1

Chemistry / Re: A Question of oxidization in grape wine and not wine made from oranges.

« on: 11/02/2021 10:09:41 »

Thanks for the replies.

I have done a bit of digging and dragged this up, which I dont fully understand

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229310928_Oxidation_mechanisms_occuring_in_wines
"
Non-enzymatic oxidation, also called chemical oxidation of wine, prevails in fermented wine and begin by the oxidation of polyphenols containing a catechol or a galloyl group.
These phenolic reactions, both enzymatic and non-enzymatic, result in by-products named quinones.
However, in non-enzymatic oxidation, oxygen does not react directly with phenolic compounds. The
limitation on the reactivity of triplet oxygen is overcome by the stepwise addition of a single electron, which
can be provided by reduced transition metal ions, essentially iron(II) and copper(I). The sequential electron
transfer leads to the formation of hydroperoxide radical (HOO•), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and hydroxyl radical (HO•). The later radical will oxidize almost any organic molecule found in wine and will react with the
first species it encounters,depending on their concentration. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ascorbic acid, when
added to wine, are able to reduce the quinones. Alternative options have been assessed for the prevention of
oxidation during wine storage; nevertheless, these are not fully understood or commonly accepted
"

2

Chemistry / A Question of oxidization in grape wine and not wine made from oranges.

« on: 10/02/2021 17:55:30 »

I made wines from grapes and citrus fruits last year, I had a lot of oranges, so have a lot of orange wine, as well as other types of wines.

All grape wine oxidizes over night if left exposed to the air. My Orange wine does not appear to oxidize if left exposed to the air. Why is this the case?

Has it anything to do with the level of antioxidants in oranges being greater than those in grapes, or is there more too it? My Orange wine is quite strong, could the extra alcohol have something to do with it?

3

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 25/11/2020 15:30:54 »

The majority of those who do not require positive ventilation but are discharged with a persistent disability after bed rest with supplementary oxygen are in the 40 - 60 age group - those most important to  "the economy".

What is your source for this information?
What percentage of the "majority" in the 40 - 60 age group have persistent disabilities?
Things change as they do. What makes this age group the most important to the economy? 

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 19/11/2020 13:22:58 »

The AZ statement would be entirely credible as the primary business of AZ is the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, it is dependent on undefined "success", the UK is a reliable market, and there is no timescale.   BUT

The statement was allegedly made, not by AZ but by a government whose overriding priority is giving ever more of your money to "consultants" on a pointless railway project, has no demonstrable competence at purchasing anything that works from any legitimate manufacturer, and was until this week run by an unelected liar. 

As of today we have no idea who has one hand in your pocket and the other up the prime minster's backside, but we can reasonably assume that excuses will be made, lessons will be learned, we will draw a line under it and move on, and somebody's brother-in-law will receive a large brown envelope. That's politics, and it probably translates into Portuguese too.

Exactly it is a political statement(mostly worthless).

Politicians globally dont in general have good reputations in my experience, especially when they have dictatorships or over whelming majorities, and can not be held accountable. Apparently power corrupts and people are supposed to accept it, or is it people get the leaders they deserve?

Luckily

The Government in Portugal does not have an over whelming majority, so can be held accountable (to a certain extent). However! 

The UK gov at the moment appears as if its taken advice from some African dictatorship, handing out contracts to family members, who have no expertise in what they are selling. You mention consultants, that I am sure you are aware is likely the tip of the ice berg I guess this subject could make a whole new thread.
 

5

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 18/11/2020 20:05:25 »

Does any one believe politicians " AstraZeneca and its partner, Oxford, agreed to deliver 100 million doses of their vaccine to the U.K., which will be the first country to get access should the shot succeed, the British government said in May."

https://www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com/news/125848/astrazeneca-to-supply-europe-with-up-to-400-million-doses-of-covid-19-vaccine/

America looks like it is going to double its deaths to nearly half a million before Trump is removed from the White house. 4.4 million active and increasing rapidly, even at a 2% death rate thats nearly 90000 every 3 weeks and he is in for another 9 weeks.

I think I will stay where I am for the foreseeable. 

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 17/11/2020 22:45:41 »

I assume that it is one or the other - you can't take one of each! (ie 6 months + 1 month + 5 days)
- This is due to the fact that mRNA is more fragile than DNA or proteins
- It is packaged in a lipid (fatty) membrane, without the various support structures that hold virus RNA together
- It is subject to radiation in the environment, from the decay of radioactive elements and cosmic rays
- As a non-living object, it has no repair mechanism

Are you sure the Astra Zeneca vaccine is mRNA based vaccine and not a protein based vaccine?

