Cayam Islands Reef Rejuvination

In a 13 year study in the Cayman Islands, live coral reduced 40% between 1999 and 2004 due to bleaching and infectious disease from the warm ocean temperatures. Then in 2011 the coral life had returned to its luscious state as it appeared in 1999. A lot of the reefs around Cayman Islands are under protection which helped give it time to rejuvenate. Like most things in nature, being untouched by human activities helps in keeping the coral reefs healthy and grow. Coral reefs may only occupy 0.01% of marine environment but they harbor up to 25% of different marine organisms and feed and house 25% of fish caught in developing nations. Not to mention 30% of export earnings in countries that can promote coral reef-related tourism. It is a small gesture but important to keep these reefs protective and thriving, as they are a major link in providing for the aquatic wildlife.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131217155223.htm

Break Through On Possible Replacement Retina

Researchers have recently succeeded in printing adult eye cells for the first time. It is a step toward curing some types of blindness by producing tissue implants. In the past, embryonic stem cells and other immature cells have been printed but it was thought that adult cells might be too fragile to print. The victorious cells were from the optic nerves of rats and had the ability to grow and develop! Many cases of eye diseases lead to blindness due to loss of nerve cells in the retina says said Dr. Keith Martin, a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Cambridge, in England, and co-author of the study detailed online today (Dec. 17) in the journal Biofabrication. The aim of this experiment is to be able to print a replacement retina. On top of it all, the optic nerve cells were also able to sprout neurites which are fingerlike filaments that form connections with other nerve cells.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/18/inkjet-print-eye-cells-cure-blindness_n_4466418.html?utm_hp_ref=science&ir=Science

Styloid Process; older than we know?

Researchers have just recently found a 1.4 million year old fossil of a bone in the hand called the “styloid process”. This bone exists to increase the pressure of our grip as it connects our middle finger to our wrists and as a result we are able to build and use complex tools. The fascinating thing about this find is that it dates back over 500,000 years before scientists had thought it existed in the human lineage. “Early members of Homo, there were some late-surviving members of Australopithecus still around — close relatives of humans that don't seem to have this adaptation," said study lead author Carol Ward, an anatomist and paleoanthropologist at the University of Missouri. "This raises the question of how important our hands were in the success of our lineage and the extinction of their lineage (Australopithecus)."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/17/human-hand-fossil-tool-making_n_4455315.html?ir=Science

Radioactivity Muddles the Alphabet of DNA

Scientists from Curtin University found that natural radioactivity in DNA has the ability to change chemical compounds. This in turn paves a new road for genetic mutation. Radioactivity takes place in practically all living things in our world, but what makes this discovery surprising is that no one really had previously guessed it could change DNA in the way it does. "This work takes an entirely new direction on research into natural radioactivity in biology and raises important questions about genetic mutation," Professor Marks of Curtin University explains. The findings were published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta-General Subjects.

 

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/12/18/radioactivity_muddles_the_alphabet_of_dna.html

Breakthrough in Treating Leukemia, Lymphoma with Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells

The Loyola University Medical Center has found from a study that blood from umbilical cords have stem cells that are able to help save people suffering with Leukemia and Lymphoma. They have also found that growing these cells in a lab before actually placing them within a patient gives them a better chance at surviving. The blood cells of the patients that go through chemotherapy die along with the cancerous ones, and undergoing a transplant infusion of immature stem cells can help remake the stores of healthy ones. Stem cells are made in the bone marrow. Most of the time they are donated by loved ones or those who are able. A new technology titled StemEx, which helps develop stem cells from blood of an umbilical cord, was also looked at and experimented with.

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/12/09/breakthrough_in_treating_leukemia_lymphoma_with_umbilical_cord_blood_stem_cells.html

Scientists Present Groundbreaking HIV Prevention Research

Research in the Oak Crest Institute of Science in Pasadena, California tells us now that there could possibly be a form of birth control that not only protects women from unplanned pregnancy, but also from sexually transmitted HIV and a herpes virus. Three drugs will be used in an intravaginal ring. These rings have been used before for contraception, but now we are able to put multiple drugs into these rings to also release antiretroviral drugs to protect from the diseases, as well. These rings, when used, could save countless women from diseases in poor countries.

Omega-3 Dietary Supplements Pass Blood-Brain Barrier

Research from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden now shows that omega-3 fatty acids can get through the blood-brain barrier of people who suffer from Alzheimer's. The fatty acids crossing the barrier can affect possible sources of the disease. Studies still must be carried out to discover whether or not omega-3 can be used as a treatment, but in experimental studies, positive changes were recognized in the group taking the omega-3.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131204090950.htm 

Recycled Plastic Proves Effective in Killing a Drug-Resistant Fungi.

Earlier today in Singapore, researchers at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology discovered a possibly life saving use for polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET is usually used in the making of plastic bottles, but has now been converted into a non-toxic biocompatible material. This new material has a strong ability to kill fungi. This fungi is drug-resistant, and gives researchers hope for ways to treat diseases caused by topical fungi. In my opinion, whenever science comes closer to finding a cure for any disease, it should be widely recognized. Eventually experimental treatments may occur and sufferers should know about this option.

sharks related to humans?

