BioLoser

RUNNING IN MEMORY OF MY LITTLE BROTHER MARTIN

Originally uploaded by cooliceblue

By: Wendy O.

Cancerous tumors that deteriorate bone tissue are bone cancers.
Bone cancers can originate in the bone (primary), or can come from an outside site (secondary.) Secondary bone cancers most often originate in the breast, lung, kidney, thyroid, and prostate glands.

There are many types of bone cancer, each depending on the type of bone tissue affected by the cancerous tumor. Here are some types of bone cancers, along with a brief description:

1. Osteosarcoma- Occurs when osteoid tissue is infected with a tumor. This type of cancer usually occurs in the knees and upper arm. A possible cause of osteosarcoma is high exposure to radiation therapy. Children and young adults are at the highest risk for developing this type of bone cancer, with the common age range being between the ages of 10 years and 19 years old.

2. Chondrosarcoma- Occurs in cartilaginous tissue of the pelvis, upper leg, and shoulder. This bone cancer is most typically seen in adults over the age of 40 years. Children and young adults are at the lowest risk for contracting this type of bone cancer.

3. The Ewing Sarcoma Family of Tumors- ESFT’s occur in bone, but may also occur in soft tissue. Soft tissue is what makes up muscle fat, fibrous tissue, and blood vessels. ESFT’s most commonly occur in the backbone, pelvis, legs, and arms. ESFT’s most commonly occur in those under 19 years of age, with boys being at higher risk than girls.

Symptoms- Symptoms of bone cancer include: bone pain and swelling in area affected.

Diagnosis- Bone cancer can be diagnosed in many ways, including: X-ray, bone scan, CAT scan, MRI, PET scan, anglogram, biopsy, and blood tests.

Treatment- Bone cancer treatment varies depending on severity of the cancer, and the age and overall health of the patient. Treatments for the cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and cryosurgery.
Surgery- This is the most common means of treating
bone cancer. In surgery, the tumor is removed . In severe
cases, an entire limb must be amputated.
Chemotherapy- Chemotherapy is used to kill cancer
cells by means of anticancer drugs, however this method of
treatment is not used for those who have chondrosarcoma.
Radiation Therapy- High-energy X-rays are used to kill
cancer cells. This method is used for those with
chondrosarcoma, ESFT’s, or patients who do not want surgery.
Cryosurgery- The cancerous cells, in this method of
treatment, are destroyed by liquid nitrogen which freezes and
kills the cancer cells.

Sources:
1. National Cancer Institute Bone Cancer: Questions and Answers

2. Abrahams, Dr. Peter. How the Body Works. 2007. London: Amber Books Ltd, 2007.

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Guppies

Originally uploaded by pattpoom

From Biology Blog :

How fast can evolution take place? In just a few years, as per a newly released study on guppies led by UC Riverside’s Swanne Gordon, a graduate student in biology.

Gordon and her colleagues studied guppies small fresh-water fish biologists have studied for long from the Yarra River, Trinidad. They introduced the guppies into the nearby Damier River, in a section above a barrier waterfall that excluded all predators. The guppies and their descendents also colonized the lower portion of the stream, below the barrier waterfall, that contained natural predators.

Eight years later (less than 30 guppy generations), the scientists observed that the guppies in the low-predation environment above the barrier waterfall had adapted to their new environment by producing larger and fewer offspring with each reproductive cycle. No such adaptation was seen in the guppies that colonized the high-predation environment below the barrier waterfall.

“High-predation females invest more resources into current reproduction because a high rate of mortality, driven by predators, means these females may not get another chance to reproduce,” explained Gordon, who works in the lab of David Reznick, a professor of biology. “Low-predation females, conversely, produce larger embryos because the larger babies are more competitive in the resource-limited environments typical of low-predation sites. Moreover, low-predation females produce fewer embryos not only because they have larger embryos but also because they invest fewer resources in current reproduction”.

Study results appear in the recent issue of The American Naturalist
Natural guppy populations can be divided into two basic types. High-predation populations are commonly found in the downstream reaches of rivers, where they coexist with predatory fishes that have strong effects on guppy demographics. Low-predation populations are typically found in upstream tributaries above barrier waterfalls, where strong predatory fishes are absent. Scientists have observed that this broad contrast in predation regime has driven the evolution of a number of adaptive differences between the two guppy types in color, morphology, behavior, and life history.

Gordon’s research team performed a second experiment to measure how well adapted to survival the new population of guppies were. To this end, they introduced two new sets of guppies, one from a portion of the Yarra River that contained predators and one from a predator-free tributary to the Yarra River into the high-and low-predation environments in the Damier River.

They observed that the resident, locally adapted guppies were significantly more likely to survive a four-week time period than the guppies from the two sites on the Yarra River. This was particularly true for juveniles. The adapted population of juveniles showed a 54-59 percent increase in survival rate in comparison to their counterparts from the newly introduced group.

“This shows that adaptive change can improve survival rates after fewer than ten years in a new environment,” Gordon said. “It shows, too, that evolution might sometimes influence population dynamics in the face of environmental change”.

