October 7, 2008
Category: Physiology/Pharmacology
So I've been thinking of ways to make some of my more science-y blogging come across to those with less in the way of science backgroud. There was a suggestion that I try categorizing the posts into easy, intermediate, and difficult, but I wouldn't want people to give up on something they may potentially find really cool just because it's labelled "hard", you know?
One way I thought of to help with this would be a series of really easy background posts on many of the topics that I write about. These would be things like different neurotransmitters and brain areas, as well as a couple of diseases that I happen to think are really cool. Thus, when I write the deeper, more science-y posts that contain these topics, I can link back to them, and you will know what I'm talking about. It's like wikipedia, only better because all of these things relate specifically to ME. And cannot be edited by people who may just want to change things for fun. These will, of course, be interspersed with other posts (I've got something awesome brewing on Aristotle, stay tuned).
So, without further ado, the first one of the things that I happen to like blogging about background posts...DIABETES.
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Posted by Scicurious at 8:28 AM • 10 Comments
October 3, 2008
Category: Friday Weird Science
I actually heard about this paper from the glorious Dr. Isis, who covered it a few weeks ago with her usual panache and sparkles. Since I read her post, I've been itching to get my hands on this paper, but for some reason the journal was denied me, until this very lovely guy named Matt commented on my old blog, complete with the link to the paper. Thanks Matt! So yeah, other people have covered it before (I know I read it somewhere else, but I cannot recall, possibly Coturnix?), but I really really like this paper, and I think it's rather hilarious. And in my brain, I'm still five, so I also am amused that I get to say "orgasm", "clitoris", and "vagina" over and over and over again. Tee hee.
Nicholas et al. "A woman's history of vaginal orgasm is discernibly from her walk" Journal of Sexual Medicine, 5(2), 2008.
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Posted by Scicurious at 2:07 PM • 13 Comments
October 2, 2008
Category: Synaptic Misfires
So I saw a comment over at Adventures in Ethics and Science (which is, by the way, a killer blog. If you don't read it, you should).
In my experience, it does come down to a choice for parents of which authority to trust. No matter how hard I tried, as a young parent I could not evaluate the medical literature, and I didn't get explanations from doctors. The sources that explained things simply and at my level of understanding came primarily from the CAM camp.
I read several Science blogs daily. I've improved my understanding of the vaccine issue as well as ID/Creationism vs evolution, probability theory, marine biology, the Monty Hall problem, microbiology, academic ethics and many other subjects, but I cannot assess a scientific study for myself. I'm grateful to Orac and Steve Novella, among others, that they often assess studies for me. As thrilled as I am to have had this resource, when I recommend blog posts to friends they don't read them, because the posts are too long and use language the reader is unsure of. I don't think most science bloggers have a clue as to what knowledge and thinking skills the general public have at their command.
Parents, especially poorly educated parents, especially parents who are not scientists or medical professionals, especially average parents, need to know whom they may trust.
It was in reference to Autism's False Prophets, which is a book that I hope to be reading soon, (as soon as I get my hands on it, anyway). But the point is the same no matter what the topic. It makes me very worried that, with all my heavy sci-talk, I'm becoming unintelligible to those with whom I want to communicate. After all, I'm in science all day, every day, and it's hard to remember sometimes that there are people who don't know what a synapse is.
So I wanted to throw a a few questions out there: Is my stuff often difficult to understnad? What can I do to make myself better understood? Fellow bloggers, what have you done? Short of making every single post very long and full of tons of explanations, I am not really sure how to proceed. And I really want to to the word out about all the cool science that is out there. I would love some advice!
Posted by Scicurious at 8:42 AM • 2 Comments
October 1, 2008
Category: Physiology/Pharmacology
Before I do anything else, I want to let you know that Not Exactly Rocket Science has posted a really cool article on a robotic starfish! It can adapt to injury and self-assess. And it's so cute! Anyone want to get me a robotic starfish? Anyone...?
And on a sad note: Tetrapod Zoology reports on strange giraffe deaths. This makes me so sad! The giraffe, in all it's tall, necky, awkwardly graceful and nervous glory, is my totem! Though Coturnix also identifies with our favorite ungainly giant. Coturnix, watch out for trees.
ACK! Cool stuff keeps happening before I can finish this post! Tangled Bank is up over at Evolved and Rational, and yours truly is featured, tho' we are misspelled are 'Neutropia". It's almost the same, right?
Scienceblogs Book Club is back, with "Autism's False Prophets" as it's current book. I REALLY want this book. I think I might have to make it a special gift to me, since I'm so awesome.
Finally, and in keeping with today's paper: Zooillogix has found fat dolphins. Regardless, I think they're awfully cute. The second pic of the chubby one on the bottom is particularly so.
But really, I had something real to write about today (though I think I've spent the entire day writing so far...). As I'm sure most of you are aware, doctors are very worried about an obesity epidemic in the United States and other countries. There are lots of possible causes, lack of activity due to sedentary lifestyles, genetic components, crappy food, etc. It's not that doctors are worried about people being obese per se (though there is probably some societal vanity at work), it's that there are strong correlations between obesity and several tough health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and cancer. A new essay out in PLoS Biology predicts that it may not be your actual size that counts, but what you do with the fat you have.
Virtue, S, Vidal-Puig, A. "It's not how fat you are, it's what you do with it that counts". PLoS Biology, 6(9), Sept. 2008.
