Today's blog is about possible help to heal a heart after a heart attack. It works in mice and pigs. The next step is to figure out if it would work in humans. First, though, I explain what an mRNA shot does so you can understand the story!
(Image Credit: https://kpwashingtonresearch.org/)
WHAT IS mRNA?mRNA shots (messenger RNA vaccines) use a temporary genetic code to teach body cells to create a harmless protein resembling a virus, triggering an immune response without causing disease. These vaccines are highly effective, rapidly produced, and used for COVID-19
A single injection of mRNA-like treatment healed heart muscle after a heart attack in mice and pigs. Could it work in humans too?
Researchers boosted levels of a heart-healing hormone in mice and pigs with a single injection of a new, experimental form of self-amplifying RNA that prolonged hormone synthesis for many weeks.
A single shot of self-amplifying RNA can repair tissue damage from a heart attack, new research in pigs and mice shows.
It can take weeks or months to recover from a heart attack, but the new study explored a novel way to boost the production of a natural heart-repairing hormone with a single injection. Although the shot hasn't been tested in humans yet, researchers believe it could one day offer hope for a faster recovery.
''This system is revolutionary, because it's using skeletal muscle as a factory to produce the proteins that we need,'' study co-author Dr. Ke Huang, an assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Texas A&M University, told Live Science.
A heart attack is often caused by a blocked artery that prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart muscle. While surgery can remove the blockage, the heart muscle itself also needs to recover from the oxygen starvation. If it doesn't heal quickly enough, scar tissue will take its place, which is less effective at pumping blood and may precipitate heart failure.
In the study, published March 5 in the journal Science, Ke Cheng, a biomedical engineer at Columbia University and senior author of the new study and his collaborators showed that a single injection of self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) in the muscle tissue of the hind leg could heal heart muscle cells in mice and pigs by increasing levels of a hormone called atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP).
From studying mice, researchers learned that ANP levels are much higher in newborns than in adults — a difference they attributed to ANP playing a role in heart development. This inspired Cheng and colleagues to see if it was possible to increase ANP levels temporarily in adult mice to help heal the heart. ''We wanted to see if we can supplement ANP with self-amplifying RNA,'' Cheng said.
In a dried-up pond in central England a heart necklace was found that indentified the love between Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, but it didn't belong to them.. Learn about the mystery in today's blog.
(Photo: a gold heart-shaped pendant with the letters H and K in red enamel The gold, heart-shaped pendant was discovered by a metal detectorist in 2019. (Image credit: Ben Stansall)
Tudor Heart: A Renaissance gold necklace featuring a French-English pun on the love between Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon
A chance discovery of a 16th-century necklace reveals new information about Tudor-era jewelry styles.
QUICK FACTS
Name: Tudor Heart
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What it is: A gold necklace with a red-enameled pendant
Where it is from: Warwickshire, central England
When it was made: Circa 1518
Half a millennium after a solid-gold Renaissance necklace was forged, a metal detectorist spotted it poking out of a dried-up pond in central England.
The jewel was discovered by Birmingham café owner Charlie Clarke while metal detecting in a field in Warwickshire on a very auspicious Friday the 13th, December, 2019. After his screaming abated, Clarke notified the Finds Liaison Officer who in turn contacted Historic England.
The necklace's heart-shaped pendant — which features the red-enameled initials H and K, as well as a rose and a pomegranate — is one of only a few Tudor-period jewels to survive the bitter divorce of King Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. (The queen's name is often spelled "Catherine," but she usually signed it "Katherine" while at court in England.)
The Tudor Heart necklace is made up of three parts. The 24-karat gold chain, which consists of 75 links, is 17.1 inches (43.4 centimeters) long and weighs 9.4 ounces (267 grams). A clasp in the shape of a hand coming out of a cloud serves to close the necklace and suspend a heart-shaped pendant. The pendant is 2.3 inches (5.9 cm) long and weighs 1.8 ounces (50 grams). But it's the decoration on the pendant, rather than the necklace itself, that makes the artifact historically significant.
