Use of Plastic Products Linked to Cancer and Impairment of Immune System

This article is exploring what harm the amount of plastic can do to the human body. They believe they have found a link between the plastic we constantly are surrounded by and are using, and the impairment of our immune system. It may not necessarily be the plastic that is doing the harm; rather it is the chemicals in the plastic that suppress the immune system leading to cancer, birth defects, and developmental problems. The article includes a very interesting fact that informs the reader that any piece of plastic that has ever been made is still here today, meaning the plastic does not break down, ever. Even the plastics that have been incinerated release toxic fumes that can also harm the body. According to the article, exposure to these chemicals comes during manufacturing them, and while using these plastic products.Also, the article states that these following things in plastic are what is harming us, "styrene (from polystyrene), antioxidants from polyethylene, plasticizers from PVC products and acetaldehyde from PET plastic products." While the plastic products bring many unwelcome side effects, the main focus of the article is that is impairs the effectiveness and efficiency of the immune system. The article also names to things found in plastic, "Polyethylene and Urea-Formaldehyde" to be "both carcinogenic." The article concludes by urging the reader to find other substitutes to plastic, such as glass, to avoid the harmful things that may occur from your plastic use.

This article to relevant to our current term in biology because it discusses the impairment, and homeostatic imbalance of the immune system because of the plastic. We have been learning about what causes homeostatic imbalance, and this is a perfect example of how something, plastic in this case, leads the body down a harmful path ultimately resulting in homeostatic imbalance. The homeostatic imbalance from plastic comes from the various things your body may be put through as a result, or the impairment of the immune system resulting in other possible infections or diseases.

http://www.naturalnews.com/033954_plastics_immune_system.html

How to Ask Questions...

After reading some of your classmates posts, you should ask a couple of questions about the media or topics presented.  To help, I have included a couple of different categories of verbs and sample question starters to help you get started.  For each question you ask, just select a verb or a stem from one of the 4 categories below.

Application

Useful Verbs	Sample Question Stems
solve show use illustrate construct complete examine classify	Do you know another instance where...? Could this have happened in...? Can you group by characteristics such as...? What factors would you change if...? Can you apply the method used to some experience of your own...? What questions would you ask of...? From the information given, can you develop a set of instructions about...? Would this information be useful if you had a ...?

Analysis

Useful Verbs

Sample Question Stems

analyse distinguish examine compare contrast investigate categorise identify explain separate advertise

Which events could have happened...? I ... happened, what might the ending have been? How was this similar to...? What was the underlying theme of...? What do you see as other possible outcomes? Why did ... changes occur? Can you compare your ... with that presented in...? Can you explain what must have happened when...? How is ... similar to ...? What are some of the problems of...? Can you distinguish between...? What were some of the motives behind...? What was the turning point in the game? What was the problem with...?

Synthesis

Useful Verbs	Sample Question Stems
create invent compose predict plan construct design imagine propose devise formulate	Can you design a ... to ...? Why not compose a song about...? Can you see a possible solution to...? If you had access to all resources how would you deal with...? Why don't you devise your own way to deal with...? What would happen if...? How many ways can you...? Can you create new and unusual uses for...? Can you write a new recipe for a tasty dish? can you develop a proposal which would...

Evaluation

Useful Verbs	Sample Question Stems
judge select choose decide justify debate verify argue recommend assess discuss rate prioritise determine	Is there a better solution to... Judge the value of... Can you defend your position about...? Do you think ... is a good or a bad thing? How would you have handled...? What changes to ... would you recommend? Do you believe? Are you a ... person? How would you feel if...? How effective are...? What do you think about...?

Latest Drug Shortage Threatens Children with Leukemia

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/02/16/146960417/latest-drug-shortage-threatens-children-with-leukemia
        This article discusses how there is a drug shortage of the drug called methotrexate, which is used as treatment for children with leukemia. There is a shortage of this life saving drug in some hospitals that could alter the discovery of a cure. The reporter discusses how this drug is injected into the patients spin to try to stop the cancer from spreading to the brain. He also talks to different doctors about how if this drug runs out there will be some big problems and they will have to try to substitute the medicine or delay the injection. The reason the shortage has occurred is because a supplier of the drug was shut down because of violations of health codes. They hope more amounts of the drug will be coming out to try to prevent this shortage and other suppliers are trying to produce more of the drug to keep this from happening.
        This article is relevant to our current unit in bio this term because the topic is about a drug for leukemia. In class we learned about this type of cancer and how it connects to the skeletal system, which is a topic we have studied, making the article relevant to the curriculum. It is also related to the bio term because of their discussion about how this drug is injected to the spine so that it can stop the spread of leukemia to the brain. This is showing how the spinal cord and brain are related in a way, which matches up with our study of the central nervous system consisting of brain and spinal cord.