Researchers of Cornell and Save Our Seas Sharks Research Center at Nova Southeastern seem to have found similarities between humans and sharks. Having the government give them a grant and donate an illegally caught shark's heart, they were able to perform an autopsy on it. They discovered there were similarities between the metabolism of the shark and humans, also, the biochemistry they say is similar. Now, they aren't saying that sharks are totally related to humans but there are some reasons to explore more into what the similarities are.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131205165827.htm

A Brain Reward Gene Influences Food Choices in the First Years of Life

Research has shown that a certain gene in the brain's reward system can lead to overeating and obesity in adults. The very same gene has also been connected to childhood obesity, especially in females. Instead of blaming the obese about their bad food decisions, Dr. Patricia Silveira and Prof. Michael Meaney of McGill University and Dr. Robert Levitan of the University of Toronto suggest that genetic predispositions, environmental stress and emotional well-being should be taken into account. The journal Appetite sheds more lights on their study findings and talks about how some kids may be predisposed to obesity.

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/11/26/a_brain_reward_gene_influences_food_choices_in_the_first_years_of_life.html

How a Legless, Leaping Fish that Lives on Land Avoids Predators

A study was done concerning rather strange animals: legless fish that can move about on land known as Pacific Leaping Blennies. The fish live on the island of Guam and can evade their predators using camouflage. They are usually hunted by birds, crabs, and lizards. The fish will live on land for the rest of their adult lives and must stay wet in order to breathe properly. They are able to jump by using a tail-twisting maneuver. UNSW researchers Dr. Terry Ord and Courtney Morgans from the Evolution and Ecology Research Centre were behind the study, and their findings will soon be viewable in the journal Animal Behavior. Their color and camouflage techniques were looked into and researched.

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/12/02/how_a_legless_leaping_fish_that_lives_on_land_avoids_predators.html

Study Documents Catastrophic Collapse of Sahara's Wildlife

The Wildlife Conservation Society and Zoological Society of London led a study that found the Sahara's wildlife population has dramatically decreased. 40 authors from 28 scientific organizations studied 14 species out in the Sahara, and discovered that half of them are regionally extinct. Overhunting seems to be a key factor in this, but a decrease in studies due to insecurity makes it hard to be certain about the number one cause of the population decline. Confirmed extinct species include the Bubal hartebeest and scimitar horned oryx. The African wild dog and African lion have disappeared altogether in the region. "The Sahara serves as an example of a wider historical neglect of deserts and the human communities who depend on them," says author Sarah Durant of WCS and ZSL.

 



http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/12/03/study_documents_catastrophic_collapse_of_saharas_wildlife.html

Beetles that Live with Ants: A Remarkably Large and Colorful New Species from Guyane

A new species of beetle was recently discovered in Guyane (French Guiana) and talked about by scientists of the Smithsonian Institution. Named the Spectacular Guyane False-form beetle, the new species is a member of the Pseudomorphini Tribe, whose other members are known for co-existing with several different types of ants. Author Dr. Terry L. Erwin, who's study of the bug was published in the journal ZooKeys, wrote, "This surprising large and colorful pseudomorphine came as a shock to me, as all other species of the Tribe in the Western Hemisphere are quite dull brown, dark reddish, or blackish with no, or little, color contrast on the upper surface." He goes on to say how further study will prove to be hard since they live amongst so many separate kinds of ants. Apart from who they live with and what they look like, nothing else is known about the new beetle species at the moment.

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/12/03/beetles_that_live_with_ants_a_remarkably_large_and_colorful_new_species_from_guyane.html

Dozens of Whales Beached in Everglades National Park in Florida

Around 40 whales, thought to be short-finned pilot whales, were beached in southwest Florida's Everglades National Park. 30 of them were found in shallow water while the other 10 were located on the actual shore. Waiting until the tide was high enough to return the whales to the sea, workers came together to help the whales stay secure and stable. Four of the shore animals passed away while the other six were successfully returned to the ocean. Short-finned pilot whales are usually located in tropical, deep waters and belong to pods of anywhere from 25 to 30 whales. Park spokeswoman Linda Friar explained, "Pilot whales are common stranders. They tend to do this. They tend to rebeach themselves."

 

http://news.yahoo.com/dozens-whales-beached-everglades-national-park-florida-154555423.html

New Research Shows Promise for Possible HIV Cure

Scientists might have a cure for the HIV infection. Highly active antiretroviral therapy, also known as HAART, helps supress the replication of the virus. But, scientists aren't sure if it is a permanent cure. HAART can't kill the HIV-infected cells but it can lover the amount of viral particles that are in the bloodstream. But, when radioimmunotherapy (RIT), which treats cancer, is combined with HAART, they kill the virus and the infected cells. While HAART only reduced the HIV infection blood samples, RIT brought them to undetectable levels.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131203091601.htm

