Why Box Turtles Come in My Backyard?

Small size of box turtle

Box turtle is not ocean turtle, but considered as a pond turtle. The turtle might be found in areas such as:

- shrubby grasslands

- woodlands

- forest edges

- rainfall or watery areas

- stream or small river

We may distinguish sex different in box turtles by see their eye and size. Red eyes for males, and yellow brown eyes for females.

Males larger than females. These turtles could reach 5 inches (13 cm) long, and 2 pounds (1 kg) weight. You may easily handle this turtle with your hand. I mean with one hand only. 

Shell of right up a box turtle

Why Box Turtles Come in My Backyard? There are many reasons, one of them that my backyard is close to their habitat.

It is common to box turtle to roaming around, especially in summer season. However, they will travel no more than 1 mile (1.6 km) from their home.

Bottom (upside down) shell of a box turtle

Summer is the peak time to lay eggs. Box turtle may lay eggs about 5, but could be 11 eggs in one season.

A box turtle crawl on the grass of backyard

Incubating period for eggs to hatch is 60 days, about the same incubating periods with sea turtles.

Unfortunately, there are many predators for both eggs and new hatch-ling box turtles, some of predators:

- skunks,

- snakes

- owls

- coyotes

- foxes

- raccoon

- chipmunks

Have you seen box turtles? Where? 

Stray Cats in Our Neighborhood

 

A stray cat on the bushes

I always see many pets stray around our neighborhood. Many of them are dogs and cats.

In case of cats, there are plenty of breeds walking around neighborhood. Some popular breeds are:

- American shorthair

- Himalayan

- Birman

- Abyssian

- Bengal

- Persian

- Siamese

Our house often visited by cats, but we did not considered as “stray” cats since they came a while then disappeared. They may come back near future. They are guests.

Cat’s position ready to “attack?”

The stray pets are hanging around in the certain spots of neighborhood for several days, even weeks.

Photo from behind cat

Pets are believed very difficult to survive in the wild habitat, since they are dependent to their adopt parents (owners).

It is said that we should report about stray pets or animals to the following institutions:

- animal control

- a local shelter or rehabilitation

What are you doing when you saw stray pets in your neighborhood?

Can Insulin be Produced from Laboratory Dish? - Diabetes 25

 

Illustration purpose only

We have talked about role of pancreatic beta cells to produce insulin. These are examples of posts relate to beta cells:

- Why Pancreas of Type 2 Diabetic Persons Produce Less Insulin? - Diabetes 3 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Could Medicines Affect on Pancreas to Produce Insulin? - Diabetes 4 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- How to Activate Damaged Beta Cell in Pancreas to Produce Insulin? - Diabetes 21 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Recently, researchers have tried to develop beta cells from human stem cells in a dish. It is expected that these beta cells will secrete insulin in response to a given glucose.

First attempted was failed, it is because stem cells interrupted to grow to be pancreas beta cells in the let’s say Petri dish.

Succulent plants in the pot, just for illustration

Scientists knew that specific receptor protein called estrogen related receptor γ (ERRγ) abundant in beta cells. Then scientists injected this receptor protein to improve process of cells maturation in the lab.

Surprisingly, the mature beta cells produce insulin in the Petri dish. For further test, then, the beta cells are transplanted into mice (diabetic mice).

The result is promising that beta cells secrete insulin to respond the high blood sugar level in the mice.

The next steps to find out:

- how to transplant the Petri dish’s beta cells into human being

- can beta cells be function to produce insulin to control sugar level in human?

At least, we see light to help diabetes patients, especially type 1 diabetic patients where their pancreas stop to produce insulin at all.

We are waiting the great finding to treat diabetes in the near future!

Orange Speckle Canna is a Summer Flower

 Pretty orange Canna flowers

I saw Canna flowers have many colors in my city garden, some of them:

- blood red or bright red

- pale yellow

- bright yellow

- orange

- red

- combinations of pink, salmon and apricot

Canna usually blooming in the Summer until Fall. It is reasonable why this flower growing well under full sun and moisture conditions.

We can see Canna bloom for many times in a year, depend on weather conditions. Fading flowers might be replaced by new ones, thus stalks live two seasons long.

Since flowers look bold, and one of flamboyant summer, it is good to have the Canna in our garden.