7

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 17/11/2020 19:24:36 »

Since the USA of america is made up of many states and Hawaii being in the Pacific, I guess you might be referring to the state of Florida

You don't have to grow bananas to become a banana republic. The term refers to the intellect of the president and the moral integrity of the senate.

Do mean president trump, who is seen here having a tantrum as his minders try to make him leave the white house

Its worth a chuckle!. scary thing this guy would have won another election if it had not been for Covid-19. 

Ref conspiracy theorists many people wont take a vaccine for various conspiratorial reasons, some hovering around Bill Gates. Its not just the current President who might have mental issues.

When and if the French based Astra Zeneca vaccine is released. Portugal will receive enough doses to vaccinate at least 60% of the population. The other 40% will have to wait.

There is confusing information ref the storage temperatures required for the vaccines, I have read that Modernas and Astra Zenecas vaccine both can be stored  at around -20C I have also read that Modernas needs to be stored at -70C which is right, does anyone know? https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/from-labs-to-syringes-how-a-covid-19-vaccine-will-reach-you/articleshow/78253854.cms

Edit answered my own question https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/boost-oxford-covid-vaccine-emerges-rivals-must-deep-frozen/

-2C or -8C for astro zeneca protein based vaccine.  Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines and -70C and -25C respectively

8

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 17/11/2020 14:26:43 »

Given the cost of not supplying it, failure to prepare and fund a 100% program would be political suicide in the UK, or a popular election platform in the banana state across the pond.

Since the USA of america is made up of many states and Hawaii being in the Pacific, I guess you might be referring to the state of Florida https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe901#:~:text=US%20Banana%20Production,-US%20banana%20production&text=Hawaii%20is%20by%20far%20the,to%208%2C090%20mmt%20in%202010.

Edit  I think this link from the BBC posted 19 hours ago, explains the status on vaccines to date https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51665497

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 17/11/2020 14:22:47 »

Nobody has any approved commercial vaccine at this time.The only people who can be vaccinated are volunteers in clinical trials of safety and efficacy.

Youngsters may not suffer greatly but because they can be asymptomatic, they are very efficient breeders, carriers and spreaders, and thus guarantee the pool of infection that the virus requires.

So the requirement is to vaccinate everybody (except for the fools who refuse, but it's their funeral).

Given that there may not be immediate 100% availability, it makes sense to vaccinate the most vulnerable, the most exposed, and the most essential initially, but any suggestion that groups should be permanently excluded for any nonmedical reason must be regarded as defecting to the enemy, for which the penalty is death.

Not sure about the others, but the Oxford vaccine is expected to cost about £2 per shot when it is commercialised. Given the cost of not supplying it, failure to prepare and fund a 100% program would be political suicide in the UK, or a popular election platform in the banana state across the pond.

Given that the young are spreaders, would it not make sense therefore to vaccinate them, to stop the little sh1ts from spreading it Just vaccinating vulnerable small sections of a community with a vaccine whose long term efficacy is not fully tested, might result in a need for re-vaccination of the vulnerable the following year. The young might never be vaccinated until they become vulnerable due to complications arising from having contracted covid.   

Moderna a US company have just agreed a deal for 5 million vaccines to the UK, at 25$ a shot. This vaccine does not need storing at -70C like the one being bought from the European company and can be stored in a normal fridge. It has a claimed 94.5 effectiveness and 100% effective against needing hospital treatment in the event you get it. It also has indications that it might have long term effectiveness. 

5 million vaccines is not enough for the UK, how many other vaccines have been ordered from else where for delivery when, does any one know? UK population currently just over(about) 68 million.

Politically without a Brexit deal, will buying anything from the EU stop, including vaccines? Most EU officials are pessimistic about a deal will be done with the UK.

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 17/11/2020 10:28:45 »

@ Alan I can find no data to support your make believe figures. Here is some data which does not support your claims, and it is much inline with what I have been reading. https://ourworldindata.org/mortality-risk-covid

It's a very good reference but you have to be able to read as well as look at the pictures. CFR is "case fatality rate".

The reference does clearly point out that the younger are less vulnerable. They are not considered in the high risk group and in America at least the vaccination planning does not include the young if vaccines are limited.

The below cut and paste is from the American CDC website. The young are considered less vulnerable. 

