In Fragmented Forests, Rapid Mammal Extinctions

After the construction of a dam across the Khlong Saeng river in Thailand in 1987, a 60 square-mile reservoir was formed that transformed 150 forested hilltops into isolated islands that were all very unique. Since the creation of these islands, Dr. Luke Gibson from the University of Singapore has been tracking the diversity of mammals on the islands. His reports show that the extinction of mammals has been happening distressingly fast. Studies show that when tropical forests are regularly cleared, n most cases, only original tree cover is reduced to isolated patches and of the original species of plants and animals may still survive in those fragments, but they experience new stresses. The original species will eventually become extinct, however, extinction should not happen at the rapid rate that it did on these islands. When Dr. Gibson returned to the islands in 2012, he found only one species, the Malayan field rat. This discovery was startling for two reasons—one was the drastic change in diversity, and the second was the Malayan field rat wasn't on the islands when they first formed. Dr. Gibson concluded that the small size of the island forest make them vulnerable to invasion, the rats found the fragmented forests that they could dominate. This shows that the fast pace extinction of the forest fragments gives urgency to preserving the large forests to eliminate this rapid of extinction and domination by a single species.

As our world progresses it is very important that we take the environment into account. Dr. Gibson, mentioned in this article regarding the rapid extinction he discovered, “Our results should be a warning, this is the trend that the world is going in.” With the world becoming more advanced technologically, it is common for structures (like the dam mentioned in this article) to be built as a way to work around natural structures and habitats to meet the needs of humans. However, this is not what is best for our environment. This article explicitly shows that working around our environment like this will eventually hurt us, and it may hurt us sooner than we think. Therefore, it is important that we act against things that will fragment forests, and work towards conservation of natural habitats, or we soon may see extinction so vast that would ultimately destroy our environment.

Overall, I think this article addresses many interesting and important points. The topics that it discusses are important for readers to understand to help start movements towards the conservation of nature. I think the article was very easy to read and effectively conveyed its point thoroughly. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of what happened to the islands because it gave me a real understanding of what a “fragmented forest” was and how it could be harmful. Moreover, the inclusion of quotes from notable scientists and the inclusion of viable evidence made this article very notable. Overall, I really enjoyed this article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/27/science/in-fragmented-forests-rapid-mammal-extinctions.html?ref=science&_r=0

Zimmer, Carl. "In Fragmented Forests, Rapid Mammal Extinctions." New York Times. The New York Times, 26 Sept. 2013. Web. 27 Sept. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/27/science/in-fragmented-forests-rapid-mammal-extinctions.html?ref=science&_r=0>.

Water Property Projects

The AP Biology students were given the task to produce a presentation examining the properties f water and how these unique properties contribute to life, as we know it, on Earth.

Abukhadra_Sabine_300439_first Quarter Project Properties of Water by Charles Ippolito

Alberghine Briana 11100106 Newsletter by Charles Ippolito

Austi_Paul_11100304_AP Bio Properties of Water by Charles Ippolito

Brashear_Blake_101060_Properties of Water First Quarter Project by Charles Ippolito

Briskin_Lilia_11100114_First Quarter Project (Water) WORD by Charles Ippolito

Cory Caroline 11100329 Properties of Water by Charles Ippolito

Dutton Jesse 11100342 AP Bio Water Project by Charles Ippolito

Donohue James 101038 Water Project by Charles Ippolito

Drygulski Matthew 200632 PropertiesofWater by Charles Ippolito

Giangola Nicole 11100139 Biology Quarter 1 Project by Charles Ippolito

Hutchinson William 300542 AP Bio Water Powerpoint by Charles Ippolito

Kwok Sally 300508 Water Project by Charles Ippolito

Louka_Giannis_11100163_AP BIO Properties of Water Presentation by Charles Ippolito

Marshall Page 11100376 Properties of Water by Charles Ippolito

Saralegui_Jackie_11100400_AP Bio Properties of Water Project by Charles Ippolito

C. Simon and A. Roesser built a website follow this link to see it.......
 C. Simon and A. Roesser's Web Site

M. Taylor Built a web site follow this link to see it.....
M. Taylor's Water Properties Web Site

Stoeffhaas William 200664 Bio Water Project by Charles Ippolito

Walter-McNeill Andrew 200603 AP Bio by Charles Ippolito

Weir Elise 101107 Properties and Phenomenas of Water by Charles Ippolito

Welch Christian 200116 Properties of Water by Charles Ippolito

Genetic Map Developed Linking Complex Diseases

Paul Austi

University of Chicago Medical Center. "Genetic map developed linking complex diseases." ScienceDaily, 26 Sep. 2013. Web. 29 Sep. 2013.

