California School Ban Bake Sales Because of High Calories

Schools in California have been forced to remove bake sales from their campus. The Calfornia school board banned 175 calorie snacks from elementary schools and 250 calorie snacks from middle schools and high schools. The reason for any controversy is not about the snacks themselves but the profit made by the event which is a major component in all of the school's fundraising. Some parents say its their decision on what the kids by because they are present during the event. So should these fundraisers continue or seize to exist?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/27/BALJ13NP31.DTL&type=newsbayarea

Test Post Number 1

Hey there cyber land! jonny here! just trying out this blogspot. this is awesome!!!! i cant wait!!!

Drugs Found in Tap Water

The AP lab has discovered that drugs are found in the tap water we drink from. The states that have been found with this condition are from Southern California to Kentucky. The drugs end up in tap water because of the people. People take pills. Those pills do get absorbed in your body, but some flushes through your system and ends up in the toilet. And water laboratories do not clean the water thoroughly enough. That is how we end up with drugs in our water. 

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-03-10-drugs-tap-water_N.htm

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Getting In shape made easy

(Post for Richard) Professor Steve Bloom, from imperial college London led an experiment that could change dieting forever. The hormone oxyntomodulin was discovered to have more than one effect on losing weight. "This hormone has a double effect, increasing energy expenditure as well as reducing food intake” –professor Steve Bloom. In the experiment several college students were injected with the hormone and found that after the first meal, the volunteers ate on average 17.4 percent less, while energy expended increased by 26.2 percent. This new discovery fixes the natural problem that occurs when the body loses energy due to lack of nutrients.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060426184212.htm

Cocaine's affect on the brain yields surprising results!

Scientists have attributed the difference in cocaine users brains and non cocaine users brains to drug use, and predisposition to addiction. It is well known that drug addicts and regular people will make different decisions in situations by a study of the actual brain has shed little light upon the issue.

these new studies have shown evidence that the cortical thickness related to cocaine addiction is caused by both the abuse and the predisposition to addiction from drugs. this change alters judgment and decision-making in the reward pathways.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008150443.htm

SO YOU WANNA LOSE WEIGHT?

When people think about losing weight the first thing that comes to mind is eat less. Scientist has created a strategy that tricks the body into being full. Peter Wilde who is associated with the Institute of Food Research in Norwich, England has created food that will decrease the flow to the digestive system. Afterwards a signal will be sent to the brain that "suppresses appetite." "That fools you into thinking you've eaten far too much when you really haven't," Wilde says. Doctors believe that this will be a way to cut down obsesity in the US. Others argue that controlling the appetite will be a high challenge. Wilde's plan is to "coat fat droplets in foods with modified proteins from plants, so it takes longer for the enzymes that break down fat to reach it." The fat will not be digested until it reaches the intestines when usually food is beginning to break down in the stomach. Wilde's plan is to have his product featured in stores in the near future.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iH4MeWVEs4lN0pHbDvGhYVCVdWrAD940D9KO0

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/heart/9907/21/gender.heart/index.html

The article above explains how woman are more likely to die of a heart attack than men. The study showed that in men and women under 50 that woman were twice as likely to die from a heart attack. Three percent of the men in the study died and 6 percent of the women in the study died. The difference was less among older people.
144 out of 1000 men in between the ages of 70 and 74 died of a heart attack and 166 out of the 1000 women in the same age group died.

Is Bile Damaging Your Liver?

Toxic bile damages the liver- October 24th, 2008

A protective element of bile is missing! Researchers have found that because of this new disease severe liver damage can occur. This component protected the liver cells from cirrhosis, which leads to the eventual loss of liver function. This find could explain and help find a cure for the unexplained cirrhosis cases. Some 15-20% cases of cirrhosis are unexplained, have an unknown source.

Doctors from the Institute of Human Genetics have found a mutation in the ABCB4 gene that controls bile secretion. This can either start in childhood or as an adult but the end result is normally death. Other diseases have been linked to the mutation of this gene.

