Venus Flytraps Need Protection From Poachers in North Carolina

Mele, Christopher. "Venus Flytraps Need Protection From Poachers in North Carolina." The New

York Times 28 Nov. 2016.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/28/us/venus-flytraps-poaching-north-carolina.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=4&pgtype=sectionfront

In “Venus Flytraps Need Protection From Poachers in North Carolina,” Christopher Mele explains that poachers have been trafficking in thousands of Venus flytraps stolen illegally from the wild and from gardens. The Venus flytrap only grows in the wild in an area of southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina. Conservationists are worried that the continued poaching of the plant could endanger the Venus fly trap and they estimate that only 35,000 of them remain in the wild. Sergeant Brandon W. Dean of the law enforcement division of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission explains, “We’ve got something very precious in the nation here. If we don’t do something now, it’s going to be extinct.” Mele discusses the measures being taken by the state of North Carolina in an effort to limit the poaching of the plant. The theft of flytraps growing in the wild was upgraded from a misdemeanor to a felony punishable by jail time and the seizure of one plant is now considered an individual crime. However, the author points out that officials have admitted that it is too early to tell if the harsh penalties have contributed to a decrease in thefts. He also describes the difficulties in catching and convicting the poachers. Christopher Mele explains that the dense woods and bogs are difficult for officials to patrol and that it is hard to prove if Venus flytraps were harvested illegally.

This article is significant to society because it describes the dangers that the Venus flytraps are facing in the wilderness of North Carolina. For residents of the area, it informs them of the important issue that is happening in their own backyards. In this way, they can be aware of the poaching and its serious repercussions to the plant. They can also report any theft or suspicious behaviour to the authorities in order to preserve the biodiversity of their state. For readers outside of the area, this article teaches them that the Venus flytrap is in danger of becoming an endangered species. They can then avoid purchasing the plant, especially if it is being sold from a roadside or over the internet because then it was probably stolen. “Venus Flytraps Need Protection From Poachers in North Carolina” also details the fight to preserve biodiversity in species throughout the world which can help readers understand the importance of saving certain species of plants and animals from extinction.

Christopher Mele wrote an thorough and informative article about the poaching that the Venus flytraps of North Carolina are facing. Mele described the plant and it’s history within the state including the fact that it was named the official state carnivorous plant in order to provide background information for the reader and help them understand the plant. He did an excellent job of explaining how the poachers acquire the flytraps and even took it a step further to discuss why the poachers have been stealing them. He explains that some people believe it’s because of the possible health benefits of the plant and some people purchase the Venus flytrap because it is unique and fascinating. He covered many different angles of this issue, but he could have delved deeper into the motives behind the poachers and the people who are purchasing the plants. Mele also could have explained how the conservationists are approaching the issue of preserving the Venus flytrap.

Could Toothpaste Give Heart Disease the Brush-off?

Allison Barker

Current Event Review

AP Biology

Hulick, Kathryn. "Could Toothpaste Give Heart Disease the Brush-off?" Science News for

Students. N.p., 23 Nov. 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.

<https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/could-toothpaste-give-heart-disease-brush>.

The article that I read, “Could Toothpaste Give Heart Disease the Brush-off?” by Kathryn Hulick, describes a study in which 61 men and women between the ages of 19 and 44 were split into two groups, one which used regular toothpaste and one which used a toothpaste that turns the plaque on teeth green, in order to see if the new toothpaste had an effect on the amount of plaque in the mouths of the subjects. Both groups followed the same teeth-brushing instructions for 60 days, and at the end of two months, the group that had used the new plaque-dying toothpaste had removed twice as much plaque as the other group. As a buildup of plaque is thought to lead to other, more severe problems, this new toothpaste could prove very helpful. Further, the researchers then measured the levels of C-reactive protein, or CRP, in the blood of the subjects. CRP is an indicator of inflammation, so lower CRP levels would mean less inflammation in the body. Inflammation is dangerous, and excessive inflammation can point to health conditions such as obesity. The combination of a fat buildup in the arteries and inflammation can lead to a higher risk of heart disease. Among the patients who had used the special plaque-dying toothpaste, CRP levels had dropped 20%. However, among the patients who had been brushing with regular toothpaste, CRP levels, and therefore inflammation levels, had actually risen. This study suggests that there might be a link between eliminating plaque using the special toothpaste, thereby reducing inflammation in the gums, and lowering inflammation throughout the body, although researchers cannot be sure without further examination.

