CSB #3: Length of Pregnancy Influenced by Placenta Structure

Definitions:
Placenta - an organ that connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply

Fetus – a developing mammal that is after the embryonic stage and before birth

Summary:
Studies done show that some mammals develop twice as fast in the mothers’ womb as others. Scientists think this difference is because of the way the placenta is structured. The closer the tissues of the mother and the fetus are, the faster the process of pregnancy. Humans do not have complex placenta structures, like dogs and leopards do, which is the reason we have longer pregnancies. The placenta performs the same functions and roles in most mammals, but are structured differently among different species of mammals. A team of researchers studied the lengths of pregnancies depending on the structure of the placenta. Their results found that the placentas in different mammals have some striking differences.

Discussion:
I think this will lead to a whole new branch of research on trying to manipulate the lengths of pregnancy. I chose this article because I think the process of pregnancy is interesting. If the length of pregnancy can be adjusted at all, I think this would be very helpful. Women go through a lot of trouble and pain when they’re pregnant, and shortening that time would mean more freedom and less hardship for women. This relates to my life because maybe I will also be pregnant one day and if research has been extensive enough, I could possibly have a shorter pregnancy.

Questions:
1. How, if at all can scientists manipulate the length of pregnancy?
2. Will evolution change how long women are pregnant?

Resources:
"Length of Pregnancy Influenced by Placenta Structure." Science Daily. N.p., 17 Nov. 2010. Web. 18 Nov. 2010. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/ 11/101116203438.htm

CSB #2: Scientists Trick Bacteria

Definitions

Embedding - to fix firmly

Perturb - to disturb; to bother

Bacteria - Single-celled microorganisms which are parasites


Summary

Scientists at Yale University are trying to trick the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria to embed small molecules that are not products of themselves into their cell walls. The Staphylococcus aureus has an enzyme called sortase A that watches over the molecules and proteins that attach to the cell wall. The cell wall is an important area of the cell because it contains the components the cell uses to relate to its environment. David Spiegel, a chemist at Yale said "By being able to manipulate the cell wall, we can in theory perturb the bacteria's ability to interact with human tissues and host cells." If the scientists can get the bacteria to think that the foreign molecules are it's own products, they could control the number of people killed by MRSA and AIDS.

Discussion

I chose this article because I thought it was interesting how scientists could manipulate bacteria. This relates to my regular life and and the entire world because people around the whole world die from MRSA and AIDS. The embedding of small foreign molecules into bacteria has potential to stop some of the most dangerous diseases from affecting more people. I think it's very important and interesting that the scientists are spending so much time on this, because it could have a very big impact. Many people die yearly from Staphylococcus aureus infections. Not only will this save many people, but scientists will be able to understand the way bacteria work much better.

Questions

1. What happens to people infected with Staphylococcus aureus?
2. How did the scientists working with the bacteria think of embedding molecules into the cell wall?

Resources

Yale University. "Scientists Trick Bacteria Into Embedding Small Molecules in Cell Wall." ScienceDaily 8 October 2010. 14 October 2010 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101007171415.htm

CSB #1: Hive Thieves

Definitions:

Varroa destructor - a parasite abundant in most countries that attacks honeybees.

beekeeping - the cultivation of bees for the production of honey

Summary:

Germany has about one million bee hives. During the winter, about one fifth of the hives did not survive. This was caused mainly by the Varroa destructor. "The Varroa mite, one of several pests plaguing bees, attaches itself to the insects and their larvae and feeds on their lymph fluid, passing on diseases such as deformed wing virus and rendering them more vulnerable to disease." Because many beekeepers' hives died, many people started stealing bee hives. "Reported thefts of beehives almost doubled, to 306 in 2008 from 164 in 2007, and the figure was unchanged in 2009, according to Germany’s leading insurer of beekeepers, Gaede & Glauerdt." The thefts are most likely being committed by normal people, not beekeepers. The people who are stealing the hives do not take proper care of the bees.

Discussion:

I think this issue is very important, because bees are are the third-most important livestock in Germany. Without bees, beekeepers do not make money, and there is less honey for the people to eat. If bees keep dying out, the price of honey will rise and there will not be much left. I chose this article because it sounded interesting. This article relates to my life because I like to eat honey. Without honey, lots of things taste bitter.

Questions:

1. I would like to know more about how a bee produces honey

2. I would also like to know about the different kinds of bees and what their jobs are in the hives.

Resources:

“beekeeping definition.” Word Net Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2010. .

Crossland, David. “Germany abuzz over theft of hives.” The National. N.p., 4 July 2010. Web. 24 Sept. 2010. .

“Varroa destructor (arachnid).” Global Invasive Species Database. N.p., 20 June 2006. Web. 24 Sept. 2010.

Picture: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.metatech.org/Images/bee%2520hive.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.metatech.org/07/bees_cause_colony_collapse_disorder.html&usg=__aTkJ3I1XMlGIA1uaaBEolsp5Ubw=&h=283&w=450&sz=37&hl=en&start=13&sig2=qHrLJcUwdUBJzUqj4uF2Mw&zoom=1&tbnid=6NuZy30-48nu5M:&tbnh=80&tbnw=127&ei=9gudTMW_Jou4sQOPwMzVAQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbee%2Bhives%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1440%26bih%3D714%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1 .