All posts by Keith

I’m a controversialist and catalyst, quietly enabling others to develop by providing different ideas and views of the world. Born in London in the early 1950s and initially trained as a research chemist I retired as a senior project manager after 35 years in the IT industry. Retirement is about community give-back and finding some equilibrium. Founder and Honorary Secretary of the Anthony Powell Society. Chairman of my GP's patient group.
medical, science

Monkeypox 3: Viral Replication

Following up on my earlier comment about monkeypox being a DNA virus and different to SARS-Cov-2 (which is an RNA virus), I figured a bit more (very low tech) explanation may help. First off some very simple explanations. (Don’t worry if you don’t know what any of these things are; just think of them as “stuff” or “method”.)

Virus. A pseudo-cell basically composed of some minimal amount of genetic code (DNA or RNA) encapsulated in a lipid (ie. fatty) membrane. It is unable to reproduce on it’s own and has to hijack the machinery of a host cell to make more copies of itself.

DNA. This is the chemical code which holds all our genes. It is composed of the “double helix” of two strands of DNA twined round each other – think of two intertwined springs. In order for the cell machinery to read the text of the DNA the two strands have to be zipped apart and then afterwards zipped back together. Think of this as a whole jumbled box of knitting patterns

RNA. This is essentially a short piece of code created from a piece of a single strand of DNA; it typically provides the instructions for making a single protein. Think of it as a single knitting pattern, extracted from that box of patterns.

Transcription is the process of unzipping the DNA and copying it to make the RNA; this happens only in the cell nucleus (the strong box which holds the DNA). As in all copying, errors can creep in. So the machinery in the cell nucleus contains a proofreading function which finds the errors and discards the overwhelming majority of them.

There are essentially two types of virus, characterised by how they store their genetic information: DNA viruses and RNA viruses.

DNA viruses (for example, monkeypox) have to insert their genetic code, held as DNA, into the cell nucleus, as that’s the only place where it can be transcribed into RNA. So transcription errors are booted out by the proofreading function and mutation happens very rarely.

RNA viruses (for example, SARS-Cov-2 and flu) don’t have DNA; their genetic code is held as RNA. RNA doesn’t use the cell nucleus for transcription and hence can’t take advantage of the proofreading function. So transcription errors don’t get weeded out and mutations happen very frequently.

The process of using RNA as a blueprint to make proteins etc. is called translation.

And that is an incredibly simplified description of the processes. The details are hideously complex, so hideously complex one can quite see why some people find it hard to believe this has arisen through evolution.

Here’s an equally very simplified diagram (what I drew) of the processes.

Very basic cell process and how it’s used by viruses
Click the image for a larger view

So that hopefully shows why Covid-19 is dangerous, why we need a new flu vaccine every year, and why we hopefully don’t need to be too worried about monkeypox.

medical

Monkeypox 2. More Background

Here’s some more background on Monkeypox, following my item from Friday.

Let’s be very clear, right up front … We are not witnessing another Covid, and we’re not days away from lockdowns to contain the spread of monkeypox. However, this is an unusual and unprecedented monkeypox outbreak which has taken scientists who specialise in the disease by surprise – and that’s always a concern. [4]

Spread & Behaviour

  1. Monkeypox is so rare that that most doctors will never see a case in their lifetimes. [2]
  2. Monkeypox is not known to spread easily between people, although cases emerging in several countries at once, and signs of transmission in the community is striking. [1,2]
  3. However the UKHSA saying the risk to the population “remains low”. [1]
  4. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states: “Human-to-human transmission is thought to occur primarily through large respiratory droplets. Respiratory droplets generally cannot travel more than a few feet, so prolonged face-to-face contact is required.” [1]
  5. The virus doesn’t usually spread easily between people as it requires prolonged close contact. [3]
  6. Its R value is generally less than 1, so outbreaks naturally peter out. [3]
  7. Monkeypox can also spread through close contact or by contact with clothing, towels or bedding used by an infected person. [1,3]
  8. It isn’t regarded as a sexually transmitted infection, but it can be passed on during sex via skin-to-skin contact. (This should not be surprising!) [1]
  9. It’s not clear why gay and bisexual men are disproportionately affected. Are sexual behaviours making it easier to spread, or is this just coincidence? After all this is, in general, a community that is more aware of sexual health and getting checked out. [4]
  10. So the latest cases raise many questions and the scientists don’t really have the sense yet of what’s driving this, especially as there’s no travel link that’s identified that links the cases. [2]
  11. So the scientists are very much in response mode: trying to identify cases and trace potential contacts. And because many of the cases don’t join up scientists are aware they’re seeing only the tip of the iceberg. [2,4]

