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Human Behavior

This Indonesian Scientist Studies The Worlds Newest Orangutans – Forbes

Bogor Agricultural University researcher Puji Rianti in the field, collecting genetic samples for ... [+] her research in Indonesia.

Puji Rianti's skills as a geneticist and her passion for conservation have made her a researcher at the IPB University in Indonesia, studying the genetics of theTapanuli orangutan, which is only found in a small area in Northern Sumatra.

Rianti was a co-author of the paper that in 2017 described a new species of great apes, the Tapanuli orangutan, Pongo tapanuliensis, which were spotted in the area in 1939 but not rediscovered until 1997.

When I was a girl, I had many dreams of a careers to be a teacher, a police detective, an archaeologist, even a radio announcer and an artist!

But I always had a dream to research in the field with primates. During my study in the university, I had several opportunities to live that dream as a research assistant, Rianti said. I think being a scientist is not always about being a nerd, but about having an excellent communication and negotiation skills.

Then she eventually became a primary researcher of a project, which she said the biggest dream came true.

Her field and genetics experience gave her the opportunity to work in one of the most intriguing scientific questions in the region.

It's always been a big question: how and why can only we have orangutans as Asia's big apes, living only in certain areas in Sumatra and Borneo, she said, What evolutionary moment shaped that?

Rianti also said that there is plenty that we can learn about the evolution of human behavior and culture through this far sister in own primate family.

My work began as a chunk part of these questions, especially the evolutionary genetics part that shapes the orangutans' population nowadays, she said, My study also generates databases for population identification purposes within and between populations and species in Sumatra.

According to Rianti, together with the most significant research consortium of orangutans, she and her fellow researchers were finally able to prove the genetic and behavioral uniqueness of a certain population of Orangutans in Tapanuli in northern Sumatra, culminating in naming a newly named species.

Now, most scientists and conservationist are also interested and willing to study this species, but genetically we still lead in the project because of our expertise and laboratory tools availability, she said.

According to Rianti, even though the Tapanuli orangutan was announced as a new species of orangutans in Sumatra only in 2017, the population is already facing so many threats and life challenges just to keep existing.

It is also challenging to find an individual in the wild, as their appearance is influenced by the availability of food and suitable habitats, she said.

As a scientist and conservationist, I have learned to open my eyes, my ears, and my heart.

In terms of lessons of others in the global south, Rianti says if we want to conserve and safe our natural environment and biodiversity, we need to help people in the area.

They are the one who will keep the habitat safe and sustain. Because it's their home habitat, their life and work, and we shouldn't give up, she said.

Puji Rianti carries out laboratory work at the genetic lab of the Department of Biology IPB ... [+] University at IPB University in Bogor, Indonesia

Rianti is just one of many women making an impact in science and communities in Indonesia. Another is Monica Nirmala is an Indonesian dentist who is now a masters student at Harvards School of Public Health.

RELATED:How Paying Your Doctor In Seeds Helps Save The Rain Forest

She has helped Kinari Webb medical doctor and founder ofHealth In Harmonyto reduce deforestation and provide equitable access to healthcare through Project Alam Sehat Lestari(ASRI)in the village ofSukadanaon the edge of theGunung Palung National Parkin western Borneo.

In order to reduce the impact of health emergencies on the deforestation, the villagers can pay for their healthcare at the clinic with seeds, handicrafts and other non-cash payment options.

Health In Harmony figures show the number of logging households in the community has dropped by 89% over the last 10 years and in the first five years of the program infant deaths per 100 households declined 70%. The community now also has an ambulance.

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This Indonesian Scientist Studies The Worlds Newest Orangutans - Forbes

Human Behavior

There Are Striking Similarities in The Way Bacteria And Humans Settle Into Colonies – ScienceAlert

The way oral bacteria sets up shop in our mouths is not unlike how we humans settle into our cities, a new study has found.

There's a reason bacteria are said to live in 'colonies', and the more we learn about how these tiny architects build their communities, the more familiar their behavior seems to us.

A new study following how multiple individual settlers develop into microcolonies has found growth patterns and dynamics that mirror our own urban inclinations.

"We take this 'satellite-level' view, following hundreds of bacteria distributed on a surface from their initial colonisation to biofilm formation," says Hyun Koo from the University of Pennsylvania.

"And what we see is that, remarkably, the spatial and structural features of their growth are analogous to what we see in urbanisation."

Just as in nature, bacteria in your mouth live in complex structures known as biofilms. In fact, 99.9 percent of prokaryotes live crammed together with millions of other neighbours in one of these settlements.

Biofilms are everywhere, but if they're on your teeth, we refer to them as plaque. This dense and sticky deposit is hard to remove, thereby protecting resident microbes from environmental assaults, like toothpaste, floss or even antibiotics.

It builds up when several individual settlers develop into microcolonies, but exactly how this happens remains underexplored.

Using the oral bacterium Streptococcus mutans, researchers have shown that microbial cells settle at random and regardless of the surface type. Nevertheless, only a subset of colonisers actually begin clustering, expanding their scope "by amalgamating neighboring bacteria into densely populated microcolonies."

