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bookmark_borderThe Cost of Flood Insurance

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An article in the New York Times entitled The Cost of Insuring Expensive Waterfront Homes Is About to Skyrocket states, “Federal officials say the goal is fairness — and also getting homeowners to understand the extent of the risk they face, and perhaps move to safer ground, reducing the human and financial toll of disasters.”

“Subsidized insurance has been critical for supporting coastal real estate markets,” said Benjamin Keys, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Removing that subsidy, he said, is likely to affect where Americans build houses and how much people will pay for them. “It’s going to require a major rethink about coastal living.”

In 2019, FEMA said it would instead price flood insurance based on the particular risks facing each individual property, a change the agency called “Risk Rating 2.0.”

“With a rapidly escalating threat of natural disasters, Risk Rating 2.0 is a much needed and timely change,” said Laura Lightbody of Pew Charitable Trusts, which has pushed governments to better respond to climate threats. Higher insurance costs, she said, were “a reflection of our new, wet reality.”

“For the first time, our policyholder premiums will be based on their individual risk,” said David Maurstad, who runs the flood insurance program at FEMA. “We pledge to continue to evaluate and make adjustments where and when it’s warranted.”

But the growing threat of climate change may make that kind of intervention less successful, said Roy Wright, who ran the flood insurance program until 2018 and now runs the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety.

“We cannot hide the truth of this increasing risk,” Mr. Wright said. “We shouldn’t hide it. Tell people the truth.”

More articles on Flood Insurance, Rising Sea Levels and Global Warming.

bookmark_borderCOVID: The Natural Immunity Myth

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by Daniel Brouse
August 30, 2021

To date, there is zero (0) evidence that contracting the original strain of COVID gives you any immunity to re-infection — natural immunity. On the other hand, there are a multitude of examples of re-infection.

Natural immunity to the original strain lasts on average from 60 days to 6 months; however, there does not appear to be any natural immunity to the variants.

In India’s recent wave, 1 in 4 Delta cases were re-infections. “Antibodies against Sars-CoV-2 — the virus that causes Covid-19 — were found in about 27% of the 91 participants at a time when the second wave was raging in the country, researchers at the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, National Centre for Disease Control and the Cambridge University, said.” — Hindustan Times

“During the Novavax vaccine trials in South Africa, the study found an overall primary efficacy of 49.4% in 4,400 participants, meaning about half of the patients vaccinated and later infected did not experience symptoms. Genomic analyses revealed that about a third of the 4,400 were previously positive for infection, meaning the South African variant was then and is now capable of reinfection, evading neutralizing antibodies in a similar capacity to the Brazilian variant.”

“The study also showed that prior infection with an earlier version of the virus did not reduce the risk of COVID-19 caused by the South African variant among people who got placebo shots.” — Reuters

Another variant (C.1.2) related to the original South Africa variant (C.1) was discovered in South Africa, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritius, England, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland. A study by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP) in South Africa found the variant could be more transmissible and evade protection provided by vaccines and prior infection.

“Among Kentucky residents infected with SARS-CoV-2 in 2020, vaccination status of those reinfected during May–June 2021 was compared with that of residents who were not reinfected. In this case-control study, being unvaccinated was associated with 2.34 times the odds of reinfection compared with being fully vaccinated.” — CDC

“Our case series shows that reinfection with different strains is possible, and some cases may experience more severe infections with the second episode. The findings also suggest that COVID-19 may continue to circulate even after achieving herd immunity through natural infection or vaccination, suggesting the need for longer-term transmission mitigation efforts.” — Journal of Investigative Medicine

Vaccines do not appear to be much more effective against the Delta variant than natural immunity through infection. The increase of breakthrough cases has been increasing in lock-step with the increase spread of the Delta variant. “Fewer than 10% of new coronavirus infections occurred in fully vaccinated people in the weeks before June, but the rate increased this summer. In the first four weeks of August, roughly 30% of infections were in fully vaccinated individuals.” — The Star Tribune

A study by the CDC found vaccine efficacy dropped from roughly 90% to 66% as the Delta variant emerged. “This report updates vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates including all COVID-19 vaccines available through August 14, 2021, and examines whether VE differs for adults with increasing time since completion of all recommended vaccine doses.” — CDC

Another CDC study that compared natural immunity to vaccination has found — “Among COVID-19–like illness hospitalizations among adults aged ≥18 years whose previous infection or vaccination occurred 90–179 days earlier, the adjusted odds of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 among unvaccinated adults with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection were 5.49-fold higher than the odds among fully vaccinated recipients of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine who had no previous documented infection.”

