Mapping Disease

For me who wants to go into the medical field I always find it interesting when an article pops up about diseases. This article begins by telling the reader that they are trying to map a new virus called the H7H9 which is another strain of the bird flu. Mapping of diseases has been around since the 19th century but has been more reactive than proactive. They are trying to map disease on a world scale but cannot seem to get all the data at a local level. They don't have enough information world disease and how they spread which is a cruical way to solve the issue of how to get rid of them. When ranking how effect this is for the mapping of the disease only 7 diseases passed the test of getting a 75 or higher. Among which that didn't pass were HIV and AIDS. It is argued that technology will help further map these diseases. They are trying to use social media to help find discussion of the diseases and where they are located. 

This impacts the world because if we can find out where this diseases are found, how they are being spread, and what causes them we can eventually figure out how to stop them. Prevention of disease like dengue, hay fever, and aids would benefit the world greatly. Mapping them correctly is defintiely a start to the stopping of the spreading of these diseases. 

This is important because if we can better the technology we have and make mapping the diseases easier it will take less time to find out how to prevent the disease from spreading. Fortunately this process is underway and will hopefully be beneficial in the future. 

http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/35349/title/Mapping-Disease/

Diversity Defeats Disease

Being a germ freak anything having to do with new discoveries to defeat diseases really interests me which is why I chose this article. In the article it begins by talking about how the diversity of a pond could decrease the risks of amphibians getting effected by this parasitic worm which causes deformalities in it's limbs. Several researchers then describe that this research is some of the best they have ever see on diversity relating to diseases. The researcher  Johnson, started by studying ponds in his local area of California. He would rank the pond on a scale of 1 to 6 on the diversity of the amphibians there and the infected individuals as well. He also calculated the amount of snails who host this pathogen early in life. After three years of dedicated work his results showed that when the diversity of the pond increased the effected amphibians decreased and vise verse. 

The is extremely important in the society we live in today because so many people are effected with viruses and pathogens. If we know that the as the diversity increases the pathogens decrease we could eventually get rid of many viruses that exist today.

The research done here provides a gateway into solving some of the biggest problems that face the extinction of humans, disease. If we know how diversity effects disease maybe this could be the first step in ridding the world of the pathogens that effect us. 

http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/34373/title/Diversity-Defeats-Disease/

Microbes Thrive in Deepest Ocean

Something about the ocean has always intrigued me, I don't know if it's the vastness of it or the very little knowledge we actually have about it but that's why I chose this article. It begins by described how in a recent study microbes have been found surviving almost 7 miles below sea level in an ocean trench called Challengers Deep. These microbes can metabolize at 1000 times greater pressure than the microbes living on the Earth's surface. Microbes degrade matter and turn them into CO2 which could really impact the ocean in a postive way. They have found it hard to study these microbes because they only live at those extreme conditions so taking them out of their natural habitat causes death for them. Unfortunatley its the scientists only know that these microbes exist, they don't know which ones they are yet, which is crucial in the understanding of how they work and their impact on that environment.
This pertains to the real work because it shows that there is more to life out there than what we already know. For all we know these microbes could be the longest surviving life on the planet and will continue to be long after we are gone. Understanding how these work and what they are can help our knowledge of how the planet we live on works.
It s very important we pay attention to the small things out there. We know that microbes can live on virtually all climates on the planet. Maybe if we understand how they do this we can understand how to prolong the life of humans and the planet.

http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/34731/title/Microbes-Thrive-in-Deepest-Ocean/

Human Ancestors?

The study of bones has always intrigued me and any time I find a new discovery in that field of work I immediately have to read it. The article begins by describing the parts of a new skeletal head that was found within the past few years. It teeth and jaws resemble that of not only humans but apes as well. It speaks about this species is not the same as previous ones found like Lucy. The researchers found that the species was not only arboreal, which means climbs trees but also terrestrial. It is shown that this species is primitive due to it's ability to have both. Also the feet bones show that when this species did walk, it had an abnormal gait. Some scientists believe this is a descendant of our ansestors but there is one small problem. This bones date back to a little less than 2 million years old which is after the first known homo species evolved. It is very unlikely for a species to be there, deviate into another, and then back to the same species.Therefore the scientist still have a lot of questions left to answer.

