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About Ginsense

Ginsense loves to share knowledge in business, science, health, environment, advocating for improving our lives next to working quietly on embroidery projects.

10 Experimental Medical Treatment Discoveries

Education, , , , , , , , , ,

Medical research aka clinical research perform tests and procedures in the laboratory. Development of a drug or treatment is created, and eventually tests are done with animals. Shall we explore the 10 Experimental Medical treatment discoveries?

Once they are at a stage where there are no side effects or fatalities then choosing to move with the most promising experimental treatments into ‘clinical trials’ are planned. These are steps that are all conducted in ‘phases’, starting with research of molecules or elements, development of a drug then testing on animals.

Once testing is found safe with no harmful side effects, it then moves into the first phase with a small group of qualified people. Qualified people refers to those with specific health issues.

Begin with a Call – Out

The health team will continue delivering health care services, and the new treatments or tests ordered by the, or a team of Doctor(s) to measure and evaluate the outcome with help from qualified patients.

The team must first seek government ‘approval‘ to dispense the medications, and/or procedures. Volunteer patients safety is a mandatory priority.

A call-out for volunteers is made, usually for the latest promising medical drug or treatments. Would you volunteer or be willing to join a clinical trial with pay?

the 10 Experimental Medical Treatment Discoveries

  • Canadian study discovers way to make ‘universal’ organs for all transplant recipients, 2022

A new first-of-its-kind study out of Canada has discovered a way to make “universal” organs that could be used in all transplant recipients regardless of their blood type. The proof-of-concept study has demonstrated the possibility of safely converting blood type in donor organs for transplantation, which would make the wait shorter for patients, but also decrease mortality. Read more.

  • Experimental treatment helps patients hospitalized with COPD, 2021

People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can no longer take in all the air they need. A research team investigated the use of hyaluronan a long-chain sugar that’s naturally secreted by many tissues, including within the lungs. Read more.

  • This experimental drug could change the field of cancer research,2022

A tiny group of people just experienced something of a scientific miracle: their cancer simply vanished after an experimental treatment.The trial resulted in every single one of their tumors disappearing. Read more.

  • Experimental Brain Cancer Treatment Is a Success, 2016

Using the immune system to beat cancer is quickly becoming a promising new strategy for battling tumors. A report published in the New England Journal of Medicine say that the same immuneotherapy that is successful against blood cancers also helped a patient with advanced brain cancer. Read more.

  • How an experimental treatment beat a little girl’s cancer,2022

The first child ever to receive genetically-modified T cells. The experimental treatment cured her leukemia, and the success of her case has allowed all kinds of cellular therapies to be developed. Read more.

  • Experimental approach to treating pancreatic cancer heralded as a success,2022

A new gene therapy shrank the tumors of a woman with pancreatic cancer. Researchers think it has the potential to benefit millions more people. Read more.

  • Nasal cartilage relieves osteoarthritis in the knee, 2021

Cartilage cells from the nasal septum can help repair cartilage injuries in the knee — they can also withstand the chronic inflammatory tissue environment in osteoarthritis and even counteract the inflammation. Read more.

  • Electrical zaps can ‘reawaken’ lost neural connections, helping paralyzed people walk again, 2022

Scientists identified specific spinal nerve cells that people likely need to regain the ability to walk after paralyzing injuries. Read more.

  • Ebola vaccines in African countries successfully produced antibodies in kids and adults, 2022

The results of two randomized, placebo-controlled trials analyzing three Ebola vaccine administration strategies show promising results. Read more.

  • In a 1st, baby’s heart defect successfully treated with injected stem cells, 2022

A baby underwent heart surgeries for a heart defect, and was the first child on record to receive a stem cell injection to patch his heart after surgery. Read more.

End Phase of the Trial

Clinical trials are carried out in two groups, and four phases. Think of it as going from small to large numbers of people.

If the outcomes, evaluations and follow-up evaluations are positive, the new drug or treatment is nationally accepted then there is no further testing needed. The trials are closed.