"We thought that the majority of the individual bacteria would end up growing," says Koo. "But the actual number was less than 40 percent, with the rest either dying off or being engulfed by the growth of other microcolonies."

Once the clusters arise, something really curious happens: they begin to interact with one another, growing and organising into densely populated "micron-scale microcolonies that further expand and merge" to form a biofilm superstructure.

This sort of cooperation is interesting, as previous studies have reported bacterial competition in other species, especially when there was a scarcity of nutrients.

In this case, the nutrients only impacted the actual forming of the colonies. After that, "the individual microcolonies (distant or in close proximity) continued to grow without disruption until merging with each other, and the merged structures behaved and grew like a single new harmonised community," the researchers write.

Only when more antagonistic foreign species were introduced did it affect that seemingly peaceful unit, and the growth of the microcolonies was lowered.

"These communities (microcolonies) can expand and merge with each other in a collaborative fashion, without competition between adjacent communities," the authors conclude.

(Paula et al., Nature Communications, 2020)

It's the type of growth that indicates "communal behavior between microorganisms", and it looks similar to human urbanisation, where some settlers stay static, while others grow into villages that further expand into densely-populated microcolonies or cities, which then merge into microbial megacities.

Of course, there are limits to this idea of bacterial urbanisation. The authors aren't saying microbes build traffic signs, roads and supply lines, but the general idea is the same and it can not only help us tackle infections better, it might also help us build more sustainably.

"It's a useful analogy, but it should be taken with a grain of salt," Koo says. "We're not saying these bacteria are anthropomorphic. But taking this perspective of biofilm growth gives us a multiscale, multidimensional picture of how they grow that we've not seen before."

The study was published in Nature Communications.

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There Are Striking Similarities in The Way Bacteria And Humans Settle Into Colonies - ScienceAlert

Human Behavior

Wait, What Does The Novel Coronavirus Have To Do With Bats? – Women’s Health

If youre not a member of the scientific or medical community (or, if you are, you're a hero right now!), it might seem like the novel coronavirus came out of nowhere. Now that 191,127 COVID-19 cases in total have been reported on every continent except for Antarctica, many people are wondering exactly where the novel coronavirus came from.

While a lot about the virus is still unknown, part of the answer to that mystery may have to do with an animal more commonly thought of as an important part of any good Halloween decoration display: the bat.

The first cases of COVID-19 (the illness caused by novel coronavirus) can be traced back to a live animal market in Wuhan City, China, according to the CDC. And research suggests that, like other recent viral outbreaks, COVID-19 originated in bats before it made the jump to humans. Here, the details on how bats played a role in this COVID-19 outbreak.

It's unclear exactly how bats picked up novel coronavirus, but researchers do know they carry it and are the reason it's been passed on to humans. COVID-19 is a zoonotic disease, which means it is caused by an animal virus that has been picked up by humans, explains Richard J. Kuhn, PhD, a professor of biological sciences at Purdue University. By Kuhns estimate, about 80 percent of viruses that exist are zoonotic viruses, and they work in both directions: animals can pass them to humans, and humans can pass them back to animals.

The novel coronavirus that caused this current outbreak comes from a family of zoonotic viruses. Viruses from this family have been passed to humans from animals before (more on this later) and usually result in cold- and flu-like respiratory symptoms for humans. But the illnesses they cause can also lead to death in animals, according to a study from the University of California, Berkeley.

However, researchers have found that when bats contract these viruses, their particularly strong immune systems prevent them from getting sick or dying from the infections. This means they can continue to carry and pass on the virus, whereas other animals that contract it may get sick and die, and therefore are less likely to pass it on. The UC Berkeley researchers found that a bats immune system is so strong, in fact, that when a virus infects a bat, the animals immune system response is thought to cause the virus to adapt and replicate even faster. That means when the virus infects an animal with a weaker immune system (lets say a human), the virus is able to wreak havoc.

One of the reasons bats have such strong immune systems is thought to be the fact that they can fly, according to the UC Berkeley study. When they fly, bats elevate their metabolic rates to a level that would hurt other mammals, but for bats, helped them develop an immune system that is able to quickly repair the cell damage caused by flight, the researchers found.

As a virus jumps from species to species, it mutates, which means that researchers won't see an *exact* copy in animals of the novel coronavirus found in humans. But scientists have found a 96 percent genetic match between the virus that's currently infecting humans and a coronavirus that is found in bats, according to a study published in Nature in February.

Kuhn believes that its not likely that novel coronavirus spread directly from bats to humans, but that one or more animals at the market in Wuhan were infected by bats and served as an intermediate host in the transfer of the virus from bats to humans. It's thought that humans then came in contact with an infected animal, or animals, at the market. How exactly the virus was transmitted is still unknown, but some theories include a human consuming an infected animal or touching an infected animal during the butchering process.

While they don't know the exact route the virus took to get to humans, scientists all seem to agree that the novel coronavirus came from animalsparticularly considering other recent disease outbreaks that were caused by zoonotic viruses.