Symptoms

  1. The incubation period between infection and symptoms is long, ranging from five to 21 days. [3]
  2. The first symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. [1]
  3. A rash can also develop, typically on the face first and then on other parts of the body, mainly hands, feet and genitals. The rash can initially look like chickenpox, before forming scabs. [1]
  4. Swollen lymph nodes are a defining feature found in monkeypox but not so common in chickenpox. Currently there are very few kids with monkeypox but the UK is seeing a big surge in chickenpox. So sick kids are more likely to have chickenpox, but be vigilant. [5]
  5. The pictures of large blisters and scabs in the media are an unusual presentation and thought to be more common with the more serious Congo strain of the virus. Most presentation is with small pustules and lesions which are no more than 5mm in size. (Pictures in the references.) [5]

Different Strains

  1. There are two main types of monkeypox: the Congo strain and the West African strain. Only the West African strain has been identified in the UK. [1]
  2. The death rate from the Congo strain is thought to be 1 in 10, whereas it is only 1 in 100 for the West Africa strain.
    These are likely to be upper estimates as it is unknown how many (mild) cases go unreported. [1]
  3. It is unknown at this time if the current outbreak is due to a new strain of monkeypox. The sequencing work now being carried out should tell us. [1]
  4. Very early genetic analysis suggests the current cases are very closely related to forms of the virus seen in 2018 and 2019. It is too early to be sure, but for now there is no evidence this is a new mutant variant at play. [4]

Treatments

  1. The antiviral drug tecovirimat is approved in Europe for treating monkeypox, smallpox and cowpox; and approved in the US for smallpox. [1]
  2. The Jynneos vaccine is approved in the US and Europe for preventing monkeypox and smallpox in people aged over 18.
  3. In addition, those who are old enough to have been vaccinated against smallpox as babies should have some protection. Routine smallpox vaccination ended in the UK in 1971 and in the US in 1972. [1]

Pandemic?

  1. Monkeypox isn’t COVID. They’re very different diseases caused by different viruses with markedly different properties. COVID was completely unfamiliar when it first appeared, but monkeypox is a known quantity, and experts on the virus actually exist. [3]
  2. While researchers aren’t completely ruling out a pandemic, they don’t think it is at all likely. [1]
  3. Experts stress that monkeypox is very different from coronavirus. Monkeypox is a DNA virus so it does not mutate as rapidly as Covid or flu. [4]
  4. They’re also saying it’s important not to put this on the same level as a novel coronavirus. [1]
  5. Nevertheless monkeypox is a test of the lessons that the world has (or hasn’t) learned from COVID. [3]
  6. The US, at least, is in a better position with monkeypox than with Covid. They had not planned for a coronavirus pandemic, but they have spent decades thinking about how to handle smallpox bioterrorism. [3]
  7. The UKHSA are saying the risk to the UK population amid the ongoing outbreak “remains low”. [1]

Finally … Be vigilant. If you’re at all concerned phone 111 (in UK) or your doctor. But if you think you might have monkeypox DON’T just turn up at a doctor’s surgery (or sexual health clinic, or hospital); phone ahead so they know you’re coming and can prepare appropriate PPE and protective measures. [5]

References

[1] https://www.newscientist.com/article/2321212-could-monkeypox-become-a-pandemic-heres-everything-you-need-to-know/
[2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/05/18/monkeypox-faq/
[3] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-61524508
[5] Meaghan Kall of UKHSA on Twitter; https://twitter.com/kallmemeg/status/1528044499288657920

food+drink

Culinary Adventures #85: Peach & Apple Tart

Here’s another simple concoction.

