Podcast appearances and mentions of mark looney

I didn't know these fellas before our chat, but by the end it was clear we all come from the same tribe.  In the latest episode of the On Adventure Podcast, we dove into a wild group conversation that ventured beyond the beaten path. Joined by Adam Hill, Shaun Pope, Ryan James, and Mark Looney, the dialogue unfolded amidst the rustic charm of Black Mountain, North Carolina, a sanctuary for those who chase the thrill of outdoor adventures.  This episode isn't just about pushing limits; it's a celebration of the spirit that drives us to explore the unknown, to embrace the rugged beauty of nature, and to confront the challenges that lie in the wild. It's a narrative of friendship, endurance, and the unyielding quest for adventure that binds a community together. Episode Highlights: [00:01:15] Adam Hill: From Memphis to the mountains, Adam's journey from an urban landscape to the vastness of nature where he discovered his passion for outdoor adventures. [00:08:14] Shaun Pope: The transformation from a sports enthusiast to an ultramarathon runner, Shaun shares his evolution and the familial influence that propelled him into the world of trail running. [00:14:29] Mark Looney: Reflecting on his youth in New York, Mark recounts how blizzards and Boy Scouts sparked his adventurous spirit, leading to cross-country cycling and a lifetime of exploration. [00:22:10] Ryan James: A story of growth from the flat terrains of Savannah to the challenges of ultra running, Ryan speaks on the allure of the mountains and the transformative power of pushing beyond one's limits. Links & Resources: Mountain Running Company: A hub for trail running enthusiasts, founded by one of our own, Shaun Pope. Running the Dirty South: Check out Ryan's site to promote some of the greatest trails and races on the Beast Coast! AT (Appalachian Trail) Community: For those inspired by Adam's and Ryan's tales, delve into the world of AT hikers and learn more about this iconic trail. Adventure Cycling Association: Explore Mark's passion for cycling and find resources for your next biking adventure. Closing Thoughts: As we wind down this episode, I'm sure you will carry the stories of Adam, Shaun, Ryan, and Mark with you as I have since this was recorded. Whether you're an experienced adventurer or someone looking to step outside your comfort zone, remember, it's not just about the distance covered or the mountains conquered; it's about the journey, the camaraderie, and the endless pursuit of what lies beyond the horizon. If this episode has ignited a spark within you, or if you've found solace in the shared experiences of our guests, consider supporting us. Rate, follow, share, and review On Adventure Podcast. Let's keep the spirit of adventure alive together.

Worsening conditions in Venezuela with Laura Gamboa-Gutierrez of Utah State Univ. Giant language databases tracking language on the internet, says Mark Davies of BYU. Boston University's Michael Alosco discusses the link between football and brain disease. One family faces a fatal genetic disease, with Gina Kolata of the New York Times. Mark Looney of Univ of California discusses how lungs contribute to making healthy blood.

Over 40 million liters of donor blood are collected annually all over the world, but it is not enough to meet blood transfusion demands. On top of that, these donations don’t last long. Blood cannot be stored for more than just a couple of days. So blood centers are in constant demand for new donors. But according to Mark Looney, a professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco this is not the only problem with donated blood. “It seems like we are in an antiquated era of collecting blood from strangers, collecting mature cells from strangers and giving them as a transfusion." According to Looney, foreign blood can bring along viruses and bacteria to a recipient’s body. That’s a big risk. And that’s why researchers are looking for new ways of getting blood to patients. “So if we could come up with a more effective approach, maybe something that is cell based, than maybe it is going to be the way of the future.” Looney says engineered blood cells from patients’ own bodies could be a better solution in modern medicine when it comes to blood transfusion or cell transplants.