CONCLUSION PART I
There is a need for longer-term transmission mitigation efforts. Because reinfection is likely, vaccines efficacy is not high enough, and new variants are emerging, herd immunity is not achievable. Humans can not learn to live with the virus. Mitigation efforts must be made to stop community spread.

CONCLUSION PART II
COVID causes an immune dysfunction. When a person become infected, the SARS-CoV-2 virus alters your genes in order to infect you. “We identified EP300, MOV10, RELA, and TRIM25 as top candidates, and more than 60 additional proteins involved in the epigenetic response during viral infection that has therapeutic potential.” — Nature

When a person recovers from the virus, they are left with multiple gene alterations to there immune system. It is impossible for natural immunity to be feasible in an individual with an immune system that is compromised by a COVID-19 infection.

COVID survivors are left with a severe NAD+ deficiency, and an upregulation of IDO (which suppresses your T and NK cells.) Short term this makes your immune system dysfunctional. This means your antibodies can’t function properly and have little to no memory. Long term it makes you more likely to have heart, blood, respiratory, and neurological disorders. You are at high risk of developing dementia. In addition, you have reduced P53 genes (tumor suppression genes) putting you at higher risk of cancer. — The Membrane Domain

I strongly advise against contracting COVID.

OMICRON UPDATE
December 4, 2021

A study out of South Africa, “Increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection associated with emergence of the Omicron variant in South Africa,” found that individuals who recently recovered from the Delta variant were afforded little to no protection from the Omicron variant. “Population-level evidence suggests that the Omicron variant is associated with substantial ability to evade immunity from prior infection. This finding has important implications for public health planning, particularly in countries like South Africa with high rates of immunity from prior infection.”

As stated above, everybody is advised to:
* speak to your doctor
* get vaccinated
* wear an N95 mask
* stay socially distanced

UPDATE June 2022: No Immune Boost From Omicron
“If you were infected during the first wave, then you can’t boost your immune response if you have an Omicron infection,” said Prof Rosemary Boyton, of Imperial College London, a co-author of the study. “When Omicron started flying around the country, people kept saying that’s OK, that will improve people’s immunity,” said Boyton. “What we’re saying is it’s not a good booster of immunity.”

“It’s actually worse than that, because the adaptations that the spike [protein] has now are actually inducing a kind of regulation or shutdown of immune response,” Prof Danny Altmann, another author of the study, adding that while the study looked at responses to the BA.1, similar findings were likely for other subvariants of Omicron.

No Immunity Boost From Infection — view the PDF

COVID in Your Genes

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderLong-COVID: What We Know About Long Haulers Syndrome

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COVID=19
by Daniel Brouse
August 25, 2021
help@membrane.com

Post Acute Covid Syndrome 19 (PACS19), long-COVID, and Long Haulers Syndrome are names for the condition that an individual has after recovering from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Long-COVID is actually a combination of several conditions and syndromes including changes to your genetics, an accelerant to aging, and the persistence of the virus in multiple organs for long periods of time.

The CDC Panel Report Long COVID Panel Survey found:

* 81% of adults with ongoing symptoms of COVID lasting three months or longer — or four out of five adults — are experiencing limitations in their daily activities compared to before they had the virus. (Economic implications include work force participation and long-term health care costs.)

* Young adults between ages 18 and 29 had the highest share of people currently with long COVID who have trouble performing daily tasks, at 86.3%. What will the long-term costs and quality of life be when these people are in their 50’s,60’s, and if they get to live into their 70’s?

There are over 60 proteins involved in the epigenetic response to COVID. So far out of these 60 proteins, three long-COVID epigenetic syndromes have been identified. There are likely many more. (The epigenetic changes are in addition to the organ damage caused by the virus.)

COVID-19 also causes other long term damage that we are still discovering.

Vaccines Help Prevent Secondary Complications
A study shows you are less likely to develop long-COVID Myocardial Infarction and Ischemic Stroke after a COVID-19 Infection if you ARE VACCINATED. Many people may not even know that COVID causes an increased risk of thrombosis. Vaccines can prevent secondary complications.

