Henry Jay Forman's Blog, page 5
January 31, 2014
How science has been poisoned
Why I wrote a humorous murder mystery"Poisonous Science" is my first novel. My day job is as a biochemist and university professor. A dozen years ago I got an idea for a novel. It was about how some scientists behaving in less than admirable ways can affect the lives of others by being unfair in their reviews of research articles and grant proposals. Scientists already know this, but much of the public doesn't realize how much petty jealousy and dishonesty can be in the heart of a few, but sometimes very influential, academics.
In the next decade, about the only thing I did about it was write an outline. Then, two years ago I decided it couldn't wait any longer. This is because submitting grant proposals, which had increasingly become like high stakes gambling, was being distorted even more by cuts in federal funding of research. Many outstanding scientists, particularly among the next generation, have given up. This adversely affects advances in the field and severely threatens the leadership of the US in biomedical and other sciences. To make it clear that this isn't sour grapes on my part, I'll reveal my good fortune in having continued to be funded by the National Institutes of Health. But my novel deals with how this absurd situation can lead to someone becoming unhinged enough to seek revenge when their life is disrupted by an unfair review and loss of grant funding. The book's title, "Poisonous Science," refers to both the problems with some of the characters in the book and that it takes place in the world of toxicology. Yes, I cannot resist the opportunity to make a pun.
Where can you get Poisonous Science?
Kindle through Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GK68DA2
Softcover printed version
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GK68DA2
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poiso...
Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Poisonous...
ABE Books http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/a...
In the next decade, about the only thing I did about it was write an outline. Then, two years ago I decided it couldn't wait any longer. This is because submitting grant proposals, which had increasingly become like high stakes gambling, was being distorted even more by cuts in federal funding of research. Many outstanding scientists, particularly among the next generation, have given up. This adversely affects advances in the field and severely threatens the leadership of the US in biomedical and other sciences. To make it clear that this isn't sour grapes on my part, I'll reveal my good fortune in having continued to be funded by the National Institutes of Health. But my novel deals with how this absurd situation can lead to someone becoming unhinged enough to seek revenge when their life is disrupted by an unfair review and loss of grant funding. The book's title, "Poisonous Science," refers to both the problems with some of the characters in the book and that it takes place in the world of toxicology. Yes, I cannot resist the opportunity to make a pun.
Where can you get Poisonous Science?
Kindle through Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GK68DA2
Softcover printed version
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GK68DA2
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poiso...
Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Poisonous...
ABE Books http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/a...
How science has been poisoned Why I wrote a humorous...
How science has been poisoned Why I wrote a humorous murder mystery"Poisonous Science" is my first novel. My day job is as a biochemist and university professor. A dozen years ago I got an idea for a novel. It was about how some scientists behaving in less than admirable ways can affect the lives of others by being unfair in their reviews of research articles and grant proposals. Scientists already know this, but much of the public doesn't realize how much petty jealousy and dishonesty can be in the heart of a few, but sometimes very influential, academics.
In the next decade, about the only thing I did about it was write an outline. Then, two years ago I decided it couldn't wait any longer. This is because submitting grant proposals, which had increasingly become like high stakes gambling, was being distorted even more by cuts in federal funding of research. Many outstanding scientists, particularly among the next generation, have given up. This adversely affects advances in the field and severely threatens the leadership of the US in biomedical and other sciences. To make it clear that this isn't sour grapes on my part, I'll reveal my good fortune in having continued to be funded by the National Institutes of Health. But my novel deals with how this absurd situation can lead to someone becoming unhinged enough to seek revenge when their life is disrupted by an unfair review and loss of grant funding. The book's title, "Poisonous Science," refers to both the problems with some of the characters in the book and that it takes place in the world of toxicology. Yes, I cannot resist the opportunity to make a pun.
Where can you get Poisonous Science?
Kindle through Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GK68DA2
Softcover printed version
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GK68DA2
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poiso...
Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Poisonous...
ABE Books http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/a...
In the next decade, about the only thing I did about it was write an outline. Then, two years ago I decided it couldn't wait any longer. This is because submitting grant proposals, which had increasingly become like high stakes gambling, was being distorted even more by cuts in federal funding of research. Many outstanding scientists, particularly among the next generation, have given up. This adversely affects advances in the field and severely threatens the leadership of the US in biomedical and other sciences. To make it clear that this isn't sour grapes on my part, I'll reveal my good fortune in having continued to be funded by the National Institutes of Health. But my novel deals with how this absurd situation can lead to someone becoming unhinged enough to seek revenge when their life is disrupted by an unfair review and loss of grant funding. The book's title, "Poisonous Science," refers to both the problems with some of the characters in the book and that it takes place in the world of toxicology. Yes, I cannot resist the opportunity to make a pun.