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2008/10/24/toxic_bile_damages_the_liver.html

Going Under The Knife…Without The Knife

Going under the knife is now a thing of the past. There is a new procedure, similar to gastric bypass surgery, but there is no incision. This new procedure is called Toga, which is abbreviated for transoral gastroplasty. Surgeons are now using tiny cameras connected to tubes, and insert them through a natural opening of the patient’s body. This specific procedure staples a portion of the stomach, which causes the patient to heal faster than before. The new procedure has also been used to remove the appendix through the mouth and the gallbladder through the opening in the vagina.


http://www.nytimes.com/ref/health/bmi.html

Eat Cherries, Lower Your Risk Of Heart Disease

New Discovery -
The University of Michigan just published a new study uncovering the wonderful health effects of eating cherries. Cherries were found to reduce body weight and fat. As a result cholesterol was also reduced in laboratory rats that were being experimented on. Since body weight and fat are two main factors along with heredity for having a heart attack if these can be reduced the chance of having a heart attack is reduced. Two identical groups of rats were given the exact same diet except one group was additionally fed cherries. After 12 weeks the cherry fed rats had 14 percent less body fat. Reducing there chance of having cardiovascular complications.

Link:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HealthSci/Tart_cherries_lower_heart_disease_risk/articleshow/3643467.cms

Marijuana Use Takes Toll on Adolescent Brain Function by Marie

Adolescence is a critical period of ongoing brain development because the brain starts to mature/develop with the ability to think, learn, and comprehend things for succession. It's important to have a healthy brain because choices/decisions are made that help or hurt you. Heavy use of Marijuana makes you perform poorer in thinking tasks, complex attention, verbal memory, and planning ability. When practicing abstinence within the first three weeks of stopping the use of Marijuana, the effects continue from the body like your complex attention skills. The brain's ability to take comprehensive tasks is abnormal during the use of Marijuana.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081014111156.htm

Weight Loss Surgery- No Cutting Required

          Surgery patient Karleen Perez was one of the first to experience the weight-loss surgery form of gastric bypass without actually being cut open. Surgeons Dr. Marc Blesser and Dr. Daniel Davis used the process of stapling the stomach by having the patient swallow the staple that resembled the size of a thumb. Being over-weight can be very dangerous to a person’s health and for Karleen this surgery was considered “necessary.” By swallowing the staple her food intake became much smaller and she was able to lose the weight healthily and fast.

New York Times Article

Paralyzed? Don’t Give Up, There’s Still Hope!

Scientists have discovered a way to activate neurons to move paralyzed limbs. In this case, scientists utilized that neurons to move an immobile wrist. The University of Washington has been conducting an experiment using a brain-computer to teach neurons to go around the paralyzed area, and ‘stimulate’ the paralyzed muscles. If the research evolves, the study could be used to treat ‘spinal cord injury, stroke and other movement disorders, and better prosthetic devices.’
Researcher Chet Moritz from the University from Washington has taken a different approach than the norm when researching neurons. Moritz conducted the experiment on a paralyzed monkey wrist. They moved the arm by creating an artificial electrical path that sent neurons to the wrist to stimulate muscle movement. Ultimately, the research showed that the study could be possible but it still has to work out the kinks over the next few years.

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/10/15/new-technique-activates-brain-neurons-to--move.html

Have Humans Stopped Evolving?

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/lifestyle-shift-sparks-evolution-revolution/1331576.aspx

Genetics professor Steve Jones has basically stated the idea that humans have stopped evolving. Steve Jones states the theory that lifestyles have an affect on humans evolving. “Powerful men who once fathered dozens or even hundreds of children, often into their 60s and 70s, had given way in most developed parts of the world to younger fathers who tended to sire just a few children in their 20s and 30s.” Basically, the argument is being made that because the older men are the ones with the highest rate in genetic mutation, and they now seem to father men who have children young, it cuts the number of genetic mutation. Jones argues that this could be a good change because the child survival rate has increased and would surely increase more if this continued, however, he also argues that this could be a problem if there is a problem where humans are going to need to evolve to survive.

