Finally an answer: Why do zebras have stripes?

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William Atkins
Sunday, 12 February 2012 01:22

Science - Biology

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A study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology answers the question as to why zebras have stripes. The answer by these Hungarian and Swedish researchers may surprise you but, at least, it is a step in the right direction to answer the pressing question: Why do zebras have stripes?

The paper in the Journal of Experimental Biology is called “Polarotactic tabanids find striped patterns with brightness and/or polarization modulation least attractive: an advantage of zebra stripes.”

It was authored by:

•    Ádám Egri, Miklós Blahó, and Gábor Horváth (all three from the Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, Physical Institute, Eötvös University, Budapest, Hungary);
•    György Kriska (from the Group for Methodology in Biology Teaching, Biological Institute, Eötvös University, Budapest, Hungary);
•    Róbert Farkas and Mónika Gyurkovszky (both from the Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary);
•    Susanne Åkesson (from the Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden).

 

They state from within their paper: “The characteristic striped appearance of zebras has provoked much speculation about its function and why the pattern has evolved, but experimental evidence is scarce.”

And, they conclude (Here comes the answer!): “… we demonstrate that a zebra-striped horse model attracts far fewer horseflies (tabanids) than either homogeneous black, brown, grey or white equivalents.”

So, the stripes help to confuse horseflies, that is, they would rather bite other animals than striped zebras.

Is that the end of the story? Check out page two to find out.

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Finally an answer: Why do zebras have stripes?

AP Biology Students Create Mobiles and Water Molecules

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   Two HHS AP biology classes have had two interesting projects recently. The projects consisted of making a mobile and a water molecule.

AP science lead teacher  Patti Meeks  assigned the projects to her students, and she also gave her students specific guidelines to follow.

  The first project was to make A Mobile Without A Spine.  Students had to choose ten invertebrates from a list, each from a different phylum or category.  Once the students chose their ten invertebrates, they had to research to find information about each organism.

Mrs. Meeks gave students instructions to find each invertebrate's binomial name, classification of kingdom, phylum, class, order and family.

The teacher also told students to find specific anatomical, embryological, and symmetrical features present in the organism that qualify it for inclusion in its taxon. Students were also instructed to include one fun fact about each invertebrate.

The second project that AP biblogy students had to create was a water molecule.  Class members were given the instructions to build a 3-D water molecule out of household products. Other information that had to be included with the water molecule was to include all atoms and to put the atoms in the correct location.

 Students also had to include a key that explained the various features and to list the water's properties. Mrs. Meeks also told her students to make sure to model water's polarity.

Many students enjoyed the AP biology projects. Junior Hernan Mondragon stated,  "You learn a lot of stuff doing the research." Another student, Scott Borgognoni,  stated, "The projects were very interesting and easy."

 

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Grain gains from soil biology research

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THE science of soil biology is following on the heels of minimum till farming - hailed as the next productivity revolution and a potential source of widespread gains in the cropping sector.

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is supporting soil biology research with a major investment in the second GRDC Soil Biology Initiative (SBI-II).

The Initiative and its suite of projects is coordinated by Associate Professor Pauline Mele, Department of Primary Industries Victoria (DPI) and Latrobe University principal research scientist, under the leadership of GRDC manager agronomy, soils and environment, Dr Martin Blumenthal.

A/Prof Mele says the SBI-II will enhance productivity growth in the cropping sector, particularly the high rainfall zone (HRZ), by improving knowledge on a region-by-region basis as to how the quality of soil biology relates to grain productivity and productivity.

"We hope to improve understanding of the role of soil biological communities in crop nutrient availability, suppressive soils, and general soil health," A/Prof Mele said.

"For example, we have a range of projects that will give us greater insight into the role of free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria in crop nutrition.

"We already know that the amount produced will vary from between 10 and 30 kilograms per hectare per year but we don't have in-crop measures and have yet to link how stubble from previous years influences this rate."

A/Prof Mele says the SBI will provide also agronomic management solutions that encourage desirable biological processes and/or suppress undesirable processes.

"We understand that some soils are more able to resist diseases such as bare patch in wheat," she says.

"We also know that the phenomenon is related to soil biology as previous work has shown that if you sterilise the soil and remove the biology, disease strikes with a vengeance.

"The nature of this 'suppressiveness' is largely a mystery so this initiative is looking more deeply into the soil biology to see who is providing the defence and by what means."

Ultimately the hope is to relate these beneficial defence traits to crop management that encourages the development of a disease suppressive soil community.

"It is also building a research capacity in soil biology research, development and extension through national and international integration of science disciplines including genetics, bioinformatics, modelling, geochemistry, agronomy and pathology," A/Prof Mele says.

The SBI-II is underpinned by three key themes:

1. Monitoring soil quality for better decision making;

2. Management systems for enhanced nutrient availability (incorporating rhizosphere); and

3. Suppressive soils: traits and transferability.

In a season when waterlogging has been common across the HRZ, soil health is a hot topic for southern growers.

Under the SBI, GRDC is supporting the national roll-out of a soil quality project initiated in WA (visit http://www.soilhealth.org .au), which brings together tools and information for growers and advisers, including fact sheets on waterlogging, raised beds and non-wetting soils.

