Anti-Aging a possibility?

I came across an article in Popular Science, titled "Harvard Reverses Aging Process in Mice, Could Lead to Human Anti-Aging Treatments". Now in this day and age of vanity, this can be quite a significant finding. As we age, the ends of our DNA (telomeres) are cut shorter and shorter with each cell division. This continues until the telomeres are completely gone and the cell dies.

The scientists in this study injected the mice with telomerase, which replenishes the telomere sequence at the ends of chromosomes. Telomerase in humans is found in fetal tissue and germ cells, but not in our somatic cells. So as our cells divide, our telomeres become shorter and shorter until the cell can no longer divide. This is aging.

Of course the scientist warn that this treatment may not be applicable to humans and could cause cancerous cells to develop as a result of unchecked cell division. But the hope of the scientists who conducted this study is that one day they may be able to improve the quality of life for older people whose organs may not function properly anymore, or who have age related complications in their health

I thought this was quite an interesting study. I always try to get my daily dose of antioxidants in my diet, to counter the effects of free radicals, which damage telomere regions of DNA and cause aging. However my interests are not in vanity, but rather in just wanting to be able to function and be healthy as I grow older.

Endosymbiosis, and the advancement of science

Last week my attention was brought to Endosymbiosis, an accepted theory by Lynn Margulis. I had read about the theory before in previous coursework, but it really got me thinking. Margulis's theory basically describes the origin of mitochondria. How large ancestral bacteria engulfed a smaller prokaryote and they lived in symbiosis. One of the main arguments is that mitochondria and chloroplasts both contain 70s ribosomal units, which are typical in prokaryotes, while eukaryotes have 80s ribosomal units. Additionally mitochondria(and chloroplasts) have similar DNA characteristics such as no introns, its circular, and does not contain histones.

What got my gears going was that it's quite amazing how far science has come, especially in the last 100 years or so. What is obvious is that the more we learn, the faster we are discovering. Yet there are far more discoveries and theories to be postulated. It makes one wonder what the next great step in science is. Especially after the sequencing of the human genome by Craig Venter and company. We'll see what's next...

Save the Ocelots

I read in the local newspaper this morning about how some biologists for the Rio Grande Valley Refuge are trapping some ocelots for tagging and research purposes. O course no harm is brought to the ocelots, and they are released back into their habitat.

I had read up on the ocelots for my ecology course last semester and took a great interest in them because I believe I encountered one before. I'm not sure if my encounter was with an ocelot or not, but I like to hope it was. In reading about the ocelots last semester I read there were only about 100 or so left in the refuge. But the paper today said that they believe there to be only about 50 left. Which is quite disturbing to hear because the Rio Grande Valley is one of the last natural habitats they are found in North America.The biologist in the article did say that with the high amount of rainfall we've experienced here in the Rio Grande Valley this year, there is much prey avaliable for the ocelots. I sure hope our conservation efforts of the refuge can lead to the habitat sustaining these creatures.

LOST....revisited.

I clearly remember the summer of 2004, when ABC started showing adds for a new series titled LOST. I was instantly intrigued and subsequently captivated by the pilot episode. Up until Spring 2010, I had watched every episode at least twice and had purchased the seasons on DVD. When the first episode of the final season, season 6 premiered I was so excited. Finally, all of my questions, all of every LOST fans questions would be answered.

First we had flashbacks, then flash forwards, and now flash sideways. I was sure that Jack and company would find a way to merge the time lines and everyone would escape the island. All of those that had perished(Locke, Boone, Sharon, Charlie, Ecko, Ana Lusia, Micheal, Sayid, Juliet, Sun, Jin ) would be safe as well in the new time line, the flash sideways, but such was not the case.

HOEVER, I was sorely disappointed by the finale. Furthermore, none of my questions were answered. What the #$%@ was the light? The island? Why did it time travel? Why did Jacob choose them? Any many, many more questions. Basically Jack went back to the island to save the ones they left behind, and even more people died, including himself. The end. The only extra LOST person they saved and got off the island was Sawyer. So every one died for the greater good of Sawyer living. Desmond was once again separated from Penny, Hurley was stuck on the island, Jack died, Sun died, Jin died, Sayid died...Grrrr. It just upsets me. I know, I'm rambling now.