Fire-ant rafts inspiring materials science research

When taking a closer look, nature is oftentimes the best model for advancing our technology. Plants have taught us the importance of light energy, and now insects are sparking ideas in materials science. The fire-ant, an insect feared for its stinging, venom-injecting bite, is being studied for its "viscoelastic" properties. Viscoelastic materials not only resist shear flow and strain when a stress is applied, like honey, but also bounce back to their original shape when stretched out or compressed, like rubber bands. Therefore, these materials are neither solid nor liquid, but a combination of both, like Jell-O and toothpaste. Fire-ants form rafts in the presence of any forceful liquid, but not just any typical ant raft. These rafts actively reorganize their structure. This allows them to more effectively cushion themselves against applied forces, such as raindrops or wave surges.



http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/46729

Google Earth improves image for catching fish

One type of fishing trap known as weirs that jut out from coastlines is now facing scrutiny as Google Earth images reveal the traps be snaring six times as many foish than what is officially reported. Using satellite imagery from Google Earth, University of British Columbia researchers estimated that there were 1,900 fishing weirs along the coast of the Persian Gulf during 2005 and that they caught approximately 31,000 tonnes of fish that year. The official number reported by the seven countries in the region to the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization was 5,260 tonnes. Fishing weirs are semi-permanent traps that take advantage of tidal differences to catch a wide variety of marine species. The basic purpose is to capture fish by limiting their movement without greatly impeding water flow. In the case of intertidal weirs (like those found in the Persian Gulf), fish swimming parallel to shore at high tide encounter the "wing" and invariably try to escape by swimming into deeper water, eventually entering a smaller enclosure where they are captured by receding tides.



http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/46733

80,000 acres swallowed up

The United States has lost approximately 80,000 acres of coastal wetlands between 2004 and 2009 according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Much of this loss is blamed on development and has occurred in freshwater regions. Additionally, more than 70% of the loss is from the Gulf of Mexico.  According to the EPA wetland loss in the eastern U.S. is happening at a rate double that of what is being restored. The EPA defines coastal wetlands as "salt marshes, bottomland hardwood swamps, fresh marshes, mangrove swamps, and shrubby depressions known in the southeast United States as 'pocosins.' Coastal wetlands cover about 40 million acres and make up 38 percent of the total wetland acreage in the conterminous United States. Eight-one percent of coastal wetlands in the conterminous United States are located in the Southeast." Wetlands are integral to our ecological network. They support fish and wildlife, improve water quality through filtration and protect against erosion and flooding. Wetlands serve as an absorbent sponge for inland and coastal upstream communities. Flooding events and subsequent economic impact are minimized with the protection and restoration of wetland communities.



http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/46724

Ammonia threatens national parks

Ammonia emissions have become a serious concern for scientists at Harvard University. Of particular note, thirty eight U.S. national parks are experiencing "accidental fertilization" at or above a critical threshold for ecological damage according the study recently published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. The environmental scientists, experts in air quality, atmospheric chemistry, and ecology, have been studying the fate of nitrogen-based compounds that are blown into natural areas from power plants, automobile exhaust, and—increasingly—industrial agriculture. Nitrogen that finds its way into natural ecosystems can disrupt the cycling of nutrients in soil, promote algal overgrowth and lower the pH of water in aquatic environments, and ultimately decrease the number of species that can survive.



http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/46732

Climate change signals a whale eating pattern

Every summer and fall, endangered North Atlantic right whales congregate in the Bay of Fundy between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to gorge on zooplankton. This change in North Atlantic right whale behavior is occurring against a backdrop of major climate-related ecosystem shifts taking place throughout the northwest Atlantic Ocean. While Brown and other right whale researchers are not ready to attribute changes in the species' feeding or migratory patterns to any one factor, including global warming, what is clear to them is that the right whales' new itinerary must signal a shifting food supply.



http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/46728

Clean water filtration: basic necessity

Clean water is a vital concern as many parts of the world struggle with its availability. Kenya is a prime example of a country on the edge. Kenya's people have long struggled with lack of availability of fresh water creating hazardous health conditions. According to the World Bank, the country's population is well over 43 million people. The country is one of the poorest on the earth with one of the most arid climates. Only a small portion of the land is suitable for agriculture.  Further, Natural resources available to Kenya do not support adequate or equitable delivery of water forcing people to spend many hours of each day, procuring water for basic sustenance.  

For those lucky and strong enough to get water, the rate of exposure to pathogens are a massive problem due to the contamination of basins and pumps where water is collected.

http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/46736

Another rotten grinch tale

With the holidays here, Phytophthora root rot is taking hold in the roots of Christmas tree farms throughout Oregon and North Carolina. Phytophthora root rot is a rapidly moving fungus found in poorly drained soils. It causes a slow decline in a tree first destroying the feeder roots and then turning the needles light green or yellow. Pytophthora root rot is difficult to detect and is only verified with laboratory analysis. One study estimated the potential losses to Oregon's nursery and Christmas tree industries of up to $304 million a year if Phytophthora is not properly contained.

