Been busy this holiday break. First PTO I've taken all year, and I'm losing some even with being off since Dec. 8, so catching up on a lot of stuff.
But, as promised, here's the Somatic Hypermutation thread to accompany the Omicron vaccine response thread, yesterday.
Sorry, lots of family and professional stuff to do, today, threads get interrupted.
So. I'm gonna skip a LOT of Immunology, here, so if you have questions or need to fill in gaps in your understanding, feel free to ask questions on the thread or DM.
Dec 29, 2021 • 36 tweets • 6 min read
OK, quick rundown on the reading I've been doing this morning on booster efficacy and Omicron.
Most of the data we have is from the UK, and most if it isn't exactly garbage, but it is highly contaminated: there is as much noise as signal.
First, to set the stage, the UK has about a 34% booster rate. That *should* give some decent statistical basis for analysis - but it doesn't.
The UK preferentially boostered the at-risk - elderly and immunocompromised.
This is 100% wrong. Rare events with significant health impact regularly result in FDA clinical holds, temporary restrictions in distribution, or even permanent withdrawal. The FDA is more apt to act the the wider the use of the drug in people with no other health concerns.
For example, birth control gets more scrutiny than oncology drugs.
Trovafloxacin was withdrawn in the EU and severely restricted in the US based on 14 cases of liver failure in roughly 2.5 million administrations.
Apr 13, 2021 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
I've seen quite a bit of nonsense from a variety of people pushing a narrative of "our kids will have PTSD from this year" and "we'll never undo the damage" from the lost schooling.
Horse shit.
In the wake of Gagarin's historic flight, let me remind you that he lost nearly *4 years* of schooling during the German occupation. I think he did OK.
Apr 5, 2021 • 57 tweets • 10 min read
There are a few people who follow me on here at least in part because of COVID, and for those I want to riff on this finding to explain some of my current attitudes, and in the true spirit of a Cargo Cult Scientist, also explain what data will *make me change my mind*.
So @sailorrooscout is an expert, so definitely listen to what they have to say about T cells and other elements of the immune system.
Apr 4, 2021 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
OK, let me get this straight. In March / April of 2020, the year went totally off the rails.
In March / April of 2021, we have, so far, 15 million doses of COVID vaccine getting screwed up...
Nov 29, 2020 • 21 tweets • 4 min read
I am bookmarking this.
For all the stupid motherfuckers out there arguing that (and I quote this figure from some stupid motherfucker arguing with me) 99.97% of people will be fine.
First of all: your math is wrong. The 10:1 assumption on symptomatic to asymptomatic cases is just that: an assumption. Maybe true in NY and NJ, likely not elsewhere ... yet.
Oct 21, 2020 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
I understand why @C_Stroop has an anaphylactic reaction to calling the kinds of Evangelicals who wholly support Trump "fake Christians", but I was just reminded of why it's always a temptation for me.
The Evangelicals and Fundies have this expression "committed Christian" for themselves.
There is the not-so-subtle implication that everyone who doesn't believe what they do, or pepper every single phrase with God-bothering nonsense is not as committed to their faith.
Sep 11, 2019 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
I get it. I do. I was in Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001. I remember the panicked stampede at Grand Central when some idiot yelled something about a bomb.
I remember walking down Third towards Chinatown and seeing the ghostly figures trudging north in shock, covered in gray dust.
I remember diving across the 59th St. bridge on Sept. 12, when they reopened the arteries across the rivers.
On my way there, the silence was eerie. 2nd Ave. was deserted. There was a solitary lady walking her dog at 7:30 AM. It was like I was in a post-apocalyptic horror film.
Jun 5, 2019 • 55 tweets • 12 min read
I think @JohnCendpts did a great job in laying out some of the hype behind the @washingtonpost story on Enbrel and Alzheimer's. If you don't subscribe to Endpoints and have any interest in the life sciences at all, do so.
endpts.com/the-washington…
John's expose of the bad Academic behavior of the guy behind the 'whistleblowing" is great. It's a shame the post ran with this story without checking out the full background. Make no mistake, the post story is just *bad* science journalism.