After the series ended, I did not field any calls from my fellow LOST friends. I had to let my frustration subside and take it all in. But when I woke up the next morning, I was still pissed. And even now, months later, I still have a sense of resentment from the show I loved. I think there were a number of things the writers could of done to give us some semblance of a proper ending after six years of devotion. Furthermore, mid way through the series, the writers of LOST stated the show had absolutely nothing to do with "purgatory". I honestly think the writers just got lazy with the story and decided "hey, that purgatory theory that some fans had come up with doesn't seem half bad. Lets go with it."I know not all stories can have a happy ending, but I was never a fan of stories that are similar to Greek and Shakespearean tragedies. There is so much more frustration and details I could get into, but I am getting tired just thinking of it.

I wish I could just ignore the travesty of season 6, much like I ignored The Matrix Revolutions(another Fail in my opinion), but I just can't. I guess I can be happy that they all made it to Heaven together. I still love the series, but to me, season 6 was most definitely a FAIL....

Nitrogen Deposition

I recently read a journal article on Nitrogen deposition and how it has been affecting biodiversity and species richness across many grasslands in Europe. I had always thought nitrogen was a good thing for plant species. But like the saying goes, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing! Nitrogen deposition in soil comes from mainly agricultural intensity or from pollution in the air.

What the researchers found was a negative linear relationship between nitrogen deposition and species richness. The higher the amount of deposition, the lower the number of plant species. As soil becomes saturated with nitrogen, this increases the competition between species and many species are eliminated from the habitat as a result. Also, the addition of nitrogen to the soil decreases the pH of the soil. Species that cannot tolerate a low soil pH are also eliminated from the habitat.

The researchers conducted this study to prove that environmental and agricultural policy needs to be addresses by governments. I also found that a similar study was conducted here in the U.S. in California, with the same results.....we are not taking care of our planet.

A virus is NOT bacteria!

Over the last few years I've grown increasing frustrated with the statement in my title. When I first learned the difference between viruses and bacteria some years back, I didn't think much of it. However the medical implication resulting from difference between viruses and bacteria is one that cannot be stressed enough. Make no mistake friends, this is a war our human race is engaged in because people don't understand the difference between the two.

Many times, especially in my area down here in South Texas, people will catch the common cold, get a sore throat or a cough, and immediately want antibiotics for it. Those people usually have a stash of antibiotics from trips to Mexico, where oral antibiotics are routinely sold over the counter. The problem is, these people don't have a bacterial infection, they have a viral infection! Furthermore, many folks will just go to their local doctor and want antibiotics. For some reason, even doctors will give them prescriptions for antibiotics (one doctor told me he just got tired of hearing people complain when he doesn't give them an antibiotic prescription). Granted, sometimes people have bacterial throat infections, but those can be distinguished from viral infections through culturing, or even visible evidence of those "white spots" that are at the back of your throat.

Why is this important? Well every time we take antibiotics when we don't need them, when we are giving bacteria a means to grow resistant too them. We have already been seeing that in the clinical setting, with even our strongest antibiotics. One example is the MRSA resistance that is growing.

I would really love to see our nation have a widespread campaign like those tobacco Truth campaigns, to educate the public on the growing bacterial resistance that has resulted from misuse of antibiotics. As I said earlier, its like we are in a war, and the bacteria are winning...

Mad Cow Disease

Recently I read up on mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalitis. which affects a bovine's brain. For some reason I was always under the impression that this disease was viral in nature, but was quite surprised to find out that it wasn't. Nor was it bacterial in nature. It's actually a protein that causes the infection. This type of of infectious agent is called a prion. What these proteins do is cause abnormal folding of other proteins in it's vicinity, and this buildup of damaged proteins end up killing cells. In mad cow disease, as cells are killed, holes develop in the brain of the cattle, which accounts for the nervous and violent actions of these infected animals.

But prions are not just the source of mad cow disease, but numerous types of diseases in various animals AND humans. I look forward to researching what type of diseases in humans these prions can cause.