Mar 22, 2016

WHAT DOES A PARROT KNOW ABOUT PTSD?

An unexpected bond between damaged birds and traumatized
veterans could reveal surprising insights into animal intelligence.
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Parrots Are a Lot More Than ‘Pretty Bird’

Outside of the cage, they speak their own language, make tools,
and wreak havoc on plants and researchers’ efforts alike.
Dr Maesiello: “Their astonishing beauty and intelligence are inspirational.”
Parrot partisans say the birds easily rival the great apes and dolphins in 
all-around braininess and resourcefulness, and may be the only animals 
apart from humans capable of dancing to the beat. Read more at

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/22/science/parrots-are-a-lot-more-than-pretty-bird.html



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Mar 16, 2016

C. Diff: Deadly Infection on the Rise in U.S. Hospitals

A life-threatening bacterial infection is gaining ground in America’s hospitals, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And a Consumer Reports analysis finds that even some of the nation’s largest and most prestigious medical institutions are having a hard time getting it under control.
The infection, called C. diff (Clostridium difficile) sickened 101,074 hospital patients in 2014, the most recent data available, according to a March report from the CDC. Other research shows that overall about 450,000 people a year, inside and out of hospitals, are sickened by the infection, and it contributes to the death of about 29,000 people.
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Mar 11, 2016

The Myth of Biodegration

Myth: Waste simply biodegrades in the landfill. 
Reality: Nothing biodegrades in a landfill because nothing is supposed to. 
Newspapers are still readable after almost 40 years; ten-year-old carrots are brown on the outside but bright orange on the inside; and 20-year-old steaks still have meat on the bones. 
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VISUAL GUIDE TO ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

Atrial fibrillation is a condition that disrupts your heartbeat. A glitch in the heart’s electrical system makes its upper chambers (the atria) beat so fast they quiver, or fibrillate. This causes the lower chambers (the ventricles) to beat out of sync.

AFib can be dangerous because it raises your risk of stroke and heart failure.
Watch the slide show at
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/atrial-fibrillation/ss/slideshow-af-overview


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NEWLY DISCOVERED BACTERIA CAN EAT PLASTIC BOTTLES

A team of Japanese scientists has found a species of bacteria that eats the type of plastic found in most disposable water bottles. 
The discovery, published Thursday in the journal Science, could lead to new methods to manage the more than 50 million tons of this particular type of plastic produced globally each year. 
The plastic found in water bottles is known as polyethylene terephalate, or PET. It is also found in polyester clothing, frozen-dinner trays and blister packaging. 
"If you walk down the aisle in Walmart you're seeing a lot of PET," said Tracy Mincer, who studies plastics in the ocean at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. 
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Mar 9, 2016

What Causes Parkinson's Disease?

A Shortage of Dopamine
Parkinson's disease occurs when nerve cells, or neurons, in an area of the brain that controls movement become impaired and/or die. Normally, these neurons produce an important brain chemical known as dopamine, but when the neurons die or become impaired, they produce less dopamine. This shortage of dopamine causes the movement problems of people with Parkinson's. 

Dopamine is a chemical messenger, or neurotransmitter. Dopamine is responsible for transmitting signals between the substantia nigra and multiple brain regions. The connection between the substantia nigra and the corpus striatum is critical to produce smooth, purposeful movement. Loss of dopamine in this circuit results in abnormal nerve-firing patterns within the brain that cause impaired movement.
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