WAIT WHAT? HUMANS AREN’T EVOLVING?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/oct/08/evolution

While this article is somewhat comical, it does bring up an interesting point. Professor Steve Jones believes humans have stopped evolving. “A decrease in the level of mutation and the reduced influence of natural selection means that as far as humans are concerned the future looks like more of the same-no wings, no scissorhands, no third hypno-eye.” The article mentions that there has been a decrease in the level of mutation as well as a reduced influence of natural selection. We have learned from Chapter 23, that mutations and sexual reproduction produce the genetic variation that makes evolution possible. His point is that humans do NOT follow the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. They do naturally select and don’t randomly mate. Therefore, there is no possible way the human population can properly evolve. When you think about it, didn’t you already realize that?

GREEN FLORESCENT PROTEINS

GREEN FLORESCENT PROTEIN RESEARCH WINS CHEMISTRY NOBEL

Research on Green Florescent Proteins (GFP's) done by Roger Tsien, Osamu Shimomura, and Martin Chalfie won this year's nobel prize in chemistry. A GFP is a protein that can be activated by conducting light through it, not harming the cell or interfering with its processes. The GFP’s can act as tags on proteins in cells with a glowing light so that scientists can track where they go and what they do. Once a protein is tagged, one can see the protein perform all its functions. Right now, the men are using GFP's to highlight tumors, so that their removal is easier, and hope to use GFP's to stop cancer.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/science/20081008-0253-bn08nobel.html

Glowing Cells

Hunter Hinton
10/13/08


Three Chemists Win Nobel Prize For Glowing Cells

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/09/science/09nobel.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin

Three chemists, Osamu Shimomura, a Professor at the Marine Biological University in Woods Hole Mass., Martin Chalfie, a professor at Columbia University, and Roger Tsien, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, won the Nobel prize this year for their study of glowing jellyfish and cells. They were able to take some of the proteins that allowed certain types of jellyfish to glow, and transfer these proteins into cells, causing them to become very fluorescent. In this fluorescent state, the cells could be observed much easier.

This article relates to topics we have studied this year because it deals with cells and proteins. These scientists were able to single out the proteins that allowed jellyfish to glow, and transfer them to cells. When the cells were glowing, they were able to be seen much easier.

This new research and technology is greatly beneficial to our society because the scientists have already used it to study nerve cells that are damaged during Alzheimer’s disease. In the future, this research could lead to a cure for something like Alzheimer’s disease that affects a large number of our population.

New Methods Of Measuring Cellular Respiration

     Scientists and researchers have been searching for new means of which to measure Cellular Respiration for years now. The old methods (Warburg Apparatus, and Clark Electrode) have now become obsolete, and utilize too much oxygen to function efficiently. They could perform 2-3 experiments in a day but this new technology can perform up to 96 experiments in 2 hours. This new technology is called the XF96 Analyzer (made by Seahorse Technologies) and it measures cellular bienergetics in the glycolysis and mitochondrial pathways. This technological advancement is aiding in many aspects including observing the role of the Mitochondria in Parkinsons disease, and in Stroke and diabetes.

The XF96 Analyzer will without a doubt impact society for the better. The results it provides should greatly curtail the amount of time it will take find treatments for cell related diseases. Also it consumes much less oxygen than previous methods for measuring cellular respiration therefore improving the environment. 

