Wilson's Biology Lab - The Blog

The Long Arm of the Immune System

2010-05-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

Dendritic cells are an important component of the immune system. They reside in our tissues and bloodstream in their immature form. When they are exposed to a pathogen, they use sucker like projections from their many “arms” to capture it and eat it. Once ingested, they break the pathogen down and isolate the antigens that are specific to this pathogen, after which they travel through the blood system or the spleen to one of the Lymph nodes. Here they attempt to find the B and T-cells that allow our bodies to fight off pathogens. Interestingly, the dendritic cells also appear to determine if killer T-cells or antibodies are produced as a response to the pathogen.
Some scientists are attempting to use this phenomenon to inoculate our bodies against cancer. With some cancer patients, scientists are taking monocytes, cells that become either macrophages or dendritic cells, and culturing them along with antigens of the specific cancer the patient has. Once the dendritic cells mature and are ready to present the antigen to B and T-cells, the scientists inject them back into the patient. Although this does not cure cancer, or allow the body to completely fight it off, it has been show to make patients immune responses stronger than they would have been. However, there are some problems with this technique. Because cancers are mutating by definition, it is possible that the cancer could stop presenting the antigen that the body was targeting, rendering the vaccine useless. Also, if the antigen the scientists have isolated is present elsewhere in the body, it could lead to the body destroying other things than the cancer.
Another thing scientists are attempting to learn about dendritic cells is how to shut them down. In autoimmune diseases, dendritic cells appear to be hyperactive. For example, when a patient has lupus, it appears that their dendritic cells mature in their blood stream, due to a protein that their cells release, and then ingest the patient’s DNA, which they then present to a B and T-cell, creating an immunity to the bodies own DNA. By learning more about the mechanisms that control dendritic cells, scientists hope to eventually be able to control our immune system responses.

-Dylan Karle

Source: Scientific American, November 2002 issue

New HIV model may help in finding T cells that can fight against the virus

2010-05-02T17:59:00.001-07:00

Chinese researches have recently developed a new HIV model in hopes of incorporating HIV’s behavioral dynamics into the modeling system. This new model suggests that a particular type of T cell could be useful in fighting HIV in a vaccine. Scientists from Xiamen University have been able to incorporate the ways HIV responds to antibodies, and its random mutations, into their model. This new model is able to act like the actual HIV virus does in real life.

(The structure of HIV)

In the past, clinical trials have shown that in the acute first phase of human infection (about 2-6 after the virus enters the host body), HIV behaves normally. Our body sends T Cells to fight the virus, which is growing stronger. T cells work when they are activated by the presence of their specific pathogen in the body. They have markers on the outside of their cells that bind to an antigen that is only on the HIV virus. They then begin to reproduce and go to the part of the body that is infected, where they begin to attack the virus. This is different from how the innate immune system works in that T cells are not only limited to attacking the virus when it is in the blood stream, since they can also kill infected cells, killing the virus before it can produce more viruses in that infected cell.

(A T cell attacking a virus)

In most viruses, T cells are able to completely fight off the virus and use their memory to patrol the bloodstream in case the virus ever comes back, in which case they would be able to recognize the virus immediately and fight it off again. However, in HIV, the T Cells are not able to completely kill the virus, which stores itself away and spends years recuperating its strength. HIV has the ability to target CD4+ T cells, which are the master regulators of our immune system. They also have many mutating properties. Researchers believe that these two factors are what allow HIV to escape total annihilation. During the time HIV hides and regains strength, it is also slowly attacking our immune system.

However, the body has CD8+ T cells. Until this new HIV model, scientists had never seen a simulation which includes how the CD8+ T cells could fight in the battle against HIV. CD8+ T cells may be able to provoke a stronger response against HIV because they are not targeted by the virus like our CD4+ T cells are. They also appear to be more able to put the virus down during the first acute phase of the infection in the initial 2-6 weeks. By putting these particular T cells into an AIDS vaccine, we may have gotten one step closer in being able to fight off the HIV virus.

-Emma G.

Sources:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/187222.php
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/on-line/lifecycle/images/1-2-5-3-5-2-2-0-0-0-0.jpg
http://biology.kenyon.edu/slonc/gene-web/Lentiviral/hiv_image.jpg

Seeing Disease Symptoms May Make One's Immune System More Aggressive

2010-04-29T19:26:00.001-07:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Seeing a sick_person_might_make_your_immune_sy[1]

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Seeing Disease Symptoms May Make One's Immune System More Aggressive

2010-04-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

Study Relates Seeing Disease Symptoms to Increase in Immune System Aggressiveness

Seeing an ill person on the street, in a building, or even in a picture, may make one's immune system work harder. Though most people have a psychological response to seeing a sick person (they want to stay away), scientists have recently discovered that seeing an ill person may trigger an aggressive physical response by the immune system. In the University of British Columbia a study was done that showed different people pictures of sick people to see it there was a response from the immune system. "It seems like it's probably good for the immune system to be responding especially aggressively at times when it looks like you are likely to be coming into contact with something that might make you sick." says Mark Schaller. He also says that his may help fight off pathogens. Pathogens are barteria, viruses or basically anything that can cause a disease. The researchers found that seeing sick people make other people have a physiological response and want to stay away from the sick person.

The researchers also wanted to find out if a person's immune system acts differently when they see a sick person. So, they set up an experiment to test this. They showed 10 minute slides to people on 2 different days. There were 3 types of slide shows. First a neutral one that was not expected to trigger any reaction from the immune system which was of furniture. Then the subjects were shown either a slide show of ill people, or a slide show of guns. Before and after each showing a blood sample was taken from each individual. The scientists added a little bacteria to the sample to test for a specific component called interleukin-6 which protects the immune system cells. The results of the experiment showed that the people who watched the disease sideshow had a stronger response by their immune system than the people who watched the gun or furniture slide shows.

Acknowledgments: None.

Questions to Consider:

Do you think that there could be other responses in the body like this one that could be useful to our health or well-being?

Do you think that this is a reasonable response to seeing a sick person? For example, when you see a sick person do you want to stay away from them or do you not notice this response?

Do you think the researchers could have done anything differently that would have made the experiment better? What would you have done if you had to come up with an experiment to test the researchers second question?

Works Cited:

ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 29, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2010/04/100427111248.htm

Herbert, Wray. "'I feel your disease.'" Association for Psychological Science.
N.p., Apr. 2010. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. .

Allergy details: Retrieved April 29, 2010, from http://www.allergy-details.com/health-t/wikipedia-features-immune-system/

Lily, Arielle and Arianne- Section 2 Magenta

Epigenetics

2010-04-29T04:03:00.000-07:00

Epigenetics

The remote large areas of northern Sweden are an unlikely place to begin a story about genetic science. The kingdom's northern county, Norrbotten, has barely any human life. An average of six people live in each square mile and this tiny population can reveal a lot about how genes work in our everyday lives.

Norrbotten is very isolated. In the 19th century, if the harvest was bad, people starved. The years people starved were the hardest for their vulnerability. For example, 1800, 1812, 1821, 1836 and 1856 were years of total crop failure and extreme suffering. But in 1801, 1822, 1828, 1844 and 1863, the land spilled so much wealth that the same people who had gone hungry in previous winters were able to feed themselves for months.

In the 1980s, Dr. Lars Olov Bygren, a preventive-health specialist who is now at the prestigious Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, began to think what long-term effects the celebration and famine years might have had on children growing up in Norrbotten in the 19th century and not just on them but on their kids and grandkids as well. He picked a random group of 99 individuals born in the Overkalix parish of Norrbotten in 1905 and used historical records to trace their parents and grandparents back to birth. By analyzing accurate natural records, Bygren and two colleagues figured how much food was available to the parents and grandparents when they were young.

Around the time he started collecting the data, Bygren had become interested with research showing that conditions in the womb could affect your health not only when you were a fetus but well into adulthood. In 1986, the Lancet published the first of two groundbreaking papers showing that if a pregnant woman ate poorly, her child would be extremely higher than the average possibility for heart disease as an adult. Bygren thought whether that effect could start before pregnancy: Could parents' experiences early in their lives somehow change the traits they passed to their offspring?

It was a different idea. After all, we have had a lasting deal with biology: whatever choices we make during our lives might ruin our short-term memory or make us fat or hurry to death, but they won't change our genes — our actual DNA. Which meant that when we had our own kids, the genetic slate would be wiped clean.

Also, any such effects of nurture (environment) on a species' nature (genes) were not supposed to happen so quickly. Charles Darwin, whose On the Origin of Species celebrated its 150th anniversary in November, taught us that evolutionary changes take place over many generations and through millions of years of natural selection. But, now, Bygren and other scientists have collected historical evidence showing that powerful environmental conditions (near death from starvation, for instance) can somehow leave an imprint on the genetic material in eggs and sperm. These genetic imprints can short-circuit evolution and pass along new traits in a single generation.

For instance, Bygren's research showed that in Overkalix, boys who enjoyed those rare overabundant winters — kids who went from normal eating to gluttony in a single season — produced sons and grandsons who lived shorter lives. Far shorter: in the first paper Bygren wrote about Norrbotten, which was published in 2001 in the Dutch journal Acta Biotheoretica, he showed that the grandsons of Overkalix boys who had overeaten died an average of six years earlier than the grandsons of those who had endured a poor harvest. Once Bygren and his team controlled for certain socioeconomic variations, the difference in longevity jumped to an astonishing 32 years. Later papers using different Norrbotten cohorts also found significant drops in life span and discovered that they applied along the female line as well, meaning that the daughters and granddaughters of girls who had gone from normal to gluttonous diets also lived shorter lives. To put it simply, the data suggested that a single winter of overeating as a youngster could initiate a biological chain of events that would lead one's grandchildren to die decades earlier than their peers did. How could this be possible?

Bygren's data — along with those of many other scientists working separately over the past 20 years — have given birth to a new science called epigenetics. At its most basic, epigenetics is the study of changes in gene activity that do not involve alterations to the genetic code but still get passed down to at least one successive generation. These patterns of gene expression are governed by the cellular material — the epigenome — that sits on top of the genome, just outside it (hence the prefix epi-, which means above). It is these epigenetic "marks" that tell your genes to switch on or off, to speak loudly or whisper. It is through epigenetic marks that environmental factors like diet, stress and prenatal nutrition can make an imprint on genes that is passed from one generation to the next.

Epigenetics presentation

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PTSD is linked to genes

2010-04-27T17:22:00.000-07:00

A neurological disorder is now being linked to DNA

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric illness that affects the brain after it goes through a traumatic experience. It was first identified in Vietnam veterans who have experienced traumatic event. The types of traumatic events range from losing a loved one, experiences in prison, assault, domestic abuse, rape, war experiences. Symptoms of the disorder may be immediate or delayed up to 6 months after the event. It can affect individuals of any age, race, or gender. Everyone experiences some stress from traumatic events but not every one gets PTSD. Physicians and psychologists can interview patients with symptoms of PTSD, though there is no definite test to diagnose it. Diagnosis is based on the onset of symptoms, history of trauma, and history of traumatic event.
A recent study identified genes as potential biologic markers linked to PTSD. Scientists involved with the study screened surviving victims of the Rwandan genocide. The death toll of the genocide has been estimated at 1 out of 5 people or at least 500,000 people. Exact numbers are not available, but estimates have determined most Rwandans experienced significant trauma by witnessing traumatic events or losing loved one. The study evaluated blood samples and reviewed medical records from 424 Rwanda genocide survivors living in the Nakivale refugee camp in southwestern Uganda. All participants experienced trauma but one group was diagnosed with PTSD orwith and one group was PTSD-free. Scientist hypothesized that a "traumatic load" can be calculated to quantify the amount of trauma a person experiences. A traumatic load was defined as "the number of traumatic events he or she experiences." Basically they concluded the higher the traumatic load, the higher the chance of developing PTSD. The study found a "dose-response" relationship between traumatic load and the widespread appearance of lifetime PTSD. The hypothesis suggests a direct relationship where the higher amount of traumatic load, the more likely the chance of developing PTSD. Scientists also found genetic biomarkers directly linked to the "traumatic load" The COMT (catechol-O-methyltransferase) is an enzyme produced by all individuals with some variability. COMT "digests" the chemicals produced when stress occurs. Previously, COMT has been linked with the feeling of fear. With this in mind, The people with less COMT have a higher stress load leaving them more vulnerable to PTSD. This study may provide information putting us one step closer to finding a biologic intervention for prevention or treatment of mental disorders related to stress like PTSD .

Ptsd

View more presentations from Student Wilsonsbiologylab.

questions:
Is PTSD an issue
do you think that if scientist continue to study the COMT enzyme do you think they will cure PTSD?
Do you think this experiment makes sense?
Do you think some people can be less likely to have a mental disorder
Is it okay to study people who have already gone through such an ordeal like genocide
If you could run the experiment, what changes would you make to it

New Technique Strengthens Immune Cells to Fight Cancer

2010-04-27T14:21:00.001-07:00

Konstantine Adamopoulos

New Stanford University Research has recently begun to show, enhance, and grow T-cells in living mice and in human cell cultures. These breakthroughs may be the key to pote

ntially surpassing the drawbacks of current immune cell therapy, which has not proven to be the most effective mechanism for the human body.

The way this new mechanism works is by means of a relatively new branch of biology, synthetic biology, "in which researchers can build new functions into cells by integrating pre-designed genetic components," or simply, in which researchers can alter cells with existing genetic makeups of other molecules.

Where the bar is raised between the old method of immune cell care and this new method, is to a height at which the adoptive immunotherapy targets the events that occur when the immune system cannot detect a pathogen or disease. This system works by harvesting T-cells from a patient, modifying the cells, then injecting them back into the place in the body where the disease is most prevalent.

In the past, this has been quite ineffective, due to the fact that the T-cells have not been able to destroy the pathogen on its own without help from other molecules. The new approach, is to further engineer the T-cells so that they can be self-dependent. In other words, 'fix' them and make them strong enough to battle pathogens and bacteria on their own.

Sources: Stanford University Medical Center. "New Technique Reinforces Immune Cells That Seek and Destroy Cancer." ScienceDaily 27 April 2010. 27 April 2010. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100426151623.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28

ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Netvibes

http://www.thelatestnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/immune-cell.jpg

http://metafysica.nl/l_flower.jpg

2010-04-26T18:22:00.001-07:00

A New Way to Create Stem Cells?
By Ben Irving, Georgina Johnson, Scott Kaufman

Stem cells are non-specialized cells that are both capable of renewing themselves and becoming specialized tissue and organ cells through cell division (cloning/asexually reproducing). In some organs or tissue, like bone marrow, stem cells regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues. In other organs, however, such as the pancreas and the heart, stem cells only divide under special conditions. Their ability to regenerate and repair tissues and organs makes them a fascinating area of exploration and hope for curing disease.
Until recently, two kinds of stem cells from animals and humans were used: embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic "somatic" or "adult" tissue stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are undifferentiated cells taken from embryos, whereas adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found in some organs. The controversy over embryonic stem cells has raged on since their usefulness was discovered. Many believe that the gathering of embryonic stem cells kill innocent children, thus never giving them a chance to experience the world. Others believe that by doing this, they save an unwanted child, and help someone receive urgent medical care. Adult stem cells are rare to find and also have a limited capacity for reproducing and differentiating. So adult stem cells are not very useful.
In 2006, researchers developed a way to genetically "reprogram" some specialized adult cells to become stem cell-like. This new type of stem cell is called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). It is not known how iPSCs differ from embryonic stem cells. IPSCs have been created from mouse embryos as well as human embryos.
Now scientists at the University of Missouri have developed new a way of creating stem cells from regular cells taken from pig tissue, known as fibroblasts. These scientists have have been able to convert the fibroblasts to stem cells through inserting four specific genes into the fibroblast cells. Being able to use pigs is helpful because they are more similar to humans as opposed to mice. In addition, the pigs have a longer lifespan than mice, allowing the scientist to observe the long term effects. However, the scientists have not yet figured out how to program the stem cells to develop into one type of specialized cell rather than a mixture. They will need to learn how to achieve this before the new tissues can be transplanted back into the animal.
Despite all the progress made it could still take years before these stems cells can be put to the test. A major benefit of this research would be having tissue that could be transplanted back into the donor, so as to eliminate incompatibility between donor and receiver (rejection). The stem cells could also be used to create good cells to try out therapies, such as drug therapies, on tissues more similar to humans than mice tissues. They also provide a good testing opportunity to research how to reprogram the cells. However, other problems with stem cell research may not be solved with pig tissues, such as the problem of tumor growth. Finally, some may wonder if it is ethical or humane to sacrifice pigs for this research.

