The Biology Blogger

Earlier, I wrote about how the rise in temperature has caused a change in the type of fish in the Rhode Island Sound.  And I said in the article that the rise in the temperature on the Earth could impact us.  Well, it does.  West Nile Virus first appeared in 1999 as we all remember.  It was spread by mosquitoes and we were told to ensure that we didn’t keep damp environments around because of the fear of mosquitoes multiplying and then spreading West Nile.  That was a common fear, but it only spread even more when, in 2002, a new strand of West Nile Virus appeared.  By 2005, it had replaced the old strand and had caused numerous deaths.  Now, over 100 people a year die from this strand.

So, what happened?  How did this strand of West Nile Virus do so much damage while the other one didn’t?  And more importantly: how did it spread so fast?  Two scientists, Kilpatrick and Kramer, conducted an experiment to try and determine what effects temperature had on the spread of the virus and to try and determine when the virus can be transmitted by mosquitoes.  What the studies showed was that this new strand was much easier passed from mosquitoe to human than the old strand.  What they also found was that this new strand had a better advantage when the temperature increased.

Both strands were able to increase its spread when the temperature was higher.  What this means is that as the heat on the planet increases, the increased replicating of the virus will continue to rise and the spread of the virus will continue quickly.  This new strand is better at replicating in the mosquitoe because of the increased temperature, scientists suggest.  Now what they are looking to prove is whether or not the temperature had a connection in the new strain’s ability to invade so effectively.

A lot of people know about West Nile Virus…The increase in its ability to spread should be a warning call to people about the threat of global warming.  We’re told that global warming might melt the ice caps and that the water might rise.  Okay, that’s sort of a bothersome image.  But, because of global warming, we can suddenly see an increase in a disease.  This has a direct connection to us.  It’s not about fish this time…It’s about a disease that can kill humans.  And, if the virus continues to spread and replicate as fast as it is, it could start to kill more people.  Global warming is an issue…One that we, as a people, need to figure out a solution for.

With the general election going on now and Barack Obama going head on against John McCain, one of the big issues that will continue to pop up is global warming. Both candidates will try and say that they have the best plan to fix the global warming problems. Unfortunately, regardless of what either candidate says about the global warming issue, one thing is for certain: it most definitely is occurring. Despite what some critics might say about how it’s not happening and that we need to focus on other things, studies suggest that global warming is very real and that we need to do something to correct it.

When looking at the fish communities in Narragansett Bay and the Rhode Island Sound, scientists found something that was incredibly troubling. Normally living in these bodies of water are vertebrae species (fish), but scientists are noticing that more invertebrates (lobsters, etc) are starting to appear. And, rather than species that feed on the bottom (benthic), there are species that are now feeding higher up in the water column (pelagic). So, the big question that people ask is: why does this matter?

It matters because of the domino effect. Consider this food chain…Phytoplankton normally sink to the bottom of the ocean to the bottom fish. However, more and more, it is being found that the phytoplankton are being consumed by the zooplankton by fish that prey on plankton. This has led scientists to a conclusion about the increase in the number of lobster and crab: because there are less bottom feeders to eat the phytoplankton, the invertebrates are eating them instead which is resulting in an over population of the species.

When looking at this, we can see that the food web has altered. Sure, it might not matter much to you and I, but the food web leads up to us one way or another. Fish is a big market in that area and normally, they would catch cold water fish which are bigger. Fishers are finding that they are catching more fish, but they are smaller. Warm water fish are naturally smaller, but more abundant. The waters are getting warmer and that is, scientists argue, only possible because of global warming.

The big fear that scientists have now is that this area of water (in Rhode Island) will begin to change and turn into estuaries to the south. They have similar problems where animals that would not usually appear in the area are suddenly popping up. And, there is only enough space for so many animals. So, these new, dominant animals are beating the other ones out. So, I think you can see where this is leading…Sooner or later, where do the cold water fish go when there is only warm water? No where. Global warming is an issue that we need to worry about because as much as this article only talks about the fish, it will harm us as well.

For those that know, a B-cell is a cell that is a part of the immune system that creates antibodies to give the body a sign when that antigen enters the body again. Basically, once you’re sick for a first time, it never happens again because your body has developed an immunity. That immunity comes from the antibody. Unfortunately, the B-cell isn’t all good. Research suggests that the receptor on the surface of the B cells actually cooperates with the MYC oncogene (a gene that regulates other genes and, when mutated, often causes cancer). This cooperation speeds up the development of lymphomas.

Cancer grows fast enough as we all know. However, the issue at hand is that with the increased speed of these lymphoma developments, it gives less time for doctors to essentially treat it. Studies show that Non-hodgkins lymphomas have become 85% more prevalent in the past twenty years. The unfortunate fact is that 90% of those are B-cell lymphomas. But, scientists do have hope. According to the lead research, Yosef Refaeli, PhD:

“Our findings have pointed to the B-cell receptor and its signaling pathways as very promising therapeutic targets for B-cell lymphomas.”

What does that mean? It means that they are looking to see if there is a way to treat lymphoma by working with the B-cell receptor. The study showed that with the B-cell receptor working, in essence, it was creating a autoimmune response with the tumor. So, the body began to destroy itself, but not the tumor. What they did was blocked the B-cell receptor with immunosuppressants. If the immune system is not beating itself up, then there’s nothing to worry about. The tumors were effectively destroyed.

Dr. Refaeli was thrilled and rightfully so. If this treatment does work then they can use this understanding to try and combat other cancers, lymphomas, but also autoimmune diseases. By understanding how the B-cell interacts with the MYC oncogene, scientists can find a way to hopefully limit its uses for the tumor. Survivability can increase tremendously with this research.

What does that mean for all of us though? I mean…How many people possibly die from autoimmune diseases alone? Here’s a number…Autoimmune disease death is the number eight cause of death among women aged 15-64. There are a lot of ways people can die and to be ranked number eight is definitely reason enough to be excited about this research. For more numbers, here’s this: 19,160 people have died from Non-hodgkins Lymphoma this year. So, when we look at these numbers and realize what this research could do, I have to say one thing: Hats off to Dr. Refaeli and his team.

Welcome to TheBiologyBlogger.com.  I am Jacob, a junior in college majoring in Biology.  It’s a fascinating field and is, in recent years, growing faster and faster.  I started this blog for the same reason people are probably visiting this blog.  To provide the latest information in the biological field, but moreso, to throw a bit of an opinion into it all.  Do I think this is a good idea?  According to my knowledge, should scientists be doing this?  I feel that providing this information will enlighten you and enlighten me which, truthfully, is important.

A little bit about myself…Like I said, I am a junior in college.  When I first started, I was one of the many nerds that wanted to become a Doctor.  Specifically, I wanted to become a neurologist.  I have always been fascinated by the brain and so, I wanted to try and cure diseases of it.  But, I realized quickly that to cure things, sometimes you need to be more in research.  And I realized that I had a knack for teaching people things.  My school is big on nursing and I would teach the basics to the Freshmen and I realized fast I loved that.  And so, my goal now is to one day get my PhD in some field of biology and teach at a University.

I love biology which is why I started this blog.  I want to report the latest in the field and give you my opinion.  I am always looking to interact with my readers, so please, leave a comment.  Get in contact with me and let’s have a conversation.  I hope that you love the blog, love the entries, and come back to read more.  It’s my passion and I invite you to enjoy it with me.  Anyways…That’s a bit about me.  If you have any questions, leave a comment and I’ll definitely get back to you.