1.    http://www.cba-news.com/issues/5_40/features/149975-1.html

Scientists Pinpoint Cancer

Scientists have known that the protein kinase GSK3 has been linked to leukemia, but they thought its job was to inhibit cell growth. It turns out that this kinase does something else as well, it helps to regulate cell growth, something that is uncontrollable in cancer patients. The kinases in cancer patients are not able to effectively regulate cell growth, and cells grow uncontrollably, forming tumors. This discovery of the kinases is relevant to our study about protien kinases and mitosis. Protein kinases bind to other proteins to carry out cellular processes, this kinase carrying out cell division. We also learned about cell division, which is what the kinase regulates. If scientists were able to create a drug that interacted specifically with the kinase and stopped uncontrolled cell division, there could be a possible cure for leukemia, which claims the lives of many every year.

link: http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/09/17/signaling-protein-could-be-target-for-leukemia.html

POWER OUTAGE HELPS CELL RESEARCH

When the power went out in 2003 in the Northeast, no one figured that the same technological advance that would lead to that solution would be one that also helped further biological studies. When experts found out that the mass blackout could have been avoided by causing a smaller blackout intentionally during the time of instability, it gave scientists an idea. This idea that a small amount of intentional damage could cure an exponentially larger one was what made scientists think that maybe the same idea could be applied to the cell systems.
To apply this theory scientists started with a perfectly working cell then somehow damaged it so that it could no longer function properly. This deletion that handicapped the cell was followed by even more deletions that forced the cell to use pathways differently. This new usage of pathways and molecules allowed the cell to regenerate most of the lost work – the cell’s productivity increased. This new way of gene therapy is different from the traditional way in that traditionally, new genes were added to increase productivity and these scientists deleted ones that were already present with ultimately much the same effect.
This new idea will impact society for the better because there is now a new way to make damaged cells do something that they should be doing. In and experiment with E. coli researchers found that the deletion of one gene is lethal but if that same gene is deleted along with a few others, that the cell survives. That gene, they concluded, was only needed in the presences of other cells. With new information like this, gene deletion or addition illnesses can be fixed.

source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080317164339.htm

The Discovery and the Prevention of Two High Risk Types of HPV

The HPV virus causes genital warts through sexual contact and has the potential to lead to cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer in women. Zur Hausen discovered two high-risk types of HPV, which led to the discovery of vaccines against the virus. The vaccine Gardasil was approved in 2006 and protects against most forms of HPV including the two discovered by Hausen. The vaccine is effective for women between the ages of 9 and 26 and it protects against the forms of HPV that are most likely to lead to cervical cancer.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27034939/#storyContinued

New 3D X-Ray Machine Set To Transform Dental Surgery

Dr. Neil Luyk unveiled the first 3-d imaging x-ray (Galileos dental and facial x-ray machine) on October 10, 2008. This 3-d x-ray machine will allow for much more accurate surgeries with a lower accident rate, as well as hopefully reducing the amount of damage to surrounding areas, such as nerves. The 3-d x-ray machine also eliminates the possibility of a normal two-dimensional x-ray machine hiding irregularities. This will definitely impact society for the better because of the possibilities that there will be less damage to the mouth and jaw region, as well as a lesser amount of sedation needed.



http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/new-3d-x-ray-machine-set-transform-dental-surgery/5/3865

Gecko Glue

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27108642/

Researchers have developed a new type of dry glue designed after the feet of a gecko. Gecko feet utilize Van der Waals forces. Gecko feet have tiny hairs launching off their toes. The amount of hairs produces a large surface area on the gecko feet. This allows for a maximum amount of Van der Waals interactions, or weak connections between slightly charged sides of atoms, to occur between the gecko feet and the surface they attach to.

Likewise, this glue utilizes this same concept. The glue consists of a “carpet of carbon nanotubules, thin filaments of carbon molecules.” At the ends of the nanotubules, there are curly carbon strands that also expand surface area. This innovative glue could literally allow a man to walk up a wall like Spiderman. But, this glue also has more practical purposes. This glue could remove the need for soldering when building electrical structures. Also, since it is a dry glue, this product could withstand the cold temperatures in outer space. This glue creates a wide range of possibilities across many different industries.