"
ACIP is considering four groups to possibly recommend for early COVID-19 vaccination if supply is limited:

Healthcare personnel
Workers in essential and critical industries
People at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying medical conditions
People 65 years and older
Healthcare personnel continue to be on the front line of the nation’s fight against this deadly pandemic. By providing critical care to those infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, many healthcare personnel have a high risk of being exposed to and getting sick with COVID-19. Healthcare personnel who get COVID-19 can also spread the virus to their patients seeking care for medical conditions that, in turn, increase their patients’ risk for severe COVID-19 illness. Early vaccine access is critical to ensuring the health and safety of this essential workforce of approximately 21 million people, protecting not only them but also their patients, communities, and the broader health of our country. Learn who is included under the broad term “healthcare personnel.”

Workers in essential and critical industries are considered part of America’s critical infrastructure, as defined by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agencyexternal icon. Current data show that many of these workers are at increased risk for getting COVID-19. Early vaccine access is critical not only to protect them but also to maintain the essential services they provide U.S. communities.

People with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness, regardless of their age. Severe illness means that the person with COVID-19 may require hospitalization, intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe, or that they may even die. Early vaccine access is critical to ensuring the health and safety of this population that is disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

Among adults, the risk for severe illness and death from COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults at highest risk. Early vaccine access is critical to help protect this population that is disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
"

The youngest financially vulnerable workers are not even considered, in this American dream plan.

The English politicians are known for their frugality and dislike of spending money except when their mates are losing out. Has the UK even got enough vaccines to treat the health workers, let alone the statistically vulnerable, who are going to die of old age soon any way. 

School kids need their education, and if they are as you say going to a life time of complications through contracting covid-19, should they not be given a higher priority over the elderly grandparents or politicians.

Someone having a life time of complications against someone who only has a couple of years left to live.
Which group should be the priority in a country that has not got enough vaccines to go around.

In the UK I am pessimistically guessing included in the essential workers will be politicians and their mates before any of the younger generation get a look in.

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 16/11/2020 20:33:36 »

Like I said only an idiot would expect an answer

Don't insult other members, please.

I did not try to create a straw man argument and neither did not throw the first stone.

If you educate an idiot do you then have an educated idiot  

@ Alan I can find no data to support your make believe figures. Here is some data which does not support your claims, and it is much inline with what I have been reading. https://ourworldindata.org/mortality-risk-covid

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 15/11/2020 17:37:58 »

Do you  mean the sort of idiot who makes a big song and dance about 3.5 not being "about 5"?
Anyway, It's not so much an idiot who expects an answer, as an idiot who signs up to a discussion site  without intending to answer stuff like the rules say.

Like I said only an idiot would expect an answer

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 14/11/2020 19:10:40 »

This figure does not take into account age, or health of the deceased

Many thanks. Some years ago I had to fill in an insurance claim that included a space for "Signature of Deceased". I have now identified the author.

sh1t did I write that  I must be going native and forgetting how to speak english

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 14/11/2020 19:08:59 »

Quote from: Bored chemist on Today at 14:11:20
Quote from: pensador on Today at 14:01:32
Where is this figure of 5% mortality coming from. Is there a link some one could provide  to back it up?
Quote from: Bored chemist on 12/11/2020 20:14:45
What do you think the word "about" means?

You keep forgetting to answer the question. Why is that?

Only an idiot would expect an answer

15

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 14/11/2020 17:55:34 »

Where is this figure of 5% mortality coming from. Is there a link some one could provide  to back it up?

What do you think the word "about" means?

Do I assume you are making the 5% figure up. On closed cases there is about a 3% mortality rate, across the planet. This figure does not take into account age, or health of the deceased. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 14/11/2020 14:01:32 »

BTW, a bit late but, re.

Alan qouted 5 % across the populationb which is wrong,

Alan quoted ABOUT 5% which is right.

Not in India or the Azores, which country has 5% death rate? The US I thought was leading the figures with about 4%

The Indian figure is currently reported as 1.4%. This is anomalous as the indications in the UK are that  South Asians are disproportionately susceptible to COVID. I haven't found reliable excess mortality statistics for India. Given the tiny number of infections in the Azores, the apparent fatality rate could swing from zero to 20% in a day, so not a useful indicator of the properties of the disease.

If the figures dont fit preconceptions perhaps the assumptions are wrong. India has a less obese population, and less elderley, than the USA, Italy or the UK. Why would India not report the correct figures. Only one person I know of with the disease has died. He did not die from the disease but complications afterwards, ie blood clot and heart attack. Some other friends report breathlessness, but being smokers I am not surprised. Everyone else I am aware of who has had the disease are OK now.

