Confusion Makes More Sense

ikenbot:

“The sun is getting ready for the transit. Activity is rising, so let’s hope for some nice imaging opportunities.”

Cleaning out brain space: What I learnt today - Protein Structure ↘

Proteins are used in many biological processes.

Primary Structure

This is the sequence of amino acids, joined by pepetide bonds. There is usually 50 or more amino acids joined together for the polypeptide to be considered a protein.

Secondary Structure

The arrangement of the…

fuckyeahmolecularbiology:

Needless to say, microscopy has progressed radically since Leeuwenhoek first observed his “animalcules” through lenses.
It is now possible to dissect cells into their various microscopic components, aiding not only in modeling and visualisation but also treatment and the advancement of research. In the image above, scientists used a technique called stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) to peer deeper into a kidney cell. Objects of interest – in this case a protein called actin involved in cell movement – are tagged with fluorescent markers, which light up under laser light. This composite image is formed from 230,000 frames and is detailed enough to illuminate individual actin fibres, which are less than a millionth of a centimetre thick. Such high resolution can reveal the effects of a disease or a genetic fault in the finest detail - advancing research and treatment to a whole new level simply through the power of visualisation.

sciencepopularis:

An extended exposure of the Falcon 9 rocket as it launches from Cape Canaveral
Hey fellow science lovers, sorry I have been MIA for a while (here is a stunning image of the recent Space X rocket to appease!). I am currently in the middle of my finals. I am trying very hard to get a degree class which will help me in my pursuit of a career in the creative dissemination of science through Science Popularis and more, and I can hopefully share with you a lot of science knowledge along the way!
Wish me luck! Back soon,
Tom, Science Popularis
Photograph: John Raoux/AP

insane-in-the-meninges:

Phenylketonuria is a genetic disorder in which the body is unable to break down the essential amino acid phenylalanine, and leads to a plethora of symptoms that include seizures, hypercephaly, delayed milestones, and retardation. Pictured above is the structure of a phosphorylated phenylalanine hydroxylase, the absence of which causes phenylketonuria.

fuckyeahmolecularbiology:

If asked, would you rank polio among the world’s most severe infectious diseases?

No, I wouldn’t either - but it’s worth remembering that it took a lot of hard work to get it off of that list. Poliovirus, a human enterovirus of the family Picornaviridae, has persisted throughout history with fascinating success. It can be seen everywhere from ancient Egyptian paintings and carvings of otherwise healthy people with withered limbs, to, more recently, the 20th century polio epidemics that became a seasonal plague, paralysing children and adults alike and causing the ultimate race for a vaccine. While 90-95% of poliovirus infections are asymptomatic, the symptoms of polio - when they present - are both devastating and deadly.

Several poliovirus vaccines have been developed to date; in particular, one live, attenuated vaccine and one IPV (inactivated poliovirus vaccine). In a recent Nature News article, “A war not yet won”, the financial implications of poliovirus - which is still endemic in developing countries, despite a worldwide push for eradication - were examined alongside various strategies for moving forward with changes to the proposed eradication scheme. One such change was the use of the injectable IPV vaccine in conjunction with the oral vaccine - the live, weakened attenuated virus - that’s currently being used to treat poliomyelitis in endemic populations.

Although the fight to eradicate poliovirus is far from over - and it’s definitely too early to start congratulating - complementing the inexpensive, highly effective oral vaccine with its injected dead-virus counterpart is a promising start. With sufficient funding and a better global understanding about the benefits of vaccination, we’ll see the end of poliomyelitis in our lifetimes.

Top Image: Coloured transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of clusters of polio viruses, the cause of poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis). There are three serotypes of the polio virus; pictured here is type 1, which causes most epidemics.