Here is the link to the article - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090625141508.htm

Acknowledgements:

http://www.animaldefense.com/A_images/pig.jpg

http://dawnofanewera.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/baby-pig.jpg

http://www.innocentenglish.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/valentines-day-pig.jpg

http://9freepictures.com/d/file/animals-pictures/200908/baby-pig-68-2.jpg

http://www.hedweb.com/animimag/piglets.jpg

http://www.troedyrhiw.com/Kune%20Kune%20Pigs/kune%20kune%20piglets.jpg

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/food/piglets440.jpg

http://oldstersview.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/four-piglets-front-view-jpg.jpg

https://www.shopelysiumartists.com/images/Piglets---w.jpg

http://www.vetscite.org/publish/articles/000075/Figure%2010.%20Piglets%20in%20nursery%20pen%20without%20sowverkl.jpg

http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/animal/a1/White_Domestic_Piglets_J01.jpg

http://www.hedweb.com/animimag/piglet2.jpg

http://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/img/Piglets.jpg

http://www.hedweb.com/animimag/pig.jpg

http://www.uth.tmc.edu/schools/med/neurology/specialty-programs/ut-stroke/images/stem-cells.jpg

http://trickyrelativity.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/fetus.jpg

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090625141508.htm

http://stemcells.nih.gov

http://www.isscr.org/science/faq.htm#2

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2005/05/Federal-Stem-Cell-Research-What-Taxpayers-Should-Know

http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AXCgd83IlAm3ZGducDQ2OTlfOTBkcjUyajNkcw&hl=en

A New Way to Create Stem Cells?

2010-04-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

A New Way to Create Stem Cells?
By Ben Irving, Georgina Johnson, Scott Kaufman

Acknowledgements:

http://www.animaldefense.com/A_images/pig.jpg

http://dawnofanewera.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/baby-pig.jpg

http://www.innocentenglish.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/valentines-day-pig.jpg

http://9freepictures.com/d/file/animals-pictures/200908/baby-pig-68-2.jpg

http://www.hedweb.com/animimag/piglets.jpg

http://www.troedyrhiw.com/Kune%20Kune%20Pigs/kune%20kune%20piglets.jpg

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/food/piglets440.jpg

http://oldstersview.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/four-piglets-front-view-jpg.jpg

https://www.shopelysiumartists.com/images/Piglets---w.jpg

http://www.vetscite.org/publish/articles/000075/Figure%2010.%20Piglets%20in%20nursery%20pen%20without%20sowverkl.jpg

http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/animal/a1/White_Domestic_Piglets_J01.jpg

http://www.hedweb.com/animimag/piglet2.jpg

http://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/img/Piglets.jpg

http://www.hedweb.com/animimag/pig.jpg

http://www.uth.tmc.edu/schools/med/neurology/specialty-programs/ut-stroke/images/stem-cells.jpg

http://trickyrelativity.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/fetus.jpg

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090625141508.htm

http://stemcells.nih.gov

http://www.isscr.org/science/faq.htm#2

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2005/05/Federal-Stem-Cell-Research-What-Taxpayers-Should-Know

Is This The "Silver Bullet" of Antivirals?

2010-04-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

Benhur Lee, a professor at UCLA has possibly discovered an antiviral that can stop Pandemic HIV, Ebola, flu, and any virus you can think of.

That isn't even the best part. Lee believes that viruses will not be able to become resistant to this antiviral.

So why aren't we using this to get rid of all viruses in the world? Well, this has only worked in the labs at UCLA.

Then what is it? It is a compound that inhibits viral entry by disabling the viral envelope. It does not destroy the virus it just stops it from entering our cells, therefore, rendering it harmless. More specifically, the compound binds to the lipids in the viral envelope and to the cell the virus is invading. The virus does not have any repair mechanisms, unlike our cells. Therefore, the virus cannot work its magic, while our cells can easily repair the lipids.

This finding is amazing. Unfortunately, Lee says that this compound is not quite ready for mass production. The researchers at UCLA say that this compound may be more toxic to the human body than they had thought in the beginning of their research. It has not proven to very toxic in their research, but there haven't been any trials of the compound to date.

The compound should be researched more heavily and studied before trials start. However, this is an incredible finding. An antiviral that renders all viruses harmless? Seems legendary, but we have to find out how we can safely use this compound in our favor.

"The breadth of antiviral activity is fascinating but I fear that with the underlying mechanism of membrane disruption, there might be a lot more toxicity than is currently appreciated. Primary cells often are much more sensitive than laboratory-adapted cells," -UCLA researcher.

We will see if this "silver-bullet" lives up to the hype.

Works Cited: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=broad-spectrum-anti-viral

More On Antivirals:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiviral_drug

www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/treatment/

-Nathaniel B. Chumley

Startling Link Between Our Immune and Nervous Systems

2010-04-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

Recently, many scientists have found new leads as to how our immune system might actually cause certain nervous system diseases while fighting other pathogens. A few years ago it was discovered that neurons have major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules on their surface. These proteins, are antigens, which allow our immune system to recognize cells that have been infected by a virus and mark them for destruction. It was thought for many years that neurons were the only cells in the body that did not have the MHC class I molecules.

This discovery prompted testing on mice that lacked this MHC class I molecule. It was discovered that this molecule acts as a “‘molecular brake’ on synaptic plasticity, the ability of brain cells to rewire themselves”. This ability which the MHC class I molecules block is essential to learning and memory functions. These studies also revealed the possibility that these MHC class I molecules may trigger neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by causing the immune system to attack brain cells. This same issue is seen in rheumatoid arthritis where the immune system attacks the joints of a person.

Another immune system protein, immunoglobulin-like receptor-B (PirB), was more recently discovered to be expressed by neurons. This protein could lead to the inability to repair neurons damaged in s spinal cord injury or stroke.

These new discoveries unlock a possible cause to disease like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, which are currently incurable. If these discoveries can lead to preventative and curative measures then it would be a great leap for medical science.

However, with a discovery like this the question of whether or not this discovery is a matter of science overstepping its bounds. Some may wonder if because these diseases are caused by our body, whether or not it is our right to stop them.

Society For Neuroscience. "Immune System Research Hold Promise For Alzheimer's, Stroke, And Mental Disorders." ScienceDaily 7 November 2007. 25 April 2010 /releases/2007/11/071106124045.htm>.

-Graham

HIV Patients Hold Clues to Salmonella Vaccine Development

2010-04-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

As we all know, HIV causes deficiencies in the immune system which lead to infections that the body would otherwise be able to fight off. In most cases these infections can be fatal and are part of what makes HIV/AIDS so destructive. Though the links between certain conditions and HIV are known, not all have been scientifically explained. One such case, until recently was Non-Typhoidal Salmonella.

Non-Typhoidal Salmonella, in high income countries, is essentially what we consider food poisoning. It causes vomiting, diarrhea, and results from eating raw foods. In low income areas it is much more destructive and for people with immune system deficiencies, in this case HIV infected people, it can be fatal. There are antibiotics for the condition but it has built an increased immunity to many of these treatments.

Though it was known that HIV prevented the body from killing the NTS cells, it was not known why. One of the researchers said of the old assumptions, "We normally think of HIV patients as being more susceptible to bacterial infections because of deficiencies in their immune systems, and often they have problems making antibodies when given vaccinations."

Yet the discovery proved quite to the contrary.

In order to kill invaders like NTS, antibodies bind to the proteins on the membranes of the invaders and consequently kill it in two ways. First, the antibody marks, or opsonizes the microbe which signals the phagocytes to ingest the cell. Secondly, some of the components collect on the membrane to form MACs or membrane attack complexes, which as we know open up a hole in the membrane.

It was discovered that in fact, HIV patients had very high levels of these antibodies which combat salmonella, yet they were still not functioning. These HIV patients had high levels of certain types of antibodies which instead of attaching to the proper point on the NTS membrane would latch on to LPS or lipopolysaccharides. The large numbers of antibodies bind to the LPS structures which effectively blocks the "killing" antibodies from binding to the cell. Though the antibodies are present, they are prevented from killing by these 'blocking' antibodies that bind to the wrong place on the cell.

When the blocking antibodies were removed, the killing antibodies went back to successfully opsonizing and MAC assembling. "In the present study, we found that it's actually an excess of antibodies that causes the problem," explained Dr MacLennan, a researcher on the project.

These findings and further investigations of LPS may lead to a vaccine which will allow those with HIV to survive NTS, a condition that is treatable for some, and should be for all.

More on antibodies:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibody

Supplementary info on NTS:

http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/13/3/501.htm

-hp

Bacteria on Easter Island

2010-04-08T15:38:00.000-07:00

Bacteria on Easter Island

Rapamycin is a drug that keeps the immune system from attacking and potentially destroying transplanted organs (heart, lungs, kidneys, etc.). This drug has another use, which fights Alzheimers. The drug was first found isolated in soil on Easter Island (Rapa Nui). A team from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio reported that the drug rescued memory in a mouse with Alzheimers. The team also found a reduced amount of brain lesions, similar to the ones found in humans that die of Alzheimers. Because Rapamycin is a approved United States drug it could be used to start fighting Alzheimers. Three institutions reported that the life of the lab mice was extended. It was the first pharmacologic intervention shown to extend the life of an aging animal.

During a 10 week period mice with Alzheimers were fed chow containing the drug Rapamycin. Each mouse 6 months old (age of a young adult), and showed signs of having Alzheimers. At the end of the 10 weeks the mice were put through the Morris water maze (miniature swimming pool used for memory testing). The brains were then tested to see if the Rapamycin made a difference on the lesions. The drug is also being tested on cancer mice to see if it can stop or help cancer. The conductors of the test are still unsure as to whether or not this could work on humans.

By Venice Gordon, Cindy Cochran, Matthew Winter

Source:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100224165259.htm

There May be a Way to Stop Cancer Growth

2010-04-07T08:15:00.001-07:00

Lately researchers from the University of Texas, Anderson Cancer Center, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have been researching the Skp2 gene. Many scientists believe that if they understand the Skp2 gene well enough they should be able to make novel agents, which could stop or suppress tumor growth in many common types of cancer. After conducting experiments the scientists saw that certain types of cancer could be prevented or controlled by disabling the Skp2 gene. The Skp2 controls cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation, and the growth of new cells. In cancer where the cells are out of control the deactivation of Skp2 completely halts tumor growth.A special kind of cancer cell called an oncogene which has the power to become or make other cells cancer cells has also been shown to be directly linked to the Skp2. In these progressive forms of cancer the oncogenes are heavily expressed by the Skp2.When the Skp2 is deactivated however not only does it stop the over expression of the oncogenes but it also stops the growth of the newly cancerous cells through a process known as senescence.Senescence is the irreversible loss of a cells ability to divide or grow.

Researchers performed experiments on mice to confirm whether they could feasibly create a therapeutic drug as well as whether or not the cancer was stopped. They found that they were able to stop the growth of the tumors in mice who were deficient in two chemicals Pten and p19Arf these chemicals usually suppress cancer growth but are deficient in most kinds of human cancer.By deactivating the Skp2 they were able to stop cancer in mice with both deficiencies even though it was previously thought to only be able to stop cancer in p19Arf-deficeint models. Further testing on mice showed that not only can the Skp2 halt tumors taking advantage of faulty tumor suppressor chemicals it also emits oncogenic activity all by itself so its permanent removal reduces likelihood of cancer in the future.

Although the deactivation of the Skp2 gene will be revolutionary break through the application and usage still is flawed. In most forms of senescence the DNA is destroyed thus halting growth. But with Skp2 when the cells stop dividing they release proteins which protect their DNA. These proteins however cause inflammation and damage to their surrounding tissue. This damage has been proven to accelerated aging as well as lead to age related diseases including cancer (irony).

Hui-Khan-Lin lead researcher, said that the researchers would try to find out if the Skp2 or other genes can cause senescence in HER2-decient model to determine whether the Skp2 "is globally required for an oncogenic event."

Sources:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100317144636.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Netvibes

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081201233454.htm

Sam, Dylan, and Alex. Red.

Do Brains Process Melodies and Lyrics Separately or Together

2010-03-17T17:51:00.000-07:00

Does the brain process the lyrics of a song separately from the music, or are the two elements processed as one? Daniela Sammler of the Max Planck Institute and a team of scientists may have uncovered the truth about the human brain. The group observed an MRI brain scan of a person listening to music, in order to identify when regions of the brain were processing just music and just lyrics. There were also some parts in which the music and lyrics were being processed together. Prior to their experiment, they were aware that people with aphasia (who are not able to speak), are still able to "hum a tune". This suggests that music and lyrics are each processed independently. Sammler believed that if she were to alter the tune of a song, but keep the same lyrics, the inactive areas of the brain would be processing the lyrics (and vice versa). Areas of the brain that were inactive when both the tune and the lyrics remained the same were believed to be processing both.

The group conducting the experiment wrote 6 different sets of songs to determine if 12 volunteers were having different brain functions. Some songs had different melodies, but had the same lyrics. Another set had different lyrics, but the same melodies. In a third set, all the songs had different lyrics and melodies. From the MRI scans, the team was able to see that one part of the brain, the superior temporal sulcus, was mainly responsible for responding to the songs. In the middle of the STS, the lyrics and melodies were being processed as a single, uninterrupted signal. Though in the front of the STS, only the lyrics seemed to be processed, while the melody was nowhere to be found. The team did not find the portion of the brain for processing the melodies, possibly because there may be no individual process for them in an average brain (although experienced musicians may have this process).

After the experiment was completed, Sammler concluded that the brain first processes the music and lyrics together. Then, Sammler explained, a more complex process is used to decode the significance of the lyrics, and the music is treated separately. "The more they are processed, the more they are separated" she says. She argues that the level of inactivation in the superior temporal sulcus was not what would be expected if the music and lyrics were, in fact, being processed at the same time.

Although Sammler has come to her conclusion, there are still varied opinions among the researchers and other scientists. Martin Braun of Neuroscience of Music is not convinced that the brain is ever processing both the music and lyrics at once. "Activation of a particular brain area by different stimuli doesn't imply that these different stimuli are integrated. The stimuli might just have a similar effect on the area." he argues. If the truth is discovered, it should be a major factor in gaining further knowledge about the brain.

Sources
http://www.newscientist.com/data/images/ns/cms/dn18626/dn18626-1_536.jpg
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18626-music-and-lyrics-how-the-brain-splits-songs.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=life

By Emily Siegel and James Buchsbaum

How Does The Brain Process Songs

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Over Protective Parents

2010-03-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

Over Protective Parents

By Alex Scheman and Amanda Shepherd

Overprotective and controlling parents may mean well, but in the long run could be slowing down their child's brain growth which are linked to mental illnesses. Children with parents who are highly protective or neglectful may be more likely to psychiatric disorders which are also related to defects in part of the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that concerns behavior, learning, judgment and personality. To test this, Kosuke Narita of Gunma University, Japan, scanned the brains of 50 people in their 20s and told them to fill out a questionare concerning their relationship with their parents throughout the first 16 years of their life. The questionare was called the Parental Bonding Instrument and was known internationally to unravel relationships between children and their parents.
Narita and his team discovered that children with overprotective parents had less grey matter in the area surrounding the prefrontal cortex than those who had healthy parent-child relationships. The grey matter is part of your nervous system that is in your brain. An interesting observation was that neglectful fathers, not mothers, stimulated less grey matter. This part of the brain develops during childhood and abnormalities there are common for people with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. Narita thinks that an over release of stress hormone cortisol, either from neglect or too much attention, and the reduced making of dopamine due to poor parenting causes the grey matter growth to stop.
Stephen Wood, who studies adolescent development at the Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre in Australia, challenges this. He claims that these children may be born with abnormalbilites and other mental illnesses thus causing a rocky parent to child relationship. This brings up the potencial for a reverse order variable. Wood also points out that the test excluded people with a lower status and economic class, which may be contributing factors of childhood. These observations have opened up possible data flaws in the experiment. Although this test might not have been a success, the experiment opened up the eyes of many people in the parental and scientific community.

This is pointing to where the prefrontal cortex of the brain is. This is the part of the brain that concerns personality, judgement, behavior and learning.

Acknowledgements: none

Sources:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18633-mom-and-dad-stop-stifling-me--its-damaging-my-brain.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=life
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=active&client=firefox-a&hs=hhy&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=define%3A+prefrontal+lobe&btnG=Search
http://www.shockmd.com/wp-content/dorsolateral-prefrontal-cortex3.jpg

Over Protective Parents

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IVF Babies have High Risk of Diabetes, Obesity and other Metabolic Disorders

2010-03-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

In 1978, the first test tube baby was born. A test tube baby is created through the process of In Virto Fertilisation (IVF), which is when egg cells are fertilized by sperm outside the womb. Scientists extract the ova (egg) from the ovaries of the woman. They then put the egg in a liquid with the sperm, which allows the egg to be fertilized.