Story by Richard Knox
February 16, 2012

JAM-A Protein Keeps Blood Clots in Check

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tRWsa4W3SHQ

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/244974.php

Above are a video and a the article that contains the video. This article is about a new protein that was found on the surface of blood platelets. It is called JAM-A, or 'junctional adhesion molecule A'. This protein is a powerful clot inhibitor, and helps stop unwanted blood clots from growing. Scientists are now looking further into this as this protein can help lower the number of heart disease patients all around the world. Studies have shown that people with higher levels of JAM-A have a longer life span than those who don't.

This relates to the cardiovascular and skeletal units that we have learned in Biology. It relates to cardiovascular because it relates to blood clots and how they are formed. In class, we learned that blood clots can inhibit the flow of blood, which could cause a heart attack. It relates to the skeletal system because blood is made in the bone marrow, which is in the bones. With the discovery of this protein, doctors could be able to prevent heart disease in patients.

Distinct 'God Spot' in the Brain Does Not Exist, Study Shows

Prior to researchers' discoveries, scientists believed that there was a distinct spot in the brain responsible for spirituality. However, new developments have shown that contrary to previous belief, the phenomenon of spirituality develops through interactions between different parts of the brain, with some parts playing a more dominant role than others. A dominant part of the brain associated with spirituality is the right parietal lobe. Scientists have discovered that people with traumatic injuries affecting the right parietal lobe are more likely to be associated with a higher power and believe they are involved in a divine plan. According to the article, decreased activity in the right parietal lobe correlates with increased participation in spiritual practices. With training, one could purposely minimize activity in the right parietal lobe to enhance spiritual connection.

In biology class, we learned about the brain, its role in the nervous system, and trauma and homeostatic imbalance. The right side of the brain relates to the individual's focus on self and self-orientation, while the left side of the brain corresponds with the individual's relation to others. Therefore, those with traumatic injuries on the right side of the brain lose functioning in self-orientation and are more likely to associate with higher powers, religious institutions, and philosophies that regard to serving others before the self. With this in perspective, in certain cases, religious affiliation could be linked to homeostatic imbalance.

Source:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419091223.htm
Biomedia Term 4

Scientist Measure Communication Between Stem Cell-Derived Motor Neurons and Muscle Cells

Summary:


Scientists have created a system on how to measure the communication between motor neurons and muscle cells in a Petri dish. The system can accurately track the electrical activity between the muscle cells and the neurons connected to them. As a motor neuron releases its action potential, it depolarizes the muscle cells which cause them to contract. The strength of this activity is measureable, and one can obtain an estimation on how healthy the motor neuron is. Using this measurement might be able to help one better understand neurodegenerative diseases, like amyotrophic later sclerosis. With a method of measuring, one can pinpoint exactly when things go wrong, and with that information one can figure out how to help prevent the degeneration.

Scientists invented this method by creating motor neurons and muscle cells from mouse embryonic stem cells. They grew them in a way to encourage communication, and then they put them together in a Petri dish. In less than a week, the cells reached out to each other and started synaptic communication. To measure the connection, scientists used the dual patch-clamp recording technique. They inserted electrodes into the membranes both types of cells, and when they ran the current from the motor neuron to the muscle cell, they saw it contract as well as got a measure of the electricity. Going forward, the scientists hope to measure the synaptic communication with optical recording methods, which are less invasive than the dual patch-clamp recording method.


Relevance:

During this term we learned about the muscle and nervous system. Within the muscle system, we learned how muscles contract when a neuron sends a signal to it. We also learned about some diseases that cause the degeneration of the communication between the neuron and the muscle cells. Also, we learned about neurons and how they send signals to different parts of the body. We learned how neurons send signals across a synaptic cleft using neutotransmitters.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120504172057.htm

University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences. "Scientists measure communication between stem cell-derived motor neurons and muscle cells." ScienceDaily, 4 May 2012. Web. 6 May 2012.

Biodegradable Silk Scaffold Demonstrated to Improve Bone Repair

"Biodegradable Scaffold Demonstrated to Improve Bone Repair." Azom.com. May 2012. AZoM. Web. 1 May 2012.

http://www.azom.com/news.aspx?newsID=32825

Engineers from Tufts University recently successfully used micron-sized silk fibers to create a bone scaffold. This material is biodegradable and significantly adds support when bone is repairing itself. Other all-polymeric biomaterials can be used to aid in bone growth. One example is collagen. However, these biomaterials do not have the support that this new material demonstrates. The new material consists of silk protein microfibers bonded to a silk protein scaffold. This provided a much higher level of strength and better responses in bone repair. It was discovered that this artificial matrix was very similar to real bone in terms of rigidity and roughness, which aided in better bone growth.