This Peach and Apple Tart is so simple I’m not even going to write a full recipe.

First off, see what you have in the cupboard. As well as a block of puff pastry we had some frozen cooking apple and a big jar of peaches in brandy. But you could use almost any fruit (or roast(?) veg if you want a savoury version).

By now you know how to make a pastry case and blind bake it. If not, see this BBC Food video; it works for shortcrust and puff pastry. I prefer to use bought puff pastry – as I did in this case – but I will make shortcrust (see here). I don’t worry about my results looking as pristine as in the video – this is neither a restaurant nor a competition!

When I’d got my blind-baked pastry case, I put a layer of apple in the bottom and topped it with the peach halves. There was some of the light syrup left from the peaches, so I drizzled a couple of teaspoons of this on the apple in the gaps between the peaches. I finished off with a few fragments of walnut and glazed the edges of the pastry with some more of the syrup.

This was then baked for about 30 minutes, covered with foil for the last 15 minutes to stop the pastry over browning. When removed from the oven I immediately glazed the peaches and pastry again with the syrup, and left it too cool before removing from the tin.

Straight from the oven, having been glazed.
OK, it isn’t pretty, but we’re not in a competition.

Had I had any I would have used either glacé cherries or candied peel instead of the walnuts. But the idea here is to use what you happen to have – and if necessary be able to rustle something up quickly.

amusements, beliefs

May Quiz Answers

OK, so here are the answers to this month’s quiz questions. All should be able to be easily verified online.

May Quiz Questions: Mythology & Religion

  1. In Greek mythology who or what guards the gates of the Underworld? Cerberus, a three-headed dog
  2. Theravada and Mahayana are branches of which major world religion? Buddhism
  3. Which group of traditionalist Christians of Swiss German Anabaptist origins was founded by Jakob Ammann? The Amish
  4. According to Norse legend, what animals pulled Thor’s chariot across the sky? Two goats
  5. What three words begin the Book of Genesis? In the beginning

Answers were correct when questions were compiled in late 2021.

medical

Monkeypox

OK guys, so here’s another (not quite new) zoonotic disease for us to get our heads round and which piques my forensic nature: Monkeypox.

As of writing there are now 20 cases reported in the UK [1], with over 100 across mainland Europe [5] – where there seems to be a hotspot in Spain – and cases in the US, Canada and Australia. It is being suggested [2] that a number of cases will be being missed due to a similarity with chickenpox.

Monkeypox is a viral disease which is thought to be carried mostly by rodents and is prevalent in remote central and western areas Africa. Cases outside Africa are almost always associated with travel to that continent. That makes the current outbreak in the UK and beyond especially interesting. Although the first reported UK case in early May was in someone recently returned from west Africa, many of the more recent cases apparently do not have an obvious connection to African travel. Perhaps even more interesting is that a significant number of the UK cases are in men who have sex with men (MSM).

The virus is not transmitted in the same way as Covid or flu, but through close bodily contact with an infected person; it can enter the body through broken skin, the airways, eyes, nose or mouth [3]. However it has not previously been described as a sexually transmitted infection – although sex tends to involve close bodily contact! Spread is also possible from infected animals (eg. monkeys, rodents) or from virus-contaminated objects (eg. bedding and clothing).

Unfortunately the initial symptoms are very much like most viral illnesses: fever, headaches, swollen glands, back pain, aching muscles and a general listlessness. Only later does the rash develop; it often begins on the face, and then spreads to other parts of the body, most commonly the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The rash, which can be extremely itchy, goes through several stages before forming a scab, which later falls off. Although there is no treatment for monkeypox, and no specific vaccine, most cases resolve within 2-3 weeks.

