Author Archives: Anna

Friday. I have worked today and I will also work tomorrow. I am thinking of a change in my life. I need a change. Reading about people in different countries being forced to marry. Luckily, that is not Sweden.

Yes. That is true. I think of love tonight. I miss a man.

Christmas is over but I found this photo from December. It is cute I think. Maybe I should travel? To find easy life.

Bon weekend!

Anna

Hi again! I got tired after the face treatment so I haven´t written so much on my book today. I told you that I have some contact with my previous supervisor and he has given me some advice on what to focus on in this book I writing. That is really nice.

I was going to church tomorrow but I had to cancel because I will see an old friend from very long ago. My very first friend actually. However, the church reminded me of my supervisor who has Jewish origin (like I have lappish) and what he told me. Especially Praha.

When l was at school for pharmacology (old school, no curling) I also read a lot of other different literature. My supervisor recommended Paul Auster “Vertigo”. I carry that books take home message in my heart. What would you like to do in life after you have reached a goal? That is my personal interpretation.

I miss knowledge about drug discovery in news so I have to write myself. I have been active in pharmaceuticals during several years so I have some experience. From mouse to human.

First of all it is very important to know the literature and that is challenging because there is such an overflow of news today. To know what is important is something you learn. For example what I have written about functional nicotinic auto receptors (per se; Larsson et al. 2002, I don´t know who has the patent) is something that was very difficult to understand at that time. Today, more than 15 years ago, that knowledge has matured. That is science. What we find very difficult and complicated today will, most probably, be very easy to understand in 15-20 years.

That is why I would like to underline, especially for those with no scientific education, that you cannot “force” science to mature. Wrong decisions might be taken.

You need to know the literature so you don´t repeat an already made experiment.When you know the literature  you can ask yourself a question. And in pharmacology, to develop new drugs; to hamper, or even better, to treat diseases, you need to have animals.

These kind of experiments are strictly regulated by law. The animals are taken care of a by veterinary. You have to apply for ethical approval and you write to a committee and tell  what you would like to do. The ethical committee asks several questions about your experiment that might concern details about the experiment. For example, I have performed surgery and then they need to know about how the animals are eg anesthetized.

If you get an approval you can perform your experiment. Often you have a clear picture in your mind about what the results will be, but sometimes the results can be completely different from expected. That is interesting. Then you might use your humbleness and realize that you don´t know everything and that you need help from people with more knowledge in a specific areas.

To make a drug discovery you need a strong effect. If you succeed, like the omeprazole-esomeprazole fairy tale, you need to test this effect in other species than mice, like cats and dogs, before you move on to tests in human being.

It is also interesting to note that pharmacological drugs can have different effects in various animals. If I remember correctly, latanaprost turned out to a fairytale after a lot of work when finally tested in monkeys.

This are all pre-clinical experiments.

If the pharmacological effect is strong pharmacology continues in human being. First in a very little group of healthy volounteers, then to larger groups. Patients.

These are clinical trials.

Unfortunately, even though results are positive in animals, it might turn out that there is no effect in human beings. And that happens, that pharmaceutical industry need to stop further drug development at this level. But of course it is better to stop at this level rather than to go further.

However, if findings are positive in clinical trials, there still is a lot of work to have a drug approved for sell at pharmacies. A lot of reports are sent to various authorities at different countries.

I stop here. I like animals a lot as you know. When I started my pharmacological studies I was going to quit due to animal experiments. But, I think everybody is happy to have drugs available in case of disease. The discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming has with no doubts decreased mortality and human suffering. What is your opinion?

Anna

Hi there. A while since I saw you. I have read what I wrote last time more than twice because I have needed some time to reflect. This is a painful subject and I suppose many people are affected. And should be. Even though I am not grown up in the north part of Sweden I feel, somehow, connected to this chapter. Weather I like it or not; I am part of that history.

Todays society moves ahead too fast. Change needs time. All people are different and that might be difficult to accept. I like when people are different. To dare to have an opinion but with humbleness. To accept that the opinion might be wrong and that you need to adjust the question and/or the answer by time.

I have taken care of myself today. Now and then I go and treat myself with spa for the face. More than a year ago since I did that last time. f Just to stop for a while. Often I make that at home, but not this time.

I don´t know; but for me “spa” is also to make bread, cookies, other goodies, and of course, to cook. I have a very good paella recipe, in French actually, waiting on my table to be made. It is so boring to eat alone, that is why I haven´t made it yet. But I will, I promise ;-).

Lots of love from Anna

Soon Monday. A new week. I have written a little today. I told you previously that I like my characters in the book very much. Tonight I am going to write something very difficult. I have previously told you that I am a mixture of, what to say, many different people. I have some lappish origin. What the rest is; honestly, I don´t know.

When I was little, my parents always went to north of Sweden. To Tärnaby. So I know mountains. I love mountains. They are very beautiful. However, since I am grown up close to Uppsala in the countryside that culture has been my so called base. I have always been told that I have an interesting origin but I have never understood the meaning of that.

I have been told terrible things. In the 18th century, Swedish government forced lappish people by putting them in ice till they did what they were told. This has continued for a long time. Till the mid 1950s. This burden has been inherited by generation after generation. Swedish government has never given an apology.

I think it was in the 1980s Lappish people were acknowledged by Swedish government by having an own government. I don´t really know if that is a good solution. To the best of my knowledge there are several political parties with different interests and you vote like at an ordinary parliament. Given many parties it is difficult to find good solutions for everybody.

I have really not understood that lappish people are not accepted by people in Sweden. People really don´t know that the word lap is very pejorative. The word lap is more or less integrated into Swedish language. But people have learnt how to use intonation with a mean undertone.

With this background I have always been very interested in learning about biology . I have always trusted a lot in biology. That you can find explanations in biology.

How can I explain? For example you can find several genes coupled to a disease.

By accident, I found this book. I know that there are skulls in Uppsala. This book describes pure so called race biology.

Ok, this is all for now. According to me, Swedish government should pay attention to integration of North and South of Sweden. But, of course, the history, if they know, is not so much to be proud of. However, to continue in life, difficult tasks must be dealt with to move further.
All the best

Anna

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Saturday evening. Home writing for you. Valentine´s day has not existed for so long time in Sweden but it is very cute. A nice gesture. No flowers or goodies for me today 🙁 so I had to buy my own goodies.

At this very moment I think of my family. And life.

I have previously told you that I am grown up in the countryside. My parents are getting old but are still going strong. My brother had a terrible accident a few years ago and now he feels much better. He has Aspergers syndrom and Autism. Difficult diseases to understand. I have read some and it is interesting to note that the view of Asperger has changed a lot during only a decade. Most probably due to research that has given us a better understanding for proper help.

Being sister means a lot of work.

My father is traditional. He is not so happy that I am not married. When I go and see my parents he often says that I should go skiing or walking to keep up in good shape. But that is good since I like sport. My mother still go skiing.

I suppose this is a very old conservative spirit in Sweden. At least in the countryside that you should get married and have children. And of course I would like to. When I was little I was told that it is good to have an education before having a family of my own. My mother is a nurse and she has also an education from “husmoder skolan”. I do not know if that exists today. That was a school for women training for having family. They learnt how to cook good food.

My life has not turned out the way I wished. I have been badly hurt. And therefore I am very careful. I have spent a lot of time helping my parents and my brother. My mother has Alzheimers disease and that is a huge challenge. However, she is in good spirit and health now. Most probably I will write my next book about Alzheimers disease.

I like writing a lot and I have learnt very much from writing. I get very close to the characters in the book. I get attached to them. Sounds funny but that is the way I feel.

A few years ago I met evil.

That made me talk to my parents about what I was going to do with my life. Should I stay in Sweden or should I go abroad again. Since my brother is not interested in living in the house we are grown up in we decided that I was going to take care of the house. That is how it works in Sweden. One of the children in a family continues to live in the house. It is also a way for my parents to secure their retirement. To have a happy life.

This might be difficult to understand for other cultures but this is Swedish culture. Or countryside culture. Or village culture. I don´t know. But that is the way it is. Every country has their own culture and traditions.

I will now continue a to write my book. It will be a happy ending 😉

Lots of love

Anna