Factors that affect the result of the IVF include the age of the woman, the normalcy of the uterus and semen quality, the success or failure of fertilization, and the number of embryos transferred. Now, more than three million babies are born through IVF. Risks have increased from about one in 15,000-20,000 to one in 4,000 cells.

First clues of problems with babies born through IVF was in 2001 with animal cloning studies. Scientists realized that in IVF there was a higher chance in offspring syndrome (abnormalities) and heart defects. Since they used the same procedures with animals, they predicted that it would affect babies too.

Though most test tube babies are born healthy, a large group are at a risk for low birth weight, which is associated with obesity, hypertension and type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar). At Temple University School of Medicine, Carmen Sapienza, a geneticist, is observing to groups of children. One group is born naturally, and the other is born through IVF. Sapienza was especially interested to see a chromosomal modification in the children born through IVF. Found out that 5 to 10 percent of modifications were in test tube babies. Sepienza says that these chromosomal modifications altered nearby genes, and that several of these genes express the metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

After the egg is fertilized, the embryos are either killed purposefully or accidentally, or frozen. Many people believe that IVF is inhuman and wrong. But others believe that infertile people must be able to have children. The survival rate of each embryo is 36% for a mid-aged woman (30-50).

Acknowledgments:
-http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=assisted-reproduction-genetics
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vitro_fertilisation
-http://images.google.com/

By Dominic, Vahimir, and Giancarlo

Ivf Babies Have High Risks Of Diabetes, Obesity And Other Metabolic Disorders

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Mini Labs and Plant-Based Vaccines Look to Stop Next Pandemic

2010-03-01T13:10:00.000-08:00

Last year, the H1N1 virus, and it's rapid worldwide spread showcased the global system's inability to swiftly and effectively distribute vaccines for newly discovered strains of influenza. In fact, the first H1N1 vaccines were distributed in October of last year, even though the first cases were reported that April. Project GreenVax, which is being led by the Texas Plant-Expressed Vaccine Consortium, looks to fix this problem before another possible pandemic develops.

Part of the reason why the H1N1 vaccines took so long to be distributed is that the process used to create them was very inefficient. Chicken eggs were used to create most of the vaccines; doctors would slightly open an egg and inject the virus into the fluid surrounding the embyro. The virus multiplies for a few days, until the eggs are opened again to remove the virus, purify it, and prepare it for use in a vaccine. This process takes up to 2 weeks in total, and doesn't produce a large number of vaccines. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it would take 900 million eggs to produce 300 million vaccines.

The scientists behind Project GreenVax believe that they are able to create vaccines at a much more productive rate, and much quicker using plants. By using essentially the same process, just substituting plant leaves for chicken embryos, it is possible to reduce the time needed to create the vaccine and increase the number of vaccines that could be made. The only problem is that, despite more than a decade of research, there still haven't been "any approved vaccines made using the plant-based approach".

This is most likely because of the fundamental differences between plant cells and animal cells. However, Project GreenVax is devoted to finding a way to use plants to create a more effective method of creating vaccines. They have a combined $61 million in funding, and start research next week.

NOTE: The powerpoint should be up sometime before Wednesday

Link Between Influenza Outbreaks and Humidity

2010-02-24T10:29:00.000-08:00

Jeffrey Shaman, an Oregon State University atmospheric scientist, has discovered a link between absolute humidity and influenza outbreaks. This discovery does not shock the scientific community in that scientists have long suspected a link between humidity and seasonal(epidemic) flu outbreaks. While scientists have focused on relative humidity, absolute humidity is the actual amount of water in the air, irrespective of temperature. Researchers used thirty-one years of observed absolute humidity conditions to create a mathematical model of influenza and found that the simulations reproduced the seasonal cycle of influenza in the United States.

Beginning observations in New York, Washington, Illinois, Arizona and Florida, then spreading to the rest of the continental U.S. Shaman and his colleagues discovered that the start of many influenza outbreaks during the winter came after a period of weather that was drier than usual. Shaman makes it a point to clarify that a dry period is not a necessary requirement to trigger an influenza outbreak, nor can the information help predict where there will be an influenza outbreak . However, this discovery could have a major impact on the development of strategies forlimiting spread of infection.

Outbreaks Of Influenza Linked To Changes Of Ab

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Lacking Telomeres May Make You Age Faster

2010-02-21T17:33:00.000-08:00

Lacking Telomeres May Make You

Age Faster

By Clay Walsh and Dana Berger

Scientists may have made a breakthrough in establishing the cause and speed of biological aging by researching telomeres. Telomeres are DNA pieces on the end of chromosomes which help protect the chromosomes from damage and degrading over time. They are almost padding or protection to the weak DNA inside of them. Some scientists now think that these shrinking as cells divide is the cause of biological aging. First, it is important to know the difference between biological and chronological aging. Biological aging is how your cells are physically after the splitting of these cells. Chronological age merely refers to how long you have actually lived. What these scientists are saying is that someone with smaller telomeres who has lived 45 years may actually have the body of a 55 year old individual.

Scientists from the University of Leicester led by Nilesh Samani actually examined 500,000 genetic variations to find different telomere lengths in the variations. The scientists found a certain variant inside some people that cause them to have shorter telomeres. This variant is actually genetic, and is passed from parent to child. It is like any chromosome with each parent passing one copy down to their child. Previous studies on animals showed that animals with shorter telomeres actually do have faster biological aging. According to scientists, on average, people with one copy of variant are 4-5 biological years older then someone the same chronological age without the variant. Someone with two copies, one from each parent, looks biologically 6-8 years older then someone their chronological age without the variant.

Samani says that it is actually rather common for people to have at least one copy of the variant. He has said "About 7 percent of people carried two copies of the variant, and 38 percent of people [carried] one copy. He also has said that the scientists do not know if people actually look physically older. It seems like it would be difficult to actually tell or judge if they did. Samani has also brought up concerns of early heart disease, as he works as a cardiologist at the university. He has said that shorter telomeres may lead to earlier heart disease, and that very old people chronologically may have perfect heart health, and some younger people chronologically may be at severe risk. This raises large concerns for people who may consider themselves healthy, but actually are at severe risk. It will be very interesting to see if these scientists are able to distinguish older biological people by looks. It also might be a good idea to research a way to create longer telomere transplants for people to prevent premature aging.

The white pieces on the end are telomeres.

Source: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=aging-telomere
Acknowledgements: Scientific American for writing the first article, and Nilesh Samani and the University of Leicester for conducting the research

Lacking Telomeres May Make You Age Faster

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Scorpion Venom Used to Cure Pain

2010-02-21T16:20:00.000-08:00

Professor Michael Gurevitz and other scientists at the Tel Aviv University Department of Plant Science are investigating a new way for painkillers to work. They are going to use the natural compounds that can be found in scorpion venom. The research that has been conducted has proven that because the venom has evolved over time, it showed to be extremely effective on the body because there seams to be low side effects after use. This is only a theory that Prof. Gurevitz has made. The way the venom can help reduce pain, is that the venom found in scorpions have toxins called Peptides, which interacts with sodium channels in the muscular system and nervous system. The sodium channels conduct the pain. Scientists believe that if they can isolate the pain receptors in the channels, they can develop an even more effective painkiller than morphine. Along with people following scorpion venom as a painkiller, others have found that it is an efficient way to treat epilepsy.

The Israeli Yellow scorpion's venom works in the way that neurotoxin works. When the neurotoxins get inside the body, the they will almost instantly paralyze the prey preventing them from fleeing, and fighting back. The venom from the Israeli Yellow Scorpion is only affective on small prey, but when the venom is put inside a bigger animal, like a human, there is not as bad of an effect.

There are many dangerous things that need to be worked on right now in the new painkillers with venom in it. The scientists are dealing with the Israeli yellow scorpion which is one of the deadliest scorpions in the world. This scorpion is very poisonous. The Israeli yellow scorpion has 300 different peptides in its venom and only some of them have been researched. Many of the peptides' affects are unknown. There are also many dangers in the scorpion's toxins. Currently Prof. Gurevitz and other scientists are trying to produce these new painkillers with minimized problems of the venom's bad bioactive components.

Though this drug does have some side affects there are great things that can also come from this new pain killer. If the scientists were to successfully produce this painkiller it could solve one of the biggest problems in the medical world today. Aspirin does not help with extreme pain and morphine is an addictive drug. These new drugs would help with serious burns, bad cuts, would be a good thing to use in the military, and would be useful to people with bad injuries after earthquakes and other natural disasters. This new painkiller would work quickly, effectively, and there would be no addiction associated with the drug.

Ack:

- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100216163341.htm?
utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Netvibes
-www.wilsonsbiologylab.com
-google docs
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YbfDNTAiZQ8/Snw3su_VcRI/AAAAAAAADbQ/HBOhKVWlW9g/s200/arizona_bark_scorpion.jpg
http://files.turbosquid.com/Preview/Content_2009_07_14__00_07_03/scorpio.jpg92B9A1A1-299D-40C6-BBEA7F68FD4402EF.jpgLarge.jpg
- http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/scorpion.gif

By: Phillip Messineo, Lally Homans, and Gordon Spector

Dolphins May Help In Finding A Cure For D

2010-02-21T15:14:00.001-08:00

Dolphins May Help In Finding A Cure For D

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Can dolphins help with diabetics?

2010-02-21T14:52:00.000-08:00

New research has added to the fact that bottlenose dolphins go into a safe diabetic state during their overnight fasting. This results in maintaining high levels of glucose in their blood. On February 18th, at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, more research was presented suggesting that dolphins could be a good model for studying and experimenting with for diabetes. It could provide greater understanding and results for people living with the disease as well. Carbohydrates usually give animals a large amount of glucose. What dolphins eat cause them to have a lot of protein and not so much glucose-rich carbohydrates. It is possible that dolphins have something called a "diabetic switch" which gives them food even when they do not eat. Veterinary epidemiologist Stephanie Venn-Watson said "Brains need sugar to function, but a diet of fish has no sugar". This believed in "switch" could possibly enable dolphins to control their diabetic state. A person with type 2 diabetes has high levels of glucose when they are resistant to insulin. They do not respond to the insulin, which tells their body tissues to soak up the glucose from in the blood. Dolphins, however, are a different case altogether. When a person has a high level of glucose it can prove to be hazardous, but for a dolphin it might help fuel their big brains when they are in between meal times.

Studies show that this "insulin resistance" that dolphins have can be bad. The insulin level in something is when cells in the liver, muscles, and fat tissue take glucose from the blood and keep it in the liver and muscles. From this resistance the dolphins could start to produce a "pathological form of diabetes," meaning there is no way for the diabetes to go away, and they cannot control it. For weeks scientists worked to study dolphin's insulin levels. They did this after each dolphin ate, and they studied six dolphins. They found that when dolphins fast, they "show changes in blood chemistry" and they also have changes in their glucose level, which is exactly like humans. Humans and dolphins are very different, but we both have big brains and large blood cells which can carry big amounts of glucose. Some scientists believe that humans have a similar "switch," like the dolphins, in our bodies. Scientists believe that after the ice age, humans could not eat carbs because all the foods with carbs froze. So, they believe that humans used this "insulin resistance" to keep glucose in the brain. They believe something similar to this happened to the dolphins many years ago. In conclusion, scientists think and hope that maybe they could find a diabetic "switch" in humans.

By, Raina, Irena, and Aliza

2010-02-19T08:39:00.000-08:00

Attacking Cancer Cells With Hydrogel Nanoparticles

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have found a new way to aid chemotherapy and lessen the dramatic effects it has on the body. They are using special apoptosis causing RNA (siRNA) to kill cells in the specific area where the cancer is. Therefore, this procedure can target just the cancerours cells and not kill non-cancerous cells like chemotherapy does. This newly discovered type of siRNA does not totally do the job of chemotherapy, but it can make chemotherapy more effective and therefore lessen the time chemotherapy is actually used. This siRNA inhibits the EGFR’s (Epidermal growth factor receptors). In cancerous cells there is an overabundance of EGFR, which causes cells to go through mitosis faster and more often, and it also inhibits the cells apoptotic function. By interfering with the EGFR, siRNA allows the cell to regain its apoptotic function and also stop the constant reproduction of new mutated, cancerous cells.

The siRNA cannot survive outside of the cell very long, since it denaturalizes. However, the researchers have also found a hydrogel that keeps the siRNA intact outside the cells and therefore can be safely transported into the cancerous cells. The hydrogel does another, more important job. If the siRNA is only released at one time the cancerous cell can recover its control over the EGFR and therefore the treatment would be ineffective. However, the hydrogel releases the siRNA slowly and constantly over a period of time, which allows the cell to either go through apoptosis or for the chemotherapy to kill the cell.

Works Cited:
http://www.medgadget.com/archives/img/sirna.jpg

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100216140404.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+(ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News)&utm_content=Netvibes

http://www.odec.ca/projects/2005/thog5n0/public_html/Tumour.gif

Malaria Vaccine

2010-02-10T19:52:00.000-08:00

Malaria is a very serious disease. It is spread by infected mosquitoes who bite a contaminated person and then pass on the disease when they bite another, uninfected person. Once bitten by an infected mosquito, the victim gets the malaria parasite in their blood stream. Once in the blood stream, the parasite begins to multiply and spread all over the body and disease and/or death soon follow. According to the World Health Organization, there are over 300 million cases or malaria each year, and every 30 seconds a child dies from malaria – that means that almost 1 million children die every year from malaria alone. Scientifically, we can treat malaria and keep the disease from being effective, but it is expensive and malaria has been eradicated in the developed world, which have prevented research into making the medication less expensive. However, in developing places like Africa, because the treatment is too expensive and there is no vaccine, the way to prevent the disease was to sleep under mosquito nets or to kill the mosquitoes. However, these are bad solutions because the only thing that is truly effective against mosquitoes is DEET, but when released upon an environment in large, blanketing quantities, it negatively affects many different parts of the ecosystems – and it is impossible to stay under a mosquito net every moment of every day. Although by adulthood most people in malaria affected nations have developed some sort of immunity, the high death rate among children has prompted a wide spread search for a vaccine.

And, it appears that one may have been found. Called FMP2.1/ASO2A, this vaccine targets the falciparum malaria strain, the most common and deadliest strain. How it works, is a protein, called AMA-1 affects the virus and causes it to be ineffective or makes it easier for the immune system to defeat – the exact mechanism was not explained. In addition to this protein, an adjuvant system, called ASO2, is utilized to increase immune system response so the immune system is more likely, and better able, to produce the antibodies that will fight of later infections. The vaccine is currently being used tested on a larger scale, from 100 children to 400 children and thus far there have been no adverse effects.

There are, however, some problems with this vaccine. First, it treats only one specific strain. While this is a big step, and researchers are hopeful it will be effective against other strains, these other strains are killing people as well and this vaccine may not help them. Also, malaria is a parasite, which means it does not behave like a disease caused by a virus or bacterium. Unlike many of these diseases, when symptoms of malaria abate, the parasite is still in the victim’s body and relapses occur. What happens to people who survive the first time, is their immune system develops an immunity to the disease which lessens the severity of these relapses. Decreasing the severity of the relapses is what this vaccine attempts to duplicate. The problem with this approach, is that if the parasite is genetically altered in anyway, it is still in the victims body and the changes will affect the victim immediately, rather than on the off chance they get bitten by a mosquito with the altered parasite.

University of Maryland Medical Center. "New Malaria Vaccine Is Safe and Protective in Children, Scientists Find." ScienceDaily 6 February 2010. 10 February 2010 .

Disease Malaria Presentation

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Health Benefits from Vitamin D?

