"Buzz off Bozo!"
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✴ Funny Animal Pictures by Ty Buchanan ✴
Body Rhythms are Set by Color as well as light
Light affects us in many ways. Nordic countries have light treatment for citizens who suffer from a depressive outlook due to lack of sunshine during winter. Their circadian rhythms are disrupted. Recently evidence points to the fact that color is important as well.
With only dawn sunlight in the test room mice seemed confused and their body temperatures lagged behind the norm by 30 minutes. When orange and blue was added to the dawn light the mice were perfectly normal in behavior and temperature.
It seems the light/color information is stored in suprachiasmic neurons in a special way. Biopsies show a time lag in the firing of these neurons which ties into low body temperatures. Mammals have evolved in tune with this planet. The animal to Earth "bonding" seems to be very close indeed.
✴ Biology by Ty Buchanan ✴
Saccharin to Treat Cancer
Are you sweet enough? Maybe you are if you use saccharin. But wait! Are there other uses that this comforter can be used for? Scientists believe that it could treat cancer. The saccharin molecule deactivates carbonic anhydrase IX, a protein in aggressive cancers.
Carbonic anydrase IX regulates PH so that cancer can more easily spread through the body. It is hoped that saccharin can change the PH level. If it is not at an optimum level the cancer can be successfully treated with radiation and chemo therapy.
Healthy tissues, except for the gastrointestinal tract, have no carbonydrase anydrose IX. Other carbonic anydrase proteins are there though. Molecules tested before blocked similar carbonic anydrase proteins which are present to make the body work. By tweaking the saccharin molecule it was discovered that it does not affect helpful anhydrase proteins.
Tests have begun on liver and breast cancer. These are currently on animals. If the research is successful work on humans will open a new road to treating aggressive cancers.
✴ Chemistry by Ty Buchanan ✴
Diving Squirrel
"I will do a forward two and a half somersault with tuck."
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✴ Funny Animal Pictures by Ty Buchanan ✴
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