As the name implies, monkeypox is an Orthopoxvirus very closely related to smallpox (also cowpox). The smallpox vaccine is reportedly highly effective protection [3], so anyone who has been vaccinated against smallpox should have some protecton. Have you been vaccinated against smallpox? Smallpox vaccination was compulsory in the UK between 1853 and 1971 [4] so many people over 50 will have been vaccinated, although apparently compliance was falling before the vaccination requirement was removed.

Should we be worried? Current advice is NO. The risk to the public at large is thought to be very low especially as the virus does not spread easily. But then we originally thought that about Covid-19. So no, don’t panic or be alarmed; but do remain alert and if in any doubt about symptoms talk to your GP.

References
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-61506562
[2] https://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/20154025.monkeypox-cases-uk-double-20/
[3] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-45665821
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545998/
[5] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/monkeypox-virus-infection-case-symptoms-live-uk-b2083515.html

food+drink

Culinary Adventures #84: Superior Cheese Scones

Here’s another experiment from last weekend. And one which turned out as brilliantly as I had hoped.

Superior Cheese Scones

Superior Cheese Scones, straight out of the oven.
Note the tiny one from the ends of the pastry!

Makes about 12 small or 6 large
Prep Time: about 15 minutes
Cooking Time: about 25 minutes

Ingredients

280g Self-Raising Flour
50g Butter
150g Cheddar Cheese, grated; plus a bit extra for topping
160ml Milk
1 tsp Baking Powder (yes as well as the SR flour)
Pinch or two of Salt (not too much as the cheese is salty)
1 tbsp fresh ground Black Pepper
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
1 tbsp Garlic Paste
1 Egg, beaten (for glazing)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200/fan 180/gas 5, and line a baking tray with parchment.
  2. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl, with the salt.
  3. Add the butter and rub in to combine to breadcrumb consistency.
  4. Add the cheese and black pepper and mix thoroughly.
  5. Add the tomato paste and garlic paste, followed by the milk a little at a time, to get a soft, pliable but not sticky dough. Go carefully with the milk as you may not need it all; or you may need a splash more.
  6. On a floured surface roll out the dough to about 1″ (2.5cm) thick.
  7. Use a pastry cutter to cut out circles and place them on the baking sheet, being sure to leave a gap between each one.
    Carefully reform any trimmings as they’ll likely make 1 or 2 more scones.
  8. Brush the scones with the egg, and top with a sprinkle of cheese.
  9. Bake for about 25 minutes, until risen and golden.
  10. Allow to cool on a wire rack (if they last that long!).

Notes

  1. When cut the scones should be light and moist; and they’ll be a golden orange colour from the tomato.
  2. Enjoy them with butter, or cheese, or … <well your choice>.
  3. We used Applewood cheese, which came through really well and gave the scones a lovely slightly smoked flavour, with a subtle background of tomato and garlic.
  4. If you double up the mixture, you’ll still only need one egg.
  5. I might try this with some olives instead of the tomato and garlic.
quotes

Monthly Quotes

This month’s selection of quotes encountered.

In every way, the notion of women’s unsuitability didn’t just happen. It was systematically and consciously created. And, of course, another way of keeping women in their place is to insist that their minds just don’t allow them to inhabit traditional male bastions.
[Prof. Stephen Reicher]

In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
[George Orwell]

The most amazing thing about the human mind is that you literally never have to stop putting things into it; you can always learn more if you want to, and there is always more to learn.
[Katie Mack]

[T]here are parts of your own body less known than the bottom of the ocean, or the surface of Mars. Most researchers I talked to blamed this dearth of knowledge on the black-box problem: the female body is considered more complex, more obscure, with much of its plumbing tucked up inside. To get inside it, we’ve needed high-tech imaging tools, tools that have only come around in recent decades. When I heard these answers, I couldn’t help thinking of what science has done in the twenty-first century: put a rover on Mars, made a three-parent baby, built an artificial sheep uterus. And we couldn’t figure out the composition of vaginal mucus?
[Rachel Gross; Vagina Obscura]