No Such Thing As a Safe Tan

The International Federation of Pigment Cell Societies (IFPCS) and the Society for Melanoma Research printed papers in their journal, Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research regarding the correlation between "tanning" and skin cancer. These researchers and scientists from the fields of science ranging from Cell Biology to Dermatology, and everything else in between stated that tanning beds are off limits to minors, and that they are unsafe, after conducting large amounts of research. Ultra-Violet Radiation (UV Rays) emitted not only from the sun, but from these tanning beds, harm DNA... causing genetic deformations...causing skin cancer. Thus there is no "safe" way to tan. 

Many could argue that this isn't a technological advancement; but just because we are not progressing, a discovery based off of research and facts were made. Scientists were able to find a cause to one of the most detrimental health related problems to humans and able to state the cause worldwide. "They have estimated that, in the year 2000, up to 71,000 deaths worldwide were attributed to excessive UV exposure." (1) With these new proposed laws, and the knowledge of the harm UV rays can cause, I would expect to see less cases of melanoma and deaths due to skin cancer. 

Sources:

1. http://www.labnews.co.uk/laboratory_article.php/3815/2/no-such-thing-as-a-safe-tan

2. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/glossary=ultravioletrays

3. http://science.hw.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/uv.html

Picture:

4. http://greenerpractices.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/tanning-bed.jpg

Mapping the entire human genetic structure

There has been great controversy revolving around the idea of being able to “map and define the entire human genetic structure.” We now have the technology to go further with the research of mapping the human genetic structure. This project would “determine the precise chemical order of all the 3 billion chemical units that make up the genetic repertoire of human being’s.” Scientists thus far have only learned the sequence of around one million, which leads to a huge increase in information that has been left up in the air for all these years. With knowing the genetic structure of humans in great detail would lead to the understanding of human development, evolution, aging, mental and physical disorders, and possibly curing diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, arthritis, and many genetic diseases. 

Website:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE6DA1738F936A25754C0A960948260&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=1

 

Artificial Cells

link: http://yaledailynews.com/articles/view/25674
This article discusses the design of an artificial cell that can act as a tiny battery, potentially in medical devices. Based on the cells of electric eels, which produce a sodium ion gradient across two different membranes, the artificial cell has a higher theoretical electricity production and efficiency rate than their natural models. This is an exciting new development that may revolutionize the way we power our devices. Artificial cells can be more easily sustained in the body because they use its natural energy sources for power, and thus can be renewable sources of energy for electronic devices like pacemakers.

Creation of Artificial Life?

In "Getting a Life Near to Reality," Sean Dodson discusses a scientific breakthrough in the creation of artificial life. Recently, a research group led by American biologist Dr. Craig Venter has been able to insert artificially constructed chromosomes into existing living cells. This insertion of chromosomes is one further step in the attempt to create synthetic cells, a desire of scientists since the early 1980s. In addition, Mark Bedau from the European Centre for Living Technology in Venice was able to manufacture artificial vesicles, effectively artificial cell walls. The ability of scientists to study artificial life would enable them to more clearly understand living systems and where they came from, but would this created "alife" get out of hand? And is the creation of synthetic cells even possible?

Image Credit: HowStuffWorks "Artificial Life" from http://science.howstuffworks.com/artificial-life-news.htm

Link to Article: http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/getting-a-life-near-to-reality-20081012-4yyr.html?page=-1