Association Between Vaccination and Acute Myocardial Infarction and Ischemic Stroke After COVID-19 Infection (Vaccines Help Prevent Long-COVID Complications)

Rogue Antibodies
Autoantibodies are antibodies (immune proteins) that mistakenly attack a person’s own healthy tissues and organs. A study published in Nature found “rogue antibodies involved in almost one-fifth of COVID deaths. The self-targeting antibodies attack type 1 interferons that play a key role in fighting infection. Antibodies that turn against elements of our own immune defences are a key driver of severe illness and death following SARS-CoV-2 infection in some people, according to a large international study. These rogue antibodies, known as autoantibodies, are also present in a small proportion of healthy, uninfected individuals — and their prevalence increases with age, which may help to explain why elderly people are at higher risk of severe COVID-19.”

Up to three percent of the population already has faulty genes that create these autoantibodies. Of those between the ages of 18 and 69, 0.18% had existing autoantibodies against type 1 interferon. “Autoantibodies were present in around 1.1% of 70- to 79-year-olds, and 3.4% of those over the age of 80.”

A follow up study, “New-onset IgG autoantibodies in hospitalized patients with COVID-19,” found “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, is associated with many different clinical features that are commonly found in autoimmune diseases, including arthralgias, myalgias, fatigue, sicca, and rashes. Less common manifestations of autoimmunity have also been observed in COVID-19 patients, including thrombosis, myositis, myocarditis, arthritis, encephalitis, and vasculitis. These clinical observations, and the increasing proportion of “recovered” patients with persistent post-COVID-19 symptoms (so-called “long haulers”, or “long COVID”) suggest that inflammation in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection promotes tissue damage in the acute phase and potentially some of the long-term sequelae. A subset of autoantibodies targeting traditional autoantigens or cytokines develop de novo following SARS-CoV-2 infection.”

“The team also found that individuals with genetic mutations that disrupt the activity of type 1 interferons are at higher risk of life-threatening disease” suggesting COVID causes changes to the genes resulting in the creation of rogue autoantibodies.

In a study of healthcare workers, all had persistent autoantibodies, including ones that can cause chronic inflammation and injury of the joints, skin and nervous system. “We would not normally expect to see such a diverse array of autoantibodies elevated in these individuals or stay elevated for as long six months after full clinical recovery,” said Susan Cheng of the Cedars-Sinai Smidt Heart Institute in Los Angeles. (As reported in Paradoxical sex-specific patterns of autoantibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection)

“We don’t yet know how much longer, beyond six months, the antibodies will stay elevated and/or lead to any important clinical symptoms,” Cheng said. “It will be essential to monitor individuals moving forward.” The team is investigating autoantibody elevations and their relationship to persistent symptoms in people with long-COVID.

NAD+ Deficiency
COVID both increases the breakdown of NAD+ and decreases the production of NAD+. “NAD regulates the inflammatory response in immune and non-immune cells through Sirtuins. Epigenetic regulation of histones and non-histone proteins is induced by sirtuins and is essential for the development, reprogramming, and differentiation of the immune system and its related pathologies. A deregulation of the NAD+ levels has been associated with metabolic diseases and aging-related diseases, including neurodegeneration, defective immune responses, and cancer.” — NAD-immune-system

The NAD+ deficiency results in a compromised immune system. The body can not properly metabolize vitamins nor mount a proper immune response. The NAD+ deficiency also resembles an autoimmune disease where the immune system appears to be attacking a healthy body. Without NAD+ regulating the immune system, the immune response becomes dysfunctional.

Though there is no cure for the NAD+ Deficiency Syndrome (CISP — COVID-19 Induced Secondary Pellagra), the symptoms can be treated with Niacin (Nicotinic Acid).

Upregulation of IDO
Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is an immune checkpoint molecule in the sense that it is an immunomodulatory enzyme produced by alternatively activated macrophages and other immunoregulatory cells. IDO is known to suppress T and NK cells, generate Tregs and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and also supports angiogenesis.

Memory T cells are crucial for the immune system to remember how to fight pathogens. IDO is also related to the viscosity of body fluids and membrane function. Brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus, ear aches, vertigo, and pressure in the ears are some of the symptoms associated with epigenetic changes in the upregulation of Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase.