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Mom Making Grandma’s Shiny Gray Hair

Originally uploaded by futile 1981

By: Wendy Ouriel
Hair going grey is a common side affect of aging. It happens not only in humans, but in dogs, horses, cats, and many other organisms. Upon performing an experiment on fruit in my biology lab, I came across a possible explanation for the greying of hair in organisms: the body stop s producing catalase.

Catalase is an enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is produced naturally in the body via various metabolic processes, and can become toxic if not broken down. Catalase breaks hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, which do not harm the body. As one ages, the body stops producing catalase which leads to a build up of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide interferes with melanin, a pigment that is responsible for the color of our skin and hair. This results in bleaching of the hair, making the hair white and grey. Hydrogen peroxide is a common ingredient in hair dyes.

The question still remains, if hydrogen peroxide is not broken down due to the ceased production of catalase, what does break it down? Hydrogen peroxide can severely hurt an organism if not broken down into harmless substances, so how do people with grey hair not die shortly after? It still remains a mystery at this point, as there are some people who are born without the enzyme catalase (called acatalasia), and live full, healthy lives. The body must find some way to compensate for not having the enzyme to break down hydrogen peroxide, as people with acatalasia do not lack pigment in their hair and skin, and do not die of hydrogen peroxide poisoning. More research still needs to be done in this area.

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Botswana

Originally uploaded by luke_overseas

By: Wendy O.

Elephants are known for having an excellent memory, but this is not the extent of their intelligence. A study conducted by New York’s Wildlife Conservation society called The Elephant Self-Recognition Study revealed that Elephants are part of a small minority of animals that are capable of self-recognition. When placed in front of a mirror, the elephants in the study were capable of understanding what they were viewing: themselves.
Three Asian elephants, Happy, Maxine, and Patty were involved in the study. Happy had a white X marked on the front of her face. For a control, an X was marked on the opposite side of her face with invisible paint that had the same smell and texture of the white paint. When placed in front of the mirror, Happy noticed the white mark on her face as something irregular, and touched it with her trunk. The elephants used the mirror to examine various body parts. Maxine was particularly interested in inspecting the inside of her mouth.
There is a small minority of animals that are capable of self-recognition. In addition to elephants, apes and dolphins are capable to identify their image in a mirror.

Sheep are also capable of recognition, but not at the level of elephants, dolphins or apes. The Babraham Institute conducted the Sheep Recognizing Faces Study where it was discovered that sheep have the ability to identify and remember faces of not only other sheep, but humans as well. In the study, 20 sheep were shown pictures of 25 pairs of sheep faces. In order to get a treat, the sheep had to recognize the individual associated with receiving a reward. The sheep did not even need to see the entire face for recognition, just by viewing the profile of the face they were able to recognize the individual. It was also discovered that the sheep were able to remember up to 50 different sheep faces, and a human face for as much as two years. This study allowed for greater insight into the social nature of sheep.

Source: Listverse 10 Truly Bizarre Scientific Studies

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Prince William Emergency Veterinary Clinic

Originally uploaded by DonnitaMae

By: Wendy O.

Brief Career Description
A veterinarian’s main purpose is to care for the health and wellbeing of animals. Veterinarian’s work with pets, farm animals, animals in zoos, working animals, etc. Diagnosing and treating illness, surgery, prescribing medicine, and delivering babies are some of many tasks a veterinarian performs. Veterinarians also work to protect human health by working in the food safety sector.

A Typical Day as a Vet
The type of veterinary work performed depends on the type of veterinarian. Some vets work only on farms, some work in nature preserves and wildlife habitats, some work in laboratories, and others work in offices. The majority of veterinarians work in private practice clinics where the focus is the care of pets. If you like to travel, and do not care much for the office setting, consider becoming an equine veterinarian. These vets travel to ranches and farms to care for horses, cows, sheep, and other animals of the sort.

Is This Profession for You?
Veterinarians, first and foremost, must love animals. They must also be patient, because unlike people, animals cannot directly tell you what is wrong. A veterinarian must also always be willing to learn something new. This is important because vets treat many different species, often within the same day, so an open mind will lead to greater success.

Education and Training Requirements
Veterinarians require a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and a state license to practice. Obtaining a degree in Veterinary medicine is challenging, as there are only 28 colleges in America that meet the accreditation standards set by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). In order to prepare for the doctorate program, undergraduate background should include mostly courses in the sciences: general chemistry, general biology, genetics, zoology, physiology, cellular biology, animal nutrition, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and animal biology.

Employment
-In 2006, there were 62,000 veterinarians employed in the United States.
- 75% of veterinarians work in their own practice, or in group practice
- In 2006 1400 veterinarians were employed by the Federal Government
- By 2016 the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an employment of 84,000 veterinarians in the United States

Income
The median annual earning of veterinarians was $71,990 in 2006. The lowest paid veterinarians earned less than $43,530 and the highest paid veterinarians earned more than $133,150
The average annual salary for Federally employed veterinarians was $84,335 in 2007
The average annual salary for veterinarians who worked in private practice was $55,031

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Veterinarians, on the Internet at Veterinarians (visited May 26, 2009).