A new medication is government approved for public dispensing. Paid volunteers are an important factor to the success of this new drug or treatment. I’m grateful for their courage in taking the trial to give us new medical discoveries.

earn with Payhip

Learn to Explore your Interest

To start your own journey into entering a Cinical trial you can ask your doctor, or he may even ask if you’d be interested. Adults and children may qualify but it’s important to learn as much as possible about the trial.

Some clinical trials will Pay, and others may not. Do not be shy to ASK questions. The main goal is to test, and evaluate the outcomes of new medical treatments or medications.

I think the USA offers payment for clinical trials, and some may offer payment in Canada too. Again, don’t be shy to ask. It’s ok. No animals will be harmed. 🙂

Learning in Motion

Extra Learning Resources

What is Biomedical Research?

U.S. National Library of Medicine – Clinical Trials

Clinical Trials Ontario

I hope you found this article informative and gained some new insight. Please feel free to leave your Comments, and Share your new found knowledge with others. Use the ‘Ask A Question’ form to make a request on a topic of your own interest. It is FREE to subscribe to my RSS feed.

AIC| An Informal Cornr, all rights reserved. Ginsense writes articles on business skills, development, health, science, technology and society and enjoys advocating for independence, security and a better world for all of us.

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What is a Viral Infection?

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Germs are microorganisms that can be a disease producing (pathogenic) agent, and we know they are part of our surrounding environment. They are living organisms (aka biologic agents) that are able to invade and multiply in body tissues that can cause local cellular injury.

Germs have a cellular structure similar to all living things. These infectious germs include bacteria, protozoa, rickettsia, and fungi next to Virus’s. Today, we will explore just what is a Viral infection?


Traits of a Virus

A virus is an infectious agent that has the following traits;

  • able to easily ‘filter‘ through ‘bacteria retaining filters‘ due to their small size
  • contain molecules of nucleic acids, either DNA or RNA (like all living things!)
  • a protein coating, or made of carbohydrates, and fatty materials
  • an inability to grow and replicate outside a living cell

Ok, anyone else thinking about that movie ‘Alien‘ ?

A virus can be particularly dangerous to humans with these traits. They can easily ‘camouflage‘ themselves, and lie ‘dormant‘ in the body’s cells without calling attention to themselves.

Initial Response to a Virus

The virus will invade and affect host cells to act in four ways as follows;

  • may allow the virus to ‘live‘ in it’s cytoplasm where the virus lies dormant
  • may die without reproducing itself
  • may divide and then die
  • is transformed to divide and begins abnormal growth patterns
covid 19 enters various cells in human body

The human body’s immune response system gets triggered once cellular damage begins, and can lead to harm of the body’s cells, or damage to cells in other ways.

A virus can change our cell’s membranes so they’re not recognized by our body causing our immune system to attack our body’s own cells, and get injured or destroyed by our own immune system.

Infectious Process

The process for an infectious virus to spread from person-to-person must be in place. Picture a chain, and the links needed to create it’s length. So must a virus have specific links readied in proper sequence to be passed on.

Covid 19 seeks New Hosts continuously

The infectious disease occurs if their needed links are present and set in proper sequence, as follows;

  • Link I, the germ must be the ‘causative organism‘. Removal of this link can only occur if the causitive organism is destroyed, or changed to be harmless, while in the host cell environment. Otherwise, it will grow into sufficient numbers, and virulence to destroy normal surrounding tissue.
  • Link II, infectious organisms thrive and reproduce in ‘reservoirs‘ in the human body such as body tissues, and wastes of human, (animals and insects) or in food and water that’s contaminated by the virus.
  • Link III, a ‘portal of exit‘ such as the respiratory tract, reproductive tract, and the intestinal tract. Injury to the skin, or mucous membranes also provide portals of entry and exit (Link V) through cuts, tears, infections, or damaged that organisms can enter or leave. Remember the virus is tiny.
  • Link IV, ‘mode of transfer‘ from the host via the hands, air currents, fomites (inanimate objects, cups, books, cupboards, etc.), vectors (insects can harbor germs, and transfer with a bite and sting), droplets from coughing and sneezing, and any means the pathogens can move from place or host to another.
  • Link V, a ‘portal of entry‘ which the pathogens can ENTER the body of a new host
  • Link VI, a ‘susceptible host‘, one who has no, or poor immunity, or lack protective resistance to overcome the invasion of pathogens for infection. Many are susceptible due to age, poor diet, immuno – compromised health, poor living conditions, poor health, exposure to weather elements, stress to the body.