(Photo: A gold heart-shaped pendant with the letters H and K in red enamel, and the red and white rose around a tree on the other side. (Image credit: Ben Stansall)
On the front of the Tudor Heart, a white-and-red rose is entwined with a pomegranate tree, which represent the House of Tudor dynasty, headed by Henry VIII, and the Spanish homeland of Queen Katherine of Aragon, respectively. The back of the heart pendant is decorated with their initials joined by a tasseled cord. Katherine had originally married England's Prince Arthur, but she was widowed after just five months of marriage. Later, she became the first wife of Henry VIII (who ruled from 1509 to 1547), and their marriage lasted from 1509 until they were divorced in 1533.
Experts at the British Museum have confirmed that the composition of the gold and the style of the jewelry are consistent with an early-16th-century manufacture date, meaning the accessory was likely crafted during Henry VIII's marriage to Katherine. But because the necklace is not listed in inventories of royal jewels from the early 16th century, it's unlikely that either monarch owned it. This raises the question of why or for whom the necklace was made.
One possibility is that the heart was created to celebrate the betrothal of Princess Mary (later Queen Mary I) in 1518. Mary was the only child of Henry and Katherine to survive infancy and was initially promised to Francis III, the Dauphin of France, when she was just 2 years old. The betrothal plan fell through a few years later.
Another possibility is that the necklace was made for someone of high standing, who would have worn it to show allegiance to the monarchs. Elements of the necklace suggest that, although it was made of high-quality gold, the workmanship was not of the same caliber, according to the U.K. Portable Antiquities scheme. If the object was made to be viewed from afar, it may have been given as a prize for winning a royal joust or other equestrian event.
Any educated person knows that climate change is happening, and that Humans and the pollution they've caused is exacerbating (speeding up) the process at a rate greater than some environments can handle. New research indicates Antarctica could warm faster than the rest of the southern hemisphere, and that's alarming. Today's blog explains from an article in Live Science.
(Image: This color picture of Antarctica is one part of a mosaic of pictures covering the entire Antarctic continent taken during the hours following Galileo's historic first encounter with its home planet. The view shows the Ross Ice Shelf. Credit: NASA)
Antarctica could warm 1.4 times faster than the rest of the Southern Hemisphere
Antarctica could heat up 1.4 times faster than the rest of the Southern Hemisphere over the coming decades, which would lock in extreme sea-level rise and ravage polar ecosystems, a new modeling study shows.
This acceleration of warming in Antarctica relative to other regions, known as Antarctic amplification, would likely occur if global temperatures reached 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) above preindustrial levels, according to the study. The world has already warmed by 2 F (1.1 C), and the pace at which new temperature records are being set is intensifying. If emissions stay around current levels, we will likely reach 3.6 F of warming around 2050 — but if emissions keep rising, we could hit that threshold around 2040.
The new research is among the first to find a clear sign of Antarctic amplification, which has been hard to detect due to the Southern Ocean's enormous capacity to absorb heat and the powerful circumpolar currents that isolate the frozen continent from rising temperatures. Yet most scientists think Antarctic amplification will happen, because amplification in the Arctic is already underway.
"For many years, Antarctica seemed isolated from the effects of increasing global temperatures," Ariaan Purich, a senior lecturer and climatologist at Monash University in Australia who was not involved in the research, told Live Science in an email. "In this new study, the authors propose that long-term surface warming of the ocean around Antarctica, projected by climate models over the coming century, leads to Antarctic amplification."
(Image: Antarctic sea ice maximum extent, September 10 2023. Credit: NASA)
Arctic amplification has been documented for years, with temperatures in this region climbing about four times faster than the global average increase over the past five decades. The main mechanism driving Arctic amplification is the ice-albedo feedback, where the melting of snow and ice accelerates warming because water reflects less heat back to space. Where there once used to be reflective sea ice, there is now an ocean that absorbs more heat from sunlight. This causes more ice and snow to melt, in turn exposing even more heat-absorbing water.
