Monday, January 30, 2023

CRISPR Re-programs DNA Mutations: In 10 years this has worked reportedly 100% of the time - Wow!

CRISPR, in ten years, is transforming how the body works and corrects itself. Sickle cell, lymphoma and other formerly impossible to stop conditions are learning anew - thanks to science like CRISPR.
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The system is not found in the drawers of the refrigerator,  it is nothing less than a scientific wonder!  For more than 10 years this bio-technological system has been gaining ground in the reprogramming of DNA to interfere with mutations.  The mutations, heritable as many are, exist in the body leading to thousands of illnesses, cancers and diseases. With CRISPR (the article explains the acronym) lifelong diseases, terminal illness, and cancers appear to prevent premature deaths.  
PHOTO CREDIT: American Cancer Institute, Unsplash
I'm aware that the word "re-programming" conjures up a bit of a scare, but it's jargon, more than reality, as I see it. In my non-scientific summary it is probably more accurate to say that CRISPR finds the bad stuff, pulls it out, and then supplants it with the corrective action needed - and a better working immune system fixes the problem.  This is just cool....
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"CRISPR has the ability to find a specific spot in a strand of DNA and make a cut, add or swap a genetic "letter" or even a word." ~USA Today, Jan. 30, 2023
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Link Reference: https://news.yahoo.com/decade-crispr-gene-editing-revolution-100015757.html

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Guns and horrific things correlate to stress and poverty...

       PHOTO CREDIT: Christian Erfurt, Unsplash

"Nearly all attackers experienced one or more significant stressors within five years of the attack.

Roughly 93% of attackers dealt with personal issues ranging from health problems to divorce, domestic abuse, car accidents, school expulsions, disciplinary actions at work and cyber bullying, among a slew of other challenges.

For 139 attackers — 77% — the stressor(s) occurred within one year of the mass-casualty incident. Seventy-two percent of attackers specifically experienced a financial stressor sometime prior to their attack." - Yahoo news, 1/25/23

~ Here's my take ...

I often speak to clients about the impact of stress.  Not necessarily how to manage it better ... most already know that this is needed. As mental health continues to be stoked as in need of more funding - there is a societal thing to consider too.  Our culture applauds productivity and then attempts to call productivity happiness.  And when productivity is low the "non-productive" are blamed for their "need to do better."  To look at guns,  to look at mental illness and overlook the impact of stress and poverty is a bias of assumption.  Poverty and stress correlate to mental illness and violence.  Psychotic breaks (nervous breakdowns), double binds and the demands of a culture must all be addressed systemically. This article takes a comprehensive look at correlations to gun violence... where stress and money appear to be a major influence to horrific and dangerous things. 

Friday, January 13, 2023

Bullying at a school nicknamed "Suicide High" ...

      PHOTO CREDIT: Morgan Basham, Unsplash

Bullying of this kind is, sadly, not unique to any school, town or city in the US.  From the micro to the macro aspects of what is called "bullying" the pecking order dynamic must be addressed.   Our schools cannot untrain a system that makes this phenomenon occur and schools cannot also then retrain it - by themselves. Adults bully each other online daily by the masses - verbal assaults by grown ups are the communication model that is seen daily by children  with hours and hours of screen time.  A 1:1 teacher student ratio is what would be required to stop bullying.  Education and psycho-education of parents is what is needed too.  Why?  In this article, the one school named, has a nickname that could be making our grown up hearts ache.  Bullying costs lives.  In my work,  in my book, and in my life - bullying is a theme for adults, couples, families, children - at home,  at school, at work and online. ~Kurt LaRose