The Gowri

"Are we a lost generation of our people? Add us to equations but they’ll never make us equal. She who..."

Wed, 08 May 2013 23:52:58 -0400

“Are we a lost generation of our people?
Add us to equations but they’ll never make us equal.
She who writes the movie owns the script and the sequel.
So why ain’t the stealing of my rights made illegal?
They keep us underground working hard for the greedy,
But when it’s time pay they turn around and call us needy.
My crown too heavy like the Queen Nefertiti
Gimme back my pyramid, I’m trying to free Kansas City.
Mixing masterminds like your name Bernie Grundman.
Well I’m gonna keep leading like a young Harriet Tubman
You can take my wings but I’m still goin’ fly
And even when you edit me the booty don’t lie
Yeah, keep singing and I’mma keep writing songs
I’m tired of Marvin asking me, “What’s Going On?
March to the streets ‘cuz I’m willing and I’m able
Categorize me, I defy every label
And while you’re selling dope, we’re gonna keep selling hope
We rising up now, you gotta deal you gotta cope
Will you be electric sheep?
Electric ladies, will you sleep?
Or will you preach?”

- Q.U.E.E.N. - Janelle Monae (via mmixo)

The bestttt!

Wed, 08 May 2013 23:34:52 -0400

The bestttt!

Photo

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 09:22:44 -0400

slowartday: We find these miniature sculptures by Nic...

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 03:38:40 -0400

slowartday:

We find these miniature sculptures by Nic Joly quite amusing.

Photo

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:49:58 -0400

4gifs: Lego Michael Jackson I am so fascinated by this!

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:58:08 -0500

4gifs:

Lego Michael Jackson

I am so fascinated by this!

Photo

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:26:46 -0500

fyeahgeology: the-science-llama: HIV has been cured in a child...

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:13:15 -0500

fyeahgeology:

the-science-llama:

HIV has been cured in a child for the first time

A ‘functional HIV cure’ — In a monumental first for medicine, doctors announced today that a baby has been cured of an HIV infection. Dr. Deborah Persaud, who presented the child’s case today at the 20th annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infection, called it “definitely a game-changer.”

Persaud, of Johns Hopkins University Medical School, is the lead author of a report recounting the child’s treatment. The identity of the little girl, who was born to an HIV-positive woman in rural Mississippi, has yet to be released. What we do know is that she is only the second person in the world — and the first child — to be cured of HIV in its devastating 32-year history. If the case is confirmed, it is truly unprecedented.

The abstract for Persaud’s presentation (which can be found in its entirety here) provides details of the child’s treatment, which involved very early administration of antiretroviral therapy (ART), initiating treatment when the child was just 30 hours old (emphasis added):

Methods: Infant exposure to HIV was confirmed through review of maternal HIV antibody and plasma viral load tests, including HIV drug resistance testing. Infant infection was documented using standard HIV DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and plasma viral load. ART administration was confirmed with medical and pharmacy records and maternal report of medication adherence. Persistence of HIV infection following treatment discontinuation was assessed using standard clinical assays that included plasma viral load, proviral DNA, and HIV antibody testing. Ultrasensitive HIV DNA (droplet digital PCR), plasma viral load (single copy) assays, and quantitative co-culture assays were done at age 24 and 26 months to further assess HIV persistence. HLA typing was done to confirm matching of the mother–infant pair.

Results: Maternal infection with wild type subtype B HIV was verified. The mother and infant shared HLA haplotypes. Infant infection was confirmed by positive HIV DNA and RNA testing on 2 separate blood samples obtained on the 2nd day of life. 3 additional plasma viral load tests (days of life 7, 12, and 20) were positive before reaching undetectable levels at age 29 days.

The child, who is now 2 and a half years old, has reportedly been off drugs for a year. Still, her blood tests continue to show no signs of a functioning virus.

The authors’ conclusions say it all: “This is the first well-documented case of functional cure in an [HIV-positive] child and suggests that very early [antiretroviral therapies] may prevent establishment of a latent reservoir and achieve cure in children.

We’ll keep you posted as more info comes to light. In the meantime, read the researchers’ account of the girl’s case at CROI: “Functional HIV Cure after Very Early ART of an Infected Infant.” See also: these general overviews by NPR and the NYT.

Via io9

I have no words for how awesome this is, here’s hoping a fully functioning cure is now in the near future.

!!!!!!!!

enoqi: → 360° Book Sweet Home, by Yusuke Oono: “The initial...

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:55:52 -0500

360 book by Yusuke Oono, Posted by Enoqi: http://www.loftwork.com/portfolios/oonoyusuke/archive/357819

360 book by Yusuke Oono, Posted by Enoqi: http://www.loftwork.com/portfolios/oonoyusuke/archive/357820

360 book by Yusuke Oono, Posted by Enoqi: http://www.loftwork.com/portfolios/oonoyusuke/archive/357821

360 book by Yusuke Oono, Posted by Enoqi: http://www.loftwork.com/portfolios/oonoyusuke/archive/357822

360 book by Yusuke Oono, Posted by Enoqi: http://www.loftwork.com/portfolios/oonoyusuke/archive/357824

enoqi:

→ 360° Book Sweet Home, by Yusuke Oono:
“The initial idea of this 360 degree book is to express one scene of story in 3 dimensional way using a whole page of book. With this system, everyone who opens the book can enjoy it and is surprised by the dramatic transformation.”

Yummmmmm :)

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:29:33 -0500

Yummmmmm :)

OMG WHAT IS EVEN THE POINT OF ANY OTHER SPECIES?

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:42:00 -0500

OMG WHAT IS EVEN THE POINT OF ANY OTHER SPECIES?

bus-a-looey: BEST FRIENDS WEAR EACH OTHER ON THEIR FEET.

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 19:41:31 -0500

bus-a-looey:

BEST FRIENDS WEAR EACH OTHER ON THEIR FEET.

OHHH my god. Why do I do this to myself?

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 02:07:02 -0500

OHHH my god. Why do I do this to myself?

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD SOMEONE PLEASE GET ME A TIGER CUB.

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 01:51:59 -0500

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD SOMEONE PLEASE GET ME A TIGER CUB.

doubledutchdevo: schmorgyborgy: I put my cat in a sweater the camera turned on by itself i’m...

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 23:36:38 -0500

doubledutchdevo:

schmorgyborgy:

I put my cat in a sweater

the camera turned on by itself i’m not a model

themineralogist: Opal - “Turn it slightly and the gold bands...

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:44:58 -0500

themineralogist:

Opal - “Turn it slightly and the gold bands appear”

From far away, it looks like an iridescent waterfall!

Photo

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:39:40 -0500

RIP Mahatma Gandhi (assassinated January 30th, 1948)

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:49:29 -0500

RIP Mahatma Gandhi (assassinated January 30th, 1948)

llbwwb: Todays Cuteness:) by Michele Cazeras.

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:10:12 -0500

llbwwb:

Todays Cuteness:) by Michele Cazeras.

I’m reblogging this while eating chocolate. I need to...

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 01:13:54 -0500

I’m reblogging this while eating chocolate. I need to reevaluate my life.