So what are you up to?

by Xanthippe 44 Replies latest jw friends

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  sooner7nc

  Thank You Xanthippe.
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  LisaRose

  Lisa Rose that's really interesting about the shift to blue eyes. How do they work that out from skeletal remains? Have they found DNA?

  They found a skeleton in Spain that is 7,000 years old. It had the DNA mutation for blue eyes, but not the mutation for light skin, yet the DNA was closer to Northern European than southern European.

  Previously it had been thought that the switch to lighter skin and blue eyes happened as a result of migration to more northern climates. But this find suggests that lighter skin came much later. The theory is that lighter skin evolved because once they started farming, as opposed to hunting, so they needed lighter skin so that they could synthesize more vitamin D.

  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/27/light-skin-genes-dna_n_4673328.html?utm_hp_ref=science
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  Hortensia

  Well, I'm not doing much of anything. Sunny day, contemplating going into town. I'm knitting socks and a sweater. Digesting last night's Sherlock finale. Reading about lymph microcirculation, I agreed to teach a class in May so am preparing for it. I keep saying I'm retired, but a little influx of money would be a good thing. Need to buy a car.

  Anyone want to read this and discuss? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3568779/

  It's actually very interesting!

  Besides that, I'm pretty bored. Not having a car is a drag. Will get one in May, woohoo!
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  Xanthippe

  Thanks for the link LisaRose, a very interesting article.

  Hortensia we've really been enjoying Sherlock too, what about that Mary eh! I would like to understand how bioengineering could prevent lymphedema and also metastasis of cancer cells. I skimmed through the paper but I couldn't work that out.
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  humbled

  Wellll-- I found the backroom where all the visiting goes on. I will comeback tomorrow--It's getting late, we've built up the wood in the stove. Going to be a cold night here in NW Arkansas.

  Goodnight. Maeve
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  Hortensia

  Xanthippe - one of the fascinating things about the lymph system is lymph circulation, which is dependent on a number of factors including blood pressure, fluid pressure in the tissues surrounding the lymph vessels, gravity, the unique structure of the initial lymphatics (the open end of lymph vessels that sort of vacuums fluid out of tissue spaces), body movement, external pressure within certain specific limits and the unique ability of lymph vessels to contract -- sort of like intestinal peristalsis -- all of which stimulate lymph circulation and move fluids along through the system. Damage to the lymph vessels and nodes -- from infection, injury, surgery and radiation among other things -- creates scar tissue in the lymphatics and the surrounding tissue which blocks lymph circulation and creates stasis or edema around the scarred area, causing lymphedema disease. One of the characteristics of lymphedema disease is the growth of fat cells in the edematous area as well as fibrosis -- or more scar tissue due to constant inflammation of edematous tissues. Scientists are studying how lymph circulates, what things adversely affect lymph circulation, and how tissue changes over time in lymphedema disease. Another problem that scientists are interested in is how cancer cells migrate through the body and lodge in different areas -- often through the lymphatic system.

  The article I linked to reviews the difficulty scientists have had of imaging and studying lymph vessels due to their very small size compared to blood vessels. They've learned a lot through all sorts of things like micron photography and through sticking tiny tubes into the vessels to monitor fluid circulation. They've been able to map lymph circulation in a very detailed way, but there are limits to those methods. However now due to bioengineering they can construct sample lymph systems "from the ground up" in the test tube and study it that way, as well as studying the lymph system in the living organism.

  If that made any sense, let me know. That's my job, condensing this stuff and explaining it to beginners. Effective lymph drainage massage is dependent upon knowing a great deal about lymph circulation and how it is affected by all sorts of factors including touch. Lymph drainage massage is the most scientifically studied form of massage, and the more the student knows about the scientific basis of the massage the more effective they can be.

  Besides, lymph circulation is just plain fascinating. A marvel of evolution. People go on about how complex the eye is -- the lymphatic system if fabulously complex and very very interesting. There is a great deal of bullshit taught about lymph drainage massage, which is a pity. I like to make sure students understand the science of it, and it's fun to then bring up some of the bullshit and have them do some critical reasoning about it.

  Sorry, late at night, all by myself, and indulging in a little shop talk.
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  humbled

  It's frozen roads and stoking the stoves at our house. The noisy guineas and the lone rooster crowding the porch for hot mash and warm water.

  I rescued our little red hen from her doomed first effort to hatch a batch of eggs in a briar thicket by the root cellar. Poor thing! she had hid out for a week on her hidden nest til I tracked her back in the snow after she showed up for water and mash. She had bravely been setting her eggs that almost certainly were damaged by the extreme temperature during her time of laying them the 2 weeks before.

  My husband Dick and I got an old wood box in near the heating stove, dumped several inches of sawdust in the bottom and then straw. It took "Goldie" a while to settle down to it. She is a dandy girl, happy and warm now. were she to have success it would be on Valentine's Day. It would be a miracle if any chicks hatch. She has 14 eggs.

  It has been quite a wrangle on the forum over theism vs. atheism, hasn't it? Twice I have thought "Enough!" But I have this time now, being winter and indoors so much to read, reason and write about the ideas others have put out on the subject. I am not facile with writing or the computer so it takes me a bit of time to participate. and I needed to sort it out. at least a little.

  I am a hunt and peck typist.

  Soon I need to go off the forum. I have to finish straightening our old house. When spring comes, we'll have to fix up the fence for Dick to bring down his little team to work the garden. He is old now, no getting around it. He's 80. He is fit but with long hard years of work and an embarassment of broken bones. I'm 61 and have fought cancer this past year--and, maybe, beaten it.

  Our youngest child graduates this June. She hopes we all will save the date and our money to travel across the country to Williiamstown,Massachusetts. Our oldest daughter reserved a house big enough for all 9 of us should we make it.

  I left the JWs in 2009. It has been years with richness and trouble and heart-aches. My father got sick, stayed sick and died. My hsband broke his leg. My oldest son was sent to prison for drugs and returned. While the interim was filled with turmoil among father, sons and my own efforts to work. then my own sickness, diagnosis and treatment and now recovery. And we moved.

  But life is good. I am so glad I didn't have to go through this as a JW.

  Take care. I'll check this thread from time to time. Good place to hang out.

  Maeve

  P.S. If she hatches any, I'll croww about it here.
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  Xanthippe

  They've been able to map lymph circulation in a very detailed way, but there are limits to those methods. However now due to bioengineering they can construct sample lymph systems "from the ground up" in the test tube and study it that way, as well as studying the lymph system in the living organism - Hortensia

  Thank you Hortensia that precisely answers my question and I do understand all you've said. So you do lymph drainage massage as well as teach it, is that what you're saying? Where did you learn it? How long have you been doing it?
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  Xanthippe

  Maeve it sounds like you've been through the mill this last year. I'm so glad you got through the cancer and hope that all goes well for you. It's good that you've got your daughter's graduation to look forward to.

  My daughter is at university, in her first year. I had her rather late so I'm fifty-five now but my husband is no longer with us. I miss him terribly but as you say life is good and my daughter is happy and healthy.

  Hope you're keeping warm over there in Arkansas and let me know if Goldie hatches!
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  Hortensia

  Xanthippe, I did LDM for nearly 30 years, and had a school for about 18 years. I learned from several different teachers and then went my own way, reading all the research I could about it, basing what I did on the research I read. It was very interesting for a lot of years, but mostly now I want to be retired! I still sometimes teach a class, or do some tutoring, but mostly I don't any more.