The results of this study are extremely important to society. In the current age, people, especially teenagers, are less active and more overweight than they used to be, and this can lead to much higher rates of heart disease. If there were a way to help protect the body against such a dangerous ailment, especially if it was as easy as brushing your teeth with a certain product, that would be a major step forward and would be accessible to everyone, as toothpaste is more affordable than medicine. Further, an increased focus on heart disease prevention would benefit people by raising awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. A toothpaste that protects against heart disease would serve as a reminder to people that they need to treat their bodies with care.

I enjoyed this article because I found it very informative. I had known that plaque was linked to heart disease, but I had never been able to understand how the two were linked. Learning that plaque causes gum inflammation was valuable to me for this reason. I also liked that the author was very clear about the uncertainty of the results of the study while also being optimistic about what these new findings could mean for the future. I appreciated that the author included details about further steps that the researchers were planning to take. However, one thing that I did not like about the article was the lack of depth in the description of the study. There are many ways that an experiment can be designed, and some of them can lead to misleading results. Therefore, I would like to have been told how the participants were selected and how they were assigned to groups. Overall, though, this article taught me about the importance of brushing teeth, a task which many often find mundane.

The Race for a Zika Vaccine

Sarah Billings November 27, 2016

Current Event 9 AP Biology D even

Thomas, Katie. "The Race for a Zika Vaccine." The New York Times. The New York Times, 19 Nov. 2016. Web. 27 Nov. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/business/testing-the-limits-of-biotech-in-the-race-for-a-zika-vaccine.html?action=click&contentCollection=health&module=NextInCollection®ion=Footer&pgtype=article&version=newsevent&rref=collection%2Fnews-event%2Fzika-virus>.

In the New York Times article “The Race for a Zika Vaccine,” Katie Thomas talks about how as the Zika Virus continues to affect so many people in the Americas, the search for a cure is making immense progress. Normally, a vaccine could take around a decade or so to be developed. However, due to the involvement of so many companies and government organizations in the research process, scientists predict that a cure could be found as early as 2018. One of the biggest helpers in this process has been the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research led by Dr. Fauci, who has been a part of solving every major disease since the 1980s. With this disease, he confidently describes how “most of us in the field feel that we will get a vaccine for Zika...So it’s really a question of what’s the best one, how quickly can you get it, is it safe, and is it scalable?” (Thomas 2016). These have been the basic considerations of scientists as they hunt for a cure. Some of the options they’ve been working on include using the killed vaccine, in which a dead virus is injected into the body. The body then builds its defense against the virus in a way that also protects against the live version. Another proven-quicker method involves instituting a harmless piece of the virus’s DNA, which would then tell the human DNA to make zika proteins, forcing the human body to create antibodies to fight them off. While both the options seem promising, they are still mostly untested on humans. As of now, researchers and scientists continue testing, hoping to find an answer soon.  

As Vika is a virus that has affected over 70 countries so far and caused thousands of birth defects, the creation of this vaccine would be incredibly important to society. While it’s good to know that there is a high chance of finding a cure, this article serves as a reminder that this virus is still out there and causing problems for many places not too far away. Without a cure, this virus could potentially spread to our own neighborhood and affect us, as well as any friends or family exposed. It is especially important for us in a wealthier neighborhood of the U.S to be aware of this ongoing problem because, as the article points out, so much of the funding that’s helping this research is coming from the wealthy people and governments who can afford vaccination campaigns. On a more personal level, I had always been interested, as well as horrified, by the Vika virus, so it was encouraging to hear that they were making progress.    

After reading this article, I thought the level of detail and explanation was really good, especially for someone who might not know that much about the topic. Topics, such as the different forms of viruses and methods to treat them were discussed and explained thoroughly so it would be clear to anyone reading, not just someone science-inclined. The article also included many credible sources, such as the National Institute of Health and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which backed up that what the author was saying was very legitimate. The only aspect that could use some improvement was the length of the article, as it was very long and included some stories or quotes that weren’t really necessary. However, it was overall a really good article and very interesting to read.  

