Recent Comments
Yes I do and good to know
When we played Cal in the bowl game after the 2003 season. Lost in a shootout.
When did we play Aaron Rodgers?
I have not heard that about caretakers. Epidemiologically, Alzheimer's appears somewhat more prevalent among "unskilled" (blue-collar) workers, perhaps as a function of using different parts of the brain throughout the lifetime. Caretakers, doctors, nurses, etc. do not fall into that category.
Alzheimer's has not been shown to be communicable. Now, some scientific caveats:
1. It is possible to spread protein aggregation disorders. If I inoculate a flask of neuronal cells with exogenous amyloid-β peptide from an Alzheimer's patient or peptides that are synthetically created, aggregates will develop and those cells will die. This implicates Aβ as a pathological entity. But, the current thinking is that it alone is insufficient for the disease. As we say in science, necessary and sufficient are different. Which leads to...
2. Yes, Aβ does actually interact with the prion protein, PrPC. This may lead to aberrant intracellular signaling or may serve as a nucleation point for aggregation. The development of what we call "soluble oligomers" of Aβ (i.e., little aggregates that can still float around) is the most likely problem with respect to toxicity. But we don't fully understand the details of these processes. I have only quickly looked through a few Aβ-PrPC papers so I cannot speak authoritatively about what is known there.
3. In theory, if I inject a healthy individual with Aβ, directly into the brain, they may get Alzheimer's disease or a related condition called cerebral amyloid angiopathy. But there is no guarantee. This is one of the great mysteries in our field. Some people accumulate Aβ in their brains but never develop Alzheimer's. They have some compensating mechanism, either via clearance, inactivation, or something else entirely that does not allow the disease to take hold.
Thank you all for the positive feedback! I'm glad that I could make something that people enjoy.
If you haven't see already, The Key Play has shared this on both Twitter and Facebook. A great way to get the word out about this wonderful website and the great content that we have would be to share these types of posts. So, go and share those around!
It's officially game week, and campus is already itching to start jumping. Go Hokies!
I thought I read a mention somewhere that there is a higher incidence of developing Alzhiemers in people that care for the elderly and current Alzhiemers patients than the general population. Is this true? Is this prion related and/or possibly communicable?
Explore Steam Tunnels - nope
Streak the Drillfield - nope
Snowball Fight with Corps - minimal involvement, didn't want to die
Break curfew in Slusher Tower - no comment
Paint Chest at Football Game - nope
Ace a class that you blew off - check
Appropriate something sentimental that you shouldn't have upon Graduation - check (the item in question will remain a mystery, but though small it has great value to me)
Be the first one to buy a donut at Carol Lee's in the morning - check (I think, I was there super early one morning)
close down a bar on main street - came close, but left Sharkey's a few minutes before closing once, so they didn't really kick us out
Sharky's 911 wing challenge (Do they still have that?) - nope
"find" your way into Lane and walk the tunnel - nope, but I did get to do it as a graduate in the Honors program
feel free to put her in touch with me now. we have existing villages in Australia with 2 more launching soon, and are opening in UK this fall. And there is quite a market in China for Assisted Living these days.
VT Checklist:
Explore Steam Tunnels
Streak the Drillfield
Snowball Fight with Corps
Break curfew in Slusher Tower
Paint Chest at Football Game
Ace a class that you blew off
Appropriate something sentimental that you shouldn't have upon Graduation
Be the first one to buy a donut at Carol Lee's in the morning
close down a bar on main street
Sharky's 911 wing challenge (Do they still have that?)
"find" your way into Lane and walk the tunnel
Then we definitely know each other. I was the MA when you pledged.
I'll send her your email address. You can remove it if you like.
Wait, seriously? I was in AXE too! Alpha Xi pledge class
Will do, thanks!
VT was my first choice. My sister started at VT in 1999, and I came to love the school while she was there. My high school guidance counselor suggested JMU due to their (at the time) recent investment in science facilities. They do have a very nice setup (I was there for a Virginia Academy of Science conference in 2011) but VT was the better choice. I applied and was accepted, so they were my second choice.
Bonus answer: I did not even apply to UVA.