Antarctica behaves differently, partly because swirling ocean and wind currents shield the continent from rising air and sea temperatures elsewhere in the world. Contrary to the Arctic, most of Antarctica experienced only gradual warming and no declines in sea ice until about a decade ago, Purich said.
But then, between 2014 and 2016, Antarctica lost as much sea ice as the Arctic had lost in four decades. The continent hasn't bounced back since, Purich said, with exceptionally low winter sea ice extent recorded in 2023, in particular.
"We're now seeing abrupt changes occurring in Antarctica, at very rapid rates," Purich said. "With low Antarctic sea ice coverage, there is now the potential for the ice-albedo feedback to start exacerbating warming of the southern high latitudes."
On March 29, 2026, I gave a fundraising lecture at the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford, NH. This was my 7th year teaching people how their pets communicate from the afterlife, and it's always emotional and moving. This year was no different.
(Photo: Rob and Marianne)
My thanks to Marianne and Charlotte who manage the shelter and the events. They do this every year for me, and help me bring comfort to many. This year was especially tough for me after we lost all three of our dogs, Tyler, Dash and Cody.
(Photo: Two of the cats at the Shelter needing a home. The pictured cat is 11 years old)ABOUT THE ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE OF NH- It's a Non-Profit, and their operating budget is $1.7 million annually and they rely on YOUR DONATIONS. So, please consider helping them out.
For 121 years, the Animal Rescue League of NH has been a lifeline for animals in need, providing shelter, medical care, and the chance to find loving homes. Our work is only possible because of compassionate supporters like you. Your donation helps us continue this legacy of care, rescue, and hope. Every dollar makes a difference, for the animals, and for the community that loves them.
Donate today and be part of something life changing.
This week's idiot is from Ireland, who caused an all-out Garda (Irish Police) chase that involved 12 cars and a helicopter. Not only was the idiot on drugs, but his drug of choice was even more gross than possible, because it had Trump's face on it! Here's the story.
Twelve Garda cars and a helicopter involved in high-speed pursuit of driver, court told
Man drove towards patrol car, went wrong way on M50, was later found with drugs featuring Trump’s face
Twelve Garda cars an air support helicopter were involved in a high-speed pursuit that lasted more than an hour across north Dublin and into Co Meath, a court has heard.
At around 12.30am on May 29th, 2023, Dublin man Dziugas Odinas (25) was driving a Volkswagen Passat with two passengers in the car.A Garda inspector driving in a marked patrol car saw Odinas driving on the Oscar Traynor Road, Coolock, driving on the wrong side of the road and at high speed in a direction towards gardaí.
Garda Emma Young told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court this inspector had to drive his car on to the grass verge of the road to avoid being struck by the oncoming car. The inspector then activated the blue lights and sirens of the patrol car, but Odinas drove off at speed.
During the high-speed pursuit that ensued, Odinas was observed driving the wrong way on the M50 against the flow of traffic, driving the wrong way down slip roads and driving across red bollards. At one point, he drove in the wrong direction around Dublin Airport roundabout between heavy traffic. On a number of occasions, his driving forced other drivers to take evasive action to avoid colliding with his car.
During the pursuit, Odinas did a U-turn. At a number of times, he switched the car lights off to try to evade detection, the court heard.
The pursuit ended outside Gormanstown, Co Meath, when gardaí threw a stinger, or spiked device, across the road. All four tyres [tires] on the car driven by Odinas were punctured and a number of patrol cars were used to box the car in. Odinas stopped the car and got out, Gda Young said.
She accepted a submission from John Byrne, defending, that from this point his client accepted his arrest and was well mannered towards gardaí.
He was not insured and the car was not taxed (Registered). A small amount of cannabis for personal use was found on him and a large knife was found in the car.
Emmet Nolan, prosecuting, told the court that 12 Garda vehicles were involved in the pursuit and about 30 minutes into it the force’s national air support unit became involved.
Odinas was released on bail and three months later plain clothes gardaí on patrol on the Ballymun road, north Dublin, stopped him and found he had 34 bags of MDMA and four bags of ecstasy tablets.