Trump Has Options for Undoing Obama’s Climate Legacy

Fountain, Henry, and Erica Goode. "Trump Has Options for Undoing Obama’s Climate Legacy." The New

York Times. The New York Times, 25 Nov. 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/science/donald-trump-obama-climate.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=9&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0>.

The article that I read for this current event talks about Donald Trump’s plans to undue all of the environmental laws and regulations put in place in the past decades. The author of the article states that Trump plans to get rid of the Clean Power Plan, which regulates the emissions from power plants. Donald Trump believes that climate change is a hoax, although he now claims that he sees how it could be possible, and has also made remarks towards pulling out of the Paris climate accord. It will be challenging for Trump to undo some things like withdrawing from the Paris accord, but others will be easy to undo such as the United Nations- backed program to reduce the environmental impact on international air travel, which will not be put in place until the year 2020. It is unclear whether Trump will actually do the things that he said he will, but many people who are part of his transitional team are known non believers in climate change.

This will obviously have a huge impact on society if Trump does follow through with his plans to undo all of these regulations and future plans to tackle this issue of climate change. There is so much evidence of our effect on the climate and if all of these regulations are taken out of the picture, it is likely that climate change will increase rapidly and be detrimental to our world even sooner than expected. We should be moving in the direction of creating more regulation instead of getting rid of regulation.

The author of this article did a good job of explaining the different plans that Trump claims to have to reduce the rules and regulations to end climate change. He explained clearly how Trump most likely will not be able to get rid of these regulations without a huge revolt from environmental activists, democrats, and most likely republicans as well. The author did a good job explaining everything clearly and thoroughly, making it an easy read for anyone who stumbles upon the article. I think the author could have mentioned more about how undoing these regulations would hurt our environment and he also could have given an opinion on whether he believes Trump will follow through with these plans, considering how he seems to change what he believes often. Overall, this was a very informative article and gives good information on what Donald Trump might do to harm our environment, which we should all be aware of.

Could Human-pig Hybrid Organs Help Patients?

Alex Swenson                                     11/17/16

AP Bio                                       Current Events

Imam, Jareen. "Could Human-pig Hybrid Organs Help Patients?" CNN. Cable News Network,

n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.

<http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/09/health/human-organs-chimera-irpt/index.html>.

I read Jareen Imam’s article about how human organs bread in pigs can help to save lives. I article opens by explaining that there is a worldwide organ shortage. This is a major problem as the FDA estimates that 22 people per day die as a result of not being able to get the proper organs. To begin her article, she describes the research being done at UC - Irvine. There, the scientists are working to breed human organs in pigs. To start, the scientists then proceed to knock out sections of pig DNA so that the human DNA can be inserted into that place. For example, scientists to make a human pancreas in a pig would theoretically knock out the section of pig DNA which tells it to make a pig pancreas and replace it with the human DNA to make a human pancreas instead. She then explains that by putting human stem cells into the embryo of a pig they can grow human organs inside of the pigs. Currently, this study is in an ethical corner. Their research is not being supported by the US national institute of health because of the fear that the stem cells will possibly make a human brain and make a pig-human mutant. They then explain that the animal could think human thoughts to the process which they deemed cruel and unethical.

    This article was very important in explaining how scientific breakthroughs are limited by what is ethical or not. For example, in 2010, Japanese scientist Hiromitsu Nakauchi, who is now a stem cell biologist at Stanford University, was able to grow a rat pancreas inside a mouse. The science community deemed this to be ethical as it was rats and mice and did not involve humans. The debate between what is ethical and what is not has been a question is the science community for a very long time and this article helps to highlight that argument.

    Overall this was a very well written article. The author used language that was easily understandable. Also, she kept her explanations about the science quite broad so readers could easily grasp the information she was trying to explain. She also had a great counter argument to the argument about ethics. But, I felt that she could have wrote more about the ethics argument as that was quite interesting. In all, this was a well written article that helped to explain an advancement in medicine.
posted for A. Swenson

University of Oxford. "Scientists uncover genetic evidence that 'we are what we eat'." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 November 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161115111720.htm>.

