Underneath The Sky

this was an assignment from a bit ago but i kept forgetting to scan it in >.>

Why Do Some People with Cystic Fibrosis Live Much Longer Than Others? 

Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital have found that longevity among patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) may be linked to their genes.

Studying over 600 patients with CF, the scientists found five individuals who stood out due to their age–in their 50s and 60s–and relative lung function. By sequencing the genomes of those five patients, the scientists found a set of rare and never-before-discovered genetic variants, related to so-called epithelial sodium channels (ENaCs), that might help explain their longevity and stable lung function.

“Our hypothesis is that these ENaC mutations help to rehydrate the airways of CF patients, making it less likely for detrimental bacteria to take up residence in the lungs,” said Ruobing Wang, MD, a pulmonologist at Boston Children’s.

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Funding: This work was supported by the Gene Discovery Core of The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children’s Hospital; Gilda and Alfred Slifka, Gail and Adam Slifka and the CFMS Fund; the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skeletal Diseases; the National Institute of Health (NIH) (U54 HD090255, P30 DK079307); the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development/National Human Genome Research Institute/NIH (U19 HD077671); the May Family Fund; Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics, Inc. (RO1 HL090136 and U01 HL100402 RFA-HL-09-004); and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R37HL51856).

Raise your voice in support of expanding federal funding for life-saving medical research by joining the AAMC’s advocacy community.

trying to get your story together like:

Me

Me 2 seconds after being born

Corinthian helmet from the tomb of Denda. The name of the warrior (Denda) is engraved on the left greave. From a Greek workshop in South Italy, 500–490 BC

You are born with the ability to see whether people listen more often to the angel or the devil on their shoulder, based on the opacity of each- if they listen more to the angel, it’s more solid and the demon is more transparent, and vice versa. You recently met a guy online and you’re finally going to meet. You go in for a handshake and glance at his shoulders, but you can’t see the angel. Only a solid demon.

You wake up one Sunday to discover that your idiot neighbour Jerry has declared your suburban street to be an independent republic, erected barricades and commandeered your VW camper van as a mobile base of operations for the provisional government.

You discover that you have the ability to let other people experience your nostalgia. You find that your friend needs some comfort after a rather terrible day. You take a deep breath, put your hand on their shoulder, and let the memories begin.

Game of Beds (via asillyfrog)