Call it provocative, call it medieval, whatever you call it aside from self-defense classes, self-imposed curfews and bodyguards it has to be one of the most progressive devices created to help prevent the rape of women. Invented by South African doctor Dr. Sonnet Ehlers after treating a rape victim who said, “If only I had teeth down there,” the female condom dubbed “Rapex” is being readied for distribution after 20 years of research.
“According to Dr. Ehlers “As soon as the man puts his penis in the woman’s vagina the condom catches it. The “teeth” of the condom then penetrates his skin and causes severe pain. The man will have to go to a hospital to have the condom removed,” she said. It will also collect the rapist’s DNA.”
30,000 of these condoms are being distributed in South African in various cities where the World Cup games are being played. South Africa has one of highest incidences of rape in the world.
While some think it increases a woman’s feeling of vulnerability, one could argue that women walk in the world and shape their lives around knowing their vulnerabilities. Others argue that the device is medieval, “Yes, my device may be a medieval,” Dr. Ehlers says, “but it’s for a medieval deed that has been around for decades,” she said. “I believe something’s got to be done … and this will make some men rethink before they assault a woman.”
While I don’t believe one thing will prevent rape, I do believe in having an arsenal from which to choose. What do you think?
Someone hand me my mace, my brass knuckles and my Rapex condom. It’s eleven at night and we need a loaf of bread!
Although there is currently no cure for HIV, the body does already contain cells that fight the virus – the problem is, there just aren’t enough of them to completely get rid of it. In 2009, scientists at UCLA performed a proof-of-concept experiment, in which they were able to grow these CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes (better known as infection-fighting “T cells”) from genetically engineered human stem cells. Now, in a subsequent study, they have demonstrated that these engineered cells can seek out and kill HIV-infected cells in a living organism.
In the previous project, the researchers took T cells from an HIV-infected individual, and isolated the T cell receptor within them – this is what allows the cells to identify and destroy cells infected with HIV. They proceeded to clone this receptor, then used it to genetically engineer human blood stem cells. These cells were then placed in human thymus tissue, that had itself been implanted in mice, where they proceeded to grow into HIV-specific T cells.
While the study indicated that it was possible to create genetically engineered HIV-fighting cells in the body, it didn’t test how those cells fared against HIV in a living organism. The more recent study, however, did.
This time around, similarly engineered HIV-specific T cells were introduced into infected “humanized mice” – lab mice that have been genetically engineered to carry human genes, cells or tissues. Two to six weeks later, tests were performed on the peripheral blood, plasma and organs of those mice. It was found that not only had the level of HIV in the bloodstream decreased, but the number of CD4 “helper” T cells had increased – CD4s are white blood cells that play a key role in fighting off infections, and they normally decrease in the event of HIV infection.
According to the scientists, these results indicated that the introduced T cells had developed and migrated to the organs, where they fought the HIV infection. They did note, however, that even in humanized mice, HIV may mutate slower than it does in humans. This means that multiple T cell receptors might have to be used, to account for the higher likelihood of the virus mutating in humans. To that end, the researchers have now begun creating receptors that target specific parts of the HIV virus.
“We believe that this study lays the groundwork for the potential use of this type of an approach in combating HIV infection in infected individuals, in hopes of eradicating the virus from the body,” said lead investigator Scott G. Kitchen.
A paper on the study was published yesterday in the journal PLoS Pathogens.
Is 191,000 page views in less than 7 full days a lot? Mommy & daddy say it is a lot of people and if I stop now, I should be very proud of myself because I’ve reached thousands of people who’d never heard of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). I politely told mommy & daddy that while it’s nice a few thousand people are aware of SMA because of my story, I’m of the belief that my story, along with the stories of other families with SMA and the facts about SMA, should be known by millions. So thank you to everyone for sharing and supporting my story! Always remember, the best way to help & the kindest gift you can give me is the gift of a broader voice. So please continue helping me spread awareness about SMA by forwarding my blog to everyone you know.
Before I share my weekend, here are some facts about Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA):
1 in 40 people (that’s over 7,500,000 people) in the U.S. alone are carriers of SMA. I lost count somewhere between my big toe and my pinky toe, but doesn’t that seem like an awfully BIIIIIIG number for most people to have never even heard of the #1 genetic killer of infants and children under the age of 2? And if you think about it, that number could be significantly higher than 7.5 million. I mean, do you recall when your last SMA carrier test was? Or the last time an SMA carrier test was offered to you?