Where can you get Poisonous Science?
Kindle through Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GK68DA2
Softcover printed version
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GK68DA2
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poiso...
Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Poisonous...
ABE Books http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/a...
January 11, 2014
Antioxidants - the real deal!
Antioxidants - the real deal!Free Radical Biology & Medicine Special Issue on Antioxidants
As I've written before, there is a lot of misinformation about antioxidants. The nonsense isn't just in TV ads for the hair product that will make all your friends jealous or the claim that you'll live longer. It's in a lot of the scientific literature too! So, this issue of the leading research journal in the field, which is an official journal of two international scientific societies, SFRBM and SFRRE. The issue explains how antioxidants actually work. In an earlier post, I explained some of this. Here, I'll add just a bit more. Many of the natural chemicals in plants can remove antioxidants by reacting directly with them. But, the problem is that we don't get enough of these molecules into our cells to actually make a difference in doing what the cell can do itself more efficiently. On the other hand, these molecules, many of which are called polyphenols (pronounced polly fee nalls). can be converted inside cells into other molecules called electrophiles (pronounced electro files). These electron lovers (that's the meaning of electrophiles) cause a protein called Nrf2 (the first part of that is pronounced like the good old nerf balls that were popular back in the 70's) to go into the nucleus to make the cell produce more proteins called antioxidant enzymes. Those are the real heroes of antioxidant defense because they really do quickly remove the oxidants that would otherwise cause damage to cells.
If all this seems still too esoteric, you can easily write to the reviews editor of the journal and ask him to explain this better. As I'm that guy, just comment here. For those with enough chemical knowledge to want to read the articles or insomniac non-scientists, just click on the journal link above.
As I've written before, there is a lot of misinformation about antioxidants. The nonsense isn't just in TV ads for the hair product that will make all your friends jealous or the claim that you'll live longer. It's in a lot of the scientific literature too! So, this issue of the leading research journal in the field, which is an official journal of two international scientific societies, SFRBM and SFRRE. The issue explains how antioxidants actually work. In an earlier post, I explained some of this. Here, I'll add just a bit more. Many of the natural chemicals in plants can remove antioxidants by reacting directly with them. But, the problem is that we don't get enough of these molecules into our cells to actually make a difference in doing what the cell can do itself more efficiently. On the other hand, these molecules, many of which are called polyphenols (pronounced polly fee nalls). can be converted inside cells into other molecules called electrophiles (pronounced electro files). These electron lovers (that's the meaning of electrophiles) cause a protein called Nrf2 (the first part of that is pronounced like the good old nerf balls that were popular back in the 70's) to go into the nucleus to make the cell produce more proteins called antioxidant enzymes. Those are the real heroes of antioxidant defense because they really do quickly remove the oxidants that would otherwise cause damage to cells.If all this seems still too esoteric, you can easily write to the reviews editor of the journal and ask him to explain this better. As I'm that guy, just comment here. For those with enough chemical knowledge to want to read the articles or insomniac non-scientists, just click on the journal link above.
Poisonous Science is everywhere!
Where can you get Poisonous Science?
First what is it? It's my first novel, a murder mystery. The premise: Imagine having spent months working on a great idea only to have someone destroy it for petty reasons. After Professor Stan Smith's research proposal fails this way, people start to die. Poisonous Science is a murder mystery with humor and romance that comes uncomfortably close to being non-fiction.
It has 10 reviews on Amazon (average 4.7out of 5). The worst thing said about it (no kidding) is, "It is too true to read it as a fiction- with the understanding that murders were to dramatize the story."
One of the 8 reviews that gave a 5 said, "Henry Forman is a genius. This book is his first break away work that has moved him from the depth and rigor of academic writing into the fanciful and humorous realms of science based fiction. His explanations of science are accurate beyond most works of fiction, and his stylized characters accurately portray the feelings of being involved in academic science. Aside from those who want to read this book for its humor, I think it could be a valuable resource for other writers who would like to make the science they portray more realistic."
Kindle only through Amazon
Softcover printed version
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
ABE Books
Ebay
My original choice for the cover has the lab coat. If you agree, please let me know.