2010-02-08T04:20:00.002-08:00

By Jennie, Sophie, and Zoe

Original Article Here

Some scientists believe that vitamin D could be used to build bones, strengthen the immune system, and lower the risk of illnesses such as diabetes, heart and kidney disease, high blood pressure, and cancer. They think that people can achieve this by consuming more vitamin D that the body makes from sunlight, fish, and fortified milk. Vitamin D is found throughout the body and it is used to turn cells on and off.People’s vitamin D levels are influenced by whether they have light or dark skin, where they live, how much time they spend outdoors and by fish and milk consumption. To raise one's vitamin D level without taking an actual supplement, you could increase the time you get sun for 15 extra minuets. People who are older, have diabetes, kidney disease, or stay indoors are at risk of Vitamin D deficiency.The recommended amount of consumption is 400 international units a day. but for many that could be too low. Although many people don't get the recommended amount of vitamin D. The 2008 on an American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that 10% of children are very deficient of Vitamin D. Now many doctors check their patients to see if they are getting a recomended amount of vitamins and prescribe them medicine if they aren't. Although some scientists are skeptical about the idea that vitamin D can b used to help so many problems. They are not positive that it will help improve health for everyone or if it could even have negative effects on some people. Also they are afraid of people consuming high doses and having bad side effects. The type of experiment scientists would have to do to be able to test Vitamin D would involve using humans as test subjects which is morally wrong if they humans have bad side effects. Dr. Manson says that it is possible for people to have high levels of vitamin D if they exercise or stay outdoors a lot of if they have a healthy diet and don't smoke. The nationwide clinical trial is taking 2,000 adults such as men 60 years older and women 65 and older to study if high doses and amounts of vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids from things such as fish oil can help lower the probability of heart diseases and cancer. Dr. Manson's experiment is to take the participants and divide them into four separate. 1 group will take vitamin D and fish oil pills, 1 will just take vitamin D, 1 will just take fish oil pills and the 1 will take placebo pills. the participants will take vitamin D3 and will use one-gram supplements of omega-3 fish oil. They will take it about 5-10 times of the average daily intake.

The Women's Health Initiative study tracked women taking 400 units of Vitamin D and 100 units of calcium. Although they didn't find many benefits to taking the supplements except a lower risk of hip fracture. Also many people believe that 400 units isn't enough but every person varies. Another study was for 1,200 women who took 1,500 milligrams of calcium and 1,000 units of vitamin D and they showed a lower risk of breast cancer. Although vitamin D and calcium might have a positive effect, some scientists even say that increasing the supplements can cause heart problems, diabetes, and cancer. Other scientists say its hard to predict the potential effects a person could have.

Acknowledgments:

Wilson's Biology Lab

The New York Times

Vitamin D by Jennie Nadel, Sophie Biber, and Zoe Lee-Mcdermott

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Will Genetic Juicing Replace Steroids?

2010-02-07T17:30:00.000-08:00

Athletes are always under pressure to become stronger and faster. Some coaches take risks and drastic measures like steroids. Many athletes and coaches will be tempted to find new ways to give the athletes and advantage. Thus, many people are now turning to Gene therapy to make themselves stronger. Gene therapy is the practice of inserting different genes into the cells to improve their performance. Currently, it is only legally used for medical reasons to make patients live longer. However, gene therapy is currently risky for several reasons: firstly, the gene may be rejected by patient. Because the genes are foreign material, people's immune system may reject the gene and destroy it, causing the operation to fail. If the operation is done poorly enough, the immune system's response may be severe enough to kill the patient (i.e., shutting down organs, including the brain). Also, gene therapy does not last for a long period of time, so multiple operations are required until the therapy actually works and cures the patient.

This does not stop many athletes and coaches attempting to try it out. Many medical centers claim to have the latest "breakthrough" in genetic therapy, and they claim to be cheap and effective. One of the more popular advertised therapies is the insertion of synthetic genes into athletes, which can produce chemicals linked to muscle building. Another molecular manipulation regulates or increases the production of energy-efficient muscle fibers. In 2006, a German track and field coach tried to allow genetic juicing to his athletes for the 2008 Olympics in China, but was caught before anyone could be treated. In an attempt to stop genetic manipulation in athletics, the World Anti-Doping Agency (an organization set up by the Olympics to stop athletes from using enhancing drugs in sport) preemptively outlawed all genetic therapy in athletes. Additionally, scientists are working on ways to catch genetic enhancements by looking at and isolating suspicious genes. Sadly, these preventive methods will probably to do little to stop desperate coaches and players, and genetic enhancements in athletes may replace steroids. However, the side effects of genetic therapy are much more dangerous than steroids, and they will probably lead many players to their demise.

Sources:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=athlete-alert-is-genetic-juicing-se-2010-02-04

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_therapy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Gelsinger

Image credit:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/DNA_helix_structure.png

By Coda, Afemi, and Mason

Genetherapypres by Coda, Afemi, and Mason

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Sea slugs that are half plant, half animal

2010-02-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

Sea Slug

A green sea slug was found that seems to be part animal, and part plant. It is the first animal to produce the plant pigment Chlorophyll. The slugs seem to have taken some of the genes from algae that they eat. With these stolen genes, they can carry out photosynthesis. The slugs can make their own energy without having to eat. This of course is very beneficial when it comes to survival. Sidney Pierce studied these green sea slugs, called Elysia Chlorotica for around 20 years. January Seventh was the first time that multicellular animals produced chlorophyll. The sea slugs live in the salt marshes in New England and Canada. They take the genes needed to make the green chlorophyll and the small cell parts called chloroplasts which are used to conduct photosynthesis. The scientists doubted this, so they designed an experiment. In the experiment, the researchers collected them, and put them in a tank without any food. As long as the sea slugs had light on them for 12 hours a day, the slugs could survive. The researchers used a radioactive tracer to make sure that the slugs were actually producing the chlorophyll and not stealing from algae. They actually pass it on to future generations. The babies of the sea slug theives can produce their own chlorophyll, but they can't produce photosynthesis until they've eaten enough algae to steal the necessary chloroplasts. Scientists aren't quite sure how the slugs can actually take the genes that they need. It is obvious that they take DNA from other organisms, but the mechanics are still unknown.

Researchers find "broad spectrum" antiviral that fights multitude of viruses

2010-02-02T20:33:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons viruses are near impossible to combat is the fact that not only do they vary in many ways but they mutate often. Deadly viruses such as HIV are able to resist so much of what is thrown at them because of their mutating abilities. Despite the mercurial nature of viruses a group of researchers from UCLA and other universities may have found an effective way to combat them.

The compound the researchers have discovered is a rhodanine derivative that the researchers have dubbed LJ001. It is classified as a “small molecule broad spectrum antiviral”, meaning that it fights viruses by attacking them through a common feature that viruses share. LJ001 works by binding to both cellular and viral membranes and inactivating them. However LJ001 is not harmful because of the natural regenerative qualities of metabolically active cells which are able to repair the damage unlike the virus cell. Therefore the compound is able to attack viruses without serious damage to the rest of an organisms’ cells. Researchers have seen the effectiveness of LJ001 on various virus strains however the exact mechanism if viral membrane inactivation is still unknown

One of the reasons for excitement over LJ001 is the fact that the FDA has approved few broad spectrum antivvirals, and the ones that have generally less effective and very costly. Studies have shown that LJ001 has the potential to be effective against a wide range of viruses HIV-1, influenza A, filoviruses, poxviruses, arenaviruses, bunyaviruses, paramyxoviruses and flaviviruses. These viruses are the cause of some of world’s deadliest diseases such as, Nipah virus encephalitis, Ebola, hemorrhagic fever and Rift Valley fever. Since it is a broad spectrum antiviral, LJ001 may even have the properties to be effective against viruses that have yet to be discovered.

Rivero, Enrique. "Researchers find 'broad spectrum' antiviral that fights multitude of viruses."www.eurekalert.org. 01/02/2010. Eurekalert, Web. 2 Feb 2010. .

Broad Spectrum A

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-Jukie & Cyrus

Nmnat2, The Cure for Neurodegenerative Diseases, for aging?

2010-01-31T15:34:00.000-08:00

Recently at the Babraham Institute, scientists have discovered a survival factor that plays a key role in keeping our nerve cells alive and protects us from degenarative disease such as multiple sclerosis. This survival factor is called Nmnat2, and it has been discovered that without this protein nerve cells begin to degenerate. Nmnat2 is a metabolic enzyme that is situated in the golgi of nerve cells. Neurodegenrative diseases are caused by a loss of functioning nerve cells, usually caused by the degeneration of axons. Axons are the long and thin projections, that can be up to a meter long, that carry messages from nerve cells to other target cells. Many neurodegenerative diseases are caused by the deterioration of these axons. These axons also deteriorate as people age.

These discoveries open up whole new world of possibility in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders as scientists now know what protein, or lack thereof, cuases the deterioration of these axons. Scientists now believe they can combat neurodegenerative disorders by targeting this protein or other steps in the nerve pathway. There is also some potential for the possibilty of slowing the natural degeneration of nerve cells with old age.

While this discovery opens up many doors for people with neurodegenerative diseases, some of the worst and most painful known to man, it also could give humans the power to extend life to unthinkable ages. Nowadays most things in ones body can be replaced if it breaks down, from a knee to a heart. However, one of the most effective limiting agents on human life is the degeneration of nerve cells, something that has baffled scientists for many years. With this recent discovery though, science could be reaching another plateau of extending human life, one that could have incredibly controversial views.

-Graham and Hayes

Public Library of Science. "Scientists Find Survival Factor for Keeping Nerve Cells Healthy." ScienceDaily 31 January 2010. 31 January 2010

Graham And Hayes Nmnat2 Pres.

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Cells Critical to Childhood Leukemia Discovered

2010-01-25T18:36:00.000-08:00

On January 21st, Science published an article about a new cell that has been discovered. But this isn't just any old cell, this cell is said to play a critical role in a form of childhood leukemia. Researchers at the Royal Melbourne Hospital found the cell.

This cell, which is still unnamed, is believed to be a major player in causing a specific type of childhood onset Leukemia called T cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or T-ALL. The cell is mainly found in the thymus.

This is a rather new discovery, and not all the details are known in terms of the part this specific cell plays in T-ALL, nor do scientists know exactly how T-ALL is caused. However, while studying mice prone to this type of leukemia, researchers discovered that this cell continued to re-emerge after radiation.

The cell functions much like a stem cell, which makes it incredibly resistant to therapy and the toxicity of the treatment. Consequently, this cell can lead to post -treatment relapses which are quite common in T-ALL.

Though researchers have not yet found a way to target this cell, they have identified one of the major players in T-ALL and in the future may be able to work towards a much more effective treatment which would not include any relapses.

Above is a microscope slide of bone marrow infected with ALL L1 leukemia, a

type of leukemia similar to the T-ALL form in children.

For those of you unfamiliar with Leukemia, the following video should

shed some light not only on the cancer but also on recent research.

-Post by hayes10

Cloning

2010-01-25T17:16:00.000-08:00

Cloning

Cloning is the process of making a genetically identical organism through nonsexual means. On January 8, 2001 Scientists at Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., declared that the first clone of the endangeed animal, a baby Gaur, named Noah, was created. Though Noah died of an infection it proved that a functional clone could be created, and it showed that an endangered species could be saved by cloning. Cloning had been used many times before to make copies of plants, but the cloning of animals has be studied for many years. The first cloned animal created from an adult cell was created in 1997, it was a sheep named Dolly. After Dolly, many scientists have cloned other animals, like cows and mice.
The cloning of humans could potentially lead to certain medical breakthroughs. For instance, certain organs and tissue could be harvested from clones and used for transplants. However, others do not think this is humane. Issues could also arise from failing to successfully create the clone. So far, not one primate has been successfully cloned. So, is human cloning humane? You decide.

Cloning

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Cure for Alzheimer's???

2010-01-25T08:23:00.000-08:00

A new discovery led by the University of South Florida provides evidence that long-term exposure to the electromagnetic emissions from cell phone use may protect and even reverse Alzheimer's disease. The researchers tested 96 mice, most of them had altered beta-amyloid in the brain to give them Alzheimer like qualities. However, some were normal to get wider results. All of the mice were exposed to the electromagnetic field generated by cell phone use for two 1-hour periods each day for seven to nine months. To expose the mice, their cages were arranged around a central antenna generating the cell phone signal. Each animal was exposed to electromagnetic waves typically emitted by a cell phone pressed up against a person's head.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. The mice tested without brain problems never developed any problems and the brain problems of the altered mice died down or completely disappeared. The scientists think that this could also be true in humans. If they are correct this would be a major breakthrough in Alzheimer's research. Test were ran with the two types of mice and the results clearly showed that they both had the same memory recognition. Also, scientists found that when Alzheimer's mice are exposed their brain temperature rised. Scientists believe this happens to remove newly-formed beta-amyloid by causing brain cells to release it.

Researchers were also surprised by the fact that the emissions not only boosted memories of mice with Alzheimer's, but also boosted ones of the normal mice as well. Researchers have concluded that it will take more time to determine all the pros and cons but it hopefully it will be as effective on mice as on humans. If this become an alternative option for the cure of Alzheimer's, this can help cure 26 million people around the world, which is the population of Texas.

Cell Phones Treat Alzheimer's

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Carp DNA Is Found in Lake Michigan

2010-01-24T22:31:00.000-08:00

Ecologists and federal officials have found genetic material from the Asian carp at a harbor within Lake Michigan, near the Illinois-Indiana border. The Asian carp is a voracious invasive species—meaning that it is non-native may have a negative effect on the ecosystem. Though unwelcome, the identification of the DNA is not shocking considering that the Asian Carp had long been feared to be nearing the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes have a very delicate ecosystem and the presence of the Asian Carp could be devastating. The presence of the Asian Carp would throw off the ecosystem because of the lack of natural competitors. The arrival of Asian Carp could potentially crush the 7-billion-dollar fishing industry and endanger and ecosystem that contains 20% of the world’s fresh water. Though an elaborate barrier costing millions of dollars had been constructed in hopes of preventing the Asian Carp form making its way into the Great Lakes, the efforts may very well have been futile.
Despite these ominous signs, there is some hope that the Asian Carp has not actually made it’s way into the Great Lakes. Government officials states that no full fish have been found and that the DNA could have arrived by other means. Regardless, however, government officials are very disturbed by the findings and the logistical problems in dealing with it. On the same day that the news of the findings came out, The U.S. Supreme Court has denied Michigan officials the right to close the locks of a Chicago shipping lane that has direct access to the lakes. The news of the Supreme Court’s denial has sparked strong responses from many state officials. The Governors of Michigan and Wisconsin have called upon president Obama act swiftly on the issue, lest the Great Lakes be overrun with Asian Carp and cause devastating irreversible damage.
This article raises an alarming issue. The Great Lakes are a humongous natural resource that are environmentally and economically vital to North America. Though there are many global issues that are very pressing, this should not be put on the back burner, or we may really regret it. Though I think action must be taken, the article raised some interesting questions; what extents should humans go to prevent the “natural” progression of the world? Though the Asian Carp may devastate that Great Lakes ecosystem, could our efforts to stop it also have devastating effects?
Works Cited:
Saulny, Susan. "Carp DNA Is Found in Lake Michigan." New York Time (2010): n. pag. Web. 25 Jan 2010. .

A link to the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/science/20carp.html?

-Jukie

Common Stain Repellant Linked to Thyroid Disease

2010-01-24T20:02:00.000-08:00

Recent studies done on stain-repelling chemicals have revealed startling and frightening results. It is a known fact that these chemicals contain perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. However, it is now emerging that PFOA could have a direct link to thyroid disease. Thyroid disease is characterized by an under or over active thyroid and metabolic and immune system problems. The thyroid is a gland that produces various thyroid hormones. Researchers at the University of Exeter are looking at data gathered by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NHANES. This data was gathered from around 4,000 adults from 1999 to 2006 where the blood levels of PFOA were checked. These levels of PFOA were compared to many types of diseases such as heart disease and diabetes but only thyroid disease stood out. Also, it was also noticed that thyroid disease was more prevalent in women.
PFOA is a perfluorochemical, or PFC which can be manufactured directly but can also be the byproduct of producing other chemicals. PFCs can be found in many items such paper and textile coatings, polishes and food packaging. However, there is not enough information to draw any clear conclusions about the effects of PFOA on thyroid health.
This article raises many ethical questions for the companies who produce any stain-repelling chemicals. As of now, there is not enough information to make any solid conclusions, but there could be many issues raised down the road if it is found out that PFOA does cause thyroid disorders.
Should companies put warnings stating the risk of thyroid disease even if it is not a proven fact?

-Graham

Works Cited
Ehrenberg, Rachel. "Common Stain Repellent Linked to Thyroid Disease." Science News. 22 01 2010. Science & Society, Web. 24 Jan 2010. .