COVID-19 is not the first illness that has made the leap from bats to humans. The viruses that caused SARS, MERS, Ebola, Nipah, Hendra, and Marburg can all be traced back to bats, according to the UC Berkeley researchers, although all were spread through intermediate hosts. While animals and humans have traded diseases back and forth historically, recently, outbreaks that can be traced back to animals have become more commonpartly, at least, due to human behavior.

"This is something that has been increasing probably because weve degraded their habitat and come in more contact directly with more animals," says Kuhn. He also notes that humans have created environments where there are high densities of animals, "whether thats a swine farm or a wet market, in which viruses can spread," he explains. "So, there will continue to be this threat of pathogens moving into a new ecological niche."

Unfortunately, experts say no. Humans come in contact with animals in all sorts of waysby hanging out with pets, consuming animal products, and encroaching upon their habitats. So, Kuhn says, the best thing to do is try to learn from this outbreak and try to be prepared for when the next one occurs.

The question is, will we be able to predict this in the future?" he says. "And were not there yet. We can anticipate that its coming because of our more frequent exposure to animals, but we cant anticipate what its going to look like right now. For Kuhn, one of the keys is developing better technologies that can tell if someone is infected with a virus before they become symptomatic. That way, someone who is sick can be treated and take appropriate action sooner and will hopefully limit the number of other people infected.

So, while researchers continue to investigate these diseases, the most important thing you can do right now is make sure you keep yourself and those around you healthy, per the CDCs guidelines, and look out for the symptoms of the illness in yourself and others, and seek medical help and testing if you suspect you or a loved one has it.

The novel coronavirus is especially serious for the elderly, those who are immunocompromised, and people with chronic conditions. The best way you can prevent the spread of the virus is to practice social distancing, wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face, and implement these other hygiene habits that can help protect the health of your family and community.

Read more:
Wait, What Does The Novel Coronavirus Have To Do With Bats? - Women's Health

Human Behavior

Oversexualization of the Human Body Damages Self-Esteem – berkeleyhighjacket.com

There are many wacky traditions here at Berkeley High School (BHS), but arguably the wackiest is Senior Streak. During this upcoming event, students run through the school and into the city with no clothes on. Though it may seem all fun and cheeky, Senior Streak brings up a more serious question about human behavior. Should public nudity be considered an act of rebellion? We place a lot of shame on the body, but normalizing nudity could actually have incredibly positive effects on our society.

We may seem pretty relaxed compared to other places, but being naked is still taboo in American culture. When you bring up the idea of nudism with most Americans, their reaction is, Ew, Id rather not. But why do we have such a strong aversion to nakedness? One reason may be that since covering up is the norm, people only find themselves stripping in sexual situations. So when we see nudity in any context, we connect it with sex. In a study from psychologist Kurt Gray, subjects were shown photos of the same person in a headshot and in a revealing outfit. The study found that people wearing less were judged as being less intelligent and less capable, but more reckless and pleasure-seeking than their clothed counterparts.

This over-sexualization of the body has awful consequences. High school students will receive criticism about their outfits being inappropriate. These comments feel especially awkward coming from adults, who shouldnt be thinking of teens in a sexual way. This thought process also leads to unwanted sexual attention and harassment. If nudity wasnt so frowned upon, it would allow us to get used to the human anatomy and see it as more than just an object of desire.

Additionally, studies show that being nude is very beneficial to our mental health. It lets us feel comfortable in our own skin and appreciate the way that we look instead of being ashamed of it. Research from Dr. Keon West at Goldsmiths, University of London, showed that spending more time naked leads to, greater life satisfaction and relationships that are mediated by more positive body image and higher selfesteem. This doesnt mean that everyone needs to start going to work and school fully nude, but getting comfortable with the bodies we live in would certainly benefit us all.

Unfortunately, walking down the street showing only what your mama gave NATHAN BOOTH you can lead to arrest and conviction for indecent exposure. Nakedness can feel liberating, but it shouldnt have to be an act of defiance. We project a lot of shame on to being nude and depicting it only as highly sexual or embarrassing. This is why its so crucial that things like Senior Streak continue, to normalize nudity until its no longer seen as making a statement. We were all born with these bodies, so we might as well embrace them.

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Oversexualization of the Human Body Damages Self-Esteem - berkeleyhighjacket.com

Human Behavior

Panic Buying: The Psychology of Hoarding Toilet Paper, Beans & Soup – PsychCentral.com

Theres a very good article by Bella DePaulo, Ph.D. Why Are People Hoarding Toilet Paper? that dives into the psychology of this behavior. Its a good question, because what were seeing are American consumers acting in a seemingly irrational manner in reaction to the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

Panic buying is what people do when faced with an imminent disaster, whether it be natural such as a hurricane or snowstorm or something else, like the spread of a virus for which there is no effective treatment or vaccine. And while it seems irrational on the surface, it actually has a rational basis.

I think one of the reasons panic buying seems to make less sense to some during this pandemic is the fact that its likely to not just last a few days or weeks, but months to come. Theres little chance most people can stock up on enough food to feed an entire family, or even oneself, for months on end.

