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.