Joel Laubscher (1972)

Just received the news that Kristine Ellis class of 65 passed. According to her brother Richard, She had just recovered from cancer and died of Covid while rehabbing at a nursing home.

Phyllis Baker (Lively) (1966)

I've read comment after comment after comment and now I will chime in with my opinion, which I already know will be unpopular But because the First Amendment is still my contitutional right just as it is yours I'll proceed. I left CA when I was 18 years old, married my career military husband, lived around the world where he served and settled in the great red state of Texas, governed by Governor Greg Abbott.  I've never regretted one moment of being a transplanted Texan!

Now about the controversial - PLAN-demic - and whether to get the vaccine or not. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that myself, my husband, all my family and several friends & acquaintences, WILL NOT get this experimental vaccine injected into our body!!!  Call it what you want but intellectually I know & we should all know there was not enough testing done prior to shoving this vial of who knows what into peoples arms.  There's been no prior testing therefore no data to prove one wat or the other that this concoction is even safe.  We can all deal with "a sore arm" - big deal - but what about the neurological & other issues popping up?  No thanks - we'll take our chances.  I happen to believe that GOD has my name & date when I will leave this earth and be called home to His Heavenly Kingdon.

I'm of sound mind and have read so much about this "Covid-19" - my conclution and belief is that Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation among other power hungry ^%*#+  are involved in something worse than the world has never seen the likes of....   with open minds people need to go back and re-read history books (before history is totally annihilated). Being a free country, for now anyway, life is full of choices. My choice is to refuse the vaccine at all costs!! And Vice versa for those of you getting the shots.  
OH I have read so many comments  telling people to wash their hands, wear a mask, social distance yadda yadda yadda. I'm a grown adult and if I haven't learned to wash my hands by now I'd have been dead long ago with all the different cooties & germs I've been in contact with for nearly 73 years!   And yes M'am, you know who you are, still my choice to be vacinated or not, so back to ya - good luck with that for you getting the shot. Your remark still hasn't convinced me to get it. No Way!!  God Bless You one and all! 

Darold Cornell (Cornell) (1966)

My wife and I had our 2nd shot yesterday and the day before. She is handling it well. She had a few body aches and low grade fever, but feels better today. Me on the other hand is a different story! I went to bed last night early, extremely tired, with body aches all over. This morning, I feel a little better, but the body aches are still there, along with fatique. I expect to recover tomorrow or the next day. Regardless, the shots are still worth it!

Timothy Musch (1968)

For all of those that state that they are well-read and know that they should not take the vaccine because of inadequate testing, they are mal-informed and do not know the scientific literature. The research on the corona virus has been around for decades.  The development of vaccines was expedited because of the deadliness of the virus. The scientific process behind the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is "old school" but results in no hospitalizations or deaths.  The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are based on mRNA technology and is cutting edge in biomedical technology and can be modified in a very short time to deal with the variants that are coming out with a booster shot that should be available in the fall or winter. You have the right to not to vaccinate yourself, but when you become infected because you refused to become vaccinated and die a horrible death associated with pulmonary failure, just keep on telling yourself and your loved ones that you did the right thing! Herd immunity occurs when approximately 75-85% of the population is vaccinated.  If you won't look at the science, at least look at history!

Tom Brody (1969)

The remarks from Dr. Timothy Musch (see, Comment 1380) are worthy of reading over two or three times and are worthy of careful contemplation, in view of the fact that his career includes research on mammalian physiology and biochemistry.  He is the author of over 100 publications in these fields of research.  These include, for example, "Benefits of exercise training on cardiovascular dysfunction," "No effect of endoperoxide or thromboxane receptor blockade on static mechanoreflex activation in rats with heart failure," "Neuronal nitric oxide synthase regulation of skeletal muscle functional hyperemia: exercise training and moderate compensated heart failure," and "The NO donor sodium nitroprusside: evaluation of skeletal muscle vascular and metabolic dysfunction."

Floyd Michaelson (1967)

Dr. Musch, I'm interested in getting your expert opinion on the possibility that LNPs can cross into the brain and possibly cause neurological symptoms in the long term? 

Tom Brody (1969)

To fellow Viking, Floyd M.    Please let me know what is "LNP."   Is "LNP" an abbreviation?   I might be able to answer this question.  My publications are in the fields of immunology (autoimmune diseases, antibodies, CAR T-cells), cancer (hematological cancers, solid tumors), neurological diseases (multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, pain), and infections (Listeria bacteria, E. coli bacteria, hepatitis C virus).  - - -Tom

Timothy Musch (1968)

Floyd,

Dr. Tom Brody, with a PhD in Biochemistry from U.C., Berkeley, would probably have more experience in this area. My area of focus is in Physiology. I too would be interested in what the anacronym LPN stands for as far as a chemical or something else (virus, bacteria, etc.). I follow my fellow Vikings on this website and I find sorrow in that many of my classmates are no longer with us. As far as COVID-19, I just wish that my fellow Vikings would follow the hard science as it may save the lives of many associated with family and friends. 

