Not Just Antibody
As part of a study on hybrid immunity to SARS-CoV-2, University of Texas at Austin researchers say they've discovered and isolated a broadly neutralizing plasma antibody, called SC27, from a single patient.
The researchers obtained its exact molecular sequence, opening the possibility of manufacturing it on a larger scale for future treatments. They said the goal was "to work toward a universal vaccine that could generate antibodies and create an immune response with broad protection to a rapidly mutating virus."
Hope Beats Now
A North Carolina State University study found that being hopeful was more effective than simple mindfulness at managing stress.
Mindfulness refers to the ability of an individual to focus attention on the present, in a way that is open, curious and not judgmental. Essentially, the ability to be fully in the moment.
"There's a lot of discussion about the benefits of mindfulness, but it poses two challenges when you're going through periods of stress," said study coauthor Tom Zagenczyk, a professor of management in the university's Poole College of Management.
"First, it's hard to be mindful when you're experiencing stress. Second, if it's a truly difficult time, you don't necessarily want to dwell too much on the experience you're going through."
They found that people who engaged in hopeful behaviors tended to be happy. They were more engaged in their lives and work and felt less tension.
Body of Knowledge
The human eye can distinguish between approximately 2.3 million to 7.5 million colors.
Get Me That, Stat!
Health insurance coverage for working-age adults has risen in every state since 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Between 2019 and 2023, uninsured rates dropped in 17 states for children, 42 states for working-age adults, and one state (Florida) for adults 65 and older.
Because many public health insurance programs are aimed specifically at coverage for children, older adults and those in need, the uninsured rate among adults ages 19 to 64 is comparatively higher than those groups.
Counts
117: Percentage increase in the U.S. of heat-related deaths between 1999 and 2023 (Source: JAMA)
Doc Talk
Transient diaphragmatic spasm: Getting the wind knocked out of you
Phobia of the Week
Alektorophobia: Fear of hens (chicken about chickens)
Best Medicine
Q: How many psychotherapists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: How many do you think it takes?
Observation
"People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day." -- Winnie the Pooh
Medical History
This week in 1885, 15-year-old Jean-Baptiste Jupille was severely bitten while fending off (and killing with his bare hands) a rabid dog attacking him and friends in Villers-Farlay, France. He was taken to Louis Pasteur's nearby lab and became the second person to be treated with Pasteur's experimental rabies vaccine.
The first case had been a few months earlier when 9-year-old Joseph Meister was brought in, having been bitten 14 times by a rabid dog. Meister never developed rabies, but Pasteur kept the success a secret. Not so with Jupille, who also survived without harm. Pasteur announced his success, and within a year, hundreds of patients had been successfully treated with his rabies vaccine.
Medical School
Put these words, describing anatomical functions, in their most likely order: borborygmi, deglutination, eructation and mastication.
Answer:
1. Mastication is the act of chewing food.
2. Deglutination is the act of swallowing.
3. Eructation is the medical name for burping.
4. Borborygmi is rumbling in the stomach or bowels, caused by trapped air or food moving through the digestive tract.
Fit to Be Tried
There are thousands of exercises, and you've only got one body, but that doesn't mean you can't try them all. Most research suggests static stretching before exercise has no effect on -- and may actually hinder -- performance during strength and power training. But there is some new evidence that posits stretching to improve flexibility may help you live longer because people with the stiffest joints are more likely to die prematurely.
Here are four stretching and flexibility exercises you can do sitting down, recommended by the American Heart Association. Next week, we'll present three more you can do standing.
1. Neck Stretch
Purpose: Improve neck flexibility.
Starting Position: Sit tall, feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
Action: Slowly turn your head to look over your shoulder. Keep your back against the chair and your shoulders facing forward. Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds. Return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Repeat: One to three times on each side. Rest, then do a second set.
2. Seated March
Purpose: Increase hip flexibility.
Starting Position: Sit tall with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
Action: Raise one knee as high as you comfortably can. Return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Repeat: March 12 to 16 times (six to eight times per leg). Rest, then do a second set.
3. Torso Stretch
Purpose: Stretch the midsection (waist).
Starting Position: Sit tall with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
Action: Place hands behind your head, as shown, with elbows out to the side. You can also cross your arms over your body or leave them at your sides, whichever is most comfortable. Bend your body to one side, bending at the waist. Keep your head facing forward. Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds. Return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Repeat: One to three times on each side. Rest, then do a second set.
4. Torso Twist
Purpose: Stretch the midsection (waist).
Starting Position: Sit tall with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
Action: Place hands behind your head, as shown, with elbows out to the side. You can also cross your arms over your body or leave them at your sides, whichever is most comfortable. Slowly twist your body to one side so you face the side wall. Your head should follow your body as you turn. Be sure to twist from your waist without moving your hips. Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds. Slowly return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Repeat: One to three times on each side. Rest, then do a second set.
Epitaphs
Loving Husband and Father
Here Lies a Politician and an Honest Man
(No There Are Not Two People Buried Here) -- Headstone of Congressman William Dean "Bill" Burlison (D-Mo.) (1931-2019)
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To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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