Funny Animal Photos
Potentially Lethal Leishmaniasis Affects Many Travelling Abroad
Be careful when you travel abroad - you could bring something unwanted home with you. In 2002 Alfred Heliah and his wife Helene accompanied research scientists on a trip to Peru. They volunteered to assist in the study of red and green macaws. During their visit they were constantly attacked by biting insects. Though they wore protection right down to their wrists they were bitten black and blue.
On their return home the wounds slowly healed. While shaving one morning Alfred noticed what he thought were pimples on the side of his chin. They didn't hurt, but over time they grew larger. They eventually burst, becoming shallow ulcers oozing a yellow discharge. Treating them with antibiotic ointment had no affect. A new lump appeared and he thought it was time to see a doctor.
After being told by Alfred that he had recently returned from the tropics in Peru, doctors at the local hospital believed that he had leishmanisis that could devour the flesh on his face. It causes major damage to the spleen leading to death. The disease is transmitted by the humble sandfly. Leishmania parasites live in the sandfly's gut and it is vomited into open wounds.
Though the general public has hardly heard of the disease it is endemic to eighty-eight countries. During Desert Storm in Iraq twenty US soldiers came down with the parasitic infection. After returning home, eight more came down with the disease.
Getting back to Alfred. A tropical disease specialist Dr Angami examined him and asked how many were on the team in Peru, Alfred told him about thirty. The Doctor frighteningly replied that some more in the group would have the disease by now.
Biopsies showed that Alfred did indeed have Leishmaniasis. He was given Pentostam, a nitrogenic metal and a medication never approved by the FDA - the only treatment available. Patients must sign away any damages entitlement from the medication's side effects. After only three days with Pentostam being infused into his blood Alfred began to improve. Though he felt worse, doctors could see he was recovering. Alfred did recover. However, there was always the possibility of infectious bumps reappearing at any time in the future. A side effect of Pentostam is tremor in the hands. Alfred had to live with this for the rest of his life. When Alfred was offered a research trip to Africa, he turned it down. He had suffered enough.
Health
Bees Calculate Energy Expended When Getting Pollen
Bees calculate how much energy they need to get pollen. To survive, bees must run on a "profit" basis. They must not use more energy in obtaining nectar than energy the nectar provides. Bees were given the choice of travelling along two pathways to get nectar. One pathway was 10 meters long, the other 20 meters. However, the "scenery" of the 10 meter pathway was designed to trick the bees into perceiving that it was the furthest distance away.
When the bees returned to their fellows in the nest they told them with a waggle dance which pathway to use to get more pollen. Despite the 10 meter pathway appearing to the bees to be further away they told other bees to go to the feeder in the 10 meter pathway. Somehow, they had worked out that it used up less energy to go to this feeder than the one on the other pathway.
It is believed that bees have "calorimeters" built into their brains. They do not judge energy expenditure solely based on distance travelled. A partly covered pathway would be given the okay over a pathway out in the weather for example.
Bees are smart little critters and we can learn a great deal from them.
When the bees returned to their fellows in the nest they told them with a waggle dance which pathway to use to get more pollen. Despite the 10 meter pathway appearing to the bees to be further away they told other bees to go to the feeder in the 10 meter pathway. Somehow, they had worked out that it used up less energy to go to this feeder than the one on the other pathway.
It is believed that bees have "calorimeters" built into their brains. They do not judge energy expenditure solely based on distance travelled. A partly covered pathway would be given the okay over a pathway out in the weather for example.
Bees are smart little critters and we can learn a great deal from them.
Entomology
Obesity Is Out of Control
Capitalism is a good thing - or so we believe. The world is getting more obese. Large international companies that produce high-sugar, high-fat products are buying out local distribution firms in developing countries to dominate the market.
More than a Quarter of China's population is obese. Twenty years ago each Chinese person consumed only two teaspoons of sugar a day. Currently, China keeps a sugar bank, The government is terrified that a sugar shortage will lead to social unrest.
Mexico is becoming fatter than any other nation on Earth. Coca Cola practises price segmentation. In cities where income is higher, coke costs more than average. Poor rural regions get coca cola at a much cheaper price. Young children suffer from malnutrition while their parents are overweight.
Sugar and fat consumed regularly is a killer. Diabetes is increasing at a rapid rate. In developing countries medical care is poor, so diabetes goes untreated and people die. There can only be one result from this: countries will legislate to stop the sale of the "wrong" food. Having a coke as a treat is okay, but having coke every time one eats leads to disaster. Getting the younger generation to go back to eating nourishing vegetables is going to be a major problem. You can change a person's behavior temporarily. To change what people feel they have a right to is impossible.
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Health
There Are Side Affects From Allergy Medications
Allergic reactions are increasing in epidemic proportions across the world and the real cause is still unknown. Sinusitis from hay fever affects twice as many people as it did ten years ago. Medications no longer seem effective as those with sore eyes and runny noses dose themselves up on corticosteroids and anthistamines.
This is not only costing millions in lost man-hours as the afflicted stay at home, but the cost of medications is skyrocketing. Sufferers cannot cope with the seemingly never ending symptoms. They cannot live normal lives. For example, if students are affected during school leaving exams their grades can be lower. They are stuck with the low grades for ever. Antihistamines cause drowsiness. This leads to more accidents at work and road accidents.
The cause could lie in our diet of processed food. Children with ADHD improve when they are treated with antihistamines. Drowsiness for them is not a problem. Autistic children also get better when their intake of processed food is reduced and they are given probiotics.
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Health
Cockatoo Makes and Uses Tools
It was believed that Man was the only toolmaking animal. In recent times many animals have been seen using tools like wood and rocks mainly to access food.
A cockatoo named Figaro kept in captivity in Austria has been using tools to get food. Birds are extremely intelligent creatures. It is known that they mimic sounds such as the human voice. Some can even understand the meaning of basic sentences. Figaro creates tools, modifying tools specifically to get small pieces of food placed outside his cage.
Other bird species observed using tools are crows, ravens, woodpecker finches and Herons. A captive New Caledonian crow used wire rather than wood to reach into crevices for grubs. Northern blue jays have used shredded paper to gather up food pellets. In the wild they do not use tools at all.
Tool use is not a specific function developed at a particular point in time by a species. It a a general function of high intelligence. To access food, many smart animals can make and use tools. Man the toolmaker is not unique.
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Ornithology
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