1/7/2015 0 Comments Inner Brain MapsBy Bridget Hennessy The University of California induced similar symptoms of people with Alzheimer’s and people who suffer from strokes in mice by removing the “place cells” in the brains of mice, which are responsible for navigational abilities and the gridding of inner maps. By removing this area in the brain, the researchers were able to simulate why people with Alzheimer’s lose their sense of direction. The affected mice were, as predicted, poor at tasks that required internal mapping skills, like remembering the location of objects. Surprisingly though, the mice retained the ability to mark spatial changes in their environment. They realized when objects were moved, even by just a few inches, and could recognize objects they had seen before. This suggested that the mice had developed other place cells that conveyed location despite the removal of the inner grid, though these cells were less accurate and less active. The experiment removed the input line to these less developed “place cell” neurons, so it was surprising that the cells could function without this relay of information. This confirmed that there are divisions within the memory circuits of the brain that can function independently when significant parts are removed. Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141110210646.htm
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By: Angie Miller Interested in the environment? Want to become involved in human affairs? Able to see the bigger picture? Meteorologists are a branch within the earth and environmental science field. The growth for meteorologists in the next ten years is average at an increased of 7-13% more. The median salary of a meteorologist in the United States is $89,790. From studying to analyzing to preparing and informing the public, meteorologists play an important role in how the environment will affect us. Work environment for meteorologists is usually a 40-hour workweek usually in an office. Meteorologists in small weather offices will work alone whereas in larger ones will work as part of a team. Fieldwork and travel may also be part of the their work environment. Generally meteorologists study and interpret data, broadcast, gather information, prepare forecasts, conduct research, and developing weather forecasting tools. Education for meteorologists is focused on natural sciences, mathematics, earth science, and statistics. Meteorologists are usually required to have a Bachelor’s degree in meteorology or a closely related topic. A master’s degree is required for upper-level positions and a PhD is required for research. Also take classes to match specialization such as radio, television, journalism, or policy. Personality skills that are important for meteorologists include good communication skills, ability to see the bigger picture, and analyzing materials. Similar careers to meteorologists are physicists, photographers, and occupational health and safety specialists. Source:http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-engineering-careers/earth-physical-sciences/meteorologist#keyfactsinformation 1/6/2015 1 Comment Made with CodeBy Kaitlynn Bayne Take a trip up to North Campus to visit the engineering campus, and it is no question that men are the main one’s who populate the terrain. Sure, you will run into girls as well, but there are probably at least two male engineers for every one female engineer here. This isn’t a unique trend to the University of Michigan. Female engineers are in very high demand right now, simply because they are very short in supply. Why is this we might ask? Gender norms is the easy answer- girls grow up thinking they need to play with Barbies and wear the color pink, etc. etc. But being a girl, I don’t know how “pressured” I was into these stereotypes. I really enjoyed the traditional girly things. I had no interest in computers or coding, not because I thought it was only for boys, but because I genuinely had no interest in it. Well, Google is taking this into consideration with one of their newest projects. This project is called Made with Code and was created to try to show girls all the cool things you can do with programming. This project has multiple parts to it. There is a website where you can buy bracelets, necklaces, and other sorts of accessories all made with a 3D printer. In fact, earlier in the summer, they had a promotion where you could use their program to make a bracelet with your name on it. Once you made a bracelet you liked, they would mail it to you for free. On top of the Made with Code market, there is also a website where there are fun computer programming activities. These include making songs, making memes, and creating interactive characters. I think this is a very smart idea on Google’s part. If this was around when I was young, it is likely I would have enjoyed coding (or at least would have learned even a little bit about programming.) Hopefully this project will have its intended result and show many young girls out there how programming can make so many cool and beautiful things. Source: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-07-07/features/sfl-free-3d-bracelet-google-made-with-code-project-20140703_1_bracelet-3d-printer-code-project Fun websites: http://www.shapeways.com/jewelry/bracelets?li=nav&s=72#more-products https://www.madewithcode.com/projects 1/6/2015 0 Comments Alzheimer’s and Stem CellsBy Ammara Virk
Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia that includes impairment of memory and brain function. It is most commonly associated with the onset of old age. However, several factors can speed up the onset of Alzheimer’s, such as stress or diet. However, at the University of Michigan, researchers have begun to inject fetal stem cells into the brain of mice with Alzheimer’s and found that these mice, when evaluated with behavioral and memory tests, “looked the same as mice without Alzheimer’s disease.” These mice were injected with stem cells in the hippocampal area, which is responsible for learning and memory processes. Furthermore, note that these stem cells were injected in mice that had the gene of Alzheimer’s, but did not yet display symptoms. This research can have important implications for questions such as whether or not it is a good idea to find out that you have the gene for a potentially (as of yet) untreatable disease. While this issue used to be controversial in the past, should the research prove successful, such controversy will be mostly deleted. This research will allow early preventative action, and has good potential, especially since “stem cells could be the next big frontier to medicine.” Source: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2014/11/11/um-researcher-uses-stem-cells-fight-alzheimers/18895621/ 1/5/2015 0 Comments January Scientista HappeningsWelcome to the UMichigan Scientista Events Calendar for the month of January! To register or learn more about an upcoming event, executive board or mass meeting, please e-mail the Executive Board at umichigan@scientistafoundation.com. If you would like to receive a weekly e-mail with the Chapter's upcoming events, click here to subscribe! The University of Michigan Chapter of the Scientista Foundation welcomes requests from U-M faculty and staff to post information of interest to U-M Scientistas on our website and C-Tools page. Post requests can be emailed to umichigan@scientistafoundation.com. See below for information regarding a Visiting Fellowship Opportunity at Perimeter Institute.