Dr. Ade Wentzel said, “The epigenetic upregulation of IDO will determine the amount of quinolinic acid. Quinolinic acid comes from the kynurenine pathway. If the viscosity of the whole middle ear is increased then the ability to equalize will be less… same as having a cold. So, the ear isn’t equalizing correctly on increasing pressure. The same as when you land in a plane. If the viscosity in the semicircular canals is increased, the otoliths may well be lagging causing the vertigo. The otoliths usually “Float” in the semicircular canal and trigger tiny sensory hairs that allow you to detect position.”

Coronavirus Transforms Pancreas Cell Function
When COVID infects cells, it impairs cell activity and can also change their function. When insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas become infected with the virus, they produce much less insulin than usual, and also start to produce glucose and digestive enzymes. “We call this a change of cell fate,” said study leader Dr. Shuibing Chen, who described the work in a presentation at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

It is not clear whether the changes are long-lasting, or if they might be reversible, the researchers reported in Cell Metabolism, “SARS-CoV-2 infection induces beta cell transdifferentiation“. “Single-cell RNA sequencing and immunostaining from ex vivo infections confirmed that multiple types of pancreatic islet cells were susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, eliciting a cellular stress response and the induction of chemokines. Upon SARS-CoV-2 infection, beta cells showed a lower expression of insulin and a higher expression of alpha and acinar cell markers, including glucagon and trypsin1, respectively, suggesting cellular transdifferentiation. Trajectory analysis indicated that SARS-CoV-2 induced eIF2-pathway-mediated beta cell transdifferentiation, a phenotype that could be reversed with trans-integrated stress response inhibitor (trans-ISRIB). Altogether, this study demonstrates an example of SARS-CoV-2 infection causing cell fate change, which provides further insight into the pathomechanisms of COVID-19.”

ALSO SEE: COVID: Insulin Reduction, Diabetes, High Cholesterol, Heart Disease and Stroke

Increased Risk of Cancer
In the case of cancer and tumor suppression, COVID chooses people that have reduced P53 (the tumor suppression gene.) It is also possible that COVID further reduces functional P53 genes. “Mutations in p53 are found in most tumor types, and so contribute to the complex network of molecular events leading to tumor formation.” — The p53 tumor suppressor protein

COVID also suppresses NK cells. “A type of immune cell that has granules (small particles) with enzymes that can kill tumor cells or cells infected with a virus. A natural killer cell is a type of white blood cell. Also called NK cell and NK-LGL.” — Natural Killer Cell

A study “Cancer Prevention with Resistant Starch” (conducted over the last 30 years) shows that resistant starch reduces your risk of cancer. The resistant starches produce good bacteria that reduces a type of acid that promotes changes to your DNA. The changes to your DNA increase the risk of many types of cancer. The discovery may also explain in part why COVID increases your risk of cancer. COVID is known to destroy good gut bacteria.

Permanent Organ Damage

“Dr Betty Raman, from the University of Oxford and one of the lead investigators on the study, says it is clear that those living with long-COVID symptoms are more likely to have experienced some organ damage.”

The biggest impact was seen on the lungs, where MRI scans were 14 times more likely to show abnormalities. Scans were also three times more likely to show abnormalities in the brain, and twice as likely in the kidneys, among people who had severe COVID.

The article Multiorgan MRI findings after hospitalisation with COVID-19 in the UK (C-MORE): a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study was published September 22, 2023 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.

After hospitalisation for COVID-19, people are at risk of multiorgan abnormalities in the medium term. Our findings emphasise the need for proactive multidisciplinary care pathways, with the potential for imaging to guide surveillance frequency and therapeutic stratification.

ABOUT LONG-COVID
Long-standing multiorgan impairment following SARS-CoV-2 infection has been a major concern for individuals recovering from severe disease and is thought to be caused by a multitude of factors, including direct viral cytotoxicity, chronic inflammation, ischaemic injury, acute reactivation of other viruses, metabolic derangements, and acute treatment effects (especially invasive ventilation). Numerous reports of delayed organ complications such as myocarditis, stroke, and pulmonary emboli have led to speculations that the multiorgan dysfunction caused by COVID-19 might be responsible for impaired recovery and ongoing symptoms in individuals, a condition referred to as long COVID.

 

Long COVID Update:3 Years of Living With It

COVID-19 Chronic Conditions

COVID in Your Genes

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderCOVID Vaccine Breakthrough Cases

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by Daniel Brouse
August 23, 2021
help@membrane.com

Q: Why are there so many breakthrough cases of COVID in the vaccinated?