The Azores could be regarded as a micro model of how the disease can be controlled, and eradicated without a vaccine. Many of the Carribean islands are now becoming clear of covid also. They also locked down and stopped travel.

Where is this figure of 5% mortality coming from. Is there a link some one could provide  to back it up?

The worldometer site does give all its sources, if you dig into each link. It does not show any major country with a 5% death rate.

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 12/11/2020 19:55:51 »

BTW, a bit late but, re.

Alan qouted 5 % across the populationb which is wrong,

Alan quoted ABOUT 5% which is right.

Not in India or the Azores, which country has 5% death rate? The US I thought was leading the figures with about 4%

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 12/11/2020 19:54:22 »

Test, track and trace should limit the spread if it is done properly. My concern was that the raw figures of deaths per infection didn't make sense, but having seen the recent graphs, I can see why they are currently anomalous.

You might also get a secondary anomaly: any visitor who thinks he might be infected would be inclined to return home whilst asymptomatic and thus spread the disease and possibly die on the mainland.

The Azores is semi autonomous and self governing region. The political leaders here closed the islands down before the mainland when they saw how serious this bug was. Only essential travel was allowed up until May. When the islands were reopened.
 
The testing tracking and tracing in the azores was further enhanced during the first outbreak by preventing travel between the islands and individual council areas. In the final stages on Sao Miguel the army even closed of an entire town to prevent people going out and spreading the disease for a week or so.

The UK is not a small island, and I dont see the british government regardless of party locking the country down in a way that would eradicate the virus, like it was done in the Azores. Additional cases were detected in the Azores today, so I guess they will go into full lock down again, and stop travel.

The death figures in the Azores are low but we only have low infection levels and it is not currently in any old folks home as far as I am aware. I noted today that the shops are now restricting the number of people inside again, due to the recent increases in covid-19 on a few of the islands. A new lock down might be imminent prior to the mid winter solstice festivals.  The cases on one island have increased 800% in just 3 weeks. They now have eight people infected on Sao Jorge, which is about 0.1% of the population.

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 12/11/2020 11:23:50 »

Portugal and Azores figures may explain the apparent anomaly of 3% fatality - thanks for the reference. More than half of the cases have occurred since mid-October, so the vulnerable ones won't have died yet.

Not quite, in the Azores we did have it all but cleared up on all the islands by May except on Sao Miguel, which only had a handful of cases left. The majority of deaths were in sao miguel due to covid getting into a nursing home there. The Azores allowed travel again in May after we were cleared. Over the subsequent months there has been the odd case, but recently the numbers have started ramping up, due to people arriving from the mainland. The people returning with covid are typically less than 40, and less vulnerble to covid, lots of students, and people working. Also the Azores is testing everyone on arrival, to the islands. The disease has returned in the last month to the central group in small numbers and was being contained, by people behaving sensibly and self isolating. However this week a asshole returned from the mainland via sao miguel, and errr! gentlemens!! club, and then attended clubs and bars on Pico and Sao Jorge so all the people known to have attended are being traced by the authorities to try and contain the virus. If it is found to have spread, via persons not known in said clubs then the islands will go into lock down again. We will find out by the end of next week. At the moment normal social distancing measures are being applied, with no other restrictions.

The spread in Lisbon and Porto on the mainland is mainly due to the population density and a perhaps higher proportion of assholes. The Al Garve and other rural areas in the mainland have largely contained the virus last time I checked. By contained those with it or have been contact with someone with it, are in quarantine.

The virus is easy to contain in the Azores islands, due to low populations, small villages and cities that would only be classified as small towns in the UK. The problems occur when assholes arriving from infected areas, move as normal through the islands without isolating themselves whilst waiting for test results. 

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 11/11/2020 19:06:10 »

I haven't been able to find cumulative excess death statistics for Portugal for 2020. Would be grateful if anyone has a lead, since this is known to be the only valid comparator of epidemic progress.

The number of biological assholes in the UK is about 68,000,000, mostly in the south and east. The number of dangerous assholes is 1, with his hand up that of the Prime Minister. Who else would have thought of infecting nursing homes as a deliberate policy? Indeed, Mr C edited one of his earlier emails in order to claim credit for it.

Two Websites one for Portugal and one for the Azores https://covid19.min-saude.pt/ponto-de-situacao-atual-em-portugal/ https://covid19.azores.gov.pt/ Hit translate if you dont speak pork n cheese.

It seems patients in nursing homes without Covid were moved to nursing homes with covid, allowing the nursing homes to be used for people recovering from covid, in at least one city > Sheffield