Latest Posts by dandelionsinsunshine - Page 3
Remember that glow up????
So… yall better wait for this one…I know it was very hard to take that picture but it’ll be worth to wait and see a better one. Well, I hope can be still living until then.
Two are Better Than One: The NASA Twins Study
What exactly happens to the human body during spaceflight? The Twins Study, a 340-day investigation conducted by NASA’s Human Research Program , sought to find answers. Scientists had an opportunity to see how conditions on the International Space Station translated to changes in gene expression by comparing identical twin astronauts: Scott Kelly who spent close to a year in space and Mark Kelly who remained on Earth.
The Process
From high above the skies, for almost a year, astronaut Scott Kelly periodically collected his own blood specimens for researchers on the ground during his One-Year Mission aboard the Space Station. These biological specimens made their way down to Earth onboard two separate SpaceX Dragon vehicles. A little bit of Scott returned to Earth each time and was studied by scientists across the United States.
Totaling 183 samples from Scott and his brother, Mark, these vials helped scientists understand the changes Scott’s body underwent while spending a prolonged stay in low Earth orbit.
The Twins
Because identical twins share the same genetic makeup, they are very similar on a molecular level. Twin studies provide a way for scientists to explore how our health is impacted by the environment around us.
What We Learned: Gene Expression
A significant finding is the variability in gene expression, which reflects how a body reacts to its environment and will help inform how gene expression is related to health risks associated with spaceflight. While in space, researchers observed changes in the expression of Scott’s genes, with the majority returning to normal after six months on Earth. However, a small percentage of genes related to the immune system and DNA repair did not return to baseline after his return to Earth. Further, the results identified key genes to target for use in monitoring the health of future astronauts and potentially developing personalized countermeasures.
What We Learned: Immunome
Another key finding is that Scott’s immune system responded appropriately in space. For example, the flu vaccine administered in space worked exactly as it does on Earth. A fully functioning immune system during long-duration space missions is critical to protecting astronaut health from opportunistic microbes in the spacecraft environment.
What We Learned: Proteomics
Studying protein pathways in Scott enabled researchers to look at fluid regulation and fluid shifts within his body. Shifts in fluid may contribute to vision problems in astronauts. Scientists found a specific protein associated with fluid regulation was elevated in Scott, compared with his brother Mark on Earth.
What We Learned: Telomeres
The telomeres in Scott’s white blood cells, which are biomarkers of aging at the end of chromosomes, were unexpectedly longer in space then shorter after his return to Earth with average telomere length returning to normal six months later. In contrast, his brother’s telomeres remained stable throughout the entire period. Because telomeres are important for cellular genomic stability, additional studies on telomere dynamics are planned for future one-year missions to see whether results are repeatable for long-duration missions.
What We Learned: Cognition
Scott Kelly participated in a series of cognitive performance evaluations (such as mental alertness, spatial orientation, and recognition of emotions) administered through a battery of tests and surveys. Researchers found that during spaceflight, Scott’s cognitive function remained normal for the first half of his stay onboard the space station compared to the second half of his spaceflight and to his brother, Mark, on the ground. However, upon landing, Scott’s speed and accuracy decreased. Re-exposure to Earth’s gravity and the dynamic experience of landing may have affected the results.
What We Learned: Biochemical
In studying various measurements on Scott, researchers found that his body mass decreased during flight, likely due to controlled nutrition and extensive exercise. While on his mission, Scott consumed about 30% less calories than researchers anticipated. An increase in his folate serum (vitamin B-9), likely due to an increase of the vitamin in his pre-packaged meals, was also noted by researchers. This is bolstered by the telomeres study, which suggests that proper nutrition and exercise help astronauts maintain health while in space.
What We Learned: Metabolomics
Within five months of being aboard the space station, researchers found an increase in the thickness of Scott’s arterial wall, which may have been caused by inflammation and oxidative stress during spaceflight. Whether this change is reversible is yet to be determined. They hope these results will help them understand the stresses that the human cardiovascular system undergoes during spaceflight.
In addition, the results from the Microbiome, Epigenomics, and Integrative Omics studies suggest a human body is capable of adapting to and recovering from the spaceflight environment on a molecular level.
Why Does This Matter?
The data from the Twins Study Investigation will be explored for years to come as researchers report some interesting, surprising, and assuring data on how the human body is able to adapt to the extreme environment of spaceflight. This study gave us the first integrated molecular view into genetic changes, and demonstrated the plasticity and robustness of a human body!
We will use the valuable data to ensure the safety and health of the men and women who go on to missions to the Moon and on to Mars.
Learn more with this video about these fascinating discoveries!
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
Jack: Today’s question is, how do you deal with a crush?
Sam, Cas, Gabe, Dean: *facepalm* not again
Jack: yes again. So dads, what do you do when you have a crush?
Sam, takes the lead to do a little teaching of good values and crap: well, Jack, what I try to do is understand my feelings before I talk to them, and when I do approach them, I am always respectful and mindful of their wishes and I tell them how I feel and compliment them -
Dean, snickering: yeah, right
Sam: Shut up Dean.
