"What you have to do to make humans happy!"
Funny Animal Photos by Ty Buchanan
Electrostimulation of the Brain Could Treat Elipepsy
It has been shown that elecrostimulation of one side of the brain can numb it and allow the other side, the creative part, to take over and temporally improve artistic skills. The sketching of animals by participants got much, much better.
There is hope that treatments for brain disorders will be discovered. A project by Australian and French researchers has applied sequential electromagnetic pulses (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation - or rTMS) to mice. Abnormal brain connections were corrected by this process.
Epilepsy, depression and tinnitus are caused by abnormal brain connections. Low-intensity repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LI-rTMS) had a positive result on mice born with abnormal organization of the brain.
Permanent implants to human brains could improve life for many patients who have continuous episodes of brain maladies. The electrostimulation changes brain chemistry. A specific chemical spreads across large areas of the brain. It is this that corrects abnormality. Preexisting correct organization was not changed.
Health by Ty Buchanan
Fish Catch Cat
"Yeah, I caught them myself. There are bites on a few of them."
Funny Animal Pictures by Ty Buchanan
Aboriginal Subsistence Fires Benefit the Ecosystem
Bush fires are natural in Australia. Far from being a curse, they benefit the environment and wildlife generally. Of course this has to be qualified by houses being destroyed and injuries to people. Aboriginals have been intentionally lighting fires for thousands of years.
Actually, it has a positive impact on kangaroo evolution. A fire promotes an increase in kangaroo numbers. To get the greatest benefit the best time for a burn-off can be identified. Human subsistence is crucial in managing this. It compliments the ecosystem.
Modern farming is detrimental to the way wildlife functions. The system is thrown off-balance. Stopping the burn-off and mono cropping changes everything. Australia needs more burning, not less. Authorities are following the wrong policy. Leaving native trees to grow tall can only lead to eventual disaster as a massive fire results as time passes.
Managed fires provide more food for animals as new shoots appear. Animals can also hide from predators in patches of older growth in the flatter landscape. It is only in farming areas that kangaroos increase to pest proportions. There is a natural peak in regions still controlled in the traditional way by Aboriginals.
Anthropology by Ty Buchanan
Scientists Make Mice Transparent
Scientists have made mice transparent - let us hope they were dead first! Studying the human body and test animals in general is difficult because usually one has to carry out dissections to see inside. The new process will change medicine.
Lipids block sunlight in bodies, so it has to be replaced with acrylamide which is just transparent hydrogel. After the acrylamide is absorbed, the bodies are placed into detergent which absorbs the lipids. Electricity is also applied to reduce the time taken to "clean" tissue.
The treated mice do not keep their original shape. They end up like gel in a plastic bag. Internal organs can be clearly seen, however. After staining, the structure of organs can be seen as shown in the picture above.
Micro-slicing has been used to date. A computer assembles a 3D structure for study. Both systems will probably be used in future as each as its benefits. There are plans to adapt the transparency technique to evaluate tissue in cancer patients. Biopsies will be treated to identify any cancerous cells.
Science by Ty Buchanan
Cat Burger
"That burger has been there a long time - I must have it!"
Funny Animal Pictures by Ty Buchanan
The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) Should Not Interfer in the Market
Was the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) set up to improve business or just be a nuisance to operations. Its job should be to police the industry and make things run smoothly. However, putting one's nose in when it is not needed is not the best thing to do.
The mining boom is coming to an end as the Chinese economy pulls back from high growth due to wages rising thus demand falling. Companies are looking to move to other Asian countries where labor is cheaper. Australian mining companies are looking to become producers of other things such as technology.
With this move comes threats from ASIC for the miners to keep their noses clean. Apparently they must inform shareholders before they buy tech companies. We have not reached a point yet where shareholders manage companies. Surely, it is up to the CEO and the board to set future company developments and intentions.
ASIC is making accusations that mining companies are "cooking the books" while buying up tech companies. It has said that miners must not use backdoor listing to hide purchases. ASIC is watching Minerals Corporation Limited, InterMet, Nemex, MacroEnergy and Latin Gold.
Surely, with ASIC already making its claims open, shareholders already know what is going on - normal business behavior. Changing business models is not an area ASIC should be watching. This is nothing to do with ASIC. It should stick to asset valuation and financial reporting. It is ridiculous to monitor how capital will be raised. Interfering in the market just distorts it.
Economics by Ty Buchanan
Video Animal
"Hi. Welcome to our first VideoCast. This could be a shock for you, but...."
Funny Animal Pictures by Ty Buchanan
New Catfish Species in Australia
Carfish are fairly mundane creatures. If you are fishing and you hook one thinking it is a big pike you are annoyed when you drag it in, and "drag" it the defining word. They are usually a dead weight on the line.
On the other hand if you are a biologist all animals are of interest. A combined US, Australia team has discovered a new catfish species in North Queensland. It has a tail like an eel, not the usual fish-like tail. Apparently, people knew of its existence for many years and just assumed it was like any other catfish.
Tandanus tropicanus is cylindrical in body shape. It has a large head and tiny eyes. DNA tests showed that the fish is a distinct species. Overall, its body configuration is different from other catfish.
Unlike many catfish it is good to eat. Fishermen have been catching it for many years for food not knowing how unique it was. Despite the accumulation of human knowledge about the world there is a lot we still do not know about nature.
Biology by Ty Buchanan
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