Tim

Floyd Michaelson (1967)

Thank you Tom and Timorthy for responding to my post. "Lipid Nano Particles" carry the mRNA into the body with the vaccine shot. My understanding is that they are so small they can pass through the blood/brain barrier and possibly enter brain cells. I don't know if this is true and whether I should be concerned. I was hoping for more information from an actual scientist which I am not? Tom, could you research this idea? Thanks again. 

Donna Bohrer-Abbott (Mayfield) (1963)

So sorry to hear of the passing of Frank Amienti,  I remember him as such a nice guy. God Bless his family and friends. RIP Frank

Alicia Fields Rudnicki (1969)

Hello, All. This note is mostly in response to Floyd Michaelson's comment about lipid nano particles (LNPs).

First though, I should mention that I got my first shot of the Pfizer vaccine last Monday. My only symptoms were a small amount of soreness at the injection point on my arm for a day and a fatigue that gradually diminished over two days. Also, my husband's response to his first Pfizer shot was mild, and side effects from his second were  milder. Even if my second shot makes me feel ill for awhile, I'll be glad for the protection against a severe case of Covid-19. I've appreciated all the helpful and encouraging comments in the forum concerning response to the vaccine.

Floyd, your question is interesting, which — along with my worry about the pandemic — is why I spent a number of hours reading up on the topic. I'm a business writer, not a scientist, and these days, I mostly write about botanical topics that often require exacting research. So, I am careful about the resources I access. Thanks to your question, I now understand that a film of nanolipids (including cholesterol and lecithin-type phospholipids — fatty materials that resist dissolving in water) protects the mRNA strands from breaking and helps it pierce the Covid-19 particles.

I found no evidence of the Pfizer or Moderna nanolipids being able to breach the blood-brain barrier. However, researchers think that the Covid-19 virus — which is itself nano-sized — may be able to pierce the brain and that this may be the cause of a "brain fog" that Covid-19 patients experience. I hope this helps until Tom Brody can respond. 

Here's an article from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center that provides a good explanation of nanoparticles. https://share.upmc.com/2021/01/nanoparticles/

Tom Brody (1969)

Dear Crew of Curious Vikings, here is an answer to your question about LNP's.  It is from an article by Shankar, Joshi, and Pathak (2018).  Title is:  "LIPID NANOPARTICLES: A Novel Approach for Brain Targeting."   This reproduces the Abstract from this article.  In short, yes lipid nanoparticles do cross the blood brain barrier (BBB).   The term BBB refers to the membranes of arteries and veins that separate the blood from interstitial fluids, and the membranes of a target organ that separates the interior of cells of the target organ from the interstitial fluids.  Interstial fluids means the liquid situated in between organs, and the liquid situated in between cells of one particular organ.  Okay, now my better half is nagging me that we have to go.  It is my birthday, and my birthday present is a hike at Francis Coe State Park, located south of San Jose (we nevah been there).  Here is the Abstract:   

Background: Brain is a delicate organ, separated from general circulation and is characterized by the presence of relatively impermeable Blood Brain Barrier (BBB). The BBB maintains homeostasis in the brain thus restricting the entrance of foreign bodies and several molecules from reaching the brain. As a result several promising molecules do not reach the target site and fail to produce in vivo response. Nevertheless, lipid nanoparticles are taken up readily by the brain because of their lipophilic nature. The bioacceptable and biodegradable nature of lipid nanoparticles makes them less toxic and suited for brain targeting.

Objective: In the present review the BBB, mechanism of transport across the BBB, strategies to bypass the blood-brain barrier have been presented. The aptness of lipid nanoparticles (LNP) for brain targeting has been highlighted. The proposed mechanism of uptake of the lipid nanoparticles, methods of prolonging the plasma retention and various methods of preparation for formulation of effective delivery systems for brain targeting have been included and dealt in this review.

Conclusion: Lipid based formulations can be designated as the current and future generation of drug delivery systems as these possess tremendous potential to bypass BBB and reach the target site due to their small size and ability to dodge the reticular endothelial system. However, these nanostructures need to be investigated intensively to successfully reach the clinical trials stage.