In the article, “Scientists uncover genetic evidence that ‘we are what we eat”. A study done at Oxford University is discussed. Within this study, researchers selected two different parasites,  eukaryotic parasites and bacterial parasites, in order to test their hypothesis that “ the composition of this food could alter an organism's DNA.” They found that these two parasites, who infected very different host and consumed different foods, had DNA which reflected that. Low-nitrogen, high-sugar diets resulted in more nitrogen in the DNA sequence then vice versa. This discovery was a huge breakthrough in the study of metabolism and evolution as it has finally answered the question to why two closely related species can have such different DNA. The researchers have now advanced their study to test more complex organisms to see if this same conclusion holds true.  

This study is greatly applicable to society and even our own lives as based on further studies, this concept could be applied to human genetics. The idea that the food we consume can actually affect our DNA could be useful in many medical study regarding different diseases or other issues. The co-author Emily Seward concluded that  their study “provides evidence that we really are what we eat.” This idea is definitely applicable to our modern world especially considered the bounds of processed food and GMO’s we consume. Now that we’ve learned food can be a factor in more than just your health, but your actual genetic makeup, we may have to raise some questions about the effects of the products we are eating.

I thought the author of this article did a decent job, but there were definitely areas they could have improved upon. For instance, I feel as though a majority of this piece was quoting the researcher from the study. While it was interesting to learn about this, I felt he only really scratched the surface. It would have been interesting if he brought in outside sources and compared this to other research or really analyzed the impact of these findings. There was definitely a lot that the author could have added, but regardless I learned about a very interesting new concept and noticed i was drawn by the topic.

A Dinosaur With a Beak and Feathers Unearthed in China

Chang, Kenneth. "A Dinosaur With a Beak and Feathers Unearthed in China." The New York Times. The New York Times, 10 Nov. 2016. Web. 17 Nov. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/11/science/dinosaur-mud-dragon.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Ftrilobites&_r=0>.

I read Kenneth Chang’s article, “A Dinosaur With a Beak and Feathers Unearthed in China.” The article begins by describing the newfound creature: donkey-sized, feathered, and unable to fly. This creature is known as the Tongtianlong limosus and lived during the final 15 million years of dinosaur existence. They belong to a group of dinosaurs called the oviraptorosaurs and closely resemble birds. This new species was found in the region of Ganzhou four years ago during the construction of a school. Due to the strange posture the fossil found in, scientists believe that the animal had become trapped in a quagmire and had died trying to pull itself out. The feathers found on the Tongtianlong show the sharing of a common ancestor between the creature and many birds. The creature is not believed to have been a meat-eater, rather its diet consisted of plants, nuts, insects, small animals or mollusks. The large differences between the six oviraptorosaurs found suggest a rapid evolution of dinosaurs around this time. The body forms of all six species are very different although they all come from southern China. The article concludes by warning the reader that is still hard to draw conclusions from the fossils because the exact timeline is unknown.

The article was important because it helps us learn more about dinosaurs and evolution. Studying the Tongtianlong can give scientists a better idea of how oviraptorosaurs were related to one another. The article also provides evidence against a very common belief that dinosaurs were in decline long before they became extinct 66 million years ago. The fossil shows forms of oviraptorosaurs to have fairly different body forms which would prove there to be a rapid evolution shortly before the dinosaurs went extinct and would refute the common belief by many. This article also helps to expand scientists knowledge on dinosaurs and the reasons they went extinct.

I found this article extremely interesting and well-written. For me, it was interesting because I have always found dinosaurs interesting. Also, this was the first dinosaur I heard of having feathers which was fascinating. To improve this article, the author could have described some terms that may have been confusing to the general audience. For example, he could have described what a quagmire was to make the article easier to follow. Also, he could have included more facts about the fossil itself to make the finding more relevant to the article. Overall, I liked how the author discussed a topic not widely debated today. I also liked the upbeat, positive tone the article took.