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Hope For Early Alzheimer’s Test In Spinal Fluid

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Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Also Included In: Genetics;  Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 12 Feb 2012 - 0:00 PST

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New research led by Nottingham University in the UK suggests abnormal levels of seven proteins in spinal fluid could be markers for the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, raising hopes of a test for a disease that is difficult to diagnose at the beginning. The researchers write about their findings in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

Study co-author Dr Kevin Morgan, professor of Human Genomics and Molecular Genetics at Nottingham, told the press on Tuesday that the findings are "a new lead for improving early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease".

An early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease would help people prepare for the future and also enable them to be involved in clinical trials at a much earlier stage of the disease, when treatments are more likely to show positive results, he added.

About 820,000 people in the UK have dementia, of which Alzheimer's disease is the most common form. Dementia often develops slowly and is not always obvious in the early stages. It can be difficult to distinguish from the mild forgetfulness often seen in normal ageing.

Morgan and colleagues compared samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 33 people with Alzheimer's disease, 10 people with mild cognitive impairment, and 20 healthy older people. Mild cognitive impairment is a condition where people have problems with thinking and memory but not to an extent that it interferes with everyday life.

They compiled profiles of the proteins in each sample and then compared them with each other to see if they could find something distinctive in the samples from people with Alzheimer's disease.

The results showed that the samples from people with Alzheimer's diseases tended to have higher levels of four proteins, and lower levels of three other proteins.

A protein called SPARCL1 proved to be the strongest predictor for Alzheimer's. When the researchers tested the samples using only this protein, they could tell whether a person had Alzheimer's disease to an accuracy of 65%.

This accuracy went up to 95% when they tested for abnormal levels of all seven proteins.

The researchers repeated the tests with a new set of CSF samples from 32 healthy people and 30 people with Alzheimer's disease. This time, when they tested for all seven proteins, the accuracy was 85%.

The team now plans to use their findings to develop a blood test for an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Morgan said:

"It will also be important to investigate what causes these specific proteins to change as Alzheimer's develops."

By understanding the underlying changes in the biochemistry of Alzheimer's, we have a better chance of developing new treatments, he said, adding that:

"Dementia can only be defeated through research, and I hope these findings could take us a step closer to that goal."

Dr Marie Janson, Director of Development at Alzheimer's Research UK, who part-funded the study, said the findings have "opened up a new avenue for research".

She emphasized how difficult it is to diagnose Alzheimer's, as memory problems can be symptomatic of various conditions.

"This study has the potential to help create a vital tool for doctors to identify patients that need further investigation - but these results must now be followed up in order to achieve that goal," she added.

Funds from the Big Lottery Fund and the EU FP6 Program through BIOPATTERN also supported the work.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Visit our alzheimer's / dementia section for the latest news on this subject. "Identification of SPARC-like 1 Protein as Part of a Biomarker Panel for Alzheimer's Disease in Cerebrospinal Fluid"; Baharak Vafadar-Isfahani, Graham Ball, Clare Coveney, Christophe Lemetre, David Boocock, Lennart Minthon, Oskar Hansson, Amanda Kathleen Miles, Sabina M Janciauskiene, Donald Warden, A. David Smith, Gordon Wilcock, Noor Kalsheker, Robert Rees, Balwir Matharoo-Ball and Kevin Morgan; Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Volume 28, Number 3, pp 625-636, 2012; DOI: 10.3233/JAD-2011-111505; Link to Abstract.
Additional source: Alzheimer's Research UK Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Catharine Paddock PhD. "Hope For Early Alzheimer's Test In Spinal Fluid." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Feb. 2012. Web.
12 Feb. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241537.php&gt;

APA

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Hope For Early Alzheimer's Test In Spinal Fluid

Forest Park’s Braunecker headed to Harvard

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Ben Braunecker leapt at the chance to play football and study biochemistry at Harvard University.

"I think Harvard is at the top," said Braunecker, a Forest Park High School senior who signed papers committing to the Crimson on Thursday. Ivy League schools do not give athletic scholarships, but Braunecker is receiving academic aid.

"They won the Ivy League championship and have great athletics. They are also one of the most prestigious universities overall in the U.S. and the world."

Ben Braunecker

Braunecker turned down a full athletic scholarship from Southern Illinois University.

"Obviously going to school for free and playing football did spark my interest," said Braunecker, who was also recruited by Columbia, among others. "But I rely on the '4 and 40 rule.' You're only playing football for four years and ultimately you have to decide what you're going to do for the next 40."

Braunecker, a 6-foot-4, 215-pounder who is a straight-A student and class valedictorian, caught 27 passes for 644 yards, a 23.9 average, including seven touchdowns, in earning the Courier & Press All-Southwestern

Indiana Player of the Year honors. He was the Pocket Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player and named honorable mention all-state.

Braunecker averaged 34 yards per kick return, including two touchdowns, and 36.5 yards on four punt returns. Braunecker also had three interceptions playing defensive back.

Harvard is looking at him as a "hybrid," a combination of split end and tight end.

Braunecker, who also plays basketball and is a member of Forest Park's track and field team, will improve as he specializes in one sport, said Rangers football coach Terry Wagner.

"He'll have time to reach his full potential," Wagner said. "For us, he never came off the field. They want him to put on 15 more pounds and develop into an even better player."

Wagner said Braunecker was looking for a challenge.