Read on »
Posted by Scicurious at 11:18 PM • 2 Comments
Category: Academia
make Evil a dull monkey.
Read on »
Posted by Evil Monkey at 11:03 AM • 2 Comments
September 29, 2008
Category: Synaptic Misfires
For those who do not know, I have a Significant Other. Otherwise known as Mr. Scicurious-in-training, (Mr. SiT), he is teh awesome. If you have been stunned by my charisma, charm, and general nerditude, you shall have to compete against him, and I don't put odds on your success. As one of the many examples of his greatness, when I got to his place the other day (and after we watched the Presidential debates, which is another aspect of his spectacularity), he revealed a present for me. He got me Spore!!
First, I must confess, I'm not a gaming-type person. I've never understood the lure of Nintendos or computer games. So it was completely surprising how quickly I got hooked.
I've been having a TON of fun making creatures and changing stuff up. But I will say that it's not evolution. I mean, aside of the time frame and stuff like that. More legs don't give you an increase in speed, if you're an herbivore, you really aren't effective no matter what your weaponry, and "charming" other animals to make them your allies is a little...sweet. But it's so much fun!! It's really interesting to work at gaining certain attributes, and working out what you have to sacrifice to get all the attributes you want. On the other hand, I'm not even up to the tribal stage. So I've got much further to go! My personal ambition is to get a society with jetpacks. Or actual winged flight. Anyone know if I can do that? And I would REALLY love to go back to the water and become an aquatic culture.
Posted by Scicurious at 11:18 AM • 6 Comments
September 26, 2008
Category: Friday Weird Science
I think the best part about this weird Friday is that I don't have to write it! A good thing too, I have a life outside the blog (crazy, I know), and that life has been nothing short of insane. Today's is courtesy of my friend Claire, who found it over at Mind Hacks.
Portenoy, et al. "Compulsive thalamic self-stimulation: a case with metabolic, electrophysiologic, and behavioral correlates" Pain, V 27, 1986.
Well, ok, maybe I'll talk about it a LITTLE...
Read on »
Posted by Scicurious at 3:07 PM • 5 Comments
September 25, 2008
Category: CNS Diseases and Disorders
Some people have been noticing erratic behavior from republican nominee John McCain lately. His most recent seems to be slight, but rather odd. Specifically, he appears to have developed ptosis--- a drooping eyelid--- which could of course be related to any number of causes, from an autoimmune attack on cholinergic receptors such as that seen in myasthenia gravis, to diabetes.
Ptosis can also be the result of a brain tumor that affects the oculomotor nerve (cranial nerve III). Sudden development of the condition at old age following multiple bouts of melanoma (which has a penchant for metastasizing to the brain) would seem to be cause for concern, so I wonder if any neurologists would like to weigh in?
McCain also seems to be hiring a very expensive makeup artist who may be assisting in the coverup of the condition. I really, really wish he'd release his medical records in full so that people can stop speculating about the ramifications of a chronically ill president with a potentially untreatable brain tumor, and his vice president with all the foreign policy experience and political saavy of a Hun.
Posted by Evil Monkey at 12:40 PM • 7 Comments
September 24, 2008
Category: Alzheimer's Disease
This is the third option for "things I could present in Journal Club". Please let me know if you have a strong preference! The Journal Club is, um, tomorrow. So I probably better get my rear in gear.
As I'm sure you all know, Alzheimer's Disease is a serious problem in today's aging population, affecting 26.6 million people around the world. Diagnoses of Alzheimer's are growing, mostly due to the fact that no one's ever lived this long before, and we're able to catch it at earlier and earlier stages now. Alzheimer's is one scary problem. It's incurable (so far), degenerative (gets worse over time), and terminal. Almost every time I read about Alzheimer's I get really paranoid for a while as to WHY I'm forgetting my car keys.
Alzheimer's has a very characteristic set of symptoms: cognitive impairment and memory loss which increases over time, language and mild motor impairments, progressive loss of skills, and psychiatric manifestations such as irritability or aggression. The pathophysiology of Alzheimer's involves the build up of beta-amyloid plaques, as well as the buildup of tau proteins. Beta amyloid gets misfolded in Azheimer's patients, and aggregates outside cells, sticking in clumps everywhere. Tau proteins are usually used to stablize the cytoskeleton of the cell, but when these go bad, they cuase microtubules to join to each other all over the place, making neurofibrillary tangles inside the cell.
Unfortunately, although we know what the tau protein does inside cells, we don't really have a clear idea what beta amyloid does hanging outside the cell in general. So this study looked at the changes taking place in beta amyloid by taking samples in humans.
Brody et al. "Amyloid-B dynamics correlate with neurological status in the injured human brain". Science, 321, 2008.
Read on »
Posted by Scicurious at 9:50 PM • 1 Comments
The Evil Monkey has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from a southeastern university. After a postdoctoral nightmare of Inquisitorial proportions, he is currently working in a laboratory and teaching at a local community college. He is still not sure why he wrote this paragraph in the third person, and for that reason is beginning to doubt his sanity. How many freakin' people can fit into his head, anyway? No wait, my head. Oh crap.
Scicurious is a graduate student wrestling with a PhD in Physiology and Pharmacology at a southern institution. She is a nerd, a geek, and also a dork, which takes up a lot of her free time. She sees nothing wrong with talking about herself in the third person, and wonders why Evil Monkey is so freaked out about it.