First what is it? It's my first novel, a murder mystery. The premise: Imagine having spent months working on a great idea only to have someone destroy it for petty reasons. After Professor Stan Smith's research proposal fails this way, people start to die. Poisonous Science is a murder mystery with humor and romance that comes uncomfortably close to being non-fiction.
It has 10 reviews on Amazon (average 4.7out of 5). The worst thing said about it (no kidding) is, "It is too true to read it as a fiction- with the understanding that murders were to dramatize the story."
One of the 8 reviews that gave a 5 said, "Henry Forman is a genius. This book is his first break away work that has moved him from the depth and rigor of academic writing into the fanciful and humorous realms of science based fiction. His explanations of science are accurate beyond most works of fiction, and his stylized characters accurately portray the feelings of being involved in academic science. Aside from those who want to read this book for its humor, I think it could be a valuable resource for other writers who would like to make the science they portray more realistic."
Kindle only through Amazon
Softcover printed version
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
ABE Books
Ebay
My original choice for the cover has the lab coat. If you agree, please let me know.
January 6, 2014
Carbon monoxide and sickle cell disease
Please read the article about our potential surprising therapy for sickle cell disease athttp://www.ucmerced.edu/news/professo...
December 13, 2013
Free the Radicals!
Free the Radicals!"What are radicals doing in biology? Maybe that title attracted you because you’re interested in politics. But, this is really about how radicals and the politics of science funding affect your life!
Now, you’re asking, “What the (fill in whatever comes to mind) is a radical?” I could give an esoteric answer that would send you to another site before you finish the next sentence. Instead, here’s the definition that anyone who knows that a water molecule is made of two hydrogens and one oxygen will understand.
Nature likes molecules to be like couch potatoes - happy to do nothing. Okay, then, you’ll point out that couch potatoes actually do something - occasionally get up from the couch to get a bag of chips or a beer. And so even the laziest molecule does have some potential to react if pushed hard enough. A radical (very often called a free radical) is a molecule that is usually more likely to be involved in reactions because it is unbalanced. No, not quite crazy, but they have a craving to either give or take an electron to another molecule. Electrons are those negatively charged things that fly around the nucleus of atoms . This craziness (actually reactivity) is because nature likes electrons to be in pairs and a free radical has an unpaired electron.
Now that you have gotten this far and know what a free radical is, I’ll assume you have enough interest to want to know how this affects your life. We’ll get to the politics stuff at the end. Some radicals are actually quite safe to have in your cells in low amounts. As explained in my last post, we wouldn’t be alive without nitric oxide, which is a radical. But, in general, cells do not do well with a lot of radicals around. One of them called hydroxyl radical, is so dangerous that it will immediately react with whatever it is next to. So, if hydroxyl radical is produced near your DNA, you will have a mutation. If it is produced next to a membrane, the membrane may not be able to hold the contents of the cell inside. This is a very simplified version of what happens in what we call oxidative stress and it is part of how many diseases including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, cancers, and many others get started and develop.
You would think that funding to study these processes would be an important part of what the National Institutes of Health spends your tax dollars on. Fortunately, that is partially true. Congress wants the NIH to cure disease as though that is just a matter of putting together a table from Ikea. The problem is that, while we know many things about the nuts and bolts of radical chemistry and biology, we do not know exactly how they fit into the disease tables. Basic scientists are needed to write the instruction manual that can then be translated into prevention and cures by clinical science. The political solution is trying to have Congress understand why funding more basic science is essential to achieving their very admirable goal of having science cure and prevent diseases.
If you are interested in knowing how scientists like me are trying to help Congress reach it’s goals, post your questions here.
Now, you’re asking, “What the (fill in whatever comes to mind) is a radical?” I could give an esoteric answer that would send you to another site before you finish the next sentence. Instead, here’s the definition that anyone who knows that a water molecule is made of two hydrogens and one oxygen will understand.
Nature likes molecules to be like couch potatoes - happy to do nothing. Okay, then, you’ll point out that couch potatoes actually do something - occasionally get up from the couch to get a bag of chips or a beer. And so even the laziest molecule does have some potential to react if pushed hard enough. A radical (very often called a free radical) is a molecule that is usually more likely to be involved in reactions because it is unbalanced. No, not quite crazy, but they have a craving to either give or take an electron to another molecule. Electrons are those negatively charged things that fly around the nucleus of atoms . This craziness (actually reactivity) is because nature likes electrons to be in pairs and a free radical has an unpaired electron.
