This week it is your turn to find a current event related to our current unit - cells. Find a news article related cells, organelles, or DNA. Write the name of the article and the author in your post. Paste the link into your comment. And then describe the article and how it relates to what you have learned in this unit.
Here are some sources that you can use to find articles:
SF Gate: http://www.sfgate.com/science/
Science News: http://www.sciencenews.org/
NY Times Science News: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/science/
Popular Science: http://www.popsci.com/
Posts
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/64160/title/One_small_step_for_a_snail%2C_one_giant_leap_for_snailkind
ReplyDeleteI did my current event on the evolution of snails. It talks about how scientist made slugs by exposing baby snails to the metal platinum, allowing them to develop without a shell. These scientists genetically altered the DNA of the snails. Scientists suggest that animals such as squid, octopus, and gastropods could loose their shells in one fall swoop. Also, in many gastropods the mantle, anus, and gills are rotated 180˚. Although, in many snails that were exposed to the platinum, these body parts were only rotated partially. This suggests that the gastropod could have gotten up without using it's shell, such as using "asymmetrical growth".
This article has to do with what we are learning about in class because it has to do with the genetic information of an animal. These scientists are altering the genetic material of the snails. Our genetic information is in our DNA. Our DNA is in the nucleus, which is in the cell. We are currently learning about cells, so genetic information has to do with our cells.
"New genetic blueprint for bloodsuckers"
ReplyDeleteBy: Gwyneth Dickey
In this past unit, we have learned a lot about the cell and its functions. Recently, scientits have mapped out the entire genome of the Southern House mosquito. They discovered that this particular type of mosquito has a high number of protein-coding genes. This allows it to adapt well and to live in an ever changing environment. This relates to what we have been learning because in the cells of the mosquito, there is DNA. In DNA, there are genes and in this mosquito, they can change and evolve. This ability allows the cell to change its processes in order to survive. This means the mosquito can protect itself.
science news ! a new specie had been discovery by the scientist its called the "yeti crab." this specie looks like a crab its not like a fish but it lives in the sea.
ReplyDelete"One small step for a snail, one big leap for snailkind" By:Rachel Ehrenberg
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/64160/title/One_small_step_for_a_snail%2C_one_giant_leap_for_snailkind
In this article it talks about how reseachers exposed baby snails to metal platinum which caused them to have no outer shell. We have learned about how DNA is what makes a person and how a person is classified. My doing this experiment it is messing with snails DNA. Within the Mollusca group, gastropods have been seen to loose their shell in "one fell swoop". In both the gastropods and snails it has been found that they have only been rotated 180 degrees. This could have happened because of asymmetrical growth which is when one half of the body deformed and the other half blossomed.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/63405/title/Environmental_DNA_modifications_tied_to_obesity
ReplyDeleteTitle:Environmental DNA modifications tied to obesity
Author:Tina Hesman Saey
In this article, it speaks of how body weight, can be a result of chemial DNA affecting the key genes for the body's size. These modifications to DNA can cause a person to develop diseases. But, the genes aren't altered at all, just simply turned on, or off. Andrew Feinberg, a geneticist, has proposed that epigenetic changes can lead to diesease. To figure out whether methylation signatures in Iceland are linked to disease, he compared the amount of metyhylated DNA in stable VMRs with each person's body mass index. They found that obese people had more heavily methylated DNA then those of normal weight. The VMAs linked to the methylated DNA have been related to diabetes and obesity. Researches are still pondering on whether it affects the body weight, or the obesity part.
This reflects to DNA because, depending on when gene a person may have, there is a possibly it it will lead them to be obese or diabetic. Depending on whether the gene is turned on or off, the person who has that in their DNA may be at risk of having a certain diesease passed down from genes in which are in DNA.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/64069/title/ThThe unusual suspects
ReplyDeleteThe Unusual Suspects
by: Susan Gaidos
In this article it talks about how scientists have turned to new DNA sequencing technologies and other methods to track clues within the brain and pin down the who, where and how underlying autism. While it’s still early in the game, recent findings tie many of the rare mutations to genes in common biological pathways and networks — most of which help control the way the brain develops and functions. We've been learning about DNA sequence and genes that determine who you are and this is saying how its affecting people.
"Biotech companies counting on stem cells"
ReplyDeleteBy: Rob Waters
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/26/BUJG1FIO4H.DTL
According to the article, scientists have been doing several experiments testing the potential treatments of stem cells. Stem cells are cells that have the ability to develop into different cell types and repair damaged tissues and certain organs. The scientists' studies show that stem cells are useful in determining whether a company's drug is effective or if it is toxic. The article relates to what we learned this unit because it describes stem cells, and our unit was focused on the study of cells.