12/8/2014 0 Comments No More Poking AroundBy Trishanya Raju Every few weeks we hear the familiar call to donate blood, and save lives. What makes us go back to these blood-drives over and over again? It’s likely the prospect of saving lives, the idea that there’s something that we can do to help people. What makes us apprehensive? I’d say it’s probably the prospect of the nurse pricking us all over to find a vein. It’s not the best feeling, and it sort of throws a wet towel over the whole saving lives thing. So what do the scientists do? They invent a device that presents a glowing map of your veins right onto your arm. Device is still in it’s trial phases in Australia, and looks a little like something out of a superhero movie (radioactive-y), but it’s supposed to be very safe. The way it works is that it shines an (almost) infrared light onto your arm. The deoxygenated hemoglobin that flows in your blood absorbs this light. This creates an eerie map of your veins, on your arm, so that nurses can see exactly where the needle should go in. So there you have it, no more unnecessary pricking. Now what’s stopping you? To donate blood: http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood By Kaitlynn Bayne HP has had a rough time recently. If you think about it, HP hasn’t been in the spotlight for much other than their recent split into two companies. But, after years of work, they are now coming out with what might be their comeback product. They don’t even refer to their newest computer as a PC. It is under a completely new category called Sprout. It consists of a computer screen- like a PC monitor, and a touch screen mat. You can put a physical object (for example, a block) and Sprout can take a picture of it and convert it into a 3D image on the computer screen. Similarly, if you find a picture you like on the computer, you can “flick” the picture, and it will appear on the mat screen. Of course this doesn’t produce a physical object, but it appears on the mat, which allows you to rotate the object and make changes to it. Sprout is part of HP’s new initiative called HP Blended Reality ecosystem. HP is also introducing a new 3D printer that can be paired with Sprout. This pair seems really cool for people interested in 3D and graphic design. It’s a bit pricy- nearly $2000 for Sprout itself. Because it is very focused on 3D design, I don’t see it becoming the newest staple in everyone’s household. However, I think it will be a very useful new tool in Design schools and workplaces that deal with graphic design. Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/baig/2014/10/29/hp-sprout-3d-printing-first-look/18105925/ 12/8/2014 0 Comments Is Being Too Clean Bad?By Chetali Jain Never in history have allergy labeling and warnings been such a concern as they have become in recent decades. The increasingly sterilized world, while protecting against communicable diseases, is causing our immune system (in grossly simplified terms) to become bored and begin attacking non-threatening substances. Thus, autoimmune disorders are born. Autoimmune disorders occur when the body’s immune system begins attacking things that are normally non-antigenic. Allergies are one such example of this where a substance is considered a threat and the body’s immune system becomes activated in response. The rising number of peanut allergies, for instance, in America is indicative of increased sterilization and usage of chemical pesticides in all our foods. The body no longer differentiates between enemy and friend and therefore begins to attack whatever foreign invader it comes across. So is the solution for everybody to stop washing their hands and eating food off the ground? No, but we should be mindful of our everyday habits. Instead of staying cooped up inside with our vast array of technological devices, we should spend an hour or two in the sun, biking through the woods, etc. These activities build our immunity to actual dangers. Additionally, we should be aware of where our food comes from. Foods treated with pesticides are especially harmful because of the chemical residue they leave behind in our body. According to PAN North America, 93% of Americans tested by the CDC had metabolites of chlorpyrifos — a nuerotoxic insectide — in their urine. Banned from home use because of its risks to children, chlorpyrifos is part of a family of pesticides (organophosphates) linked to ADHD. This shocking fact indicates that chemical pesticides are associated with detrimental effects on the human body. It is important to be mindful of how our bodies respond to our environment and act accordingly. By boosting your immune system you are eliminating a host of possible health issues that arise because of it. Source: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA401228/Why-Do-Rich-Kids-Have-More-Peanut-Allergies.html www.panna.org/issues/food-agriculture/pesticides-on-food 12/7/2014 1 Comment Does Stress Cause Ulcer Formation?By Alyson Rich No. Even though that grouchy neighbor of yours believes that the stress of shooing you off his lawn will give him an ulcer, rest assured that stress does not cause the formation of an open sore. Ingesting spicy food and coffee will not cause ulcers, either. Ulcers are most commonly found in the stomach or duodenum (the upper part of the small intestine), and are known as peptic ulcers. Although approximately one out of every ten Americans will suffer from a peptic ulcer at some point in their lives, most people remain unaware of what really causes them (1). Since the 1980s, studies have consistently shown that there are two main causes of peptic ulcers: bacterial infection and overuse of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (2). NSAIDs such as asprin or ibuprofen only cause approximately 20% of peptic ulcers and really only become a problem when not taken as directed. This is why the warning sections on NSAID labels always have a special note about stomach bleeding. The majority of peptic ulcers form as a result of bacterial infection. This bacterium culprit is Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which burrows under the mucus coating protecting the digestive tract from stomach acid. Without this protective layer, the stomach acid burns through the small intestine or stomach and creates an open sore (ulcer) that may bleed (3). Although many people have a H. pylori infection and never develop an ulcer, 90% of all people with ulcers are infected with the bacterium (4). Even though stress can certainly make matters worse it will not cause ulcers to form, so try to be kind to that annoying neighbor while politely informing him about the real cause of ulcers. For more information, watch: Sources:
1. http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/understanding-ulcers-basic-information 2. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=43451 3. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peptic-ulcer/basics/causes/con-20028643 4. http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/digestive/ulcers.html# |
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