Hoarding is a natural human response sometimes rational, sometimes emotional to scarcity or perceived scarcity. According to timely, recently published research (Sheu & Kuo, 2020):

Psychologically, hoarding stems from a humans response, either rationally or emotionally, to scarcity, and so may occur on either the supply or the demand side. As argued by [other researchers], hoarding can be an overall response that involves a mix of a strategic, rational and emotional human responses (such as anxiety, panic and fear) to perceived threats to supply.

Many people hoard during normal times, under the rubric of bulk purchasing. This is an example of rational hoarding, because people do this in order to enjoy better pricing on staple goods, such as paper products (paper towels, toilet paper, etc.) and food (such as canned food).

People also hoard during times of crisis or disaster, because of a belief whether its true or not of the impending scarcity of a product. In 2008, many Americans panicked about the rice supply due to a global rice shortage during that time. Every typhoon season in Taiwan, the prices of seasonal fruits and vegetables reliably rise over 100%, regardless of actual supply of these staples (Zanna & Rempel, 1988).

Humans perceive reality in two primary ways: rationally and intuitively (or emotionally). Much as a person might try, it is nearly impossible to divorce reality from your experiential and emotional connection to it. You cannot just be a robot (although some people are much better at this than others) and act 100% of the time in a rational, logical manner. This impacts our decision-making when it comes to disaster planning.

Researchers have found that hoarding due to an impending or ongoing disaster is likely to be self-interest-oriented and planned behavior that is dominated by peoples desire to minimize risk (Sheu & Kuo, 2020). It is less risky to hoard food (and toilet paper) and be wrong about the extent or duration of the disaster, since most of it can be used anyway.

People are motivated largely by self-interest and to avoid suffering (whether physical or emotional, real or perceived). We spend much time weighing possible risks and working to reduce them, because it means we get to live a longer life. People go in for an annual checkup to their doctors office as they age to prevent unexpected health problems that are more likely to occur as we age. People cross at a crosswalk to reduce their risk of being hit by a car on the street. We hedge our bets in a new relationship to save ourselves from heartache later.

While it may not make much rational sense to hoard cans of beans or soup, it makes us feel like were taking reasonable precautions to minimize risk. And remember, different people have different risk tolerances. So while one person may feel perfectly fine not stocking up on staple goods, another person may need to.

People are also more likely to engage in hoarding when their intuitive, emotional side driven by anxiety, fear, and panic believes there is a reason to do so, due to temporary factors, like price volatility or a supply shortage (Sheu & Kuo, 2020). Even though rationally, most people know via historical data that such shortages will be short-lived, emotionally we simply dont believe that.

An emotional contagion can take hold as we observe the actions of others, because people can be easily influenced by seeing other peoples behaviors and feelings. The anxiety and worry about food supply shortages is more readily transmitted to others nowadays, due to the immediacy and increased reach of social media. Even if that anxiety and worry is misplaced or irrational, it spreads like its own virus throughout our social media networks.

So when you see images of empty store shelves and hear your friends all stockpiling toilet paper, you think to yourself, Well, maybe I should be doing this too. It may make little sense to you, but you do it anyway. Just to be safe.

Im not sure that hoarding would be as widespread if, after going on your panic buying spree, you get back to the house and feel even more anxious. Instead, such behavior induces a sense of calm and control. Youve taken active measures to reduce your risk (of starvation, of not being able to clean yourself after using the bathroom, etc.), and it provides at least a temporary sense of relief. It helps alleviate some of the fear and anxiety most of us are feeling.

An in an out-of-control situation where a global pandemic is occurring, its not a stretch to understand that people want to feel that semblance of control (or at least the perception of it). Taking action, even in the form of something as simple as cleaning ones house or buying canned goods, provides at least some relief for the low-level anxiety.

Keep your distance from others. Avoid large gatherings or close social situations. Wash your hands throughout the day for at least 20 seconds. And stop touching your face, or others. And if you must hoard, please try and do so in reasonable amounts. Remember there are many people in the population such as our senior citizens who often dont have access to the resources or space to hoard. Good luck and keep safe!

For further reading:

Why Are People Hoarding Toilet Paper?

References

Sheu, J-B. & Kuo, H-T. (2020). Dual speculative hoarding: A wholesaler-retailer channel behavioral phenomenon behind potential natural hazard threats. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 44.

Zanna, MP & Rempel, JK. (1988). Attitudes: a new look at an old concept, in: The Social Psychology of Knowledge, Editions de la Maison des Sciences de lHomme, 315334.

My sincerest thanks to Elseviers ScienceDirect for providing access to these research articles.

Footnotes:

Related Articles

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Panic Buying: The Psychology of Hoarding Toilet Paper, Beans & Soup - PsychCentral.com

Human Behavior

Panic, disruptions and lives on hold: When is the crisis going to end? – Detroit Free Press

Kids stuck at home. Parents out of work. The guy at the register ringing up panicked shoppers' groceries. Even though ithasjust begun, the question, from everyone, is the same:When will this coronavirus crisisbe over?

The answer depends on whomyou ask.

With the number of cases growing exponentially every day,some experts believe we will bebattling the coronavirus, with some type of social distancing in place, for the next 12to 18 months, the length of time it will take to develop and test a vaccine.

Another expert told the New York Times we should begin to feel some relief from all this by May.