This media file connects to the Honors bio topic involving the skeletal system. Bone marrow, the innermost layer of bone, is porous and allows for some elasticity in the bone. However, disease or trauma can impair bone tissue. Repair in this damaged bone tissue is vital to restoring homeostatic balance. In addition, this new technology aids in bone growth, referring to osteoblasts, as they create new bone cells.

Lab-Raised Heart-Tess Fairchild

In this video, scientists in a tissue engineering lab use cardiomyocytes from baby rats and human embryonic stem cells to make heart tissue. They put these cells in an environment like the body; the cells were put on a 3D scaffold, temperature, carbon dioxide content, salinity, and pH were monitered, nutrients were added, and they sent electrical signals through the tissue. The electrical signaling would make the developing heart tissue react to environmental signals in a body so that the tissue could be used as a bandaid on someone's heart.
This relates to the current unit because the heart is part of the circulatory system. We learned about the electrical signals and pacemaker in the heart that causes it to beat.
URL: http://www.sciencefriday.com/videos/watch/10385

Psychedelic Drugs can help Cancer Patients?

     This video is a news broadcast, from CNN (Cable News Network) about how drugs from the 60s may be able to help patients with cancer by making the side effects less prevalent in their lives. It goes through an interview with a couple people, including one certain patient that has been helped by the drug and the doctor that is authorized to conduct this treatment.
     This is relevant to term 4 of honors biology because it has to do with possible drugs to help with cancer, and cancer has to do with the human systems because every type of cancer affects one of the systems in the body, and we as humans are always trying to find new drugs to help cancer patients. Also, most of the drugs having to do with many of the diseases having to do with the human systems have the goal of relieving symptoms, which is what this drug does.

Mending Broken Hearts

In this file, we read a news story about advances being made in discovering the science behind heart attacks.  Until recent advances, heart attacks were thought to be random, with few genetic signs if any. Heart attacks are caused when a plaque blocking occurs in a major vein or artery, depriving the heart of blood, which can cause the heart to sustain damage, or in some cases cause it to completely stop permanently.  When members of the Steffenson family (a group with a history of heart attack) sent in their blood to be used in furthering heart attack research, a mutation was found in all of their samples. This mutation in the MEF2A gene, causes artery walls to be more likely to crack when the plaque ruptures, which greatly increases a person's chance of having a heart attack. Researches believe that by identifying genes such as MEF2A that have a close correlation with heart attacks, they can decrease the number of deaths caused.


This article is relevant to the current chapter our class is covering, because blood clots and heart attacks happen in the circulatory system. As we are learning in class, blood moves through the body in a loop, leaving the heart through the arteries, entering the veins through capillaries, and then returning to the heart. Any disruption such as a plaque build up, a weakening or artery walls, or the blocking of blood flow result in a lack of homeostasis, which can have devastating short and long term effects on that person.

The Forgetting Pill Erases Memories Forever

Every memory in your brain is on the verge of disappearing.

For thousands of years, people have thought that memory is stable and constant, like a biological harddrive. People tend to trust their recollections, because they feel authentic. However, all of this is wrong. The very act of remembering changes the memory itself.

Every time you recall a memory, the memory is warped by current knowledge and emotions. Basically, the memory must rebuild itself. Thus memory does not work like a movie, but like a play, constantly altering and changing each time it's performed.

A molecule called PKMzeta lurks around synapses in the brain. Without it, stable memories can easily disappear. Memories are like an engine, and without a constant supply of fuel, they will die. Thus the brain needs a constant supply of PKMzeta to preserve longterm memories. Scientists found that an inhibitor called ZIP blocks PKMzeta from the synapses. Without the steady supply of PKMzeta, the memory collapses, unable to sustain itself.

In an experiment, several dozen rats were taught to associate a loud noise with an electric shock. Whenever the noise played, the rats would freeze, anticipating the shock. After reinforcing this painful memory for several weeks, the rats were injected with ZIP. To the scientists' amazement, the rats stopped freezing. They had completely forgotten. This led to the conclusion that the molecular network of memories reforms every time they are accessed, because ZIP only erased the memory of the electric shock and nothing else.

As seen with the rats, specific memories can be erased. Humans could employ ZIP to create a hypothetical forgetting pill, treating PTSD and drug addiction. Experiments with morphine-addicted rats show that craving is a learned association; thus ZIP could delete memories and stop the addiction. In addition to erasing memories, research on the rats may also contribute to a cure for Alzheimer's.

