I read an article about chytridiomycosis.
Research shows that the fungus killing frogs around the world has almost certainly been distributed by trade in amphibians for zoos or private collections . Its origins are believed to lie in southern Africa. Chytrid is now found thoroughout the world and has exterminated a lot of species. The fungus kills amphibians by blocking cutaneous respiration. Rhys Farrer said "And it's obviously important, as chytrid is one one of the most devastating wildlife diseases with the largest host range of any, and responsible for dozens of species extinctions and many more extirpations of local populations."
In days of old, no-one knew there were any different lineages. However, scientists found three distinct lineages of the chytrid fungus in various nations. The major type has a truly global spread and was named BdGPL. Swiss sample was named BdCH. A third clade which turned up in the Cape Province of South Africa and the Mediterranean island of Mallorca was named BdCAPE. Their tests showed that BdCAPE was substantially less damaging to amphibians than BdGPL.
The genetic differences that make BdGPL more lethal have not been revealed. They think they are seeing unique evidence of recombination within BdGPL. It is not clear whether it's a hybridisation event but it's the most likely explanation. So they think it arose in the 20th Century, and that's in the realm of time for the trade in amphibians.
The team thinks that it is also worth investigating whether the less virulent forms can be used to save amphibians. In the same way, they may prepare viccines.
Some years ago, the fungus were discovered for the first time in Japan. It was a big news so I remember it. However, nevertheless it was regarded as a big problem, I don't know what happened in consequence.
I have studied about chytridiomycosis in Japan. In 2006, chytrid was regarded as a catastrophic diseases. However, it has been discovered that most of amphibians in Japan have a tolerance to chytrid.
Knowing about it, I had peace of mind for a while. However, chytridiomycosis is a big problem all over the world. I think it is the one of the problem of alien species.
Black, Richard. "Killer frog fungus 'spread by trade'." BBC Online. 8 November 2011. Web. 15 November 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15624254>
2011年11月16日水曜日
2011年11月7日月曜日
Doctor trials laser treatment to change eye colour
I read an article about a laser treatment that changes patients' eye colour.
Dr Gregg Homer claims 20 seconds of laser light can remove pigment in brown eyes and turn them blue. The process involves a computerised system. Dr Homer said "We use two frequencies that are absorbed by dark pigment, and it is fully absorbed so there is no danger of damage to the rest of the eye." The pigment called melanin does not regenerate, so the treatment is irreversible.
However, other eye experts urge caution. They think that the pigment is there for a reason. Therefore, destroying eye pigment can cause sight problems if too much light is allowed to enter the pupil.
But Dr Homer said that the treatment is safe. The treatment removes the pigment from only the eye's surface, and most of it will be left untouched. Patients would be less sensitive to light. Moreover, Dr Homer said "We run tests for 15 different safety examination procedures. We run the tests before and after the treatment, and the following day, and the following weeks, and the following months and the following three months. Thus far we have no evidence of any injury."
Stroma Medical believes the treatment will be popular. 17% of Americans would want it if they knew it was completely safe.Growing demand for cosmetic contact lenses is also evidence of a growing desire to alter eye colour.
I don't want get the treatment because the treatment is irreversible. I don't think that I want change my eye color at this time. If I want change my eye color as fashion, I will use color contact lenses.
In Japan, many people change their hair color as fashion. However, it is not irreversible. Their hair grows gradually and new hair has original color. We can change our hair color any number of times easily. Changing eye color is different from changing hair color.
Futhermore, cosmetic surgery is regarded as not good in Japan. We think our natural physical feature is a present from our parents, so we should not change it. Also in this point, I want change my eye color by the irreversible treatment.
"Doctor trials laser treatment to change eye colour." BBC Online. 5 November 2011. Web. 7 November 2011.<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15596885>
Dr Gregg Homer claims 20 seconds of laser light can remove pigment in brown eyes and turn them blue. The process involves a computerised system. Dr Homer said "We use two frequencies that are absorbed by dark pigment, and it is fully absorbed so there is no danger of damage to the rest of the eye." The pigment called melanin does not regenerate, so the treatment is irreversible.
However, other eye experts urge caution. They think that the pigment is there for a reason. Therefore, destroying eye pigment can cause sight problems if too much light is allowed to enter the pupil.