Anda Wayne State University infectious disease specialistsaid that unless we go on a strictlyenforced lockdown, it could be another four or five months before the number of infections peaks.

Uncomfortable notions all, but the truth is perhaps even more uncomfortable. The truth is we don't know for surewhen this coronavirussituation will be over. "We're really flying by the seat of our pants,"said Dr. Howard Markel, director for the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan and a consultant on pandemic preparedness for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are reasons for the uncertainty lack of research andunderstanding about the novel coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 illness, lack of testing for the illness and the incredible unpredictability of human behavior.

After all, thiscoronavirus which has killed thousands of people around the globe and infected hundreds of thousands of others is a newcomer to the roster of human viruses. "We've never had a coronavirus pandemic," said Tara Smith,an infectious disease specialist atKent State University in Kent, Ohio."We're kind of in uncharted territory. So we dont really know where this is going to go or what's going to happen."

Said Markel: "Its novelty is also its scariness."

With the coronavirus has come a tornado of information,some of it accurate, some of it flat-out wrong (gargling with vinegar won't prevent you from getting sick), all of it new and disorienting at a time when we just want to stop spinning, stand firmly on the groundand go back to the lives we were living just a fewweeks ago.

So far, thosewho study infectious diseasesknowthe coronavirus spreads through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Everyone is susceptible.It's highly contagious and can be spread even by those who are asymptomatic. For a while, there was some hope that the virus might become less virulent or even burn itself out in warmer weather, similar to the way the influenza virus calms in the summer. But"I'm not pinning my hopes on that," Smith said. Australia is in the middle of its warm-weather months and hashundreds of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

More: Michigan nurses say they don't have masks, gear to keep them safe from coronavirus at work

More: Oakland County orders malls, playgrounds closed as confirmed coronavirus case count rises

Researchers know the coronavirus makes some people extremely ill. People older than 65 are considered high-risk, andthey account for 80% of the COVID-19 deaths, according to the CDC. Those with pre-existing health conditionssuch as diabetes,hypertension or a depressed immune systemalso face an elevated level of risk which doesn't bode well for metro Detroiters.

"Our population is very vulnerable, including people who socially, fiscally underserved (and there's) a lot of diabetes,hypertension," said Dr. Teena Chopra, an infectious disease specialist at Wayne State University.

Younger adults wereinitially thought to be at lower risk for becoming profoundly ill. But then the CDCreleased a new report last weekshowing that, so far, people between the ages of 20 and 54account for 40% of the coronavirus patients sick enough hospitalized. And50%of the patients admitted to intensive-care unitshave been under age 65.

"I'm reasonably young," saidAubree Gordon, an associate professor atthe University of Michigan's School of Public Health who is 42, and studies the transmission of viruses. "I don't have any risk factors. ... I have a healthy fear of getting coronavirus. ... This virus is definitely, in my experience, in my opinion, the worst one that weve seen in the United States during my lifetime at least."

Added Smith:Right now, I thinkwe are looking at something potentially, maybe not on the scale of (the influenza pandemic of) 1918" which killed 50 million people worldwide, including 675,000 in the United States, "but maybe one level removed from that or something.Weve seen in Italy how bad it can get, and they're still also not at the end of(their crisis) by far."

Still, experts believe that 80% of the people who contract the virus experience mild to moderate symptoms. That's good news, of course, but it also prevents us from getting a clear picture ofthe scope of the virus. Because there aren't enough tests available in the United States, doctors have to prioritize who gets tested. And inmost cases, people with mild symptoms aren't being tested. As a result,there's no way of knowing how many people are actually infected. And that makes it difficult to figure out how much of the state, or the country, the virus has engulfed.

It also makes it difficult to figure out the true fatality rate of the virus, which the World Health Organizations puts at 3.4%. Comparing the number of people who die as a result of the coronavirus tothe number of people who test positive is different from comparing the number of people who die to the true number of peoplewho have the virus.

What we're seeing is that different countries have different fatality rates,'' said Smith of Kent State. "South Korea is testing everybody. So they're not only picking up the most serious cases ... theyre also picking up those mild cases that we really arent testing for here. So their case fatality rate looks a lot lower because theyre doing much more broad testing. As you test more of those mild cases, it looks like the fatality rate is going down.

"I know people are working extremely hard to try to get the tests set up so we'll have more information on the size of the outbreak soon,'' Gordon said."With that information,the government will have kind of what they need in hand to determine if the current control measures (such as social distancing) will continue or if they should get stricter. "

Even then, figuring out just how restrictive control measures should be and when they might be lifted is tricky. People don't like being limitedand cabin fever can become an issue. But viruses often strike in waves. The influenza pandemic of 1918stretched over two years, attacking and hiding, attacking and hiding. So it's possible we will loosen restrictions on movement, only to have the virus in its original form or as a mutation return with a vengeance.

Dr. Teena Chopra, medical director of infection prevention and hospital epidemiology at DMC Harper University Hospital.(Photo: Detroit Medical Center)

"For the next 12 months, we'll probably have some sort of restriction in place; that would be my guess," said Gordon, the U-M researcher."But the strictness of those restrictions will vary depending on the level of infection in the community."