 In biology class, we learned that Alzheimer's is a condition wherein people lose their memory. While the article does not speculate upon this matter, scientists could hypothetically use PKMzeta to strengthen memories; instead of a "forgetting pill," there could also be a "remembering pill." Besides Alzheimers', we also studied the nervous system and its role in the human body. With PKMzeta and ZIP, we could potentially manipulate our own nervous system in the future. ZIP could increase homeostasis by preventing the domination of painful memories (PTSD) and stopping drug addiction.

Research of PKMzeta and ZIP seems to be a hotspot in the scientific community. Not only are these molecules intriguing, but they could led to cures for disorders involving memory. Maybe in the future, these molecules could improve daily life. Before the next day's biology test, you could take a remembering pill to enhance the PKMzeta in your brain, achieving abnormal retention.

How to use ZIP to erase memories.





ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

www Wired Com

Source: Jonah Lehrer, February 17, 2012
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2012/02/ff_forgettingpill/all/1

New Methods Could Speed Up Repair Of Injured Nerves

URL:  http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/02/27/147344516/new-methods-could-speed-up-repair-of-injured-nerves
Author: Jon Hamilton
Date of Publication: 27 February 2012 

New Methods Could Speed Up Repair of Injured Nerves 

Summary: 


Recently, there have been studies done with rats regarding the healing of injured nerves. The goal of the studies has been to find a way to repair nerves faster, in a matter of days instead of months. So far, the studies have focused on nerves in the legs, but scientists hope to extend their focus to spinal injuries eventually. Research has mostly been on peripheral nerves. According to one scientist, many people damage their peripheral nerves by a kitchen accident, making these kinds of injuries fairly common. But, nerves do not heal like most other body parts. For nerve damage, the nerve mechanism itself stays alive between the brain and injury while the tissues and other things die. The body then cleans the nerve tube and opens it up so that a new nerve can grow from the point where the injury occurred. The new nerve grows slowly, only about 1-2 mm per day. This is a serious issue if someone for example cuts a nerve in their shoulder that controls their fingers, as the nerve will take a long time to heal completely. And, even then it may be too late and the muscle will not be able to be revived. Lone Star Paralysis has come up with a way to speed up this process, however. The idea is to patch together the two severed halves of the nerve. They do this with a multiple step process in which the nerve is exposed at first. Then, chemical compounds are used that reverse the sealing of the nerve ends. The nerve halves are drawn together and chemically reattached. The chemicals used in this process have already been approved for use in humans. They have been tested to work in rats. In the studies that have been done so far with rats, a nerve in the upper thigh has been severed. This nerve controls the legs, paws, and toes. After treatment, the results have been fabulous and the rats get better as soon as they recover from the surgery. Other scientists have tried to fuse nerves with material from crustacean shells. Overall, the idea of this research is to get the procedures to work well on peripheral nerves so that spinal nerve injuries can be healed in the future. 


Description of Relevance:


This media relates to our study of the nervous system from this term. We have learned how the nerves of the nervous system transmit signals in our body and how important this is, as is also mentioned by the media. This makes it clear how much it would help if nerve injuries could be healed faster. Furthermore, we have learned about the peripheral and central nervous systems. In this media, it is stated that research has been done with the peripheral nervous system in hopes that it can be applied to spinal injuries, which are related to the central nervous system. We learned that the central nervous system controls many vital functions of the body, making these injuries very dangerous. Also, the fact that tests have been done with rats but applied to humans is similar to the rate dissection that we did this term. We also used rats to explore concepts related to the human body. Overall, this media relates to our study of the nervous system and to our use of rats as models of the human body.

By Helen Stone

Cheney Operation Underscores Heart Transplant Issues

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/03/26/149341006/cheney-operation-underscores-heart-transplant-issues
     Recently, our former vice president Dick Cheney received a heart transplant from the Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va. His transplant is showing how much heart transplants have changed over time, but also how his case is unusual. Because hearts are in short supply, the heart normally goes to the sickest person who is the closest. That often means waiting, with Cheney waiting twenty months for his new heart. He is above the normal age for a transplant, which is between 50 and 64. This is because the patients are more likely to not survive the operation, or die soon after. Cheney is 71. Also he has had many heart operations already, which is difficult because it makes it harder for the surgeon. Also the older the patient, the harder the recovery will be. For the next year rejection and infection are major risks. Cheney will have to undergo arduous rehab.For the rest of his life, he will have to take strong anti-rejection drugs. His age and previous operations make his an unusual candidate for a transplant.

     This relates to our unit on both the circulatory system and the immune system.The heart is the major organ of the circulatory system, and Cheney received a heart transplant. Without his heart, he would die. Also now that the transplant is complete, he is facing his own immune system. His immune system might not recognize all the tissues in his heart, and will attack it, rejecting the organ. Also because he is suppressing his immune system with anti-rejection drugs, he is facing infections that might come in and attack his unprotected heart. His heart is in a dangerous balance and is connected the immune and circulatory systems.