But Dr Homer said that the treatment is safe. The treatment removes the pigment from only the eye's surface, and most of it will be left untouched. Patients would be less sensitive to light. Moreover, Dr Homer said "We run tests for 15 different safety examination procedures. We run the tests before and after the treatment, and the following day, and the following weeks, and the following months and the following three months. Thus far we have no evidence of any injury."
Stroma Medical believes the treatment will be popular. 17% of Americans would want it if they knew it was completely safe.Growing demand for cosmetic contact lenses is also evidence of a growing desire to alter eye colour.
I don't want get the treatment because the treatment is irreversible. I don't think that I want change my eye color at this time. If I want change my eye color as fashion, I will use color contact lenses.
In Japan, many people change their hair color as fashion. However, it is not irreversible. Their hair grows gradually and new hair has original color. We can change our hair color any number of times easily. Changing eye color is different from changing hair color.
Futhermore, cosmetic surgery is regarded as not good in Japan. We think our natural physical feature is a present from our parents, so we should not change it. Also in this point, I want change my eye color by the irreversible treatment.
"Doctor trials laser treatment to change eye colour." BBC Online. 5 November 2011. Web. 7 November 2011.<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15596885>
2011年11月1日火曜日
Travelwise: Halloween’s past and present
I read an article about Halloween’s past and present.
Samhain, the ancient Celt' s festival, widely considered to be the precursor of Halloween. On Samhain night, the spirits of people who had died in the past year would walk among our living world. So villagers put out food and sweets to pacify these spirits. This is a ritual that may have preceded trick-or-treating.
Halloween has pagan origins, but its name has Christian origins. It is derived from the Christian holiday “All Hallows Eve”, or the evening before All Saints’ Day (1 November). Halloween itself was adapted by Christians who hoped to stamp out paganism, and over the years, some of the darker aspects of Halloween have been replaced by more light-hearted, family-friendly festivities. But Halloween still has the scary and supernatural aspects today, in celebrations all over the world.
Ireland is arguably the holiday’s birthplace. Halloween is still greeted with excitement each year. Barnbrack is a fruitcake with different charms baked inside, for example, a ring, a coin, or the rag. In Mexico, Halloween became joined with Dia de los Muertos. It is The Day of the Dead and indigenous holiday in Mexico. In Romania, Halloween is a major draw for tourists seeking a Dracula themed scare. In the United States, Halloween is the day with both young and the old getting in on the fun.
I think about Halloween in Japan.
Recently, I think that Halloween has come to been celebrated in Japan. But it seems that very few people celebrate the day for religious reasons. We enjoy Halloween as one of the fun events. I think this is similar to Christmas in Japan. But many people in Japan knows Christmas is the holiday of Jesus Christ's birthday, on the other hand, they don't know what is Halloween.
I think that Halloween is utilized for increasing sales by some companies and theme parks in Japan. In the supermarket, they say " Let' s eat pumpkins for Halloween", and discount the pumpkins. Restaurant provides pumpkin-using dishes for a limited time. Some theme parks hold a Halloween parade. I think this is a point in common with St. Valentine's Day in Japan. In Japan, as St. Valentine's Day is " the chololate's day", so Halloween seems to be " the pumpkin's day".
Sood, Suemedha. "Travelwise: Halloween’s past and present." BBC Online. 28 October 2011. Web. 1 November 2011. <http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20111028-travelwise-halloweens-past-and-present>
Samhain, the ancient Celt' s festival, widely considered to be the precursor of Halloween. On Samhain night, the spirits of people who had died in the past year would walk among our living world. So villagers put out food and sweets to pacify these spirits. This is a ritual that may have preceded trick-or-treating.
Halloween has pagan origins, but its name has Christian origins. It is derived from the Christian holiday “All Hallows Eve”, or the evening before All Saints’ Day (1 November). Halloween itself was adapted by Christians who hoped to stamp out paganism, and over the years, some of the darker aspects of Halloween have been replaced by more light-hearted, family-friendly festivities. But Halloween still has the scary and supernatural aspects today, in celebrations all over the world.
Ireland is arguably the holiday’s birthplace. Halloween is still greeted with excitement each year. Barnbrack is a fruitcake with different charms baked inside, for example, a ring, a coin, or the rag. In Mexico, Halloween became joined with Dia de los Muertos. It is The Day of the Dead and indigenous holiday in Mexico. In Romania, Halloween is a major draw for tourists seeking a Dracula themed scare. In the United States, Halloween is the day with both young and the old getting in on the fun.