In Canada, a Direct Link Between Fracking and Earthquakes

Fountain, Henry. "In Canada, a Direct Link Between Fracking and Earthquakes." The New York Times. The New York Times, 17 Nov. 2016. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.  http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/science/fracking-earthquakes-alberta-canada.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0 

Many opposers to fracking state that the process can lead to an earthquake.  Scientists say that these kinds of earthquakes are not common in the United States, but are common in Canada.  Canada has had many earthquakes within the past five years that have been due to either fracking or hydraulic fracturing.  Hydraulic fracturing is when "water, chemicals, and sand are injected at high pressure into a well drilled in a shale formation to break up the rock and release oil and gas".  Scientists that studied the earthquakes said that the earthquakes occurred because of the increase in pressure during the fracking, and the changes in pressure from the remaining fluid after.  Most of the recent earthquakes that have happened in the U.S. were because of the burial of wastewater from oil and gas wells, not fracking.  When wastewater is injected into disposal wells, and flows into the rock, it can cause an earthquake.  This is because the pressure changes in the formation will change the balance in the fault zone.   In Alberta, however, where the earthquakes were occurring, the scientists had found links between the earthquakes and fracking, not wastewater injection.  Dr. Eaton and Xuewei Bao, studied the seismic data from Alberta, and found that to the east of the fault zone, earthquakes occurred during the tracking process.  To the west, most the earthquakes occurred after the fracking ended.  From this, they found out that in the east, shocks were traveling into rock formations and changing the stress patterns.  In the west, the fracking fluid stayed underground and could possibly lead to more earthquakes.  Scientists are conducting more research to find out why Alberta has different reactions to fracking than the United States.         

This article is very relevant to society today.  Fracking is a debated topic all over the world and it is important to realize that scientists are looking at all the positives and negatives that come from it and are also looking at the connecting between fracking and earthquakes.  It is interesting that parts of the U.S. and Canada respond differently to fracking.  Also it's interesting that scientists believe that the U.S. earthquakes are from wastewater injections and the Canada earthquakes are from fracking.  This topic affects a lot of people and it's good that scientists are studying it.    

This article was very well written.  I like how the author explained the information in a sophisticated and brief way.   I also found it interesting that the author kept connecting the information back to the United States so readers could see how fracking in Canada is different than fracking the U.S.  Although some parts were confusing and hard to read.  The author said scientists are conducting more research to see why Alberta reacts differently, but it would have been nice to read how and what they were going to do to research.     

Cryptid Project Prototypes

Earlier in the year in the beginning of September after completing the Ecology unit over the summer, AP Biology students were asked to research a cryptid  (imaginary/mythical) organism and prepare a Pokeman-like card that described and classified the organism based on the biome in which it would have lived, the niche it would fit within that biome, its place in the food chain etc. These are links to the prototypes they prepared and discussed in class. In our last class meeting before the Thanksgiving recess, the students will be presenting and explaining their final cards.

Mermaid - Sophia A.

Kracken - Connor B.

Yeti - Edward C. 

Chupacabra - Evelyn K. 

Akkorokamui - Isabela L.

Akkorokamui data

Yeti KiKi S.

Werewolves - Emily S.

Mokele Mbembe - Allison B.

Griffin - Sarah B.

Hobbits - Eva C.

Fairies - Nan C.

Vampire - Isabel C.

Yeti - George D. 

Sirens - Sophia D. 

Siren data

Centaurs - Margaux

Pegasus - Patricia H.

Jersey Devil - Brian K.

Jersey Devil Data

Bigfoot - Delfina M.

Dragon - Margaret M.

Ogopogo - Chloe P.

Kraken - Alexander P.

Kappa - Charlotte P.

Altamaha-ha - Margot R.

Man Eating Tree - Alex S

Mermaid - Hannah W.

Ebola Evolved Into Deadlier Enemy During the African Epidemic

Maggie McKelvy

11/7/16

AP Bio D Even

Zimmer, Carl. "Ebola Evolved Into Deadlier Enemy During the African Epidemic." The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 3 Nov. 2016. Web. 7 Nov. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/04/science/ebola-evolution-african-epidemic.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=10&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0>.