Rob Stein. March 26, 2012

New Muscular Dystrophy Treatment Approach With Stem Cells

University of Minnesota Academic Health Center. "New muscular dystrophy treatment approach developed
            using human stem cells." ScienceDaily, 4 May 2012. Web. 5 May 2012.

            New Muscular Dystrophy Treatment Approach Developed Using Human Stem Cells

Summary

           This Science Daily Article talks about the success of human iPS stem cells treating a mouse with muscle dystrophy. Induced Pluripotent Stem cells are very similar to Embryonic Stem cells, except that they are derived by reprogramming the cells on our skin. One of the iPS cells' biggest advantages is that it cannot be rejected by the receiver as it is specifically programmed for the patient, which also means there is no need for the destruction of embryos. This is the first time that human stem cells have had an effect on treating muscle dystrophy. Up until now, getting skeletal muscle stem cells to differentiate has not been possible, but these researchers have demonstrated that it is in fact possible, leading the way into developing new proven treatments. To achieve their results, the University of Minnesota researchers genetically modified two well-characterized human iPS cell lines and an existing human ES cell line with a PAX7 gene, which is essential for the generation of muscle tissue after it has been damaged. This prompted certain ES cells and iPS cells to differentiate into muscle-forming cells. This in turn effectively treats muscle dystrophy in the mouse. However, their method of delivering the Pax7 protein involved genetic modification of cells with viruses, and because viruses sometimes cause mutations, they add risk to a clinical trial.
         
Relevance
           This article is related to our current unit because it talks about muscles and their functions. In addition, it also provides a treatment for muscle dystrophy, which is also something we have briefly discussed. Muscle progenitor cells and their functions in muscle dystrophy have also been mentioned in this article. It also connects muscle dystrophy in mice to treating it with pluripotent stem cells, which is helpful for future research. By learning about how to treat muscle dystrophy in mice, one can also eventually treat in humans as humans and mice have very similar body systems. This research brings us closer to treating muscle dystrophy in humans, making it incredibly relevant.
  

Why Loss of Sleep Lowers Body Immunity

By: Cindy Gu


We have yet to find a scientific explanation for why sleep is vital, but scientists have come up with theories. Studies have shown that sleeping significantly less than the body needs, even if it's for one night, can lead to weakening of the immune system.  Our bodies have a biological clock, we're made to do different activities at a certain time of day. Sleeping, for example, is meant to be done at night. And when a disruption occurs, if something were to be done at a different time of day, it messes up our biological clock. And when our biological clock is disrupted due to sleep patterns, our stress level increases, and will build up over time, which will then weaken our body's immunity.


These studies are relevant to our next unit, which is on the immune system. The immune system's primary role in the body is to fight off pathogens that come to contact with our bodies. When the immune system senses danger, it has three different lines of defense mechanisms to attack those pathogens. The immune system's role in our body is really important, as it protects us against infectious diseases that can do harm to the body. However, if a factor like sleep loss weakens the immune system, it puts the body at a higher risk for diseases, and therefore will decrease the chances of longevity.




Why Loss of Sleep Lowers Body Immunity:
http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/your-health/39539-why-loss-of-sleep-lowers-body-immunity

Original JPEG:

Really? Optimism Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease

Website URL: nytimes.com
Webpage URL: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/really-optimism-reduces-the-risk-of-heart-disease/
Title of Article: Really? Optimism Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease
Author's Name: Anahad O'Connor
Date of Publication: April 23, 2012
Date Viewed: May 6, 2012

The main focus of this article is about how being cheerful and optimistic make you less likely to get heart disease or have a stroke. The scientists's reasoning for this isn't exactly that it makes you any healthier, but it means your aren't as stressed out or in a bad mood. Signs of depression and other negative emotions have been linked to heart disease so by being positive, one can reduce these risks. A study last year linked people with success in career and other parts of their lives with a reduced risk of heart disease. Scientists aren't sure whether it's lack of unhappiness or whether it's actually being happy that reduces the risk of heart disease but they're researching it now.

This ties into this term because we are learning about the heart and the circulatory system. Obviously the heart is a very big part of the circulatory system and there are many things that can go wrong with it. We are learning about all the things that can go wrong with it such as heart murmurs or heart attacks. So, learning how to prevent it is very relevant. Also, heart disease is the leading cause of death for American's so learning how to prevent it is a big deal. This moves us one step closer to ending heart disease and saving millions of lives.

