Interesting Links on Receptor Musings

Stop Human Trafficking Resources

2011-06-28T08:51:00.001-07:00

Human Trafficking Resources Sites:

1) Latest news - http://tinyurl.com/64c5agc
2) National: Report Human Trafficking/Get Help - Call 1-888-428-7581, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST
3) NYC Let’s End Human Trafficking - http://www.nyc.gov/html/endht/html/home/home.shtml
4) NY Asian Women’s Center - http://www.nyawc.org/ Call 24 hr multilingual hotline - 1-888-888-7702
5) Truckers Against Trafficking - http://www.truckersagainsttrafficking.com/ (National Hotline Number for truckers - 1-888-373-7888)
6) Polaris Project - http://www.polarisproject.org/
Hotlines
Multilingual National Hotline-1-888-3737-888
Korean Hotline-1-888-976-5274
Spanish Hotline-1-888-80-AYUDA
7)The CNN Freedom Project - http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/ Ending Modern Day Slavery
8) FBI Human Trafficking Website - http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/human_trafficking
9) Demi & Ashton Foundation - dnafoundation - http://demiandashton.org/
10) UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking - http://www.ungift.org/knowledgehub/
11) Human Trafficking from Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_trafficking
12) Twitter lists to end human trafficking:
https://twitter.com/#!/list/aplusk/end-slavery
https://twitter.com/#!/list/rlanzara/stop-human-trafficking-6
13) A Web Resource for Combating Human Trafficking - http://www.humantrafficking.org/
14) Human Sex Trafficking - http://salvationist.ca/action-support/human-sexual-trafficking/
15) Stella Rotaru - http://tinyurl.com/6d53xpd
16) GEMS - http://www.gems-girls.org/

True Education Begins With Questioning

2011-04-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

There's a difference between being educated and being smart. Smart people aren't always educated and educated people aren't always smart. Education isn't what most people think it is... It's an internal dialogue that begins with questioning. This is uncomfortable for many people, but we find ourselves increasingly in a world of competing ideas with very powerful forces attempting to sway the battle for our loyalties. Those who take many things at face value will feel whipsawed by the swirling and ebbing tides of battle. Those who live in a darker world will struggle against the angels of their better natures and live a lie. But those who understand that the true measure of wealth is the ability to help others, will see clearly their way forward. Many will loosen their chains of ignorance and free their minds to question underlying assumptions. Only then, can many be considered truly free.

Education is for anyone at any time, but it requires a receptive mind and the proper environmental and social conditions to encourage it in the young. Our efforts to “reform” education with more bureaucracy or more money only show our ignorance of a true education. Teachers aren’t the problem. The children aren’t the problem. The bureaucracy that fails to know that a true education needs to be nourished and grown like a garden for children to engage and explore in are the problem.

Play and education are what most children do naturally in a safe and supportive environment. Chop the bureaucracy and allow children to learn with the teachers who care enough to support and nurture them.

Interesting Links on Receptor Musings: Complexities in Understanding Our Receptors and How We View the Universe...

2011-03-20T12:38:00.000-07:00

Interesting Links on Receptor Musings: Complexities in Understanding Our Receptors and How We View the Universe...

Complexities in Understanding Our Receptors and How We View the Universe...

2011-03-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

Previously I mentioned that there exists a devilish complexity in the vast array of chemical and biological modifications that can alter the free thiol or sulfhydryl group, which is the reactive group of the essential amino acid, cysteine, in many important biological proteins (http://ombamltine.blogspot.com/2008/05/devilish-complexity-of-cysteine.html). Thiol groups are vitally important for their ability to form disulfide bonds with other thiol groups and to form either reduced or oxidized (redox) forms as well as oscillating between acid and base states (http://ombamltine.blogspot.com/2008/05/beta-adrenergic-receptor-in-two.html). Any one of these forms may further interact reversibly or irreversibly with a panoply of other chemical and biological molecules. Since most all of the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that have been studied have thiol (http://ombamltine.blogspot.com/2008/07/evidence-for-free-thiol-necessary-for.html) or disulfide (two thiols linked together) groups, this creates a very complicated picture to understand these receptors’ active and inactive states (http://ombamltine.blogspot.com/2008/08/active-and-inactive-receptor-states.html). This is important in order not only to understand how these receptors work, but to understand how we sense reality (http://ombamltine.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-we-sense-reality-no-really.html) since our sensory receptors are GPCRs. These are also the receptors that are targets of over fifty percent of our pharmaceutical drugs. Understanding how our receptors work at the molecular level is an awe inspiring undertaking, because these are the molecules that link our thoughts and senses to the universe. Understanding how they function may open new frontiers for us to truly understand our place in the cosmos.