"Academics is very important in his life," Wagner said. "He realizes that school comes first and it's a school that is rich in tradition and he got caught up in all that."

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Forest Park's Braunecker headed to Harvard

News digest: MathAcrossCampus Friday, Honor: Charles Peck and Chrysan Gallucci, English language courses

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Feb. 9, 2012

Biochemistry prof showcases applications of math Friday in MathAcrossCampus
Tomorrow the MathAcrossCampus lecture series presents David Baker, a UW biochemistry professor, in an interdisciplinary public talk titled “Computing Proteins.” Baker will describe research looking at why proteins, which could take on a vast number of possible configurations, fold to single unique structures that allow them to carry out their functions. He will describe his efforts to predict these structures in the lab, through the distributed computing project Rosetta@Home, and with the online game Foldit, as well as research on designing new proteins to address 21st-century challenges.

The lecture will be Friday, Feb. 10, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Kane Hall 210. MathAcrossCampus showcases applications of mathematics, with a special emphasis on the growing role of discrete methods in math applications.

Charles Peck’s teacher-education article honored
Change is hard, in teacher education programs as in all things. If new regulations and state mandates are viewed as undercutting a program’s local control, this can weaken the very staff motivation needed to implement changes.

This dampening effect may be lessened if the focus of reforms is shifted from top-down compliance to collective inquiry, local knowledge is valued and changes are seen as opportunities to clarify and improve the program.

That’s according to finding of a December 2010 research paper by Charles Peck, a UW professor of education, and colleagues that has been named outstanding “Journal of Teacher Education” article by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Peck’s co-authors are Chrysan Gallucci, UW professor of education, and Tine Sloan of the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The researchers studied a teacher education program in the University of California system for 18 months as program leaders considered implementation of new legislation creating a two-tier credential system and new state standards for teacher preparation.

Reviewers said Peck and co-authors “constructed a rich, descriptive account of the events and the impacts of the policy implementations as they unfolded in a local context,” adding that “the authors’ stance of inquiry, rather than compliance, provided the field with a portrait of how systematic, programmatic research can greatly benefit the educator preparation profession.”

The award will be presented at the association’s annual conference, Feb. 17-19, in Chicago.

Online, on-site English language courses for UW employees
The UW International & English Language Programs offers quarterly online and on-site courses for those who are primarily non-native speakers of English.

Online courses are available for those who want to improve their grammar and vocabulary in academic, business or technical writing.  All of the courses have weekly interactive exercises and short assignments. Instructors respond to assignments within two business days.

Evening on-site courses focus on improving conversational skills and preparation for the English tests through organizations such as Test of English as a Foreign Language or International English Language Testing System. There are also daytime courses in reading, writing, grammar, speaking, listening, and vocabulary and idioms.

UW International & English Language Programs can customize courses for non-native speakers in the workplace. For example, courses can be designed for such areas as pronunciation and fluency, assisting clients by telephone, presentation skills and the language of meetings, e-mail communication and job-specific communications.

For more information, call 543-6242 or e-mail uwelp@u.washington.edu.

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News digest: MathAcrossCampus Friday, Honor: Charles Peck and Chrysan Gallucci, English language courses

No entry without protein recycling: RUB researchers discover new coherence in enzyme transport

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Public release date: 10-Feb-2012
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Contact: Dr. Ralf Erdmann
Ralf.Erdmann@rub.de
49-234-322-4943
Ruhr-University Bochum

The group of Prof. Dr. Ralf Erdmann at the Ruhr-Universit?t Bochum (Faculty of Medicine, Department of Systems Biochemistry) discovered a connection of peroxisomal protein import and receptor export. In the Journal of Biological Chemistry, they disclosed that enzymes only get imported into certain cell organelles (peroxisomes) upon coupling of their import to the recycling of their transport protein (receptor).

Multi-functional tool peroxisome

Peroxisomes do not have their own DNA. Thus, all peroxisomal proteins are coded within the nucleus and imported into the peroxisome after their synthesis is completed. The Erdmann lab investigates this process in detail. Peroxisomes contain more than 50 various enzymes in total which e.g. decompose fatty acids and dispose hydrogen peroxide or plasmalogens, the main phospholipid of the white matter of the brain. A disruption of their function does not only cause severe metabolic disorders, it can even lead to death of newborns.

Export signal controls recycling

Dynamic receptors recognize and escort the enzymes destined for the peroxisome to the organelle where they attach to the membrane. Then the receptor-enzyme complex disassembles and the enzyme is transported across the peroxisomal membrane. Afterwards, the receptor is transported from the membrane back to the cytosol. This recycling is controlled by the attachment of the small protein ubiquitin to the receptor, which functions as an export signal.

Modification as a safety barrier

The team of Prof. Dr. Ralf Erdmann studied a certain peroxisomal receptor, which consists of a targeting unit (Pex18p) and an enzyme-binding unit (Pex7p). The scientists discovered that ubiquitin modifies Pex18p in order to enable the receptor to return to the intracellular liquid. Only when the targeting unit of the receptor is exported from the membrane, the import of the cargo-loaded enzyme-binding unit takes place. This result supports the export-driven-import model, previously proposed by the Erdmann group.