I know my mommy & daddy were never offered a test to see if they were SMA carriers. Did you know you can ask your doctors to test you and your partner for the SMA carrier gene prior to conceiving children? And did you know that if you both carry the SMA gene you can use alternative fertilization methods (ewwwwww yucky) to ensure your children will be born without SMA? Or if you prefer, you can still try and conceive a child naturally (again, ewwwwwww), in which case you’ll be susceptible to the following probabilities (proba what?):
There’s a 1 in 4 chance my new friend will contract SMA; a 2 in 4 chance my new friend will be a carrier of SMA; and a 1 in 4 chance my new friend will not be effected by SMA at all. So based on this, it’s probable that a couple who have never been tested for the carrier gene, could unknowingly both be carriers and already have 1 or more healthy friends for me. But if they decide to make me another friend, then they are susceptible to the probability figures above.
Oh and just because you have ZERO family history of SMA or any other muscular disease, that does not mean it’s not in your family history. My mommy & daddy asked all of our living relatives to go back as far as they could, and nobody could think of anyone who ever showed signs of SMA or any other muscular related diseases. And according to daddy, Nana Sandi has a lifetime subscription to Ancestry.com and when she’s not having fun with me, playing Words With Friends or Castleville (whatever that means), she’s researching our family history and she couldn’t find anything either.
This was my weekend…
My mommy made a new friend named Courtney whose daughter Kaitlin had SMA Type 1 like me. Courtney told mommy that she used to put Kaitlin in the bathtub because it took this thing called gravity away and would allow Kaitlin to move her arms and legs better. OMG, thank you Courtney for telling mommy about this because I had soooooooo much fun…
…daddy told me that I may have to make a public service announcement (huh?) apologizing for what he calls my Janet JacksonSuper Bowl wardrobe malfunction moment towards the end of my bath time performance…I’m sorry? for whatever that means.
I also received my first request to be someone’s Valentine…thanks Uncle Ryan & Aunt Lacey for buying me roses the size of my head! Daddy told me to watch out, just in case these ridiculously giant roses want to go Little Shop of Horrors on me…whatever that means.
Mommy keeps telling me to be thankful I got her looks and her personality. Daddy keeps telling mommy she’s right. Mommy being right seems to happen a lot and if you’re scoring at home, that’s Mommy-4, Daddy-0.
Daddy says he lets mommy win, but I know that’s not true.
Mommy-4, Me-1, Daddy-minus 2. Daddy loses one point for lying to me and an extra point for lying to himself.
I tasted my first Cheeto, and probably my last after daddy ruined it by reading the nutritional value to me.
And probably my favorite part of the weekend was when my daddy took the advice of this nice man who asked my daddy for money at a stop light, but my daddy told him he didn’t have any cash and if the nice man ever got a Wi-fi connection and a credit card machine he’d make a killing.
Me, mommy, daddy, Nana Sandi, G-Pa, and the Bormaster/Feinstein family (Grauntma Leslie, Grandpa Scooter, my Aunt’s Alli, Kelly, and Kimmie, and Uncle Jeffrey) had the beeeeeeeeeeeeest time flying a kite.Daddy told me there’s three things I should take from my kite flying experience.
#1. Hopefully that nice man doesn’t take daddy’s advice.
#2. The next time someone tells you to “go fly a kite”. Do it and then send them a picture. It’s a lot of fun!
#3. Grauntma Leslie is a Grauntma because she’s old enough to be my grandma, but she looks good enough to be my aunt…daddy also told me to say that Grandpa Scooter is an overachiever…whatever that means.
I’m pooped!
Items I Can Scratch Off My Bucket List:
1. Move my legs for mommy & daddy 2. Rock a bikini! 3. Take a big girl bath 4. Get asked out for a Valentine’s date 5. Tasted solid foods 6. Fly a kite 7. Sit on daddy’s shoulder 8. Pass out on the couch watching infomercials.
Up Next: Yesterday, some of my new friends helped me spread my message about SMA and I will post links & videos later today or tomorrow:104 KRBE – Roula & Ryan Show FOX 26 News Houston CBS 11 News Houston
Tonight, some of my uncle’s are throwing me a Texas backwoods birthday party…whatever that means.
Don’t forget to share my story by following & forwarding my blog, following me on Twitter (AveryBucketList) and Like Me on Facebook (Averys Bucket List)! While it may or may not help me in my lifetime, the more people who are aware of SMA, the less likely future children will be born with SMA, and the more likely there will one day be a cure for children who already have SMA!
Avery’s Bucket List PO BOX #2849 Bellaire, TX 77402
Also, my mommy & daddy wanted me to make sure you know that any monetary contributions will be used towards continued SMA awareness and the further advancement of research to find a cure for SMA.
