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*****But in rheumatoid arthritis, the immune cells called macrophages live and go rogue. They proliferate in the blood, build up in the joints and invade cartilage and bone. Currently, there is no effective, nontoxic way to stop them.******
I've never really heard RA described quite like this. From this description I would consider RA a form of immune system cancer.
This is very exciting, Linda. Please do let me know what you find out from your doctor, okay? When will you see him again?
[user=11]linda[/user] wrote:
In my days working at the math lab at the college I attended, those would be fighting words! But yes, the math at his level, he's already taken 3 grad level classes, looks nothing like what even I saw, but I had to quit just as I was getting into the upper level classes. It's all theory-stuff like proving that a negative times a negative equals a positive, which takes about 2 pages; also analysis and abstract stuff. Very little of what he studies have problems with numbers. He is very passionate about it, to Jared it's like painting is to an artist. If you get what math is really about, you realize what a beautiful thing it is. It is merely another language that can be used to describe just about anything in the universe. It's also one of the few studies that doesn't have any conflict over the truth of what is taught, at least not at the levels of calculus and below. And just one more thing; all these modern advances in building, transportation, energy would not be possible without the discovery of the derivative and the integral, which is where calculus starts. Simply stated, a derivative is just the rate of change, or velocity, and the integral is even more simple, it's just the area under a curve. These 2 simple discoveries changed our world every bit as much as the lightbulb, telephone, assembly lines or any other big invention or discovery. And let's not leave out imaginary numbers, without which we couldn't distribute and maintain electricity.
Am I boring anyone yet? Never, ever say I hate math in front of a mathematician, unless you want a long lecture.;)! One of my favorite quotes is from Einstein, “As far as the laws of mathematics refers to reality, they are not certain; as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.”
Linda reading that did not bore me in the least, it sent me into a panick attack! I like Enstein's quote and I think this statement sums up my “discomfort with” (not hatred of) math. I am a very literal person, I like concrete things, things that are unknown make me feel sick and nervous, then my brain stops working which is probably why I always struggled in math. I do not like things to be uncertain! So, per Enstein, the things I am confortable with, things with certainty, those things “do not refer to reality.” This describes me perfectly, not living in reality! :roll-laugh:
Cheryl
Cheryl, I'm more like you than you think. I'm a very visual learner and I have an unhealthy need to know 'why' we are doing this or that, it gets in the way of learning sometimes. Math can be a lot like religion, you must take much of what you learn on blind faith, and know that you'll eventually understand what you're doing. The abstract math is a nightmare for me, I'm just not wired that way and I have to study 3 times harder than Jared at that stuff. If I had been able to get my degree, it would have been the easiest degree, math education; the math requirements are not as tough as a degree in applied or pure math. We're the stepchildren of the math family, but we are still an important cog in the wheel of education b/c we teach HS and community college, whereas applied/engineers go into R and D, commercial or banking world and pure mathers teach at universities and do research.
If it makes you feel any better, studies have shown that most people's brains don't have the maturity to understand higher math concepts (actually, calculus as a concept is much easier to understand than algebra)until they are in their 20's, well after they've taken their last math class. I was terrible at math in HS, in nursing school which I attended right after HS we had very little math to learn. Fast forward 20 yrs when I've decided to go back to school, and surprise, you have to pass college algebra to get a degree in underwater basket weaving! I was terrified when I took my first math class, a developmental class, and to my complete astonishment I not only could do it, but I also taught it very well. After I passed college algebra the head of the math dept, also one of my fave instructors, got me a job in the math lab at school and the rest is history. Well, almost history, I was promised a teaching job at the college once I got my degree, but now that's not likely to happen and I'm not even sure she still works there. After I quit the school got a ton of money and built 11 new buildings, and increased the number of teaching jobs. I feel like I missed the boat, and it's very tough to think about what I'd be doing right now if it weren't for this stupid PsA.
But don't feel bad about your math anxiety, it's very common. I bet if you decided to go and take a math class you'd surprise yourself!
Btw, just one of an infinite example of how math can be beautiful. This is a fractal, this one is man made but they occur constantly in nature in their own. And I swear I'm off my math soapbox now!
I see the doctor in about 6 weeks, but I may go earlier b/c I kind want his OK in taking the Simponi since I've had pnuemonia. I'm toughing it out with this antibiotic, 4 days left but I'm determined to finish it. I'll definitely let you know what he says and give you any information on studies being done in our area. It does make one think of cancer the way they describe those rogue immune cells. As Maz says, toes and fingers crossed!
Linda, thanks for posting this info. I wish they would soon try human trials so we can all get to try this since this is nontoxic according to their research. I am praying for a miracle cure these days since I am hurting real badly. :crying:
[user=11]linda[/user] wrote:
Btw, just one of an infinite example of how math can be beautiful. This is a fractal, this one is man made but they occur constantly in nature in their own. And I swear I'm off my math soapbox now!
Linda,
Please explain, I have no idea what a fractal is and how this beautiful picture has anything to do with math. I am ready for day two of math tutoring!
Cheryl
Cheryl, be careful, once you begin to see how cool math is, there's no turning back!