Now that you have gotten this far and know what a free radical is, I’ll assume you have enough interest to want to know how this affects your life. We’ll get to the politics stuff at the end. Some radicals are actually quite safe to have in your cells in low amounts. As explained in my last post, we wouldn’t be alive without nitric oxide, which is a radical. But, in general, cells do not do well with a lot of radicals around. One of them called hydroxyl radical, is so dangerous that it will immediately react with whatever it is next to. So, if hydroxyl radical is produced near your DNA, you will have a mutation. If it is produced next to a membrane, the membrane may not be able to hold the contents of the cell inside. This is a very simplified version of what happens in what we call oxidative stress and it is part of how many diseases including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, cancers, and many others get started and develop.
You would think that funding to study these processes would be an important part of what the National Institutes of Health spends your tax dollars on. Fortunately, that is partially true. Congress wants the NIH to cure disease as though that is just a matter of putting together a table from Ikea. The problem is that, while we know many things about the nuts and bolts of radical chemistry and biology, we do not know exactly how they fit into the disease tables. Basic scientists are needed to write the instruction manual that can then be translated into prevention and cures by clinical science. The political solution is trying to have Congress understand why funding more basic science is essential to achieving their very admirable goal of having science cure and prevent diseases.
If you are interested in knowing how scientists like me are trying to help Congress reach it’s goals, post your questions here.
Free the Radicals! What are radicals doing in biolog...
Free the Radicals! What are radicals doing in biology?
Maybe that title attracted you because you’re interested in politics. But, this is really about how radicals and the politics of science funding affect your life!
Now, you’re asking, “What the (fill in whatever come to mind) is a radical?” I could give an esoteric answer that would send you to another site before you finish the next sentence. Instead, here’s the definition that anyone who knows that a water molecule is made of two hydrogens and one oxygen will understand.
Nature likes molecules to be like couch potatoes - happy to do nothing. Okay, then, you’ll point out that couch potatoes actually do something - occasionally get up from the couch to get a bag of chips or a beer. And so even the laziest molecule does have some potential to react if pushed hard enough. A radical (very often called a free radical) is a molecule that is usually more likely to be involved in reactions because it is unbalanced. No, not quite crazy, but they have a craving to either give or take an electron to another molecule. Electrons are those negatively charged things that fly around the nucleus of atoms . This craziness (actually reactivity) is because nature likes electrons to be in pairs and a free radical has an unpaired electron.
Now that you have gotten this far and know what a free radical is, I’ll assume you have enough interest to want to know how this affects your life. We’ll get to the politics stuff at the end. Some radicals are actually quite safe to have in your cells in low amounts. As explained in my last post, we wouldn’t be alive without nitric oxide, which is a radical. But, in general, cells do not do well with a lot of radicals around. One of them called hydroxyl radical, is so dangerous that it will immediately react with whatever it is next to. So, if hydroxyl radical is produced near your DNA, you will have a mutation. If it is produced next to a membrane, the membrane may not be able to hold the contents of the cell inside. This is a very simplified version of what happens in what we call oxidative stress and it is part of how many diseases including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, cancers, and many others get started and develop.
You would think that funding to study these processes would be an important part of what the National Institutes of Health spends your tax dollars on. Fortunately, that is partially true. Congress wants the NIH to cure disease as though that is just a matter of putting together a table from Ikea. The problem is that, while we know many things about the nuts and bolts of radical chemistry and biology, we do not know exactly how they fit into the disease tables. Basic scientists are needed to write the instruction manual that can then be translated into prevention and cures by clinical science. The political solution is trying to have Congress understand why funding more basic science is essential to achieving their very admirable goal of having science cure and prevent diseases.
If you are interested in knowing how scientists like me are trying to help Congress reach it’s goals, post your questions here.
Maybe that title attracted you because you’re interested in politics. But, this is really about how radicals and the politics of science funding affect your life!
Now, you’re asking, “What the (fill in whatever come to mind) is a radical?” I could give an esoteric answer that would send you to another site before you finish the next sentence. Instead, here’s the definition that anyone who knows that a water molecule is made of two hydrogens and one oxygen will understand.