New way to power pacemakers

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201181449.htm
     In this article aerospace engineers have been trying to find a new way to power pacemakers. For people who have artificial pacemakers, the battery must be changed, which requires surgery for patients every once in a while. Aerospace engineers M. Amin Karami and Daniel J. Inman have found a way to power the heart with the vibrations of the chest cavity, which are mainly due to heart beat. Their pacemaker is able to convert mechanical stress into an electrical current.  Test show that their pacemaker would be able to beat from 7 to 700 times per minute and deliver eight times more energy than the pacemaker actually needs. The team must still build a prototype but they hope that the technology of the pacemaker will beat other ways to power pacemakers.
     This article relates to our studies on the heart. In class we have discussed how every person has a natural pacemaker, but if it does not function artificial pacemakers are available. Pacemakers help coordinate the contraction of muscles in the heart through electrical impulses. Without having the energy to create the electrical impulses the heart of the patient might fail to beat correctly. So, with the new possibility of powering pacemakers, patients with artificial pacemakers would not have to come in for surgeries to change the battery in the machine.

New Understanding of Alzheimer's Trigger

          This article from Science Daily talks about how a protein known as beta-amyloid could be a potential trigger for Alzheimer's disease. This protein is an extremely toxic one that is found in notable amounts in the brains of people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. University of Virginia researchers and Probiodrug, a German biotech company, have stated that this protein dramatically increases the toxicity of other beta-amyloid molecules that are less toxic and could be a factor in the development of the disease. The German company has already started a test using an enzyme known as glutaminyl cyclase, which initiates the formation of the more toxic version of the protein. George Bloom, a biology professor at the College of Arts & Sciences and School of Medicine says that the enzyme transforms a common form of the beta-amyloid into pyroglutamylated (or pyroglu) beta-amyloid, a form that about 100 times more toxic, which can destroy brain cells little-by-little. The formation of pyroglutamylated beta-amyloid triggers a tau, a protein that creates toxic tangles that play a large role in the development of Alzheimer's in the brain. Researchers have discovered  that without tau, Alzeimer's cannot develop. Bloom says that this could be an important step in designing a drug that has the ability to fight the disease. Now, researchers are looking for the proteins that are necessary to make the abundant form of beta-amyloid toxic.

         This article relates to our unit of study on the nervous system and the brain. Alzheimer's disease is a homeostatic imbalance that was also discussed by the nervous system project group. The disease affects the brain by impairing of the brains important functions. In class, we talked about the various function of the brain's lobes. and other areas, neurons, and the body's nerve network. With Alzheimer's, the brain is unable to function correctly and send messages to other parts of the body due to the insufficient amounts of neurons. This is caused by the beta-amyloid protein which was discussed in the article. 

 University of Virginia. "New Understanding of Alzheimer's Trigger"

ScienceDaily, 2 May 2012. Web. 6 May 2012.

Caring for Engineered Tissue

Nina Tandon: Caring for Engineered Tissue. Perf. Nina Tandon. TedTalks, 2011.

Scientist Nina Tandon's job is growing artificial tissues. She researches how cells can turn into tissues, which can then be turned into artificial hearts and bones. Nina emphasizes how little need be introduced to the cells in order to drastically alter the cells' performance. She stresses the importance of these microscopic "creatures", which is how she refers to cells, and their need of a hospitable, homey environment so that they may function. Nina believes that if we want cells to grow into a specific type of organ tissue, they must grow in an environment similar to the environment of that organ. 

In this unit we are learning about different body systems. Much like our body, which must remain in homeostasis in order to thrive, these cells need a balanced, nutrient-providing environment in order to grow. They will grow into organs which will then become a part of our circulatory or skeletal system,  such as the heart or the bones. 

Young Inventors Soup Up A Wheelchair

Link: http://www.sciencefriday.com/videos/watch/10388
Date: June 24, 2011

This is a video from Science Friday that describes a group of teenagers from Staten Island Technical High School. This team, known as "Team TechSmart", created a wheelchair prototype, for which they even won an award. This wheelchair surpasses previous wheelchairs in many criteria. The wheelchair is motorized and is controlled by a joystick. It utilizes four special wheels facing each direction that allow it to spin in place, and move easily in one direction at the same time. The seat itself has many functions. It features heating and cooling, as well as pressure control, where the inflation of the seat changes periodically. It also has, of course, a vibrating massage to create a more comfortable wheelchair experience. Even though this wheelchair possesses all these features, the cost for building the prototype is only around 500 dollars, while other wheelchair models retail for up to ten times that price. It truly beats all other competitors in every aspect.

This video connects to our general studies on homeostatic imbalance. Wheelchairs are a method to provide for homeostatic imbalances that impair the ability to walk. The loss of walking can come from homeostatic imbalances in many different body systems, such as the muscular, skeletal, or nervous systems. For the muscular system, this homeostatic imbalance could originate from some sort of degeneration of muscle tissue, which would prevent the movements needed to walk. A homeostatic imbalance impairing the ability to walk in the skeletal system could be an irreparable break of a bone. Damage in nervous tissue could lead to malfunctions in sending orders to the muscles that provide movement of the legs. Nevertheless, all of these homeostatic imbalances disrupt walking, and the wheelchair provides a solution to the problem.