###

Bibliographic record

A. Hensel, S. Beck, F. El Magraoui, H.W. Platta, W. Girzalsky, R. Erdmann (2011): Cysteine-dependent ubiquitination of Pex18p is linked to cargo translocation across the peroxisomal membrane, Journal of Biological Chemistry, doi: 10.1074/jbc.M111.286104

W. Schliebs, W. Girzalsky, R. Erdmann (2010): Peroxisomal protein import and ERAD: variations on a common theme, Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, doi: 10.1038/nrm3008

Further information

Prof. Dr. Ralf Erdmann, Department of Biochemistry Systems, Faculty of Medicine of the Ruhr-Universit?t Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany, Phone: +49/234/32-24943 Ralf.Erdmann@rub.de

Click for more

Department of Biochemistry Systems
http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/physiolchem/system/index.html.en

Previous press information on the topic
http://aktuell.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/pm2011/pm00233.html.en

Figure online

A figure related to this press release can be found at http://aktuell.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/pm2012/pm00024.html.en

Editor

Marie-Astrid Reinartz

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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No entry without protein recycling: RUB researchers discover new coherence in enzyme transport

Good Timing: NIST/CU Collaboration Adds Timing Capability To Living Cell Sensors

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Individual cells modified to act as sensors using fluorescence are already useful tools in biochemistry, but now they can add good timing to their resumé, thanks in part to expertise from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

With the added capability to track the timing of dynamic biochemical reactions, cell sensors become more useful for many studies, such as measurements of protein folding or neural activity.

As described in the Journal of the American Chemical Society,* a NIST biophysicist working at JILA and a collaborator at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU) developed a microfluidic system that records biochemical reactions over a time span of milliseconds to seconds in living human cells modified to act as FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) sensors.

The fast, flexible system uses lasers to measure sensor signals at two points in time at a rate of up to 15 cells per second. Statistical data, such as the average value of the FRET response for thousands of cells, can be collected in minutes.

"Our system is the first one that measures FRET response times at the single-cell level, while at the same time measuring over many cells," says JILA Fellow Ralph Jimenez, whose research group built the optics, microfluidics, electronics and other hardware.

JILA is a joint institute of NIST and CU. Jimenez is collaborating with Amy Palmer, an assistant professor in CU's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, who handled the molecular design and cell-biology aspects of the project.

The FRET technique relies on reactions that occur between large biological molecules in close proximity to each other. One molecule absorbs light energy from a laser and transfers this energy to the nearby acceptor molecule. The acceptor molecule then releases this energy as light (fluorescence) at a characteristic wavelength that is different from the original laser light. Measurements of this fluorescence indicate the extent of the energy transfer. FRET can be used to study many types of cellular processes. In these experiments, the researchers were interested in the type and concentration of metal ions within cells, which can affect important cell processes. The JILA/CU experiments used cells genetically modified to take up particular metal ions and signal changes in their concentrations by altering the FRET signals.

The researchers made a microfluidic device with a flow-control valve system that mixes cells and metal-containing chemicals in just a few milliseconds. The cells then pass single file through two blue laser beams that excite the FRET fluorescence signal at different locations in the device. With precise flow control and flexible device design, cell travel time between the two locations can be varied from 1 millisecond to 10 seconds. Scientists measure the FRET signal changes within individual cells between the two locations.

"FRET is an important measurement technique used in bio-imaging, so it's great that NIST could begin to contribute to measurements of the fidelity of FRET-based sensors," Jimenez says. "We have a lot more work planned for the future with this instrument."

The project is part of the research team's effort to develop cell sensors with improved optical, physical and chemical properties and to enable detection of very faint signals in living cells. The work was supported in part by a CU-NIST seed grant, the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

* H. Ma, E.A. Gibson, P.J. Dittmer, R. Jimenez and A.E. Palmer. High-throughput examination of FRET-detected metal-ion response in mammalian cells. Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS). Published online Jan. 19, 2012. (Communication) DOI: 10.1021/ja2101592.

SOURCE: National Institute of Standards and Technology

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700 students participate in Kentucky American Water Science Fair

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Approximately 700 public, private and home school students in grades four through 12 participated today in the 28th annual Kentucky American Water Science Fair coordinated by Fayette County Public Schools at Bryan Station High School in Lexington.

The event included students’ science fair projects judged by 150 professionals, as well as hands-on, educational exhibits and demonstrations coordinated by Bluegrass PRIDE.

A total of 143 student projects received awards.

Six students received special recognition from Kentucky American Water for demonstrating achievement in water science projects, and four students received the Urban Environmental Award, which recognizes outstanding projects related to environmental stewardship.

Alltech sponsored special awards in animal sciences and Lexmark International provided Lexmark printers to first-place engineering award recipients.

Lexington Mayor Jim Gray joined Kentucky American Water President Cheryl Norton and Fayette County Public Schools representatives Jack Hayes, Mike McKenzie and Ketsy Fields in the award presentations.

Judges evaluated the student projects according to the following categories: animal sciences, behavioral and social sciences, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, chemistry, computer science, earth and planetary science, engineering, energy and transportation, environmental sciences, medicine and health sciences, microbiology, physics and astronomy and plant sciences.

Kentucky American Water initiated the science fair for junior high school students in 1985 as part of the company’s centennial celebration. The next year, the company joined with Fayette County Public Schools in coordinating the event. The fair has been expanded twice: first in 1989 to include elementary school science projects, and again in 1991 to include high school projects.

