Silver blue 22

Terrific! Thanks

Terrific!

How about Federicci’s in Red Bank? One of Springsteen’s favorite hangouts. It was owned by the family of Danny Federicci from the E Street Band. Great pizza!

Mark, Vic’s is one of my favorites, along with Pete and Elda’s and the Squan Tavern. If you are a fan of thin crust pizza, it’s well worth the drive. I now live by Long Beach Island and occasionally make the 45 min drive up the parkway to Bradley Beach.

Very nice...thanks

Terrific! Thanks

Science Newsfrom research organizations
C****-** c****av***s epidemic has a natural origin
Date:
March 17, 2020
Source:
Scripps Research Institute

Summary:
An analysis of public genome sequence data from SARS-CoV-2 and related v***ses found no evidence that the v***s was made in a laboratory or otherwise engineered.
The analysis of public genome sequence data from SARS-CoV-2 and related v***ses found no evidence that the v***s was made in a laboratory or otherwise engineered.

"By comparing the available genome sequence data for known c****av***s strains, we can firmly determine that SARS-CoV-2 originated through natural processes," said Kristian Andersen, PhD, an associate professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research and corresponding author on the paper.

In addition to Andersen, authors on the paper, "The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2," include Robert F. Garry, of Tulane University; Edward Holmes, of the University of Sydney; Andrew Rambaut, of University of Edinburgh; W. Ian Lipkin, of Columbia University.

C****av***ses are a large family of v***ses that can cause illnesses ranging widely in severity. The first known severe illness caused by a c****av***s emerged with the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in China. A second outbreak of severe illness began in 2012 in Saudi Arabia with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

On December 31 of last year, Chinese authorities alerted the World Health Organization of an outbreak of a novel strain of c****av***s causing severe illness, which was subsequently named SARS-CoV-2. As of February 20, 2020, nearly 167,500 C****-** cases have been documented, although many more mild cases have likely gone undiagnosed. The v***s has k**led over 6,600 people.

Shortly after the epidemic began, Chinese scientists sequenced the genome of SARS-CoV-2 and made the data available to researchers worldwide. The resulting genomic sequence data has shown that Chinese authorities rapidly detected the epidemic and that the number of C****-** cases have been increasing because of human to human t***smission after a single introduction into the human population. Andersen and collaborators at several other research institutions used this sequencing data to explore the origins and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 by focusing in on several tell-tale features of the v***s.

The scientists analyzed the genetic template for spike proteins, armatures on the outside of the v***s that it uses to grab and penetrate the outer walls of human and animal cells. More specifically, they focused on two important features of the spike protein: the receptor-binding domain (RBD), a kind of grappling hook that grips onto host cells, and the cleavage site, a molecular can opener that allows the v***s to crack open and enter host cells.

Evidence for natural evolution

The scientists found that the RBD portion of the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins had evolved to effectively target a molecular feature on the outside of human cells called ACE2, a receptor involved in regulating blood pressure. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was so effective at binding the human cells, in fact, that the scientists concluded it was the result of natural se******n and not the product of genetic engineering.

This evidence for natural evolution was supported by data on SARS-CoV-2's backbone -- its overall molecular structure. If someone were seeking to engineer a new c****av***s as a pathogen, they would have constructed it from the backbone of a v***s known to cause illness. But the scientists found that the SARS-CoV-2 backbone differed substantially from those of already known c****av***ses and mostly resembled related v***ses found in bats and pangolins.

"These two features of the v***s, the mutations in the RBD portion of the spike protein and its distinct backbone, rules out laboratory manipulation as a potential origin for SARS-CoV-2" said Andersen.

Josie Golding, PhD, epidemics lead at UK-based Wellcome Trust, said the findings by Andersen and his colleagues are "crucially important to bring an evidence-based view to the rumors that have been circulating about the origins of the v***s (SARS-CoV-2) causing C****-**."

"They conclude that the v***s is the product of natural evolution," Goulding adds, "ending any speculation about deliberate genetic engineering."

Possible origins of the v***s

Based on their genomic sequencing analysis, Andersen and his collaborators concluded that the most likely origins for SARS-CoV-2 followed one of two possible scenarios.

In one scenario, the v***s evolved to its current pathogenic state through natural se******n in a non-human host and then jumped to humans. This is how previous c****av***s outbreaks have emerged, with humans contracting the v***s after direct exposure to civets (SARS) and camels (MERS). The researchers proposed bats as the most likely reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 as it is very similar to a bat c****av***s. There are no documented cases of direct bat-human t***smission, however, suggesting that an intermediate host was likely involved between bats and humans.

In this scenario, both of the distinctive features of SARS-CoV-2's spike protein -- the RBD portion that binds to cells and the cleavage site that opens the v***s up -- would have evolved to their current state prior to entering humans. In this case, the current epidemic would probably have emerged rapidly as soon as humans were infected, as the v***s would have already evolved the features that make it pathogenic and able to spread between people.

In the other proposed scenario, a non-pathogenic version of the v***s jumped from an animal host into humans and then evolved to its current pathogenic state within the human population. For instance, some c****av***ses from pangolins, armadillo-like mammals found in Asia and Africa, have an RBD structure very similar to that of SARS-CoV-2. A c****av***s from a pangolin could possibly have been t***smitted to a human, either directly or through an intermediary host such as civets or ferrets.

Then the other distinct spike protein characteristic of SARS-CoV-2, the cleavage site, could have evolved within a human host, possibly via limited undetected circulation in the human population prior to the beginning of the epidemic. The researchers found that the SARS-CoV-2 cleavage site, appears similar to the cleavage sites of strains of bird flu that has been shown to t***smit easily between people. SARS-CoV-2 could have evolved such a virulent cleavage site in human cells and soon kicked off the current epidemic, as the c****av***s would possibly have become far more capable of spreading between people.

Study co-author Andrew Rambaut cautioned that it is difficult if not impossible to know at this point which of the scenarios is most likely. If the SARS-CoV-2 entered humans in its current pathogenic form from an animal source, it raises the probability of future outbreaks, as the illness-causing strain of the v***s could still be circulating in the animal population and might once again jump into humans. The chances are lower of a non-pathogenic c****av***s entering the human population and then evolving properties similar to SARS-CoV-2.

Funding for the research was provided by the US National Institutes of Health, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Wellcome Trust, the European Research Council, and an ARC Australian Laureate Fellowship.

The CDC site is an excellent and reliable resource. The site provides all the information you need to make sound and rational decisions about your health and well being during this difficult time.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Best wishes to all.
Be well.

Thanks; lot of really helpful information. Ordered the SIMM cards and the SSD.

Thanks; good to hear. I feel a lot more confident about changing the Ram and HD. Plus, there’s no way I could afford a new MacBook Pro or iMac with 16 GB and 1TB SSD.

Thanks to all for terrific advice.
Have a great Thanksgiving.

Thanks. Will do.
Crucial.com bases their recommendations for RAM and HD replacement on the specific make, model and year of your computer.

I am an amateur photographer interested in getting into photo processing programs like Topaz. The problem is that I have a 7-year old MacBook Pro (4GB and 500GB HD W/250GB available, running Catalina) that is incredibly slow. I was told by someone at an Apple Store near me, that I should upgrade to 16GB and a 1Tb SSD HD that I could get at Crucial.com for about $90 and $115, and install myself. (The store will not touch any computer that is more than 5 years old.)
Questions:
1. Would the upgrades improve the laptop’s response issues; and,
2. How complicated is it to upgrade the RAM and replace the SSD HD?

Thanks, I appreciate any help.

Thanks to all for some really great suggestions. I think I’ll opt for a new Nikon lens.