July 31, 2020

World-first gene therapy reverses Alzheimer's memory loss in mice

https://newatlas.com/medical/world-first-gene-therapy-alzheimers-memory/

"Scientists in Australia have made an exciting breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research, demonstrating what they describe as the first gene-therapy-based approach for treating advanced forms of the disease. Through experiments in mice, the team was able to show how activating a key enzyme in the brain can prevent the kind of memory loss associated with advanced forms of Alzheimer's, and even reverse it.
The research was carried out at Macquarie University, where dementia researchers and brothers Lars and Arne Ittner were investigating the role of a key enzyme in the brain called p38gamma. Through previous research, the brothers had shown that by activating this enzyme in mice with advanced dementia, they could modify a protein that prevents the development of Alzheimer’s symptoms."

July 29, 2020

Oregon governor says US agents will start leaving Portland

https://apnews.com/ebe8e681d99c3c790ee66e8089e67fdf
"PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Federal agents who have clashed with protesters in Portland, Oregon, will begin a “phased withdrawal” from Oregon’s largest city, Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said in a statement the plan negotiated with Brown over the last 24 hours includes a “robust presence” of Oregon State Police in downtown Portland.

“State and local law enforcement will begin securing properties and streets, especially those surrounding federal properties, that have been under nightly attack for the past two months,” Wolf said.

The agents will begin leaving the city’s downtown area on Thursday, Brown said."

July 17, 2020

Unidentified federal agents in camo and rented minivans are grabbing people off Portland's streets

https://theweek.com/speedreads/926070/unidentified-federal-agents-camo-rented-minivans-are-grabbing-people-portlands-streets
"President Trump has sent an unknown number of federal agents to Portland, Oregon, ostensibly to project federal property amid weeks of protests against racism and police brutality. But federal officers "are also detaining people on Portland streets who aren't near federal property, nor is it clear that all of the people being arrested have engaged in criminal activity," OPB reported Thursday evening. One civil rights lawyer, Juan Chavez, described the federal tactics as "like stop and frisk meets Guantanamo Bay" and "more like abduction" than lawful arrest."

June 29, 2020

Report: Patriots Sign QB Cam Newton to One-Year Deal

https://www.si.com/nfl/patriots/gm-report/patriots-sign-cam-newton
"The New England Patriots have signed free-agent quarterback Cam Newton to a one year, incentive-laden deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortenson."

June 23, 2020

A 7.44 magnitude earthquake has occurred near Magdalena Tequisistln, Oax., Mexico at 08:29!

Earthquake
A 7.44 magnitude earthquake has occurred near Magdalena Tequisistlán, Oax., Mexico at 08:29! http://earthquak.es/gfz2020mhce

May 30, 2020

Protest escalates in downtown Portland, demonstrators break into mall, justice center

Source: The Oregonian

"After hours of largely peaceful demonstrations, violence escalated late Friday in downtown Portland, as hundreds of people gathered to protest the Minneapolis police killing of a black man."
"A little after 11 p.m., demonstrators broke windows and set a fire that eventually died down inside the Multnomah County Justice Center, which houses a county jail and police headquarters. Online video shows people in an office space tossing computers, phones and furniture.

Portland Police labeled the event an “unlawful assembly" and began to move in toward the crowd. “If you do not go home now, force will be used to disperse you,” police said on Twitter.

Police officers in riot gear arrived around 11:15 p.m. Police used tear gas, pepper balls and stun grenades to attempt to break up the protest.

But protesters spread out, and the chaos continued through downtown."

Read more: https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2020/05/protest-escalates-at-downtown-portland-justice-center.html

May 16, 2020

I dropped my Oregon primary ballot off today.

I was glad to be able cast a vote for Bernie Sanders.

May 6, 2020

Students accused of sexual misconduct get stronger protections under new federal rules

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-06/students-accused-of-sexual-misconduct-get-stronger-protections-under-new-federal-rules
"Education Secretary Betsy DeVos unveiled sweeping changes Wednesday to campus sexual misconduct rules that would bolster the rights of the accused and give colleges more flexibility in how they handle Title IX cases."
"DeVos has said the revisions are aimed at restoring fairness and rebalancing the rights of the accuser and accused in the contentious arena of campus sexual assault. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in education by schools that receive federal funding."

I guess they have to enable them young.

May 6, 2020

Tom Petty full concert from the Shoreline Ampitheater in 1994

April 22, 2020

First COVID-19 critically ill patient at UMass Memorial treated with plasma showing significant

improvement.

https://www.boston25news.com/news/health/first-covid-19-critically-ill-patient-umass-memorial-treated-with-plasma-showing-significant-improvement/HJHALVG5RVEGDG6AV6CPYINCEA/


"The idea is to take plasma from a healthy donor who recovered from COVID-19 and inject it in a patient so the donor’s antibodies can help the patient fight off the disease.

After hours of transfusion, doctors noticed the patient had improved dramatically and is now starting to wean off the ventilator. That same patient needed near maximal settings on the ventilator to fully oxygenate him prior to the transfusion."