During her remarks, Norton congratulated students for their achievements in science, and thanked parents for supporting science, math and technology education.

Norton started her career in the water utility industry nearly 25 years ago before she graduated from college through a part-time research position at the national laboratory of Kentucky American Water’s parent company, American Water, located outside St. Louis. After graduating from college she joined the lab full time, conducting a variety of national research studies on drinking water issues, and eventually moved into management positions that culminated in her leading the facility. She joined Kentucky American Water as president in January 2011.

Students who received awards at today’s competition advance to the Central Kentucky Regional Science and Engineering Fair to be held at the University of Kentucky on Saturday, March 3.

Kentucky American Water also serves as a leading sponsor for that event.

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700 students participate in Kentucky American Water Science Fair

Construction woes

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by: Emily Andrews on February 8, 2012

A construction site south of the Marriott Library. New pipes will carry hot water down the HPER highway and will branch out at the Law School

Students might find it more difficult to walk between the Marriott Library and the Social and Behavioral Science Building until August while a multi-phase replacement of hot water pipes is being completed.

The pipes are crucial for carrying hot water to heat buildings and provide steam for laboratories.

The pipes have “far exceeded their useful life” and thus need to be replaced with higher quality pipe, said Megan McFarlane, spokeswoman for U facilities management. The new piping is pre-insulated, prefabricated and triple-walled. The new pipes will carry high-temperature water down the HPER highway to the Law School, with branches going to other buildings along the way.

Aging hot water pipes are also being replaced between Kingsbury Hall and the Browning Mineral Science Building. Expected to be completed at the same time as the pipes near the library, this project will carry a price tag of $1.7 million. The project near the library will cost $3 million, McFarlane said.

The U is lobbying the state Legislature for a $99 million overhaul of the campus infrastructure system, which includes hot water pipes and the electrical grid, she said.

Short URL: http://www.dailyutahchronicle.com/?p=2565692

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Singer/Songwriter Jared Lee to Appear at Charity Event to Benefit the American Cancer Society Relay for Life Lake …

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PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Dr. Darm and Aesthetic Medicine are happy to announce that acclaimed singer/songwriter Jared Lee will appear and perform in support of the Relay for Life / Bowling for Botox event on Feb. 18. The event features a huge array of prizes, and aims to raise awareness and funds for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life Lake Oswego Branch.

In addition to Relay for Life, Dr. Darm and Aesthetic Medicine have partnered with Alpha Broadcasting and Grand Central Bowl. Bowling teams will be able to compete for numerous prizes at various levels, including: Skin Medica Skin Care Baskets, Skin Ceuticals Skin Care Baskets, Skin Ceuticals Advanced Brightening System, Free units of Botox, Skin Ceuticals Skin Care Basket Anti-Aging Kit, Latisse Products, Inn at the Spanish Head getaway, Ski Lift Tickets at Mt. Hood Meadows, Free Juvederm products, and Underarm Hair removal treatments.

Please call Julie at (503) 697-9777 or email her at julie(at)drdarm(dot)com to submit team name, members, and time slot (12:00–3:00 or 3:00-6:00 pm).

About Aesthetic Medicine

Dr. Darm opened Aesthetic Medicine in 1995. Initially specializing in weight loss, he expanded to include hair removal and rosacea treatments in 1997. Since that time, new services have been added yearly to promote health, wellness and beauty. Dr. Darm graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. His medical training was obtained at OHSU.

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Singer/Songwriter Jared Lee to Appear at Charity Event to Benefit the American Cancer Society Relay for Life Lake ...

Potentially important new mechanisms found anti-aging effects of resveratrol

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Public release date: 9-Feb-2012
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Contact: R. Curtis Ellison
ellison@bu.edu
508-333-1256
Boston University Medical Center

A well-conducted experimental study in mice has provided potentially important new insights into the association of the intake of resveratrol and like compounds with health benefits. Resveratrol is a constituent of red wine and other vegetable products, and is being evaluated in high-doses as a pharmaceutical. The biologic mechanisms demonstrated in this study could provide key new approaches for the prevention or treatment of a number of chronic diseases in humans, especially those related to vascular and metabolic diseases and to the risk of mortality.

More than two decades ago, particularly through publicity related to the so-called "French Paradox," the public became aware of the potential reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease from the moderate consumption of red wine, and the media focused on a single constituent in red wine, resveratrol, as being the "key" factor. We now know that resveratrol is only one of hundreds of phenolic compounds in wine, many of which have been shown to have beneficial effects on vascular function, and that alcohol itself (present in wine, beer or spirits) also provides considerable protection against heart disease. Still, there has remained considerable attention paid to resveratrol, and extensive scientific research on resveratrol and related substances have shown that, in high doses, they may increase longevity of life and reduce metabolic diseases of aging.

In general, Forum reviewers thought that this was a very well-done study. Their concerns related to the dose used in these experiments; while the levels of resveratrol and like compounds might be accessible with pharmaceutical doses, the suggestion that similar levels could be connected with wine consumption is misleading. Further, in humans, resveratrol in the diet will interact with many other chemicals to achieve an effect, as whole plant extracts consist of many active and inactive micronutrients that may play a role in health and disease. To ascribe a specific effect on health from one chemical found in wine or other plant products could be misleading.