Nature likes molecules to be like couch potatoes - happy to do nothing. Okay, then, you’ll point out that couch potatoes actually do something - occasionally get up from the couch to get a bag of chips or a beer. And so even the laziest molecule does have some potential to react if pushed hard enough. A radical (very often called a free radical) is a molecule that is usually more likely to be involved in reactions because it is unbalanced. No, not quite crazy, but they have a craving to either give or take an electron to another molecule. Electrons are those negatively charged things that fly around the nucleus of atoms . This craziness (actually reactivity) is because nature likes electrons to be in pairs and a free radical has an unpaired electron.
Now that you have gotten this far and know what a free radical is, I’ll assume you have enough interest to want to know how this affects your life. We’ll get to the politics stuff at the end. Some radicals are actually quite safe to have in your cells in low amounts. As explained in my last post, we wouldn’t be alive without nitric oxide, which is a radical. But, in general, cells do not do well with a lot of radicals around. One of them called hydroxyl radical, is so dangerous that it will immediately react with whatever it is next to. So, if hydroxyl radical is produced near your DNA, you will have a mutation. If it is produced next to a membrane, the membrane may not be able to hold the contents of the cell inside. This is a very simplified version of what happens in what we call oxidative stress and it is part of how many diseases including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, cancers, and many others get started and develop.
You would think that funding to study these processes would be an important part of what the National Institutes of Health spends your tax dollars on. Fortunately, that is partially true. Congress wants the NIH to cure disease as though that is just a matter of putting together a table from Ikea. The problem is that, while we know many things about the nuts and bolts of radical chemistry and biology, we do not know exactly how they fit into the disease tables. Basic scientists are needed to write the instruction manual that can then be translated into prevention and cures by clinical science. The political solution is trying to have Congress understand why funding more basic science is essential to achieving their very admirable goal of having science cure and prevent diseases.
If you are interested in knowing how scientists like me are trying to help Congress reach it’s goals, post your questions here.
November 14, 2013
Carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, hydrogen sulfide, and other poisonous
gases can be good for you!
Carbon monoxide, nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide are your friends if you don't see too much of them.There is good and bad news here.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that comes out of the tailpipes of cars and trucks, but is also produced from burning other things with too little air to burn it completely. Nitric oxide (NO) is a poisonous gas in the air we breathe. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a poisonous and very stinky gas that you’ve encountered if you ever smelled a rotten egg.
Did you know that all three of these gases can hurt or even kill people if too much is inhaled? CO can stop your brain and heart from working by blocking oxygen from getting there through the blood. That’s why you’re supposed to have a CO detector in your home. NO is an irritant that can also impair breathing and cause nausea and fatigue. H2S also interferes with the use of oxygen, but at a different level than CO. Instead of stopping oxygen from getting to cells, it stops it from being used to make cells work.
A famous sixteenth century combination physician, alchemist, astrologer, and botanist (among other things) named Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, fortunately shortened to Paracelsus is often quoted as saying, “The dose makes the poison.” By this he meant that things that might be good for you in small dose would often be poisonous at higher doses. We know this is true for oxygen, which we think of as essential for life. Too little and you die, but too much will cause your lungs to leak so you can drown in your own body fluids. Yikes!
Now for the startling part. Your body makes CO, NO and H2S in small amounts that are generally good for you!
Small amounts of CO are made from the breakdown of the red pigment of hemoglobin and some other proteins. That breakdown is part of the normal wear and tear of life. The little CO is good because it helps prevent inflammation, which most of us know as the redness and swelling of cuts or bruises, but is actually usually more subtle yet is an ongoing daily challenge underlying many diseases.
NO is produced from arginine, one of the amino acids building blocks of proteins. At the low concentrations usually produced in the body, NO is involved in signals between nerve cells including in the brain, but is most noted for its ability to cause blood vessels to enlarge. And yup, without NO, all of the Viagra sold on TV wouldn’t help! But, besides making having sex possible, the effects of NO on normal functioning of the body are extremely important.
Study of H2S began most recently among these gases. It appears to have, at very low dose, a similar effect on protection of circulation as does NO. Normally, H2S is produced from another amino acid called cysteine, but it can also be produced from compounds in garlic. So, besides keeping vampires (and some of your more likable acquaintances) away, garlic may protect your heart.
As usual I will end by saying that there is much more complexity to this subject than written here. My goal is to bring some understanding of my field to the general public. Besides possibly also increasing sales of my novel, the outcome will also be a greater appreciation of the importance of basic research in this area of science. Science funding is dreadfully low and threatens to cause our country to lose its leadership besides damaging one of our country’s greatest economic engines.