Manuel Bustos (1964)

Hello fellow Vikings,I wish to relate my experience regarding my 2 COVID vaccine.Vaccine was takened Friday, March 5th.A little soreness at injection site,feeling a fatigued later in the day.Once in bed,I started to experience chills.The chills subsided after a short time.Upon wakeing up Sat am,I was feeling weak,difficult to walk to living room.After a bit ,I decided I would chk my temperature,It was 100.4! It remained 100.4 till about 7:30 pm.Then it dropped to 99.5! Decided to go to bed! It is now Sunday am ,temp normal and feeling fine?,

Gail Bills (Bills) (1969)

Nice try Alicia. I appreciate all the A students who have come out of the woodwork to take one for Fauci. Got my second shot of the Moderna vaccine and as far as I can tell, at the wipe old age 69, my pathetic brain in no foggier now than before. I would like to add a couple of quotes to this discussion on the anti & pro vax stances for what it's worth: "two and two make five" (1984 by George Orwell) & "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities" Voltaire. People are prone to magical-emotional thinking.  Not sure whether the discussion of lipid nanoparticles will change that. As an atheist and skeptic, I don't have a particularly positive view of us humans as a group. The planet would be better off without us. That said, I am partial to the those humans who manage despite the odds to study hard and find wonderful ways to alleviate physical and mental suffering through the humane & ethical application of scientific discoveries. So, I am fully grateful to have the opportunity to avoid a dreadful disease that has brought premature death to 2.59 million people worldwide. May we humans, by our good works, prove to be worth the effort.

Randall Johnese (1968)

I don't have much more to add except to say that this has been a great discussion and Gail, Alicia, Tom and Tim, it's great to hear from old friends!

Alicia Fields Rudnicki (1969)

I hope we can all agree that the bottom line for pharmaceutical companies is making money. They have to make money to stay in business. You can't make money on vaccines if they make everyone's health worse instead of better. Pharmaceutical companies don't design vaccines that would cross the blood-brain barrier, because that would cause neurological damage and nobody would want those products. 

Tom, I don't mean to be insulting, but the study you cite has nothing to do with vaccines. It concerns potential development of NLPs for medications scientists hope to develop that would cross the blood brain barrier to attack neurological diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. So, yes, NLPs can be bioengineered to gain entry to the brain. But that doesn't mean that these medications are on the market or that their kind of NLPs are  in vaccines. 

Randy, you're right. It's good to be in touch with old friends about such an important topic. It's also nice to meet former PHS students I never knew (Carol Truex Young, I particularly appreciated your comment from a longtime nursing perspective; Carol Bohrer-Abbott Mayfield, your compassion shines through; Manuel Bustos, I hope you're feeling lots better). But best of all, I like the crowd-sourcing here about positive Covid-19 vaccine experiences. 

And Gail, I agree to being "fully grateful to have the the opportunity to avoid a dreadful disease."  

James Baldwin (1969)

I agree with Randall.  It is a good discussion from all of those folks.

Here is a link that is a bit more direct about nanoparticles and COVID-19 vaccines from Science Magazine:  https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/12/suspicions-grow-nanoparticles-pfizer-s-covid-19-vaccine-trigger-rare-allergic-reactions.

My summary of the news article is that one of the "ingredients" of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines has been associated with occasional anaphylaxis which occurs at a rate of around one in a million.  So if you have had allergic reactions to shots, you should consult with your doctor.  That question is also asked when you sign up for any of the COVID-19 vaccines.

I had my first Moderna shot two weeks ago and the only effect was a sore upper arm for about a day.

Alicia Fields Rudnicki (1969)

Good article, James Baldwin. Yes, researchers think that the rare anaphylactic allergic reactions (contriction of the throat) to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines may be due to the PEG (polyethylene glycol) that stabilizes the shell of LNPs surrounding the mRNA. PEG is a common ingredient in toothpaste and some foods and drinks as well as cosmetic products. But, once again, in relation to the original question, I've found no evidence that PEG LNP breaks the blood-brain barrier.

The following article from an asthma and allergy organization says that anyone allergic to PEG should avoid the two vaccines, because it's possible that PEG is the source of the breathing reactions. That said, my 74-year-old sister who has been a severe asthmatic for most of her life had little negative response to either her first or second Moderna shots. The one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is yet to be approved, contains no PEG or mRNA. I have asthma, as well, and didn't have any breathing problems after my first shot.

https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/news/statement-on-covid-vaccine/

Floyd Michaelson (1967)

Yes, thank you, James Baldwin, for the Science article and thank you Dave Evans for your post. Of Dave's points, this is the one that concerns me the most: "Does anyone know the long-term side-effects associated with these “vaccines”?" Big money, politics and "warp speed"?  