I think about Halloween in Japan.
Recently, I think that Halloween has come to been celebrated in Japan. But it seems that very few people celebrate the day for religious reasons. We enjoy Halloween as one of the fun events. I think this is similar to Christmas in Japan. But many people in Japan knows Christmas is the holiday of Jesus Christ's birthday, on the other hand, they don't know what is Halloween.
I think that Halloween is utilized for increasing sales by some companies and theme parks in Japan. In the supermarket, they say " Let' s eat pumpkins for Halloween", and discount the pumpkins. Restaurant provides pumpkin-using dishes for a limited time. Some theme parks hold a Halloween parade. I think this is a point in common with St. Valentine's Day in Japan. In Japan, as St. Valentine's Day is " the chololate's day", so Halloween seems to be " the pumpkin's day".
Sood, Suemedha. "Travelwise: Halloween’s past and present." BBC Online. 28 October 2011. Web. 1 November 2011. <http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20111028-travelwise-halloweens-past-and-present>
2011年10月25日火曜日
Egg donor compensation is to triple under new HFEA guidelines
I read an article about egg donor compensation. The compensation will be raised to 750 pounds in the UK.
Currently, egg donors have their expenses paid and up to ￡250 to cover lost earnings.
The UK's fertility watchdog has agreed to triple the compensation given to women who donate eggs to help infertile couples to have a child.
Experts believe this will encourage more women to donate.Today, in the UK, many infertile couples are seeking donor eggs for a very long time. However, egg donation is an invasive and painfull process for women. There are some side-effects; mood swings, bloating and pain, to rare but severe over-reactions to the hormones. In the current rules, some donors are out of pocket and they feel undervalued at times. Therefore, experts think that increased payments will help infertile couples.
But critics warn it may create financial incentives. Opponents worry about the impact of increased payments. "Ethically, it's wrong to make part of the human body a commodity," Dr David King, Director of Human Genetics Alert, said. He thinks that the body should not be part of commerce. Egg donation is an invasive and dangerous process. Josephine Quintavalle, of Comment on Reproductive Ethics, thinks that we should not induce women to take such risks.
I have studied about egg donation. Egg donation is selected if women have a problem with their ovaries or eggs. For example, elderly women have almost no eggs which have the potential to be fertilized. Even if they can be pregnant, they miscarry in nine out of ten cases. So they get egg donation from young women. In Japan, Seiko Noda representative became pregnant and gave birth to a boy at age 50.
However, egg donation is very risky unlike sperm donation.This process has many potential of side-effects. In rare case, thrombocytopenia, dyspnea and so may be happen. The worst case in this process is leading to death. Some fatal case have been reported. If women have been injured their uteru or ovaries during the operation to recover the eggs, they may become infertile.
I don't want to donate eggs. Even if I can be paid 750 pounds, some risks are too dangerous.
Certainly, more financial compensation will encourage more women to donate eggs. But, it means they have greed for money. I think it seems like "a bet". They can get money, but in exchange, they might lose their health.
It is not wrong that infertile couples wish to have a child. However, I think they should think carefully about the risks of egg donation.
Hughes, Jane. & Gallagher, James. "Egg donor compensation is to triple under new HFEA guidelines." BBC Online. 19 October 2011. Web. 23 October 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15356148>
Currently, egg donors have their expenses paid and up to ￡250 to cover lost earnings.
The UK's fertility watchdog has agreed to triple the compensation given to women who donate eggs to help infertile couples to have a child.
Experts believe this will encourage more women to donate.Today, in the UK, many infertile couples are seeking donor eggs for a very long time. However, egg donation is an invasive and painfull process for women. There are some side-effects; mood swings, bloating and pain, to rare but severe over-reactions to the hormones. In the current rules, some donors are out of pocket and they feel undervalued at times. Therefore, experts think that increased payments will help infertile couples.
But critics warn it may create financial incentives. Opponents worry about the impact of increased payments. "Ethically, it's wrong to make part of the human body a commodity," Dr David King, Director of Human Genetics Alert, said. He thinks that the body should not be part of commerce. Egg donation is an invasive and dangerous process. Josephine Quintavalle, of Comment on Reproductive Ethics, thinks that we should not induce women to take such risks.