Doubly Gross
Gda Pierce O’Dwyer told the court that the tablets had Donald Trump’s face stamped on them and that the total estimated street value of the drugs found on Odinas was about €60,900 (71,971.62 U.S. Dollars).
When stopped by gardaí, Odinas said “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” and told them he was being paid €300 for transporting the drugs. Gda O’Dwyer said there was no Garda intelligence to suggest he was doing anything other than moving the drugs. He accepted Odinas was not on the “Garda radar” and not considered to be part of a “hierarchy”.
Odinas, of Sheepmoor Lawns, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of MDMA, ecstasy tablets and alprazolam tablets on Ballymun Road on August 3rd, 2023.
He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and endangerment at locations in north Dublin on May 29th, 2023.
His previous convictions include road traffic offences [offenses in U.S. English] and convictions for fuel drive-off type thefts.
Byrne told the court his client was 22 at the time of these offences and was a more mature man now.
Judge Sarah Berkeley adjourned the case to May 11th next for finalisation. She remanded Odinas into custody for appearance on that date
Firefighters save dog from Sherman Oaks house fire
Firefighters rescued family dogs during a house fire in Sherman Oaks Wednesday night, April 1, 2026.
The fire, which was sparked by downed power lines and a pine tree, was extinguished in about half an hour.
No injuries were reported, and the dogs were successfully reunited with the owners at the scene.
LOS ANGELES - A Sherman Oaks family is celebrating a joyful reunion after Los Angeles firefighters saved their dogs from a house fire Wednesday night.
The fire was reported just after 8:30 p.m. at a home on West Rhinestone Drive, where flames from a pine tree and downed power lines spread to an attached garage, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
In the chaos of the emergency, the family dogs went missing, sparking fears for their safety as smoke filled the area.
However, firefighters were able to successfully locate the dogs unharmed and quickly return the dogs to its grateful owners.
(Video: Credit; CBS Los Angeles)
Fire crews are conducting a final overhaul to ensure the structure is safe. The LAFD will continue to investigate the sequence of what led to the downed power wires and pine tree igniting.
Neighbors can expect utility workers in the area to repair the damaged electrical lines.
Every week I publish a book of the week that I enjoyed, and this time is unique because it's a book I wrote from my personal experiences with a man named Ed who passed away and communicated to me from the afterlife.I LOVED writing "Kindred Spirits: How a Spirit Befriended a Medium" and telling Ed's story, 23 years after he passed. *** Recently, the book found popularity again shooting into the top 200 on Amazon,because Ed's signs teach others what signs to look for from their own loved ones. Since this published in 2019, Ed continued to give many signs, so his sequel is coming out in 2027.Meanwhile, learn about today's book and there are some reviews included.
ABOUT THE BOOK:Imagine that the spirit of someone you never met in life comes along in your new relationship. The spirit died 20 years before you met your partner, and this spirit was in a commited relationship with your partner decades before. That's what happened to author and medium Rob Gutro. The spirit, whose name is Ed, has come through in so many ways from dreams to coins, look-alikes, and more. Ed's spirit told Rob many things he couldn't possibly have known. Rob confirmed everything with his partner.
It's uncommon for a medium really get know a spirit so well that the living person considers the spirit a best friend. But that's exactly what happened to medium and paranormal investigator Rob Gutro. When Rob met his partner Tom in 2005, Ed's spirit came along for the ride. Rob never knew Ed in life.
Now, Ed often communicates to Rob and has revealed his sense of humor, his heart, and helped solved the mystery of his passing. Ed's "Spirit Treasure Hunt" showed his family he's with them, too. Ed even sent a look-alike to rescue Rob during a vacation in England. Ed also proved to Rob and Tom that he was with all of their dogs who passed.
As you read about this special spirit named Ed and his sometimes funny communications, you'll learn signs your loved ones send. This book will teach you how to be more aware of messages from your loved ones in spirit.
"Being a friend with Ed in spirit is like having a friend who lives in another state" - Author Rob Gutro describing his relationship with Ed's spirit.