I have a friend, who took over several of my projects when I finished my Ph.D. and left the lab, who has a strong interest in patient interactions and has been involved in several gerontology studies. She actually helped develop kits for caretakers of senior citizens in assisted living facilities to keep their minds engaged and active. I could put you in touch if things work out. As I understand it, the kits are quite affordable and received excellent reviews in a senior facility in Blacksburg.
You bet. Keep me posted on how your progress goes, and if I can help in any way, let me know (hit me up on Twitter or ask Joe for my email address). Ut Prosim.
Was VT your first choice for college? What was your back up school to VT?
I certainly hope your travel plans work out. Look forward to toasting a bourbon with you one day. Thanks for the kind words.
Nope. CW is another network, just like NBC, CBS, ABC, or Fox. Granted, it's a much smaller network, and in a lot of places, it's delegated to a subchannel, like a x.2 or something. And there are some places where the signal is weak and unreliable to the point that you really only can get it with cable or satellite.
Ironically, in Richmond, the hardest channel to get over the air is NBC 12, which I think is largely a technical issue due to the frequency that it was assigned to. The reasons it is ironic is that NBC is one of the big three, and NBC 12 is part of a duopoly with CW Richmond, both owned by Raycom, and both stations run by the same people.
Wow. This is a great area of research. It so happens that I am a partner in a Senior Living company in Australia which I plan/hope to launch in the USA next year. I am doing feasibility studies on several markets and numerous plots of land now.
I realize that you are on the math and simulation bend of things but if I do get it launched and you do find it useful I can offer our future villages up for research purposes as we will have assisted living at many locations.
Going to be on the Eastern Shore this weekend. Hopefully I'll be able to find a place that gets the channel out of Salisbury.
Thanks for all the advice!
ah.. you guys....
This is an incredible compliment from Guitarman, GoKartMozart, Horse and the others that legged his answer.
I have not yet gotten the key added to my name but it should be there this week, so if this is something that people would like I will of course oblige. I want to help drive sponsorship of TKP and I will gladly serve up my dignity for it.
A few caveats:
1) I will be happy to go sloppy seconds but only after Guitarman is done with his, so perhaps starting Monday night USA time. It's the last week of preseason and it should help pass the time as well as hopefully drive in a few new key players (including myself)
2) as GoKartMozart said, some stories probably could only be told in person for a variety of reasons but I feel I have plenty in the bank to give. So don't hold back, because I have seen and done a lot of crazy shite.
3) I have been planning a trip back to VA and/or Blacksburg pretty much every year since the last time I was there which was 5 years ago. So..... IF we get to 300 Key Players before Battle at Bristol and IF I do get back this year I will host a TKP night either at First Down in NOVA or somewhere in Blacksburg. Fortunately for you, and unfortunately for my wallet, I will be traveling to NYC several times this fall for some business so I will be in the neighborhood. And by "host" I mean I will buy fellow KeyPlayers free alcohol, perhaps not everyone if there is crazy turnout, but for majority I suspect. Hell, depending on how the night goes could be for all TKPers.
4) to get some more simple answers out of the way: I am married; I cannot play a musical instrument; I have a nearly 5 year old daughter, a dog, a cat and a goldfish; I have several businesses; am a designer (arch. landscape, urban designer/planner) by education and for the majority of my career; and to top Guitarman in at least one skill I have surpassed him on the no sleep for academic success notch with 3 nights and nearly 4 days with zero hours sleep.
Lastly, I would like to thank Guitarman for always being cool as a cucumber. There is not a single person on here that I think is as level headed and sincere as this man. He is always respectful, objective, and present (seriously, you must have TKP on google glasses or something). You are a scholar and a gentleman, and I am proud to, at the very least, be virtual friends with you, even prouder that there's a Hokie out there like you. Class act all the way.
That was my initial reaction, as well, but I thought: "what does this team need?" Fuente's system doesn't require a dynamic QB, just someone that can make steady plays, with talent at the skill positions around him to do the rest. Of course, MV7 elevated VT just by sheer athleticism, which never hurts, but I felt that given our recent defensive struggles and depth issues (on both the line and in the secondary with all the shuffling), Bruce would be most needed by the 2016 Hokies.
Charleston WV area - CW (suddenlink channel 6)