Could ACE inhibitors offer some protection against catching coronavirus infections?

[Edit]Since posting this, it appears that ACE inhibitors increase the risk from COVID19.[\Edit]
Needless to say, working an a GP surgery, I have been concerned by the latest news that a surgery shut down and that two doctors have caught the strain of Coronavirus that has caused so much death in China.

Looking it up, I noted that, according to Wikipedia, when it came to SARS, another type of coronavirus, the primary human receptor of the virus is angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).  With the current viral strain threatening the world, again according to Wikipedia, publication of the 2019-nCoV genome led to several protein modeling experiments on the receptor binding protein (RBD) of the spike (S) protein of the virus. Results suggest that the S protein retains sufficient affinity to the Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor to use it as a mechanism of cell entry.

A link between a drug involved in this and a reduction in pneumonia has been noted in the past, this being ACE inhibitors.  It may be that the reason for the reduction in this is because of the ACE cough that can occur. But it may be that this has some protective effect by interfering with the entry of the Coronavirus into cells.

Sadly, I have good blood pressure control so am not eligible for treatment with an ACE inhibitor.  But for those who are on them, it will be interesting to see the outcomes when it comes to mortality compared to those who are not on one.

Colossal

I enjoyed this film.  Just a word of warning though, if you want to watch it, do not watch the trailer.  It does not spoil the film as much as other trailers do, but it does a bit.

For a science fiction film, this was different compared to what I normally expect.  It touched a few issues such as problem drinking and while it did not do well at the big screen, I would recommend this for sci-fi nerds such as myself who want something slightly different.

I was impressed with Anne Hathaway though, normally so glamorous, she fitted this part really well.

An alien civilisation

I have found the aliens who have put the rubbish down the side of my sons bed.

They had created a civilisation in the radioactive wasteland that exists there.  I suspect that there were several there making use of the unique ecosystem(s) in the world underneath his bed, but due to the great ‘Underbed war’ only one species survived.  But in a lesson that the rest of our planet must learn, they too destroyed the environment they lived in.  And now they too are extinct, and all that remains are the ‘Underbed wastelands.’

The Labour Leadership

Today the Colchester Labour Party made its choice regarding who it is nominating for the Labour Leadership contest.

I have watched most of the hustings for the post of Labour leader (I have yet to watch the deputy leadership ones) and the person I was most impressed with was Lisa Nandy.  While one person in the meeting claimed that all the candidates are uninspiring, I disagree.  Many spoke out about the different candidates who have inspired different members.  But overall, I have to say I back Lisa Nandy.

Boris Johnson has created a vacuum when it comes to politicians speaking to the public by refusing to speak on the BBC Today programme or Good Morning Britain.  I know the reason why, and that is because he will be challenged over his repeated lies and half truths.  And that offers Labour a huge chance to get its message across.  Jeremy Corbyn failed to engage properly with enough of the media frequently enough to get the message of how Labour can benefit the nation.

But when it comes to the leader, Labour has to pick one who is able to get that message across to those who have stopped voting Labour and those Labour needs to turn in the target seats.

Rebecca Long-Bailey is amazing at communicating with the Labour core.  She is able to inspire those on the left of the party, but my fear is that her choice of terms will continue to repel voters from Labour.

Emily Thornberry has shown her ability to communicate over and over again at PMQs and has been devastating when she calmly savages the government members who are sacrificed at the despatch box.  But my concerns relate to that tweet as well as her ability to get her message across to the voters Labour needs to attract.

The ability and experience of Keir Starmer is without doubt, and to be fair, at the moment he is my second choice.  He is a great communicator but his strong pro-remain views may hold Labour back with him as leader.

I feel that Lisa Nandy has that ability to communicate to those who Labour needs to appeal to.  I have been impressed with her honesty over difficult questions and her refusal to condemn either the Blair/Brown years as well as the Corbyn years.

She is new blood and I do think that after the way Labour tried to emulate the disastrous Tory campaign of 2017 in 2019, the last thing that is needed is a continuity candidate, but rather one who can heal the divides of Labour and bring in new, competent blood into the party.

It was not me

My son was meant to clean his room.  He did not.  And when my wife found out, she was slightly annoyed.  To make things worse plastic bottles were found down the side of his bed.  When challenged about this, he said it was not him.

Talking about it at work, the same issue happens with a fourteen year old son of one of the ladies who I work with.  All sorts of things appear in his bedroom which he did not put there either.  So we worked out that there were two options.  One is that my daughter has put things in my sons doom and has gone to the house of a boy she does not know to put things in his room.  Or that it was aliens.  No other explanation is really possible.

Plasticity

Since my last post I have been trying to get out of bed sooner so that I get into work sooner and get home sooner.  It has not worked as well as I want, yet, but I am hopeful.

Anyway, today I cycled to my Wednesday job for the first time in ages.  I had been parking and walking before, but I cycled.  I cannot say that I loved it, but I did enjoy getting on my bike.

Getting back, after helping my wife with a few things, we all watched an episode of Angel while treating the eczema that my son has on his back, and then helped my daughter with her homework.

For psychology she has to take in two models to show the development of the human brain.  And it was nice to be involved in that again.  The last time we helped her with this was in primary school (not counting the help my wife gave her with her art homework at times in the first two years of secondary school).  So, using Plasticine that my wife had bought, we made her brains. Hopefully it will not be too bad!

0-0 to the Arsenal

Yesterday, I had been out with the kids to see my mother.  My wife had been away on a weekend (or rather, for the night) to meet up with some old friends, so after doing some paper work on Saturday, I took the kids down to see her (after making sure that I had a nap to recharge my batteries).  Before this though, my wife had given me a shopping list and taking the kids to Costco, I decided to be nice Dad. My son loved it as he went and picked lots of stuff to take home.  My daughter decided that she had to be the sensible one and got stressed over this (and has vowed never to do the same again).  In addition to seeing my Mum, I also got to meet up with the youngest of my brothers.  I have not really had the chance to spend lots of time with him in ages and it was great to sit and chat.

As for Sunday, we had a trip to see some friends.  My wife joined us later, but missed the later lunch that took place after watching the football game (I am not sure if her arrival time was influenced by that).  While Arsenal drew, it was good to see that for most of the game, we were better defending than before, though I do think that we look vulnerable when defending the near post.  It is depressing to see how far down we are in the table, but based on the performance, we should rise up.