REVIEW: Mike Sykes 5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book , a must read !
Reviewed September 22, 2019 Verified Purchase
I could not put this book down. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end . What an amazing story of a special bond that develops unexpectedly but not by coincidence ( because there's no such as coincidences.) between Rob and a very special spirit Ed. The way Rob is able to channel Ed's messages for him to help bring healing ,love ,laughter and confirmation that he like many other spirits that have crossed are still very much around us all the time . I highly recommend this book, I have only touched on a few things that I loved about this book, there truly is so much that I could go on about . You won't be disappointed, and maybe it's not a coincidence that your meant to purchase this book , or that you're reading this review.
This is one in the author's "Ghosts and Spirits" series of books. Rob Gutro's other series include "Pets and the Afterlife," "Haunting Of," and "Ghosts on a Medium's Vacation."
Scientists have described Tanyka amnicola, a newly identified species of prehistoric creature that lived 275 million years ago and had a bizarre twisted jaw with sideways-facing teeth.
(image: An artist's illustration showing what the newly described species, Tanyka amnicola, may have looked like. (Image credit: Vitor Silva)
Prehistoric water-dwelling weirdo with sideways teeth and a twisted jaw was already a 'living fossil' 275 million years ago
Paleontologists have revealed a bizarre prehistoric creature with a twisted jaw and sideways-facing teeth, and the water-dwelling weirdo was already a "living fossil" when it existed 275 million years ago.
The newly described species, named Tanyka amnicola, is an archaic member of the tetrapods — a large group of four-limbed vertebrates that today includes reptiles, birds, mammals and amphibians, according to a study published Wednesday (March 4) in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Despite predating the dinosaurs, T. amnicola was already an evolutionary relic in its time, during the Permian period. Many of the earliest tetrapod lineages, known as stem tetrapods, had already disappeared by that time. But the lineage that T. amnicola belonged to seems to have persisted, while tetrapods as a group were diversifying.
"Tanyka is from an ancient lineage that we didn't know survived to this time, and it's also just a really strange animal," lead study author Jason Pardo, a research associate at the Field Museum in Chicago, said in a statement. "In the sense that Tanyka was a remaining member of the stem tetrapod lineage, even after newer, more modern tetrapods evolved, Tanyka is a little like a platypus. It was a living fossil in its time."
Researchers identified the new species from nine fossilized lower jawbones, each roughly 6 inches (15 centimeters) long, recovered from a dry riverbed in northeastern Brazil. Although the creature's lower jawbones were distinctive enough for the team to determine the fossils represented a new species, the lack of other fossilized remains means much about the animal remains unknown.
So it's not a deformation, it's just the way the animal was made.
Jason Pardo, Field Museum research associate
Given what is known about its close relatives, however, T. amnicola might have resembled a salamander with a slightly longer snout. It possibly measured up to around 3 feet (around 91 centimeters) in length, Pardo said. The type of rocks in which the fossils were found also indicate that the creature lived in lake environments and presumably had "aquatic habits," according to the paper.
Analysis of the lower jawbones revealed some intriguing features — principally, that they were twisted so that the creature's teeth pointed outward to the sides, rather than upward as seen in virtually all other tetrapods.
When T. amnicola lived, Brazil was part of the supercontinent Gondwana.
We all collect different things. It's always interesting to find out who collects what. I collect comic books and several friends I have do the same. Others collect superhero figures, or gnome figures, flowers, stuffed animals, flowers, plants, and many other things. What do YOU collect? - Today's blog is about a woman who started off giving little yellow ducks out in the office, and then people would find unique ones and give them to her! She's amassed quite the collection.
(Photo: Jason Schreiber photos/Union Leader Correspondent
Anita Wolcott of Hooksett showcases her 2,266-rubber-duck collection at her art and activity studio, The Creative Duckling, in Pembroke.)
NH Woman's 2,266 rubber duck collection makes a big splash
Anita Wolcott has her ducks in a row — all 2,266 of them.