Katie McKeever, a Ph.D. candidate in Chastagner's lab, is working under a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to create a nationwide collection of Christmas tree Phytophthoras to understand regional variation in pathogen populations. The goal is to challenge various firs with different Phytophthoras to determine mechanisms of resistance and ultimately develop genetic markers to identify trees resistant to the disease, Chastagner said.

http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/46747

Reef Fish FInd It's Too Hot to Swin

Commercially important fish, like coral trout, are being affected by global warming because of the increasing ocean temperatures. The hot water is making them not want to swim. They need to swim for survival, like catching food and reproduction, instead they are resting at the bottom. The fish from the northern region of the Great Barrier Reef are handling these conditions much better than the southern region though.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131127110613.htm

Gene Found Responsible for Susceptibility to Panic DIsorder

Researchers from the Centre of Genomic Regulation found a gene, called NTRK3, that is important for the formation of the brain and is responsible for the panic disorder gene. NTRK3 causes issues in the brain developement and cause problems in the fear-related memory system. It makes your brain focus and process more things that are fear related and cause panic attacks.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131128133921.htm

Rise in ADHD

There has recently been a rise in children being diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.) Throughout the years they realize the rise in children getting diagnosed and are wondering the causes and what to do. More children now are being prescribed medicine to control it. Some feel that doctors are misdiagnosing their children when in fact the doctors are right. The rise is now at 11% and will continue to rise. Doctors are actually please in the number of treated children with the disorder only because that actually means the child are getting the help they need instead of "dealing with it" on their own.



http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/22/adhd-diagnoses-rise-to-11-of-kids/

How Flu Evolves to Escape Immunity

Scientists have recentally been studying on how to improve flu vaccines for the future. They believe they have came up with a way to improve the vaccines by just simply substituting an amino acid. Every 3 to 4 years the outer coat of the flu (Made of amino acids) evolves. This prevents antibodies from recognizing the flu. They found that seasonal flu escapes immunity and develops into new strains typically by just a single amino acid substitution. Until now, it was widely believed that in order for seasonal flu to escape the immunity individuals acquire from previous infections or vaccinations, it would take at least four amino acid substitutions. They also found that such single amino acid changes occurred at only seven places on its surface -- all located near the receptor binding site (the area where the flu virus binds to and infects host cells). This is a huge breakthrough in understanding the flu and eventually scientists hope to be able to predict when the flu is going to change. The flu is responsible for half a millon deaths and many more hospitiziled.

Family with the flu. Scientists have identified a potential way to improve future flu vaccines after discovering that seasonal flu typically escapes immunity from vaccines with as little as a single amino acid substitution. (Credit: © Creativa / Fotolia)

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131121142305.htm

Does Obesity Reshape Our Sense of Taste?

This is a study that was originally conducted on mice. Mice who where severly overwight had an impaired ability to taste sweets. Compared with the slimmer mice the obese mice had fewer taste cells that responded to sweets. This is important because taste plays a huge factor in our appetite. It is proven that the mice have trouble detecting sweets, however it is still unclear as to why these plays a role in people gaining weight. A past study proves that obese people yearn for sweet and savory foods. So scientists believe that obese people need to eat more sweets than thinner people to get the  same effect. I really think that this could be a breakthrough study on obese people in America, and could possibly lower the obesity rate of Americans.

Taste cells under a microscope, expressing green fluorescent protein. A new University at Buffalo study finds that obese mice had fewer taste cells capable of detecting sweetness than mice with slimmer physiques. The white bar is 20 microns. (Credit: Kyle Hacker)

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131121154944.htm

Colossal New Predatory Dino Terrorized Early Tyrannosaurs

A new species of carnivorous dinosaur was discovered. It is said to be one of the three largest dinosours ever discovered in North America. Siats meekerorum, is the newly discovered species and is believed to have kept Tyrannosaurs from assuming the top predatory role for millons of years. Siats is only the second carcharodontosaur to be discovered in North America. Acrocanthosaurus, discovered in 1950, was the first. From the remains it is believed to be abour 30 feet long and weight at least 4 tons, and this one was only a juvinile. This is amazing to me that at one time on Earth there where huge 30 foot long animals killing each other everywhere. This was definitly a very intresting article.

This is an illustration of Siats meekerorum. (Credit: Artwork by Jorge Gonzales)

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131122084241.htm

Expert Assessment: Sea-Level Rise Could Exceed One Meter in This Century

Experft believe that in a scenario with unmitigated emissons, that the sea level could rise 200-300 centimeters by the year 2300. However in a scenario with reduced emissons experts believe there will only be about 40-60 centimeters by 2100 and 60-100 centimeters by 2300. The high emissons scenario could threaten the lives of costal cities or low-lying islands. Sea level rise is a very hard area to project due to there being so many factors that could change it, such as glaciers melting, and pumping water for irrigation purposes. It is so hard to predict that the experts numbers from 2007 had to be changed upwards by 60 percent! This is an area that definitly needs to be addressed in my opinion, because in could drastically change the futre of planet Earth if not dealt with properally.