Why Underweight Babies Become Obese: Study Says Disrupted Hypothalamus Is to Blame

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502162523.htm
Author: Amy Albin
Publication Date: May 2, 2012


          This article from ScienceDaily discusses the possible cause of previously underweight babies becoming obese when they grow up. Based on an animal model study at UCLA, the pattern of underweight babies becoming obese in their adolescence may be connected to the amount of certain neuropeptides produced in the hypothalamus. Neuropeptides are small protein-like molecules which assist neuron signaling. The molecules connected to one's appetite tend to be found in higher amounts in low birth-weight babies. This results in a natural tendency among the effected children to take in more calories. According to Dr. Sherin Devaskar, the UCLA study's lead author, the brain signals calling for more calories may be caused by the need to make up for the lost nutrition for the baby in the womb. In the UCLA study with young model rodents (which are somewhat similar to small human babies), researchers observed that the neuropeptides that cause increased appetite were increased in the hypothalamus, while those that reduce appetite were decreased. Overall, the homeostatic balance of appetite-controlling neuropeptides was disrupted.
            This article is connected to our studies of the brain, which is the key structure in the CNS. The brain is divided in to different regions, where different functions are controlled by the received, sorted, and delivered signals. The neuropeptides discussed in the article are found in the hypothalamus. Along with hunger, the hypothalamus helps regulate body temperature, blood pressure, thirst, and emotions. 

New Insight Into Fatal Spinal Disease

New Insight Into Fatal Spinal Disease
Webpage URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926151739.htm
Website URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/
Author's Name Unavailable
Date of Publication: September 26, 2011

Summary
          This article from Science Daily entitled "New Insight Into Fatal Spinal Disease" is about a study conducted by researchers from the University of Missouri that could lead to more insight into spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a fatal skeletal muscle disease in humans. In the study, the researchers identified a breakdown in communication between motor neurons and muscles in mice that expressed similar symptoms to those of SMA. This discovery could potentially provide more knowledge about SMA in humans. Michael Garcia, a biological sciences associate professor at the College of Arts and Science and the Bond Life Sciences Center describes this discovery in further detail. He says, "In this study, we found that the delivery of 'the words' a nerve uses to communicate with muscles was disrupted before they arrived at the nerve ending." The article reveals the connection to SMA by stating: "SMA is caused by a protein deficiency present in all cells, including motor neurons." This protein deficiency in the motor neurons could be the cause of a possible communication breakdown between motor neurons and muscles in SMA patients. This makes perfect sense, because as SMA worsens, the patient slowly loses his or her ability to move skeletal muscles, which move because of the signals of motor neurons. Garcia also states: "By learning where the (communication) system breaks down, perhaps we can target treatments that prevent the breakdown in the system." This discovery will hopefully lead to more knowledge about the cause of SMA and get scientists and researchers on the right path towards finding an effective treatment or cure for SMA, which is currently unavailable.

Curriculum Connection
           This article is connected to the curriculum this term because it involves processes of the nervous system. Students learned in class that in order for a muscle to make a movement, it first needs to receive a nerve signal from a motor neuron. The article describes how a communication breakdown between motor neurons and muscles in mice with SMA-like symptoms could be present in human SMA patients too, possibly caused by a known protein deficiency in the motor neurons of SMA patients. As SMA worsens, patients eventually lose their ability to move their skeletal muscles, as stated in the article summary. The fact that this disease might be caused by a communication breakdown between motor neurons and muscles shows that muscles are controlled by signals from motor neurons, and that without the signals from the motor neurons, the muscles can't do a thing.             

19th Century Therapy for Parkinson's Disease May Help Patients Today

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419132606.htm 
   In the 19th century there was a man named Jean-Martin Charcot who created a vibrating chair to ease symptoms of Parkinson's Disease.  There were reports on improvement in patients and other neurological researchers today are experimenting with this type of therapy.  Twenty three patients were randomly assigned to a vibrating chair or the same chair but without the vibrations.  During the time spent in these chairs, both groups of patients listened to relaxing nature sounds.  After a month of these treatments, the patients in the vibrating chair had major improvement in motor function and the patients in the non-vibrating chair also improved a lot in motor function, but not as much as the first group.  Both groups showed a big and similar improvement in anxiety, depression, fatigue, and nighttime sleep.  In conclusion, the researchers confirmed Charcot's observation that the vibrating chair relieves symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, but they did not find the effects of this treatment specific to the vibration.  Auditory sensory stimulation while relaxing in a lounge chair or just by being a part of this research protocol had equivalent beneficial effects as the vibration and improvement in motor function.
   This article connects to the topics learned about in term four by discussing Parkinson's Disease.  Information about this disease was presented to the class and how it affects the nervous system of the body.  Treatments for Parkinson's were also discussed and this article ties into that by talking about a "new", or revisited, treatment that is promising to be effective in relieving the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease.  