Interesting Links on Receptor Musings: End Human Trafficking Links

2011-02-28T10:22:00.000-08:00

Interesting Links on Receptor Musings: End Human Trafficking Links

End Human Trafficking Links

2011-02-28T10:04:00.000-08:00

Ending Human Slavery in Our Lifetimes
I’d like to believe that there is a science to ending human slavery in our lifetimes. If not, then I’d like to begin such a process. Certainly the power of the internet could be harnessed to fight against such barbarity.

The Sex Slave Industry:

The sex slave industry is one of the problems that contributes to human slavery (for some important links regarding this problem, see Stella Rotaru http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&suggon=0&as_q=&as_epq=Stella+Rotaru&as_oq=&as_eq=&num=10&lr=&as_filetype=&ft=i&as_sitesearch=&as_qdr=all&as_rights=&as_occt=any&cr=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&safe=off). By calling attention to this problem, which exists everywhere, yes everywhere, you may be able to put press on lawmakers and others to raise the awareness of such problems and begin processes to end it.

Human Trafficking:

Sites that can serve as beginning points for understanding the aspects of human trafficking are: http://www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=1141 and http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&suggon=0&as_q=Human+trafficking&as_epq=human+slavery&as_oq=&as_eq=&num=10&lr=&as_filetype=&ft=i&as_sitesearch=&as_qdr=all&as_rights=&as_occt=any&cr=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&safe=off

How to Stop Human Trafficking:

Although there are several sites suggesting ways to combat human trafficking, we need a higher level of response from everyone. Some sites that suggest ways to stop human trafficking are: http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+stop+Human+trafficking+%22human+slavery%22&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&tbo=1&output=search&source=lnt&tbs=qdr:y&sa=X&ei=BOZrTaLiAsL78Aa3_oXsCw&ved=0CAgQpwUoBQ&bav=on.1,or.&ech=1ψ=_OVrTcKnHMP68AbQjO3eCw12989168821933&emsg=NCSR&noj=1&ei=_OVrTcKnHMP68AbQjO3eCw . If you send anyone resources to stop human slavery or trafficking be sure to follow up and see whether or not your contribution is doing what you thought it was designed to do. Following up is very important whenever you give to charities or other causes, because unfortunately, there are always those who try to profit from others misfortunes.

Hopefully this can be the start of a resource for people committed to ending human slavery.

American Business: Innovation and Entrepreneurship

2010-11-27T09:11:00.000-08:00

American business innovation and entrepreneurship is alive in America and it can take many forms. Here is a list of a dozen of them:

1) Prod4ever - Website design: http://www.prod4ever.com/index.html
2) MobiFlex - Building Mobile Apps Online: http://mobiflex.me/
3) Pacific Western Wood - Wood Products: http://www.pacificwesternwoodproducts.com/index.php/about-us/
4) Greg Lanzara - Artist: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/greg-lanzara/11/390/138
5) Changeling Studios - Toy and Prototype painting: http://www.changelingstudio.com/
6) Beauty Feast - Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aefCPnPhOE&feature=related
7) Dream Homes by Nancy - Pasadena & San Fernando California Realtor: http://www.dreamhomesbynancy.com/
8) Richard J. Lanzara - Author: http://tinyurl.com/25nek7s
9) Double 8 Foods - The Neighborhood Store Indianapolis: http://www.double8foods.com/
10) Artistic Veil - wedding veil design: http://www.artisticveil.com/
11) Enhanced Pharmaceuticals - Creating safer, more effective drugs: http://www.bio-balance.com/COMPANY.htm
12) Bio Balance, Inc. - Biophysical descriptions of drug-receptor interactions: http://www.bio-balance.com/Linker.htm