Dean: why you gotta lie to the kid, Sammy? We all know that when you have a crush, you get as far away from the person as you can, otherwise they’d start liking you back and then you two’d end up banging and ta-da, they’re dead
Sam: …I hate you
Dean: *shrugs*
Jack, nodding and absorbing: what about you, Dean?
Dean, promptly: Well what you gotta do is judge if they’re in your league or not
Jack: if they are?
Dean: you put on the charm. Remember the blue-steel I showed you once?
Jack: the face I caught you practising in the mirror and you begged me to forget, but I never did?
Dean: yeah that’s the one
Jack: and what if they aren’t in my league?
Dean: you wait for the crush to go away
Jack, nodding: how long does that take?
Dean: depends on a lot of factors. Could be a week, or could be -
Sam, interrupting with a smirk: 10 years, inclusive of time spent in other realms such as purgatory
Jack: that LONG?
Sam, smirking wider as Dean goes red: oh yeah Jack, 10 years and running
Jack, nodding and accepting: I see. What about you, Castiel?
Cas: I…*thinks about raising Dean from hell, rebelling, fighting his garrison, falling from grace, disobeying Naomi, disobeying direct orders from Heaven, choosing him over an entire army, annoying a cosmic being enough to be brought back, healing every little bruise on his perfect face* I believe in grand gestures, Jack
Dean: *narrowing his eyes*
Sam, feeling pity for his brother: No Cas, you don’t. You’re a deathbed-confession guy
Cas: oh yes. That.
Jack, nodding: cool.
Cas, wistfully: but that didn’t work either so I don’t know if anything ever will.
Jack: why don’t you try doing something he likes with him?
Cas, touchy about the topic: You mean, like, cowboy around with him with a hat? Dress up as a medical practitioner to satisfy his kinks?
Dean, growing suspicious: that’s weirdly specific Cas
Cas: I can’t eVEN
~
BONUS
Jack: what about you, uncle Gabe? What do you do when you have a crush?
Gabriel, thinking about all the weird shit he’s done to Sam, ranging from killing his brother 104 times in a day to picking his side over the rest of his family’s, from giving him genital herpes to making him suffer in Nutcracker, and so on and so forth: heh
Jack: what?
Gabriel: …archangels don’t get crushes hehe
Jack, nodding: okay thanks
*in another corner of the room*
Dean and Cas, at the same time: its okay Sam - NO - DON’T try to strangle yourself it’s fine he’s just dodging the question - nO SAM don’t try to strangle him either - sAM you’re scaring us now please start b r e a t h i n g
alec looked at her and shook his head. “how do you manage never to get mud on your clothes?”
isabelle shrugged philosophically. “i’m pure at heart. it repels the dirt.”
Trans Peter Parker part one first draft:
In which, Peter comes out to Rhodey at the park
“Good luck Pete!” Ned waved goodbye to his friend as students filed out of school.
“Thanks Ned, I’ll need it.” Peter chuckled nervously, waving back at his friend. He put on his headphones and began descending the stairs that led to the parking lot. He scanned the area, looking for the usual black car to pick him up. When he found it, he spotted Rhodey leaning on the hood, lazily scrolling through his phone. Peter picked up his face as he crossed the parking lot to get to the car. “Hey Rhodes, Tony couldn’t make it today?”
“Oh hey kid. And I told you, you can call me Uncle Rhodey. But yeah, Tony had some business to take care of. He wanted me to tell you he’s sorry, and that he’s looking forward to seeing you at dinner.” He slipped his phone into his pocket and opened the passenger door.
“Oh okay, Uncle Rhodey, can we go to the park and get some frozen yogurt today? There’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about..” Peter said quietly, eyes fixed on the ground.
“Yeah sure kid, sounds good to me.” Rhodey frowned, concerned by the look on Peters face. He shut the door as Peter go into the car, as he walked around to the drivers side he couldn’t help but think of all the worst possible thing Peter could want to talk about.
Peter gazed out the window as they drove, trying to remain calm. He pulled out his Rubik’s cube and mindlessly fidgeted, sweat beads forming on his forehead.
Rhodey glanced over at him, his worry only deepening. He could tell how distressed Peter was, he just didn’t know what it was and it was starting to really scare him. He decided it was best to wait till Peter was ready to talk about, he didn’t want to press and make the situation worse.
The two walked over to their usual park bench, fro-yo in hand. As they sat down, Peter cleared his throat. “So um…there’s something I wanted to tell you..” Peter picked at his frozen yogurt with his spoon, his appetite gone, which was unusual, especially for him.
“Alright kid, whats up?” Rhodey asked, turning to face him. “Is..Is everything okay?” he raised an eyebrow.
“Oh yeah! I’m fine, I didn’t mean to worry you I’m sorry.” Peter chuckled nervously, avoiding his gaze.
“It’s fine dude, just tell me what’s going on.” Rhodes set his yogurt next to him on the bench, giving Peter his full attention.
“S-So um…I d-don’t really feel like a girl…and I’m pretty sure I’m a b-boy..like I’m transgender? And I’d like it if you called me P-Peter instead of my birth name and called me male pronouns if that’s o-okay.” Peter wrung his hands as he spoke.