The article “Genetic Map Developed Linking Complex Diseases” discusses a breakthrough in the study of genetic causes of complex diseases and how these diseases can be related to one another. Although heavily studied in the science world, the specific genetic causes of “complex diseases” are largely unknown due to byzantine genetic and environmental interactions. Some examples that fall into the category of “complex diseases” are diabetes, autism, and heart disease. However, recently at the University of Chicago, a group of scientists have created one of the most expansive analyses of the genetic factors in complex diseases. They were able to do this by using diseases with known genetic causes to guide them. The finishing project was a unique genetic map that has the potential to guide researchers in diagnosing, identifying risk factors, and someday maybe even developing therapies against complex diseases. The map was made possible by analyzing more than 120 million patient records and identifying trends of co-occurrence among hundreds of diseases. The work was published in Cell, on September 26. For the first time, the group discovered that almost every complex disease has a unique set of associations with single-gene diseases. This allowed for the group to find “barcodes” of specific gene loci, which would be used to untangle the complex genetics of complex diseases. The team uncovered 2,909 statistically significant associations, as well as corresponding levels of relative risk between every disease pair. They looked for trends in comorbidity, they studied these correlations in 65 complex diseases affecting almost every system in the body, including arthritis, and depression.

Some of the pairs were well known, however a majority of the comorbidities were previously unknown. For example, Fragile X syndrome, an intellectual disability disorder, has significant associations with asthma, viral infection, showing a potential immune system dysfunction in these patients. The team discovered that genetic insults underlying these Mendelian diseases don’t appear to independently contribute to complex diseases but interact in a combinatorial way to ultimately cause the disorders. This map is a huge breakthrough in the study of complex diseases. It cannot only have a huge impact in my society of Bronxville, but the whole world. This genetic map can immediately be useful for geneticists as a gauge to the level of risk developing complex disease among patients with Mendelian diseases. It also gives scientists a wealth of new data and a unique approach by which to better understand and develop therapeutics against complex diseases. The team hopes to expand their study even further so that their map will cover even more diseases and a larger population data.

            Overall I thought this article was very interesting and well written. It had direct quotes from the team at the University of Chicago indicating their intentions, which made the article very easy to understand. Also, the article was written in a very positive outlook on a topic that is usually negative, which made reading the article that much better. 

Breakthrough for the speechless may turn thoughts into words

Breakthrough for the speechless may turn thoughts into words

         This article discusses a recent study conducted by neuroscientists who were looking for a way to communicate by translating brain signals into messages.  This type of communication would help patients paralyzed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, because they are restricted to communicating slowly through eye-blinking and muscle twitching.  A neuroscience team led by Bettina Sorger conducted a study in which scanning machines translated signals from the brains of six healthy volunteers into letters.  Sorger claims that “this is not mind-reading” since the volunteers were in control of what messages they were sending, making this more like “a typewriter for the brain.”  The team used massive MRI machines to detect increased blood flow in precise locations in the brain as the volunteers imagined particular tasks.  Scanners were then used to decode the messages using computer “data-mining” techniques.

            Already in use, this method has been a major breakthrough for ALS patients.  These MRI machines allow the patients to communicate much more quickly, since their message is processed all at once, where before they had to communicate each individual letter.  The only drawback is that these machines are very expensive, and take up a lot of space.  The article did mention that these machines could be used to train patients how to communicate in this manor, and then smaller machines could potentially be developed once the patient knows how they work.  The article also mentioned another possibility of communication is using machines to detect how light passes through the brain.

             I found this article very interesting and informative, but I do not think that it did a good job explaining each of the new methods of communication in depth.  However, it was a good article for learning what the wider scope of new innovative methods of communication could be in the future. 

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/USCP/PNI/Nation/World/2012-06-30-PNI0630preprint-brain-speller_ST_U.htm

Vergano, Dan. "Breakthrough for the Speechless May Turn Thoughts into Words."USATODAY.COM. USA Today, n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.

Confetti Enzyme Kinetics Lab Exercise

This simple physical exercise/simulation helps the students grasp the way time and substrate concentration change the rate of reaction in enzyme mediated reactions. A blind folded student plays the role of an enzyme, the enzyme must grasp the correct size piece of paper and half it to successfully form a new product.

To illustrate how the rate of reaction changes over time, the student is presented with a bowl of 100 pieces of paper to "catalyze". Every 20 seconds the student's partner tallies the total number of substrate consumed.

To illustrate how the concentration of the substrate might alter the rate of reaction, the paper slips (substrate) are mixed in with 100 paper clips, which represent another molecule in the substrate's environment. The student enzyme has 20 seconds to catalyze as many molecules of substrate they can in the time period. They begin with 10 paper slips (substrate) and 100 paper clips. In each subsequent try an addition 10 slips are added. So the second run has 20 paper slips and 100 paper clips.

Will readies himself for the arduous role of enzyme while his partner Paul prepares to tally his catalysis ability.

Ted taking a break from catalysis.

Lilia is hard at work changing substrate into products as Briana tallies her successes.

A closer look at a bowl in the substrate concentration phase of the simulation. The original exercise called for using toothpicks as the substrate!!! The paper strips are more "finger-friendly".

