Vitamin Gene Treatment for Migraine

Queensland University of Technology plans to use genetic modifiers in vitamins as a treatment for migraine. This is problematic as health professionals do not really know what migraine is. Botox injections to the forehead has been used successfully to relieve the pain to date. It is quite a "quacky" area of medicine. About the only main factor about it is that it causes a feeling of nausea along with the pain and an aversion to light.
Migraine
India is the test ground for the gene treatment. A migraine marker in the Parsi population is the target. If vitamins are useful per se, why is the ailment common in the West where we take too many of them? As a child and adolescent I suffered from it. In my opinion it was brought on when the eyes were overworked. Reading small text was a no no for me. As I grew older it faded and I can say I have not had a migraine for 20 years.  Have I changed my diet or vitamin intake - not really.

Just how scientists make the link between genes and vitamins is unclear. But then, scientists are clever people. There are many categories of migraine, so pinning down particular genes is going to be difficult. Articles on genes vis-a-vis vitamins is a bit wishy-washy. Researchers are not very specific about how they will go about it.
Genetics by Ty Buchanan
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Head Fisherman

Man eaten by a fish
"You go fishing far too much George!"
 
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A Useful New Brew Tester: brewPal

Brewing goes high-tech. Well at least it does for small breweries. There is nothing worse than gulping down a cool stubbie and getting a flat, foul tasting experience. This seldom happens, of course, due to testing of the product in its creation.
Stubby beer from small Australian brewery
Invisible Sentinel has made a fantastic new product that solves most of the problems. A tiny device like a pregnancy tester called brewPal fits comfortably into your hand.  It analyses a beer's DNA and shows only one of two findings: either the beer is clear, or it has a spoiling infection.

When you exercise, lactic acid builds up in your body. This makes you feel tired. Excess lactic acid is also the cause of "off" beer. Unwanted bacteria produce the acid. Lactobacillus and Pediococcus are resistant to hops so they thrive in the brew. Oddly, some beers need these bacteria.

Culturing beer in the lab was time-consuming, especially in the hunt for Lactos and Pedis. It takes a week. Small companies can now test their beer with brewPal at the time of bottling to ensure a quality product. At last a company makes something really useful!
✴ Biology by Ty Buchanan
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Egg Kitten

"But I didn't come from an egg!"
 
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BAYER Signs Herbicide Development Deal with GRDC Australia

It is not only humans that are becoming resistant to drugs developed to fight disease, chemicals used by farmers to combat crop destroyers are also not working so well. The world's supply of grain is at risk.
Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) signs deal with BAYER
The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) in Australia is signing a deal with Bayer CropScience. This Herbicide Innovation Partnership aims to find more effective weed-fighting chemicals.

More than 40 Australian researchers will be taken on board at the Bayer’s global centre of excellence in Germany. Australian is a major grain producer and Bayer will target agriculture in this country.  Benefits will spread to other countries.

Australian farmers spend $3.25 billion on weed control every year. This is the largest input cost, greater than fertilizer. Resistance to herbicides is pushing the cost higher as growers spray more to defeat weeds.
Chemistry by Ty Buchanan
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Mouse Drink

Soft drink fizzy mouse lab test began doctor pepper
I've been on fizzy drink since this lab test began!
 
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Government Believes Welfare Recipients Take Ice

The right wing Australian government continues its usury of welfare recipients. It treats them like trash, sorting them and throwing out who they deem to be ripping off society. Like treasurer Joe Hockey says, the welfare state has ended, while he continues to take a $1,000 handout each month for a house his wife owns in Canberra.
Crystal methamphetamine ice
Is there a link between the illegal use of the drug ice and those on Centrelink payments? There obviously isn't! However, the government plans to test all those receiving money. All Australians do not have equal rights. If you have a job you can continue to work being powered along by crystal methamphetamine.

Drug taking will never be stopped despite the war by police instigated by government. In ancient times only medicine men and in some cases women had the knowledge of how to "potion-out" mind alternating chemicals. Their distorted "dreaming" was mistaken for contact with the afterlife. Today, everyone can easily access the chemicals commonly termed drugs to go on a trip. If anything illegal drugs can currently be more easily obtained.

It looks like mandatory 10 year imprisonment for 2g or more of ice. What is magical about 2g? Nothing really. It is arbitrary. It could be a tonne. C
ontinually testing known addicts is a waste of time and money.  You are hooked for life. Money should be spent on preventing potential new users from experimenting. Treatment doesn't do any good.
Society by Ty Buchanan
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Goose of Funny Walks

"What funny walk?"
 
