Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020
Today my outdoor heaters were installed! We can now socialize outdoors during autumn and winter and are prepared for colder weather to approach. And I have finally managed to get Bray & Scarf to replace my wall oven. Only a week after the console was replaced and we used the oven three times, the convection fan broke yet again. I took a small video and send it to the case manager and she has finally authorized a replacement – hurray! The replacement is scheduled for Tuesday.
At work management has decided to give us an early release on Thursday and all day of on Friday. I tried to book somewhere to go for a long weekend, but of course everything is fully booked, so we will have to contend with day trips, of course to various swimming holes on Sunday and Monday as I am looking forward to practice on Saturday and have of course booked pool time for the afternoon. Seeing I have a few calls scheduled for Friday morning I will take the afternoon off to go for a sail – weather permitting of course. Beyond that I need to figure out what social entertainment I can orchestrate.
Out of the 25.8 million global cases the USA accounts for 6.29 million maintaining its 25% share. Given the high infection rates the most recent announcement by the administration to opt out of COVAX seems silly at best. But of course it is in line with the America first policy. COVAX is supported by the WHO and 170 countries who pool resources to develop vaccines and ensure the vaccine is available and distributed equitably. The idea is to avoid one particular country hoarding resources. No surprise really that the US will not participate, even if it is stupid on every level as this may preclude the USA from accessing vaccines unless such a vaccine is developed in the USA. It is like opting out of an insurance policy. It is also a shortsighted policy in a global world where economies are interconnected. As long as other economies are not doing well, because of the pandemic, the US economy will also not do well. This country is now betting it all on winning the vaccine race. This also means they will do whatever it takes and that is not a good thing.
There is some good news on the treatment front as the WHO has issued new treatment guidance after corticosteroids prove viable. Treating the effects of COVID-19. This comes after seven randomized clinical trials have been completed, providing strong evidence on the effectiveness of corticosteroids.
For me as a digital specialist the news of artificial intelligence being used to analyze symptoms and predict treatments was an interesting read. A Supercomputer Analyzed Covid-19 — and an interesting new theory Has Emerged, the Bradykinin hypothesis. I had to look up Bradykinin. Here is what I found:
Bradykinin Marty K.S. Wong, in Handbook of Hormones, 2016 Abstract Kinins [bradykinin (BK) and [Lys0]-BK] are the active peptides for the kallikrein-kinin system (KKS) and they are potent endothelium-dependent vasodilators that contribute to vasodilation and hypotension in the systemic circulation. Kinins induce thirst in mammals but inhibit drinking in teleosts. Kinins contract non-vascular smooth muscle in the bronchus and gut, increase vascular permeability, and are involved pain perception. In kidney, kinins induce natriuresis and diuresis, which lead to decrease in blood pressure. Kinins induce inflammatory responses via inducible B1 and constitutive B2 receptors in injured tissues. Kinins are paracrine hormones as they are rapidly degraded by various enzymes. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), also known as kininase II, possesses a high affinity for BK for degradation. The hypotensive effect of ACE inhibition is partly due to the delayed degradation of BK. Findings of the research suggest suggests the virus causes a bradykinin storm is attacking renin–angiotensin system (RAS). The good news, there are FDA approved drugs which can reduce the effects of bradykinin. An easy one seems Vitamin D.
This is the most enjoyable read related to Corona, the travels of a dog. At the same time it deals with so many issues we humans face: travel restrictions, border closures, flight cancellations, health certificates,....