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New Vaccination Law in Germany

May 30, 2017 By Jack M. Robinson Leave a Comment

vaccination

Officials just want to make sure that parents seek medical advice on vaccination.

STATES CHRONICLE -Vaccination is very important, especially for small children who have a higher risk of diseases. In Germany, a new law could fine parents who don’t vaccinate their children when necessary. This law could be introduced to lower the risk of diseases.

Hermann Gröhe, the health minister, mentioned that this law is necessary. Germany doesn’t want to make vaccination obligatory. Officials just want to make sure that parents seek medical advice on vaccination. If this law is approved, kindergartners staff need to report all parents who can’t prove that they have taken their children to a medical consultation.

The law, that could be adopted next month, is going to affect the children whose parents failed to seek vaccination advice. These kids can even be expelled from their kindergartens and their parents could be fined. The Bundersrat (upper house of German Parliament) mentioned that forcing the staff from kindergartens to report parents could breach data protection laws.

In other European countries, vaccination is mandatory. Parents are obligated to vaccinate their children against 12 common illnesses including polio, hepatitis B, and measles. The same law was adopted in Italy last week after the country was affected by a devastating measles outbreak.

The main factor that caused the European measles epidemic was the low rate of vaccination. In the area where the rate was lower, the number of measles cases exponentially increased. In Germany, more than 410 measles cases were reported since the beginning of the year. Last year, there were only 325 cases for the whole year.

In Europe, the most cases of measles were reported in 7 countries which include Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Switzerland, Romania, Italy, and France. The most affected countries are Romania and Italy. To avoid the epidemic from spreading even more, parents should vaccinate their children before they enroll them in school or other public institutions. Also, WHO mentioned that all people should receive a second measles jab.

Image source: Pixnio

Filed Under: Health

Researchers Are Searching for a Mate for Left-Coiled Snail Jeremy

May 20, 2017 By Jack M. Robinson Leave a Comment

Snail

Researchers wanted to find a mate for a rare left-coiled snail named Jeremy

STATES CHRONICLE – In November, Jeremy the snail’s story became popular. He belongs to a rare kind of snails, which made it hard for him to find another specimen for mating. Then, a global call was issued to find the special snail a mate, but this did not work out either, as he ended up on the unpleasant side of a love triangle.

Jeremy is a rare kind of snail

Jeremy is not like most snails, which have coils on the shell which go on the right. His coils are on the left, as well as his reproductive organs. This makes it difficult for him to mate with the other snails with reproductive organs on the right. Such left-coiled specimens are as rare as one in 100,000, or even one in one million. Therefore, the snail had trouble in finding his other half.

Therefore, researchers from the University of Nottingham decided to start a campaign and ask anybody who had a left-coiled snail bring it to mate with Jeremy. Shortly, they found not one, but two partners. A woman from the English city of Ipswich said she had a potential match named Lefty. Also, researchers had found another compatible snail in Spain, called Tomeu.

On the wrong side of the love triangle

However, it didn’t work out well for Jeremy. On Wednesday, scientists from the University of Nottingham revealed the sad truth. Jeremy did not get to mate with any of the snails, as they ignored him and mated with each other instead.

Lefty and Tomeu have laid three series of eggs, and 170 baby snails have already hatched. Unfortunately, none of them exhibit the genetic mutation present in their parents. Both of them laid eggs, since snails are hermaphrodites and have both types of sexual cells.

Researchers did not give up and are still searching for a pair for Jeremy. Until then, he has taken the role of uncle seriously, and is taking good care of Lefty and Tomeu’s baby snails.
Image Source: Public Domain Pictures

Filed Under: Science

Researchers Find Nodosaur Preserved in Almost Intact Form

May 15, 2017 By Jack M. Robinson Leave a Comment

Dinosaur bones

World’s most perfectly preserved nodosaur is exhibited in Alberta, Canada

STATES CHRONICLE – Canadian scientists were surprised by a breathtaking discovery which left them all speechless. An oil sands mine was hiding the fossils of a dinosaur which surprised scientists with its incredible state of preservation. The creature was almost intact, and looked as if it escaped from a Steven Spielberg movie.

