Euan Arnott
@Nucleocapsoid
Pinning this to help convert between multiple alternative numbering systems in use for influenza H5N1 hemagluttinin.
In addition, we have made a page to help convert between the many confusing numbering schemes used to name HA mutations: dms-vep.org/Flu_H5_America… (Throughout we use H3 numbering, but other studies use other schemes)
🚨 VAPING while pregnant
Pregnant mice exposed to the base ingredient of most vape 'juices' develop babies with smaller, narrower skulls. It suggests that even nicotine-free vapes may not be safe, especially if you're pregnant. sciencealert.com/vape-fluid-war…
One plane of aid airdropped on Gaza is roughly equivalent to a small Tesco Metro. Imagine pretending dropping the contents of a Tesco Metro on 2 million starving people is somehow an adequate response to famine.
Dropping food from the air in Gaza is an ineffective sideshow. During my time as UN relief chief we had to stop such aid. Minimal amounts were delivered and chaos and accidents occurred on the ground. All entries into Gaza have to be opened and distribution handed back to UN.
Shocking video and caption from YINONEWS, which is founded and run by the israeli journalist and former member of Knesset Yinon Magal. It is the latest video of Beit Hanoun, north Gaza. It’s where I taught in three schools. It’s where many of my students lived, some of whom were…
The IDF is going to let aid in, that they definitely were not blocking, to address the starvation of Gaza’s civilians, that they claimed wasn’t happening.
🚨🚨🚨The IDF is going to implement humanitarian pauses in the fighting in several population centers in Gaza starting Sunday morning and until Sunday evening to allow the UN and other aid organizations safe access for the delivery of aid, Israeli official tells me
Even if this leads to meaningful change--still obviously TBD--the Israeli government's decision in March to break the ceasefire, blockade Gaza, and escalate militarily will prove to have been catastrophic. It made no real difference against Hamas, led to immeasurable additional…
🚨🚨🚨The IDF is going to implement humanitarian pauses in the fighting in several population centers in Gaza starting Sunday morning and until Sunday evening to allow the UN and other aid organizations safe access for the delivery of aid, Israeli official tells me
This is the best ever true news BBC ever made about Israel, 4 minutes but every minute is extremely important
It's very simple. And it has nothing to do with whether you think Israel has the right to exist, or antizionism is antisemitism or Hamas's responsibility. Do you or do you not believe children should be starved to death for the crime of being born in Gaza. That's it.
Just sending a few emails. Templates are all written for you. So easy to do. Takes 10 mins. If we all send letters to our MP/School it WILL make a difference. Get emailing ...cleanairforkids.co.uk/help-us
🎯
…and a warning about how disinformation can be packaged in a science-like format, custom-made to be cited by the grifters who have hijacked the 🇺🇸 public health apparatus.
Excited to share our paper identifying that bat coronavirus HKU5 uses ACE2 from its native bat host and American mink as a receptor. This highlights farmed mink has a high risk intermediate host for HKU5-like viruses. nature.com/articles/s4146… @YaleIBIO @YaleMed
July 25th update: Summer wave starting, lead by surge in Florida. XFG appears to be a partial driver, breaching 50% in early July. NB.1.8.1* lower at 15-20%. 🔸220,000 new infections/day 🔸~1 in 150 currently infected 🔸~1 in 380 are reasonably infectious
So contribution directly from wild birds of local wetland likely NEGLIGIBLE? Hence thought there might be LP H7 outbreak at Palo Alto cat rescue center(s) - c.f. published H7N2 in NY cats 2017-8. Respiratory infections common in cat rescue & LP H7 manifests mildly in felines.
Palo Alto is a separate sewer system (stormwater and wastewater are handled in separate pipes) Stormwater=separate system of pipes and discharged directly into SF Bay or Pacific Ocean Wastewater=treated at Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant before being discharged
“One day, when it’s safe, when there’s no personal downside to calling a thing what it is, when it’s too late to hold anyone accountable, everyone will have always been against this.” — Omar El Akkad
A joint statement on Gaza from AFP, AP, BBC News and Reuters
Oh, good grief!
Wikipedia is one of the few remaining unalloyed Good Things about the internet... so *of course* it's being put at risk by the Online Safety Act.
What will happen if a high-lethality influenza spills over and we have no vaccines ready? A bleak and flippant answer occurs to me.... But for a more sensible answer, read this:
AFD Blog `Frontiers: HPAI: #Pandemic #Preparedness for a Scenario of High Lethality with No Vaccines' afludiary.blogspot.com/2025/07/fronti…