Do you Know the Company Hires Anyone who Applied?

Greyston Bakery, credit to Mann Advisors

It is normal that an open position for a job will be applied by several applicants. A position with higher salary and offered by established companies attract hundred of candidates.

Job selection goes through several processes, include interview, drug tests and background checks. Many companies need to look applicant skills and experienced.

However, Greyston Bakery locates in Riverdale, New York, developed the system called “Open Hiring.” Every one can sign up application, then wait until a job position available.

Company will call applicant based on who applied first. Call means ready to work immediately. Uniquely, the company has slogan: “we don’t hire people to bake brownies, we bake brownies to hire people.”

For details, please read following article: This company hired anyone who applied. Now it’s starting a movement.

Is Prostate Cancer Inherited Genetically?

Illustration of prostate cancer and genetic, credit to Invitae

There are many factors that believed to increase the risk to get prostate cancer; some of them are genetics, diet, age, race, lifestyle, obesity and Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). 

From genetic view point, prostate cancer is highly heritable; the inherited risk of prostate cancer has been estimated to be as high as 60%. 

Men diagnosed with prostate cancer are highly probably coming from close relative (a father or a brother) with prostate cancers. 

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (2016) suggested that a man with one close relative with prostate cancer is twice as likely to develop cancer.

Then, If two close male relatives are affected, the risk of developing prostate cancer is increased five-fold compared to man with no family members diagnosed.

There are several hundred genes implicate to different stages of Prostate Cancer. 

Maqungo et al, (2011) informed that South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape has developed database called as Dragon Database of Genes associated with Prostate Cancer (DDPC). 

Data were collected from sources of around the world. Some of genes connected to prostate cancers are BRCA1, BRCA2, and HOXB13. 

If these genes have mutated due to un-known reasons, men will have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer and, in some cases, other cancers during their lifetimes.

References

Maqungo, M., Kaur, M., Kwofie, SK., Radovanovic, A., Schaefer, U., Schmeier, S., Oppon, E., Christoffels, A., and Bajic, VB. 2011. DDPC: Dragon Database of Genes associated with Prostate Cancer. Nucleic Acids Res. 2011 Jan; 39(Database issue): D980–D985. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3013759/

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 2016. Inherited Risk for Prostate Cancer. Retrieved from https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/risk-assessment-screening/hereditary-genetics/genetic-counseling/inherited-risk-prostate

What is Missing Link Between Humans and Their Predecessors?

Australopithecus sediba, missing link between early humans and “lucy,”

credit to John Hawks

Scientist have been “quarrel” for at least 10 years about “Missing Link Between Humans and Their Predecessors.”

The missing links is between predecessor called “lucy” and early human called “ Homo habilis.” There is a gap between “lucy” and “ Homo habilis.”

Now scientists certain that the gap is called “Australopithecus sediba.” For details, you may read the article written by Rob Picheta, CNN: Missing Link in Human History Confirmed After Long Debate

What is Final Speech in the Film of “The Great Dictator” About?

Charlie Chaplin in “the great dictator.” Credit to “Good”

I am interesting to review a little bit of “The Great Dictator” final speech of Charlie Chaplin. The speech is part of a film based on story that written and directed, then produced by Charles Chaplin, one of great actor ever. 

You may guess the dictator, that is Hitler who reigned the Germany with tragedy of humanity, all victims are estimated around 17 millions

The final speech of actor is promising speech, contradicting to misery of dictatorship where a lot of respect people feel unhappy live in a tyranny country; the land of hateful that crushed human soul. 

The army patrolled the street and come house to house. The Jews were searched for cruelly beaten and persecuted. The lucky ones were fleeing and hiding in neighboring countries. 

Moreover, at final speech, Charles Chaplin mentioned that where hate always found everywhere on earth. Any country, race, religion and even sexual orientation may “produce” hate and disrespect to each other. 

Hate poisoned life that lead to sadness, unkindness and even bloodshed war. 

It is proven by historical time that great speeches such as done by Charles Chaplin can overcome the hate and oppression. 

Many leaders made great speeches that contributed to better way of thinking and life in societies. 

The leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr talking about dream of equality. Then, this speech has changed the political life in the USA. 

Are Mexican Husk Tomatoes the Same with Tomatoes?

Tomatillo Looks like a tomato when we open the husk

Mexican husk tomato (husk cherry or jam berry), but well known as tomatillo, sound like “tomato.” Tomatillo and tomatoes both are fruits used as vegetable (eaten raw and chopped or mixed with others as salads).

Tomatillo is Mexico origin, and tomatoes is originated from America, included Mexico. Colonist introduced these fruits to Europe hundred years ago.

So, what is difference between a tomatillo and tomato? Scientific name for tomatillo is Physalis philadelphica, but Lycopersicon esculentum for tomatoes. They are different in genus and species

Tomatillo is tart like flavor and crisp texture. When eating in raw, we might feel its sharp taste and a little bit acidic.

Paperly husk surrounds tomatillo

Mexican husk tomatoes have green color, and change to yellow (some to purple) when ripe. All of us know the taste and colors (green when unripe and red) of tomatoes.

Some people processed tomatillo to be jams. We use tomatillo to make salsa, salads and sauces.

Tomatillo is good source for fiber, mineral and vitamins. Rich in magnesium, iron and phosphorus. Sources of vitamin C and K.

The fruit contains beta-carotene. This vitamin A derivative is an antioxidant to prevent cataracts and macular degenerations, thus very good for our vision.

Do you know tomatillo? What do you use for?

Can Bees Do Cognitive Demanding?

Bees may do simple calculation, credit to Bright Side

Since long time ago, human being did know that bees can do pollination and collecting foods (pollen and nectar). Nectar is processed to be well known product called honey.

Then, honey is stored in the honeycombs for future use when bees face with extreme conditions such as no flowers to collect pollen and nectar, and bees unable to forage due to many reasons.

Because of its full of nutrients, honey is one of ideal foods, thus, unfortunately, the bee’s honey is searched by many creatures, and include be stolen by human.

The question is: Can Bees Do Cognitive Demanding? Yes, bees can be trained to do simple calculation which are subtracting and adding. We might ask another question: what the points or implication?

Some of implications are following:

1) We understand that by able to do simple calculation means that bees could distinguish which flowers are essential and which are not, based on shape. Size and distant from their hive. Then, they can memorize those flowers easily.

2) Scientists surprise that bee’s tiny brain has extraordinary ability to conduct many tasks include to learn arithmetic symbols, memorize and do calculation (addition and subtraction).

3) Scientists could use bee’s cognitive ability to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) where computer can do self learning process and solve novel problems.

Finally, human being has possibility to develop skill, know how, cultures and even technology by understanding and learning from ability of a small creature such as a bee. What do you think?

Is There Relationship between Vaccine and Autism?

No correlation between Vaccine and Autism, credit to Jessica Hagy

I reviewed the Immunization study, “The MMR vaccine and autism: Sensation, refutation, retraction, and fraud,” the study is about scientific misrepresentation for special interest. 

The authors view that small sample size, research design and conclusion of research are questionable to connect between vaccine and autism. It is known explicitly in the first paragraph of the paper.

To support the idea that there is no effect of vaccination on autism, Rao and Andrade (2011, paragraph.2) said that “epidemiological studies were conducted and published, refuting the positive link between MMR vaccination and autism.” 

Other evidences are scientists related the vaccine and autism actually got money to conduct research; and those scientists violated ethic and doing scientific misconducts.

I feel that the Immunization study, where false conclusion about vaccine and autism is more harmful than the Stanford Prison study. 

It is because vaccination save million children from the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) for long time. To said opposite (vaccine is harmful) will destroy benefit of vaccine to society, not only in the US but also around the globe.

I think to fix the harm caused is by doing another research to check the previous research. Then, publish the result to confront false of previous research. 

Media (TV, newspaper, and other relate media) then spread the true research results to public at national and states level.

Reference

Rao, TSS and Andrade, C. (2011). The MMR vaccine and autism: Sensation, refutation, retraction, and fraud. Indian J Psychiatry. 2011 Apr-Jun; 53(2): 95–96. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3136032/.