In 2014, West Africa was struck with the most deadly ebola outbreak in history. The virus claimed over eleven thousand lives, and the ease of the virus’s spreading has been attributed to the area’s mobile population, poor public health systems, and hazardous burial practices. However, two new studies have shown that a genetic mutation may have played a role in the virus’s ability to spread to humans. One team analyzed 1,489 Ebola genomes and traced the virus’s evolution throughout the outbreak. They showed that a mutation, called GPA82V, arose just as the outbreak began to explode in April. According to the article, “The GPA82V mutation alters the gene that directs production of Ebola’s surface proteins, called glycoproteins. The tips of these proteins contact human host cells, opening a passageway by which the virus enters.” The researchers conducted studies on the mutated gene and found that it made the virus much more effective at attacking human cells, but did not improve the attack on bat, dog, or cat cells. This shows that the virus is adapting to its new primary host— humans (Ebola is originally from bats). Another study analyzed 1,610 Ebola genomes and arrived at the same conclusion regarding GPA82V as the first study. This study also found that people infected with the mutated Ebola were much more likely to die than those who were infected with the original disease. Both studies predict a high level of probability of another outbreak of Ebola in the future.

These studies are extremely relevant to society because of the public health crisis that mutated diseases pose to us. People were panicked over the Ebola crisis two years ago, and finding out that the virus is able to mutate and become more deadly will be very distressing to some. It is also tragic for the people of West Africa, who can expect to face another outbreak of the horrific disease in the near future. These discoveries also impact the development of a vaccine for Ebola, a project many researchers have embarked on to save thousands of lives in the region that is affected by the disease and to quell western panic over the recent Ebola outbreak. While it is obviously not a groundbreaking discovery that viruses can mutate, it is quite relevant that Ebola has begun to mutate in favor of infecting humans instead of animals.

Although this article was informative and well written, it would have been nice for the author to explain how a virus becomes mutated. I also would have liked the author to explain the implications of the GPA82V mutation, especially in terms of developing a vaccine for Ebola. Finally, the author could have used examples of other viruses mutating in the past to give the reader an idea of the commonalty of virus mutations and the implications of such a scenario.

Putting Sugary Soda Out of Reach

Alexander Plaza

11/7/16

AP Biology

Mr. Ippolito D Block Even

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/08/well/eat/putting-sugary-soda-out-of-reach.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&action=click&contentCollection=health&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

O'connor, Anahad. "Putting Sugary Soda Out of Reach." The New York Times. The New York Times, 03 Nov. 2016. Web. 07 Nov. 2016.

The article I read, "Putting Sugary Soda Out of Reach.", by Anahad O'connor, discusses  a recent study on University of California San Francisco employees whose consumption of sugary drinks stopped. The institution took all sugary soft drinks away from campus stores and studied the effects on the employees. The study showed a significant drop of soda consumption with all participants. The study comes during a time where many states are considering taxing sugary drinks to discourage people from buying the drinks. The World Health Organization is even urging “countries around the world to impose a tax on sugary drinks, presenting research that showed just a 20 percent increase in soda prices would result in a proportionate reduction in their consumption”. The soda industry is understandably fighting back pointing out that the obesity rate continues to rise even with the decline of sugary drink consumption. The full effects on health of the study are yet to be seen.

This study is a step in the right direction in the fight against obesity. Obesity is a very large problem within this country and the precedent set by the university will most likely spur many other colleges to follow. It will be interesting to see the possible increase in regulation of sugary drinks because taxes and bans may become a reality in the not so distant future. It will affect many citizens within the United States, regardless of health.

Overall, I felt this article did a good job of raising awareness for this topic. The article explains the study well and goes on to describe similar arguments within the subject of sugary drinks. I believe that the article is somewhat misleading since it is published before the full effects of the ban on sugary drinks are found. It would be better to publish this article after the results of the study were determined.