The Hooksett, New Hampshire woman and queen of quack has amassed an impressive collection of rubber ducks — along with some crystal ones — inside her unique art and activity studio, appropriately called The Creative Duckling.
It’s a vibrant space that not only fosters creativity through art, but showcases her quirky collection that has made quite a splash at the Pembroke studio, where kids get messy and adults stop to admire all the ducks.
The Creative Duckling is a children's art and activity studio in the heart of Pembroke, N.H., where owner Anita Wolcott showcases her extraordinary collection of 2,266 rubber ducks.
Anita shares the quirky story behind this unique collection, which grows by the hundreds every year, her journey in creating a delightful space for kids to engage in messy, creative play, and the various activities offered at the studio.
“It’s probably the largest that a lot of people have seen. It’s definitely not the largest in the world. I do not have the world record or anything like that,” Wolcott said.
(CAPTION: In this episode of Grounded in Granite, we visit a hidden gem for families: The Creative Duckling, a children's art and activity studio in the heart of Pembroke, N.H., where owner Anita Wolcott showcases her extraordinary collection of 2,266 rubber ducks.)
Wolcott adds hundreds of new ducks to her delightful display each year, but she has no plans to try to beat the current Guinness World Record held by Seattle native Charlotte Lee, who owned 5,631 rubber ducks when the record was set in 2011.
The collection began about eight years ago when Wolcott was working as an executive assistant at a local mortgage company. During themed employee appreciation days, she would often place small rubber ducks in goodie baskets for workers.
“After you do that for six, seven years, you start getting a small collection on your desk, and then it just got to the point where people were like, ‘Here’s a duck. Oh, you don’t have this one? Here. Oh, I found this one. You can have it.’ Then it got to the point where I was saying, ‘Oh, I don’t have that one. I’m going to grab it,’” she said.
Wolcott admits that her duck collection has become a fun obsession that’s been easier to feed as rubber ducks have grown in popularity.
“I love hunting for them,” she said.
Each duck is unique. They all come in different styles, colors and sizes. Some are made in the likeness of celebrities or licensed characters. Others came from local businesses and include company names with logos on them.
While Wolcott didn’t grow up loving rubber ducks, they’ve certainly grown on her as an adult as her collection has expanded from a few to thousands. Her favorite is a Santa celebrity duck from 2001 that a friend found while antiquing and gave it to her for Christmas. The oldest duck in her collection is believed to be from 1975. Her priciest duck isn’t made of rubber — it’s Swarovski crystal.
Wolcott has three adult children, and when asked about what they think of her collection, she joked, “They’re more concerned about what’s going to happen to them when I’m gone.”
The growing duck collection has found the perfect home inside her studio, which opened about a year and a half ago and even has a wall filled with ducks and duck novelties like pens and notebooks for sale.
(Photo: Anita Wolcott of Hooksett showcases her 2,266-rubber-duck collection at her art and activity studio, The Creative Duckling, in Pembroke. Credit: Jason Schreiber photos/Union Leader Correspondent )
The studio is a place where children of all ages can explore their creativity, make a joyful mess and have fun while learning essential skills. They experiment with paint using toys, kitchen tools, bathroom, marbles, balloons and other items, spend time using a spray station and participate in other activities.
“It’s really about them getting their hands dirty and getting whatever they see in their head down onto that canvas. It’s really hard for the parents to kind of step back and let them just go at it,” Wolcott said.
She emphasizes the importance of allowing children to explore their artistic instincts without fear of judgment.
Wolcott said parents are often reminded to step back and let their children express themselves freely, which can lead to surprisingly beautiful results, even if they appear as “green blobs” to the untrained eye.
The studio, which also hosts parties, offers ceramics, sand art and a variety of other exciting creative experiences as well. She’s even had teenagers stop by.
Wolcott said she hopes her studio offers a fun experience for those who visit.
“We all need fun in our lives,” she said.
For more information on The Creative Duckling, visit https://thecreativeduckling.com/
There's some encouraging news in the quest to prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease. In people destined to get Alzheimer's in their mid-40s, one protein can delay the onset of the disease by about 20 years.