I have studied about egg donation. Egg donation is selected if women have a problem with their ovaries or eggs. For example, elderly women have almost no eggs which have the potential to be fertilized. Even if they can be pregnant, they miscarry in nine out of ten cases. So they get egg donation from young women. In Japan, Seiko Noda representative became pregnant and gave birth to a boy at age 50.
However, egg donation is very risky unlike sperm donation.This process has many potential of side-effects. In rare case, thrombocytopenia, dyspnea and so may be happen. The worst case in this process is leading to death. Some fatal case have been reported. If women have been injured their uteru or ovaries during the operation to recover the eggs, they may become infertile.
I don't want to donate eggs. Even if I can be paid 750 pounds, some risks are too dangerous.
Certainly, more financial compensation will encourage more women to donate eggs. But, it means they have greed for money. I think it seems like "a bet". They can get money, but in exchange, they might lose their health.
It is not wrong that infertile couples wish to have a child. However, I think they should think carefully about the risks of egg donation.
Hughes, Jane. & Gallagher, James. "Egg donor compensation is to triple under new HFEA guidelines." BBC Online. 19 October 2011. Web. 23 October 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15356148>
2011年10月18日火曜日
DNA sequenced of woman who lived to 115
I read an article that the entire DNA sequence of a woman who lived to 115 has been pieced together by scientists.
The woman was the oldest in the world at the time of her death. She lived a long and healthy life until 105 years old without a care. A test of her mental skills at the age of 113 showed she had the performance of a woman aged 60-75 years. Moreover, she had no signs of dementia.
She donated her body to medical science. According to the results of genetic analysis, there are some rare genetic changes in her DNA. It is not yet clear what role they carry out, but it appears there is something in her genes that protects against dementia and other diseases of later life.
Scientists think that there are genes that may ensure a long life and be protective against dementia. In order to understand the mechanism of longevity, it is necessary to analyze the gene of hundreds or thousands of people. However, sequencing the genome of her is important to understand how DNA variation relates to the process of having a long, healthy life.
I think it is good news that the entire DNA sequence of her has been pieced together because the development of science is a great pleasure for human beings. If the role that some rare genetic changes in her DNA carry out have been clear, it might contribute to establish a new and more effective method of treatment for dementia and get a longer and healthy life.
However, I am afraid about some problems.
Is it always better to live longer? Today, there is the problem that elder people care elder people in Japan. This problem occurred by development of medical sciense.
There are people who think that gene therapy is against the laws of nature. May we manipulate the gene that makes the basis of life? In addition, there is the religious problem that gene therapy invade the field of God.
I think that if the technology of getting long life by genetic operation have been established, the gap will occur. Only rich people will get a longer life.
Those problems could not be solved easily. Certainly, most of people wish to have a long and healthy life.However, at the same time, they feel concern about those problems. Development of sciense is admirable but we should think carefully about the way to use it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15278823
The woman was the oldest in the world at the time of her death. She lived a long and healthy life until 105 years old without a care. A test of her mental skills at the age of 113 showed she had the performance of a woman aged 60-75 years. Moreover, she had no signs of dementia.
She donated her body to medical science. According to the results of genetic analysis, there are some rare genetic changes in her DNA. It is not yet clear what role they carry out, but it appears there is something in her genes that protects against dementia and other diseases of later life.
Scientists think that there are genes that may ensure a long life and be protective against dementia. In order to understand the mechanism of longevity, it is necessary to analyze the gene of hundreds or thousands of people. However, sequencing the genome of her is important to understand how DNA variation relates to the process of having a long, healthy life.
I think it is good news that the entire DNA sequence of her has been pieced together because the development of science is a great pleasure for human beings. If the role that some rare genetic changes in her DNA carry out have been clear, it might contribute to establish a new and more effective method of treatment for dementia and get a longer and healthy life.
However, I am afraid about some problems.
Is it always better to live longer? Today, there is the problem that elder people care elder people in Japan. This problem occurred by development of medical sciense.
There are people who think that gene therapy is against the laws of nature. May we manipulate the gene that makes the basis of life? In addition, there is the religious problem that gene therapy invade the field of God.
I think that if the technology of getting long life by genetic operation have been established, the gap will occur. Only rich people will get a longer life.
Those problems could not be solved easily. Certainly, most of people wish to have a long and healthy life.However, at the same time, they feel concern about those problems. Development of sciense is admirable but we should think carefully about the way to use it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15278823
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