Still, the reviewers believed that this paper was an important contribution to our knowledge about the mechanisms by which resveratrol and other chemicals may play a role in cardiovascular and other diseases. Such knowledge could help develop approaches for the prevention and treatment of human disease and for increasing the longevity of a healthy life.

###

Reference: Park S-J, Ahmad F, Philp A, Baar K, Williams T, Luo H, Ke H, Rehmann H, Taussig R, Brown AL, Kim MK, Beaven MA, Burgin AB, Manganiello V, Chung JH. Resveratrol ameliorates aging-related metabolic phenotypes by inhibiting cAMP phosphodiesterases. Cell 2012;148:421-433. DOI 10.1016/j.cell.2012.01.017.

Comments on this critique by the International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research were provided by the following members:

Fulvio Ursini, MD, Dept. of Biological Chemistry, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

Harvey Finkel, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

Andrew L. Waterhouse, PhD, Marvin Sands Professor, Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA, USA

R. Curtis Ellison, MD, Section of Preventive Medicine & Epidemiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

Federico Leighton, MD, Laboratorio de Nutricion Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

Francesco Orlandi, MD, Dept. of Gastroenterology, Universit? degli Studi di Ancona, Italy

David Vauzour, PhD, Senior Research Associate, Department of Nutrition, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

David Van Velden, MD, Dept. of Pathology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Creina Stockley, clinical pharmacology, Health and Regulatory Information Manager, Australian Wine Research Institute, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia

Ulrich Keil, MD, PhD, Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of M?nster, M?nster, Germany

For the detailed critique of this paper by the International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research, go to http://www.bu.edu/alcohol-forum and click on Recent Reviews or this link: http://www.bu.edu/alcohol-forum/critique-070-potentially-important-new-mechanisms-found-for-the-anti-aging-effects-of-resveratrol-a-phenolic-compound-found-in-red-wine-9-february-2012/

The specialists who are members of the Forum are happy to respond to questions from Health Editors regarding emerging research on alcohol and health and will offer an independent opinion in context with other research on the subject

Helena Conibear co Director
The International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research
helena@alcoholforum4profs.org

Professor R Curtis Ellison co Director
The International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research
ellison@bu.edu

http://www.alcoholforum4profs.org
http://www.bu.edu/alcohol-forum
Tel UK: + 44 1300 320869

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Potentially important new mechanisms found anti-aging effects of resveratrol

CBS Unveils 'Anatomy of a Hit: CSI' Web Series (Exclusive Video)

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CBS is offering its fans a peek behind the scenes at CSI.

Beginning today, the network will unveil Anatomy of a TV Hit: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, a nine episode web series centered on the creation of the billion dollar franchise now in its 12th season.

PHOTOS: 17 New Shows Premiering in 2012

The episodes feature interviews with every major executive involved in the long-running series, from CBS’ Leslie Moonves and Nina Tassler to executive producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Carol Mendelsohn to former stars William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger.

The first episode, which clocks in at 10 minutes, provides first-person accounts of the series’ initial pitch to the network. Among the highlights is the show’s creator Anthony Zuiker recalling the pep talk producer Jonathan Littman gave him as he headed into the CBS offices to sell the forensic investigators concept.

STORY: 'CSI' Creator Recalls Casting Marg Helgenberger

“I remember being upset and depressed,” says Zuiker. “NBC and Fox didn’t want to see me and ABC already passed. Jonathan said if you don’t sell it here, it’s dead.”

Tassler and Moonves, too, use the platform to reflect on the early excitement surrounding the concept from a little-known writer. “You will not be disappointed,” was the convincing message Tassler remembers hearing from Littman. Twelve seasons later, she acknowledges the message proved exceedingly accurate. 

Later in episode one, Petersen recalls how his character was initially conceived with a very Jewish last name, an idea he was up for until Moonves stepped in. “Billy is a brilliant actor,” the CBS chief tells the cameras, “but you don’t think Jewish when you first see him.” 

The remaining episodes, which will roll out on Tuesdays and Thursdays on CBS.com between now and March 8, will focus on such topics as shooting the pilot, casting, special effects and production.

Here's a look at Anatomy of a Hit:

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CBS Unveils 'Anatomy of a Hit: CSI' Web Series (Exclusive Video)

Grey's Anatomy Redux: Love Is in the Air but Not for Every Doctor!

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WHAT WE LEARNED

Late for Love: It's taken eight seasons but we finally realize why the dating pool of our doctors is so small: not because they need to service the show's cast within the walls of Seattle Grace, it's because they are too busy to date out of the hospital! Fellow docs make very forgiving dates. Lucky for Bailey (Chandra Wilson), her hot doctor boyfriend understands the pressures of her job and makes the most romantic in hospital date right under the wire before they all turn into pumpkins! It's pretty cute seeing Bailey finally happy and not forever having to explain why she has to be at the hospital so much. Doctors for everyone!

Won't Beg: Behold the magic healing power of the boiler room. It's like that giant rhythmic fan has healing hypnosis powers. Just two sessions, some sincere tearful begging from Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen (Kevin McKidd) is feeling a bit more willing to forgive. We hope those crazy kids can work it out. But never willing to forgive is Teddy (Kim Raver). In fact we think Owen better watch out for a scalpel to the back. We get that she's still grieving, despite her protests, but wishing Owen died it Iraq? Harsh, dude. Way harsh.