TRUE CAUSE OF RETINOBLASTOMA DISCOVERED, DISPROVING LONG-ESTABLISHED THEORY

Researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have identified the cell that causes retinoblastoma, shedding new light on the subject and also disproving a long-accepted theory of nerve growth and development. Retinoplastoma is a cancer in the retina, the multi-layered membrane at the back of the eye containing cells that are sensitive to light and that triggers nerve impulses to the brain, forming visual images.
The recent finding has been an unexpected turn of events; the discovery that fully differentiated neurons in the brain—cells with a specific function and purpose—can undergo cell division and multiply to cause retinoblastoma also challenges many previously held beliefs concerning not only the cause of eye cancer, but also the behavior of cancer cells. The once popularly held belief that cancer cells are most aggressive when they are undifferentiated was proven false through recently conducted studies that showed fully matured neurons rapidly multiplying to produce a very aggressive cancer.
Armed with new insight into the cause of retinoblastoma, investigators hope to pursue methods in which nerve cells may be manipulated to duplicate themselves. This new finding aids in the search for an effective treatment even for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Link: http://www.biology-online.org/articles/st-jude-identifies-specific-cell.html

Cell Evolution Puzzle!

  Recently, scientists have found enclosed free-floating organelles in primitive cells that are making them reconsider their ideas about cell evolution. Until now, scientists have been convinced that prokaryotes do not contain any internal organelles. Profesor Roberto Decampo's discovery of an organelle (a bacteria called Agrobacterium tumefaciens) is one that may disprove the widely accepted theory that early eukaryotes swallowed prokaryotes. This recent discovery leads scientists to believe that eukaryotes and prokaryotes may have a common evolutionary origin. If it is true that they have a common ancestor, the way in which scientists study cells will be changed forever! 

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3003946.stm

Virgin Shark Gives Birth?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/10/shark.virgin.birth.ap/index.html

The virgin birth of blacktip shark is no fluke, but a case of asexual reproduction. Apparently, two female sharks who had not been in any contact with male sharks, asexually reproduced one pup each. This article relates to our study of meiosis and evolution because these pups only inherited one set of chromosomes each from the mother shark. This makes sense considering there was no father in the reproduction, but as we learned in our evolution chapter, the mix of chromosomes from the mother and father in sexual reproduction provides genetic diversity. Because these pups didn't get this genetic diversity from two sets of chromosomes, they are less likely to survive in the wild. Also, because of the decrease in shark population, scientists wonder if the population of male sharks continues to decrease, if female sharks will begin to reproduce this way more often in order to adapt to the lack of male mates.

In Search of Longer Life

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/health/research/22long.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Sirtris, a company that researches human longevity drugs, recently discovered a new type of drug called a sirtuin activator that activates an enzyme called sirtuin. The theory behind this drug is that most species have an ancient mechanism to endure famines: they make a shift so that their resources are used for tissue maintenance as opposed to reproduction. This shift can be triggered by a healthy diet containing 30% fewer calories, a change which reliably increases the lifespan of mice. However, most people cannot stick to such a diet and so researchers began searching for a drug that could provide the same effect. Dr. Leonard Guarente hypothesized that the famine reflex is mediated through sirtuin enzymes. An effective sirtuin activator is now known to be resveratrol (a molecule that is actually found in low concentrations in red wine). 

Article Summary HPB

 The article "DNA tests prove it--Baby shark has no father," on cnn.com (http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/10/shark.virgin.birth.ap/index.html) was about sharks and their evolutionary/adaptive way of reproducing asexually when mates were scarce. This oddity, the article says, has been found in just the shark species. Species such as birds, bony fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Although scientists caution that these "virgin births" occurring within the shark species are not to be seen as a solution to the problem of declining species number, they still may become even more prevalent because of it. As more and more sharks die off, more and more virgin births will take place, scientists assume. While this article has relatively nothing to do with technology, it is a prime example of evolutionary adaptations. It provides insight on a specific species with respect to mating patterns and asexual reproduction. While this virgin birth was only the second recorded one, scientists say that these have been occurring since sharks existed and the need for mates was prevalent while they were scarce. This gene was left in the sharks, inactive, until species number declined, where the gene was activated once again. These virgin births are but another remarkable example of how organisms can adapt and evolve to meet their own needs.

Ensworth Science News

This blog will be used for students to post current discoveries in science and technology. The blog will allow students in different sections to share information and comments regarding the impact of these discoveries.