Bottom Image: A computer’s 3D rendering of poliovirus virions.

ibmsocialbiz:

Networks and complexity. Organizations and societies evolved from tribes to institutions to markets to networks, each stage triggered by major societal changes in communications. The written word enabled institutions, the printed word fostered regional and global markets, and the digital word is empowering worldwide networks.

fuckyeahmolecularbiology:

The Incredible Eye

The eye stands as a testament to the effectiveness and magnitude of what can be achieved through natural selection. These extraordinary false-colour SEM images of the human eye were the brainchild of Professor Pietro Motta at the Institute of Human Anatomy of the University La Sapienza in Rome.

Top Left: Surface cells on the iris of the eye. Pigment cells (melanocytes, blue and brown) can be seen here, joined loosely together by connective tissue fibres (white). Smaller macrophage cells dot the surface.

Top Right: Lens of the eye. Lens cells run diagonally (dark green) across this field of view. The transparency of the lens (width 4 millimetres) is due to the absence of nuclei in these cells, and to the crystalline precision of their arrangement.

Centre: The inner surfaces of the iris and adjoining structures in the human eye. At far right (blue) is the edge of the pupil, the hole that allows light into the eye. Coloured mauve is the iris which controls the size of the pupil and therefore how much light will enter. The band of folds down the centre (red) are the ciliary processes.

Bottom left: The surface of the cornea. The matrix- like pattern (seen here) consists of individual flattened transparent cells. This is a stratified squamous epithelium which is 5 cell layers deep. Although full of nerves, there are no blood vessels in the cornea.

Bottom right: The human retina featuring the central fovea, a crater-like depression in the photosensitive layer of the eye. The foveal retina is the area of greatest visual acuity and contains only cone receptor cells. When an eye looks at an object, that part focused on the fovea is the portion most accurately registered by the brain.

All image credit goes to Professor Pietro Motta and Science Photo Library.

Cuttlefish - Jervis Bay by Rowland Cain on Flickr.

This is one of the first images I like to show biologists when I am explaining why education research is important. Dr. Klymkowsky wrote an excellent article for ASBMB on this topic. Science has taken a place in society that is equal to myths, legends and folklore. One could argue that science has no special qualities, as Fereyabend did, but it with the distaste of placing vaccines, microwaves, and space exploration on the same level as witchcraft, multiplying fish and loaves, and snake-oil. If the future century is to be driven by the advancements of biology (e.g. biofuels, and personalized medicine from genomics), then we need a citizenry that understands the foundational theory which unites all of life sciences, which is to say evolution. Humans are the product of an 3.8 billion year old process. What is misleading about this figure is that many believe evolution does occur with plants and animals, but far fewer are willing to extend such explanations to the human context. It is a shame to think that research on yeast, zebrafish, frogs and mice could be easily discredited without knowledge of humans place amount the animal kingdom (or should I say eukaryotic domain).
We have politicians that dismiss science to gain favor in campaign races. We have the editors of our textbooks reduce cohesive principles, place them in the final chapters, to avoid a controversy and improve sales. Furthermore, public education boards in multiple states have taken the liberty to advocate inclusion of intelligent design and creationism into science classrooms, despite being elected as officials to coordinate curriculum and policy with scholarly pursuits.
Teach the controversy, they say! A controversy that never existed in the modern fields of life sciences. While one could argue it is plausible to collect evidence to support the existence of a designer, the fact is we have no empirical evidence. For those who understand the priority of evidence, there is no debate. However, when museums build exhibits that ignore, distort and skew peer-reviewed findings, it is difficult for a person without training in science to see the gaps in the ‘design’ model. The nature of science has been the single most overlooked aspects of science education. Arguably, we will have to change these conceptions of science before we can ever hope to achieve literacy in biology. Our future depends on a society that will use antibiotics appropriately, invest in resolving cancer pathways, and improving the sustainability of agriculture. Evolution is certain (as certain as magnetism, atoms, and gravity), our ability to harness for the good of society remains uncertain. I’m not one to bash on religion or the faith of others, but I will speak up if science is being misrepresented, or actively distorted.