Human Body Response

The human body responds with protective measures to invasive infections with the formation of ‘antibodies‘ and a series of responses from our immune systems starting with symptoms of localized ‘inflammation‘. A covid -19 infection is known to cause a ‘cytokine storm’.

definition – cytokine storm

Classic signs of the ‘inflammatory response‘ are heat, redness, swelling, pain, and/or loss of function. These are physical responses of the physiological changes occurring during the inflammatory response stage.

The location and severity of the inflammation can help identify the source of the response and monitor it’s progression or regression. A viral infection will induce a systemic (whole body) inflammatory response such as headaches, chills, muscle aches, sweating, loss of appetite, and depression.

body organs are ‘reservoirs’ for Covid virus to thrive – one organ goes down, rest will follow

The symptoms alone cannot tell us the difference between flu or Covid-19 since both share similar symptoms. It’s important to get tested for both flu and Covid-19. Check to see if family or close friend can pick up, and drop off a PCR test. Symptoms will begin anywhere 2 – 14 days after exposed to Covid-19, and can range from mild to severe.

Medical concerns with these symptoms are problems that arise such as poor fluid intake, nutrition imbalance, poor comfort, activity intolerance, loss of motion, decline in self-care, frequent urination or defecation, and increased need for rest.

Controlling Infectious Disease

The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) recommended the use of ‘Universal Precautions‘ for healthcare teams in 1987. A directive for health care professionals to view all patient blood, and body fluids as potentially infectious, and to be handled as such.

medical teams use ‘barriers’ to prevent infection for patient and themselves

I think we have all seen health care staff with gloves, caps, masks and gowns, and maybe face shields. All this is similar to ‘personal protective equipment‘ (PPE) but for healthcare staff at medical facilities.This is all part of ‘Universal Precautions’ practice. Are you comfortable entering a hospital knowing, it’s been sanitized?

Major goals for healthcare teams who work with infectious diseases are as follows;

  • promote sanitary standards in communities
  • identify highly susceptible persons to infections
  • reduce the chances of getting or spread of infections
  • promote and deliver immunization programs against infectious diseases
medical team teach people to stay healthy

Unfortunately we have substandard housing, indoor and outdoor rodents, insects, dust, human waste, contaminated foods and water supplies that are all major sources of infections. Do you make efforts to sanitize your home?

Virus’s of Today

Today, we have the SARs-Covid, RSV, and the Flu virus’s going on around us aka the ‘tripledemic‘. Health professionals know that virus’s are continuously evolving, and adapting to their surrounding environment. This includes adapting to bypass the protections from vaccines for the SARS-Covid 19 virus.

prevent covid infection vaccine and tests thank Health teams

Health researchers have released near bi-monthly reports that the Covid virus gets more infectious with every adaptation (new generation), and new names are added to the list of this evolving virus. I don’t think I’m alone trying to remember the name of the latest, or the name of the last virus. 😐

Tiring of Stress Living with a Pandemic

Pandemic fatigue refers to people tiring of the safety precautions set in place by Health officers, and government officials plus worrying about keeping jobs to insure shelter, food and paying the bills. They are no longer ‘mandating‘ masks but tell us, ‘do your best’.

It will be your own responsibility whether you stay healthy or get infected. It will be your responsibility whether you wear a mask, wash your hands, and maintain a safe distance.