Lexie's Exes: Who knew that sweet innocent Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), whose heart lives in her vagina, would have one of the more complicated love lives on Grey's? We must say she is persistent. That girl will not let a lack of a date and babysitting duties keep her down. Adorable little Zola was a perfect wing woman when Aunt Lexie showed up to "talk" to Mark (Eric Dane). Good thinking, use the baby as an excuse! Shame Mark was already having a romantic date with his bromance, Jackson (Jesse Williams). Or was this really most gorgeous threesome on Grey's ever? Don't pretend it didn't cross your mind.

Bonus Awww: Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona's (Jessica Capshaw) romantic date in Derek's trailer. Again: Awww. Do we really need to say anything else?

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Grey's Anatomy Redux: Love Is in the Air but Not for Every Doctor!

'Grey's Anatomy' recap: Love Is in the ER

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Consider it a Valentine’s Day miracle: Only one patient died on Grey’s Anatomy last night. And as we all know, that’s a pretty low body count for this sometimes horrific, unforgiving show. But why so little bloodletting? Well mostly because, as I said, it was Cupid’s Day, so on this latest new episode -- titled “All You Need Is Love” -- stayed true to its slug and was almost entirely focused on the relationships between the doctors of Seattle Grace.

I know, I know, you're asking: Isn’t Grey’s always relationship-focused? Why, yes, but it was even moreso last night, as most of the relationships on the show moved forward in some way, starting with Derek and Meredith, who -- channeling rabbits -- tried their best to have sex out of the way of Zola. Luckily, they finally got to make it happen, thanks to Lexie, who took the little tyke off their hands on Valentine’s Day evening.

Even Lexie -- who's not technically in a relationship right now -- saw her love life possibly take a giant leap forward. Much of this season we’ve watched as she danced around Mark, trying to decide if she still loves him and whether she should make some kind of move, despite him having a new girlfriend in Julia. Last night, Lexie got as close as she has, when she showed up at his place, Zola in tow, to try to tell him that she’s still in love with him. It’s unclear if she did say anything, but one thing was clear: Sloan seemed willing to listen to something, anything, from Lexie.

The boldness by Lexie was spurred largely by the case that she worked on that day with Webber. Yes -- however sadly -- she was working on the patient who died. At first, the case seemed like the most annoying thing ever: A mad girlfriend had chased her boyfriend to the point that he’d been hit by a car, after he didn’t propose to her on Valentine’s Day and instead gave her “another cheap necklace.” The disgusting, all-too-realistic, wedding-obsessed woman railed on at him, as he was being wheeled around the hospital. Eventually, he worsened, coded, and -- yes, very unfortunately -- died. And then came the bone-chilling part of the night that caused Lexie to run over to Mark’s: She found the “cheap necklace” the guy had given the girl in his things and inside the locket was hand-written, very simply, “Will you marry me?” Heart, dagger. Dagger, heart. Have you two met? Well, now you have.

Cristina and Owen were dealing with their own romantic woes, too. (Maybe “romantic” isn’t the right word for their issues, actually.) Cristina began the episode by telling Meredith that Owen was about to leave her. “And you know what?” she rattled on to Meredith, acting stronger than she was. “I don’t care. If he wants to leave, if he wants to hate me, then fine. I can’t make someone stay.” After that nightmare of a fight they had at Zola’s birthday party two episodes ago, the pair have been in a stand-off: Even a careening van of flowers that almost killed them couldn’t get them to care much for each other. “Are you okay? Are you sure?” Owen asked, before turning away, as if he didn’t care. Ouch.

NEXT: Altman unleashes on Owen

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'Grey's Anatomy' recap: Love Is in the ER

Grey's Anatomy Recap: "All You Need Is Love"

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Valentine's Day is a dangerous holiday at Seattle Grace.

Now that Cristina and Owen's issues have reached a boiling point on Grey's Anatomy, he's prepared to take the first steps towards ending their marriage by moving out. It also probably doesn't help that Owen tried to earn Teddy's forgiveness instead of Cristina's. Oh... and a car crashed through the ER!

Let's check out the top moments from this week's episode:

MerDer's sex issues: Because of baby Zola, Meredith and Derek are unable to find a place to make love in peace. They go so far as to try to have sex in the front of their car before they're interrupted by Lexie and, of course, Zola. Bummer.

Callie's big surprise: Callie has a surprise planned for Arizona this Valentine's Day. They're going... camping? First, though, Arizona and Mark play rock, paper, scissors to figure out who will be babysitting Sofia that night. After Mark loses, he enlists Jackson to baby sit. It turns out, Calzona aren't really camping. They're staying in Derek's trailer where Callie has filled the place with candles and made it very sensual and special for them. Sweet.

Owen's back in the boiler room: A great nod to the origins of Cristina and Owen's relationship, Owen stewed in his own pain amongst the hot air blowing through the room. Though Owen saved Cristina from a wayward car that drove through the ER, even the infamous makeout elevator was unable to help them reconcile as Owen told her that he plans to move out. Cristina later joins him in the boiler room and begs him to stay. Heartbreaking.