Please look at the post below about my poisonous novel. It's also good for you.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that comes out of the tailpipes of cars and trucks, but is also produced from burning other things with too little air to burn it completely. Nitric oxide (NO) is a poisonous gas in the air we breathe. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a poisonous and very stinky gas that you’ve encountered if you ever smelled a rotten egg.
Did you know that all three of these gases can hurt or even kill people if too much is inhaled? CO can stop your brain and heart from working by blocking oxygen from getting there through the blood. That’s why you’re supposed to have a CO detector in your home. NO is an irritant that can also impair breathing and cause nausea and fatigue. H2S also interferes with the use of oxygen, but at a different level than CO. Instead of stopping oxygen from getting to cells, it stops it from being used to make cells work.
A famous sixteenth century combination physician, alchemist, astrologer, and botanist (among other things) named Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, fortunately shortened to Paracelsus is often quoted as saying, “The dose makes the poison.” By this he meant that things that might be good for you in small dose would often be poisonous at higher doses. We know this is true for oxygen, which we think of as essential for life. Too little and you die, but too much will cause your lungs to leak so you can drown in your own body fluids. Yikes!
Now for the startling part. Your body makes CO, NO and H2S in small amounts that are generally good for you!
Small amounts of CO are made from the breakdown of the red pigment of hemoglobin and some other proteins. That breakdown is part of the normal wear and tear of life. The little CO is good because it helps prevent inflammation, which most of us know as the redness and swelling of cuts or bruises, but is actually usually more subtle yet is an ongoing daily challenge underlying many diseases.
NO is produced from arginine, one of the amino acids building blocks of proteins. At the low concentrations usually produced in the body, NO is involved in signals between nerve cells including in the brain, but is most noted for its ability to cause blood vessels to enlarge. And yup, without NO, all of the Viagra sold on TV wouldn’t help! But, besides making having sex possible, the effects of NO on normal functioning of the body are extremely important.
Study of H2S began most recently among these gases. It appears to have, at very low dose, a similar effect on protection of circulation as does NO. Normally, H2S is produced from another amino acid called cysteine, but it can also be produced from compounds in garlic. So, besides keeping vampires (and some of your more likable acquaintances) away, garlic may protect your heart.
As usual I will end by saying that there is much more complexity to this subject than written here. My goal is to bring some understanding of my field to the general public. Besides possibly also increasing sales of my novel, the outcome will also be a greater appreciation of the importance of basic research in this area of science. Science funding is dreadfully low and threatens to cause our country to lose its leadership besides damaging one of our country’s greatest economic engines.
Please look at the post below about my poisonous novel. It's also good for you.
Carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, hydrogen sulfide, and othe...
Carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, hydrogen sulfide, and other poisonous gases can be good for you!Carbon monoxide, nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide are your friends if you don't see too much of them.There is good and bad news here.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that comes out of the tailpipes of cars and trucks, but is also produced from burning other things with too little air to burn it completely. Nitric oxide (NO) is a poisonous gas in the air we breathe. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a poisonous and very stinky gas that you’ve encountered if you ever smelled a rotten egg.
Did you know that all three of these gases can hurt or even kill people if too much is inhaled? CO can stop your brain and heart from working by blocking oxygen from getting there through the blood. That’s why you’re supposed to have a CO detector in your home. NO is an irritant that can also impair breathing and cause nausea and fatigue. H2S also interferes with the use of oxygen, but at a different level than CO. Instead of stopping oxygen from getting to cells, it stops it from being used to make cells work.
A famous sixteenth century combination physician, alchemist, astrologer, and botanist (among other things) named Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, fortunately shortened to Paracelsus is often quoted as saying, “The dose makes the poison.” By this he meant that things that might be good for you in small dose would often be poisonous at higher doses. We know this is true for oxygen, which we think of as essential for life. Too little and you die, but too much will cause your lungs to leak so you can drown in your own body fluids. Yikes!
Now for the startling part. Your body makes CO, NO and H2S in small amounts that are generally good for you!
Small amounts of CO are made from the breakdown of the red pigment of hemoglobin and some other proteins. That breakdown is part of the normal wear and tear of life. The little CO is good because it helps prevent inflammation, which most of us know as the redness and swelling of cuts or bruises, but is actually usually more subtle yet is an ongoing daily challenge underlying many diseases.