Pork From a Petri Dish

2010-01-24T13:09:00.000-08:00

Pork From a Petri Dish... Tantilizing
Are you a vegetarian? Are you a vegetarian because you think the animals are treated badly? If so this could be the answer. Dutch scientists (but they are doing this all over the world) have developed a way to turn pig stem cells into pork. To do this the scientists must take stem cells from a pig muscle and put them in a nutrient soup where they will multiply by the millions. This process, if effective, will be able to save millions of animals that would usually be killed for their meat. Scientists are also thinking about using the stem cells from fish to produce Omega Fatty Acids so that instead of fat, there would be healthy Omega 3 Fatty Acids. This means that your average burger could prevent, not cause heart attacks.
Many experts are criticizing this idea. Some say that, like most new technologies, this one may be dangerous to people. One critic spoke about how taking animals out of slaughterhouses would affect the environment. Others say that the lab made meat would not taste anything like normal pork. Some of their reasons to draw this conclusion are the protein content, and the marbleization of natural meat. In real pork, the meat is about 99% protein. The grown meat is only around 80% protein. In natural meat, fat and other parts of the animal create various almost un-replecatable meat conditions, which make it very good tasting. Supporters of this process argue that people already eat sausages and hot-dogs, so this should not be a problem to put the grown pork into processed meats. This technology could be extremely helpful to developing nations. If food could be grown in places that have a lack of resources, then food could be supplied to people that may be dying of starvation.
NASA has tried to grow this type of meat for trips into space. If meat could be grown on a space-bound shuttle, then astronauts could be able to consume protein from pork, or steaks, or other types of meat. However NASA's tests yielded less than satisfying results. Unfortunately, the geniuses at NASA could only manage to grow pathetically small slivers of meat. NASA decided it would simply be easier for space goers to just eat vegetarian.

Original article from
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100115/ap_on_he_me/eu_med_petri_pork
Pictures from
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ork3Wad1uZA/S1zU_VBLNGI/AAAAAAAAABI/zw6kBaE29Ck/s1600-h/pig+in+a+petri+dish2.jpg
http://kategale.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/teacup-pig-trio.jpg
http://www.citizen.org/cmep/images/lots%20of%20dead%20pigs.JPG
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/art/PigArt.jpg
http://hesdeadjim.squarespace.com/storage/hamburger.jpg
http://static.squidoo.com/resize/squidoo_images/-1/draft_lens1894779module36241022photo_12434633908-75-hunger.jpg

Scientists Turn Stem Cells Into Pork

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Ilan, WIll, and Danielle 02

Global Warming "Errors" Raise Credibility Questions

2010-01-21T14:43:00.000-08:00

A recent article documents some very serious mistakes made by UN scientists in an important paper about global warming. The article comes after a wave of confusion and accusations at e-mails between groups of scientists working on studies of global warming. These emails were said to have contained hints that facts or results should be beefed up or made more scary. Global warming skeptics maintain that these scientists have been fudging the facts to get more power behind their cause. Indeed when science and politics mix, serious questions of credibility are raised and the balance between the two can often become blurred and messy. The scientists insist that these large mistakes were purely errors, yet the magnitude of these errors and the apparent carelessness that must have went into such an important paper is questionable. Some of the errors include:

"Glaciers in the Himalayas are receding faster than in any other part of the world." Cogley and Michael Zemp of the World Glacier Monitoring System said Himalayan glaciers are melting at about the same rate as other glaciers.

It says that if the Earth continues to warm, the "likelihood of them disappearing by the 2035 and perhaps sooner is very high." Nowhere in peer-reviewed science literature is 2035 mentioned. However, there is a study from Russia that says glaciers could come close to disappearing by 2350. Probably the numbers in the date were transposed, Cogley said.

The entire paragraph is attributed to the World Wildlife Fund, when only one sentence came from the WWF, Cogley said. And further, the IPCC likes to brag that it is based on peer-reviewed science, not advocacy group reports. Cogley said the WWF cited the popular science press as its source.

A table says that between 1845 and 1965, the Pindari Glacier shrank by 2,840 meters. Then comes a math mistake: It says that's a rate of 135.2 meters a year, when it really is only 23.5 meters a year.

These types of mistakes, all which lean towards making global warming more real, and fast and frightening are riddled throughout this paper. I can only hope that politics haven't corrupted the men and women of science, yet I am skeptical of their agenda and of these mistakes.

Any thoughts?

Cell Phone Radiation Might Improve Memory

2010-01-12T18:07:00.000-08:00

Cell Phone Radiation Might Improve Memory

There are claims that extensive cell phone radiation can cause brain tumors, but a new

study argues that the radio waves can possibly prevent and even reverse Alzheimer's disease --

well that is in mice. The mice that were not given Alzheimer's showed a boost in brain activity.

The scientists exposed old mice (some with Alzheimer's, some without) to cell phone radio waves

and the brain displayed deposits of a strongly connected (to Alzheimer's) called beta-amyloid.

Beta-amyloid bunched together creating brain plaques which are tell-tale signs of the disease. As

the scientist see, the radio waves increase the temperature in the brain, which triggers the brain

cells to dispel the awful plaques.

The study consisted of 96 mice, many of them had been genetically altered to make

beta-amyloid plaques and memory issues which simulated Alzheimer's. The rest of the mice

were normal. This was so the researchers could see the effects on normal memory. Both types of

mice were exposed to 1 hour of radiation (cell phone radio waves) each day for seven to nine

months. The radio waves were transmitted by an antenna on the side of each mouses cage. If the

older mice were showing memory issues (genetically altered) and were exposed to the waves,

their memory issues would be gone, and the originally normal mice would have raised

intelligence. These results took months to show up.

If the test were designed for humans, and it worked, we would have a cure for

Alzheimer's disease. This discovery could also have a portable electromagnetic field and prevent

Alzheimer's for all. The topic is still being looked into, it is not a surefire plan to get rid of

Alzheimer's but may be in the future.

By Daniele Marcato

NanoCocktail Used to Treat Tumors

2010-01-07T07:24:00.000-08:00

Chemists at UC San Diego have recently been working a Nano-cocktail of drugs that target tumors, and kills them. This has been a problem before because the body of the injected subject has mononuclear phagocytes that stop the nanomaterials. This is because mononuclear phagocytes are immune cells that can identify the nanomaterials as foreign invaders, and pulls the nanomaterials out of the blood stream; which in turns stops the nanomaterials from reaching the tumors.
Previously, tests were being done with these nanomaterials, but not in combination. Cocktails of multiple drugs is commonly used in the medical world, and is now being used to create the nano-cocktail. A graduate student at MIT discussed how two nanomaterials would be used in this cocktail. The first acts as an agent that finds and covers the tumors in gold particles that heat up the tumor. The second nanomaterial acts like a "soldier" as it is attracted to the heated tumors, and proceeds to attack them. The first nanomaterial also has "nanostrings" that show up on x-rays so that doctors can find the tumors before they even inject the second nanomaterial. This makes it so that the second nanomaterial can be injected into the body close to where the tumor is so that the mononuclear phagocytes will have less of a chance of extracting the nanomaterial.

Ryan
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100104143507.htm

Cigarettes can Make you Sick in More Ways than you Know

2010-01-06T14:33:00.001-08:00

For years people have known about the dangers of smoking cigarettes. Average cigarettes contain almost 3,000 different chemicals and heavy metals, as well as tar and nicotine, and commonly known side effect of smoking cigarettes range from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to lung cancer. But recent studies have shown that cigarettes also contain hundreds of strains of bacteria, which can cause diseases such as the common cold, asthma, and influenza, among others.

It was already known that bacteria exist on tobacco leaves, but scientists have discovered that the fermenting process that is done to turn natural tobacco into what is found in cigarettes causes an ideal environment for bacteria to grow and prosper. There have been up to 15 different species of bacteria discovered in cigarettes, such as Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Burkholderia, Clostridium, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Serratia, and these strains were found in 90% of the tested cigarettes.

With at least 1 billion smokers over the age of 15 in the world, scientists must keep studying these bacteria to see what other diseases they might cause. Also, with this new information being available to the public, maybe some people will stop smoking once they realize that they aren't just inhaling chemicals and tar, but living bacteria as well.

-Ethan

HIV After 25 Years, Can it be Cured?

2010-01-03T12:20:00.001-08:00

There has now been 25 years since the discovery of HIV/AIDS and still there is no cure for the infectious disease. Scientists have found agents that suppress the disease in the body; however, no scientist has found a definite cure. There have been 25 new agents that keep the levels of HIV down in the blood. However, when these medicines are taken away, the HIV in the body comes back in full strength. These medicines are called highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART, and they have given many affected patients better, longer, and more healthful lives.

However, as stated previously these medicines do not cure the disease, they just make it more manageable. Scientists are puzzled why HAART does not totally cure and get rid of the HIV. Scientists have found that the HIV is forced into some kind of hiding when a patient’s body is undergoing the HAART treatment. Scientists are trying to find a medicine that is potent enough to totally eradicate the HIV from the body. They want to find where HIV hides in the body when the body is undergoing HAART in order to totally get rid of it. This problem is what scientists have been faced with since the discovery of HIV and HAART.

HIV After 25 Years

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Strict blood sugar control in some diabetics does not lower heart attack or stroke risk

2009-12-17T17:15:00.000-08:00

According to a recent UC Irvine Health Policy Research Institute study strictly controlling blood glucose levels as a type 2 diabetic will not lower the chance of heart attack or stroke, but keeping hemoglobin levels (low glucose levels) under 7 percent may reduce these issues for diabetics with less serious heart and health problems.

Earlier studies infact found that lowering blood sugar too quickly can seriously harm or kill a diabetic. Study co-leader Dr. Sheldon Greenfield, Donald Bren Professor of Medicine at UCI and co-executive director of the Health Policy Research Institute believes that doctors trying to treat diabetics should try and keep a moderate blood sugar level, while keeping their other conditions under control.

The test was done with 2,613 subjects moderated by 205 doctors in Italy. They monitored histories of heart disease, lung disease, heart failure, urinary tract disease, arthritis, foot issues and digestive conditions.

In less severe conditions some symtoms of high blood suger are showed in the picture at the top. The other picture above shows at what levels of blood sugar does one need to take action.

Acknowledgments-
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091214173523.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+(ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News)&utm_content=Netvibes

Pictures:
http://www.mountnittany.org/assets/images/krames/111278.jpg
http://www.med.umich.edu/intmed/endocrinology/images/t2_1_12.gif

Venice Gordon

Phthalate Exposure- Less Masculine Play in Boys

2009-12-10T18:46:00.001-08:00

Study Relates Phthalate Exposure to Less-Masculine Play in Boys

The young sons of women who had high concentrations of two common phthalates when pregnant, don’t show the kind of play behavior we normally associate with boys.

A University of Rochester Medical Center study of 145 preschool children shows that where pregnant women have high concentrations of two common phthalates in their urine their young sons play in a less traditionally male way. Phthalates are chemicals used to soften plastics and are commonly found in the environment. People may be exposed to them in foods, soaps and lotions. Scientists believe that exposure to phthalates lowers testosterone levels. Testosterone is a male hormone and is very important for male brain development. Scientists already know that low testosterone levels affect male genital development and that exposure to phthalates may cause this. They are worried that prenatal exposure to phthalates, will also affect male brain development. They are concerned that this will result in changed male behavior.

In the Rochester study, Dr. Shana Swan, an expert in reproductive health and phthalates, made this hypothesis: If pregnant women have high phthalate levels when their fetus’s male genitals start functioning, their sons’ brain development will be altered and this will affect their play.

From 2000 to 2003 urine samples were taken from women at week 28 of their pregnancies. The samples were tested for two phthalates DEHP and DBP. When the children of these women were between 3 and 6 years old the women answered a questionnaire called the Preschool Activities Inventory. The questionnaire asked about what toys and activities the sons enjoyed. For example, trucks and play fighting rather than dolls and gentler activities. The scientists also asked the parents whether they would encourage or discourage the more feminine play.

The study found that there was a direct relationship between elevated phthalate levels and less “traditional” male play in their young sons. (There was no relationship between phthalate levels in the pregnant women and their daughters’ play behavior).

Questions to Consider:

-What are your reactions to this text?

-Do you think it is true that Phthalate exposure can lead to less-masculine play by boys?

-If so, would you try to prevent pregnant mothers and boys from being exposed to Phthalate?

-What would you do if you had a boy who preferred toys that girls usually play with (e.g. dolls),
or a girl who preferred toys that boys usually play with (e.g. trucks)? (encourage or discourage)

--Does the text agree or disagree with this statement: “phthalate exposure can lead to later sexual development in male organisms.”
---What information would you need to find out, or what experiments would you perform?

Acknowledgments:

Articles on this topic:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116085040.htm

http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/index.cfm?id=2689

Information on Phthalates:

http://www.ewg.org/chemindex/term/480

Picture:
http://www.clker.com/clipart-9370.html

Arianne and Lily- Section 2

Phthalate Exposure- Less Masculine Play in Boys

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Delinquent Boys at Increased Risk of Premature Death and Disability by Middle Age

2009-12-10T17:10:00.000-08:00

Men, who have a history of delinquency in childhood, are more likely to die or become disabled by the time they are 48.

The research found that boys who engaged at age 10 in asocial behavior such as skipping school often or being rated troublesome or corrupt by teachers and parents, and then went on to be convicted of a crime by the age of 18, 16.3% (1 in 6) died or become disabled by the age of 48. That equaled to 2.6% (1 in 40) of the boys from the same lower socioeconomic South London neighborhood who were not lawbreaking or fugitives- an almost 7 times difference.

"We were surprised to see such a strong link between these early influences and premature death and this indicates that things that happen in families at age 8-10 are part of a progression towards dying prematurely," said the study's leader, Professor Jonathan Shepherd, Director of the Violence and Society Research Group at Cardiff University in Wales. "It was also surprising that the increase was not limited to substance abuse or other mental health problems known to be linked with an antisocial lifestyle, but included premature death and disability from a wide variety of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and cancer."

"At this point, we don't know exactly why delinquency increases the risk of premature death and disability in middle age, but it seems that impulsivity - or lack of self-control - in childhood and adolescence was a common underlying theme. It may be that the stresses and strains of an antisocial lifestyle and having to deal with all the crises that could have been avoided with more self-control takes their toll. It fits with the biological evidence of the effects of chronic stress on illness." Professor Shepherd said.

The test began in 1961 and after the studies were done at ages 16-18, 27-32 and 43-48. By the occasion of the latest results, 389 of the men were still in the course.

17 men died by the age of 48 and 17 of the lasting 365 men watched became disabled. Of 21 probable serious impacts, six were remarkably connected with untimely death and disability.

Rebellious actions at 10 years of age was looped to a three times a chance of dying or getting disabled by 48 (odds ratio: 3.5), premature death or disability was at least three times more likely in boys convicted of a crime between 10-18 years of age (odds ratio 3.0), in the boys convicted between the age of 10 and 40 (odds ratio: 3.5) and in boys at the age of 10 that had a who at age 10 had a parent guilty of a crime, were detached from a parent or had bad parental supervision (odds ratio: 3.2). A lack of self-control at 18 years of age was joined with double the risk of death and disability by age 48 (odds ratio: 2.1). At age 32, self-reported criminal activity not picked up by the police, such as burglary, shoplifting, car theft, violence or vandalism, more than 4x the risk of death and disability by age 48 (odds ratio: 4.3).

"These findings indicate that by intervening in the development of delinquency we may be able to achieve more than a reduction in the likelihood of later offending, which is currently the goal of such interventions," Professor Shepherd said. "We should focus on improving parenting and tackling impulsivity in the early years, which may well improve long-term health, reduce costs to the health service and save lives."

By Abby Johnson, Angel Vaughn, and Daniele Marcato

Delinquent Boys At Increased Risk Of Premature

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The Big Bang Simulation

2009-12-10T12:49:00.000-08:00

The Big Bang Simulation

By Scott Kaufman, Georgina Johnson, and Benjamin Irving

Scientists are currently working on a machine named the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) that will give new understandings to physicists and those who study the Big Bang. The project is happening underneath homes in Switzerland. The machine is in a tunnel that is 17 miles long in circumference and was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research.

More than 10,000 scientists from over 100 countries have been working on and funding this project. By accelerating particles and observing the collision, scientists are trying to simulate what occurred when the universe was created. One of the things they are trying to find is the God Particle, or Higgs boson, which is a tiny particle that can show us why certain things exist, such as mass. Right now, we do not even know if there is really such a thing as a god particle. We might just be able to find it by break the atoms into smaller and smaller pieces in search of this God Particle.

Another thing they are trying to do is to make mini black holes to prove that we do not live in just a three-dimensional world but a 9 or 10 dimensional one. These black holes might explain concepts like super-symmetry and dark matter. While all of these things are just theories based on math, if this machine is finished, there will be physical proof that these theories are true. The first proton beam was sent around the LHC on September 10, 2008. This was a break through because they had been working for so long. Despite all of the interesting findings that this experiment conceives, the machine is an expensive investment that will cost over 7billion dollars and creates many potential problems.

