Understanding Diseases in Human Body through Knockout Genes – Part 1

Procedure to produce gene knockout animal (credit to Medindia)

Knockout is a technique to in-activate specific genes in human body.

The technique is part of biotechnology which has been used to modify living organisms in order to improve human welfare.

The knowledge has been around since a long time ago, may be dated back to 5000 B.C.E.

Inactivated specific genes is the biochemical and pathological basis that might be used to understand human diseases.

For these purposes the scientists produced a knockout mouse.

NIH (2015) informed that human share many genes with mice.

Thus, observing knockout mice gives information that can be used to better understand how a similar gene:

- may cause certain abnormality
- or contribute to diseases in humans.

Then?

Highway go to our city.

So far, knockout mice have been used to understand many diseases, including:

- cancer
- obesity
- heart disease
- diabetes
- arthritis
- substance abuse
- anxiety
- aging and Parkinson disease.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Millions are Bitten by Snakes Every Year – Part 2

A snake crawling on the wood bridge

Previous post (Part 1):

- Millions are Bitten by Snakes Every Year – Part 1

what countries have the higher death due to snakebites?

Here the top five countries in the world, the death of snakebites per year (Top 5 Special Report, 2021):

1) India

- number of death around 15 thousands to 50 thousands

2) Indonesia

- death about 11,581

3) Nigeria

- about 9,900

4) Pakistan

- death about 8,264

5) Bangladesh

- number of death around 8,000

Street in the neighborhood, illustration only.

The places where people got snake bites are following:

- farming

- constructions

- plantations.

Moreover, you might wonder: why does top 5 death come from developing countries?

The main reason that no or lack of anti venom drugs to treat snakebites. The other reasons are:

- weak health systems

- less medical resources.

Finally, have you seen snakes in the natures?

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Local Jelly at the Farmer Market – Part 2 - Food Variety 15

Jellies in the jar at the farmer market

Previous post (Part 1):

It is a kind of dressing which is combines of a jam and a sauce or a seasoning. A typical classic product from southern states of America.

A pepper jelly is a vinegar or pectin base preserve, made with:

- hot peppers

- sugar and salt

So, you may guess the taste, yes, mix of sweet and spice of hot peppers which may include:

- Jalapeno

- Habanero

- Serrano

The makers of Bulldog Pepper Jelly from city of New Orleans, Louisiana claimed that their assorted jellies are locally grown, not imported from other states or other foreign countries.

A sign of farmer market

Pepper jelly was popular in America during 1980s to 1990s.

The product is consumed or used for multiple purposes such as:

- glaze on meats, chicken wings, fish and on vegetables.

- topping for crackers, ice cream, cheesecake, cheese and waffles

- using as sauce and dipping

- using as spread to sandwich, turkey slices and hamburger.

- using as appetizer

- mixing with yogurt

Have you tried pepper jelly? What do you think?

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Millions are Bitten by Snakes Every Year – Part 1

Black snake on my back yard

I found black snake and its skin at least twice at my back yard recently. My neighbors said that the snake is black racer, possibly.

This kind of snake is not venomous, it visits yard to search for food. Its natural foods include:

- insects

- lizards

- rodents

- bird and its eggs.

The black racer actives at daylight, it is the reason why I found the snake about mid day.

Moreover, as reported by World Health Organization (WHO, 2021), you might surprise that more than 5 million people are bitten by snakes world wide each year.

Flowers in the bushes, illustration.

Then, snakes, especially venomous species bitten lead to:

- die reach up to 138 thousand

- amputated around 400 thousand

- caused disabilities up to 400 thousand

You might wonder: what countries have the higher death due to snakebites?

# To be continued at Part 2

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Local Jelly at the Farmer Market – Part 1 - Food Variety 15

Pepper Jelly, the local product

Bulldog Pepper Jelly is a brand name only. It is homemade jelly which I believe to be produced and sold in our state only, Louisiana, so far.

Quite difficult to find this brand in groceries across our city, but, luckily I found it in the one of farmer markets close to our home.

There are four types of jellies in the market:

- Roasted Garlic Pepper Jelly

- Jalapeno Pepper Jelly

- Strawberry Pepper Jelly

- Roasted Pecan Pepper Jelly

The price is US$1.62 per ounce (28 gram), expensive compared to manufactured jelly sold in:

- groceries

- supermarket

- Amazon

Jars of pepper jellies on the shelves

However, Bulldog Pepper Jelly is made traditionally, hence fresh and high quality product. I think.

International friends might wonder: what is pepper jelly? What its taste like?

# To be continued to part 2

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Is Autumn Favorite Season in the USA?

Leaves start to change their colors

I thought Spring is the most favorite season for Americans, yes, it was before 2019, long time ago.

Survey done by Gallup (2005), about 16 years ago, indeed, It was Spring as the most lovely season in the USA.

Then, what is the most favorite season now?

Autumn or Fall season.

Based on survey by YouGov (2019), the percentage of people love Fall season is the highest than other seasons.

The result of survey is following:

- Fall 40%

- Summer 27%

- Spring 19%

- Winter 10%

- Don’t know 4%

We might wonder: why?

Color changed of leaves

Each one has own reasons to favor Fall season. For me, Fall is when temperature lower down, after long hot summer. I am waiting very much this season.

Some reasons why people love Fall season, just for examples:

1) A lot of festivals, some of them:

- Halloween

- Thanksgiving.

2) Foods and fruit

- pies

- seafood seasons

- apple harvest

3) Beautiful colors. We may see beautiful colors of leaves everywhere:

- red

- orange

- yellow

4) Temperature, not cold and not hot.

Finally, what season do you like?

Spring or Fall? Why?

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Banana Spiders in our Neighborhood - Gardening and Hobby 21

Fig 01- Yellow spider on the webs

We do not know whether the present in a quite abundance of yellow spiders in the some neighbor’s yards relate to hurricane or not.

This yellow spider called as banana spider, and some people called its as garden spiders.

There 11 species of banana spiders, our state species called with scientific name as Trichonephila clavipes.

Other important species include:

- Cupiennius cubae

- Cupiennius foliatus

- Cupiennius getazi

- Cupiennius granadensis

- Cupiennius remedius

- Cupiennius salei

- Cupiennius valentinei

- Cupiennius vodou

Fig 02 – Spiderwebs on the green leaves

Fig 03- Banana spider crawling down

As reported by the Sun Sentinel, Florida (2018), the banana spiders are not venomous.

The spiders are seen in some places in certain seasons. They can not kill people, just painful. Actually, they are not aggressive, but friendly.

In addition to USA, the yellow spiders are spreading in the Latin America, include:

- Guatemala

- Colombia

- Venezuela

- Brazil

- Guyana

- Ecuador

- Mexico

- Panama

- Costa Rica

Have you seen banana spiders in the garden or in nature?

What seasons they are abundant?