For centuries, science has been treating women as walking wombs, baby machines and incubators of new life. This narrow perspective has prevented us from asking questions and making advancements that could help all of us live longer, healthier lives. It’s time for a paradigm shift. We need to finally see the female body for what it truly is: a powerful constellation of interlocking elements, each part indivisible from the whole, that work together to support our health from cradle to grave. As we fill in the missing parts of this picture, we will undoubtedly expand our understanding of all bodies.
[Rachel Gross; https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/may/09/the-big-idea-why-we-need-to-rewrite-the-history-of-female-bodies]

We have the most profound and bizarre psychological block against providing assistance to people in need in cash. We insist against all evidence that they will mostly waste it. In fact cash is the single most practical, efficient and effective intervention for improving lives.
[Rory Stewart]

Listen carefully to everything your children want to tell you, no matter what. If you don’t listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won’t tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big.
[Catherine M Wallace]

Life. One long panic punctuated by cups of tea.

The goddess [Kali] symbolises, we are told, evil being cut away, hypocrisy undone, abusive powers crushed. I rather hoped the necklace of severed male heads she wears might be portraits of well-known oppressors, but no, they mostly look like Salvador Dalí.
[Marina Warner; https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/may/16/goddesses-marina-warner-volcanic-power-of-witches-she-devils-divinities-british-museum]

food+drink

Culinary Adventures #83. Asparagus

2 Comments

We love asparagus. But we don’t like having things flown halfway round the world if avoidable. So we normally only have British asparagus when it’s in season from April to June. And anyway British asparagus is far superior in terms of flavour, although it needs to be used as fresh as possible. Here are three tips.

Size. Don’t be afraid to buy thin asparagus spears – often called sprue. They’re going to be more tender, and often better flavoured, than the more ubiquitous tree trunks.

Trimming. You need to remove the bottom part of the asparagus spear as it will be relatively woody. Don’t use a knife and guess where to cut. Hold the spear at the bottom and about two-thirds of the way up and bend it sharply towards you. The bottom quarter or third will break off naturally leaving the most luscious top to eat. If you’re making vegetable stock, throw the woody base of the spears in that; otherwise compost them.

Cooking. This is a tip I recently spotted in a food magazine. So you’re cooking a pasta dish and want asparagus to go in it. The easiest way to cook the asparagus is to cut into 2-3cm lengths and add it to the cooking pasta about 2 minutes before the pasta is done. Then when the pasta is cooked you can spoon pasta and asparagus straight into the sauce (along with that all important spoonful of pasta water).

food+drink

Culinary Adventures #82. Using Up Tomatoes

Last week we had a surplus of small, soft, tomatoes and a couple of older peppers. So I used them with some onion and garlic to make what amounted to vegetable jam, only without any added sugar. It is dead easy.

Quarter any normal size tomatoes, and skin them if you can be bothered. Chop the pepper into 2cm pieces. Sweat a chopped onion and some garlic (as much as you like) in a tablespoon of olive oil until going translucent. Add the tomatoes and pepper. (You could add any other veg, like courgette, fennel, aubergine. I’d avoid mushrooms as they’ll make the mixture a less appetising dark colour.) Season with fresh ground black pepper, add some chopped herbs and half a glass of cooking brandy. Leave to simmer gently until the tomatoes are breaking down and everything is reducing – probably about 30 minutes. When cooked, allow to cool before putting it in the fridge.

This will keep 2-3 days in the fridge; or you could eat it hot, like ratatouille.

I used ours to make a tart. Drain any excess liquid from the tomato mix. Put the mix in a blind-baked tart case and dot with dollops of Boursin cheese (or any cheese of your choice). Ours made a 20cm square flan tin and used just over half a Boursin. Bake for 20-30 minutes in an oven at about 200°C until golden; cover with foil if necessary as the Boursin tends to blacken easily. The tart is best enjoyed warm or cold, with some green salad and a glass of light white wine.