"That's a funny one, Moira."
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✴ Funny Animal Pictures by Ty Buchanan ✴
Vaccine for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a widespread complaint. It is usually a malady of the elderly, but the young can succumb to it too. About the only treatment available is replacement of joints with artificial ones and analgesics.
A team at the University of Queensland has taken a new approach. They have developed a vaccine. Many diseases are caused by the body attacking its own tissue. Arthritis is one of these. If the immune response is suppressed, inflammation decreases. This is how the new vaccine works.
All Westerners have high inflammation levels. This may be a good thing to fight injuries. However, continued long term inflammation does damage to the body. Once switched on and the immediate danger solved it needs to be turned off.
The new method involves taking a sample of the patient's immune cells which are then modified in the lab. This is injected back into the patient. The immune system no longer sees the modified peptide as foreign.
Other problematic diseases due to a lingering immune response would seem to be future candidates for similar vaccines.
✴ Health by Ty Buchanan ✴
Movie Orangutan
"I am auditioning for the Planet Of The Apes movie."
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✴ Funny Animal Pictures by Ty Buchanan ✴
Shark Ancestor had Bone
It was though that the evolution of sharks was known. However, a 380 million year old fossil found in the Kimberley region of Western Australia indicates the presence of bone as well as cartilage. In other words a virtual missing link has been found.
It means that an ancestor was a bony fish. Obviously, they lost the bone, lightening the body, to enable them to swim faster. The theory of a lineage containing only cartilaged ancestors has now been dropped. This is an indication of accepted beliefs about life in general being without foundation.
Animals with only cartilage were thought to be more primitive than boned ones. Accepted for centuries, this concept was incorrect all along. Be careful what you believe. This could be extended to the religious sphere. You could be following a false faith.
✴ Evolution by Ty Buchanan ✴
New Species Found in Australia
An endangered animal, Antechinus, has two new members. Well, they have been there all along. A team from Queensland University of Technology discovered the Tasman Peninsula Dusky Antechinus (Antechinus vandycki) in south east Tasmania, and nominated the Mainland Dusky Antechinus (Antechinus mimetes). The latter was known to be in New South Wales and Victoria but it is now a species in its own right.
The Tasman Antechinus is about 13 cm long with a short tail weighing roughly 90g. It is located in Port Arther, Tasmania. Under threat from clearing of trees it resides in state forest in fragmented groups. Survival is precarious in the isolated stands.
While uncovering new species is rare in developed countries, new ones are being found in Australia all the time. This is due to the low population density of people in inland Australia. Unfortunately, new species when found are usually in small numbers and under threat.
Antechinus are not helping themselves, though. Males fight to the death every mating season. They literally go sex mad for a few weeks copulating with as many females as possible for up to 14 hours at a time. All males are dead by the time females give birth. This leaves plenty of food for females. Having a glut of insects and spiders secures a good start for the young.
✴ Biology by Ty Buchanan ✴
Antimalarial Drug Artemisinin Made in Green Process
There is a new drug for malaria called artemisinin. It will be synthesized in a chemical process and the procedure is "green". The French pharmaceutical company Sanofi produces a third of the world's demand annually. Unfortunately, the synthetic drug is expensive.
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Most of artemisinin is extracted from sweet wormwood. This is simple but the synthetic version involves the conversion of glucose into artemisinic acid: then three oxygen atoms are bonded on to produce artimsinin. It is complex.
The use of toxic dichloromethane is not used in the new process. It was discovered, ironically, that water greatly assists the synthesis. It packs molecules together. Water-soluble photocatalyst is indeed clean and green. The result is a product that is purer than artemisinin taken directly from wormwood.
✴ Chemistry by Ty Buchanan ✴
Women and Men Were Not Equal in Hunter Gatherer Societies
Men and women in hunter gatherer societies had very defined roles. Men hunted for protein, namely meat. Women sought tubers and berries for long term family sustenance. Some scientists are saying that male and females were more equal in prehistory. This not really the case.