A: There are several reasons why there are breakthrough cases with any vaccine; however, COVID is different. Many of the vaccinated people getting COVID already had COVID prior to being vaccinated. This is the second time they have contracted the virus.

Once you have had COVID, your immune system is compromised. You should consider yourself immune compromised. The vaccine will not fully compensate for that fact. COVID damages your immune system. The virus makes your antibodies dysfunctional. The virus suppresses your memory T cells. The virus does a lot more to thwart an immune response. So though you may have the antibodies, maybe even lots and lots of antibodies, you’ve got Nobody’s At Home Syndrome. There is little to no immune response regulation nor coordination. This is also why natural immunity through infection is impossible. COVID erases the memory from your memory cells, so to speak. It can’t even remember itself.

Q: Is this a hallmark of the virus? I mean is this finding in all post COVID cases?

A: Yes. Severity of illness does not appear to be a factor (mild cases to severe all exhibit similar compromises to the immune system.) The exception is asymptomatic cases. We still don’t know about asymptomatic cases. The evidence is pointing to all cases that progress past the nasal passage result in immunocompromised individuals. There also is a small percentage (1 in 100,000) of people that appear to evade impact.

The scientific community is looking for ways to cure the problems. So far, there is only some success in treating the symptoms. There is nothing else to really compare to long-COVID. A similar condition happens to some measles survivors that bares a slight resemblance in T cell response, but it is not same. “Measles induces immune suppression through a process called immune amnesia. Studies in non-human primates revealed that MV actually replaces the old memory cells of its host with new, MV-specific lymphocytes. As a result, the patient emerges with both a strong MV-specific immunity and an increased vulnerability to all other pathogens.” COVID appears to use a different process that involves T cell suppression. There is also some similarity to HIV. “HIV attacks a specific type of immune system cell in the body. It’s known as the CD4 helper cell or T cell. When HIV destroys this cell, it becomes harder for the body to fight off other infections.” Again, COVID appears to use a different mechanism to suppress T cells.

Q: What do we know about the immune system post-COVID?

A: We know at least two important pieces of the puzzle:
1) The SARS-CoV-2 causes gene expressions in the host that result in dysfunctional NAD+. The virus makes it harder for the body to create NAD+ and also increases the breakdown in NAD+. “NAD regulates the inflammatory response in immune and non-immune cells through Sirtuins. Epigenetic regulation of histones and non-histone proteins is induced by sirtuins and is essential for the development, reprogramming, and differentiation of the immune system and its related pathologies. A deregulation of the NAD+ levels has been associated with metabolic diseases and aging-related diseases, including neurodegeneration, defective immune responses, and cancer.” — NAD-immune-system

2) The SARS-CoV-2 causes gene expressions in the host that result in upregulation of IDO (Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase). “IDO is an immune checkpoint molecule in the sense that it is an immunomodulatory enzyme produced by alternatively activated macrophages and other immunoregulatory cells. IDO is known to suppress T and NK cells, generate Tregs and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and also supports angiogenesis.’ (Wikipedia)

Q: How long do these gene expressions (epigenetics) last? How long does long haulers syndrome last?

A: We don’t know how long post-COVID cases will suffer with a compromised immune system. Long-COVID patients from January of 2020 are still immune compromised. It is possible the genetic changes will never revert.

COVID in Your Genes

COVID-19 Delta Variant and Vaccines

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderClimate Change: Code Red for Humanity

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The UN’s IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Control) release their latest report that has been compiled and peer-reviewed over the last 8 years.

U.N. Secretary-General, António Guterres described the report as “a code red for humanity.”

“The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk,” said Mr. Guterres.

Some of the changes already set in motion will be “irreversible” for centuries to come.

A press release from the IPCC states:

The report provides new estimates of the chances of crossing the global warming level of 1.5°C in the next decades, and finds that unless there are immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C will be beyond reach.

The report shows that emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities are responsible for approximately 1.1°C of warming since 1850-1900, and finds that averaged over the next 20 years, global temperature is expected to reach or exceed 1.5°C of warming. This assessment is based on improved observational datasets to assess historical warming, as well progress in scientific understanding of the response of the climate system to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.

“This report is a reality check,” said IPCC Working Group I Co-Chair Valérie Masson-Delmotte. “We now have a much clearer picture of the past, present and future climate, which is essential for understanding where we are headed, what can be done, and how we can prepare.”