If you ask me, honestly, I think there should be a total lockdown," said Chopra, who noted that the number of infections keeps rising and people in Michigan are dying. "We are not heading in the right direction. Several cities have done it, and we are not far behind. It is very important to be very proactive."

Said Smith:I know some of my extrovert friends are all ready to end this, so I don't knowwhat's going to be the best to find balance between protecting people from the virus but also keeping the economy going and keeping people's mental health stable."

So what's going to happen to us?

It's possible the virus could infect so many of us that we develop an immunity to it, a phenomenon scientists call herd immunity.But for that to happen, millions of people 60-70% of the population would need to become infected, which means millions of people would die.

It's possible a treatment may be on the way. French researchers report theyare having some success killing the virus with an anti-malarial drug calledhydroxychloroquineand some U.S. hospitals are already using it.Still, Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, cautioned against thinking the drug was a sure fire solution to the coronavirus crisis; the evidence that it's helpful is only anecdotal.There's "no magic drug" for COVID-19, he told CNN. But he added: That doesnt mean that were not going to do everything we can to make things that have even a hint of efficacy more readily available.

A vaccine would be "the holy grail," Smith said. But developing one is a lengthy process.

In the meantime, the best thing to do to mitigate the spread of coronavirus is to stay apart, stay home, avoid going out unless absolutely necessary something some younger Americans who have been gathering on beaches for spring break and, before they were shut, at campus bars have been loathe to do.Without those precautions, a terrifying report by theImperial College London, estimated2.2 million Americans could die.

As frustrating as this whole thing is, if we all work as a community well get through this," said Markel."There will be some tragic deaths, and there will be many more cases before were done. And there will be a lot of inconvenience.

But, he added, "Human beings have wrestled with microbes since the dawn of time. And I say 'wrestled' because they never really win. At best, they fight them to a draw. But they have survived and had far less tools than we have with modern medicine today. We have wonderful public health experts, infectious disease experts.

"We will get through this."

Contact Georgea Kovanis: gkovanis@freepress.com

Read or Share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/03/22/when-will-the-coronavirus-crisis-end/2869481001/

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Panic, disruptions and lives on hold: When is the crisis going to end? - Detroit Free Press

Human Behavior

Letters to the editor for March 22, 2020 – Opinion – Ocala.com – Ocala

Dealing with COVID-19

Floridians know well the preparations for a hurricane. We understand the general timeframes and the potential problems in the aftermath. We're strong, resilient and do what needs to be done to prepare, riding it out then beginning the clean up afterward.

But COVID-19 is not a hurricane with a relative known pattern or timeframe. COVID-19 is an insidious virus that we've never before experienced. There isn't a vaccine, treatments are still in a trial period and, for those who are hit hardest, the care is extremely intensive. Yet no matter how dedicated those brave men and women are to care for these patients, the outcome is too often heartbreaking. This virus makes no distinction between age, race or economics all are vulnerable though it is our older members and those with other other health issues who are least able to fight off the course of the virus.

Self isolation is, at this time, perhaps the best first line of defense for those who are most vulnerable, though time may show that self isolation might become the norm and not the exception. We need to take those actions that help ensure those who are the front lines of this disease our medical professionals, EMTs, police and firefighters, and those who literally keep the lights on, the water flowing and waste from becoming a secondary health problem are able to keep doing their jobs.

State and federal mandates from assistance to small businesses and their employees to initiating programs to offer COVID-19 testing as kits become available and an efficient means of getting those testing capacities into communities. Local authorities will enact those measures that are necessary to help try to slow the spread of this virus, which might include closing schools and limiting or closing public venues. The end goal of all of this is to flatten the curve of infection in the hopes to keep from overwhelming our health care system. We're a modern society with incredible medical capacities, but no society is prepared for the potential influx of patients flooding the system.

Nia Diebel, Ocala

Managing COVID-19 locally

What are the plans of our county commission to manage the impact of COVID-19 on our local economy?

We have been getting much information about health and environmental issues related to the virus situation from the local school district and medical experts at all levels of government. Also, it appears that sooner or later there may be some federal legislation to address the problems created by the COVID-19 outbreak.

However, the local economic impact will likely be just as troubling (or more so) than the potential health and daily inconvenience issues. It seems our county commission has not been forthcoming when it comes to letting us know what it can do to help supplement any actions by the federal or state governments. As we all know, bureaucratic action at those two levels is slow to get down to the local levels.

We need some out-of-the-box, unique solutions to be sure local businesses and employees don't become victims of an economic downturn short- or long-range. Get the business community involved in defining problems and solutions.

Let's hope and pray our county commission has the vision and strategies, beyond just spending money, to help get our community through some potentially tough economic times.

Stan Hanson, Ocala

Dangerous vaccinations

Vaccinations have saved the lives of thousands of humans through the years. Now we are hoping to use one to protect us from the Coronavirus. But, sadly to say, we in America have been pricked with a needle that is destroying our very soul and foundation. Its not terrorism, illegals, drugs or politicians. Apostasy from the pulpits is the culprit.