Tom Brody (1969)

One of our fellow Vikings (A.F.) stated that the article that I cited has nothing to do with vaccines.  This is not correct.  The article that I cited was Shankar, Joshi, and Pathak (2018).   Only the abstract is available on the internet (the article itself requires payment).   The abstract states that, "As a result several promising molecules do not reach the target site and fail to produce in vivo response. Nevertheless, lipid nanoparticles (LNP) are taken up readily by the brain because of their lipophilic nature. The bioacceptable and biodegradable nature of lipid nanoparticles (LNP) makes them less toxic and suited for brain targeting."    When taken in the context of other articles on the same topic, it becomes self-evident that the Shankar, Joshi, and Pathak is "right-on-the-money," as far as vaccines are concerned.  I spent an hour finding other articles that, when taken together, can be woven into a story about LNPs being used as vaccines that enter the brain.  I was not able to find an article disclosing the exact same story that A.F. wanted.   But the separate chapters of the story exist.  (1)  Covid virus can enter the brain.  This is the starting chapter of the story that A.F. wants.  I based this statement on, "surface proteins that facilitate SARS-COV-2 binding and entry . . . allowing SARS-COV-2 to spread within the body . . . including the brain" (see, Tsai, Guo, Atai, Gould (2020)  mRNA Delivery for SARS-COV-2 Vaccination).  What this means is that it makes sense to deliver anti-covid vaccines to the brain, because the brain does in fact get infected with covid;  (2) I needed to learn these vocabulary words and abbreviations.  First of all, SARS-COV-2 is the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The abbreviation "CoV" means "coronavirus."  The abbreviation "COVID-19" means, "coronavirus disease 2019."  (3)  Cullis and Hope (2017) Molecular Therapies. 25:1467, states that, "progress made to extend LNP technology to mRNA . . . for vaccine applications is summarized."  Cullis and Hope state that LNP's are easier to work with than other vectors (vectors, such as viruses) for delivering drugs into the brain, because LNPs have less side effects.   The Cullis and Hope article is one of the chapters of the story that provides a complete answer to fellow Viking (A.F.)  (4) Another chapter that is needed to tell the complete story about LNP vaccines comes from Xu, Yang, Li (2020. Int. J. Mol. Sci., Vol. 21, page 6582.  The article states that after injecting the mRNA into a patient, it encodes antigens.  These antigens can stimulate the immune system.  The paper says, "mRNA vaccines can express . . . proteins efficiently because of their expression in the cytoplasm, without need to enter the nucleus."   FOOTNOTE:  A year ago, I told myself that one of my main goals in life is to be influenced by other people.   That is what is happening right now.  Thx, fellow Vikings.

Leslie Lamata (Costa) (1970)

Hello all,

Just wanted to inquire if most of us remember getting the polio vaccine?  I got the sugar cube in 1961 or 1962 or right around that time. I was about 9 or 10. I was in an organization, The Weldonian Band and Majorette Corp. We were on the road traveling in buses coming back from a performance somewhere out of state. We stopped at a school in Oregon to receive our sugar cube. Everyone got it. Everyone! There was no question. Polio was erased. 

Just saying...

Leslie Lamata (Costa) (1970)

Well, I don't view this site too often. I now see many other remarks about the polio vaccine. Did not mean to keep reminding everyone. It is so good to see all of the posts. People I remember seeing in the halls walking to classes at Pacific High. Especially those who made differences at school so their names were prominent. Not too many will remember me. But I remember many! Even those before my age and after my age. Keep talking Pacific High School. Love all the memories. Hope we all will fare well during this tough time in our lives. 

Alicia Fields Rudnicki (1969)

Leslie, I remember large polio vaccination events and being scared of needles at the time. I was so grateful when the sugar cube oral vaccine became available. I also remember enjoying the Weldonians during hometown parades. Thanks for the pleasant memory. Edited to say: By "pleasant," I'm talking about the Weldonians.

Michele Ferrantino (1971)

I'm getting my J&J vaccine on Thursday.  I'm still not too sure if it's the right decision for me, but after seeing the death toll rise, and not seeing my daughter and family in over a year, I decided that I'll do what I can to (possibly) protect myself.  
 

Since I don't have a scientific mind (never did), most of the info that is being relayed here simply boggles my mind.  But, I've got to say that it's a pleasure to see an actual discussion that doesn't disintegrate into school-yard name calling (as it does on many social media sites).

Timothy Musch (1968)

Michelle,

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is an excellent vaccine.  Only one injection and you are good.  The vaccine is approximately 75% effective after 14 days, but what in not widely known is that it becomes even more effective over time.  For example, if I remember correctly, it is 92% effective at 54 days after vaccination.  With the J & J vaccine there were no hospitalizations or deaths following the injection.  Enjoy seeing your family!!

Tim