At the end of the lab, Andrew shows that he can truly think outside of the box, using his excess paper strips to fashion a cell phone toting basket !!!!

Look at what I made!!!!

Gene Therapy With a Difference

This article focuses on the benefits that an experimental drug which utilizes a “genetic technique” called exon skipping can have on a people that have Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a disease in which a genetic mutation inhibits the body from making the protein, dystrophin, which “acts as a shock absorber for muscles.” The main idea behind exon skipping is that by correcting the mutated gene which causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy the disease can be made better or even cured. Exon skipping is a juxtaposition from that traditional approach which gene therapy takes. Gene therapy attempts to replace the mutated or missing gene. Unfortunately, disappointing test results were released this past Friday. The results indicated that “drisapersen, was no better than placebo in preserving muscle function of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.” This news was not only devastating to scientists but also to parents who had hope invested in this new medicine and technique. Duchenne muscular dystrophy occurs because “Mutations resulting in missing exons can lead to the wrong proteins being produced, or none at all.” Furthermore, people with Becker muscular dystrophy also produce “defective dystrophin” and as a result produce the wrong proteins or no proteins at all. Those with Becker condition usually have lesser symptoms. Those that use the exon skipping technique often hope to turn their Duchenne disease into the milder Becker disease. Moreover, many tests have been completed which show that scientists are really still trying to figure out this drug. Dosages need to be adjusted for each individual patient and for some the drug is ineffective.

This article is vital to society and our community in Bronxville. Often it is easy to forget that many are not as fortunate as we are. Many suffer from debilitating diseases that currently have no cure. Subsequently, articles such as this one, which highlight these problems and diseases, are vital to both science and public perception of sickness. In addition, this article is important because it details the latest medical and biological breakthrough concerning muscular dystrophy. I choose this article because I am interested in learning more about how gene mutations effect all of our body’s functions.

This article was written in such a way that it was both easy to understand and interesting to read. The writing was clear and concise and the author’s voice was authoritative and exciting. I also really enjoyed the media that was included along with this article. A picture of the mutated genes and of the DNA sequences was attached to the article. This made it easier to understand exactly what the author was saying. Furthermore, a video and pictures were included along with this article which added to my level of understanding. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/health/gene-therapy-with-a-difference.html?ref=science&_r=0

Pollack, Andrew. "Gene Therapy With a Difference." New York Times. New York Times, 23 Sept. 2013. Web. 26 Sept. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/health/gene-therapy-with-a-difference.html?ref=science&_r=0>.

NASA Spacecraft Embarks on Historic Journey into Interstellar Space

http://www.nasa.gov/press/2013/september/nasa-spacecraft-embarks-on-historic-journey-into-interstellar-space/#.UkTMP2T8m18

            From reading NASA’s published article called, “NASA Spacecraft Embarks on Historic Journey into Interstellar Space” I became more knowledgeable on a topic I knew little about. Most people know that NASA had launched the space probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 in the late 1970s and they have been travel through our solar system for almost forty years. The main goal of the space probes was to collect information about our solar system that scientist and people wouldn’t be able to do on their own. The first detected activity that the Voyager 1 had reached past the out planets was in 2004, by measuring increased pressure of interstellar space on the heliosphere. However, this space probe does not have a working plasma sensor, so scientist have to measure a different, more difficult way by measuring the spacecraft’s plasma environment in determining its location. After being reviewed by the plasma wave science team, NASA was able to conclude that the data measure plasma densities from interstellar space. The data that is sent back to Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 headquarters is emitted through weak signals that travel at the speed of light. The part of interstellar space where Voyager 1 is now located as of September 12, 2013, has energy that is still influenced by the sun. Scientists do not know when it will reach the undisturbed part of interstellar space where the sun’s energy has no effect. Since Voyager 2 was only launched 16 days after its twin, it is expected to arrive at the same part of space very soon.

            All over the world our scientific advancements have led to new discoveries and more questions that need to be answered. As stated by NASA associate administrator for science in Washington, John Grunsfeld, “Voyager has boldly done where no probe has gone before, marking one of the most significant technological achievements in the annals of the history of science, and adding a new chapter in human scientific dreams and endeavors”. Every scientific minded human loves learning about what’s going on in our world, our solar system, and our universe. To be able to discover and answer some of these skeptical questions scientist have once held is amazing. By collecting data through space probes, scientist are able to put all of that information together and see how it can relate and effect the people living on Earth. Space probes allow us to learn more about the energetic particles in space and their densities, comparing that of what we have closer to Earth. If we are able to collect and transmit data from a space probe billions of miles away that was built in the 1970s with the same power as a refrigerators light bulb, imagine what we would be able to accomplish with todays technology and the innovations we have created over the past 40 years.

            Overall I thought the article was very well written and presented itself with information not only on the current event, but with background information that is needed to understand its importance. With the inclusion of quotes and numerical data, it made the source very informative.