The perfectly preserved nodosaur

Scientists identified the creature as a nodosaur. These dinosaurs were herbivores, moved on four legs, and kept predators away with the help of their armored skin covered in spikes. This fossil is around 110 million years old, but it looks strikingly different from other dinosaur remnants. The bones are not visible, as the skin of the nodosaur encased them and preserved the creature in an almost flawless state.

This fossil measures over 18 feet and will soon exhibited at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology from Alberta, Canada. Experts say this is the oldest specimen ever found around Alberta, as well as the armored dinosaur in the most intact state in the entire world.

The discovery was a lucky accident

The nodosaur was discovered accidentally, during a series of excavations in an oil sands mine in 2011. Scientists could immediately identify the value of this discovery, so they started the preparations for a more thorough analysis. After six years, they managed to reconstruct it and get it ready for the exhibition.

They suspect that floodwater might have taken the dinosaur and carried it away on the sea, where it sank to the bottom. There, minerals started gathering over its tank-like coat, which prevented it from decomposing and helped with its preservation. Right now, the nodosaur weighs 2,500 pounds, which is close to the weight it had while it was still alive.

The scientists from the museum want to continue the study of the nodosaur, so they started a partnership with National Geographic Society to continue the analyses. The exhibit has already opened for the public, so all who are interested can go and see the amazing fossils.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Filed Under: Science

Researchers Discover Cells Linked to Gray Hair and Baldness

May 9, 2017 By Jack M. Robinson Leave a Comment

Woman with gray hair

Researchers found the proteins in skin cells linked to gray hair and baldness

STATES CHRONICLE – A team of researchers from the Southwestern Medical Center of University of Texas accidentally discovered which cells caused hair to turn gray and fall down. While they looked at how cancer affected nerve cells, they discovered the cause of this phenomenon, which they might use to stop balding and hair graying.

Proteins from skin cells influence hair color and structure

The study was published in the journal Genes & Development. Researchers discovered how skin cells which produce hair contained a protein called KROX20. The cells also produce stem cell factors, which is the protein responsible with hair pigmentation and structure.

They performed several experiments on mice, where they removed the stem cell factors from their cells. This caused their hair to turn white. Afterwards, they removed the KROX20, and observed how the mice started losing more hair, and it did not start growing back.

A cancer research provided the solution for hair loss

Initially, the researchers wanted to see how tumors affect nerves. However, they ended up finding out why hair turned gray and which cell was directly responsible with hair growth. Now, researchers want to see if the same cells are active in humans. If they discover the same proteins and cells which influence the growth and pigmentation of hair, they might develop a cure for baldness and hair graying.

Both stem cell factors and the KROX20 protein are produced at the base of the hair follicle. Then, they start moving upwards and interacting with melanocytes, which gives hair its color. If the stem cell factor is removed, the hair starts turning gray and, after a few days, it becomes completely white. Also, the removal of KROX20 stops hair growth completely.

Therefore, researchers discovered that hair loss might be prevented if they interact with the skin cells which produce it. However, they advise people not to neglect their hair and keep it as healthy as possible. Always use shampoo and conditioner which is suitable for your hair, and wash it as soon as it turns oily.
Image Source: Max Pixel

Filed Under: Health

Conjoined Twin Sisters Want to Have a Normal Life

April 25, 2017 By Jack M. Robinson Leave a Comment

Conjoined twin sisters

Conjoined twin sisters living in Connecticut want to have normal lives.

STATES CHRONICLE – Lupita and Carmen Andrade are conjoined twin sisters. They live in Connecticut, and their biggest dream is to have a normal life. Carmen wants to get her driver’s license to become more independent. Nevertheless, she would not be able to drive without her sister Lupita being always there. Even if they want to be ordinary, Carmen and Lupita are far from it. Their driving lesson is not just like any other lesson for common 16-year-old.

Carmen wants to get her driver’s license and Lupita will never need one

They are conjoined twin sisters, being among the first few sets of conjoined twins in the country. Lupita and Camer are connected along their chest walls and down to the pelvis. There, Carmen and Lupita’s spines meet. Each of the two has two arms, but just one leg. Lupita can control the left leg while Carmen controls the right one. Carmen appears to be more confident than Lupita, being very interested in getting her driver’s license.