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Frankenstein Genetically Modified Organisms

The possibility of scientists creating a Frankenstein monster in genetic experiments is real. It could happen. Something that runs roughshod over human chemical barriers can be given life.
Genetically modified organism GMO pig fish
The reality of genetically modified crops "contaminating" adjacent farms and ridiculous monetary claims by Monsanto are common. Everything living does affect everything else. There are no hard barriers keeping them in. A great frontier is wide open to them. An "off-switch" is badly needed.

Modified insects to fight pests and disease have already been released. There is a way to reduce the danger. Create a genetic code that is able to force a genetically modified organism to commit suicide. This works for insects but not so well for GM bacteria. Denying bacteria an essential element is problematic. There are two ways to destroy such bacteria.

The first involves the creation of a synthetic extra amino acid in proteins. GM bacteria are created that need this 21st amino acid. However, it can be removed and the GMO dies.

Second, like the method just explained above, E. coli is the protein carrier. It becomes active in the presence of arabinose, a sugar. When it detects arabinose it goes on the rampage killing the main GMO.

We could be heading down a rocky path in the future. It should be noted that we are using GMOs to fight GMOs. What stops the killing organism from running riot on its own? The fear is real. Our Brave New World is dangerous.
Biology by Ty Buchanan
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Water Horse

horse does not like water stay away
"Keep me away from that water!"
 
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Catholics are Bigots?

It is not necessarily my view but when I was growing up I was told that all Catholics are bigots. It is due to the way they are brought up, being taught to hold strongly to dogma from the Vatican.
Malcom Fraser criticising Tony Abbot prime minister
This may not be true because the majority of adult Catholics do practice birth control even though this is banned by the Church. However, their upbringing is narrowed somewhat by the curriculum of Catholic schools which drives teachings of the Holy Scriptures into a child's mind.

The church of business was Protestant, at least initially. Now, it seems that the Catholic Church provides adults with a far right leaning. For example, a Catholic like Tony Abbott couldn't be further to the right. If he could move further he would fall off the edge.

He loves business and hates everything else. His attack on the tertiary sector is public knowledge. He thinks that money can be taken from scientific endeavour and business will somehow continue to make a profit. This view, of course, is wrong. Particularly today, advancement in technology is the key to making money. He forgets the great contribution of CSIRO. He would emasculate this illustrious body if he could!
Science by Ty Buchanan
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Bandit Kitten

The bandit kitten of three cats
"Who's the bandit?"
 
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Australia Finds a New Species Again!

Just when you thought the game was over a new species has been identified in Australia. In the darkest depths of tropical north Australia where there are wild crocodiles roaming freely a new waterlily has been found.
Peony flora waterlilly flower
A team of Australians and representatives of Kew Gardens in London scoured the Western Australian land searching for something new. It is amazing that  it was not identified before. The water flower is a beautiful purple and white.

It was in an isolated spot situated in an oasis of water near Gibb River. The Kimberley region is surely the place to be with new dinosaur fossils located there. Botanists have given the waterlily a common name: peony flora. A scientific label will soon be determined.

The plant seems to be plentiful. A "pond" was completely filled with the pretty flower. Further searches in other water bodies brought to light many more. Oddly, a specimen of the Lilly has been at Kew Gardens and was believed to be a hybrid. Now it is official - it is a species in its own right.
Botany by Ty Buchanan
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Drinking Cat

"You can stand on me next, George!" 
 
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Businesses Will Treat Young and Aged Employees Differently

With the federal government intending to lift the retirement age because of a shortfall in tax collections, businesses will have to adapt to a new employment environment. The reason given for the policy is claimed to be that the proportion of young taxpayers to middle-aged workers is declining. Of course, this a furphy. There is a shortfall now and the disparity in age sectors is a long term issue.
Older aged mature experienced worker employee
Government will have to subsidize the employment of aged people. Even if the government denies it, this will be necessary. Conditions of employment will have cater for the inability to perform at a high physical level. This is an area where the elderly will not be able to compete. The young will have to vacate their comfortable seats for those much older. This is obvious.

The young can learn from those with a lifetime of work experience, but what can these people learn from the young? Businesses should know that these groups will remain different and will have to treat them accordingly. Taking orders from a person seen as a young know-it-all upstart is not something the experienced will accept.

School leavers have workplace demands. A luxury the aged did not enjoy when they started work at 13 years old. They were treated as dogsbodies: carry this; go fetch that! Giving the young privileges will be frowned upon. If anything, it is the elderly who should get the benefits.
Technology by Ty Buchanan
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