Sea-level rise in this century is likely to be 70-120 centimeters by 2100 if greenhouse-gas emissions are not mitigated, a broad assessment of the most active scientific publishers on that topic has revealed. (Credit: © Thierry Hoarau / Fotolia)

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131122103853.htm

Powerful Tool for Genetic Engineering

Scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig have now shown that the dual-RNA guided enzyme Cas9, which is involved in the process, has developed independently in various strains of bacteria. This enhances the potential of exploiting the bacterial immune system for genome engineering. CRISPR is short for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Palindromic Repeats, whereas Cas simply stands for the CRISPR-associated protein. Throughout evolution, this molecule has developed independently in numerous strains of bacteria.The CRISPR-Cas-system is not only valuable for bacteria but also for working in the laboratory. It detects a specific sequence of letters in the genetic code and cuts the DNA at this point. Thus, scientists can either remove or add genes at the interface. By this, for instance, plants can be cultivated which are resistant against vermins or fungi. This is very cool because it goes along with what we are learning in class and I just find it very intresting. I also believe that this is a pretty big break through for biology because it shows first-hand how a bacteria could actually evolve.

Streptococcus pyogenes is one of the bacteria in which the HZI scientists have studied the CRISPR-Cas system. (Credit: © HZI / M. Rohde)

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131122112721.htm

Ancient Minerals: Which Gave Rise to Life?

According to Carnegie's Robert Hazen as of right now there are no more than 420 minerals on Earth today. This is about 8 percent of nearly 5,000 species on Earth. Hazen believes that most of these 420 minerals of the Haden Eon formed from magma. Thousands of mineral species known today are the direct result of growth by living organisms, such as shells and bones, as well as life's chemical byproducts, such as oxygen from photosynthesis. Lithium, beryllium, and molybdenum appear to have taken atleast a billion years to form so they are excluded from the times of lifes origin. Several questions remain unanswered and offer opportunities for further study of the paleomineralogy of the Hadean Eon. For example, the Hadean Eon differs from today in the frequent large impacts of asteroids and comets -- thousands of collisions by objects with diameters from a mile up to 100 miles. Such impacts would have caused massive disruption of Earth's crust, with extensive fracture zones that were filled with hot circulating water. Such hydrothermal areas could have created complex zones with many exotic minerals. Hazen believes that Mars is just like Hadean Earth and may be limited to only about 400 minerals also.

The magnesium silicate forsterite was one of the most abundant minerals in the Hadean Eon, and it played a major role in Earth's near-surface processes. The green color of this mineral (which is also known as the semi-precious gemstone peridot, the birthstone of August) is caused by small amounts iron. The iron can react with seawater to promote chemical reactions that may have played a role in life's origins. (Credit: Robert Downs, University of Arizona, Ruff Project)

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131125164814.htm

Arctic Seafloor Methane Releases Double Previous Estimates

The seafloor off the coast of Northern Serbia is now realeasing twice as much methane gas as previously estimated. Currently it is releasing about 17 teragrams of methane into the atmosphere each year. A teragram is equal to 1 millon tons. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide. As long as the subsea permafrost stays frozen, the methane gas will stay trapped beneath the surface, but the ice is starting to melt in some areas. As the climate warms more and more gas will be let out and the gas will cause the climate to warm even more. Methane traps heat and is a very important factor in global climate change.

Methane burns as it escapes through a hole in the ice in a lagoon above the East Siberian Arctic Shelf. (Credit: Photo courtesy of Natalia Shakhova)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131125172113.htm

Eat nuts to live longer!

They are saying now a days, that by eating nuts you will live a longer life. They are linked to a longer life because they are high in saturated fat, proteins and vitamins. They are linked to lowering heart desease which is linked to the cause of many deaths. They found that if you ate nuts seven plus times a week, you had a 20% less chance of death than people who do not eat nuts. This does not mean if you eat nuts you will live longer, but it is saying they have many bonuses to eating them and could help you live longer.



http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/21/health/nuts-longevity-time/index.html?hpt=he_t3

Is bottled water better for you?

People are debating on weather bottled water is safer than tap. They are saying that it really isn't, it may taste and look better, taste better and be more portable than tap but that doesn't mean it is overall better for you. Bottled water according to the National Sanitation foundation, bottled water is regulated by the FDA, which than created water-quality requirements that bottled water must meet. There is a system called the EPA for public water and the FDA's regulations are close to the EPA, but both are not required by either agency to be 100% free of contaminants. Tap water can also carry pollutants with it in the pipes carrying led. You can also always get your pipes tested. Basically every water you drink weather it be from a bottle, a filter, or a sink should be safe. I feel that this article is very important because water is a very important intake for humans to help us function. We do not want to be drinking something that could potentially harm us.




http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/19/health/upwave-bottled-water/index.html?hpt=hp_bn13

Princeton Meningitis Vaccines debate

Princeton was debating on offering the school vaccines for meningitis due to the couple break outs that had occurred on campus. The vaccine targets meningitis type B and made by Novartis but not yet approved by the United States. It is a rare disease but had different side effects such as hearing impairment, light reaction, stiff neck, confusion, ect... and is a bacterial form. Scientists and officials are asking the question of why this outbreak is happening and how to stop it until the vaccine gets approved.



http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/16/health/princeton-meningitis-outbreak/index.html?hpt=hp_bn13

Birth Control pill may double in Glaucoma risk

Researchers have been doing a study on over 3,000 women who are on birth control. A recent study has shown that 1 and 2 percent of women who are a bit older, in their forties or so are becoming more likely to get Glaucoma. It is blindness in the eyes. They realized that these risks come in to play after being on birth control for more than 3 years. This is can either help women so that doctors can fix the problem or make it worse and more women will be likely to get it. Doctors however want to stop it now, and researchers from the University of California-San Francisco, Duke University and Third Affiliated hospital of Nanchang University presented this risk to the American Association of Ophthalmology. Researchers say that young women on the pill should not be worried, but once on it for three plus years, talk to your doctor about the risk.




http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/11/18/birth-control-pills-may-double-glaucoma-risk/

1 in 7 Students Have Dabbled in 'Smart' Drugs

American and European studies show that students have used legal or illegal drugs and medication to enhance their learning level. They mostly take them during the exam preparation period, not during the actual exam. Scientists came up with neuroenhancement to see if it would enhance students during the learning period as well. 94 percent of students had already heard of neuroenhancement. The effect they attended worked only on a small portion of the students that tried it.

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/11/14/1_in_7_students_has_dabbled_in_smart_drugs.html

Cells offer Hope to type 1 Diabetes

This article is explaining how cells are now being offered to help people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes can not produce insulin and now doctors are finding out new ways to fix it! Islet cells contain beta cells that produce insulin, as well as alpha cells that produce a hormone called glucagon. Both are used to regulate the body's glucose, or sugar level. Patients can now undergo a surgery to fix it. Researchers have been trying to improve the survival rate of the cells during transplantation. Most patients who undergo the process are now in need of two infusions or islet cells to maintain normal glucose levels long - term. this procedure has been performed in other countries this far, and are showing that patients will stop using insulin and their bodies will begin to start producing it all on their own in five to ten years.



Summary by:
Cassidy Greenberg

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/06/health/islet-cell-transplantation-diabetes/index.html?hpt=he_t2

Megamouth Shark

The mega-mouth shark has been identified as a new species. Scientist's have recently discovered the name of a shark that they have been searching for for years.Scientist had the teeth of the shark that were being and they were being held for many years in a Los Angeles museum. The shark would feed off of plankton as well as other shrimp-like creatures. The shark would only come to the shallow surfaces of the water to feed and specifically only during the night time. This is a very ancient shark and we have not seen one in many years.
This article really interests me considering there is so much life out there than is just now being discovered. There is a whole undersea world out there to still be discovered and identified.

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/extinct-megamouth-shark-species-finally-identified-8C11522442

Children Shows are Stepping up their Game

"Octonauts" is an animated series for preschoolers. The show has a crew of eight undersea adventurers and their motto is "explore, rescue, and protect". Recently the national oceanic and atmospheric administration and the show "Octonaunts" have decided to partner up and raise the awareness of ocean exploration and science. On Monday more details will be released, and also they are hoping to make new educational products such as games, toys, and mobile apps. New episodes of the series is hoped to air by early next year. Word has gotten out that NASA also plans to partner with the child show "Space Racers". They want to teach children basics such as hypothesis, theory, and emphasize scientific inquiry in the show. This is a good opportunity for NASA to get in the young minds. The show want the information to be accurate so the writers of the show will be in close contact with NASA, researchers, and marine biologists. I chose this article because I think this is a really good way to incorporate learning. Children already love both of the shows, so incorporating useful information into the shows is a fun way to teach children and a good way to learn. Education is very important and being aware at a younger age can be helpful for the children of the future. It opens up new gateways of new learning methods, and also keeps up with the technological generation. The children will be more engaged in the show because they enjoy it, so as they're watching they will be learning. I will be interested in watching the shows just to see how they are teaching the information and also I want to see if the information is actually accurate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/28/business/media/octonauts-series-adds-federal-partner-in-ocean-awareness.html?ref=science&_r=0

Hair Growth Breakthrough

A new technique was created for growth of hair. Only mice have been tested so far, human skin was grafted onto the animals in the experiment. Hair began to grow on the rodent, so this was a breakthrough. Many people have become dependent on remedies such as drugs and transplants, the scientists working on this project hope that will become something of the past. This new method is more effective and useful to the person getting the implant. Most treatments on the market right now are mainly for men, this new technique could be a lot more helpful to women though. Transplants take up to eight hours because you are moving the hair follicles from the back of the head to the front. Also the procedure leaves a large scar on the back of the patients head. Now in the new procedure smaller patches of cells will be taken from the scalp, cultured in the lab to increase the quantity, and then injected into bald spots on the head. This is different from just shifting the hair; you are actually able to add hair using this method. Dr. Christiano became interested in the science of hair when she had a loss of her own. She was diagnosed with alopecia. Which is known as a circumstance where hair is bald in certain places, hers specifically was on the back of her head. Researchers have been focused on dermal papillae the cells have been transplanted in rodents and led to new hair growth. The cells have the ability to revive cells to form newer hair follicles. The cell may have worked in rodents but for a long time didn’t work humans. So now the studies continue to find a method that works in humans. The new method scientists are working on now is where they take 3000 papilla cells, put them on the lid of a dish, and flip the dish over. They found when the dish was flipped over it created an aggregate at the bottom. Now the cells were touching in three dimensions, unlike before when they were only touching in two. Now the signals in the cells were improved and would increase the chance of hair formation. This is a small success but still a big step in the right direction. I choose this article instantly because I am a girl and I love my hair. I think all women feel the same, hair is an important thing and some of us unfortunately lose it or have alopecia. Even men have similar problems, but this method of hair renewal is different than many. I like how cells will be implanted to help the hair growth progress. That is much better than taking drugs or getting transplants. This method seems safer and more efficient; the process may take a little longer, but it seems worth. With transplants you get a large scar on the back of your head after the procedure. With the new method the process should not take as long and you will not have any scars. Also taking drugs is very risky because of side effects, it might be doing good for your hair, but no so good for the rest of your body. Hopefully this study continues in a progressive state and we see the new method out on the market soon. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/22/science/new-technique-holds-promise-for-hair-loss.html?ref=science&_r=0

Moose Cannot Handle Gobal Warming

Scientists are alarmed by the decreasing moose population in New Hampshire and Minnesota. In Minnesota twenty years ago there were two geographically separate moose populations. Since the 90’s one of them has declined to less than 100 moose, the population used to be made up of around 4000. The population that is found northeast is rapidly dropping at least twenty five percent each year, and now there are less than 3000 moose in that region of Minnesota. This rapid decrease in the moose population has made wildlife officials suspend all moose hunting as of right now. The decrease of the population is left unsure as of right now, but many scientists are quick to blame the climate change. A shorter winter equals a much longer fall; the animals need the cold weather. A decrease in snow has also been proven to affect the lives of moose, along with the high counts of ticks from the longer fall sessions. Exhaustion from the short winter and trying to stay cool has really taken a toll on the moose and can lead to death. Bark beetles thrive in the warmer weather and a recent has pinned that species of beetles to the decline in moose deaths also. The moose now more than ever are left more exposed than before because of the loss of trees, so it is easy for humans and predators such as wolves to find them. The climate change has not only impacted the moose population, but it has also impacted the tourist population. Each year around 115 million is brought in by moose watching, the tourists are not coming as often because the trips do not always insure a moose sighting because of the lower population. Scientists are hard at work trying to get the bottom of the deaths; they have started tagging moose to make it easier to find them once they have died. Doing the scientists have a better chance to find out the cause of the death; they have such high levels of body fat that decompose quickly; after around 24 the necropsy has little value to the scientists. To me it seems like the scientists that are studying the moose have a good idea about what the cause of the deaths is really from. It has a lot to do with the climate more than anything; the climate is taking a toll on the animals. Because of the warm weather striving to stay cool is hard; the animals need snow, and the cooler weather after a long summer. Since they are experiencing a longer fall, the moose now has to work hard through those warm days because they weather could still reach the 60s in the fall or maybe even a little higher. Hunting the animal should no longer be allowed until the population is at an all-time high again, and they need to be controlled. The scientists should create a spray that could potentially kill off a lot of the ticks and of course not harm the moose. Moose do not groom off ticks as deer do, so by creating something that can keep the ticks away maybe the moose would have a better chance of living. The climate problem is a hard thing to solve because you can now physically alter the weather… So hopefully by solving the tick problem the moose can find some way to adapt to the longer falls. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/15/science/earth/something-is-killing-off-the-moose.html?ref=science&_r=0

Penguins Threatened By Malaria

All around the world most zoos have penguin exhibits; everyone enjoys the adorable little creatures including the zookeepers whom take care of them and the visitors at the zoos. Penguins have been taken out of their natural habitats, and because of that they are stalked by a killer disease known as malaria. The outbreaks among the penguins vary widely, but most of the time if the bird is left untreated it results in a death of the animal. Species-specific mosquitoes go after the penguins, that simply means that the mosquitoes carrying malaria and the parasites are harmless if it were to bite a human. During the summers at zoos the mosquito counts are very high and it is dangerous for the birds. Different zoos take different precautions to protect the penguins. At the Maryland zoo all the new penguins get blood drawn once a week, and if any stain of malaria is found in their bodies they are treated from there on. In New York City their zoos use the same methods, and at Central Park Zoo the King, Gentoo, and Chinstrap penguins are very lucky because they live in a giant walk-in refrigerator. So therefore the birds are constantly protected because the mosquitoes do not have much of a chance in the cold altitudes. In London zoos the penguins pens are sprayed with lavender and they are almost given lavender to make their nests. The smell is proven to keep most of the mosquitoes away for long periods of time. In other zoos all around the world the penguins are given a daily dose of primaquine or chloroquine. That was once a medicine used to treat humans at a point in time. The zoos are very protective over the birds, and try to always keep them in their best health year round. After reading this article I was informed about something I really had no idea about. I enjoy seeing penguins at the zoo just as much as everyone else does. They are beautiful creatures and I do think it is very important that they get specific care. The summers have been continuing to get hotter and longer each year, so in my opinion precautions should be taken throughout the whole year to prep the penguins for the long summer. Assuring that the penguins remain healthy is important because preventing the death of any penguins is major. If malaria continues to spread within the penguin population and gets past the point of the treatment it will result in death for the birds. That happening at a rapid pace could lead to endangerment of the species. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/08/science/earth/zoos-aim-to-ward-off-a-penguin-killer.html?_r=0

Inhumane Humans

Recently in Zimbabwe 81 elephants we're killed by poachers. They contaminated the water holes in a western national park with cyanide poison. Not only have elephants have been found dead, but other smaller animals that feed near the water hole have been also. The poachers were after the elephants for their ivory tusks, and as of now nine suspected poachers have been arrested. This article really stuck out to me because that is completely an inhuman and morally wrong to do to such a thing to a beautiful animal. Also all the smaller animals that fed at the water hole need to be taken into consideration also. Hunting is one thing, when you hunt an animal you should always eat it. If you aren't going to eat it, then you should never kill an animal intentionally. What is the point? Another reason I choose this article is because the other day I was driving through the woods with my boyfriend, and we saw a dead deer with the antlers ripped off. It was a horrible sight and something I have never seen before. This kind of stuff must happen more often then we really know about, the awareness of poaching should be raised. Maybe rules and regulations should be stricter to prevent something like this ever happening again. If you think about it, usually what takes place once, repeats itself again down the line. So if this was to happen a few more times could elephants become endangered or even extinct? http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/25/world/africa/zimbabwe-81-elephants-killed.html?ref=science&_r=0

H.I.V Vaccine Breakthrough

The search for a H.I.V. vaccine has been long and frustrating, but Dr. Picker a vaccine expert at Oregon Health & Science University may have made a breakthrough. In a recent experiment Dr. Picker “tested his vaccine in 16 monkeys who were then infected with simian immunodeficiency virus” (Donald G. McNeil Jr.). The virus is closely related to HIV, and in most normal cases the primates would have died a miserable death. Oddly enough the vaccine cured only nine of the monkeys, but still this was a huge breakthrough. The monkeys were slowly cleared of the virus and even three years later you couldn’t tell them apart from the monkeys that never suffered the virus. This was the first time the existing infection was completely eliminated; many scientists often do similar experiments to “test ideas for potential AIDS vaccines by creating similar one against S.I.V.” (Donald G. McNeil Jr.). Dr. Picker’s vaccine was unlike any other, his curing was similar to the curing of two famous cases known as the Berlin patient and the Mississippi baby. They both no longer have HIV lurking deep in their bodies, but still it is hard to be sure because only certain tissues from the body can be tested. Dr. Picker had an advantage by working with monkeys, because he was able to “necropsy them, grind up every organ, and take 240 samples” to make sure their bodies no longer possessed the virus. The vaccine was fused with S.I.V. genes and the cytomegalovirus, better known as the “big cell” and is a part of the herpes family. This fusion of viruses seems to work best. Dr. Picker cannot be sure that this vaccine will work on humans; he believes it will take around three more years of research and experimenting to find the right fusion of viruses. After reading this article I am completely intrigued, this is amazing to me. Dr. Picker’s vaccine could be a breakthrough for the medical field. I feel like we should expect to see a vaccine for the cure of H.IV. within the next ten years. Technology has opened up so many gateways for science, and also just society in general. It is important to find a cure for H.I.V. and the sooner the better. Many people suffer from this virus; this leaves people with a weak immune system. Once H.I.V destroys so many of your CD4 cells then your body cannot longer fight infections and diseases. This can result in another virus known as A.I.Ds. The virus has been around since the 1800’s, so hopefully soon Dr. Picker’s vaccine will be mastered, and then used on humans to cure the virus for good. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/science/new-hope-for-hiv-vaccine.html?ref=science&_r=0

Seven Veruses Four

For years the number seven haunted the cognitive psychologist George A. Miller. It is just a coincidence that there is “seven deadly sins, seven days of the week, seven seas, and seven dwarfs” (Roni Jacobson). Miller felt that he was “persecuted by an integer”, so “he then went to describe several experiments where seven pieces of information- plus or minus tow appeared to be the limit of what our mind could retain in the short term” (Roni Jacobson). Since the time of Miller’s theory we now understand that the mind’s capacity has to do with several factors such as “age, attention, and the type of information presented” (Roni Jacobson). After psychologists studied further into short term memory, they have now realized by “chunking” information it helps our ability to retain and remember. The smaller the words or concepts you are learning the easier you are able to recall the information. The larger the words or concepts the more difficult it is to quickly retain what you have just learned. It is now believed we can “recall about four chunks of information at a time” (Roni Jacobson). I found this article interesting because it ties in with what I have learned in Psychology previously and also what I am learning right now in Child Psychology. I agree with the psychologists’ who believe we can recall about four chunks of information at once. Four chunks of information is a reasonable amount for the brain to remember, seven pieces of information at once is an overload. I also believe the brain retains better when learning about something of interest, therefore I am sure in certain cases the brain can recall more than four chunks in certain cases. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/science/seven-isnt-the-magic-number-for-short-term-memory.html?ref=science