The Dose: The Intricate Art of Blackwater Photography
Omicron overpowers, stress-related hair loss and the intricate art of backwater photography
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The Serious Stuff
In this section, we share the most important pandemic and science updates.
🦠 Omicron overpowers. Preliminary experiments found that Omicron is either completely or partially resistant to all available monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments for COVID-19. Given that the Omicron variant has an extensively mutated spike protein with over 30+ mutations, it is not surprising that mAb treatments bind less effectively to it compared to previous variants. Existing mAb treatments that are partially effective will be rationed in the US and provided based on need. Fortunately, oral antivirals such as Paxlovid and Molnupiravir appear to be effective against Omicron, and Moderna & Pfizer boosters continue to offer increased protection. Read more
📈 5x higher risk. The CDC has recently released findings from analyzing case trends from April to December 2021. The results once again show that vaccines are effective at preventing infection. Back when the Delta strain was still the predominant strain, unvaccinated individuals were 14X more likely to become infected compared to individuals who were vaccinated and boosted. Now, as Omicron is becoming increasingly prevalent, unvaccinated individuals were 5x more likely to get infected. Read more
💇♀️ Stress-related hair loss. Did you know that our hair undergoes a cycle of growth, loss, and regrowth that is controlled by an internal clock? Otherwise known as telogen effluvium (TE), stress-related hair loss occurs when sudden shock or stress interferes our internal clock. When this occurs, our body increases the number of hairs that enter the ‘telogen’ or resting phase, where hair stops growing and gets pushed out by new hair. Some common causes of TE are illness, childbirth, fever, stress, malnutrition or certain medications. Some studies have suggested that COVID-19 can be a cause of TE a few months after illness. However, since hair loss from TE is temporary, the hair will grow back in time. Read more
The Beautiful Stuff
In this section, we share pieces at the intersection of science and art that have us obsessed.
⚓️ Jack of two trades. It’s 2am, and a group of scuba divers are putting their gear on, camera in hand, all ready to enter the open ocean to capture the most exquisite pictures of fish we have never seen before. Meet the blackwater photography group- an international community diver-photographers who are passionate about capturing the beauty that lies in the deep sea.
📸 Blackwater photography is done over very deep water, where a downline and lights are used to attract photography subjects. We are beyond mesmerized by the sheer beauty that has been captured by these talented individuals. Check out this peculiar yet adorable diamond squid (no larger than a lentil!) captured in Anilao, Philippines.
🤿 An intricate art that combines strong dive technique and photography craftsmanship, these photographers describe their art as “a portal into a world where very few will ever go.” Active members of their community includes scientists who help identify subjects photographed during these black water dives. Join their facebook group here and feast your eyes on more shots of these strange, bizarre creatures.
🧠 Interested in neuroscience and want a quick visual crash course into the intricate wirings of the brain? Check out this clip produced by the USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute to get a 360-degree snapshot of the brain’s grey and white matter, the amygdala, brainstem, hippocampus, a single neurone and more.
🎨 Comic strips creating better care. Graphic Medicine- an unlikely but necessary partnership between healthcare and comics. If you’re a caregiver struggling to care for someone with medical needs, this story will resonate with you. For artist Sam Hester, a few hand-drawn comics became worth a thousand words she didn’t have the time to say when caring for her mom. Her doodles even became the unexpected bridge between her and her doctors. Watch the full clip here.
😪 Fighting three pandemic waves? Photographer Cédric Gerbehaye gives our overworked healthcare workers a chance to let loose the sheer stress and exhaustion that has accumulated over the past two years. Capturing the raw fatigue and weariness that has been bearing on the backs of our frontlines, this series provided our heroes with much-needed catharsis. Experience here.
🌳 Re-imagine trees. How complex are root systems really? Well, the answer is- extremely! Pair this illuminating sketch with another piece exploring the labyrinth of connections between tree roots- also sometimes fondly referred to as the wood-wide web. Trees don’t simply communicate via their root systems-but also through the chemicals they secrete into the air to warn neighbouring trees of incoming invaders.
The Personal Stuff
❤️ The Intern Corner
This week, we asked our team the question, “If you were a famous author, what would be the title of your best-selling book?”
Miguel Borbon: “Took me a while to think about, but it would be: ‘Dad Hats’. It would be either autobiographical or a fictional story about fathers.”
April English: “I've actually written a book about my life, for a university project! I called it, ‘The Adventurer.’”
Veda Bojar: “‘Prism’ and it would be about you having a dinner with all your other selves in the multiverse. You’d be talking about what you ended up doing, who you met, what’s important for you in your life, etc! And it must have a really cool spine!”
Asma Khan: “It’d be ‘I Scream Happy’ and it would be about how desserts make people happy!”
Tiffany Marie: “Let's go with Live Life with Confidence & Confetti.”
What would your answer be? Hit reply and let us know!
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