When sitting in the driver’s seat, Carmen places both her hands on the wheel, and her right foot is ready to work the pedals. Lupita gets squeezed between her sister and the driver’s door. She knows she will never need a license if her sister has one. It is very hard for them to move because they need extreme cooperation and coordination.

Since they are conjoined twin sisters, they need to cooperate very well when making a decision

Lupita claimed that they are very dependent on each other because that is how they grew up, being conjoined for 16 years. Probably, if they ever get separated, it will be extremely hard for them to get used to a new life. The conjoined twin sisters Lupita and Carmen are keen on doing their schoolwork every day and also hanging out with their friends.

Nevertheless, they face tough challenges on a daily basis even if for the rest these may not be visible. If one of them develops any medical issues, they could both be in danger. Lupita might need a surgery someday of a tank of oxygen since her spine is squeezing her lungs. The girls together with their family might be sent back to Mexico from where they came when they were babies to find medical help.

They spent a lot of time learning how to coordinate their moves when they were babies, and they started walking. Separating them was not considered ideal because doctors believed it was pretty risky. Carmen and Lupita are optimistic persons, arguing that even if they look different, they try to be like everybody else.

Image source: wikipedia

Filed Under: Health

Researchers Try to Solve the Mystery of Hobbit Humans

April 24, 2017 By Jack M. Robinson Leave a Comment

A skull

Archaeologists try to determine the origin of Hobbit humans.

STATES CHRONICLE – For many years now, scientists try to solve the mystery of hobbit humans. Back in 2003, researchers have unearthed the remains of a human pygmy species, namely Homo floresiensis, in a cave on the Flores Island. For 15 years, the origins of this species were enveloped in mystery, starting several rumors. At that time, scientists were not able to establish whether Homo floresiensis was a damaged Homo sapiens or a new human species.

Scientists could not determine the place of Hobbit humans in the evolutionary tree

Nevertheless, they continued to ask themselves whether hobbit humans were a new kind of humans and, if so, where was their place of the evolutionary tree. Anthropologists wanted to know how old this species was. There was a long series of unanswered questions. Thus, scientists decided to investigate in a try to find some accurate answers.

Anthropologists could not determine some satisfactory results to all their dilemmas due to three different reasons. Firstly, anthropologists do not have enough bones from Hobbit humans to examine them and undergo a detailed series of tests. Despite the fact many American, Australian and Indonesian archaeologists have struggled to find such skeletons, they did not succeed.

Homo floresiensis had some similar characteristics to chimpanzees

So far, some archaeologists manage to uncover the skull, arm, shoulder, forearm bones, half of its pelvis, wrist, thigh, foot and leg bones. In 2004, scientists discovered more bones from other individuals, including lower and upper limb bones, an adult lower jaw and a Hobbit child’s limb bones. Even if the samples were well-preserved, they were not enough evidence to account for the puzzle of their place in the evolutionary tree.

Scientists confessed that they did not even have enough evidence for the Homo erectus from Indonesia to compare it with the Hobbit’s skeleton. They explained that Hobbit humans seem to have a lot of chimpanzee’s features, but also some modern human bits.  However, the most awkward looking Hobbit human who was discovered so far indicated that the creature had large teeth and a small brain. The species might have mostly walked on two feet.

Homo floresiensis indicates to have had long arms and short legs, just like a chimpanzee. Researchers presupposed that it might have lived most of the time in the trees. Hobbit humans were believed to be 18,000 years old, but the species’ age was reevaluated to somewhere between 100,000 and 60,000 years old. For some researchers, the Hobbit is a very primitive member of Homo, irrespective of the consequences it brings to us.

Image source: flickr

Filed Under: Science

Meltwater Lakes in Antarctica Jeopardize the Sea Levels

April 20, 2017 By Jack M. Robinson Leave a Comment

Sea ice layers melting

Experts pointed out that climate change triggered the formation of massive meltwater lakes.