Experimenting with Tweets

2010-03-04T11:18:00.000-08:00

Experimenting with a couple of tweets:

Google Scholar - agonist/antagonist combination - receptor desensitization #Google #science #pharmacology #medicine

A pH dependent electrostatic-mechanism for receptor response? #science #pharmacology #biology #nanotech #biotech

A two-state receptor model that accounts for receptor modulation

2010-02-04T04:07:00.000-08:00

A two-state receptor model that accounts for receptor modulation - http://www.bio-balance.com/A_Question_of_Balance_files/image080.png

My Twitter Mini Review of Pharmacology

2009-12-31T08:07:00.000-08:00

Perhaps I need to write the story of how receptors work on Twitter? Humm, which hashtag(s) to use? - #receptor #pharmacology #science

Work at the turn of the last century summarized at - http://ow.ly/R8Hl led to the lock & key concept #receptor #pharmacology #science

Here's a modern version of the "lock and key concept" for the receptor response - http://ow.ly/R8KN #receptor #pharmacology #science

One problem is how does the binding of a small molecule alter the conformation of a much larger one? #receptor #pharmacology #science

Another problem is how do some binding molecules produce a partial or no response? #receptor #pharmacology #science

These problems & desensitization, fade or tachyphylaxis led to the two state theory - http://ow.ly/R8VQ #receptor #pharmacology

Two state mathematics only solved for the fractional or proportional change - http://ow.ly/R91A #receptor #pharmacology #science

Experiments showing an increased response with increased receptor expression didn't fit with 2 state theory #receptor #pharmacology #science

Also no consensus on what the two states of the receptor are -just active & inactive? #receptor #pharmacology #science

I suggested an alternative math to remove these problems with 2 state theory - http://ow.ly/R9jj #receptor #pharmacology #science

The idea was that the net shift could explain a binding molecule's preference - http://ow.ly/R9qX #receptor #pharmacology #science

The "net shift" (delta RH) could fit many classical dose-response curves - http://ow.ly/R9tj #receptor #pharmacology #science

We proposed that a free thiol produced the 2 (acid-base) receptor states - http://cogprints.org/4095/ #receptor #pharmacology

This was a mechanistic hypothesis of receptor function involving sulfhydryl modulation and redox regulation #receptor #pharmacology #science

This also fit nicely with the "net shift" producing the active state of the receptor #receptor #pharmacology #science

Subsequent work seems to support our observations - http://ow.ly/R9PR #receptor #pharmacology #science

Although much more work remains, it looks promising that a free thiol may explain many receptor responses #receptor #pharmacology #science

receptor activation thiol OR sulfhydryl "two state" - http://ow.ly/R9WI #receptor #pharmacology #science

@davidperrey Never seen a review by Twitter before! @rlanzara is trying it using these hashtags - check it out: #receptor #pharmacology #science

For my very mini (and biased) review of pharmacology - http://ow.ly/Rab6 #receptor #pharmacology #science

Bio Balance - Reference Library - http://www.bio-balance.com/Ref.htm

A New Exploration Into Science

2009-12-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

Since we only know reality through our senses, we should understand how they work in order to understand how our brains work and since our receptors are the molecules that allow our senses to work, we should understand how our receptors work. Surprisingly, the chemical equilibrium of our receptors may function very much like that of a chemical balance poised between two chemical states ( http://www.bio-balance.com/Receptor1.htm ).

This picture is less complex than others have imagined, but it holds promise to understand and simplify many complex and intertwining realms such as where biology, physics and chemistry intersect. How we relate through our senses and bodies to the physical, chemical and biological realms of our world is certainly a worthwhile endeavor to discover. The tools we need to understand these concepts require nothing more than our initial curiosity, patience and some high school algebra.