As a current event in science, I chose "Bacteria go Electric," by Marissa Cevallos. In the article, the author explains how the recently found out that bacteria adapt to lack of oxygen by connecting with nanowires. The wires find small pockets of oxygen and extract the gas. These wires allows the bacteria to share electrons. One billion electrons travel through the wires per second. This is their way of sharing the gas. This is kind of like if a room full of people linked hands to share oxygen coming through a single window. This relates to our current studies in class because last week we discussed the two kinds of bacteria; nonvirulent and virulent. This article takes you deeper into the study of bacteria.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/64203/title/Bacteria_go_electric
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-01/devoid-dna-infectious-prions-evolve-anyhow
ReplyDeleteDevoid of DNA, Infectious Prions Evolve Anyhow
By: Clay Dillow
Prions are small pieces of protein that are infectious and can lead to neurodegenerative illnesses. Scientists recently found out that prions are susceptible to evolution and reproduction. While this all sounds normal, the shocker is that prions contain no DNA or RNA. This relates to what we are currently learning as we have talked about DNA. DNA is known to contain instructions or codes for evolving and reproducing, which is why scientists are left confused because as prions lack DNA, they are still able to evolve and reproduce.
Rival Candy Projects Both Parse Cocoa’s DNA
ReplyDeleteBy: Andrew Pollack
The last unit we have learned about DNA and its function especially with the genes. 2 major chocolate companies are competing to make the better cocoa. This has come down so far so that the DNA of the cacao to make it taste better. By doing this they can produce a quintuple amount of cocoa as normal and make the cocoa taste better for the customers.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/12/MN8Q1FR612.DTL&type=science
ReplyDeleteThe research and use of stem cells to help heal people afflicted with paralysis is a very controversial topic. Although it holds a lot of potential, many people consider it extremely unethical. It has been difficult to get good results on animals and there is a strong chance funding on the research will be cut. Recently, for the first time, the process was tried out on a human subject. The patient seems to be in good health, although it is too soon to tell if the stem cells are working properly. If the stem cells do heal the subject, then it is likely the research will be funded. If the test subject ends up being healthy and in good condition, then stem cell research may prove to be a groundbreaking medical procedure with unlimited medical potential.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/64286/title/More_than_a_chicken,_less_than_a_grape
ReplyDelete"More than a chicken, less than a grape"
By Tina Hesman Saey
This article explains the difficulties scientists are having producing an exact count of the number of genes in the human genome. Genes are parts of a chromosome, which is an organized piece of DNA. The genes of chromosomes code for specific traits within the organism. Many different organizations have produced varying estimations from 18,877 genes up to even 38,621 genes. It is hard to produce an accurate number of genes in the human body due to the basis of chromosomes. Chromosomes are made of exons, or genes, as well as introns. Introns are generally referred to as garbage in the genetic code, although they do have some significance. However, their presence makes it hard for computer programs to count the exons. Manually sifting through the coding can produce results which a machine can only make 40 t0 50% of the time. This is time consuming, though.
At Gencode, scientists are working to use RNA rather than DNA to search for genes. In the past, a group of scientists took this approach when finding flies' genes and came up with a number 2,000 genes greater than before. To Steven Salzberg of the University of Maryland, it would be quite a shock to the scientific community if the same results were achieced using human RNA. Until an exact number is found, we know that us humans have more genes than a chicken and fewer than a grape.
Biotech companies counting on stem cells"
ReplyDeleteBy: Rob Waters
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/26/BUJG1FIO4H.DTL
This Article is saying that scientist have made a break through and want to test it on some lucky patients. The break through was fixing stem cells. They were no where near this close to finding a fix but now it is in their reach. However there is going to be a trial which I don't understand. However 10 lucky people will undergo the surgery to help fix their spinal chord.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/63859/title/A_thousand_points_of_height
ReplyDeleteTitle: A thousand points of height
Author: Tina Hesman Saey
This article was about how geneticists have discovered that there are over 600 different genes that control a persons height. While this may seem like a lot, it is only 10% of the total amount that give the wide variations of height in humans. Although height itself is not very important to scientists, the large amount of genes may give doctors insight into how many genes influence diseases.
This relates to what we have been learning because we have studied a whole section on genes and chromosomes. In the unit we learned that genes are the controlling factors of our traits.
Title: Supreme Court hears convict's appeal in DNA case
ReplyDeleteLink:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/10/10/national/a123954D47.DTL
Author: Associated Press
This article may seem totally off topic, yet it isn't. Here, a man is trying to prove his innocence from murder of 3 people by having a DNA test. This can be proven, because our DNA or genetic code is written throughout every cell. That means, every cell from the same body has the same DNA. This is using knowledge from the classroom, and applying to the real world. Here, DNA can save a man's life and prove his innocence, or send him on his way. DNA can be used to identify people, and using modernized technology, justice can be hard to avoid. This is how it relates to what we learn in class.