Once the public found out about this experiment, people were scared. They discovered that black holes were being generated through this experiment on the earth, which would make anyone worried. Black holes are dense areas of concentrated mass. Black holes are dangerous because intense gravitational pull will swallow anything in the surrounding area. Black holes are formed when a red super giant star collapses. The red super giant collapses towards the end of its life when its pressure becomes unbalanced. The star implodes in on itself which creates the black hole. The area surrounding the black hole in which the gravitational pull is too large to escape is called the event horizon. Black holes suck in every including light. There is no escaping the gravitational pull in the event horizon. Black holes can be very dangerous and that is why some people believe that a tiny black created by the LHC can swallow the whole earth.

In our opinion, there should have been a warning for this experiment and possibly a vote among people. When the government approved this project, there should have been more information given to the common people. However, we think that the experiment should continue because we do not think that anything bad is going to happen and the information can explain the fundamental questions of physics, which is great. These scientists are smart people, and to fund and build such a machine for this long shows that they do not only have faith that new information with be found but that it also won't destroy the Earth.

The Big Bang Simulation

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Acknowledgements:

http://flyawaysimulation.com/article3039.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider#Safety_of_particle_collisions

http://delamagente.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/big-bang.jpg

http://neatorama.cachefly.net/images/2008-09/large-hadron-collider.jpg

http://www.cosmographica.com/gallery/portfolio2007/content/bin/images/large/131_BlackHole.jpg

http://www.gwu.edu/~sps/Society%20of%20Physics%20Students%20(SPS)/Events/A136FC42-F9B5-46A5-A0CB-F0007B262E14_files/Black-hole.jpg

http://www.cosmographica.com/gallery/portfolio2007/content/bin/images/large/169_BlackHole2.jpg

http://poietes.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/m51-spiral-purple-dots-are-black-holes1.jpg

http://media.photobucket.com/image/blue%20black%20hole/Shadow_Senshi/BGs%20and%20Wallpapers/black-hole-wallpaper-thumb.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_hole
http://www.space.com/blackholes/

http://tinarathore.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/cosmos.jpg

A new molecule is causing breakthroughs in chemotherapy treatment for colon cancer.

2009-12-09T06:22:00.000-08:00

At the University of Florida, scientists have discovered that by adding a small molecule to the chemotherapy drug, they prevent the cancer cells from repairing enzymes that were damaged by Temozolomide, which is a chemotherapy drug that is usually used against brain cancers. The tiny molecule that the people at the University of Florida discovered prevents the caner cell’s ability to recognize and repair the damage that is caused by Temozolomide. This allows the chemotherapy to work much more effectively because the tumor cells cannot repair themselves.

The discovery of this molecule has also allowed researches to use a drastically lower amount of Temozolomide. They were able to cure mice with human colon cancer tumors with about one-tenth of the drug that is needed to kill cancer cells. This means that the use of the drug with this molecule will be able to lower the harm of adverse side effects caused by chemotherapy. Researchers are currently working on being able to put Temozolomide and the molecule into a small pill or a capsule for patients to be able to take.

This is an important breakthrough because normally colon cancer is very hard to treat because the tumor cells are highly resistant to treatments and chemotherapy. Previously, the only way to treat colon cancer was with aggressive surgery with possible chemotherapy. However, the recurrence rate for colon cancer is about 30-50%, so even if it is treated it usually comes back. This combination treatment has the possibility to reduce tumors drastically and to extend the lifespan of patients with colon cancer.

A colon with cancer:

Image via Top News

Angelique & Emma

Colon Cancer Treatment

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Acknowledgements:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091208153144.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+(ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News)&utm_content=Netvibes
www.healingdaily.com
www.topnews.in
www.wikipedia.com
http://www.chemagis.com/files/Products/temozolomide_plain.gif

Implanting Bioengineered Vaccines and Magnetic Nanodiscs Show Promise

2009-12-01T07:45:00.001-08:00

A team of immunologists and bioengineers at Harvard University may have found the key to curing certain types of cancer with an implant-based approach of polymer disks saturated with denritic cells and antigens that are specialized to attack tumor cells.

These techniques show the advances of biomedical engineering implemented into lab work and helping cure cancer.

These disks work like a vaccine. They entice the immune system in the body to attack invading cells. Once the 8.5-millimeter biodegradable disks are injected into the skin they activate an immune response to destroy tumor cells. In a study where these disks were implanted in mice with melanoma, the treatment “led to remission and longer lives in ‘a substantial portion of the population’” of mice with melanoma (Scientific American)

Other technology included in the article has to do with other discs, called “nano-scale magnets.” When induced into a magnetic field, the discs inside an organism oscillate and damage cancer cell membranes, causing those cancer cells to die.
Hopefully, the research that these Harvard University employees are working on will be an advancement to the cloudy world of curing cancer, which is still one of the leading causes of death in the United States (behind heart disease).

Konstantine and Nate

Disease Powerpoint

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Work Cited:
Harmon, Katherine. "Conquering cancer with implants? Bioengineered vaccines and magnetic nanodiscs show promise". Scientific American. 11/29/09 .
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/M/melanoma.html
http://www.harvard.edu/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendritic_cell
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body_basics/immune.html
https://health.google.com/health/ref/Coronary+heart+disease

Konstantine

A possible cause for ADHD

2009-11-23T06:02:00.000-08:00

Scientists may have answered what causes ADHD

The factors contributing to the cause of ADHD have not been fully established. A recent study from Korea suggests an interesting possibility relates to chemical exposure in children. The model suggests children ingest toxins while they play with their plastic toys. The toxins identified are called Phthalates (tha-ˌlāt). These are major chemicals used in manufacturing many plastics. These compounds are used in products ranging from toys, cleaning materials, plastics, personal care items, and other materials.
Recent studies suggest Phthalates are dangerous to children who have contact with the material. Some scientists are saying these chemicals can cause hormonal disruptions, birth defects, asthma, and reproductive problems in humans.
ADHD is not one specific psychiatric or neurological disorder. The disease is represented a spectrum of disorders occurring during development and causing inattention and hyper activity. Hyperactivity is defined as squeamish, inability to follow rules, talks excessively, and has trouble being quiet. Inattention is characterized by making careless mistakes, difficulty sustaining attention, distracted by extraneous stimuli, often forgetful of daily activities.
The Prevalence of ADHD is estimated to be 3 to 7% in school age children. The disorder can continue into adulthood, even though unlikely. People with this disorder tend to cope, but it still threatens certain aspects of life. Interestingly enough it tends to affect men much more then women, even though fully grown women can have ADHD. There is no medical cure for the disorder but various medication strategies are available to treat the symptoms.
Phthalates involved with plastic manufacturing have been recently linked to ADHD symptoms. These findings were published by Korean scientists alarming public health advocates phthalates. Their study measured urine phthalate concentrations along in children who were evaluated for symptoms of ADHD using teacher-reported instruments and computerized tests that measured attention and impulsive behavior and test scores. Sadly these tests are inconclusive to date. More research is needed to find results that can be replicated in other settings. This study is promising towards finding the cause and curing ADHD.
Many people are greatly alarmed by this finding and demand increased attention toward plastics in toy products. ADHD is complicated by the probable multi factorial causes. There are several competing theories about causes of ADHD supported by scientific studies including genetic, dietary, environmental and developmental issues. There is disagreement among people interested in this problem. There is no unanimous conclusion as to what causes ADHD but Phthalates offers a new and plausible model.

By Adam Hall and Lucas Millman
Causing Of AdhdView more presentations from Student Wilsonsbiologylab.

Weight Loss Breakthrough

2009-11-23T06:00:00.002-08:00

There has recently been a scientific breakthrough at the University of Bonn in Germany. A gene commonly found in fruit flies has been identified to control the metabolism, or chemical reactions, of fat. In some fruit flies this gene is defective, which causes them to lose all of their fat. The gene in the fruit fly contains the instructions of certain raw cellular material which has a regulatory function in the metabolism. The mutant form of the schlank gene causes the fruit fly to lose all of its fat. It can be deadly if not counteracted. When the gene works perfectly it helps the body store fat. When the gene is defective, or a mutation of the regular gene, it causes the loss of fat reserves. The scientists at the University of Bonn named this gene 'schlank,' which in english means 'slim'. The 'schlank' gene works by instructing those that carry the gene to turn energy into Ceramides which make up every cell in the body. The 'schlank' gene also regulates the removal of fat from the fat reserves.

The 'schlank' gene or something similar to it may also be found in species other than the fruit fly. Many mammals carry a gene that is very similar to 'schlank', that may also control the same metabolism of fat. Humans have something called Lass genes. Lass genes are six different genes that all preform the same basic function as the 'schlank' gene. When Lass genes mutate they also can cause severe metabolic disorders. These type of mutant Lass genes found in mice were injected into fruit flies with the mutant schlank gene and the process of loss of fat reserves stopped.The simalarity in the genes that are cross species has allowed scientists to deduce the connection between the Lass genes and lipids (cholesterol). Thanks to Darwinism scientist maybe able to use chemically altered 'schlank' like genes to create new far more effective weight loss medications.

Since humans and Drosophila Melangastro (fruit flies) are 60% similar in their DNA in can infered easily enough that a genes similar to the 'schlank' gene arose in the common ancestor of fruit flies and humas. As fruit flies got small however they needed less and less genes to control their fat distrabution where are humans needed more and more. It thus goes with out saying that by using fruit flies we maybe able to eliminate obesity issue while at the same time fix under nourishment issues by allowing people to store fat longer and more efficiently.

Acknowledgements:
http://www.stapleypestcontrol.com/FruitFlies.jpg

http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/images/bo/bodi-tek-fat-blitz.jpg

http://www.slimmingpillsuk.net/images/slimming_solution_pills_by_Biomix.jpg

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111843.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Netvibes

Miracle Slimming

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New Treatment for Glioblastoma

2009-11-22T19:20:00.000-08:00

Glioblastoma, the most common type of brain cancer, is serious tumor. With even the best prognosis and intense treatment, the average life expectancy for a patient is about 15 months. This bleak outlook is due to the lack of effective drugs and the inability of potentially effective drugs to cross the brain-blood barrier. This phenomenon is created by the cells around the capillaries in the brain, which are so tightly packed that many molecules, such as harmful drugs or microbes, are unable to gain purchase in the brain. Unfortunately, this makes treating brain cancer, or other neurological diseases, more difficult than in other parts of the body.

The current treatment for Glioblastoma, is surgery to remove the tumor, followed by radiation and then chemotherapy with the drug Temodar, which is believed to be able to cross the brain-blood barrier. Unfortunately, as previously stipulated, this is fairly ineffective, and in many cases, new tumors sprout up quickly following, or even during, treatment. However, a clinical trial is currently underway to attempt to find a new way to treat Glioblastoma. This approach involves some of the traditional methods mentioned above, as well as combining some old technology with new medication.

In this new approach the tumor is removed, although that may change with the effectiveness of the treatment, and then a microcatheter is threaded, via an artery in the groin, up into the specific area of the brain that the tumor was in. Then, the cancer drug is infused with another drug called Mannitol, the secret to getting through the brain-blood barrier. Mannitol, discovered some 30 years ago, takes some of the water out of the cells, making them shrink, creating gaps between the cells, allowing the drug molecules are able to move through and into the area of the brain they need to get to. Not only does this allow for a higher dose to get into the brain, over 50 times more than intravenously, it also allows for more specific placement of the dose, which may potentially decrease the adverse effects of the drug on the rest of the brain.

What is also interesting, is the new drug that is being used in this study, called Avastin, works in a manner similar to that of Endostatin, the drug featured in Cancer Warrior. This drug prevents angiogenesis, which prevents cancer cells from getting nutrients, preventing the tumors from getting larger. However, unlike Endostatin, Avastin appears to actually work, not only slowing tumor growth, but actually making tumors disappear.

This new delivery system does not appear to have may ethical issues. The patients that are being treated would die in about four and a half months without treatment, and the drugs that are being used have all been approved for human use and the techniques are fairly widespread and used in many other situations. The only potential moral dilemma, is in the actual development of the drug and whether it is moral to test on animals, as I am sure they did, before the drug is used on humans. Although this has nothing directly to do with the actual operation of this clinical trial, it is a precursor that must be taken into account before using a drug because using it supports the approach of animal testing before human testing.

Glioblastoma Presentation

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Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/health/17tumor.html?_r=1&sudsredirect=true
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glioblastoma_multiforme
http://www.avastin.com/avastin/index.jsp?q=Avastin
http://www.asahi-intecc.com/medical/product/ivr_mc.html
http://www.drugs.com/cdi/mannitol.html

Dylan and Cassie

The Hobbit—Tolkein’s imagination is discovered to be stranger than previously thought through new examinations.

2009-11-22T10:17:00.000-08:00

Recently scientists have been preforming a multitude of more thorough tests on a hominid skeleton found in Indonesia, nicknamed the “Hobbit” because of it’s small size. The skeleton was found on the island of Flores, at a archeological site called Liang Bua. Scientists have identified the remains as those of a female, living approximately 17,000 years ago. The early hominid, know by scientists as LB1, is comparatively a dwarf, standing at just over a meter tall. Careful observations have shown that LB1 had a brain roughly 2/3 the size of a modern human’s.

LB1 is a very interesting from an evolutionary perspective. The remains show that LB1 had many ape-like body variations, but it also had many human-like features. The brain, was about the size of a chimpanzee’s brain, but had features that increased it’s cognitive ability. CT scans preformed on the skull showed that the brain cavity had an enlarged Broadmann area 10. This is the part of the brain that allows complex thought processes such as those required to make tools. This allowed a hominid with a brain the size of a chimpanzee’s to be far more advanced and similar to modern humans. LB1 supports a belief about certain organisms. The belief is that organisms living in environments with limited resources will decrease in size. This has already been supported with other organisms, but now is maybe true in early hominids.

Many critics of this idea suggest that LB1 was the result of a disease. This would make sense because fossil evidence has show that at the same time, there were other hominids that were more advanced, and more closely related to modern humans. However, there is evidence that disproves the idea that LB1 is just a sick modern human. The wrist of LB1 is very similar to that of an African ape. In modern humans, the wrist bone, called the trapezoid, is shaped like a boot. But the trapezoid of LB1 is shaped like a pyramid. The partial skeleton of LB1 provides critical information for scientists trying to under stand how the process of natural selection and evolution work.

By Will Mairs, Cindy Cochran, and Matthew Winter

Original article Rethinking "Hobbits": What They Mean for Human Evolution, from the November issue of Scientific American.

Homo Floresiensis

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Tapping into the Cancer Fighter Collective for Treatment

2009-11-17T18:52:00.001-08:00

Sometimes the most difficult part of treating cancer is diagnosing it. The ability to recognize which forms of therapy will provide the best treatment is a skill that takes doctors years of experience and can still be wrong. This is why the CINJ (Cancer Institute of New Jersey), Rutgers University, and IBM are developing a computer system that will allow for more precise diagnosis of Cancer.

The computer system is envisioned as a tool that will allow Doctors to track the success rates of previous research. This will allow Doctors to tailor possible therapies to their patients. Additionally the system will let Doctors compare their patient’s samples against more than 100,000 samples within the system’s database, allowing them to immediately classify their patient’s cancer and discover how similar cancers have been treated and which therapies worked best. Besides from helping doctors treat cancer, the system may prove invaluable to researchers, allowing them to test many slivers of biopsies at once against a constantly updating set of samples.

Though using thousands of models to diagnose a single sample creates extremely accurate results, it is difficult to run such an intensive program on most computers. To combat this dilemma IBM has established the World Community Grid, a virtual supercomputer that draws processing power from thousands of volunteers across the world. This new joint effort could possibly allow any hospital to use this newfound method of diagnosing cancer.

Cancer Datbase Ppt Tsai Kuschner

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The Link to the article: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=cancer-software-technology

Driving Isn't as Easy as It looks for Some People

2009-11-12T15:01:00.000-08:00

There may be one new reason not to have road rage these days. Researchers at the University of California Irvine have discovered that a gene mutation that causes a person's difficulty with memory can lead to horrendous driving. 30 percent of Americans have this mutated gene, which explains the mass amount of bad drivers in the United States. The gene controls a protein called "brain-derived neurotrophic factor", which affects the memory. If a person cannot remember the basics for driving, they are most likely going to swerve in lanes and possibly cause car accidents.

The researchers at the university conducted a study on the potentially dangerous gene. The tests involved only 29 people, 7 with the mutation and 22 without the mutation, (this is a good example of chance coming into play, because the study only involved 29 participants) on a driving simulator. The simulator required the participants to memorize the path of a track with challenging curves and turns. The subjects drove 15 laps on the simulator, and were called to repeat the exercise four days later.