STATES CHRONICLE – Massive meltwater lakes which formed in Antarctica may cause a sea level rise that might affect the whole planet. Large areas of the Western Peninsula were discovered to be melting at a fast pace. Scientist argued that this part of Antarctica was especially affected by rigorous melting during summer months. Jonathan Kingslake, a glaciologist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, claimed that the effects of climate change could no longer be considered a future problem since they are already a reality.

Meltwater lakes, channels and rivers trigger even more melting, floating over the surface of snow

He also stated that many polar scientists have thought that the event of water moving across Antarctica is exceedingly rare. Nevertheless, they discovered it to be very popular, affecting large areas. The evidence found regarding these meltwater lakes forming during the summer season indicate that the whole continent may be more vulnerable than ever. Even slight temperature rises are likely to trigger melting events which will affect the area even more in the upcoming decades.

To develop the new study, Kingslake together with his colleagues have analyzed historical catalogs of pictures which were captured from military aircraft starting with 1974. They have also examined satellite images, going back to 1973. The team of researchers revealed that a network of approximately 700 meltwater lakes, rivers, streams, and channels formed across the ice layers.

Sea ice layers are continuously melting due to global warming

Some of these streams are popular at latitudes which are so far south such that researchers believed that liquid water was impossible to flow there. The new study was published on April 19 in the Nature magazine. In some cases, the water network has been developing for decades now. For example, meltwater lakes managed to reach the Roi Baudouin Ice Shelf of East Antarctica back in 1947. However, scientists could not establish whether these meltwater rivers have continued to grow since the first pictures were captured.

Some of these watery areas form where powerful winds carried away the snow from the surface, revealing the darker sea ice below. Other such areas appear to be developing near rocky mountains which peek out from the surrounding ice. The darker ice below attracts the sunlight which triggers the ice to melt at a fast pace. After the ice melts, meltwater lakes and rivers form, causing more melting when crossing over the surface of the snow.

What do you think should be done to stop these melting events? Are environmentalists able to save this area?

Image courtesy of: static pexels

Filed Under: Science

Specialists Argue that the Best Exercise Is Running

April 17, 2017 By Jack M. Robinson Leave a Comment

Girls running

Researchers revealed that running is indeed the best exercise.

STATES CHRONICLE – Now specialists had made it official, arguing that running is the best exercise. One hour of running may increase your lifespan with seven hours. Couch potatoes should feel motivated, leave the remote control and go for a run. A new research, which will soon be released in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, unveiled that runners have a more extended life expectancy compared to people who do not exercise.

New study indicated that running is the best exercise

Their lives may be prolonged with 3.2 years due to running. Nevertheless, there are factors like drinking, smoking, race, ethnicity, weight and sex which influence that timespan. Scientists from Iowa State University examined existing information to find out if there are other aerobic exercises, like biking or walking, which might have the same effect on people’s lifespan. They have also investigated whether too much running may lead to early morality and also if this compromise is indeed worth it.

They discovered that the biggest longevity advantage was revealed in people who did several physical activities, running included. Individuals who were obsessed with fitness exercises indicated to have a 43% decrease in the risk of death. This benefit came after people established a particular routine, running a couple of hours per week. Now, people should not believe that they need to run every day for hours on end to live longer.

Running a few hours per week may increase people’s lifespan

Only four hours per week of running could bring anyone the benefits of a longer and healthy life. Dr. Angelique Brellenthin, the co-author of the study and a post-doctoral fellow at Iowa State University, indicated that 30 to 60 minutes of running every week are bound to enhance longevity, compared to those who do not exercise at all. She declared herself to feel encouraged by such findings which suggest that 30 minutes for three or four times per week could increase people’s lifespan.

People who have a chaotic and busy schedule should try to exercise as much as possible since running is also a great stress reliever. Besides benefiting from a longer life, running also leads to having an overall better life, with better cognitive function and a better physical.  Regular exercising increases gray matter volume in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus of the brain. This means that running also lowers the risk of developing neurological diseases, reducing the neurological illness-connected mortality.

Image courtesy of: static pexels

Filed Under: Health

The Fossil of an Ancient Dinosaur Had Crocodile Legs

April 13, 2017 By Jack M. Robinson Leave a Comment

A crocodile-like dinosaur

Scientists revealed the fossil of a dinosaur’s relative which has legs similar to crocodile legs.