Women, for example, could not go on the hunt with men. Males would not remain home with the women unless sickness prevented the hardships of seeking wild game. A women who did not find a mate had to remain home, unwanted, with her birth family. Indeed close breeding was frowned upon. Mates were invariably found in an unrelated group.
Scientists have mistakenly confused female independence in decision making, which supposedly pushes them to choose an outside mate, with women knowing that it is the wise thing to do, while males are dumb and stupid about this. The attraction between cousins is well known - thus the term "kissing cousins". Why would women have superior ideals than men. They wouldn't. No, it is something genetically inherent in Man that drives individuals to find unrelated mates, loose liaisons with cousins not withstanding.
If males saw nothing wrong with interbreeding they would clearly have forced their will on females. Since the beginning, males have always dominated in mammals. Women could not have forced their will on men, apart from persistent verbal onslaught. It is known that females do dominate the verbal sphere.
The scientists have it wrong. Women are persuasive over males in one-to-one negotiations, but in groups matters men would govern and set the rules. Men clearly felt that pairing with outside parties was a "natural" thing to do.
✴ Society by Ty Buchanan ✴
A Good Move to Compulsory Maths and Science
I do not often agree with Christopher Pyne on government policy, Dare I say, I have "never" been in favor of his hair-brained ideas until now. Indeed, I would take his latest plan even further.
He is attempting to make maths and science compulsory for students in years 11 and 12. These two critical subjects should be part of the core curriculum in all years of school throughout primary and secondary education. I may say "When I was a lad..." Yet on this point I believe I have a solid foundation. When I was at school maths and science were for everyone. Advanced maths and science were only for those who proved themselves capable of effectively coping with the main subject areas.
When my children were at high school there were five grades of maths in years 8 to 12. Many students, with their parents' guidance I may say, chose a level too high for them to cope with in the next year. This ruined their whole higher education. If one attempts a higher level and fails, there is no credit on the leaving certificate for that subject in that year. An individual has a blemished record for life.
The only answer to this issue is for a parent to take a possible shattering step. This I did for one of my children. I took my son out of his current school and into another local high school to repeat the two years again. Thankfully, my son achieved a strong educational record and is successful in life.
✴ Science by Ty Buchanan ✴
People Like to View Warm Pictures
Yahoo Labs has spent a lot of time setting up filters for Instagram and Flickr. It found that filtered images are 21 per cent more likely to be viewed. Comments were given 45 percent more often as well. You are probably wondering what kind of filters were used.
Situational or emotional filters were not the target of research. Color was the main selection criterion. The ladies are right - pinks and reds grew the largest audience. All these warm tones were popular. This was followed by yellow which is an intermediate color. Yellow makes you happy you see.
Many people brighten up their pictures by increasing the depth of color. Apparently, this is a mistake because users take no notice. And don't bother with sepia toning either: this turns viewers off. Blue is a no, no, because it is interpreted as cold.
If you want to create art that is unappreciated as much of it is, just continue what you have been doing. If you want to provide pictures that will be viewed by many start churning out the warm, fluffy, happy snaps.
✴ Technology by Ty Buchanan ✴
The Stress of Commuting
Yes we know! You are fed up with work and travelling to work. Just getting there and back is tedious and boring, let alone tiring. You can't wait to get home for that wholesome dinner and a chance to put your feet up.
A study has begun to examine the stress of commuting at the Australian National University. Dr David Russel is leading the CommutingLIFE project. Commuters are being interviewed as well as politicians and policymakers. Observation of those enduring the daily chore is also taking place.
It seems those who talk about commuting are healthier, even if it is to complain about the ordeal. Listeners, however, do not fare that well. You don't want someone else's problems. Passing your stress onto your spouse is not a wise thing to do.
There is a way out without bothering others. You can learn relaxation techniques and settle the harsh thoughts in your head, settling the body into a soothing state. That is if you believe in this silly obsessive compulsive behavior!
✴ Sociology by Ty Buchanan ✴
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