When truth became irrelevant and a feel-good religious encounter entered our society, we basked in the knowledge that everything was OK. Moral laws that govern human behavior are given by a moral law giver. There is only one, and guess what, its not the government.

Jerry Rodeheaver, Dunnellon

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Letters to the editor for March 22, 2020 - Opinion - Ocala.com - Ocala

Anatomy

Avengers Anatomy: The 5 Weirdest Things About Hulk’s Body, Explained – CBR – Comic Book Resources

The Hulkembodies physical strength so wholeheartedly that he's practically synonymous with it. As the Jade Giant well be happy to tell you himself, he's the strongest one there is. The ins and outs to Hulk's powers go a whole lot deeper than just sheer strength and the result is a downright strange physiology you'd need a pile of research just to understand.

Here's a breakdown of the five weirdest things about Hulk's body.

RELATED:Hulk Vs. Juggernaut: Who Is The Stronger Marvel Powerhouse, Really?

One major question about Hulk's powers and their physicality is where all his extra mass comes from. In order for him to go from the 5'9" 128 lb Bruce Banner to the 7'8" 1,400 lb Hulk, heneeds to pull all that extra mass fromsomewhere. As always, the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe holds the answer.

The gamma radiation infused in Banner's body gives him access to an alternate dimension where the excess mass is stored between transformations. The Handbook leaves it a mystery just which dimension that could be, but mentions the Kosmos dimension that's generally accessible via Pym Particles as one possibility. The comics rarely -- if ever --bring up such an explanation, but an alternate dimension makes sense.

RELATED:Was Hulk's Ex, Marlo Chandler, Originally Going to be a Prostitute?

The green-skinned behemoth most are familiar with is not the only form Hulk has taken over the years. In fact, it was not even his original hue!Bruce Banner originally transformed into a gray-skinned monster every night (rather than in times of emotional distress), but after he became trapped in a space shuttle that exposed him to a belt of cosmic radiation, his powers changed even further.

Marvel has provided various explanations and retcons over the yearsr, but to really understand Hulk's body, it's important to know he doesn't always have the same exact body. Just like Banner and Hulk have two different bodies, the Gray Hulk or Professor Hulk are different forms entirely. Hulk is most often his signature green, but his color has been known to change with these shifts. Speaking of different personalities...

RELATED: X-Men Anatomy: The 5 Weirdest Things About Cyclops' Body, Explained

Bruce Banner has possibly one of the most messed up psyches in the Marvel Universe -- and that's saying something. With its roots tied into childhood trauma inflicted by his abusive father, the Hulk's personality actually predates the gamma bomb that first physically transformed Banner. That's because Banner has several different split personalities created as a coping mechanism for his trauma, so each of the different Hulk forms mentioned above represent a different aspect of his mind.

At one point it, Banner's nightly transformation was explained as an unconscious representation of his shame. Sunlight even burned his skin.

RELATED:Abomination: 5 Differences Between The MCU & Comic Versions (& 5 Things That Stayed The Same)

Though he seems like an unstoppable juggernaut of power, the Hulk is still a living organism who requires sustenance. The only problem for villains who try exploiting that is that he's immensely hardy, capable of holding his breath for hours and converting most any matter around him into consumable nutrition. Hulk's need to breathe has left him exposed to oxygen deprivation and poisoning in the past, so even if it's not easy to defeat him this way, Hulk isn't without his limits.

One ability seldom shown in the film and television adaptations of the character is Hulk's ability to regenerate, but it's one of his most valuable powers. Armed with one of the most powerful healing factors in the Marvel Universe, the Hulk is capable of regenerating from any kind of physical damage in a matter of moments. TheOfficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe evennotes he can recover his organs in a matter of seconds -- this goes a long way toward explaining why he's so hard to put down.

Regeneration is currently a major feature of the character in The Immortal Hulkongoing series.. Even when Hulk's head, organs and limbs are all separated from one another in hermetically sealed jars, he remains conscious. The total annihilation of his body has zero effect on stopping him permanently. Perhaps the same extradimensional source of matter from which he transforms in the first place serves as the unending source for Hulk's regeneration, but no matterthe explanation,there's no doubt this is an anatomy that pushes the realm of understanding beyond its limits.

KEEP READING:X-Men Anatomy: The 5 Weirdest Things About Wolverine's Body, Explained

Wait, WHEN Did The MCU's Nick Fury Actually Lose His Eye?

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Anatomy

"Grey’s Anatomy" and other shows are donating necessary medical supplies during coronavirus crisis – CBS News

Television shows are donating medical supplies to real-life emergency personnel who need them in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus outbreak in the United States has led to a nationwide shortage of medical supplies and calls for donations of items necessary to treat patients.

"Grey's Anatomy" has stepped up to provide gloves and gowns, while "Station 19" is donating N95 masks to the City of Ontario Fire Department and a firehouse in Los Angeles, an ABC spokesperson confirmed to CBS News.

"At 'Station 19,' we were lucky enough to have about 300 of the coveted N95 masks which we donated to our local fire station," Krista Vernoff, executive producer of both shows, said in a statement. "They were tremendously grateful. At Grey's Anatomy, we have a backstock of gowns and gloves which we are donating as well."