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Where’s My Belly Button?

Originally uploaded by powJana

By: Wendy O.

Belly buttons are easily spotted on a human, it’s that little hole in your belly. They’re great for storing lint, and for hanging jewelry, but are we the only species that have them? The navel is simply a scar left by the removal of the umbilical cord following birth. The umbilical cord is used to transfer nourishment from the placenta to the developing animal inside the womb. So animals that make use of placenta during development will have a navel. In humans it is most noticeable because it is big, and relatively uncovered, in other animals it appears usually as a faint scar, which is usually covered by fur. Some animals that use an umbilical cord, and will thus have a navel include:

-Primates
-Rodents
-Sheep
-Cows
-Horses
-Dogs
-Cats
-Armadillos
-Whales
-Bats
-Elephant
-Wolf
-Camel

And many more, which can be seen Here

Sources: Diefendorf, David. Amazing…But False!. New York, New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 2007
Placental Mammals

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Human brain

Originally uploaded by EUSKALANATO

By: Wendy Ouriel

The cerebral hemisphere of the human brain is what separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. It is the largest part of the brain, and has many diverse and highly particular functions. Cerebral hemispheres control movement, process information that allows us to sense touch, pain, and temperature. Memory, learning ability, language, judgment, reasoning, emotion, and personality are all functions that the cerebral hemispheres are responsible for. Here is a breakdown of some functions of the cerebral hemispheres:

Primary Motor Cortex- Controls voluntary movement, like walking. An electrical impulse is sent from this cortex to the muscle group it wants to move.
Primary Somatosensory Cortex- Allows us to experience touch, pain, and temperature. Information is sent from the area of the body that is experiencing a certain sensation, and the primary somatosensory cortex processes it, letting you know what is going on.
Auditory Association Cortex- Translates sounds, letting you know what it is that you are hearing.
Primary Visual Cortex- Receives what is seen from the eyes
Primary Auditory Cortex- Processes basic sounds like rhythm and pitch.
Broca’s Area- Responsible for producing speech. In 97% of people, this cortex is located on the left side of the brain.

Source: Abrahams, Dr. Peter. How the Body Works. 2007. London: Amber Books Ltd, 2007.

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Sleepy Baby

Originally uploaded by Wendy14618

By: Wendy O.

Whenever I give my hedgehog a belly rub, I notice my mood gets better. Pretty much whenever I am around animals I feel better. I also find that just spending time outside is a good stress reducer.
In 2001, an article was published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine where health scientist, Howard Frumkin, gathered evidence supporting the claim that interaction with the natural world has health benefits. The evidence suggests that a good portion of human mental health relies on contact with animals, plants, and wilderness. Here are some of Frumkin’s findings:
- Those who own pets have fewer health problems than non-pet owners.
- Having a pet has shown to reduce blood pressure, and to reduce stress.
- Patients at a Purdue University dental facility were found to have reduced blood pressure after staring at a fish in an aquarium for 20 minutes.
- In a study at the University of Washington, it was found that children with autism who played with dogs became more verbal, and involved with therapy sessions.
- In Japan, a study was conducted with two groups of people. One group stared at a hedge; the other stared at a concrete fence. Those who stared at the hedge reported a feeling of relaxation, while those who stared at the concrete fence reported feeling stressed.

Perhaps we feel more relaxed when engaged with the natural world because of instinct. It is still a fairly recent occurrence for humans to live in cities, as opposed to a more natural setting. Frumkin hypothesizes the following: “ Early humans found that places with open views offered better opportunities to find food and avoid predators…But they needed water to survive and attract prey, and groups of trees for protection. Modern research has shown that people today, given the choice, prefer landscapes that look like this scenario.”

Source: Rogers, Simon. Can You Drill a Hole Through Your Head and Survive?. New York: MJF Books, 2007.

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A cow [15/365]

Originally uploaded by publicenergy

By: Wendy O.

After 6 years of research, a great milestone in the study of genetics has been reached: scientists have decoded the genome for cows. It has been determined that there are about 22,000 genes in one cow.
By comparison, humans have about 20,000 genes. The completion of this project will bring us one step further in understanding where all living beings originated from. Greater knowledge of the genetics of other living organisms will provide a better understanding of the evolutionary process. The research has shown that 80% of human genetic material is the same as cows. This could mean that we share a more recent common ancestor than previously thought.

The sequencing of cow genes took a total of six years, involved more than 300 scientists from 25 countries, and cost $53 million.

This research also has everyday benefits. The newly acquired information on the cow genome may lead to advances in meat and milk production, better understanding of diseases that cows are vulnerable to, including resistance to disease, and lower the amount of methane gas, and other pollutants emitted into the environment by herds.

Source: New York Times: In the Genes of a Hereford, the Essence of Cow

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Watch this incredible video of a red fox hunting mice that are six feet below the surface of the snow. The footage is from BBC 2’s Yellowstone.

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