(Image Credit: Adobe)Single protein could dramatically alter trajectory of Alzheimer's disease
A single gene mutation protects against Alzheimer's disease in people destined to get the disease very young — and now we know why.
The gene mutation affects a protein called reelin that directs brain cells to shred the probable culprits in the disease — toxic amyloid plaques and tau tangles. The mutation makes reelin work much more efficiently, new research reveals.
The finding could point the way towards transformative therapies for the condition, experts said.
"I would never have expected that it would be so protective that it actually negates the effect of a dominant early onset Alzheimer's disease mutation," Dr. Joachim Herz, a neuroscientist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center who was not involved in the new research, told Live Science. "That I would never have in my wildest dreams predicted."
A tale of two genes
Unpacking how the protective mutation worked began with a population that faced the opposite problem: an extraordinarily harmful mutation that accelerates Alzheimer's disease.
For decades, people in the lush valleys near Medellin, Colombia, had faced premature memory loss.
Neurologist Dr. Francisco Lopera grew up in the region. While he was still a medical student, he came across his first case, a 47-year-old man displaying memory symptoms usually seen in elderly people with dementia. Lopera traveled across the region, determined to map where people were facing early memory loss. He ultimately identified thousands of people affected by a rare genetic form of Alzheimer's disease. The condition was autosomal dominant, meaning that anyone carrying at least one copy of the mutated presenilin 1 (PSEN1) gene would, like clockwork, lose their memories in their mid-forties.
Lopera's work in mapping this affected population was invaluable to dementia research, but his most important contribution came just a year before he died in 2024. He co-authored a paper in the journal Nature Medicine that detailed the case of a patient he met in his travels across Colombia. This patient had the PSEN1 gene mutation but lived well into his 60s before developing Alzheimer's. This was the neurological equivalent of a house that stays standing for decades despite cracks in its foundations that should give way.
Lopera discovered that this man's resilient brain was strengthened by another mutation, dubbed COLBOS after the research centers in Colombia and Boston that characterized it.
Improving efficiency
The new research, published in December 2025 in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, has identified exactly how the COLBOS mutation protected the patient's brain for decades.
When the COLBOS variant was first identified in 2023, scientists noted that the mutation altered how a cell signaling protein called reelin functioned. The protein promotes the formation of new connections between brain cells, prevents the toxic tau protein from becoming activated, and prevents amyloid plaques from building up in the brain.
COLBOS altered how reelin binds to another signaling molecule called heparan sulfate, a sugar found on the cell surface of virtually all cell types in humans, including neurons. But how reelin's binding ability affected Alzheimer's progression remained unclear. In the new paper, molecular biologist Chunyu Wang and colleagues at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York mapped this process.
Unfortunately, as Lopera noted, the COLBOS mutation could only delay rather than prevent people with rare Alzheimer's mutations from getting the disease.
Wang is currently discussing with a colleague at Rensselaer the development of a gene therapy that enhances reelin signaling based on these findings.
Libraries in New England are like social and learning centers in many ways. They are much more active than those we experienced in the Mid-Atlantic states. Recently, our local library had a wonderful "Literary Tea Tasting" with special teas brewed to reflect various authors (whom you will learn about in today's blog, too!), Plus we got a sign from our dog Tyler on the other side.
(Photo: Sara of the library explains about a tea blend. Credit: R.G)
ABOUT THE EVENT: Join us for a literary tea tasting on Wednesday, March 25th at 6pm! Berwick Public LIbrary staff member Sara will be introducing us to three teas inspired by literary characters and talking about the significance tea has played throughout the centuries.
(Photo: Rob, Lisa and Tom)
FUN WITH A FRIEND
Tom and I love tea tastings, and have enjoyed many British afternoon tea events, so this was perfect for us. Our friend Lisa, who works at the local post office also came so we enjoyed the teas, the confections and some laughs. We also got to know a few other folks whom we had not met before, including Tyler who is an engineer.