Covid Safety Reminder for Pandemic Prevention

I continue wearing my mask, washing my hands, and keeping my distance. I have family with immunocompromised health issues that these infections could seriously cause further damage or death.

definition of immunocompromised

I would rather do my best to Protect my family, friends, and neighbors plus You. So, if you see me with my mask, nod, and don’t mind me. We’re in this together, our scientists are working hard plus studying each new variant to find a cure or improve the vaccine. We can only do our best, to stay alive, stay healthy, have faith in our scientists, and each other.

Learning in Motion

explanation of a virus

Extra Learning Resources

What is Virology?

What is a vaccine? Types, stages for approval

What to know about antiviral drugs and products

I hope you found this article informative and gained some new insight. Please feel free to leave your comments and share your new found knowledge with others. Use the ‘Ask A Question’ form to make a request on a topic of your own interest. It is FREE to subscribe by email or RSS feed.

AIC| An Informal Cornr, all rights reserved. Ginsense writes articles at AIC|An Informal Cornr about business skills and development, health, science, technology, society, and enjoys advocating for independence, security and a better world for all of us. Learn something new 🙂 Visit today!


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How to Plan your Financial Future

Saving our Money, , , , , , , , , ,

The fairy tales of yore would tell how the son left home for the road to make his fortune. To this day we still hit the road to go forth and make our fortune or we attempt to do so. Our definitions of fortune will differ since no two people or minds, are alike. So, just how do we plan for a financial future in Canada?

Start with Learning Basics

A job may start us off with the ability to survive pay cheque -to- pay cheque. Careful budgeting and spending may result in the ability to build savings. Success depends upon the amount of pay ( which isn’t always great for those on minimum wage) and the self-control we can keep from spending any surplus cash. Do you think you’re able to live on less, keep expenses low, have no debts, to create a surplus of cash to start a building a financial future?

writing the Plan

Wealth, fame and fortune are dreams that are shared by many but some may have no idea where to start. Some of us are lucky to have parents who teach to build, or set their own financial plan, such as a Trust fund, or life insurance, and property, into place for the future of their children.

So we work even harder, or pass our own inheritance gifts onto our children. This can also be known as Estate planning. Others may want to do the same for their children, and it can be done.

A survey to rate financial knowledge found Canadians scored an average of 71%, and Chartered Professional Accountants offer financial literacy programs. Check them out!

Financial Growth Planning Ideas

I gathered a small list of available ideas to consider for building your financial future, and I highly recommend that you do your own research to develop them further :

  • Savings, start a stash of cash into a Trust fund, add to it each month. It ‘s also recommended you have a Emergency fund set in place for the event of income disruption, as the Pandemic has shown us.
  • Diamonds, depending on the 4C’’s, they don’t lose their original value. The Diamond Index provides information about ‘price trends as they happen‘. Updated every hour. Some diamonds are harder to re-sell than others so look for a common easy-to-sell diamond if cash is needed. Remember selling may take time. Ensure your fine jewellery is professionally appraised or you hold a GIA Certificate. A document that verifies a diamond is genuine and provides a description of it’s characteristics.
  • REIT, Real estate investment trust, invest in real estate property with a REIT. Set it to deposit a portion of pay-outs into your own TFSA, RRSP, or other savings account, and to reinvest the other portion. I would suggest trying the popular investment platforms WealthSimple or Qtrade. Check if they offer these services.
  • Collections, some are quite valuable, stamps, coins, art, antiques, hockey cards, to name a few ideas. We may have to think twice about selling some items for quick cash vs holding it for growth of your personal wealth.
  • Bonds and Stocks, some will pay dividends. Again, see if you can have a portion sent to your TFSA, or RRSP. Investment apps may have DRIP services for your investments but do your research.

Wise and careful spending of your monies for building ‘assets‘ such as savings, investments, jewellery, even physical items such as electronics, camera gear, comics, and tools, can contribute to increasing your overall personal ‘net worth‘ though you should plan for items that ‘return‘ money back to you.

Visit PayHip –> here

Your personal net worth refers to things that have value minus debts. Debts such as loans, outstanding bills, credit card balances, back taxes, liens against you. It’s viewed as ‘assets and liabilities’.