Smog Chokes Delhi, Leaving Residents 'Cowering by Our Air Purifiers

For Evelyn - 

Evelyn Kluemper

11/8/16

AP Biology C-Odd

Barry, Ellen. "Smog Chokes Delhi, Leaving Residents 'Cowering by Our Air Purifiers'" The New York Times. N.p., 7 Nov. 2016. Web.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/08/world/asia/india-delhi-smog.html

Recently, New Delhi has been experiencing dangerous levels of smog in the air.  The city is home to 20 million residents who are distressed from the high levels of pollutants in the air.  The peak of the smog was the previous weekend, in which the level of concentration of pollutants in the air, or PM 2.5, reached 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter, which is sixteen times what is considered safe by India’s government.  The government has taken action for emergency response, including “a 10-day closure of a power plant and a three-day closure of about 1,800 public schools”.  New Delhi’s airborne pollutants come from burning trash and crops, driving vehicles, and mass construction.

Having spent time this past summer in Beijing, I have seen the impact of smog in major cities.  Developing countries, such as India and China, are likely industrialize at a pace that is too rapid and experience high levels of pollution.  It is difficult for people to breathe and the government works tirelessly to dissipate the smog.

The article was alarming and very interesting to read.  Most of the article were quotations by experts or those living in New Delhi.  Both bring attention to the crisis that New Delhi is in and the severe impact it has on the health of the people.  The article would have been more interesting to list further ways the government can take action to make long-term change.

Lifesaving Cancer Drugs May in Rare Cases Threaten the Heart

Grady, Denise. "Lifesaving Cancer Drugs May in Rare Cases Threaten the Heart." New York Times. N.p., 2 Nov. 2016. Web. 5 Nov. 2016.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/03/health/cancer-drugs-heart-risks.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=sectionfront

The article I choose to review was about how powerful drugs that activate the immune system to fight cancer can, in rare cases, cause heart damage. These drugs, Yervoy, Opdivo, Keytruda and Tecentriq, also known as checkpoint inhibitors, have been found to be the cause of the death of some cancer patients. So far, fewer than 1 percent of patients taking these medicines have developed heart trouble. But in those who do, the damage is often severe, as they provoke the immune system to attack the heart. The risk appears highest when patients take two different checkpoint inhibitors at once. The first checkpoint inhibitor was approved in 2011. The drugs work by unleashing T-cells, a type of white blood cell that kill cancer. Sometimes, the T-cells attack healthy tissue. It is a known fact and doctors have known for years that the drugs can have dangerous side effects. However, the cardiac problems have taken longer to emerge, thus it is a new problem that has just been discovered. The irony is that the drugs, a form of immunotherapy, are considered a huge breakthrough in cancer treatment. Although they do not work for everyone, they have resulted in lasting remissions for many, including people who were expected to die from advanced cancer. In these cardiac problems, through autopsies, it has been found that the patients’ immune systems had attacked their hearts, rejecting them as if they were transplants. Dr. Michael B. Atkins, the deputy director of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, said that the rapid onset of heart problems was “alarming.” On the other hand, Dr. Atkins thinks that it could be possible to save patients who develop this heart problem by intervening early with powerful drugs to shut down the inflammation. However, these drugs that stop inflammation work by turning off the immune response, which could cancel out any benefit from the checkpoint inhibitors. That would leave patients where they started, with the cancer.

This information about how dangerous these checkpoint drugs can be is very important to not only the medical world but to patients and people all over the world. For the medical world, this new discovery is extremely important as they need to research and find solutions for this alarming problem. In fact, as stated in the article, studies have already started, trying to find the best way to stop this problem. This information is also very important to patients as it is always good to inform yourselves about the drugs that you are taking and what doctors are telling you to do. It is important to realize that nothing and nobody is perfect, just because a person is a doctor doesn’t mean that he is right and just because a drug is said to be revolutionary, doesn’t mean it will work for you. This article shows how most of the time we don’t know much about the drugs we create. Their emergent properties can be disastrous, even fatal in the case of the checkpoint drugs.

Overall this article was well written and interesting. The author had a great flow to the article and a thorough explanation of the consequences of the checkpoint drugs. In addition, a great asset to her article were the numerous quotes and reference to various doctors she put in. These gave the readers many different opinions and details about this problem, so that they could formulate their own opinion about the topic. However, one weakness of the article is that it failed to state what exactly the checkpoint drugs are made out of and how they are created. Although it did state that the first one was approved in 2011, it did not elaborate on the subject. To make this article better I would add a paragraph that elaborates on the checkpoint drugs. On the whole, this article taught me about something I had no idea about and helped me gain a new perspective on the consequences of using drugs.

