David Lingenfelter, PhD Profile picture
Generalist, retired chemist
cuora.spp Profile picture Liminallife Profile picture MakeChange Profile picture 5 subscribed
Jan 8 6 tweets 2 min read
SARS-CoV-2 causes post-exertional malaise.

Metabolic dysfunction, amyloid-containing deposit accumulation, and SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid presence in skeletal muscle of long COVID patients may contribute to the development of post-exertional malaise.
nature.com/articles/s4146… Symptoms of PEM can include debilitating fatigue, body pain, muscle weakness, cognitive dysfunction, flu-like symptoms, unrefreshing sleep, headaches, migraines, chronic pain, muscle pain, orthostatic intolerance, and neurally mediated hypotension or POTS.
Jan 6 4 tweets 2 min read
SARS-CoV-2 causes more damage to your immune system than HIV.

Both viruses induced a reduction in B cells and CD4+ T cells, but SARS-CoV-2 infection caused a more severe reduction in total T cells, CD8+ T cells, and NK cells than HIV infection.
researchgate.net/publication/34… Here are the details. Image
Dec 28, 2023 20 tweets 3 min read
SARS-CoV-2 spreads through the air like smoke.

In modern times, the idea of airborne transmission of disease faced decades of resistance. This article 👇describes the long and complex history of its (re)emergence.🧵
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf…
Image For most of human history, diseases were thought to be transmitted by bad air or miasmas, often over long distances. This theory was challenged by germ theory in the 19th century, which identified specific microorganisms as the cause of diseases.
Aug 23, 2023 16 tweets 5 min read
The endothelium is part of your vascular system, and it plays an important role in maintaining your health. Here is a 🧵 about what the endothelium is, what it does, how SARS-CoV-2 harms it, and what that means for your health. (1/n) Image What is the endothelium and what does it do?

"The endothelium is a thin layer of flat epithelial cells that lines the heart, serous cavities, lymph vessels, and blood vessels. Endothelial cells form the barrier between vessels and tissue." (2/n)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endotheli…
Aug 20, 2023 14 tweets 5 min read
Lymphocytes are part of your immune system, and they play an important role in protecting your health. Here is a 🧵 of what lymphocytes are, what they do, how SARS-CoV-2 harms them, and what that means for your health. (1/n) What lymphocytes are.

"A lymphocyte is a type of white blood cell (leukocyte) in the immune system of most vertebrates. The three major types of lymphocytes are T cells, B cells and natural killer (NK) cells."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphocyte
Aug 17, 2023 5 tweets 2 min read
Key process...

"The presence of microclotting, together w relatively high levels of six inflammatory molecules known to be key drivers of endothelial and clotting pathology, points to thrombotic endotheliitis as a key pathological process in Long COVID."
medrxiv.org/content/10.110… "Here we demonstrate significantly increased concentrations of Von Willebrand Factor, platelet factor 4, serum amyloid A, alpha-2antiplasmin, E-selectin, and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, in the soluble part of the blood." Image
Aug 17, 2023 8 tweets 3 min read
On SARS-CoV-2 and monocytes...

There are about 30 trillion human cells in the adult human body, depending on the sex, age and weight. The human cells have been categorized into about 300 cell types based on location and function within the body. (1/n)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_d… They get around...

Monocytes are a type of leukocyte. They compose ~5% of all leukocytes in the human body. They circulate in the bloodstream for 1-3 days and then migrate into tissues where they differentiate into macrophages and dendritic cells. (2/n)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monocyte
Dec 10, 2022 6 tweets 2 min read
Covid savages your immune system. Here's just one way.

"Cell-cell communication analysis revealed a CD22-CD45 signaling between the Class-switched memory B cell and the Activated CD4+ T cells, in healthy but not in the COVID-19 positive or recovered."
frontiersin.org/articles/10.33… "PTPRC (CD45) has been shown to be an essential regulator of T- and B-cell antigen receptor signaling. It functions through either direct interaction with the antigen receptor complex, or by activating various Src family kinases."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PTPRC