Every region facing increasing changes

Many characteristics of climate change directly depend on the level of global warming, but what people experience is often very different to the global average. For example, warming over land is larger than the global average, and it is more than twice as high in the Arctic.

“Climate change is already affecting every region on Earth, in multiple ways. The changes we experience will increase with additional warming,” said IPCC Working Group I Co-Chair Panmao Zhai.

The report projects that in the coming decades climate changes will increase in all regions. For 1.5°C of global warming, there will be increasing heat waves, longer warm seasons and shorter cold seasons. At 2°C of global warming, heat extremes would more often reach critical tolerance thresholds for agriculture and health, the report shows.

But it is not just about temperature. Climate change is bringing multiple different changes in different regions – which will all increase with further warming. These include changes to wetness and dryness, to winds, snow and ice, coastal areas and oceans. For example:

* Climate change is intensifying the water cycle. This brings more intense rainfall and associated flooding, as well as more intense drought in many regions.
* Climate change is affecting rainfall patterns. In high latitudes, precipitation is likely to increase, while it is projected to decrease over large parts of the subtropics. Changes to monsoon precipitation are expected, which will vary by region.
* Coastal areas will see continued sea level rise throughout the 21st century, contributing to more frequent and severe coastal flooding in low-lying areas and coastal erosion. Extreme sea level events that previously occurred once in 100 years could happen every year by the end of this century.
* Further warming will amplify permafrost thawing, and the loss of seasonal snow cover, melting of glaciers and ice sheets, and loss of summer Arctic sea ice.
* Changes to the ocean, including warming, more frequent marine heatwaves, ocean acidification, and reduced oxygen levels have been clearly linked to human influence. These changes affect both ocean ecosystems and the people that rely on them, and they will continue throughout at least the rest of this century.
* For cities, some aspects of climate change may be amplified, including heat (since urban areas are usually warmer than their surroundings), flooding from heavy precipitation events and sea level rise in coastal cities.

For the first time, the Sixth Assessment Report provides a more detailed regional assessment of climate change, including a focus on useful information that can inform risk assessment, adaptation, and other decision-making, and a new framework that helps translate physical changes in the climate – heat, cold, rain, drought, snow, wind, coastal flooding and more – into what they mean for society and ecosystems.

This regional information can be explored in detail in the newly developed Interactive Atlas interactive-atlas.ipcc.ch as well as regional fact sheets, the technical summary, and underlying report.

Human influence on the past and future climate

“It has been clear for decades that the Earth’s climate is changing, and the role of human influence on the climate system is undisputed,” said Masson-Delmotte. Yet the new report also reflects major advances in the science of attribution – understanding the role of climate change in intensifying specific weather and climate events such as extreme heat waves and heavy rainfall events.

The report also shows that human actions still have the potential to determine the future course of climate. The evidence is clear that carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main driver of climate change, even as other greenhouse gases and air pollutants also affect the climate.

“Stabilizing the climate will require strong, rapid, and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and reaching net zero CO2 emissions. Limiting other greenhouse gases and air pollutants, especially methane, could have benefits both for health and the climate,” said Zhai.

More on The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment

bookmark_borderCOVID-19 Delta Variant and Vaccines

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COVID
By Daniel Brouse

What do we know about the Delta variant and vaccines?

OVERVIEW
The efficacy of mRna vaccines is about 79% against contracting the Delta variant. Non-mRna vaccines are between 40-60% effective against Delta. Vaccines lose efficacy at about 3%/month after six months of being fully vaccinated. Vaccines appear to help contain the Delta variant to the nasal passage. You are less likely to develop the epigenetic changes to your genes (long-COVID). Previous infection of COVID offers no protection to the Delta variant. Get vaccinated.

THE BAD NEWS
The delta variant is much more contagious than any other COVID strain. Vaccines also appear to be less effective at preventing infection from the Delta variant. On July 30, 2021, the Delta variant was much more predominant in Louisiana than in Pennsylvania. In Louisiana, 15% of the deaths were in vaccinated individuals. In Pennsylvania, 1% of the deaths were in vaccinated individuals.

Recent studies also revealed that vaccinated people can transmit the virus both asymptomatically and symptomatically.

THE GOOD NEWS
The vaccines are still tremendously effective at preventing infection, hospitalization and death from Delta.

