during the winter. Bonnetheads are social and usually live in groups of 5 - 15 members, but can occasionally school in the hundreds or thousands, usually during migration. Scientists have identified at least 18 social behaviors, often used to display dominance or compete for mates. Bonnetheads are very timid and flee from humans. Only one attack on a human has been recorded and it left minor injuries.

One of the unique features of the bonnethead is the fact that they are the only shark species to have sexual dimorphism of the head. Sexual dimorphism is when the males and females of a species have distinct physical features. This is common with sharks, with males usually being smaller than females and having distinct reproductive organs known as claspers. Bonnetheads have an additional dimorphic feature on the cephalofoil (that's the hammer head of the hammerhead sharks). Females have a smooth cephalofoil while males have a distinct bulge on the back edges. in addition, the cehalofoil of the bonnethead is smaller and more rounded than in other hammerheads. Other hammerheads don't use their pectoral fins very much and rely on using their cephalofoil to achieve pitch (up and down movement) and yaw (side to side movement). Because bonnetheads have smaller cephalofoils, they must rely on their pectoral fins more than other hammerheads, and theirs are therefore proportionately larger and stronger than the fins of other hammerheads. By hammerhead standards, the bonnethead is the guy with massive biceps.

The other major unique feature of bonnetheads is their diet. Bonnetheads eat mainly crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish, but also eat a large amount of seagrass. this makes them the only omnivorous sharks, with all others being strict carnivores. Scientists thought that the seagrass was used to protect their gut from shark shells, but recent studies have shown that they do actually digest around 50% of the seagrass and have enzymes in the hindgut that can break down cellulose, implying they do gain nutrition from seagrass.

Bonnetheads are one of several shark species capable of asexual reproduction. A female at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Nebraska produced a pup through through parthenogenesis. The pup's DNA was identical to the mother's. Bonnetheads also have the shortest gestation period of any shark at only 5-6 months and give live birth.

Bonnetheads were once classified as "Least Concern" by the IUCN. this led to it being highly targeted in fisheries, both commercial and recreational. In 2020, it was reclassified as "Endangered" due to massive population declines in the Caribbean, Central and South Atlantic, and most of their Pacific range, largely due to overfishing. As of late 2021, the IUCN now considered them the be "Largely Depleted, meaning their population is currently much smaller than it was historically.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Living plastics: A new solution for plastic degradation through synthetic biology

A study published in Nature Chemical Biology leverages the natural resilience of spores, which can endure extreme environmental conditions, by programming them to secrete plastic-degrading enzymes under specific circumstances. These spores are embedded into plastic matrices through standard plastic processing methods, such as high temperature, high pressure, or the use of organic solvents. In normal conditions, the spores remain dormant, ensuring the plastic's stable performance. However, when exposed to specific triggers like surface erosion or composting, the spores activate and initiate the degradation process, leading to the plastic's complete breakdown. The invention of plastics has improved our daily lives, but the massive production and improper disposal of plastic waste have made plastic pollution a major environmental issue. In 2016, Yoshida and team discovered a bacterium, Ideonella sakaiensis, in poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET)-contaminated soil near a recycling facility in Japan. This bacterium can grow using PET as its main carbon source by producing two key enzymes: PETase and MHETase.

Read more.

[genderqueerdykes]

Should I still get my hormones checked before I start hrt even if I don't think I'm intersex or is that like mandatory? I'm sorry if this is dumb I haven't done enough research on hrt besides the effects of it

that's okay! that's important to ask

yes, your provider will check your hormone levels, as well as other things like liver enzymes, to make sure it is safe for you to start taking HRT. you may have some health conditions unrelated to intersex variations that may potentially make it dangerous or difficult for you to start HRT. if you go through a doctor for your hormones, this is standard procedure, it's not something you have to do on your own! it's good for everyone to be aware of what's going on inside their bodies before they introduce a new medication, especially one that's likely going to be taken for life

hope that helps! take care, feel free to ask any more questions you may have!

[covid-safer-hotties]

Assessment of the liver with two-dimensional shear wave elastography following COVID-19 infection: A pilot study - Published May 6, 2024

More study is needed, but this is not a good sign: Just having covid potentially damages your liver?

Abstract Introduction/Purpose The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a widely spread viral infectious disease, which can impact multiple organs, including the liver. Elevated liver enzymes have been reported in COVID-19 patients; however, potential changes in liver stiffness following the viral infection remain uncertain. The main aim of this pilot study was to determine if there is a significant difference in liver stiffness between individuals who have never been infected with COVID-19 and those who had been infected with COVID-19 <6 months, experiencing only mild symptoms. The secondary aim was to compare the liver stiffness between participants infected with COVID-19 depending on the elapsed time since infection.