"We are all overwhelmed with gratitude for our healthcare workers during this incredibly difficult time, and in addition to these donations, we are doing our part to help them by staying home," she added.

"The Good Doctor" is working on a donation of a similar kind, an ABC spokesperson said.

"The Resident" on FOX also made a generous donation of medical supplies. Dr. Karen L. Law, the program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Emory University in Atlanta, took a photo of the items outside the hospital and thanked the show.

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"Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." . To the entire team @theresidentonfox, thank you for this incredibly generous donation of #PPE from your set, including gowns, masks, gloves, and all the things our healthcare workers need to provide safe care for our community during #COVID19. . Yesterday, I had a serious discussion with the residents about how, though supplies are low, a magical shipment of masks is unlikely to arrive. And yet, a magical shipment of masks DID arrive, in the form of this very generous gesture. This kind of community support means so much to our #frontlineproviders who are making many sacrifices to staff our hospitals and care for our community. . Thank you, @theresidentonfox and @foxtv for being helpers. We needed this kind of good news today. . PS: Sorry it's not a great pic, but the focus was not on the photo at the time. Similarly, the team @theresidentonfox are good citizens doing good deeds and not looking for a shout out. Though I encourage all to support The Resident and the great team behind the show and to pay their good deed forward any way you can. . #Hurstlife #residentlife #emoryIMresidents #lookforthehelpers #gratitude

A post shared by klaw (@karen.ll.law) on Mar 18, 2020 at 12:27pm PDT

"Yesterday, I had a serious discussion with the residents about how, though supplies are low, a magical shipment of masks is unlikely to arrive," she wrote. "And yet, a magical shipment of masks DID arrive, in the form of this very generous gesture. This kind of community support means so much to our#frontlineproviderswho are making many sacrifices to staff our hospitals and care for our community."

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"Grey's Anatomy" and other shows are donating necessary medical supplies during coronavirus crisis - CBS News

Anatomy

How Many ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Babies Have Been Born Since the Show Premiered? – TVInsider

The Greys Anatomy cast and crew might be prepping another baby shower: Camilla Luddington, who plays Jo Karev, announced on March 9 that she and her husband are expecting their second child.

By now, the Greys team is well-versed in writing in or writing around the cast members pregnanciesand supporting the parents on set. This is the amazing thing about Shondaland,Caterina Scorsone told People in 2017. I have the little one in the trailer with me every day, so that I can feed her every couple of hours. I go back to the trailer, and shes there. She also praised the shows unprecedented environment for working parents.

By our count, the stars and alums of Greyshave welcomed 25 kids, shown in bold below, since the shows January 2005 debut. Scroll down to meet the little ones in the extended Greys family.

The Grey of Greys Anatomy became a mother in 2009 when she and her husband, record producer Chris Ivery, welcomed daughter Stella. In 2014, she had another daughter, Sienna, via a gestational surrogate. And in 2016, she added son Eli to the mix.

Heigl and her husband, singer Josh Kelley, adopted daughtersNaleigh in 2009 andAdelaide in 2012. And in 2016, the actress gave birth to the couples son, Joshua.

Wilson was the first Greys star to add a child after the show premiered. The actress, who was already the mother of daughters Sarina and Joylin, gave birth to son Michael in 2005.

The actor and wife Jillian Dempsey had already welcomed daughter Talula by the time Greys premiered, and they added twin sons Sullivan and Darby to the family in 2007.

Dane and his ex-wife, actress Rebecca Gayheart, brought daughters Billie and Georgia into the world in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

The actress already had two childrenson Noah and daughter Taelynwith her husband, Nathan West, by the time she started playing Lexie Grey. And in 2009, the couple welcomed daughter Anniston.

Smith and her husband, cinematographer Steve Lubensky, already had daughter Fanny by the time she joined the ABC medical drama. And in 2008, the couple adopted their daughter Lucy from Ethiopia.

McKidd joined Greys as a father of two: daughter Iona and son Joseph, his kids with ex-wife Jane Parker. He and his second wife, chef Arielle Goldrath, welcomed son Aiden in 2018 and daughter Nava the following year.

Capshaw and her husband, Christopher Gavigan, welcomed son Luke before her Greys tenure. But they added three daughters while she was a star on the show: Evein 2010, Poppy in 2012, andJosephine in 2016.

Both of Drews children were born during her time playing April Kepner. She and her husband, lecturer Peter Lanfer, brought son Micah and daughter Hannah into the world in 2012 and 2014, respectively.

Williams has two children with ex Aryn Drake-Lee: daughter Sadie, born in 2013, and son Maceo, born in 2015.

Luddington, currently pregnant, welcomed daughter Hayden in 2017 alongside her now-husband, actor Matthew Alan.

Scorsone, whos married to musician Rob Giles, gave birth to the couples first child, daughter Eliza, during her time on Greys spin-off Private Practice. After bringing Amelia Shepherd to the mothership show, the actress added two more daughters to the fam: Paloma in 2016 and Arwen in 2019.

Grey's Anatomy, Thursdays, 9/8c, ABC

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How Many 'Grey's Anatomy' Babies Have Been Born Since the Show Premiered? - TVInsider