Vaccinated individuals that get infected with Delta overwhelmingly stop the virus in their nasal passage. The virus never infects the lungs nor spreads to other systems causing blood clots or other life threatening conditions.

Since Delta never reaches the lungs and other organs, vaccinated people that test positive for COVID are unlikely to develop long-COVID (Long Haulers Syndrome). Long-COVID is caused by the coronavirus making epigenetic and genetic changes to your genes. COVID partially disables the immune system. Some of the dismantling is temporary lasting only a few days. Some of the dismantling is chronic and may last a lifetime.

The most common long term side-effect from COVID-19 are:
* the disruption of the body’s ability to produce and retain NAD+. Without NAD+ your immune system can not metabolize most vitamins, can not regulate body temperature, nor properly activate an immune response. Lack of NAD+ will cause your body to hi-jack tryptophan and cause all sorts-of mental and neurological disorders. Lack of NAD+ has been associated with over one hundred post-COVID ailments.
* upregulation of Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). “IDO is an immune checkpoint molecule in the sense that it is an immunomodulatory enzyme produced by alternatively activated macrophages and other immunoregulatory cells. IDO is known to suppress T and NK cells, generate Tregs and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and also supports angiogenesis.’

In the vast majority of cases, vaccinated individuals do not suffer from alterations to the genes. Vaccination almost always prevents Delta from developing into long-COVID’s Long Haulers Syndrome.

PROTECT YOUR GENES FROM THE VIRUS
GET VACCINATED
WEAR A MEDICAL GRADE MASK (to prevent the virus from getting in your nasal passage in the first place)
TAKE A NIACIN SUPPLEMENT
AVOID ANTI-VAXXERS LIKE THE PLAGUE

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderLong-COVID and Environmental Aggravators

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by Daniel Brouse
help@membrane.com

Exercise aggravates long-COVID symptoms. COVID causes changes to your genes making it harder to create NAD+ and quicker to consume NAD+. Normally, exercise helps boost your NAD+. Not with long-COVID. The inflammation caused by exercise, anxiety, or exertion causes a rapid depletion of NAD+ aggravating long-COVID symptoms and perpetuating the downward cycle in NAD+ levels. So, Long Haulers should limit their activity until their NAD+ deficiency is under control.

What other factors can impact the severity of your long-COVID symptoms? We know anything that depletes NAD+ will cause problems. Aging, Hypertension, Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and other ailments result in suboptimal NAD+. But, what about your environment?

We know long term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of death from COVID-19 by 20 times. Another reason why wearing a mask in the out-of-doors is a good idea. Completely avoid outside exposure on air quality alert days.

I have been conducting research and development on two other environmental factors — elevation and temperature.

ELEVATION I — Change in Atmospheric Pressure
Elevation is the number of feet above sea level on which you stand. The bio-hacker experiment I’ve been conducting takes me from 400 feet above sea level to 1,400 feet above sea level. The more rapid the change from higher elevations to lower elevation, then the worse my long-COVID symptoms. All systems feel an impact; however, the middle ear takes the brunt of the punishment. Brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus, ear aches, vertigo, and pressure in the ears are all amplified in their severity. I just did a 24 hour experiment and am beginning to think it has to do with pressure. Perhaps O2 (oxygen in the blood) as well, but more to do with “atmospheric pressure and sea level.” The symptoms seem to lag behind the increase in pressure.

Dr. Ade Wentzel said, “The epigenetic upregulation of IDO will determine the amount of quinolinic acid. Quinolinic acid comes from the kynurenine pathway. If the viscosity of the whole middle ear is increased then the ability to equalize will be less… same as having a cold. So, the ear isn’t equalizing correctly on increasing pressure. The same as when you land in a plane. If the viscosity in the semicircular canals is increased, the otoliths may well be lagging causing the vertigo. The otoliths usually “Float” in the semicircular canal and trigger tiny sensory hairs that allow you to detect position.”

“IDO (Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase) is an immune checkpoint molecule in the sense that it is an immunomodulatory enzyme produced by alternatively activated macrophages and other immunoregulatory cells. IDO is known to suppress T and NK cells, generate Tregs and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and also supports angiogenesis.’ (Wikipedia)

It is possible that changes in the weather that cause changes in atmospheric pressure (Lows and Highs) may result in the same problems. This happened to me with weather systems over the weekend (August 22, 2021.) A very low pressure system (hurricane Henri) passed by followed by a high pressure system. The following 2 days I suffered from brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus, ear aches, vertigo, and pressure in the ears.