If you suffer from deficiencies in the bone marrow, a tissue in our body that produces blood cells, your lungs can come to the rescue. That’s according Mark Looney, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. “It is curious that when patients get a bone marrow transplant or a stem cell transplant, those cells are given intravenously and the first place that they go is the lung. So it could be that the lung is part of a cycle here that is necessary for the maturation of these cells and their normal function”. In his recent study Looney discovered that about 50 percent of platelets are produced directly in the lungs, inside the cells called megakaryocytes. So how will this finding help patients? “Perhaps we can come up with a strategy where we give them megakaryocytes transfusions, and then we put them back in to the vein and they do their natural thing, they go back to the lung and there they produce platelets.” That could be a new way of treatment for patients with a low level of platelets.

Hi there – just catching up with the weekly roundup after a bit of a break. The show did go on, so here are some of the stories covered. First, did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death among American women? Now, researcher Nisha Parikh of UC San Francisco has found that the age a woman is when she reaches menopause affects her risk of developing heart disease. "We found that a longer reproductive period duration was actually associated with less of a risk of heart failure, and that was mostly driven by the age of menopause, so that having an earlier age at menopause was associated with a higher risk of heart failure." But researchers still don’t know what causes it and are working on further studies to find answers. Meanwhile, across the Bay at UC Berkeley, physicist Jeffrey Neaton is looking to Mother Nature to improve energy production skills. In particular, he’s working on making photosynthesis more efficient. "A leaf can convert the energy in sunlight into fuel with a one to two percent efficiency. A major Department of Energy program that I’m part of, the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, recently developed a prototype material that is made of semiconductors that can go from sunlight to fuel at 10 percent efficiency. Much greater efficiency than plants, actually." So, Neaton is working on creating an artificial leaf that could someday generate fuel and become a new alternative energy source. And finally, we learned something new about our lungs. They don’t just pump air in and out of our bodies – they make blood cells, too. "The lung is quite sophisticated, not just respiring, moving oxygen. Around 50 percent or more of platelets are produced directly in the lung." That’s Mark Looney, a professor of medicine at UCSF. He explains that since platelets are components that make our blood clot, and it used to be thought were formed only in the bone marrow, this new finding will have significant clinical implications. So, that’s it for now. But there’s plenty more research stories at the University of California, so please subscribe to Science Today on iTunes or follow us on Soundcloud to keep updated. Thanks for listening, I’m Larissa Branin.

The lungs don’t just pump air in and out of our bodies, they also make blood cells. “A lung is quite sophisticated, not just respiring, moving oxygen. About 50 percent of platelets are produced directly in the lungs.” That’s Mark Looney, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He says platelets are components that make our blood clot. Scientists used to think that they get formed only in the bone marrow. So this new finding will have an important clinical implication. “The dogma in the field for patients with low platelets count is that it is a problem with the bone marrow. Now we have a more nuanced understanding that that is not just cells in that location, but lung is a significant contributor to that. Now with the more complete understanding hopefully we will be able to develop approaches that can more effectively treat these patients.”

BYU's Grant Madsen on Trump's first 100 days in office. Mark Belk of BYU on the toll the quagga mussel invasion is having on our lakes. UCSF's Mark Looney discusses how healthier lungs could mean healthier blood. Christine Hyung-Oak Lee and her memoir "Tell Me Everything You Don't Remember: The Stroke that Changed My Life." BYU microbiologist Julianne Grose on fighting fireblight with bacteria-munching viruses.

In this episode Mark Looney uses rock guitar to explain the mysteries of the universe, festival-goers extract their own DNA, and find out what you get when you cross a sheep with a jet engine... We also peer inside the wacky world of the Ig Nobel Prizes, where research into woodpecker headache avoidance and a novel cure for hiccups makes people laugh, and then think. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode Mark Looney uses rock guitar to explain the mysteries of the universe, festival-goers extract their own DNA, and find out what you get when you cross a sheep with a jet engine... We also peer inside the wacky world of the Ig Nobel Prizes, where research into woodpecker headache avoidance and a novel cure for hiccups makes people laugh, and then think. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists