Nuclear receptivity

While I am struggling to make a coherent story about the estrogen signaling pathway I studied extensively the last months, I am confronted with an huge harsh world beyond my own tiny clog in the big wheel. Estrogen is a hormone which is not causing my troubled thoughts by the way. Although, it could have caused some cognitive disturbances when I was pregnant and maybe it enhances my emotions a little in this typical time of the month.  It might even influence my maternal behavior but it is not solely a feminine trouble maker. Moreover, even men depend on estrogen in their delicate homeostasis, a shortage will cause osteoporosis and men wouldn’t have a proper prostate for example if it wasn’t for estrogen’s role in the fetal development .

Estrogen binds to the estrogen receptor, obviously, but then the confusion probably sets in. We have got alpha and beta estrogen receptors and they are classified as nuclear receptors because they are found in the cell, close to the cell nucleus. Once the ligand, that is the hormone in this case, binds to the receptor, the latter starts to switch an estrogen gene on or off which in turn … (well, you’ll have to read my report if you really want to know how this story may or may not be continued).

In the meanwhile I receive updates from my dearly beloved traveling offspring. The daughter in Ghana is using her anthropological skills to determine if she is ready for more than a day job at the local art-market. The son and his companions are on their way to test distant hostels, challenging that with, in my opinion, a little too much of the products of the local breweries.  Not while they drive though. But what shocked me more than I could imagine beforehand was that their journey also means excursions I would never consider even if it would be mandatory. Honestly, I wonder what it is that makes kids, young men and probably also young women, go there.

I am talking about Auschwitz and Tsjernobyl, both places ultimately connected to disaster and loss of so many. Pictures cannot describe the feeling, they wrote, neither can words. Why would someone voluntarily want to experience such a feeling? Am I ignorant? I won’t say that, I am quite likely able to imagine how it feels there and I don’t want that imprinted in my soul. For the second place, I still remember vividly the news reporting about the accident with the nuclear plant and the immense outcome back in 1986. That year I went to the former Yugoslavia for my vacation and it scared me to go so close near the disastrous area. Well, they may explain it further to me when they return home, my kids. I already learned from them that the dose of radio-activity is higher in a transatlantic flight than it is there.  And all four of them do have a scientific education, they don’t avoid the truth, contrary they are looking for it.  Even the not so nice aspects are part of our lives.

Thankfully, the other daughter is closer to home although abroad. She is charging her battery with books she finds in the local charity shops and doing lots of other shopping and girly stuff. And the youngest daughter follows her friends to sunny places in typical tourist locations neither too far away. I, however, had to dig deep to find my own dream destination this year, that is as soon as I would have finished this assignment. The core of what I am looking for is beauty, a good feeling that refills me for the next year. I know that it won’t be enough to simply read or watch movies and pictures about such places. I am receptive to feel good.