ELEVATION II — Oxygen Desaturation
People that go to higher elevations — above 4,900 feet — start to have more problems with High Altitude Oxygenation. “High altitudes can cause low oxygen saturation levels or desaturation of an individual’s blood.” Changing elevations at higher than 4,900 feet might cause both oxygen desaturation and atmospheric pressure problems.

COVID causes a decrease in the “rate of oxygen uptake into the lung to the oxygen gradient between the capillary blood and the alveoli.” Dr. Ade Wentzel said, “We know that the Lung Diffusion co-efficient is increased [by optimizing NAD+ levels].”

TEMPERATURE
The sweet spot is between 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit. The further below 50 degrees the more severe the symptoms. Lower temperatures appear to be a linear relationship. On the other hand, temperatures above 70 degrees appear to have an exponential relationship. That is to say, if 80 degrees causes symptoms to be twice as bad, 90 degrees causes symptoms to be four times as severe.

CONCLUSION
Mountain hiking in 90 degree temperatures (exercise at higher elevations in the heat) causes unnecessary stress on your system and dramatically increases your chances of a negative outcome.

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderPost-Acute COVID-19 — COVID Long Haulers Syndrome

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Guy A. Richards1, Adrian Wentzel2, Robert Miller

Post-Acute COVID-19 Sequelae
Post-Acute COVID-19 Sequelae


 

COVID-19: NAD+ deficiency may predispose the aged, obese and type2 diabetics to mortality through its effect on SIRT1 activity Wentzel, Miller, Richards
COVID-19: NAD+ Deficiency by Wentzel, Miller, Richards (PDF)

Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 induced pneumonia with NAD+ in a mouse model Jiang, Deng, Ma, Pang, Hu, Qin, Xu
COVID-19 in Mice / NAD+ (PDF)

Post-Acute COVID-19 Sequelae

COVID Sequelae
COVID Sequelae
AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid - Part 1: Prof. Guy Richards - Clinical perspective
AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid – Part 1: Prof. Guy Richards – Clinical perspective

AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid – Part 2: Dr. Ade Wentzel – Pathophysiology and Treatment of Long-Covid + Q&A

AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid - Part 2: Dr. Ade Wentzel - Pathophysiology and Treatment of Long-Covid + Q&A
AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid – Part 2: Dr. Ade Wentzel – Pathophysiology and Treatment of Long-Covid + Q&A

MORE ON COVID
The Vitamin Stack / Long Haulers Treatment

COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

 

bookmark_borderClimate Change: Past the Tipping Point

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A group of scientists known as Polarstern team spent the last year drifting through the arctic. “The disappearance of summer sea ice in the Arctic is one of the first landmines in this minefield, one of the tipping points that we set off first when we push warming too far,” Markus Rex (one of the 300 scientists from 20 countries) said. “And one can essentially ask if we haven’t already stepped on this mine and already set off the beginning of the explosion. Arctic Ocean ice had retreated faster in the spring of 2020 than since the beginning of records. The spread of the sea ice in the summer was only half as large as decades ago. Only evaluation in the coming years will allow us to determine if we can still save the year-round Arctic sea ice through forceful climate protection or whether we have already passed this important tipping point in the climate system.”

Al Jazeera reports, “Stefanie Arndt, who specialises in sea ice physics, said it was ‘painful to know that we are possibly the last generation who can experience an Arctic which still has a sea ice cover in the summer.”‘

More on Climate Change

bookmark_borderRising Sea Level Turning New Jersey Cedars into Ghost Forests

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The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection released the “New Jersey’s Coastal Community Vulnerability Assessment” ccvamp-final

The sea level is rising faster than forecast. Saltwater intrusion is a current and severe problem. The United States Geological Survey reports, “Saltwater intrusion has occurred to some degree in many of the coastal aquifers of the United States. Since saltwater cannot be used to irrigate crops or be consumed by people, saltwater intrusion can be very problematic to coastal communities that rely on fresh groundwater supplies for the livelihood.”

In New Jersey, saltwater intrusion is killing thousands of Atlantic White Cedar trees and turning the acreage into “ghost forests”.

Ghost Forest / Photo credit: Frank Kummer
Ghost Forest / Photo credit: Frank Kummer

The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment