Fungus Overlords

Turns out, zombies exist! Well.. not necessarily. Zombie Ants are carpenter ants living in Thailand's rain forests. But they acquire the title Zombie when a species of a parasitic fungus, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, hijacks the ant's system and makes the insect perform behaviors that help the fungus live and reproduce. The spores of the fungus germinate inside the ants, through the mouth and produces the mycelium, which make up the body of the fungus. The mycelium then spreads throughout the ant, deteriorating the muscles and eventually the fungus reaches the brain. Scientists have yet to identify the chemicals that are released by the fungi that control the ant.

Researchers found that it takes about 3-9 days for the ants to be completely "zombified." After zombie..fication, the now fully realized Zombie Ants are controlled by the fungus and is directed to leave the colony and finds the perfect spot for the fungus to reproduce. The ant then finds the spot and bites down on the underside of a leaf, referred to as the "Death Grip" (super ominous), the fungus grows to take over the exterior of the ant and successfully reproduces. Genius plan, nature.

But what I found interesting was the specificity of the fungus as it controlled the Zombie. Studying a specific group of Zombie Ants, researchers found that 98% bit down on a vein on the underside of the leaf, at least 25 cm above the ground with the leaf being located in 90-95% humidity and in temperatures of 20-30 degrees Celsius. Kinda creepy how specific they are, but it's amazing how well this fungus has managed to stay alive. The fact that this fungus can affect different kinds of ants species suggests that it has evolved throughout years to manipulate its victim of choice.

Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is known to wipe out entire ant colonies. Ants can even detect if one of their colony members is infected and they will carry the poor guy far away to die so the rest of them don't catch the fungus.

(Just realized that someone else blogged about this. Sorry! Consider this a more in depth explanation of Zombie Ants, hahah)

August Blues.

Most students have their fair share of struggles in school. I know I do. To each and every student, the factors contributing to whatever struggles they're having in school vary. For example, inter-city kids living in the project-housing areas with a lot of crime, could probably blame it on the dangerous neighborhoods they live in. With the drought still going on in East Africa, kids not doing so well in school in school can definetly blame it on the prolonged damage to their families crops causing them to have nearly no food. (I can hardly imagine school being a first priority when starving). Many students can blame it on a learning deficiency such as Down's Syndrome which comes with difficulty learning, understand, and doing things compared to other children of the same age due to mental retardation, (or as Biology students may as the presence of an extra chromosome 21). Having trouble at home, family struggles, depression, and bullying could also cause a lot of disfocus and trouble in the classroom. So, would it make sense to generalize the idea of children struggling in school and blame it on being born during a certain time of the year?

According to the BBC News Magazine, children born in August struggle more in school and simply don't do as well as children born in the month of September. Students born in August scored substantially lower in national achievement tests and other measures of cognitive skills, and at the age of seven they are more than three times as likely to be regarded as "below average" by their teachers in reading, writing and maths. A 2010 study by the Higher Education Policy Institute found 28% of August-born children went to university compared with 32% of those born in September over a six-year period. This caught my attention because, me, being an August baby myself, never found myself struggling in school until I started to choose more difficult classes in high school. I found it easier to excel in school growing up compared to the way my little brother, who was born in September. I clearly remember my little brother struggling to remember his ABCs and my parents' frustration and confusion because of it, wondering why he didn't grasp learning as easy as I did when starting school. But as the simple saying goes, "Everyone is born different.", and my little brother soon caught on and soon found that his niche in school was reading and literature.

As you can see, the case in my household is totally different. And, as many other August babies may find, this idea of struggling in school because you were born in August, may not apply to them. So, what I am asking here is, is it fair to generalize the idea of struggling in school based on a birth-date, simple statistics, and studies only tested in the UK?

"BBC News - Summer-born Struggle: Why August Children Suffer at School." BBC - Homepage. Web. 31 Dec. 2011. .

My bid for....WORLD LEADER

I want to become the World Ruler. I think I'm pretty qualified. Forget getting there by diplomacy. I need WW III. If I was going to attack a certain area of the country where would I attack? As seen in many wars, attacking the people and their moral works much faster than just attacking soldiers. Examples of this are evident throughout history like the firebombing of major cities in England and Germany during WW II. In this day, attacking the cities may be less effective than attacking the country side. And in ways where it is impossible to pinpoint where the attack came from.

If we took all the land that corn is grown on in the United State and plante

d it in one area, it would take up the space of California. For such a lot of land being used, the thought is that there would be a lot of different types of corn. In fact, there are only a handful of types. Of the 307 commercially offered sweet corns in 1903, there are only 12 left. If you look at the picture, which ironically looks like a plant, this has happened to many different crops that are shipped to super markets. Why is this happening? Actually the answer is already been stated: the want of uniformity in super markets, and to get a huge amount of it. This has left us open to a very easy target for a biological attack.

Since there is very little variety, there would be very little resistance to an attack on these crops. One very strong strain of root rust which kills wheat and corn by the millions of bushels in Asia, could wipe out billions of dollars worth of produce in the United States. Like the bubonic plague to corn, it would wipe out much of the food supply of the world. Now a bunch of you could be saying “but I only have corn during the summer”. But corn is used in everything from soda, chips, oil, and plastic. The other problem is that a disease can be programmed to attack any type of plant, or even multiple crops. I also said that this could be untraceable. Like the bubonic plague, someone could inject rats with these bacteria. When they eat the plants, they would leave traces and it would infect the crops and the surrounding plants. (And this is where I take over the world.)

Now that I have everyone hiding under their beds, or buying food in case of this WWIII, I will explain what we can do to lessen the chance of this type of attack. First of all, we can all buy local. Buying local gives local farmers more influence over supermarkets. They are the people who are planting these unheard of species of crops, usually called heirloom varieties. These varieties are usually more flavorful, and because they are local can be fresher. Also, there are groups that buy these heirloom crops and store them in case of these apocalyptic scenarios. They freeze dry the seeds and store them in big tubes. Click here to read more about one of these groups and everything I talked about.

To conclude, I think I should become World Ruler. Call me " Mister Shane". Thank You.

Comment questions. Don't comment on my qualifications to be Ruler. We all know I'm over qualified.

Self-Cleaning Clothing

Are you tired of constantly cleaning your clothes by hand, or having to put them through the washer and dryer day after day? Are you tired of paying the bills for the energy and water and heat that your dryer and washer use? What about those dryer sheets and laundry detergent you must constantly buy, and constantly having your colors fade?

Mingce Long of Shanghai Jiao University and Deyong Wu of Hubei University for Nationalities claim they are inventing a cotton fabric that will clean itself! All you have to do? Hang it up outside because all it needs to work is sunlight. And not only does the fabric clean itself, but it eliminates foul odors, too? They hope that this invention will reduce energy usage and increase the availability of quick, easy cleaning to the average consumer. thus far, they have managed to make jean material, socks, and other cotton fabrics capable of doing this!

Such a feat has been attempted before. However, the cleaning process only worked thoroughly in the presence of ultra-violet rays. Long and Wu are currently working on a fabric that works in the presence of ordinary sunlight wavelengths.

How can a self-cleaning material even be made? Let's look at some other self-cleaning products that are used today. There are items such as windows, eyewear (such as glasses, sunglasses, and goggles), and bathroom or kitchen tiles. The technology behind these self cleaning products is a chemical coating that kills bacteria and breaks down dirt particles.
The secret of this chemical coating is titanium dioxide, which is a chemical compound found in everything from paint to food. Its most common job is to simply make make products white in color, since it is one of the best refractors of light known on earth. In the case of Long and Wu's cloth, however, titanium dioxide is an anti-bacterial and anti-stain substance in the presence of light. Other chemicals such as iodine, nitrogen, and silver are in the coating to speed up the process as well.

But does it work? This newly introduced coating to be placed on cotton fabric has already shown itself to be anti-bacterial. Now, Long and Wu have stepped up their game. The coating is now capable of completely eliminating orange colored stains. Your washer can only reduce orange dye stains if they remain in your clothing too long. Titanium dioxide rids your clothing of the stain once and for all. Also, the coating is wash and wear proof. So if you accidentally put your clothing in the washer, the coating remains intact and works just fine. Neither does the coating disappear with heavy wear. That is a cause for celebration.
The best part? This new invention is completely eco-friendly. This product will lower your energy usage for your washer and dryer, lower your consumption of dryer sheets and laundry detergent, and increase the overall condition of your clothes. Lessen fading, stains, odor, and bills! Its goodbye to the washer and dryer that in came in the twenties to seemingly help the consumer, and hello again to good old-fashioned clotheslines. Only, your clothing doesn't have to get wet.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-titanium-dioxide.htm

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/111228_cleaning.htm

White+White=Black?

Like all soon-to-be-parents, the Laing's could not wait to lay their eyes on their newborn daughter. Everyday, for nine months, they wondered who's eyes, nose, and ears she would have. The day of delivery was a day of panic because Sandra Laing's white parents gave birth to a black daughter.

JERRY! JERRY! JERRY!

First, how can two white parent's have a black child? Mrs. Laing must've had "another lover." Secondly, how do you explain this to the South African authorities during the Apartheid? Mrs. Laing could have had an affair with a black many; however, it is unlikely due to social pressures. Is it genetically possible for two parents of the same race to give birth to a child of a different race?

Many plant species experience dormancy. Their genes can become dormant, or inactive, due to environmental, internal, genetic factor. For example, shrubs often suspend growth during winters in order to ensure survival. The genes of humans are also susceptible for dormancy. The sum total of all genes in a human is called the genotype. Dormancy is nothing new. Manny of our genes are dormant or become dormant. The turning on and turning off of genes affects our phenotype, which is why we begin to look different as we grow older.

I believe the same thing happened to Sandra Laing. South Africa is a racially diverse country. It is possible that one of her ancestors was black. Her parents, grandparents, and great grandparents were all white, but her difference in pigment could be the result of a reactivated gene.

Mr. Laing was proven to possibly be her father, but the paternity test was inconclusive.

Do you think Sandra Laing is the product of an affair? or Could this all be about genetics?

Healthy Food VS Junk Food

Humans in this day and age don't like eating well. It's not all our fault. Blame evolution. Shouldn't humans be able to consume any food and be satisfied? Taste buds are weird but helpful. Taste buds are sensory organs found on you tongue that help you experience different tastes. Every person remembers that day where a family member bought them ice cream and it felt like they had a little piece of paradise in their mouth. Some people even remember the first time they ate a sour or bitter food. That is one of the wonders that comes with taste buds.

Having taste buds is also like a double edged sword. Having taste buds mean that you can dislike foods as well as liking them. It often turns out that the tastiest foods are often the least healthy. There is something messed up about the human body that causes us to eat junk food. What idiot species would partake in this stupidity.People often wonder how the human lifestyle would be if we ate the same food as squirrels and deer. We would live longer for sure. Life would be a drag. What is health without sacrifice.Another reason for human consumption of junk food is their lack of common sense. The human body is not made for the over consumption of fatty foods. Healthy foods help the heart. It seems that a lot of people don't appreciate the magic that healthy food can do.

There are a lot of exceptions to the human state of mind. In this world there are actually people who only eat healthy foods. These people are called vegetarians. They don't eat meat. All the things that kill us meat eaters are microscopic compared to the super humans we call vegetarians. These people have different reasons from straying from the path. Some people saw animals getting slaughtered while others just made a lifestyle change. It doesn't matter how or why they made a change. The fact is that they gave up the main food group of most Americans.

They switched meat for vegetables and other non meaty products. It leaves me to believe that vegetables taste really good to vegetarians.It's probably because of their taste buds and the way they experience taste. In the end that might not be so bad because of the good things that come out of it.

People say that it is so hard to go from a meat eater to a vegan . On the contrary 1% of people in the world are vegan. That is a large amount of people making good decisions. Healthy food should always prevail over junk food. So many good things could happen. Life would be so much better. Eating healthy helps your immune system . It cleans your colon. It improves your eyesight. Eating healthy helps you live longer. It keeps you lively. It improves your mood. A healthy lifestyle is cheaper. People could benefit of of a vegan lifestyle for a very long time cause it will never go bad.

Evolution of Clothing: Changing a Society

The Evolution of Clothing

The impact clothing has had on society has not gone without notice. The evolution of clothing directly parallels the evolution of man. So what techniques do scientists use to solve the biggest mystery, when did we start wearing clothes. Well to answer that question you can't just carbon date a pair of knickers. Many scientists have studied the art of caves in Europe and Africa to see when our ancestors started drawing clothes, however, a more favored technique is to study the animals that are associated with clothing; namely the louse. Scientists have studied two species lice, Head lice and body lice. By analyzing the number of mutations between these species they can determine when the body louse diverged from the head louse. This divergence is presumed to have happened because he head louse lives only on the scalp while the body louse lives on clothing. By determining the number of mutations and having prior knowledge on the rate of DNA mutation in lice, a team of German scientists determined that humans started wearing clothing 72,000 years ago, give or take 40,000 years. This gives us a basis for where to begin or journey through the clothing of human kind.






The earliest documented crafting of clothing took place around 10,000 BCE with the invention of the Needle and Loom. Before that the clothing had been animal hides used to cover the pubic region of these humans, the reduction of heat loss from this region is most likely what drove the creation of clothing at least from an evolutionary standpoint. Using the loom allowed for the meshing of hides to form a sort of felt which was used most often in these hunter gather groups. These inventions allowed for the creation of full vests of fur and greater protection from the cold as these groups migrated to the north and east. As people began to settle down during the neolithic period (6000 BCE), they began to build larger looms for the creation of clothing. This spurred the onset of dying clothing colors and marked the creation of jewelry and weapons on a larger scale.






The earliest sighting of clothing as a status symbol came in 3000 BCE with the Mesopotamians. Many people of high rank began to where tunics and chest covers as well as simplistic overcoats. With the discovery of indigo, it would fast become the most popular color among the rich and high ranking. At this same time Egyptians began to wear elaborate wigs and dresses showing of their status. These were made out of elaborate fabrics, many with golden colorations. These early civilizations adorned themselves with simpler fabrics and clothing but embellished all of this with color.









The next biggest leap would be the Ancient Greek civilizations. These people set a standard of living, including covered breast, dental hygiene, and linens within the household. They used fabrics to not only cloth themselves but to adorn their household. The Romans had similar fashions as the Greek, the main article of clothing being the tunic. The benefits of clothing that were both light weight and afforded protection from the elements were plenty. These styles would be kept for over a thousand years.

Clothing continued to change, however, as the world entered the dark ages. This was a time of duller colored clothing. Hooded cloaks and other garments were very popular as well. Women had become fully conservative, adorned with long skirts and dresses. There was less cultural growth during this time as well. This would lead into the medieval times, a time of long flowing dresses, cloaks, and the black plague. At this time their became a rift between what clothing was worn. It was not only the color but the clothing as well that showed the difference between the classes of these times. The poor living conditions as well as the minimal protective clothing the peasants had would lead to massive numbers of the poor dying of the plague. During this time the impacts of clothing were seen in the survival of these people.

The Renaissance would follow and bring change to the entire world of fashion. Clothing would become baggier to fit the more robust figures of the people. Clothing was built less for mobility and more for comfort. Clothing became less of an evolutionary device and more a device for the society. This time would see the dawn of lace within clothing. From then the Elizabethan era would bring heavier more luxurious fabrics which were less practical then they were visually pleasing.

The next few shifts in fashion would favor the softer French looks. Many men would dress with frilly hats and three-quarter breeches. This look allowed for more movement then the Elizabethan times and was utilized by many of the militaries of the time. Women dresses were also on the incline as they had been deemed an art form and dress makers were treated with the utmost respect and reverence. The age of revolution saw growth in dresses and robes as well as cosmetics and accessories. During the mid 19th Century designers became household names and many people began to flock towards clothing lines and designer labels. Coco Chanel became the most influential designer of her time and influenced an entire age revolutionizing men's wear forever.

The focus of this blog is to help us understand that clothing while aesthetically pleasing, has helped us adapt to any climate we are put in with relative ease. Rather than evolving thicker skin and getting more hair on our bodies over millions of years we can just through on a coat and be perfectly fine in bitter climates. Next time you pick up a jacket or some shorts think about how helpful they really are.

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The Science



The Timeline

Could the Loch Ness Monster exist and could it be a Plesiosaur?

Could the Loch Ness Monster exist and could it be a Plesiosaur?

By Bobby Gardineer

            Well, first what is a Plesiosaur? The Plesiosaur existed on Earth between 220 million years ago at the end of the Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous period 65 million years ago. It was a reptile that swam in the ocean. It had a long neck, four flippers, and a short tail. We know this because fossils of these creatures have been found on every continent on the planet. But because of the variety of different fossils that were found the Plesiosaur had to be classified into two types. The first type is the long-necks with small heads and the second type is the short-necks with large-heads. How weird is that? It sounds to me like the Plesiosaur changed and evolved over those millions of years and scientists just don’t have enough information to make an accurate classification of each version of the creature.

It is believed that the Plesiosaur hunted in warm shallow coastal waters and may have lived there too. This belief is based on the fact that many of the fossils were found in those regions. Now some of the Plesiosaur fossils were preserved well enough to show stomach contents. By looking at the contents a determination might be made about what they ate. From what was found it seemed that the creature ate a wide range of foods. Some remains showed they ate belemnites and ammonites while others showed they were carnivorous. Scientists believe that the creature adapted to whatever food source was available. To me that would explain why it existed for 155 million years.

 

            Now onto the important question: Does the Loch Ness Monster exist?

            Let’s first look at some history of the monster. The first recorded sighting of the Loch Ness Monster was in 565 AD by St Columba who said he saw a water beast attacking one of his followers. There aren’t any additional sightings again until 1933. One of the sightings in 1933 was by a Mr. and Mrs. Spicer who reported seeing a large animal crossing the road in front of their car.

 

            Since that time, there have been a number of sightings and claims by individuals that said they saw a creature. There have been reports of a single hump creature, a double hump creature, and sightings on land and in the water.

 

(The Loch Ness Monster as described

in a 1930s sighting.)

                                                                                               

         (1934 surgeon's photograph)

                                                                        (Loch Ness)

            There are many people who believe that something exists in the Loch but there is currently no real proof that there does.

            So if it does exist could it be a Plesiosaur? According to www.loch-ness.org the most popular belief is that it is. So is it possible that a species that went extinct 65 million years ago survived to become the Lock Ness Monster? To know if it is possible we will have to look at what the loch environment was like over the last 65 million years. Then we would have to figure out how it came to live in the Loch.

Well I have no information from 65 Million years ago until about 12,000 years ago. But it is believed that some 12,000 years ago Loch Ness was solid ice because the region was experiencing an ice age. So no animals, including the plesiosaurs, could have lived through it. If plesiosaurs came into the loch it would have had to happen after the ice melted and plants recovered from the ice age. That would mean that these creatures were living in the North Sea (a lot of them) for at least some of them to become trapped in the loch. If there were a lot of them in the North Sea only a few thousand years ago where are they now?

Also, why would plesiosaurs come to a barren loch (after the ice age) with no fish or animals to feed on? And lastly, the plesiosaur is believed to have lived in warm shallow seas so it seems unlikely that it could have survived in ice age seas. So It is believed by some (who look at the facts) that these conclusions rule out the plesiosaur of being the Loch Ness Monster. I am one of the believers.

http://www.plesiosaur.com

http://www.loch-ness-monster-nessieland.com

http://www.loch-ness.org/

The Enigma of Synesthesia

Synesthesia is a neural condition that tangles the senses.
So, for example, a person can hear colors and taste words. It can bind any two senses, but research has focused on the two most common ones (auditory tones and colorless numbers which can produce very vivid colors). The evoked colors remain stable for the person. Examples
For Synesthetes, hearing particular sounds might stimulate particular shapes, tasting
flavors may give sensations to certain objects, and different textures may give
specific emotions. Synesthetes are very particular about their associations,
for example, a “J” is not just orange but a dull orange.
The first notations of synesthesia were seen by Sir. Francis Galton (who was Charles Darwin’s cousin) in the 19th century. He was the first to propose that this condition runs in families. Other scientists believed that it was a form of mild insanity. Over the years it was
shown that synesthesia has a physical basis- the brains of synesthetes are
wired differently. Up till now, at least 60 different forms of synesthesia has
been documented.
In a number of PET scans, MRIs, and fMRIs, it has been shown the different wiring takes
place in the left hemisphere of the brain in a number of visual cortex areas. Each
area is responsible for a numbers of functioning such as; motion, direction,
color, and perception. In a synesthete, these areas are cross-activated.
There were findings that suggest that Synesthesia was Perpetual. Neuroscientist, Vilayaneur S. Ramachandran MD, PhD and Arman Hubbard MD PhD used tests that included pop out displays of 2’s and 5’s. It is slightly difficult to point out the 2’s and
the 5’s for nonsynesthetes; however, there are corresponding colors for the
synesthetes.
Synesthesia tends to run in families. Around 40% of synesthetes report a close relative with the condition. Pedigree anaylsis
suggest high transmissibility between parent to offspring. The 60 different
forms of synesthesia could be formed from a unique set of genes or set of
genes. Studies have shown that with every 6 females 1 male has the condition
which suggests that this trait is X-linked.
There is one controversial theory as to how synthesia is made. Since it is suggested that the trait comes from a mutated gene on the X chromosome, in the “neonatal hypothesis” it is suggested
that all people were born with the mismatched connections of synesthesia, however
the connections were destroyed in a pruning process that was caused during infanthood.
In synesthetes, the single gene mutations causes the lack of pruning.

So, why did this gene survive?

This trait could have a hidden
agenda like the sickle-cell anemia gene which had malaria resistance. It was
shown that a larger portion of synesthetes are artists and writers than
nonsynesthetes which suggests a higher understanding of metaphor, which is a
key to knowledge, and therefore, survival. This “creativity and metaphor” was
suggested by Ramachandran and Hubbard. The nature between the link of
creativity and synesthesia remains questionable, however synesthesia is shown
as associating two unrelating things. The basis of metaphor is strong in all of
us, but is stronger in a synesthesia because of the cross-activation gene.

The benefits of Synesthesia

A well-characteristized savant, Daniel Tammet has demonstrated his remarkable memory abilities with using his synesthesia. http:/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pzd7ReqiQnE/(Youtube Video of Daniel Tammet). Tammet can memorize pi to 22, 514 digits. http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkHyhbz1MME (Another Video of his abilities)

Synesthetes have increased processing of color information, but this is not due
to the synthesthesia itself, but to the synesthesia’s excessive experience with
colors. Synesthetic experiences may serve as cognitive and perpetual anchors to
aid in the detection and processing of critical stimuli. It also suggests that synesthesia
may be associated with enhanced primary sensory processing as well as
integration between the senses. Synesthetes also show increased communication
between the senses unrelated to their synesthetic experiences which shows the
ability to process multisensory information.

“Nature reveals herself through
exceptions. Those objectivists who tried to dismiss synesthesia throughout
history seem to have forgotten this maxim. Far from being a mere curiosity
irrelevant to real questions, synesthesia turns out to illuminate a wide swath
of mental life and forces us tore think some fundamental issues regarding mind
and brain.”
-Richard E. Cytowic

Why do onions make us cry?

Have you ever cut and peeled an onion and your eyes started tearing up? Have you ever been close to an onion and your eyes just started tearing up? Do you know why?




Well, when you cut an onion it releases Amino acid's known as sulfuric acids. Which then mixes with enzymes. It creates a gas and stimulates the lachrymal glands in your eyes. The sulfuric acid hurts and burns your eyes releasing water.
Have you ever gotten something in your eyes and they tear up? It's because your eyes try to flush out anything harmful. In this case, with the onions, your eyes try to flush out what's irritating your eyes.
These are called reflex tears. There are three different kind of tears, basal tears, psychic tears and reflex tears. The basal tears are to lubricate your eyes and the psychic tears are from emotions. Reflex tears are from when your eyes are irritated and such.

Not all onions make you cry. For example, the vidalia onion, for instance, contains low levels of sulfide which is has a weaker lachrymatory reaction.

Some people wear goggles to prevent themselves from crying. Like in the picture at the top. There are different ways to prevent yourself from crying from onions. Such as...soaking them or cutting them under water!

Has any other ways worked for you? If so, post below!

Sources:
Click Me
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Barreleye Fish

The mysteries of the depths of the ocean never cease to amaze me. With so much unknown, imagination tends to take over. The species that could be living so far under the water’s surface are still only beginning to be discovered. One of these unique and mysterious fish is the Macropinna microstoma, also known as the Barreleye.

About 2,000 feet below the surface, it lives in almost complete darkness over in the Pacific Ocean. However, there is something different about this fish than most others (of the ones we know of): its head is transparent. This fish, small with a black body, has a completely see-through head region.

Looking at it, there are 2 black circles right above its mouth that appear to be eyes; surprisingly, they are not. Those are the olfactory organs, or organs used for the sense of smell. The 2 barrel-like structures (gray with green half-spheres on top) within the head are the actual eyes of this fish. Being as the eyes are inside of the head, this would explain why the fish’s head is transparent and not the rest of the body. The gray part is the actual color, while the green is a protective cover. Being so far deep into the ocean, where little light reaches, the eyes of the barreleye fish are very sensitive to even the smallest amount of light.

Another interesting fact: the eyes of this fish move together, like binoculars, unlike most other fish. Most often, the eyes point upward, but when it locates food it rotates its eyes to face the same direction as its mouth, to make capturing the food much easier.

This unique creature of the deep has been known of since 1939; however the only known specimens had been mangled up remains after being captured by fish nets in the ocean. When those remains were taken out of the nets, the heads of the fish were often found to have collapsed on themselves. Not until 2004 was any video footage of this fish captured, and this was not released until 2009 by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. To see the video of the barreleye fish that was released by the research institute, click here.

Not much else is known about this strange species of fish, considering how difficult it is to study. At such far depths, with little light, and with the fragility of the structures to change in pressure, it may be long before we know more about this mysterious fish.

But what could be the reason for the way this fish’s head has formed? After all, there had to have been some evolutionary benefit for the original placement of the eyes within the head, and from that the transparency of the head, right? It seems having the eyes located there allows more protection, especially in a place where there is very little light. Also, having the eyes located in the head allows for a wider range of rotation for the eyes, and makes it easier to go from looking above to straight forward.

With so much still unknown, so much is still only assumed. Can you just imagine what other creatures exist that we know nothing about? I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Soy

Anyone who has had soy should know that it's a healty product that has no saturated fats and low in calories. It is also helpful to lactose intolerant people who enjoy their dairy products and can help prevent a certain number diseases. Unlike other vegetables who are incomplete proteins, soy is a complete protein. This means that it contains all nine amino acids that we humans can not produce ourselves to help build molecules that keep us alive.

However this healthy food is not what is seems to be; Jim Rutz's, a healthy eater, comments that "There's a slow poison out there that's severely damaging our children and threatening to tear apart our culture." Soy inhibits certain proteins and absorbs minerals that we obtain in other foods that are necessary. Resesarches who have been experimenting on soy products are getting results. Even though soy helps prevent certain diseases it contains the hormone known as estrogen, that fuels the risk of getting cancer in breast cells (site). Estrogen is a female hormone that all infants are given when in the womb until testosterone (male hormone) takes control so that they baby becomes a boy. Soy products contain surplus amuonts of estrogen and can cause problems to a growing body. Such as feeding a new born baby with soy formula is like giving them five birth control pills a day, that can cause some damage and even lead it to being fatal. As for growing girls they will have their menstrual cycles much earlier, ruining their childhood. While vice versa for growing boys will have puberty much later and continue to have their fresh clean faces and high pitched voices.

Older but not too old men sadly get the down fall to drinks or eating too much soy products. If we think about to the blog about lactating men, we can finally see how men can have breast and help breast to thier children. As said before testosterone is a male hormone and making ingesting estrogen through food, estrogen can over power the male features and give them what we would call man boobs ( the picture to the right is of a man who once had man boobs but had surgery done to get rid of them) . If they continued to have soy we would probably assume that they start producing milk and lactate.

Other issuses that can be explained; like that the common decrease in the size of the penis's, especially in Asians since they intake 47 mg compared to us Americans that use 1-6 mg. Another issue that never ending discussion on if someone is born gay or choose to be gay. Homosexuals argue that their homosecuality is inborn, “I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t homosexual” and they have the right to say that becasue who can honestly remember being bottle regular or soy formula or breast feed (pregnant women who drink soy milk, increase their estrogen which gets passed down through breast milk).

For people who have soy daily should think twice about how much they want to have for the sie effects can be deadly. For more information on Soy and how it effects us go to this site by Jim Rutz’s and all six of his pages on this topic.

Dyslexia: From Gene to Brain, What exactly happens?

So, everyone knows that dyslexia is the mixing or emission of symbols or letters in reading. For this to go wrong, there has to be some sort of interference in the signal-transduction pathway, from signal receptors in the eyes to the transduction into the brain. In this case, the part that goes wrong in dyslexia is the brain, more specifically the parts on the left side of the brain used for reading in writing. This makes it impossible for images and sound signals to be translated by the brain into something understandable. The important thing to know is that there are three main ways to get dyslexia. The first type of dyslexia is described as "trauma dyslexia". This occurs when a person receives damage to part of the brain responsible for translating signals. The second type is called "developmental dyslexia". This is caused by hormonal development during the early stages of fetal development. The final type, which will be the focus of this blog, is "primary dyslexia". Unlike the traumatic variety, primary dyslexia is the natural dysfunction of the left side of the brain, rather than damage or injury. Unlike the first two, the effects of this does not fade later in life. Heredity passes this dyslexia to children, meaning that traits for dyslexia are on a gene.

So, what causes such a small gene difference cause such a dysfunction of the brain. Well, genes have been linked to many disorders of the brain, such as leukodystrophies, phenylketonuria, Tay-Sachs disease, and Wilson disease (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/geneticbraindisorders.html). A simple mutation in the base pairs of genes can cause a change, and the emission of a base pair can cause an entire shift in development of the brain. This change can come from the environment or, of course, can be passed down. The gene that develops into the left side of the brain and would cause this mutation is unknown, and research on this disease has led to many theories on what exactly happens to the brain and receptors (ears and eyes) because of this mutation. Of course since this kind of dyslexia is caused by genetics, there is no cure for it if you have primary dyslexia.

So, how exactly do you diagnose dyslexia? It may seem obvious if you're trying to self-diagnose, whether or not you mix up symbols. "Oh, if I'm reading (or hearing) something and it makes sense, then I'm obviously not dyslexic." No. It's not that adults with dyslexia can't read anything without it making sense, it's that they have to strain themselves, which causes most dyslexics to only be able to read at a 6th-grade level. There are some modern tests for dyslexia that analyze your personality (http://www.testdyslexia.com/) as well as ability to comprehend (http://overcoming-dyslexia.com/Adult_Dyslexia_Test.html), but really the only way to truly know, as always, is to seek a professional if you feel as though you, or your child, exhibit some of the symptoms (http://www.medicinenet.com/dyslexia/page2.htm#3whatare)

Anaphase Promoting Complex in Cancer

APC and Cancer

The main function of APC, which stands for anaphase promoting  complex, is to regulate the cell cycle at certain checkpoints, such as the G1 and M, and also allow the cell to exit mitosis. The Anaphase Promoting Complex is a multisubunit ubiquitin-protein ligase, meaning it helps regulate the cell cycle by breaking down proteins such as cyclin, which allows the cell to pass the checkpoints. There are about 12 subunits of APC which are all very important to its function by binding to different proteins and starting different signal trasnduction pathways.  APC regulates cyclin at G1 to make sure the cell correctly enters into the S phase where it copies the DNA. If there is enough cyclin the cell will enter into S phase. It then enables the cell to go into anaphase by breaking down the proteins holding the sister chromatids together. Once these proteins are broken down the cell chromatids can separate and go into anaphase. Activation of CDK is needed as well for the APC subunit CDC20 to break down the proteins holding together the chromatids. Inactivation of CDK activates the APC subunit CDH1 which breaks down cyclin so that the cell can exit out of mitosis. APC subunits coordinate with many other kinases to be either activated or inactivated.

            Oncogenes are viral genes that trigger cancerous characteristics in cells.  However, versions of these genes called proto-oncogenes are found in normal cells. All known proto-oncogenes code for proteins that affect the cell cycle, such as APC. Tumor virus’s can turn on or increase the number of proto-oncogenes transforming it into a cancerous cell. Proto-oncogenes can be turned cancerous in three main ways. One way is the movement of DNA within a genome. This may increase transcription in the gene.  Another way is amplification of the proto-oncogene, which can happen when there is an excess of normal growth stimulating proteins.  Lastly, there can be point mutation which is a gene that makes the proto-oncogenes protein product either more active or resistant to degradation than a normal protein. Oncogenes lead to an increase in either the amount of the proto-oncogene’s protein product or the intrinsic activity of each protein molecule. Many mutations have been found in APC and many of these mutations have a role in cancer.  Mutations in the subunits APC6/CDC16, APC8/CDC23 and APC3/CDC27 have had connections with colon cancer, breast cancer, neuroblastoma, ovarian carcinoma and more. One mutation with a deleted adenine nucleotide results in a premature stop codon. It has also been shown that malignant tumors show misregulation of the APC/C that is not seen in benign tumors. Dysfunctions with the APC-CDH1 during the G1/S checkpoint showed that a large number of mitotic factors critical for passing the checkpoint  such as cyclin B1 were unable to accumulate. However, other activities needed for DNA replication were increased through the increase of E2F-dependent cyclin E transcription. APC is also needed for the cell to exit mitosis and go into cytokinesis, so inactivation of the APC after the S checkpoint slowed down the ability of the cell to divide but allowed the DNA to slowly, but surely keep replicating, creating a massive genome.         

While APC has been accused for causing cancer, there is also research going into using APC to treat cancer. Certain viral proteins can be used to interact with APC and inhibit it causing cell apoptosis along with cytoxicity specifically in tumor cells which suggests APC could be used to stop these tumors from growing.

Is sweating health?

sweating is nasty, smelly and gross to some girls. we sweat in many places armpit ts, hands, forehead,back,feet and other places. there is a lot of things that make us sweat like sports , having fun with friends, stream room, sauna and etc.sweat maybe weird but its natural and everybody does it different. some people may sweat badly and others may sweat little.

Toxin
sweating is the healthiest thing we can do to our body.You ask why, well i will tell you.Our bodies work to sweat whenever the inner temperatures goes past 37 C. This keeps us from over heating. the natural thermostat can be triggered by exercise . Also saunas to detoxify our bodies, means to (improve our cardiovascular systems, increase immunity and deep-clean our skin).As many as 800 different toxin can be held in our fat cell cells. Detoxification is always happening in our bodies, but when their is too much to be pumped out when sweating the rest is stored in our fat cells. Extra sweating is one way to get out unwanted toxin from our bodies. Toxins can literally be sweat ed out of our bodies.As sweating forces toxins to leave our bodies through our pores, they then end up on the surface of our skin. This is why u wash your face and take a shower after sweating hard and for a log period of time. The process of pore excretion is cleansing to the skin, as long as the toxins are not left sitting on the skin’s surface. After hard sweating, skin tends to be healthier and more color looking.

There is not a lot you can do to hide the sweat but like wear a sweat band when doing sports or running and bing a towel if you know you sweat a lot. also put on deorent everyday and know that everybody sweats.

How music affects your mood!

The right song can calm,inspire or energize you. Learn how to use music to influence your mind and boost your mood.

Studies show that different types of music can have different effects on mood. Rock for instance, can increase hostility, tension, and sadness. Country music can lead to depression. Classical has the power to up lift. Rap or hip hop music has varying effects on people. Young adults, both male and female, who listen to rap music are generally more accepting of violence towards women. Rap songs are more known to promote angry feelings than any other. However, there are a lot people who state that rap music makes them feel more relaxed. Others feel more energetic and happy because a lot of rap music promotes dancing and movement. According to Piano Music for you , Music has been called 'The International Language' - a very simple thought with much meaning behind it. Even if you can't speak the language of a country, you can move, sway, dance and most of all, enjoy the music of the country.

Many scientists have studied the influence of music on your moods. The practical outcome of their studies is the following:

1. Music affects your mood

2. Music filters your memory ability, by creating context

3. Music has attention narrowing effects

(disipline.org.au)

Scientist still don't understand the mechanism how music affects our perception. However, it does changes our behavior much.

Prosthetic leg ? what is it?

Prosthetic leg is a fake leg that is replaced your real because an horrible event happen to you where you had to get your leg remove.

History of prosthetic limbs
prosthetic limbs goes way back to B.C. time where Egyptians were early inventors who made limbs with fiber. there are many stories of prosthetic limbs like a prisoners cutting of their foot to escape jail in 500 B.C. Then in the 1861-1865 : U.S. federal and state governments pay for prosthetic devices for war veterans to return to independent lives, and companies begin to supply limbs made from wood, metal, and leather. then in the 1990s the first use of a microprocessor in an external prosthesis takes place.Then from their we soared high with prosthetic limbs and we now can replace a lot with prosthetic machine. that is just Little bit of the prosthetic history. you can see all the history at this website: http://www.disaboom.com/amputations-information/the-history-of-prosthetics-artificial-limbs-past-and-present

getting a prosthetic leg is a tough decision because it is emotionally and finical. first it is the emotion where losing your leg and you have to face that first. The person has to face that they may lose their independence. then if they go though with the prosthetic leg they have to pay for a prosthetic can cost a couple thousand of dollars and see if your insurance covers it .After that's all done and you decide to get the leg you go for a fitting of your leg and learn how to take care of your prosthetic leg . so in a few months you have to go back and check up with the doctors or specialist to make sure their nothing wrong with the leg.



There is always research going on to improve prosthetic limbs. so would get a prosthetic limb if needed?

by Jervon gregory

The Science Behind *Feel Good* Music

Have you ever had a good feeling while listening to music? That random feeling when you get really happy or start to feel motivated. I’ve found out that it may be all in your head!

Brain researchers have found that listening to your favorite melodies and harmonies can trigger the release of large amounts of dopamine, which is a chemical that sends "feel good" signals to the rest of the body, and plays a role in both motivation and addiction.

"It's interesting because music is an abstract sequence of tones - you're not really getting anything for it," says the study's lead author, Valorie Salimpoor.

Somehow the way the brain interprets these tones makes you get this intense physiological response and the most powerful reinforcing chemical in the brain is released. That chemical creates a wanting, desire, craving, which is basically saying, "Do this again." The potent neurochemical is released at the moment of peak emotional response which is when you might feel a chill or your hair standing on end just by listening to music. The anticipation of that peak arousal is also enough to cause an increase in dopamine which once again, is the chemical that sends out the “feel good” feeling. This all means that when people are following along with the sequences of tones, there seems to be a developing sense of anticipation or expectations that is creating a craving and a need to hear the next note which leads up to the intense pleasure of ecstasy.

In human beings, there is no obvious physiological benefit from listening to music but, when you listen to music, it's enjoyable, it's relaxing, your blood pressure goes down, and there can be other positive effects.

Ecstasy, Stimulant to Depressant

Ecstasy, basically the so called fun and energetic drug. It’s used at parties and clubs to enjoy onesrself and used at home to stop the boredom. Ecstasy is there to charm up a persons day, but what about when it’s not? What do they rely on? Do they rely on your “regular” joy and hope for the best? Ecstasy is a drug that ruins the brain and its normal functions. The effect it has on the brain is immense, so grand it could be considered a depressant as well.

MDMA is another name for this drug. It basically increases the activity of three neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These transmitters are what the brain uses to transfer chemicals. There is a high amount of Serotonin release in the brain. Sometimes, the dependency on this drug can lead to physical and mental breakdowns. In most cases, regular users of the drug reported feeling “depressed for much longer periods of time after taking Ecstasy.” There are always consequences to actions and in the case, the person is the scapegoat. In releasing these large amounts of Serotonin, the drug greatly depletes the brain’s supply of it. It takes time in order for the supply of the chemicals to replenish. How long it takes all depends on the genetic make-up of a person and their overall life. Based on studies, it is said that it may take between 48 hours to an entire week to regenerate the lost chemicals of the brain.

The supply of serotonin dwindles in the body, but the receptors also suffer consequences. They begin to “get tired’ in a sense and shut off. They do this for a while in order to achieve the greatest ability of homeostasis in the body. Many of the receptors turn off when there are large amounts of serotonin since there is no need to make any more of them. Homeostasis is natural; therefore receptors cannot decide whether or not to start functioning again. These receptors may stay down-regulated for months!

Ecstasy not only gives you false happiness, it ruins your life by causing severe depression in your body.

http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/ecstasy/f/mdma_faq05.htm
http://dancesafe.org/drug-information/ecstasy-and-depression

New 'one-shot' leukemia treatment

Immunologist Dr. Carl Jun, a member of the Abramson Cancer Center's research team says that a treatment for leukemia, in the form of a single shot, “exceeded our wildest expectations.”

That’s right; there has been a complete breakthrough in cancer research. A new treatment option for those diagnosed with leukemia can be a single shot. Though this treatment has only been tested on three subjects, the results have been phenomenal. In two of the tested patients the leukemia completely disappeared and in the third it was reduced by nearly 75%.

In each of the patients as much as five pounds of cancerous tissue completely melted away in a few weeks, and a year later the cancer is still gone.

Want another reason why this cure is so fantastic? Get this; leukemia strikes some 15,000 people in the United States and kills 4,300 every year. Chemotherapy and radiation can hold the cancer at bay for years, but until now the only real cure was a bone marrow transplant.

Why is that such a big deal? Simple, a bone marrow transplant is a tedious process that requires a perfect match, sometimes even the immediate family of a leukemia patient is unable to donate. BMT is only successful about half the time, and it often brings on severe, life-threatening, side effects such as incredible pain and infection.

This new ‘injection method’ has shown no harmful side effects aside from the aches and pain one normally feels when fighting off an infection.

The injection method is a simple and fast process as well. Doctors simply remove certain types of white blood cells from the patient. White blood cells are what the body produces naturally to fight off diseases. Doctors then inserted a series of genes from a modified version of HIV into the white blood cells.  This programs the cells to target and kill the cancer cells.  After growing a large batch of the genetically altered white blood cells, the doctors injected them back into the patients.

Similar experimental treatments for several types of cancer that re-injected white cells have been used in the past. These experiments were failures, however. The altered cells killed a few cancer cells and then basically died out. But the researchers at U Penn inserted a gene that made the white blood cells multiply by the thousands inside the body. The result is that the white blood cells became “serial killers” that were relentless in tracking down and killing the cancer cells in the patient’s blood, bone marrow and lymph tissue.

So why has this remarkable treatment been tried so far on only three patients? 

Both the National Cancer Institute and several pharmaceutical companies have declined to pay for the continuation of the treatment’s research. Neither the applicants nor funders have discussed the reasons the application was turned down. However, it is safe to guess that a general shortage of funds was a large part of it, second only to the concept of this experiment being much too incredible- therefore much too hard to imagine being true.  

And therefore, this research is too much of a risky gamble for funders.

Luckily a charity aimed to provide funding to this research has been created, and already money from the drug companies is pouring in, and not just for the testing on leukemia. Doctors have high hopes that a similar method of treatment will affect other cancers as well.

To read the full article, click the link below!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44090512/ns/health-cancer/t/new-leukemia-treatment-exceeds-wildest-expectations

                
                 To watch video documentary of this treatment, click the link below!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44090512/ns/health-cancer/t/new-leukemia-treatment-exceeds-wildest-expectations