The physical foundation begins with the study of a simple two pan balance. Although my and most people’s initial reaction is that most everything is already know about the simple balance so what could it possibly have to do with understanding our senses or the world? In fact, if we examine the ways that a balance can be balanced, we find that there are two ways to establish balance. This in and of itself may not seem like much of a breakthrough observation, but by combining and solving for a shift in the mass (weight) from one side to the other we can derive a fundamental equation of equilibrium ( http://tinyurl.com/b8u2vg ) that can be used to understand how our senses function ( http://tinyurl.com/bkf8yb ).

Understanding these concepts is the beginning of understanding how it could be that the receptor process bends the sensory function by a ratio-preserving compression and thereby permits the coupling of the organism to such dynamic ranges of stimuli. By linking these concepts to the chemical concept of Langmuir binding of a chemical entity such as a drug or molecule to another molecule such as a receptor, we can derive mathematical expressions that represent pharmacological dose-response curves ( http://www.bio-balance.com/Graphics.htm ).

Deriving these expressions requires no more than some careful algebra, but leads to several important insights about the physical, chemical and biological relationships that govern how our sensory receptors “see” the world. It turns out that we don’t sense the world in a linear way, which means that we tend to underestimate both the small and larger ends of the stimulus response curve. Perhaps it is in these realms where our senses are not ideal for detecting changes that we may find a better or more accurate understanding of the universe in which we live.

How We Sense Reality - No Really!

2009-06-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

The fascinating problem is to truly understand how we “see” reality for who knows, but that our senses may not be entirely up to the task for us to understand the universe. We certainly have found that we need tools that extend our senses into realms where we could before only dream. These tools allowed us to see vast distances both into space and the atomic realms, but perhaps we need a more nuanced approach that understands how we perceive the universe in order to truly understand it.

Since we only know reality through our senses, we should understand how they work in order to understand how our brains work; and therefore, since our receptors are the molecules that allow our senses to work, we should better understand how our receptors work. Surprisingly, the chemical equilibrium of our receptors may function very much like a chemical balance that is poised between two chemical states ( http://www.bio-balance.com/Receptor1.htm ).

This picture is more simple than many others have imagined, but it may hold promise to truly understand and simplify many heretofore complex yet intertwining realms. How we relate through our senses and bodies to the physical, chemical and biological realms of our world is certainly a worthwhile endeavor to discover. The tools we need in order to understand these concepts are nothing more than our initial curiosity, patience and some high school algebra.

The physical foundation begins with the study of a simple two pan balance. Although my and most people’s initial reaction is that most everything is already know about the simple balance so what could it possibly have to do with understanding our senses or the world? In fact, if we examine the ways that a balance can be balanced, we find that there are two ways to reestablish balance. This in and of itself may not seem like much of a breakthrough observation, but by combining and solving for a shift in the mass (weight) from one side to the other we can derive a fundamental equation of equilibrium ( http://tinyurl.com/b8u2vg ) that can be used to understand how our senses function ( http://tinyurl.com/bkf8yb ).

Understanding these concepts is the beginning of understanding how it could be that the receptor process bends the sensory function by a ratio-preserving compression and thereby permits the coupling of the organism to such dynamic ranges of stimuli. By linking these concepts to the chemical concept of Langmuir binding of a chemical entity such as a drug or molecule to another molecule such as a receptor, we can derive mathematical expressions that represent pharmacological dose-response curves ( http://www.bio-balance.com/Graphics.htm ).

Deriving these expressions requires no more than some careful algebra, but leads to several important insights about the physical, chemical and biological relationships that govern how our sensory receptors “see” the world. It turns out that we don’t sense the world in a linear way, which means that we tend to underestimate both the small and larger ends of the stimulus response curve. Perhaps it is in these realms where our senses are not ideal for detecting changes that we may find a better or more accurate understanding of the universe in which we live.