Solve Puzzles for Science | Foldit Antibiotic resistance: hitting back with new medication | Breakthrough science It is impossible to overstate the importance of antibiotics to global and individual health. Antibiotics have saved the lives of millions of people, and almost everyone will have taken a course of the drugs at some point. The misuse of antibiotics has meant their effectiveness has waned while the number of deaths due to infection has risen. The answer? Minimise the use of existing antibiotics through appropriate prescribing and greater use of vaccines, develop effective new medicines and find new ways to incentivise companies to invest in antibiotics research and development, while discouraging their unnecessary use. Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin mould in 1928. Antibiotics completely transformed people’s lives. However, over the past 25 years, the bacteria M. tuberculosis, S. aureus and E. coli, among many others, have begun to show a resistance to antibiotics, a situation that threatens global public health. A Perfect Storm? by Sue George
More Beta Cells, More Insulin, Less Diabetes Caption: Betatrophin, a natural hormone produced in liver and fat cells, triggers the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas to replicateCredit: Douglas Melton and Peng Yi Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has arguably reached epidemic levels in this country; between 22 and 24 million people suffer from the disease. But now there’s an exciting new development: scientists at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have discovered a hormone that might slow or stop the progression of diabetes [1]. T2D is the most common type of diabetes, accounting for about 95% of cases. Treating diabetes costs the U.S. a veritable fortune. The NIH-funded researchers set out to try to identify a signal that seems to be sent by the liver to the beta cells when the insulin receptor is blocked and blood glucose levels rise. Betatrophin sends the beta cells into a frenzy causing them to replicate as much as 30 times their normal rate! It’s not every day that a new and important hormone is discovered! References: Links:
Extraordinary Adaptation Welcome to e-Bug e-Bug are celebrating our 10th Birthday in 2019 and we are hosting a 2 day conference from the 17 – 18th January 2019. The event will celebrate a decade of e-Bug's achievements and showcase current and emerging trends and technologies in the teaching of antimicrobial resistance, microbiology and infection prevention and control. We are seeking passionate teachers, science communicators and educational professionals to attend and present their work.Please visit our conference webpage to find out more, view the programme and book your place at the event! The Public Health England e-Bug team is collaborating with the Public Health Agency to disseminate the e-Bug educational materials to schools across Northern Ireland. As part of the project, 100 educators across Northern Ireland were trained on the e-Bug resources and activities in summer 2018. Watch the video to see the e-Bug training and activities in action and hear feedback from attendees. NICE Guidance 2017
Scientists unlock chemical processes behind silver-related skin condition Ingesting silver — in antimicrobial health tonics or for extensive medical treatments involving silver — can cause argyria, condition in which the skin turns grayish-blue. Brown researchers have discovered how that happens. The process is similar to developing black-and-white photographs, and it's not just the silver. PROVIDENCE, R.I. “It’s the first conceptual model giving the whole picture of how one develops this condition,” said Robert Hurt, professor of engineering at Brown and part of the research team. Scientists have known for years argyria had something to do with silver. As it turns out, argyria is caused by a complex series of chemical reactions, Hurt said. From silver to salt and back again Hurt and his team have been studying the environmental impact of silver, specifically silver nanoparticles, for years. To find out, the researchers mixed a series chemical treatments that could simulate what might happen to silver inside the body. Implications for nanosilver
Cuttlefish: Chameleons of the Sea 11 cheap gifts guaranteed to impress science geeks Science comes up with a lot of awesome stuff, and you don't need a Ph.D, a secret lab, or government funding to get your hands on some of the coolest discoveries. We've got a list of 11 mostly affordable gifts that are guaranteed to blow your mind, whether or not you're a science geek. Click on any image to see it enlarged. 1. Also known as frozen smoke, Aerogel is the world's lowest density solid, clocking in at 96% air. Aerogel isn't just neat, it's useful. Price: $35 2. Inside these sealed glass balls live shrimp, algae, and bacteria, all swimming around in filtered seawater. EcoSpheres came out of research looking at ways to develop self-contained ecosystems for long duration space travel. Price: $80 3. NASA has been trying to figure out how to get a sample of rock back from Mars for a while now. Every once in a while, a meteorite smashes into Mars hard enough to eject some rocks out into orbit around the sun. Price: $70+ 4. Price: $150 5. So what's next year's new color going to be? 6.
Neuroscience: Hardwired for taste : Nature A mouthful of bittersweet chocolate cake with a molten centre can trigger potent memories of pleasure, lust and even love. But all it takes is one bad oyster to make you steer clear of this mollusc for life. Neuroscientists who study taste are just beginning to understand how and why the interaction of a few molecules on your tongue can trigger innate behaviours or intense memories. The sensors in our mouths that detect basic tastes — sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami, and arguably a few others — are only the start of the story (see 'The finer points of taste', page S2). The way the brain represents these tastes is just as important. Researchers have recently developed a 'gustotopic map' based on the idea that, just as each taste bud on the tongue responds to a single taste, so there are regions of the brain that are similarly dedicated1. The other recent revelation in taste research is that the receptors that detect bitter, sweet and umami are not restricted to the tongue. Brain map
High School Science Vocabulary Many high school students struggle with the depth and breadth of high school science courses. One way to relieve these stresses and learn to understand even the most intricate science concepts is by mastering the science vocabulary that expresses them. A basic understanding of each word’s definition will give students confidence to use these words and inquire about their linkages and applications. Students who study and review the science terminology and vocabulary used in high school science lessons are better equipped to achieve understanding of the concepts. The seven categories are available through “Summary Lists” in the following categories: Biology, Ecology, Integrated Science, Chemistry, Physics, Space Science, and Earth Science. Using alternate means of study, such as high school science word games, can make a big difference. Return to Science Vocabulary Overview. High School Science VocabularyWords at a Glance High School Integrated Science High School Ecology High School Physics
How Do Animals Become Zombies? Instant Egghead [Video] It may sound like something straight out of a horror movie, but many animals can come under the zombie-like control of parasites. So what about humans? Scientific American editor Katherine Harmon fills us in on the ghoulish side of Nature. Give a Gift & Get a Gift - Free! Periodic Table of Elements and Chemistry 9 Word Cloud Generators That Aren't Wordle The use of word clouds in the classroom is a powerful way to really get through to visual learners. The details about the following nine word cloud generators will give you a fair idea how, as an educator, you can get the best out of them. A quick note: Wordle is quite easily the most popular word cloud generator out there. It’s free and easy to use. It does require Java though so Chrome users might have some trouble. In any case, this article focuses on non-Wordle options you should know about. Tagul Several features that do not figure in Wordle are incorporated in Tagul .For example, you have the option of choosing personalized shapes and multiple fonts to be used in your cloud. ABC Ya This application is very much like Wordle and operates the way Wordle operates. Tag Crowd This application gives you access to see frequency of words. Word It Out Word It Out helps create word clouds from any text, similar to the way Wordle does. Make Word Mosaic Wordsift TagCloudGenerator You Are Your Words