Methods Two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) was performed prospectively on 68 participants. Thirty-four participants had been infected with COVID-19 (all for <6 months) (COVID-19 group), and another 34 had never been infected with COVID-19 (control group). The mean 2D-SWE measurements of both the COVID-19 group and the control group were compared using an independent t-test. The mean 2D-SWE measurements of the COVID-19 subgroups A (<2 months), B (2 to <4 months) and C (4 to <6 months) were compared using a one-way ANOVA test (P < 0.05).

Results The (mean ± standard deviation) liver stiffness (kPa) of the COVID-19 group (5.26 ± 1.63 kPa) was significantly higher than the control group (4.30 ± 0.96 kPa) (P = 0.005). There was no significant difference in liver stiffness among subgroups A (5.20 ± 1.79 kPa), B (4.70 ± 1.53 kPa) and C (5.96 ± 1.48 kPa) (P = 0.143) respectively.

Discussion The mean liver stiffness of 4.30  ±  0.96k Pa in the control group showed a high probability of being normal as per guidelines. Conversely, the mean liver stiffness of 5.26  ±  1.63 kPa in the COVID-19 group exhibited a statistically significant increase compared to the control group. However, compensated advanced chronic liver disease was ruled out without other known clinical signs, as per guidelines.

Conclusion A statistically significant increase in liver stiffness value was observed in the post-COVID-19 infection group compared to the group who had never been infected. This highlights the potential for short-term impact on liver stiffness associated with COVID-19 infection. However, it is unclear if these changes in liver stiffness are associated with liver injury. Further study is warranted to investigate the effects of COVID-19 infection and its long-term impact on the liver.

[mieczyhale]

arthur update (provided voice-to-text, lightly edited so there are less random pauses and 'um's lmao)

The emergency vet just called me with an update on Arthur.

They got him unblocked. He had elevated kidney enzyme levels. There are 2 parts to the levels. One was SO high their machine couldn't even read it, and the second one was supposed to be at 2 and was actually at 9. And his urine was, and still is, bloody, and the crystal and debris in it was very noticeable. It was like sand is what the vet said, so absolutely horrific.

They're going to do a blood work retest around 1 AM it sounds like. They said they would call at that time with an update or wait till morning. I said, "Absolutely call me back in the middle of the night. That is fine" I want to know how he's doing and the quicker I get any updates the better

But for today it will be pretty boring updates, or no news is good news, although they said I can call them myself if I want an update in the middle of the day.

So that's the update on him. Oh and I guess he isn't up to eating yet, but they've got him on pain meds, so he's just kinda vibin right now.

This whole ordeal is expensive (i'm sure a lot of that fact comes down to how bad it got and the fact that it's a 24hr emergency place and not our regular vet) but I'd do anything for any of my babies so it's fine. I had to apply for carecredit to cover half (bc you have to pay the minimum balance in full day-of, and their gold standard care for this sort of thing WAS the minimum cost, so we had to pay it all. yeah. they don't do payment plans, but you CAN cobble together a way to pay like using multiple cards from different people so god bless for that or we'd have been kinda fucked.)

2,886.50$ was the total (the cents might be off a little) so guess it's gonna be a bit before we can get any of the others through the regular vet like i've been wanting to (for checkups) which sucks but this was necessary so /shrug

merlin has come to lay on my arm and vibrate, but once he moves i'm gonna try to get up (even though i'm still tired af my brain and body are too restless)

[darkmaga-returns]

Originally posted Jan 2023.

The medical community and the media hang their hats on the use of ‘double-blind, placebo-controlled, peer-reviewed studies published in legacy journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). In a future substack, I will go into detail about the fallacies, and even the scam, of peer review and why it should not be held out as sacrosanct.  

For today’s discussion, let’s examine why all vaccine research should be questioned. Yes, ALL of it. If you read enough studies, you’ll see the patterns described below. For this substack, I’ll use this study on the safety of hepatitis B vaccination in children in India as an example. The vaccine used, Revac-B, contained both 0.5mg of aluminum and 0.05 mg of thimerosal, considered to be safe.

1. Vaccine trials can be quite small and include only healthy children.

Every study begins with ‘selection criteria’ that describe including only healthy individuals. This is from the hepatitis B study example:

All 60 subjects included in the study were in good health and had a negative history of hematological, renal, hepatic, or allergic diseases. All were screened and found to have normal blood panels, including normal liver enzymes.

