Joseph writes:
Hello TWiV team,
I would like to express my sincere gratitude and sense of honor to have our recent paper on rotavirus NSP4 and intercellular calcium waves reviewed on the TWiV podcast this week. It was an excellent summary of the paper, particularly delineating the intracellular versus intercellular calcium signals. You all asked some really excellent questions and I will work this weekend to write up succinct answers to them both for your own edification and in case you get questions from TWiV listeners.
As a teaser, I am giving one of the plenary lectures on Tuesday July 15 at ASV 2025. Some of your questions will be answered in that talk … stay tuned.
Thank you all again for your contribution to virology education/communication. And thank you for highlighting our work—it is a huge compliment.
Best,
Joe
Joseph M. Hyser, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Baylor College of Medicine
Fernando writes:
Hi TWiV inquirers,
At the end of 1189 — awesome episode with the calcium waves — you speculated about how the deep snow road trenches in Japan came about. As a a twice-delighted Hokkaido deep powder skiing visitor, let me enlighten you with a YouTube video:
That’s how it’s done! Our own California Sierra road and rail snow plows are not far behind:
Finally, I wonder if the choice of Hokusai’s “Great Wave Off Kanagawa” as the episode image was triggered by the wave+Japan association…
I love digressions in the midst of serious virology. Always learning!
A longtime supporter
— F
Arjan writes:
Dear team TWiV,
You’ve probably received more responses to how the Japanese snow walls are
made, but just in case, here’s a rather short but clear description of how
it’s done:
Regards, and keep on TWiVving,
Arjan
John writes:
Interesting about why we don’t vaccinate chickens. Given the number of chickens culled, is keeping some apparently significant % of the export market still worth it to not vaccinate? Numbers for how many birds have been culled are all over the place, but in trying to find that out I learned that the USDA compensates farmers for birds and eggs lost. There are probably a lot of underlying details there, but maybe that’s why there’s little pressure against not vaccinating?
But I’m going to guess that the eggs in the stores now are mostly from vaccinated chickens, and that the future supply of chicks will come from that source too. So here’s an idea: Label egg cartons with THESE EGGS LAID BY CHICKENS VACCINATED AGAINST H5N1 BIRD FLU. That gets a further message out there for vaccination, and it will also decrease demand a bit from the anti-vaxxers that won’t buy them, helping to ease the upward pressure on price.
Best Regards,
John
Ana writes:
Hi all,
I have been a long-time listener to TWiV and a big fan of the work you do in science communication.
Like many, I am very concerned with the direction science funding is taking in the USA and the global repercussions of obviously short-sighted decisions. I have been part of one of the laboratories in the WHO Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network for 12 years now. It has been an honour to work with so many dedicated people that dedicate their time and expertise to help making the world a safer place. The recent withdrawal of the USA from the WHO will have a profound impact in the measles and rubella elimination programme, as it will affect vaccination and diagnosis in the poorest countries. WHO is not perfect, it is made of humans, after all. It is the best we have though.
I came across this fundraiser for WHO and thought I would share it with you in case you would like to give it the TWiV bump. I cannot think of a better informed audience for it! https://whofoundation.donorsupport.co/page/FUNEKRBXNHP
With my best wishes for every one of you
Ana
John writes:
I have a pick, for Black History Month:
Since I don’t consider myself a virologist, no prominent black virologists come to mind. But if you expand the net a bit and if you’re not already aware of him, I strongly urge you to have a look at steroid chemist/biochemist Percy Lavon Julian. Much has been written about him and how he rose against adversity (including bomb threats!) to become the first black chemist inducted into the National Academy of Sciences, and became economically successful to boot. Hurdles he jumped in getting to that point included needing to sit on the front porch of his Oak Park IL home with a shotgun. His Wikipedia page does a nice job of hitting the highlights. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Lavon_Julian
Yesterday the high in Greater Braddock was 61 and so I managed to do a bit of outside house painting. This afternoon’s high is a surprisingly sunny and pleasant 37. The oscillations of spring are starting!
Best regards,
John
Debi writes:
Hello to my most helpful hopeful people ever!
On Netflix there is a sci-fi movie called don’t look up. It’s from 2021 with Leonardo DiCaprio.
It’s 2 1/2 hours.
Loved it a must watch. Kinda covers what’s going on today same as 2021 deniers.
Hope you’ll all watch it!
Sincerely,
Debi
P.S. keep up the awesome work. It’s appreciated.