This is important to the world not only to us in the US but our whole species on the Earth. If there were more than one species of homo out there how did we evolve to become what we are today? These findings are important when understanding our evolution but also understanding how to survive the future. If we can find out what happened to these species who were similar it will be much easier to predict the outcome of our species.


http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/35079/title/Human-Ancestors-/

Beer Tastes Intoxicating

As a college student reading an article about one of the most popular items on campus seemed intriguing, beer. The article beings by describing the study done that found by tasting one sip of beer, too little to cause intoxication could result in the brain's release in dopamine which is the reward center of a human's brain. The study was done on 49 healthy men and got them to take a sip of beer and Gatorade and observe which of the two effect the dopamine levels. The research shown that one sip of beer creates dopamine to be released making the men actually crave more. The study also shows that men who have a history of alcoholism have increased levels of dopamine released.
This is very relevant to the world because especially in the US we are very much dependent on the consumption of beer. If we understand how the taste of beer can effect the brain we can ultimately solve alcoholism or even prevent the start of it. Knowing that the dopamine levels rise just by the taste of it, people who have histories of alcoholism would know now that it might not even be smart for them to taste beer.
It's important we understand this so we know how alcohol is really effecting us. It was once thought that the only addictive part of alcohol was the intoxication aspect of it but now knowing that it also can be addictive just because of the taste we have the beginnings of how to better manage the use of it.


http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/35106/title/Beer-Tastes-Intoxicating/

Microbes Affect Weight Loss

 

After watching many programs on people who have had bypass surgery, I have become more interested in the topic. This article begins by describing how researchers have found that microbes in the the gut formed after bypass surgery lead to more weight loss than the surgery itself. What they did is take the microbes from someone who has had the surgery and implanted them into a mouse who has not had the surgery and the results show a weight loss in the mouse. The article explains how when you diet you are forced to eat less, and your body actually craves more food and tells you to eat more. One way they have reduced the obesity problem is by cutting off a portion of the stomach to make it smaller and therefore you can eat less. This procedure is known as bypass surgery and has sometimes drastic effects. One way they proved that these microbes worked is by taking them out mice who had had the surgery and putting them into normal weight, non surgically enhance mice. Without increasing or decreasing their food intake the mice lost five percent of their body weight just by the microbes alone. The researchers hope is that one day this can be a resourceful way for humans to lose weight with the worries and precautions of surgical procedures.
This would have a very large impact our much overweight society. In the United States especially we have higher rates of obesity, due to the fast and cheap ways to get unhealthy foods. Although not a solution to obesity this would be a start on getting obese people to a healthier life, worry free of diabetes and heart disease. Not having to worry about the effects of surgical procedures would definitely benefit the people who are in dyer need of weight loss.
It's important we understand the microbes work before letting the public get their hands on it. We also need to be aware that this cannot be something taken advantage of. It would not be beneficial if everyone were to say that, "I can gain as much weight as I want because there are pain free and easy ways to take care of this issue" I feel like this should only be used for people who are in desperate need of weight loss and cannot stick to a diet or exercise regime.


http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/34866/title/Microbes-Affect-Weight-Loss/

HIV Cure In The Works?

A recent news story on television caught my eye so when I saw this article I knew I had to do a blog about it. At a recent conference doctors stated that they have completely cured a child born with HIV. The child was born to a mother who had received no prenatal care and had no idea she was HIV positive. So when the child was born positive doctors administered the three anti-retroviral drug to the newborn in hopes of reversing the virus. After 18 months the mother stopped giving the child the medicine. The doctors expected the HIV to return but to their dismay it did not. They believed it worked because it hindered the virus before it was allowed time to make reservoirs in the child's body. Their next step is to see if they can repeat this process in other babies with this disease. 
Although this is super relevant to our society as much this discovery could possibly help much of the third world countries today. By having cure to this disease for children  it would ultimately lead to a cure for the adult version as well. The amount of people effected by this would detrimentally decrease and hopefully eradicate one of the biggest crisis' facing many nations today.
It is really important that this be proven to work multiple times and not just on this one child. By having it implemented on many children and work this would be one of the largest breakthrough's in science to probably ever come in our lifetime. I know that although it's not as prevalent in the US the amount of change it could to in just one country could turn things around for the better. 

http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/34593/title/Mississippi-Infant-Cured-of-HIV-/

Salt At Fault

I'll admit, I'm the first to stack a load of salt on just about everything I eat, so when I found this article about salt having extremely negative effects on the body I knew I had to do a blog about it. The article starts off talking about how being there has been new research done that proves high levels of salt intake can effect autoimmune disorders in a negative way. The research team based out of Harvard University found that the T helper cells which normally are good, are changed into pathogenic TH17 cells when exposed to salt. This TH17 cell apparently attacks the body's own good cells which can fight off sickness. The researchers took snapshots of the T helper cells as they were introduced to the salt, what they found is that not only do these cells turn into pathogenic TH17 cells but they also made the symptoms of the multiple sclerosis in mice worsen. Another study shown that humans whose diet consisted of more fast food than not had a higher level of TH17 in their blood. Although it can't be proven 100% yet, the researchers concluded that salt may have an effect of the pathogenic cells in the body. This is extremely  relevant to our time period, especially with the amounts of fast food being consumed. I know that living in the south salt is very easy to come by and literally gets put onto everything. I'm not talking just a little sprinkle either. It's always been known that large amounts of salt isn't good for your health but if ingesting salt weakens your immune system as well, the US could be in for some serious issues. 

