Here is one of my and my daughter's posters this year at APS 2012! CLICK on the picture to hear what I have to say!
My readings for today:
“Low levels of antidepressants and other psychoactive drugs in water supplies can trigger the expression of genes associated with autism – in fish at least.
The use of antidepressants has increased dramatically over the past 25 years, says Michael Thomas of Idaho State University in Pocatello. Around 80 per cent of each drug passes straight through the human body without being broken down, and so they are present in waste water. In most communities, water purification systems cannot filter out these pharmaceuticals. “They just fly right through,” says Thomas, which means they ultimately find their way into the water supply.”
“This research comes at a time of renewed focus on Alzheimer’s disease, which currently afflicts 5.4 million people in the United States alone—a figure expected to nearly triple by 2050. Yet there are no approved medications to prevent or reverse the progression of this debilitating disease.
In findings appearing online today in Cell Stem Cell, researchers in the laboratory of Gladstone Investigator Yadong Huang, MD, PhD, describe how they transferred a single gene called Sox2 into both mouse and human skin cells. Within days the skin cells transformed into early-stage brain stem cells, also called induced neural stem cells (iNSCs). These iNSCs began to self-renew, soon maturing into neurons capable of transmitting electrical signals. Within a month, the neurons had developed into neural networks.”
“The human body is a tireless gardener, growing new cells throughout life in many organs—in the skin, blood, bones and intestines. Until the 1980s most scientists thought that brain cells were the exception: the neurons you are born with are the neurons you have for life. In the past three decades, however, researchers have discovered hints that the human brain produces new neurons after birth in two places: the hippocampus—a region important for memory—and the walls of fluid-filled cavities called ventricles, from which stem cells migrate to the olfactory bulb, a knob of brain tissue behind the eyes that processes smell. “
“Governor Jerry Brown is talking about cutting down the science requirements in high schools to save money, which has some students concerned about how they will get into California colleges. The California finalists for Intel’s Science Competition have developed truly amazing things after beginning their projects in high school.The genetic test James Thomas of San Jose generated will be helpful. “I created a model that actually has 92 percent accuracy in predicting the on-set of alcoholism in individuals,” said Thomas. The technology Jessica Richeri of Riverside developed will change the way we drive. “My research finds a way to avoid traffic jams in the future with an autonomous robotic vehicle,” she said.
Supporters believe this illustrates how innovation can stimulate California’s economy and that these kids are tomorrow’s job creators. They also say it all begins with STEM: science, technology, education and math.”
“…Surprisingly, each patient also had a unique, evolving pattern of abnormally high FA distinct from the areas of low FA. “We found widespread high FA at every time point, all the way out to six months and even in patients more than one year out from their injury.” said Dr. Lipton. “We suspect that high FA represents a response to the injury. In other words, the brain may be trying to compensate for the injury by developing and enhancing other neural connections. This is a new and unexpected finding.”…”