The drivers with the mutated gene performed 20 percent worse than the drivers who did not have the mutated gene. Past research suggests that when people with the mutation perform an activity, a smaller portion of their brain is stimulated. Although the researchers believe that when it comes to driving this gene is a danger to society, the gene can also be beneficial to humans later in life. Individuals with the gene have been found to maintain their "mental sharpness" longer than individuals without the mutation.

The researchers at UC Irvine wonder how many people with this gene mutation get into car crashes every year. If this is discovered, many lives may be saved. If individuals with the gene knew more about it, they would be much more cautious on the roads of the United States. They would recognize that they have a better chance of crashing than people without the gene mutation. This discovery is a breakthrough in seeing how to keep the roads of America safer in the future.

Acknowledgments:
For the information:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091029/od_nm/us_genes_driving_odd

http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSTRE59R5LC20091028?feedType=RSS&feedName=scienceNews

http://www.livescience.com/culture/091028-bad-driving-genes.html

For the picture:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3051/2750711244_fde9724ebb.jpg

And finally for the opportunity of writing a blog article, Mr Wilson.

James and Emily: Section 2

Could Bad Driving Be Genetic?

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Belgian Scientists Successfully Create Lung Tissue from Stem Cells

2009-11-12T08:31:00.000-08:00

By Dominic Ansel, Vahimir Emile, and Giancarlo Schliemann

Stem cells are found in all multi-cellular beings. Embryonic stem cells, are a type of cell that are found in the early stage fetus. A recently new area of genetics called stem cell research allows human cells to be recreated from the cells of an embryonic stem cell. The idea of stem cell research has been promoted by many people, yet many oppose it as well. Some find it inhumane and immoral, and for others it is against their religion.

Recently, Belgian scientists effectively separated human embryonic stem cells into lung tissue. This is a giant medical step for man and will supply an alternative lung to people with lung injuries. Most of these lung injuries are either due to long-lasting pulmonary diseases or can be inherited genetically diseases such as cystic fibrosis. Scientists have also been able to successfully recreated heart tissue from stem cells. Blood and marrow derived stem cells have the capacity to become many different tissues.

Many different tissues thought to only regenerate by themselves. But further studies prove that stem cells can help reconstruct the tissue.

Acknowledgments:

-Stem Cells. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104191823.html for the stem cell information

-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Axkn8G18t8 for the youtube video

Stem Cells And Lung Tissue Science

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Do Genes Justify Crime?

2009-11-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

By Amanda Shepherd and Alex Scheman

The argument whether genes are an excuse for preforming acts of violence came up in a case in 2007 with Abdelmalek Bayout. In Italy, this man admitted to stabbing and killing another man and was given a sentence of 9 years and two months. Bayout had mutated genes that were related to aggression so his judge cut his sentence by one year. This decision was extremely controversial because scientist Nita Farahany, a legal scholar at Vanderbilt University, says that genes could potentially influence someones behavior but genes will never explain why a person committed that crime. The court is there not to blame genetics but to decipher why this person committed the crime and genes are not capable of explaining why.

This case leads to the big question, should genes be considered a reasonable defense in court? The judge, Pier Valerio Reinotti,claimed that Bayout's genetic aggressions lessened the severity of the crime, which is why he reduced his sentence. Farahany on theother hand has noted that US courts more then before are using genes as evidence to make their decisions. Although she also says,"It's just as likely to be used against a criminal defendant as for," meaning when a defendant states they have a genetic disorder itcould be used for as well as against them. "People don't recognize the double-edged potential of this evidence." -Farahany.

Researchers with more advanced technology have found a way to better explain how genes and the environment lead to violent behavior. Terrie Moffitt, a geneticist at King's College and Duke University, has earlier work that helped make the Italian court's decision on Bayout. She claimed that family histories of a defendant are helpful but she also stated that "Everything we know about family history still doesn't diminish our own responsibility for how we make choices." It is similar to peer pressure, if someone told you to jump off a bridge and you had a kind of gene in you that loved heights you still most likely would not jump of the bridge. If you had a motive to kill someone and you have aggression genes, yes the genes will kick in a little bit but it will not at all completely influence your decision.

Acknowledgements:
-http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18098-murderer-with-aggression-genes-gets-sentence-cut.html for using their article on the subject.
-http://www.lifespan.org/adam/graphics/images/en/9344.jpg for using their picture of a gene.

Does Carrying The Agression Gene Justfy Crime

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Potential Cancer/HIV Breakthrough

2009-11-09T19:47:00.000-08:00

by Graham and Hayes

Recently at Yale University scientist have had a breakthrough in battle against HIV/AIDS and cancer. Scientists have synthesized particles that are now able to help our body to fight prostate cancer and the HIV virus. The two particles that have been synthesized are the anitbody recruiting particle targeting HIV, (ARM-H) and the antibody recruiting molecule targeting Prostate Cancer (ARM-P). These molecules bind to antibodies and and to HIV infected-cells, proteins on HIV, or cancer cells at the same time. This calls attention to these harmful cells and proteins and the ARMs trigger our immune system to attack these. When it comes to the ARM-H, this molecule can bind onto the proteins on the outside of the HIV virus and can prevent it from infecting other cells. In the words of David Spiegel Ph. D., MD., Instead of trying to kill the pathogens directly these molecules manipulate our immune system to do something it wouldn't ordinarily do."

The fight against HIV and cancer has been long and expensive and has not resulted in many breakthroughs. Both of these diseases can be treated but the treament is often very expensive and painful. Treatments are only successful also if they are started before the disease gets to serious. However, these ARMs offer a drastic contrats. These molecules are very simple and cheap to produce and Spiegel beleives that one day they could be taken in pill form. They also do not traget larger body processes and they are more exact and localized, as opposed to chemotherapy, which hurts the entire body. This means that the side effects of these are not as bad as other treatments for HIV or cancer.

This discovery brings much hope for most people in the world, whether or not they have any connection to HIV/AIDS or Prostate Cancer. However with a discovery so ground breaking it brings much hype and controversy over its use. It is important to realize that they have just begun testing this on mice so any human tests and treatment forms are far off. Controversy is also to arise out of the question of how these drugs could be distributed. HIV/AIDS is a global pandemic that affects 33 million people worldwide and one in six of American men are expected to develop prostate cancer. However, a difference between these two diseases is that HIV/AIDS is much more prevalent in poorer communities and the developing world while prostate cancer is spread more evenly across socio-economic barriers. This raises the question of how these drugs be distributed because a large portion of the people suffering from these diseases, HIV/AIDS, in particular would not be able to afford this drug, despite its rather low cost to create. We believe that if this drug is successful there should be steps taken to give it to the people who require need it to save their lives. If and when this drug reaches the point of successfully combating HIV/AIDS and Prostate Cancer it will be one of the most valuable commodities in the world and the debate over who should have access to it will be lively.

Breakthrough in HIV/Cancer Treatment

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XMRV Leads to New Discoveries for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

2009-11-03T05:51:00.001-08:00

Ryan Tongue and Ethan Putnam

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is one of a few diseases that not only “frustrates” those with CFS, but those without it as well; however, recent findings of a new retrovirus found in many CFS patients , may lead to new medical findings relating to CFS. This is important because until now there has been controversy over the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of CFS.
CFS has been given a title as a “wastebasket diagnosis” because the symptoms of CFS have such a huge range. It was recently thought that about 17 million people may be suffering from CFS, but this was before there was a specific virus to test for. Now doctors may start looking for a xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus, or a type of gammaretrovirus, in patients thought to have CFS. The one responsible for this finding was Ila Signh, an associate professor of pathology at the University of Utah. This was because prostate cancer and CFS both change RNase L, an antiviral enzyme. After doing biological tests for this virus in 100 CFS patients, it was found that two thirds of the patients had this virus.
After further studies have shown that CFS can be transmitted through blood, breast feeding, and other related means. The link in this virus which infects healthy cells to that of prostate cancer and CFS, has shown that CFS is “not linked to a genetic mutation.” The relation between the XMRV however, remains a mystery to doctors. However, treatments on animal model tests are starting soon with reverse transcriptase inhibitors (“antiretroviral drug used to treat HIV infection, tumors[1], and cancer. RTIs inhibit activity of reverse transcriptase, a viral DNA polymerase enzyme that retroviruses need to reproduce.”)

Science Powerpoint

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Do Mood Disorder, Pain, and Epilepsy Drugs Cause Behavior Abnormalities Later in Life?

2009-10-30T07:25:00.000-07:00

Researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center questioned whether medicines prescribed to help with diseases such as epilepsy, pain, and mood disorders have behavioral side effects later in life. In order to determine whether or not these drugs have behavioral side effects, the GUMC scientists conducted experiments that tested these drugs on infant rats . They discovered that these drugs kill neurons in the brain and some of the tested medications did cause behavioral abnormalities later in life. However, some of these drugs did not have this behavioral effect. Therefore, more research will need to be done in order to help doctors decide which drugs they should prescribe to their patients to treat epilepsy, pain, and mood disorders.

Socratic Seminar

-Would you take these kind of medicines even if you knew that there was a risk that you could have behavior abnormalities later in your life?

-If you were a doctor, would you prescribe these medicines to your patients knowing this?

-If you could come up with any alternative, what would it be?

-Should the government ban these medicines?

-Do you think that testing on rats is a good way of finding out what side effects the medication may have on humans? And would you trust the results?

-If you think that testing on rats is not a good idea, is there some other thing/being you would test on instead?

By Aliza, Irena, and Reuben. Section 1

Acknowledgements: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020161952.htm#at for the article and http://www.physorg.com/newman/gfx/news/fatskinnylab.jpg for the picture.

Will certain drugs cause abnormalities

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Scientists Research A Way to Keep The Human Body Active Past Age 50

2009-10-29T16:27:00.000-07:00

Scientists in Leeds, England plan to spend 50 million pounds (about 81 million US dollars) over five years to try and create ways to keep human bodies active past 50 years old. Human bodies eventually give out and stop working properly, especially in areas like the joints, such as the hips, elbows, and knees, and heart valves. With modern health care, medicines and vaccines, humans live longer and longer and their bodies become weaker and weaker with age. So scientists at the Leeds University are attempting to create better joint replacements and heart valves, plus more to keep older people active and keep their bodies healthier.

They have already successfully made a new hip replacement that would not wear out like the current one. Humans are expected to take 100 million steps in 50 years, and these new hip joints should be able to last that long, as opposed to current standard replacements, which most likely will not last more then 20 years. The new joints use a cobalt system with a ceramic ball that has been scientifically proven to be much more durable and tough then the previous replacements. Hips are one area on the body that is inclined to give out over time, but not the only one. They also made similar joint replacements for the knees. With more durable knees and hips, humans that would normally be too weak to walk may someday be able to walk unaided by walkers and have an easier time climbing inclines and staircases.

The scientists at Leeds are working on lots of other implants and transplants to keep the human body active. One of the most interesting and scientifically notable contributions they have made are transplantable tissues that the human body can adapt to and actually make a part of themselves. The tissue is basically a shell, taken from a donor or animal suitable as one. The scientists take a healthy organ or tissue from another human or animal and break it down using chemicals until they remove the cells of the other human or animal. Then it can be put into the recipient and the recipient can plant their own cells into. Having more organic tissues that could become part of the body easier would eliminate the fear of the body rejecting an organ from a donor. The scientists have already successfully made a heart valve this way.

The scientists have already tested the method on 40 human patients, and an unspecified number of animals in Brazil and say they have "promising results" says a leading scientist on the project, Doctor Eileen Ingham. The scientists are trying to fix and create new many other parts of the body too. These include such vital things as ligaments, blood vessels, skin, and lots of other organs also. The final goal of this project and other similar regeneration of body parts project, is to one day be able to create tissue, organs, and skin transplants just from the recipient themselves, rather then having to use a donor, it's a way to cut out the middle man. This method would make receiving life saving or altering implants much easier rather then have to find an organ. Hopefully this and many other similar projects gain the fruits of their labor sooner rather then later, and make growing old easier on millions of people.

Keeping Body Active

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Clay, Dana, and Isabella

Acknowledgments: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8314442.stm for being our source where we gathered all our data from
Image via http://apps.uwhealth.org/adam/graphics/images/en/19904.jpg
Mr. Wilson for answering general questions about the blog

Nazi Sea Water Experiment

2009-10-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

For many years, drinking sea water has been a dangerous and if not lethal way of quenching a thirst. For past years, many people have had to bring their own supply of water on boating trips. If you were stranded on a island, one might not have anything that could quench a thirst without possibly killing one. When the Nazis decided to try and find out a way of curing sea water to make it drinkable, they would have to test it out on people and if not on them selves. Knowing that sea water could be dangerous if the curing process did not work with one of many of their design's, they tested it on Gypsies, which the Nazi's took from one of their many concentration camps. The Nazis preforming this experiment, did not care whether or not a Gypsy died or became dangerously ill. Throughout the experiment, the Gypsies' were just giving the sea water that the Nazi's had tried to cure to make the water drinkable. Even though many of the Gypsies, if not all, were fighting for normal water, all they received was "cured" sea water. The experiment was taking place during World War II, and even though their reason may have been just, they still tested on the Gypsies without their consent. The test subjects licked the floors after they were cleaned because they were so desperate for fresh water, and did not care how they would get it. When the experiment was finished, September 1944, the Nazis who performed this experiment killed the Gypsies they had been testing on.

The Nazis put all these people through this inhumane sea water experiment and many of them suffered a slow and painful death. If there were any survivors left, that were tested on in this experiment, the Nazis who conducted the experiment would kill them. The Nazis were trying to see if they could make seawater into potable water. In the end they were unsuccessful at doing this. What scientists did find out though was how much salt water a human can sustain in his/her body and also how long a person can last without water before dying. This is useful information that has helped save the lives of many people. They saw that there were different stages of dehydration that effected the person by giving them distress, suffering and pain. Doctors can now predict how much water a person need to become hydrated again and be at a healthy state. Though this test was very curl and ethical scientist found out very important information about the body that was used to save and better the lives of people.

Nazi Sea Water Experiment

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By Lally, Phillip, and Gordon

Stem Cell Research Breakthrough

2009-10-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

Researchers at Mater Medical Research Institute have discovered how to protect stem cells during cancer treatment so they are not damaged.

Chemotherapy is a systematic treatment where a patient receives chemical agents that kill cancer cells. Since the chemical agents given to the patient cannot tell the difference between cancerous cells and healthy ones, many cells that are not cancerous die as well- including stem cells. A stem cell is defined by two properties: they can go through numerous cycles of cellular division while maintaining their state of being undifferentiated, and they have the ability to differentiate into specialized types of cells. The damage to stem cells that produce the blood and immune systems is a major side effect of chemotherapy.

Image via Wikipedia
The Mater Medical Research Institute has studied how stem cells are naturally regulated, and from this they have learned how to put more stem cells to sleep. They discovered a chemical in the cells that, if removed, puts active stem cells to sleep. If the stem cells are sleeping, then they are protected from the chemical agents given to the patients in chemotherapy.

When the cells reawaken after chemotherapy, they help in making new blood and immune cells. This means that the immune system of the patient is not as weak after chemotherapy as it would normally be, which helps to prevent infections, as usually chemotherapy patients are very susceptible to infections. Also, the production of blood cells means that patients will need less blood transfusions and bone marrow transplants, resulting in a shorter recovery time than normal.

Emma and Angelique

Acknowledgements:
http://www.chemotherapy.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell
http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/

Chemotherapy And Hematopoietic Stem Cells

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Eleven Genetic Variations Linked To Type 2 Diabetes

2009-10-20T20:25:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Scientists and mathematicians at Michigan Technological University have come up with a couple of ways to identify certain genes that cause Type 2 Diabetes. They have identified 11 variations in genes, called single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNP’s, that indicate a high probability of inheriting Type 2 Diabetes. In diseases such as Diabetes, there are several variations in the genes coding for the disorder. How do scientists find these variations and diagnose the disease?
Scientists have created a testing device called the Ensemble Learning Approach (ELA), which is software that detects a specific grouping of SNP’s that can be directly linked to not only Diabetes, but also other diseases as well. How is this possible when there usually are over 500,000 genes in the human genome?

Well, ELA only targets suspect dangerous areas in genes by using a complex statistical method. Testing for these potentially dangerous areas using the ELA, mathematicians at Michigan Technological University have interpreted data from 500 people in the UK with the Type 2 Diabetes and 500 without the disease. They found the 11 gene variations in the people with the disease. The team says that the ELA software can be used to trace the disease in one’s family lineage as far back as great-grandparents, and possibly farther than that if there are enough data.