It's important we understand the impact that the food we ingest has on our bodies. If we took the time adjust our diets accordingly we would seemingly have much healthier lives. If only the fast food companies could get on board and at least take the salt shakers and packets out of reach that would be a start at changing for the better. 

http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/34625/title/Salt-at-Fault-/

Natural STD Protection

After our discussion in class about the Gardasil shot in class and the effects of the HIV, I thought it would be interesting to read more about sexually transmitted diseases and what is being done in the medical field about it right now. This article starts off by telling us about an immune protein the female reproductive system known as interferon. It describes how most interferon proteins show up to fight off diseases and bacteria when they are present. However the specific type interferon-E is shown to be present even without the presence of the disease. Ultimately giving yield to an immune fighting protein being present all of the time. To support their theory than ran test on mice, and then on women to see during what times this protein was active. It was shown to fluctuate during specific time of the women's cycle but to almost be completely annihilated by menopause  resulting in the conclusion that this protein needs estrogen to survive and in the presence of progesterone will reduce back out. To prove that the interferon-E protein actually works to fight off herpes and chlamydia they infected mice with these diseases without the protein and the results showed that much worse cases of these diseases than mice were did have the interferon-I protein. The overall results seem to be highly appraised by the doctors although they were a little weary when it came to chlamydia because they would have liked to see it have more of an effect on the inflammation of the oviducts which can cause infertility in women.
This is extremely relate-able to the current young adult age. With findings like this there could ultimately be a decrease in the amount of people catching sexually transmitted diseases. With that, these findings could also lead into a direction which could help researchers not only treat these diseases but find cures for them as well. Whose to say there are not more proteins just like this one that could maybe one day cure cancer.
Understanding the body and how it works is the first step to finding a cure for the tragic diseases that takes the lives of ones we love everyday. It is rare to come across new discoveries that lead to certain preventative diseases. By obtaining more knowledge of these mysteries of the body we will not only be benefiting ourselves today but the future as well.

K.Y. Fung et al., “Interferon-ε protects the female reproductive tract from viral and bacterial infection,” Science, 399:1088-92, 2013.

What Killed the Dinosaurs

         As the meteor just recently struck in Russia I found it fitting to read about the relationship between meteors and how dinosaurs reacted to them. This article starts off by presenting the possible ways in which dinosaurs were possibly forced into extinction. It is believed that a large meteor approximately 6 miles in diameter struck around the Yucatan Peninsula and the effects of it killed of the now extinct animals. The results would leave destructive wildfires, tsunamis, and pressure waves. The author of the articles believes that while this could have been the ending factor to why dinosaurs died it was the main cause. Volcanoes during this time had been going on for a while and could have been the start to these animals dying off. Looking at the ash layer in India where these massive volcanoes occurred could lead to the dates at which a possible cluster of eruptions evolved, thus leading to potential similarities at the decline of the dinosaurs. The article also states that at the time of the meteor there is no evidence of any non-avian dinosaurs leading us to believe those were extinct long before the meteor struck. Thus figuring out precise dates of the volcano could prove that the volcano along with the meteor were both reasons why the dinosaurs went extinct.




This pertains to the real world because of the current meteor that struck the Earth just yesterday. Although the meteor was only about 20 feet the catastrophic effect it on the surrounding area was devastating. By learning about the effects meteors have had on animals in the past could help us prepare for one in the future. For a land completely dominated with thousands different species of dinosaurs to be wiped out by one meteor, the world would be in utter chaos if it were to happen to humans.
I think it’s important we understand the Earth’s history and interactions with space to better prepare ourselves for what’s to come. We know that the meteor that hit the dinosaur era obviously caused damage whether directly or indirectly. We must know too that not only can outer planetary things detrimentally affect us but so can things on our planet as well. Volcanoes that lay dormant now could ultimately wipe out our entire planet. If we understand how these impacted life in the past we can hopefully change and work on things to better it in the future.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130212--chicxulub-asteroid-dinosaurs-volcano-mass-extinction-environment-science/