STATES CHRONICLE – Paleontologists have discovered the fossil of an ancient dinosaur which appears to have had crocodile legs or at least similar legs to those of a crocodile. When excavating a basin situated in southern Tanzania, they have revealed a 245-million-year-old fossil which belonged to one of the relatives of dinosaurs. Scientists argued that the massive creature was not a direct ancestor to dinosaurs.

A relative of dinosaurs was discovered to have crocodile legs

Nevertheless, paleontologists claimed that it was a sort of close cousin, being called Teleocrater rhadinus. The findings were published in the Nature magazine on April 12. This new data might help researchers add new pieces to the puzzle concerning people’s understanding of the evolution of dinosaurs. The discovery may also shed light on what dinosaur’s relative looked like.

Randall B. Irmis, who is a curator of paleontology at the Natural History Museum of Utah, claimed that this is the first time when scientists have an insight into the first forms on the ancestry which leads to birds, dinosaurs, and pterosaurs. The new research is bound to fuel further studies which will try to reveal why and how dinosaurs and pterosaurs managed to evolve in different ways from their early relatives.

The crocodile-like dinosaur was called Teleocrater rhadinus

Teleocrater rhadinus is an archosaur, being part of a group which encapsulated all dinosaur, birds and flying reptiles pterosaurs, as well as alligators and crocodiles. Approximately 250 million years ago, when the Triassic Period started, the archosaurs developed into two primary branches: the first one consisted of all the birds which also included dinosaurs and the second one encapsulated crocodiles. The Teleocrater is believed to be an early member of the bird-line archosaurs.

This species had appeared about 10 million to 15 million years before dinosaurs started to be part of the ancestry. For such a creature, which was closely a relative of dinosaurs, it did not look dinosaur-like. It appears to have had crocodile legs, walking on four limbs and it had somewhere between six to ten feet long. Some scientists argued that it looked like a Komodo dragon which had a very long neck.

Paleontologists were surprised by this creature’s ankles which appeared to be similar to the ones found in crocodiles than those discovered in dinosaurs or birds. This is strange even for researchers since Teleocrater was part of the bird lineage and not the crocodile one.

Image courtesy of: wikipedia

Filed Under: Science

New Study: Gray Hair Said to Increase Heart Disease Risk

April 12, 2017 By Jack M. Robinson Leave a Comment

george clooney with gray hair

Those who had more gray hair had also a higher risk of heart problems.

STATES CHRONICLE -Heart disease is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. A new study shows that there might be a connection between gray hair and an increased risk of heart conditions. This research was conducted by researchers from Cairo University. Unfortunately, only men participated in the study which means that the result might not apply for women too.

Researchers analyzed 545 men to see if they had heart trouble. After that, they cross-referenced those results with the color of the hair. The results showed that men who had more gray hair were more likely to develop atherosclerosis compared to those who had less gray hair or not at all.

“In our population, a high hair-whitening score was associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease,” said study author Irini Samuel.

The leader of the study observed that the findings are helpful no matter if the man has a certain age or if he has a high risk of heart disease. The reason for which women were not included in the study was related to the frequency with which they color their hair. Therefore, the researchers focused only on male participants.

All the participants underwent scans to see if they had any risk of heart disease. Researchers looked for indicators like plaque build-up. The men were aged between 42 and 64 and were divided into 5 groups based on how much gray hair they had. The groups ranged from “pure black hair” to “pure white”.

The scientists observed that more than 80% of participants showed signals of heart diseases. Those who had more gray hair also had a higher risk of heart problems. This means that there is a connection between heart conditions and gray hair. Despite the fact that researchers managed to find this connection, no evidence was found as to a cause-and-effect relationship.

For all we know, a bigger risk of heart condition could cause gray hair or it could be the other way around. The scientists mentioned that getting old also increases the risk of heart conditions for men. On the other hand, gray hair might also show that there is an unhealthy biological aging. Researchers stated that more research needs to be done before they can find the cause-and-effect relationship.

What is your opinion about this study? Do you think gray hair actively contributes to increased heart disease rates? Or is it the other way around?

Image source: depositphotos.com.

Filed Under: Health

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