City dolphins get a boost from better protection and cleaner waters by Sarah Zielinski

Zielinski, Sarah. "City Dolphins Get a Boost from Better Protection and Cleaner Waters." Science News. N.p., 03 Nov. 2016. Web. 04 Nov. 2016.

The bottlenose dolphin, a common-type of aquatic mammal, is a highly intelligent creature. Fascinatingly these intelligent animals have learned to adapt into living alongside our ever increasingly industrialized world. In particular the bottlenose dolphins  of the Port River estuary near Adelaide, Australia can be seen swimming and frolicing alongside power stations, factories, and other signs of human habitation. Although a fascinating observation, this has not always been the case. Even since European settlement in 1857 bottlenose dolphins have become increasingly rare. According to the article, “For much of the 20th century, there were no dolphin sightings in the inner estuary” and as industry increased dolphin populations have decreased. However, there is new hope as conservation efforts have allowed the previously uninhabitable estuary to turn back into a habitable one. “The future of these dolphins would appear to be as secure as any population of any species can be in this era of climate change,” says the study’s lead author, Mike Bossley of Whale and Dolphin Conservation Australasia in Port Adelaide, who has studied the area’s dolphins for 25 years. As the city of Adelaide grew, Port River grew to become an unfriendly place for marine wildlife. As people cleared away the marshes and mangroves and replaced them with factories and pruned sewage into the estuary, the ecosystem was severely disrupted. As a matter of fact from 1940 to 1980 there was not even one single dolphin sighting indicating that the mammals took quite a hit. In addition to population, the dolphins faced many threats when entering the Port River including boat strikes, infections, entanglement with nets and other marine trash and even deliberate attacks. In an effort to help end these problems or at least lessen them the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary established by law in 2005. This law set aside a small patch of river for the resident dolphin population and established resources for public education about the dolphins. And over the last few decades, this law has been working and water quality has improved as some of the least environmentally friendly activities (sulfuric acid production, salt evaporation and coal-fired power production) have ended or at least decreased in prevalence.

This article, although seemingly about just one small group of dolphins all the way in Australia, has an environmental significance that stretches all the way to here in America. The actions taken by Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary and the emphasis on teaching the public about the environment are all broad discoveries that impact the scientific community. We can all now realize, from this article, that “knowledge is power”, especially in regard to the conservation of dolphins, and even more broadly, our planet. As people learn more, the more they care. Even here in Bronxville this is evident For example, the Bronx River project I am investigating is not just experiments, but instead has become a teaching opportunity and learning opportunity to the community. Already we have traveled to the fifth grade classrooms and taught them about  what and why they should care about the water quality of the river. It is paramount that we inform the public so they can take proper action, in whatever the cause, and truly make a difference. This seemingly random article is in reality a lesson about how we should treat global warming as well. Even now many doubt its reality. However, if one knows the facts and figures there is no way to dispute it. Thus, if we can educated those disbelievers we may have a planet that is finally moving toward a better solution for the warming climate.

The author of this article, Sarah Zielinski, overall wrote a wonderful piece. In particular, Zielinski did an excellent job presenting her information in a clear and comprehensible way. She provided a great deal of background and even the history of the city of Adelaide that all helped enhance her article and intrigue even the not so science-minded individual. In addition, her citation of statistics and studies was very impressive. Her citation of the aforementioned gave her credibility and demonstrated her knowledge as well as intrigue in the topic. However, there were a few things on which Zielinski could improve. For example, I felt as if I was reading a scientific paper while reading this article. And, well this style is preferable for an article being published in the journal Nature, I feel this sort of style fell short in the journalistic area of appealing to everyone, even those not experienced in the specific situation. Additionally, I think Zielinski could have elaborated more on why this discovery of the beneficial sanctuary's public education efforts is so important to the world. Essentially Zielinski seemed to simply state the facts, and although she did this well she failed to write a proper article that was more interesting than just the simply findings, to read.

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