Flowers of Canna look bold and beautiful.

It is said to grow and care Canna is easy, from bulb to produce bright and pretty flowers.

This flower is found in the North and South America. The flower abundant in some parts of:

- Argentine

- South Carolina

- Florida

- Caribbean Islands

Petal of Canna flowers

In some developing countries, in addition as a gift for certain special days such as father’s day, this plant also used as a source of foods.

We find starch, called as achira in the bulb and rhizomes of Canna plant. The starch be processed as noodles. A very high quality noodle.

Have you seen Canna flowers? What color do you like?

Tame Ducks are Walking on City Lake Sides

 Fig-1. Three young ducks

We found many ducks, especially young ones play around at the one side of city lake peacefully, no predators and no hunters for sure.

In the wild nature, these ducks live in the quite variety areas, include in the:

- coastal marshes

- bays and bayous

- beaver ponds

- rice fields

- flooding parts of woodland or forest

At least, there are 3 common ducks living in the nature of Louisiana:

1) Mallard

The males are characterized by green heads as you may see two ducks at above photo (Fig-1). Actually, Mallard is migratory ducks, millions from North to South in Mississippi rivers during winters.

Fig-2. Two ducks, male and female

2) Mottled

Bills of Mottled is yellow for male, while olive green for female. The ducks are non migratory, usually stay in coastal marshes all seasons.

Fig-3. Male of Mallard duck.

3) Wood ducks

The habitat of these ducks is in the swamp areas of forests. Since timbers have been harvested almost completely, the ducks may be found in many places include in the Mississippi rivers. 

Fig-4. Lonely duck

Interestingly, ducks watching and hunting are part of important activities in many parts of America. About 11.6 million ducks are harvested per year in the USA.

Some best states to watch and hunt ducks are:

- Louisiana

- Mississippi

- Nebraska

- Minnesota

- North Dakota

Have you watch or hunt duck in nature? Where? Did you taste duck meat?

What is mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine? - Virus 15

                                                         Painting at my neighborhood

As we might know that messenger ribonucleuc acid (mRNA) play crucial role to supply information to DNA in protein synthesis to regulate cells and tissues in our body.

Unfortunately, virus, in this case Covid-19 “manipulate” RNA to enable to enter cells, then duplicate itself. Consequence of this activity:

- infected people to be sick or dead

- if virus infected lung, then patient to be difficult to breath.

Vaccine is one of effective methods to control virus. Traditionally, vaccine was made by weaken or killed virus, then injected into body to stimulate immune system to produce antibody.

The traditional method has taken long time (could be years and even a decade) to develop, because of:

- make sure that weaken or dead virus be able to stimulate immune system to produce antibody

- we must certain that virus is dead or weak, not strong enough to infect human.

- search suitable media for virus to well growing

- need large scale to test effectiveness and safety of vaccine.

In 1990, scientist develop mRNA vaccine which contain viral protein. This viral protein could trick immune system to “think” that body is attacked by real virus. Then, immune system responses by producing antibody to fight virus.

In case of Covid-19, the technique is quite advance where:

- additional certain substance into mRNA to reduce negative effects of vaccine such as inflammation.

- using spike protein, a kind of protein for virus to enter cells. Thus, antibody result from vaccine to be effective to combat Covid-19.

The mRNA vaccine shown good result in first and second clinical trials, hope, will be the best result in the final trial.

Beautiful and Health Benefits of Red Button Ginger Plant

Red flower of Red button ginger plant, illustration only

Ginger is well known from Southeast Asia countries, domesticated for purposes culinary and medicine.

Flowers of ginger (Zingiber officinal) are beautiful, they have colors variations include white, yellow, red and combine of many colors.

I saw very red of flower from my neighbor garden, get my attention, because it looks unusual, eye catching flower.

My neighbor said the plant called as “Red Button Ginger Plant” with scientific name called Costus woodsonii.

This plants came from central America, they can be used in forms of:

- fresh 
- powdered
- dried
- oil

Beautiful flower, just for illustration

The ingredients are put on drinks, processed foods and even in cosmetic. Some part of plant are edible and used as recipe ingredients.

Traditionally, this plant has health benefits, some of them:

- improve digestion
- improve flu
- help to fight common cold
- decrease nausea

Have you seen Red Button Ginger Plant?