NO is produced from arginine, one of the amino acids building blocks of proteins. At the low concentrations usually produced in the body, NO is involved in signals between nerve cells including in the brain, but is most noted for its ability to cause blood vessels to enlarge. And yup, without NO, all of the Viagra sold on TV wouldn’t help! But, besides making having sex possible, the effects of NO on normal functioning of the body are extremely important.
Study of H2S began most recently among these gases. It appears to have, at very low dose, a similar effect on protection of circulation as does NO. Normally, H2S is produced from another amino acid called cysteine, but it can also be produced from compounds in garlic. So, besides keeping vampires (and some of your more likable acquaintances) away, garlic may protect your heart.
As usual I will end by saying that there is much more complexity to this subject than written here. My goal is to bring some understanding of my field to the general public. Besides possibly also increasing sales of my novel, the outcome will also be a greater appreciation of the importance of basic research in this area of science. Science funding is dreadfully low and threatens to cause our country to lose its leadership besides damaging one of our country’s greatest economic engines.
Please look at the post below about my poisonous novel. It's also good for you.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that comes out of the tailpipes of cars and trucks, but is also produced from burning other things with too little air to burn it completely. Nitric oxide (NO) is a poisonous gas in the air we breathe. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a poisonous and very stinky gas that you’ve encountered if you ever smelled a rotten egg.
Did you know that all three of these gases can hurt or even kill people if too much is inhaled? CO can stop your brain and heart from working by blocking oxygen from getting there through the blood. That’s why you’re supposed to have a CO detector in your home. NO is an irritant that can also impair breathing and cause nausea and fatigue. H2S also interferes with the use of oxygen, but at a different level than CO. Instead of stopping oxygen from getting to cells, it stops it from being used to make cells work.
A famous sixteenth century combination physician, alchemist, astrologer, and botanist (among other things) named Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, fortunately shortened to Paracelsus is often quoted as saying, “The dose makes the poison.” By this he meant that things that might be good for you in small dose would often be poisonous at higher doses. We know this is true for oxygen, which we think of as essential for life. Too little and you die, but too much will cause your lungs to leak so you can drown in your own body fluids. Yikes!
Now for the startling part. Your body makes CO, NO and H2S in small amounts that are generally good for you!
Small amounts of CO are made from the breakdown of the red pigment of hemoglobin and some other proteins. That breakdown is part of the normal wear and tear of life. The little CO is good because it helps prevent inflammation, which most of us know as the redness and swelling of cuts or bruises, but is actually usually more subtle yet is an ongoing daily challenge underlying many diseases.
NO is produced from arginine, one of the amino acids building blocks of proteins. At the low concentrations usually produced in the body, NO is involved in signals between nerve cells including in the brain, but is most noted for its ability to cause blood vessels to enlarge. And yup, without NO, all of the Viagra sold on TV wouldn’t help! But, besides making having sex possible, the effects of NO on normal functioning of the body are extremely important.
Study of H2S began most recently among these gases. It appears to have, at very low dose, a similar effect on protection of circulation as does NO. Normally, H2S is produced from another amino acid called cysteine, but it can also be produced from compounds in garlic. So, besides keeping vampires (and some of your more likable acquaintances) away, garlic may protect your heart.
As usual I will end by saying that there is much more complexity to this subject than written here. My goal is to bring some understanding of my field to the general public. Besides possibly also increasing sales of my novel, the outcome will also be a greater appreciation of the importance of basic research in this area of science. Science funding is dreadfully low and threatens to cause our country to lose its leadership besides damaging one of our country’s greatest economic engines.
Please look at the post below about my poisonous novel. It's also good for you.
Noxious gases can be good for you!Carbon monoxide, nitric...
Noxious gases can be good for you!Carbon monoxide, nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide are your friends if you don't see too much of them.There is good and bad news here.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that comes out of the tailpipes of cars and trucks, but is also produced from burning other things with too little air to burn it completely. Nitric oxide (NO) is a poisonous gas in the air we breathe. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a poisonous and very stinky gas that you’ve encountered if you ever smelled a rotten egg.
Did you know that all three of these gases can hurt or even kill people if too much is inhaled? CO can stop your brain and heart from working by blocking oxygen from getting there through the blood. That’s why you’re supposed to have a CO detector in your home. NO is an irritant that can also impair breathing and cause nausea and fatigue. H2S also interferes with the use of oxygen, but at a different level than CO. Instead of stopping oxygen from getting to cells, it stops it from being used to make cells work.