Lexie's hot date: After overhearing that Mark has big plans with Julia, Lexie pretends that she has a hot date that night... but her date is actually Zola, whom she'll be babysitting. Later joking to Webber, Lexie says, "I'm not hitting much of anything these days," before realizing how crass she sounded. When Julia stands Mark up, Jackson shows up to his place to make him dinner in exchange for helping him study for his boards. Under the guise that the babies can spend time together, Lexie brings Zola over to Mark's place so she can talk to him. Since Jackson is there, they never get the chance. Ho-hum.

Teddy's breaking point: After pointing out the Cris-Teddy-Owen issues to a resident during surgery, Owen attempts to get Teddy to join him for a drink at the bar. She finally goes off on him, screaming that she hates him and wishes he was dead instead of Henry. She tells him they're not friends anymore, and he shouldn't speak to her unless it's work related. Burn.

Reunited and it feels so good: After months of animosity, Meredith entices Bailey to spend Valentine's Day with her with a big box of chocolates and a juicy case. It's nice that they've finally put aside their issues. Lest Bailey miss her date with Ben, where he surprises her with a specially prepared meal at the hospital, Webber decides to stay and do an emergency surgery for her even though it's his anniversary. When he did go home to Adele, she didn't even recognize him. Ouch.

What did you think of this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy? Hit the comments with your thoughts.

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Valentine's Day is a dangerous holiday at Seattle Grace.

Now that Cristina and Owen's issues have reached a boiling point on Grey's Anatomy, he's prepared to take the first steps towards ending their marriage by moving out. It also probably doesn't help that Owen tried to earn Teddy's forgiveness instead of Cristina's. Oh... and a car crashed through the ER!

Let's check out the top moments from this week's episode: read more

Read the original:
Grey's Anatomy Recap: "All You Need Is Love"

Grey's Anatomy's Sandra Oh: Cristina and Owen Head to Couples Therapy!

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Sandra Oh

Grey's Anatomy's Cristina and Owen have seen tough times: A quickie marriage, bouts of PTSD, an abortion, Owen's omission about Henry. It all reached the breaking point last week in a devastating fight that, unfortunately for the couple, most of Seattle Grace overheard.

Grey's Anatomy Scoop: MerDer happiness, a Cristina-Owen explosion and the alt-reality

It may seem like Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen (Kevin McKidd) are moments away from divorce, but Sandra Oh tells TVGuide.com that they will make a real effort to mend the relationship starting Feb. 16, when the couple spends the entire episode with a therapist. "If you have ever been to couples therapy it's really, really challenging," Oh says, adding that she hopes the Owen-Cristina explosion does not spell the end of their marriage. "Every marriage has to go to a brink," she says. "Both of them are deeply hurt for their various reasons."

"You see a marriage in peril and we take our time exploring that quite honestly," Oh continues. "I'm extremely pleased with the storyline because a lot of times people get together, and break up or whatever, and it's fast. The writers are really taking their time to see when people are at loggerheads, and both sides of the argument can be understood. That's where it gets really, really tricky."

Get the exclusive details on the Grey's Anatomy-Private Practice crossover

The tension between the couple will also begin to affect Cristina's other relationships. Uncharacteristically, Cristina won't even turn to Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) for comfort.

Says Pompeo: "Cristina doesn't want her help. She's dealing with it solo and pushing Meredith away. Certainly, it's going to get worse before it gets better."

Check out a sneak peek of this week's Grey's Anatomy, which airs Thursday at 9/8c on ABC.

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Grey's Anatomy's Sandra Oh: Cristina and Owen Head to Couples Therapy!

Diagnosis and treatment of pericardial effusion

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G Ralph Corey, MD
Ralph Shabetai, MD

UpToDate performs a continuous review of over 375 journals and other resources. Updates are added as important new information is published. The literature review for version 15.1 is current through December 2006; this topic was last changed on January 10, 2007. The next version of UpToDate (15.2) will be released in June 2007.

INTRODUCTION ?€” Pericardial effusion can develop in patients with acute pericarditis or may be seen as an incidental and silent finding in a variety of systemic disorders. It may have important implications for prognosis (as in patients with intrathoracic neoplasm), for diagnosis (as in myopericarditis or acute pericarditis), or for both (as in dissection of the ascending aorta).

A general overview of the diagnosis and treatment of pericardial effusion will be presented here. Issues related to specific causes of pericardial effusion (eg, neoplasm, bacterial infection, tuberculosis, postmyocardial infarction) are discussed separately in the appropriate topic reviews. The evaluation and management of acute pericarditis is also discussed separately. (See "Evaluation and management of acute pericarditis") Read more...

AyurGold for Healthy Blood

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Willpower a non-profit organization:

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Hello UA students!
Please support Willpower a non-profit organization that fundraises for cancer research. Our organization generates funds by selling apparel at the UA bookstore.
Our inspiration: William Zarifi who passed away three years ago from a brain tumor at the age of 21. Despite his debilitating condition he never lost the willpower to continue the battle against cancer. This is the message we want to spread at the UA campus. We want to support children who are enduring this battle now.
Willpower is launching its new spring line Wednesday February 8th at the UA main bookstore. The proceeds will go to the Steele Children’s Research Center, which is part of The Diamond Children’s Center. You can bursar the merchandise! Friday February 10th is the last day to bursar so please make sure you stop by before the weekend.
Please help out and support a great cause. There will be more Willpower events throughout the semester so be on the look out! Thanks!
For more information you may contact
Monica Ruiz
Willpower Vice President
monicar2@email.arizona.edu

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