When a vaccine trial has been completed and the vaccine is approved for use by the FDA, the vaccine is recommended for ALL children, regardless of their health condition, family history, or genetics. In fact, the new shot is most ardently pushed on children with underlying health concerns, such as seizure disorders, cardiac anomalies, and conditions such as cystic fibrosis or Down’s syndrome. These children become the next round of experimentation because the vaccines were never tested for safety on these groups and others.

2.  Vaccine studies follow side effects for a short period of time.

Most clinical trials monitor for side effects for a paltry 21 days, often less. In some studies, such as in the example we are using, children were monitored for 5 days by study monitors and 5 days by cards given to parents. If no reactions occur, the shot is deemed to be ‘safe.’

However, it can take weeks to months for immune and neurological complications to appear. These arbitrary deadlines, allowed by the FDA, prohibit making the connection between vaccines with chronic health disorders. If an illness emerges later, of course, the doctors will say it has nothing to do with the vaccine.

3.  Most vaccine safety studies do not use a true placebo.

The gold standard in medical research is the "placebo-controlled" trial. A placebo is an inactive or inert substance, such as a sugar pill or a shot of saline. In the trial, the placebo is given to one group, while the treatment group is given the experimental product. The placebo arm is used to ‘blind’ the study so the investigator doesn’t know if the subject received the Real Thing or the Inert Substance to minimize interpretation bias.

When reading a published vaccine trial, the substance used as the placebo is often not identified; it is simply called ‘placebo.’ For example, in this study for a new hepatitis B vaccine to treat chronic hepatitis B, the word ‘placebo’ is used 22 times, but we don’t know what placebo was used.

And that’s a problem. The substance used as a ‘placebo’ is often not inert; it may even may be another vaccine. For example, I remember reading a study where the meningitis C vaccine was used as a placebo because it was considered to be non-immunogenic and non-reactive. Or, in the instance of the Gardasil (HPV) vaccine, the ‘placebo’ was an injection of aluminum.

All studies for the Gardasil vaccine were said to be placebo-controlled and the total population that received a placebo included 9,701 subjects. The placebo was an aluminum adjuvant in all studies except study 018 (pre-/adolescent safety study), which used a non-aluminum-containing placebo [and we don’t know what that placebo was]

[vashti-lives]

My number one tip for instantaneously improving your knitting game is to wet block your projects. This thing is full of flaws but post wet block once I added the tassels it looks so good. It went from being a lumpy unappealing shape that wasn’t wide enough and hung awkwardly to looking exactly like the sample project on ravelry.

And like, the tassels definitely elevate this scarf but even without them it looked so so so much better post wet block. And it wasn’t even a good wet block! I was lazy and didn’t pin it in place because I wasn’t worried about shaping it and at some point during the night one or more of my cats nested in it and when I checked on it in the morning it had been kicked into a lumpy pile instead of drying flat… and you know what???? It STILL transformed the project.

(More wet block evangelizing under the cut. TL;DR: Wet blocking is good and you should do it. If you can afford it invest in an electric spin dryer.)

I feel like I’ve talked about this more than once but I think it’s because it’s really not obvious how much it changes finished fabric and projects. When you're a new knitter it's easy to work for ages and ages on a big project and then look at your finished result and feel discouraged when compared to the designer's photos because even though you followed the directions exactly it just doesn't look as good, and you assume it's because in some indefinable way the designer is a better knitter than you are. In reality it's often not technical skill! Often the only difference is you didn't wet block and if you did your project would immediately look exactly as good as the photo on the pattern.

I mean, sometimes you maybe actually did something wrong or your yarn choice isn't right for a project but imo if you followed the pattern correctly a LARGE percentage of it is in the finishing techniques.

It also doesn't help that at least in my experience when I was first starting out every time I saw wet blocking mentioned on someone's blog or in a book the author was complaining about it because it's, you know, kind of annoying. And I guess it is but it's fucking worth it.

Also it's 1000% less annoying if you can invest in an electric spin dryer. Most of what makes wet blocking kind of annoying is handling sopping wet fabric and even after you roll stuff in a towel and squeeze as much water out as possible it's still kind of unpleasant and also it can take a long time to dry. An electric spin dryer fixes 90% of that. It's a slightly expensive tool (roughly $150 USD on amazon) but I think it's one more people should know about because it makes wet blocking, and handwashing knits in general, so much easier. Nice for yarn dyeing too.

(Plus once you have one it makes hand washing commercially made clothes not a huge deal? Enzyme based soap + electric dryer basically makes hand washing clothes nearly as easy as a standard washer and dryer, and it'll drastically increase the lifespan of your clothes. Honestly I should probably make an electric spin dryer post at some point. I do not think enough people know about them. Not that I hand wash that much, but some stuff is worth doing.)