Category: Uncategorized

STARTING WITH GENES. “Isolation of genes encoding the receptors for steroids, retinoids, vitamin D, and thyroid hormone and their structural and functional analysis revealed an evolutionarily conserved template for nuclear hormone receptors.” https://lnkd.in/dXjCCgQ View in LinkedIn

FRAGMENT FROM NATURE this weekend is a historical vignette on the discovery of nuclear receptors in cells, based on a lovely 2014 review by Ronald Evans and David Mangelsdorf. The gene isolation of nuclear receptors led to the discovery of receptors without known function, so-called “orphan receptors” which eventually were assigned to functional pathways. Importantly, these orphan receptors belonged to large conserved superfamilies. This was effectively the start of molecular endocrinology, a far-reaching discipline that had a big impact on medicine. View in LinkedIn

SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS AND RISING. "By the end of 2009, at least 25 studies reported surveys of college students’ rates of nonmedical stimulant use. Of the studies using relatively smaller samples, prevalence was, in chronological order, 16.6% (lifetime); 35.3% (past year;), 13.7% (lifetime;), 9.2% (lifetime;), and 55% (lifetime, fraternity students only." https://lnkd.in/deytSnW View in LinkedIn

WIDESPREAD USE. "Recreational Provigil user testimonials are all over the web. Not only are people able to work with little or no sleep, the drug has the advantage of spurring weight loss and some users report a general mood enhancing side effect. The U.S. military has also reportedly tested it on helicopter and F117 pilots to see if they remain effective for up to 88 hours without sleep." https://lnkd.in/di4Vpi8 View in LinkedIn

HIGH STRESS DRUGS. "Smart drugs are used widely off-campus as well: fighter pilots take stimulants to enhance alertness and cognition on critical missions; in the civilian world, executives take beta-blockers to calm nerves, while some time-pressed writers use wakefulness drugs, like modafinil, to meet deadlines." https://lnkd.in/dJu2gyH View in LinkedIn

TWENTY FIVE PERCENT IN COLLEGES. "About 7% of U.S. university students report having taken stimulants "nonmedically" at least once, according to a 2005 study of nearly 11,000 students. On some campuses — primarily private, élite schools — a full quarter of students admit to nonmedical drug use in the past year, mainly in an attempt to improve grades." https://lnkd.in/dJu2gyH View in LinkedIn

NIGHT VISION. "Subjects found they could improve their night vision by tweaking their nutritional input, but only at the cost of losing some of their blue/green perception." https://lnkd.in/dNbt_XN View in LinkedIn

HUMAN AUGMENTATION has also been experimented with using pharmaceuticals and other drugs. Indeed, it appears that it is common in our youth, particularly in high achievers in competitive situations. Enhanced capacity, for them, appears worth the price, at least in the short-term. View in LinkedIn