A SIGN FROM OUR TYLER IN SPIRIT
Meeting a guy named Tyler at the event was a sign from our Tyler the Dachshund who passed in July 2025. - It seems that our Tyler influenced the library visitor to sit near us, when he could have sat anywhere else around the table. - There's no such thing as a coincidence when it comes to spirits!)
(Photo: L to R; Tyler, Lisa and Rob)
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(Photo: A big thanks to Sara and Sharon the Head Librarian who put this event together)
BEATRIX POTTER TEATIME- Beatrix Potter (1866–1943), an English author and illustrator, wrote and illustrated The Tale of Peter Rabbit. First published in 1902, the story originated from an illustrated letter she sent to a friend's son in 1893. It became one of the world's best-known children's books. The Tea that was served had Chamomile and some other flowers. It was a very light-tasting tea, and it was very tasty!
(Photo: Other tea tasters around the big table at the library. Credit: R.G.)
J.R.R. TOLKIEN TEA TIME - John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, or J.R.R. Tolkien, was an English writer and philologist who is credited with creating the modern fantasy genre. His most well-known works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, are set in Middle-earth, a fictional world populated by elves, dwarves, wizards, and talking trees. Tolkien's Catholic beliefs and his faith in the truth of mythology influenced his writing. He also invented several elvish languages, including Quenya and Sinadrin.
The Tea that was served was darker in color, and more body to it. I can't remember what was in it, but it was good!
(Photo: Tom and Rob agreeing not to try the "Steven King" brand of tea... it could be deadly delicious!) STEPHEN KING TEA TIME - Stephen Edwin King, born September 21, 1947, is an American author from Maine known as the "King of Horror". He's written more than 50 novels and 200 short stories, selling more than 300 million copies. His work has modernized horror themes and techniques, and brought the genre to the forefront of popular literature. King's stories have been adapted into classic films like Misery, Stand By Me, and The Shawshank Redemption. The Tea was actually not served for this horror author, but we did get to sniff it in a jar. Sara had found this special blend on-line, and it had a heavy scent to it.
FINAL TEA! Sara had the group select three different tea blends to mix together- so there was Vanilla, Cinnamon and a Smoky flavored tea. That was really tasty! Plus, there were little cookies that accompanied all of the tea tastings.
It was really a fun event, and we hope they make it an annual thing!
Lately there has been multiple arrests weekly for right-wing people who are pedophiles. This week's idiot is another one. It has apparently become acceptable because their idol has no issue with it. It's just gross. This is another MAGA supporter who wrapped himself in the flag of his idol.
Michigan man faces 5 charges criminal sexual conduct against young teen
A man has been arrested on charges of criminal sexual conduct involving a teenager in Wayne County, Michigan.
Terry Wayne Sturgill, 36, of Huron Township, was arrested Feb. 17 in Monroe County, within a few hours of the incident being reported to police, the Huron Township Police Department said.
He is charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, court records show. Police said the victim was between 13 and 16 years old, and the activity happened on Feb. 15.
An arraignment hearing took place by video Feb. 20 at 34th District Court in Romulus, during which bond was set at $50,000. His next court hearing is a probable cause conference on March 3, court records show. A preliminary exam is scheduled for March 10.
"There is no crime more important than one that involves the victimization of a child. With assistance from every single layer of our public safety department, our Detective Bureau worked almost around the clock over the last couple days to bring this case to a resolution. We hope this will give the victim, who was incredibly brave throughout this process, a feeling of safety as they do their best to heal moving forward," said Everette Robbins, Huron Township Director of Public Safety.
I'm a simple guy who enjoys the simple things in life, especially our dogs. I volunteer for dog rescues, enjoy exercising, blogging, politics, helping friends and neighbors, participating in ghost investigations, coffee, weather, superheroes, comic books, mystery novels, traveling, 70s and 80s music, classic country music,writing books on ghosts and spirits, cooking simply and keeping in shape. You'll find tidbits of all of these things on this blog and more. EMAIL me at Rgutro@gmail.com - Rob