A famous sixteenth century combination physician, alchemist, astrologer, and botanist (among other things) named Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, fortunately shortened to Paracelsus is often quoted as saying, “The dose makes the poison.” By this he meant that things that might be good for you in small dose would often be poisonous at higher doses. We know this is true for oxygen, which we think of as essential for life. Too little and you die, but too much will cause your lungs to leak so you can drown in your own body fluids. Yikes!
Now for the startling part. Your body makes CO, NO and H2S in small amounts that are generally good for you!
Small amounts of CO are made from the breakdown of the red pigment of hemoglobin and some other proteins. That breakdown is part of the normal wear and tear of life. The little CO is good because it helps prevent inflammation, which most of us know as the redness and swelling of cuts or bruises, but is actually usually more subtle yet is an ongoing daily challenge underlying many diseases.
NO is produced from arginine, one of the amino acids building blocks of proteins. At the low concentrations usually produced in the body, NO is involved in signals between nerve cells including in the brain, but is most noted for its ability to cause blood vessels to enlarge. And yup, without NO, all of the Viagra sold on TV wouldn’t help! But, besides making having sex possible, the effects of NO on normal functioning of the body are extremely important.
Study of H2S began most recently among these gases. It appears to have, at very low dose, a similar effect on protection of circulation as does NO. Normally, H2S is produced from another amino acid called cysteine, but it can also be produced from compounds in garlic. So, besides keeping vampires (and some of your more likable acquaintances) away, garlic may protect your heart.
As usual I will end by saying that there is much more complexity to this subject than written here. My goal is to bring some understanding of my field to the general public. Besides possibly also increasing sales of my novel, the outcome will also be a greater appreciation of the importance of basic research in this area of science. Science funding is dreadfully low and threatens to cause our country to lose its leadership besides damaging one of our country’s greatest economic engines.
Please look at the post below about my poisonous novel. It's also good for you.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that comes out of the tailpipes of cars and trucks, but is also produced from burning other things with too little air to burn it completely. Nitric oxide (NO) is a poisonous gas in the air we breathe. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a poisonous and very stinky gas that you’ve encountered if you ever smelled a rotten egg.
Did you know that all three of these gases can hurt or even kill people if too much is inhaled? CO can stop your brain and heart from working by blocking oxygen from getting there through the blood. That’s why you’re supposed to have a CO detector in your home. NO is an irritant that can also impair breathing and cause nausea and fatigue. H2S also interferes with the use of oxygen, but at a different level than CO. Instead of stopping oxygen from getting to cells, it stops it from being used to make cells work.
A famous sixteenth century combination physician, alchemist, astrologer, and botanist (among other things) named Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, fortunately shortened to Paracelsus is often quoted as saying, “The dose makes the poison.” By this he meant that things that might be good for you in small dose would often be poisonous at higher doses. We know this is true for oxygen, which we think of as essential for life. Too little and you die, but too much will cause your lungs to leak so you can drown in your own body fluids. Yikes!
Now for the startling part. Your body makes CO, NO and H2S in small amounts that are generally good for you!
Small amounts of CO are made from the breakdown of the red pigment of hemoglobin and some other proteins. That breakdown is part of the normal wear and tear of life. The little CO is good because it helps prevent inflammation, which most of us know as the redness and swelling of cuts or bruises, but is actually usually more subtle yet is an ongoing daily challenge underlying many diseases.
NO is produced from arginine, one of the amino acids building blocks of proteins. At the low concentrations usually produced in the body, NO is involved in signals between nerve cells including in the brain, but is most noted for its ability to cause blood vessels to enlarge. And yup, without NO, all of the Viagra sold on TV wouldn’t help! But, besides making having sex possible, the effects of NO on normal functioning of the body are extremely important.
Study of H2S began most recently among these gases. It appears to have, at very low dose, a similar effect on protection of circulation as does NO. Normally, H2S is produced from another amino acid called cysteine, but it can also be produced from compounds in garlic. So, besides keeping vampires (and some of your more likable acquaintances) away, garlic may protect your heart.
As usual I will end by saying that there is much more complexity to this subject than written here. My goal is to bring some understanding of my field to the general public. Besides possibly also increasing sales of my novel, the outcome will also be a greater appreciation of the importance of basic research in this area of science. Science funding is dreadfully low and threatens to cause our country to lose its leadership besides damaging one of our country’s greatest economic engines.
Please look at the post below about my poisonous novel. It's also good for you.