Rush University Medical Center. "19th century therapy for Parkinson's disease may help patients today." ScienceDaily, 19 Apr. 2012. Web. 3 May 2012.

Scar Tissue Turned Into Heart Muscle Without Using Stem Cells

Daniel Grichevsky

The article “Scar Tissue Turned Into Heart Muscle Without Using Stem Cells” is about scientists at Duke University Medical Center that found a way to turn scar tissue that forms after a heart attack into heart muscle cells without the need for stem cell transplant. The scientists used microRNAs to start the cardiac tissue conversion for the first time in a living mouse. MicroRNAs were put into the scar tissue cells called fibroblasts. Fibroblasts impair the hearts ability to pump blood. MicroRNAs reprogrammed fibroblasts to become cells that were close to the cardiomyocytes or cells that make up heart muscle. This breakthrough created a simpler process for tissue regeneration. Scientists are going to test larger animals and eventually humans. If these tests work in humans, then it could save countless lives from heart failure because of the scar tissue that develops after a heart attack. This may be used for other parts of the body as well. MicroRNAs remove the complications that occur with stem cell therapy like genetic alterations and ethical dilemmas posed by stem cells.

This article is related to our unit of study because it talks about the circulatory system and homeostatic imbalance in the human body. In the article, it talks about the heart and the tissues that make up the heart. In class, we talked about the different tissues in the body and the cells that make them up. This article explained a way to convert the scar tissue with different cells into the heart muscle cells. In the notes, we also talked about parts of the heart that are more muscular because they need to pump blood great distances. The scar tissue that forms after a heart attack makes the muscle weaker, which ultimately can result in heart failure. In class, we also talked about homeostasis and this scar tissue creates a homeostatic imbalance in the body because it deprives the heart from functioning normally, which is to pump blood away from it.

Duke University Medical Center. "Scar tissue turned into heart muscle without using stem cells."

ScienceDaily, 26 Apr. 2012. Web. 27 Apr. 2012.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426174110.htm#

Electricity- The Most Powerful Drug for Our Brains?

"After my brain was jolted, says Sally Adee, I had a near spiritual experience"


       Everyone knows that drugs, such as narcotics and hallucinogens, can temporarily affect the human brain in a way that makes the user feel invincible and euphoric. However, these drugs can damage our brains and cause serious health problems. This article, originally published in THE WEEK, explores a new, perhaps safer, method of gaining "inner peace" and improving learning efficiency. Basically, the process includes a nine volt battery being hooked up to a human's head, and the electricity courses through the brain, leading to a feeling of calm focus. Neurofeedback and electrical brain stimulation have been tested and used by U.S. military researchers to accelerate learning and improve skills such as memorization and marksmanship. There are a few issues with the usage of electricity to improve the brains's capabilities. Some people worry that wealthy citizens looking to get a "brain boost" might be the only ones to use this technology, and paying for intelligence is morally wrong. There is also the fear that the technology might be abused, and will create super-assassins or a group of super-intelligent elite who oppress anyone who can't pay to be smarter. The last, and possibly most worrying issue, is that electrical brain stimulation will become the new "drug" for humans, and soon we may not feel that a nine volt battery is enough, and eventually push the technology to a dangerous level.


      This connects with our unit on the nervous system, because it has to do with the electrical signals sent and received by neurons in our brains. The neurons transmit these signals, and if exposed to an additional electric current, I suppose the signals would be transmitted faster of be more focused. The author describes herself as feeling "an incredible silence" and "without self-doubt". This could possibly have been the result of the signals being more concentrated on what she was doing at the moment, and got rid of all the other random thoughts in her head. Personally, I think this technology is exactly the kind of thing you'd see in a science horror movie: With an amazing scientific breakthrough, the whole world is freed of stupidity, and then we all get so intelligent we cure cancer and stop global warming or whatever, but in the end there is some kind of catastrophe and we all end up killing each other in a one-against seven billion war of humanity. But that's just my opinion. And of course, it would be pretty neat to get a little smarter just in time for finals...

Article Source: http://theweek.com/article/index/226196/how-electrical-brain-stimulation-can-change-the-way-we-think/1 Author Sally Adee (IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE PDF FORMAT I CAN EMAIL IT TO YOU-JUST ASK)