It may seem embarrassing to have only a small amount set aside but over time with dedication, each new item added, is a dollar value added to your personal net worth.

quote, Only your mind can produce fear

Don’t be hard on yourself. It’s okay to start small and ‘build‘ each area. It’s important not to be stuck in one area – keep diversity in mind too. Careful not to get caught up in ‘shiny bauble syndrome‘ either and end up being broke.

Records, Money Management and Taxes

Lastly, we must keep Records. Set up file folders, and file the receipts of all your purchases and include pictures. I would also suggest keep a digital copy of your items as a backup. Label these folders with the Year, use colored folders for easier separation of Investments, fine jewellery, vehicles, etc. Store it in a portable file case or box near your desk for monthly review, and updating.

reviewing and update financial portfolio

Include information that belongs to each item identifying any name, address, phone number for each account, policy numbers, accounts, vehicle, etc. Create these files each year. This helps keep financial records and helps prevent problems with the tax man. Ignorance is not an acceptable excuse since Canada Customs and Revenue Agency offers FREE publications for the public. Visit online or your local library.

Organization of each purchase of assets or investments will help you keep your files up-to-date, and stay on track. This means it’s important! to schedule monthly appointments for yourself, review and update your folders, and to stay organized. Use your Notes app on your phone as reminders if adding new items to your financial growth plans.

Secure your Wealth

Last of the last important information. Secure your wealth means to scout for ways to ensure you protect your acquired items. Property insurance that covers theft can help towards the replacement of any stolen item(s). This is where pictures and all the identifying information becomes important for reporting purposes, and you’re able to provide it to your insurance provider.

secure your documents of wealth

Life tosses serious curve balls some days so if the original files are lost, and you stored your digital copy in a bank, good! (still include a second digital back up) but maybe you should check with the insurance provider if digital copies are acceptable. Always be prepared for those unknown events.

Insurance payments are an added expense, yes but it will give you a sense of security too. We don’t have control over our increasing extreme weather patterns that can damage vehicles, homes, or thieves that break in, and steal items from our homes. Again, insurance will be able cover some of the costs of the items depending on what they cover so read the fine print! Something is better than nothing.

secure important hard copy and digital documents

Check around with different banks that offer Safety deposit boxes for an ‘annual‘ fee. This can help keep your expenses down. Make sure you keep a list separate and away from the safety deposit box that lists all items you put in the safety deposit box.

The reports in the news about people’s safety deposit box full of valuable items disappearing from a bank, of all places! Keep a list is like having a ‘trail’. It may help in the recovery of your lost items. Again, something is better than nothing. That little something is a small seed that you can use to grow your financial and personal net worth.

building assets and liabilities

Smile now!

I’ve listed these suggestions to inspire you for your ‘own Financial planning future‘. There are numerous other methods to help pave the way to financial success, such as gigs, and we just have to remember that building wealth is not an overnight sensation.

A quick story, I once knew a man who made $75K a year yet drove an outdated car, and kept his life simple. No regular big spending on ‘stuff‘ but led a quiet life. His words to me were, ‘ never think having money makes you better than others. Stay real, keep your feet on the ground.’ Another elderly gent I had met told me the same advice. I keep their words in mind, and never let ‘pride‘ lead to inhumanity towards others.

Only with careful planning, knowledge, and a steady commitment, and dedication towards building your wealth. Your efforts will pay off. Good luck!

Learning in Motion

Extra Learning Resources

How to Build Personal Wealth: The Truth About Appreciating Assets and Depreciating Assets

Canada Gold | Toronto

52 Week Money Challenge Printable Chart

40 Examples of Personal Assets

Personal Assets: What They Are and Why They Matter

I hope you found this article informative and gained some new insight and knowledge. Please feel free to leave your comments and share your new found knowledge with friends and family. Use the ‘Ask A Question’ form to make a request on a topic of your own interest. It is FREE to subscribe to my RSS feed.

AIC| An Informal Cornr, all rights reserved. Ginsense writes articles on business skills, development, health, science, technology and society and enjoys advocating for independence, security and a better world for all of us.

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