Rhodey’s face softened as he let out a sigh of relief. “Holy shit kid, you really had me worried there. That’s all? It doesn’t matter to me what you identify as Peter, as long you’re happy and safe. Does Tony know? I’m guessing no.”
Peter shook his head, his breath becoming steady. “N-no he doesn’t, I was hoping to tell him today though. Could you help me? I’m planning on telling him at dinner but I’m really nervous about it.” He finally looked at Rhodey, his nerves calming down.
“Of course kid, Tony is super chill, don’t worry. It’ll be okay, I promise.” he smiled softly and put his hand on Peter’s shoulder. “So how was school today Pete?”
Peter grinned, happy to hear his chosen name. “It was pretty good, I got an A on my math test!” he said, digging in to his yogurt.
“Nice! I’m so proud of you, son.” Rhodey said, messing up Peter’s hair. “And Tony will be even prouder I bet.”
Happy birthday, Robert Downey Jr! We know how much you like Pepper, so we had this made in your honor. But be careful in high winds, so you don’t end up like certain Avengers we know… (Too soon? Maybe. But you don’t have to be salty about it!)
I had this idea, couple of years ago, that I really, really wanted Palpatine to get defeated by tomatoes (don’t ask. I don’t even remember where it came from, but I wanted it so bad. It was definitely in chat with a lot of people, it was VERY likely VERY late, as I do.) So, to celebrate April’s fools, here’s how it goes :
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Brie Larson is the biggest Lesbian!Carol warrior
she will fight until carol gets a girlfriend mark my words
Some pics from Amsterdam!
Photos taken by veerlebas
Space Shuttle Endeavour leaving our Atmosphere. Pic taken by NASA’S Shuttle training aircraft.
via reddit
Harry Potter Illustration Series - Created by Dan Elijah Fajardo
These designs are available for sale as shirts, cases, and more at his TeePublic Shop.
Cassandra Clare gives writing advice in Writer's Digest interview
Cassandra Clare gives writing advice in Writer’s Digest interview
Writer’s Digestpublished an interview with Cassandra Clare right before Christmas and since it’s a really great and insightful interview, I wanted to share it with our readers. It’s titled “YA Author Cassandra Clare Reveals the Practical Magic Behind Her Bestselling ‘Shadowhunter’ Series” and fans who are budding authors get very useful writing advice. Furthermore, Cassie revealed how she…
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Highlights of C.C. Signing
Cassandra Clare’s first novel was The Beautiful Cassandra, based on Jane Austin’s novel of the same name when she was a child. She didn’t know how to write romances, so she just killed the love interest with a falling boulder.
Simon is loosely based off both her best friend and boyfriend from highschool as they were both “brown-haired, slightly neurotic Jews who played Dungeons and Dragons”
Cassandra Clare used to have a wall that she put her notes on but it started to look like a crazy person’s wall, like Emma’s Wall of Crazy, so she took it down.
Will’s hatred of ducks comes from Cassie’s own experience where she and her friend accidentally fed duck pie to mallards in Hyde Park and upon realizing it, stopped, only for the ducks who had “aquired a taste for flesh” to chase them all around the park.
She isn’t sure if Kit hates ducks other not as he hasn’t seen any in the books yet.
She doesn’t know what the password for the LA Shadow Market is, she just knew she wanted Kit to flip them off.
Upon being asked why all warlocks seem to have tragic last names (i.e. Fell, Bane, Loss, etc) she said she didn’t notice they were tragic, she thought they sounded badass but now she’s sad and said she’ll have to name one Barnabas Sunshine.
Simon’s fate was PURPOSELY left out of Thule and it is important.
Her adult novels were picked up for a TV show/movie and she’s much more involved than she was for any TMI productions. (She was EXTREMELY professional in answering this question.)
She tends to start off with a scene in her head rather than a character and then goes from there.
When asked about fight scenes, she quoted; “Fight scenes are like love scenes, you always need to know where their hands are”
She used to make her friends help her choreograph her fight scenes because it was so hard. She says the hardest part for her is adding pockets of dialogue or “presence” of characters amid a fight scene.
She was SO nice, you guys! She was extremely personable and fan-oriented so no one felt rushed when meeting her. I’m still so thrilled. I won an advanced copy of Red Scrolls of Magic in a trivia game. (The question was which shirt was Simon wearing in City of Ash when he meets Clary outside the comic book store. I have read these books too many times, guys, because I also knew the dialogue surrounding the shirt lol)
Harry Potter AU in which Fred and George are in different houses and they steal and wear each others ties whilst doing stupid things in hope of the others house losing points
“I’m Only Gonna Say This Once…” ~Kastle!~
I think I want to try to draw at least one thing for all my ships. That would be great. And challenging. But anyway, here is one of my favorite ships from Netflix!Marvel… Karen Page and Frank Castle! Can’t wait for Punisher Season 2 and also to see my babe Karen Page in DareDevil Season 3!
Black and White alt version with the white roses Punisher symbol below the cut:
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