Hmm, the simplest way to describe a fractal is to have you draw one yourself. Got a pencil? OK, draw a five pointed star, you know the kind, where you don't pick up your pencil, so that you end up with a pentagon in the middle. Now draw another five point star inside that pentagon. You should now have 2 stars, one inside the other; theoretically, you should be able to go on doing this to infinity (and beyond!). That's a fractal, a shape that continues to repeat itself getting smaller and smaller. Or going the opposite direction, shapes that grow branches that have the same shape as the original.Some examples of fractals in nature are snowflakes, trees, lightning, river systems, shorelines, broccoli, peacocks, spiral shells like the chambered nautilus, leaves, clouds, galaxies (that one will blow your mind – start with a spiral galaxy, now reduce to a solar system, now reduce to moons orbiting a planet, now take a big step back to atoms…), crystals, our circulatory system (there's tons of examples in our physiology); there are also examples in the world of finance, music, poetry, colonies of bacterial, fungal, or viral growth, mountains (start with the mountain, then look at a specific section of that mountain that matches the shape of the entire mountain, then find a section of that section that is similar; keep going until you get a a rock or pebble, and if you really want to get freaked out, look at a piece of the pebble under a microscope), I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Hopefully, you'll never look at nature and the patterns therein the same way again. For some really cool pics just google fractals in nature and art, but make sure you have a lot of time on your hands. Here is one site:
http://webecoist.com/2008/09/07/17-amazing-examples-of-fractals-in-nature/
You asked! If you find this at all interesting, look up information on a related subject, the number, 1.61803…, also know as phi, or the Golden Ratio. It also occurs all over the place in nature. There is a good book that is written so that laymen can understand it, titled The Golden Ratio, by Mario Livio, that is just fascinating. You don't have to believe me, just pick it up next time you're at a bookstore and browse thru it.
Lightning is one of my favorite fractals. Wait, what website is this?….I'm sorry, I know this has nothing to do with AP, except possibly patterns in the way that abx affect microbes, but it's tough for me to resist an open-ended question!!!
Ok, I get it, but that picture doesn't look like a repeating pattern to me. That was always my problem in math, I would want to debate it!
In college, I took a geology class which included a bit of chemistry as to the structure of the rocks. For example, a crystal rock is shaped a certain way, and when you go all the way down to the molecular structure it follows the same exact pattern. Like shale, at the molecular level is shaped in a “sheet like” structure. It was facinating. I have always said that when I retire I wanted to go back to school to study geology because I was so facinated by these facts. Sounds like the same things you are talking here. But I REFUSE to accept that it has anything to do with math! I liked that part of geology and …, well you know those “fightin'” words! LOL 😛
Cheryl
Linda–
Those pictures are amazing!! You are a born teacher–I wasn't too interested in fractals but you piqued my curiosity!
Take care,
Trudi
Lyme/RA; AP 4/2008 off and on to 3/2010; past use of quinolones may be the cause of my current problems, (including wheelchair use); all supplements (which can aggravate the condition) were discontinued on 10/14/2012. Am now treating for the homozygous MTHFR 1298 mutation. Off of all pain meds since Spring '14 (was on them for years--doctor is amazed--me too). Back on pain med 1/2017. Reinfected? Frozen shoulder?
Sometimes the shapes are not exact, but the pattern is similar. There are different types of fractals, and in nature esp, few are exact. But don't feel bad about wanting to debate, that's how we found out the earth is not flat! As for calling it 'math'; a rose by any other name'!
Linda…okay this is really bizarre, but when I was at the mall yesterday, I went into the bookstore and bought the latest Gregg Braden book, called….wait for it…”Fractal Time!!!” I am in no way a math geek, but enjoy Gregg Braden's books… and didn't see your post until now, as I'm playing catch-up, so I'm kind of freaked out by this synchronicity! I had never heard of Fractal anything before picking up this book. Weird or what?
http://www.greggbraden.com/home/fractal-time-calculator/
Peace, Maz
[user=11]linda[/user] wrote:
Jared will be working on his Phd in pure math. I know that he would like to go out of state to study, but I'm secretly hoping he decides to stay in Tx. His girlfriend is also taking the mcat, so maybe we can convert her to our cause.
Linda,
Make sure Jared asks for Teaching assistant (TA) or Research Assistant (RA) if he gets accepted. A lot of times he will be teaching or helping to grade homework. The universities pays TA $15,000 for 12 months, working 20 hours per week. The hours are planned around the TA's schedules. . Most of the tuition are waived, only small fees. He pretty much can support himself if he will share apartment with his friends.
Cheryl,
Good luck to Jess! What a great story. I pray she will get to med school. It's a mission!!!
Tonight I submitted my dissertation. Final defense will be second week of March! Fingers crossed! Pray no major revision!!!
:JB
[user=266]JBJBJB[/user] wrote:
Tonight I submitted my dissertation. Final defense will be second week of March! Fingers crossed! Pray no major revision!!!
YAY, JB!!! Well done getting it submitted…you can breath now for a bit before preparing for your final defense. Way to go!!!
Peace, Maz
[user=266]JBJBJB[/user] wrote:
Tonight I submitted my dissertation. Final defense will be second week of March! Fingers crossed! Pray no major revision!!
Congratulations!! You've got those prayers–
Take care,
Trudi
Lyme/RA; AP 4/2008 off and on to 3/2010; past use of quinolones may be the cause of my current problems, (including wheelchair use); all supplements (which can aggravate the condition) were discontinued on 10/14/2012. Am now treating for the homozygous MTHFR 1298 mutation. Off of all pain meds since Spring '14 (was on them for years--doctor is amazed--me too). Back on pain med 1/2017. Reinfected? Frozen shoulder?
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