Image via Wikipedia

With this knowledge of what genes are linked to disease, can it be possible for the results to help find cures for diseases in the future? It seems reasonable that with enough information from ELA testing, scientists may be able to find treatments for disorders such as Diabetes type 2 as well as Parkinson’s in the future. We will hope to see advancements in ELA technology in the future.

PowerPoint

Type 2 Diabetes

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Sources:
Images from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_mellitus_type_2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-nucleotide_polymorphism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_genome
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_disease
http://www.mtu.edu/

Konstantine and Nate

The Monster Experiment

2009-10-15T16:57:00.000-07:00

The monster study was an experiment conducted by Wendell Johnson and Mary Tudor, a former student of his. The test subjects were 22 orphaned children all from about the age of 5 to 15. The children were unaware that they were being experimented on, they just thought that they were recieving speech therapy. It took place in Daveport Iowa, in 1939. The experiment was testing if children were told that they had speech problems when they didn't would they develop stutters, and if children with stutters were told they didn't have a stutter would it go away. The 22 children were divided into two groups 1A and 1B. There were 10 children who even before the study began were marked as having stutters. The group of ten was divided. Half went to group 1A and were told that they had no problem with their speech, and the other half went to group 1B and were told that they had a lot of problems that must be fixed immediatly. The other 12 that made up the 22 children were chosen randomly, some with stutters, some without. Six were put in 1A and complemented on their speech, and 6 were put in group 1B. Their IQ, speech, and handyness were tested. Children with stutters in group 1A were told that they would grow out of their stuttering and that it was only a phase, but children in group 1B were told to never say anything unless it came out correctly. This was quite problematic because after that, in the 45 minute meetings the scientist had with the children, the children would be afraid to say anything in case they might say it wrong. Some children started trying to disiplin themselves so much that they had no time for other things such as school. Eventually they got so anxious when the spoke that some of them just stopped speaking. Most of the children developed mental issues when they grew older, and some even developed mild stutters.
This experiment was named "The Monster Study" by some of Johnson's peers, was hidden from authority, in fear of ruining Johnson's reputation. Johnson's experiment contributed most of the information that we know about stuttering, so although this was a very inhumane experiment, was the knowledge worth the pain it caused others?

T He Monster Experiment

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By Mira and Olivia

Technology to Help the Blind See

2009-10-15T15:21:00.001-07:00

New technology is being made for the blind so they can see. Barbra Cambel started to loose her eye site when she was a teenager and by her 30's she lost her eye site in her left eye. She is now part of a 3 year research project. Electrodes are surgically implanted into her and other patients eyes. Then a camera is placed on the bridge of her nose and a video processor is on her waist. There are 37 other patients also going under treatment. They say they can now tell plates from cups, see grass from the side walk, tell which letters there are in the alphabet and tell the different from dark and white socks. Andrew P. Mariani who works at the National Eye Institute says, "for someone who's been totally blind, this is really remarkable." This is one way for patients to slowly regain their eyesight. Stem cell research has also been suggested as well as a capsules with protein in them to slow down the process of the decay of light-responding cells that helps a person see. Also patients are using artificial retina which produces some sight. It is basically glasses with a camera that captures images and translates the pattern of light and dark on the video processor patients wear around their waist. Dr Dorn says that it isn't a very good image yet because the implant only has 60 electrodes but they continue to work on improvements. Here is a video about the glasses made to allow the blind to see.

New Technology Helps The Blind To See

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by Jennie, Sophie, and Zoe

Sources:
from the New York T imes

A Child's Imagination can Reduce Abdominal Pain

2009-10-15T13:24:00.000-07:00

Recently, studies have shown that Children that use audio tapes that give instructions to guide through mental therapy have almost three times a chance to improve abdominal pain than children who simply use normal medical treatment.

The experiment focused on children with functional abdominal pain. Functional abdominal pain is a chronic pain that has no medical explanation. It can interfere with people's daily activities and other tasks. Additionally, functional abdominal pain is very common, and affects up to 20% of children. Studies prior to this one have shown that guided imagery and behavioral therapy, coupled with regular medical care, can greatly improve their condition. Behavior therapy is a form of psychotherapy used to treat depression, anxiety disorders,
phobias, and other forms of psychopathology. However, behavioral therapy is expensive and time consuming, and the researchers doing this experiment wanted to see if behavioral therapy could be dropped and only the guided imagery is necessary. Guided imagery is a psychotherapy method. It is a therapeutic technique in which a facilitator uses descriptive language intended to psychologically benefit mental imagery.

The study used 34 children (aged 6 to 15) who had functional abdominal pain, and 19 of those children were randomly selected to get guided imagery therapy and normal medical treatment, while the rest of the children acquired only medical treatment. The image therapy consisted of four biweekly 20-minute sections and shorter 10-minute sections. The image therapy used CDs that gave instructions to the children to imagine different scenarios. For example, imagining themselves on clouds and floating gently. The children reported that the CDs were easy and fun to use.

29 children finished the test, 15 in the guided imagery group, and 14 in the only medical care group. 73.3% of the guided imagery group reported that their pain was decreased by at least half or more by the end of the test. On the other hand, only 26.7% of the children in the medical treatment only group said that their pain decreased by half or more. This number increased to 58.3 after the medical treatment only children were giving the imagery therapy. In both groups, 62.5% of the children's pain stayed away for at least six months.

The researchers concluded that the guided imagery and medical care combined gave substantially more benefits then just medical care alone, and that the benefits of the treatment persisted for long periods of time after the treatment is stopped. Functional abdominal pain is very common but affects peoples lives. The treatment including behavior therapy is very expensive. If the behavior therapy is dropped, than the people who can not afford it or who's health care does not cover behavior therapy now know that it is not needed or can be treated without it.

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

A Child's Imagination Can Reduce Abdominal Pain

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Mason, Afemi, and Coda -02

Sources:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012084208.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org

Breath in, Breath out: A New Indicator of Lung Cancer

2009-10-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

Lung Cancer is a result of uncontrollable cell overproduction in the lung tissues. The overproduction of cells is caused by changes to the DNA in the tissue that lines the bronchi of the lungs. If the mass production of cells continues to harm the tissue, lung cancer will eventually develop. Smoking, ionizing radiation, and viral infection are all major contributors to lung cancer. Although radon gas and viruses can both lead to lung cancer, the carcinogens in tobacco smoke make smoking the leading cause of lung cancer.
Unfortunately, in the past, lung cancer has been an incredibly hard disease to catch early on and wasn’t identified until treatment was no longer very useful. Now, researchers are beginning to discover new ways to catch the disease in its initial stages. One of these new ways is an electronic nose. Scientists at the Israel Institute of TechnolProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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y in Haifa are using gold nanoparticles to create sensors with revolutionary sensitivity that can be used to sniff out the compounds present in the breath of a lung cancer patient.
Although there have been a few other trials of similar sensors, the Israeli device has been the most successful, requiring a lower concentration of disease indicating chemicals. These chemicals are called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are organic chemical compoundProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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20that are the metabolic products present in the vapors we breathe out. Since VOCs occur in such small amounts when we exhale, researchers have tried to find ways to increase their concentrations when testing for lung cancer. But now, Dr. Hossam Haick and a few of his colleagues have invented sensors that use a range of nanoparticles that can detect the small natural concentrations of VOCs in human breath.
The other similar attempted devices depended on detecting VOCs with optical sensors, mass spectrometry, or acoustic sensors. These devices are much more expensive and less convenient. Although Haick had a few difficulties figuring out how to stick the VOCs to the gold, he got it to work and the gold nanopartical sensors are much less expensive and much more portable. Along with detecting VOCs in patients’ breath, the gold nanoparticle sensors can also detect some of the distinct signs for other diseases, like liver failure.
After testing the sensor on forty healthy patients and fifty-six lung cancer patients, he found that the device could reliably distinguish between cancerous and healthy breath. Currently, they are testing the device on a larger sample of people with different stages of the cancer and hope to be ready to begin clinical trial within the next two or three years. Meanwhile, Haick and his colleagues have also been testing the electronic nose above colonies of cells grown in culture. They discovered that while the sensor was able to detect compounds already known to breath, other lung cancer associated VOCs were not detected. So now they are working to figure out what exactly those are, which will hopefully lead to new information on lung cancer and how to treat it.

Powerpoint

Cancer Breathalyzer

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Sources:
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23331/?nlid=2318
http://lnbd.technion.ac.il/NanoChemistry/Templates/ShowPage.asp?DBID=1&TMID=139&LNGID=1&FID=502&PID=0&IID=741
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_cancer#Causes

Dylan and Cassie

Creating Stem Cells

2009-10-07T19:42:00.001-07:00

In recent years, there has been a debate in the scientific community over whether using stem cells to cure diseases such as Sickle Cell Anemia and Diabetes is humane. Stem cells are cells that can become any cell in the body. All cells, including stem cells have the same DNA. The difference is which genes are "switched on."

Sickle Cell Anemia is a disease in which the sufferer's red blood cells, in stead of being the usual donut shape, are shaped like sickles. These cell are much less efficient at transporting oxygen. Using stem cells, these disease could be cured by using stem cells to create normal red blood cells. Unfortunately, the only way to get stem cells is from human embryos. At least until now.

A Japanese scientist named Shinya Yamanaka has developed a way to change ordinary skin cells back into stem cells. He takes ordinary skin cells and adds a virus to them that reverses the genes that are switched on, changing them back into stem cells. Unfortunately, the virus he used can cause cancer. A scientist at M.I.T. tested created stem cells on mice who had Sickle Cell Anemia. He was able to cure all of them. He prevented them from getting Cancer by removing the gene that caused cancer after creating the cells. This is a major breakthrough in medicine.

Acknowledgments: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/0305/03.html for information

Stem Cell Research

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New treatment could alleviate symptoms genetic disorders causing protein deficiencies

2009-10-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Fabry Disease Ppt.Cyrus & Jukie

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For seventeen years Raul Hernandez struggled to live a normal life while dealing with a rare genetic disorder called Anderson Febry's disease. Often misdiagnosed as a variety of other afflictions, Raul's doctor believed the severe pain he experienced in his hands and feet were merely psychological. Now Raul is able to take part in clinical trials for a new treatment called Enzyme Replacement Therapy.
Febry's disease is caused by an inherited genetic mutation which disables the production an enzyme called Alpha-Galactosidase, an enzyme which breaks down a specific glycolipid called globotriaosylceramide or GL-3. Deficiency of this enzyme causes symptoms such as neuropathic pain throughout the hand and feet and the lipids to accumulate within the body, damaging organs and cases of angiokeratoma on the skin which can ultimately prove fatal due to heart attacks or strokes caused by clotting within the blood vessels.
Enzyme Replacement Therapy demonstrates a newly refined method to alleviate the symptoms of Febry’s disease. By injecting the necessary protein directly into the bloodstream the patient is able to function normally for up to two weeks before they require another injection. So far the treatment has proven to effectively reduce patients pain.

The Cure for Cancer???

2009-10-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

During recent studies, scientist have found that heat therapy combined with chemotherapy may help cure and keep cancer away from patients. People who endure chemotherapy have not found these results as often. Some scientist think that if the chemotherapy dosage is cut in half to use more heat therapy, that that would be better for the cancer treatments.

In Germany, they have started using heat therapy more and made the amount being bought go up by 120%. With the heat therapy, the patients does not have the strong effects of chemotherapy. If more research is done, this may be a great alternative for chemotherapy. Patients that have the cancer heat treatments have a higher survival rate then those who just endure chemotherapy. Why? Researchers at John Hopkins University say the cancers cells are very sensitive to body heat. The heat can kill or make the cells more sensitive which may make the chemotherapy work better, and have results, such as curing the cancer faster, and making sure it never comes back to the same patient.

"Almost three years after starting treatment, they were 42% less likely to experience a recurrence of their cancer at the same site or to die than those who were getting chemotherapy alone," said Rolf Issels, a professor of medical oncology at the University of Munich in Germany. Specifically, it has been found that targeted heat has helped with breast cancer and cervical cancer. If in fact this becomes the alternative treatment for cancer, this will help over 10,000,000 cancer patients. Though this would be a medical revolution, many test still have to be done before this cure can be used throughout the world.
Raina, Sami, and Peik

Heat Treatment 2

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Alzheimer's is Connected to Lack of Sleep

2009-10-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/download/id/47728/name/LESS_SLEEP%2C_MORE_PLAQUES

Alzheimer's Disease is Connected to Lack of Sleep
This blog is based on the article "ALZHEIMER'S LINKED TO LACK OF ZZZZS"

A study was done to show whether or not lack of sleep makes the brains of mice release more amyloid-beta. Amyloid-beta is protein that is released from the brain in mice and the spinal fluid of people. It can become sticky and clump together, forming plaques. These plaques can lead to the death of neurons which promotes the symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease.

Researchers were lead by David Holtzman in an experiment that tracked the levels of amyloid-beta in mice as they were awake and sleeping. They found that the mice's brains released more of the protein while the animals were awake and it went down substantially when the mice were sleeping. And, the longer the mice were awake, the more amyloid-beta was released.

The researchers did another experiment. They gave some mice a shot of orexin. Orexin is a protein that is naturally produced by the body to promote wakefulness. The mice injected with orexin had more amyloid-beta than the mice that were not injected with the protein. Also, by blocking the orexin the researchers found that the amount of amyloid-beta decreased.
The researchers weren't sure it is was the orexin itself that caused the increases in amyloid-beta or if it helped keep the mice awake, allowing more time for the amyloid-beta to build up.

The research team studied mice that were genetically inclined to build up plaques. Some mice were deprived of sleep while the others slept when they wanted to. The mice that were deprived of sleep were given an orexin blocker and kept awake in another way. The drug that blocks orexin also blocks plaque buildup, which is strange because, the mice with less sleep built up more plaques than the rested mice.

Studies like these in people have not shown a direct link between lack of sleep and the disease. Especially, chronic lack of sleep in in middle aged people who are genetically predisposed to have plaque buildup could hasten the arrival of the Alzheimer's disease.
Some researchers where thinking of giving the orexin blocker to people who are genetically inclined to have plaque buildup. Unfortunately, only a very small dosage could be given to the person so they wouldn't be asleep all the time. And, such a small dosage wouldn't be enough to stop plaque buildup.

So all of you reading this, GET YOUR SLEEP!

Here is our presentation:

Lack Of Sleep Is Connected To Alzheimer S

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Ilan, Arielle, Danielle, 02

Gene Therapy Cures Color-Blindness in Adult Monkeys

2009-09-29T19:50:00.000-07:00

Gene Therapy Cures Color-Blindness in Adult Monkeys

Hope for The Colorblind

A husband and wife team at the University of Washington recently ‘cured’ color-blindness in two monkeys. Monkeys are similar to humans in that sometimes they are born with a defective or missing gene that makes it impossible for them to differentiate between red and green. It was once believed that this problem could not be fixed because scientists thought that the brain could not process colors it had never processed before. However, this finding proves that the brain is capable of processing new colors if there are the receptors in the eye. It is accepted that color blindness is a hereditary trait passed on from generation. It only takes one gene to malfunction of be nonexistent for colorblindness to take effect. So the researchers at the University of Washington created a virus that would inject this gene into the eye. The virus did and within twenty weeks the monkeys had gained to ability to see red and green as different colors. However, their ability to distinguish was not as good as monkeys who were born free of color-blindness, but one researcher believes that it is not impossible to give them the vision of standard monkeys. He believes that the treatment just requires improvement to give perfect sight to these monkeys and possibly humans.

The researchers at the University of Washington believe that someday this could be a safe and successful procedure to conduct on humans. They believe that this would be a huge boom in the field of colorblindness as without much risk people could see in full color. The researchers do not want to stop at just green red colorblindness. They believe this treatment can be applied to those with achromatopsia, which is blindness to all colors. They believe this treatment could help people with degenerative sight disorders, ones which where sight gets worse as the person gets older. However to do this researchers will have to make sure that these treatments will target only certain photoreceptor cells for them to start testing.

This experiment brings hope to population that has been plagued by a disorder to various degrees. To some this would not be a great revelation, as in someone with simple red-green colorblindness. For others with more serious disorders this could not only allow them to see the world in a different way it would open up a realm of possibilities. Some of us might take for granted our ability to see different colors but it plays a vital role in things as basic as our commute to choosing what we want to wear. This treatment would make certain peoples lives much easier but also open up doors to new careers, which might have been denied to them because of the disability they have in their sight.

Hayes and Graham

Gene Therapy Cures Colorblindness in Monkeys

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