Lab-Grown Kidneys Transplanted Become Functional

             

Rats in the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston have had lab-grown kidneys that are functional transplanted into them. If the process of growing then transplanting a kidney to humans can be achieved then many people who are waiting for a new kidney won't have to wait anymore. The kidneys that were transplanted into the rats only work one third as well as a normal kidney which means the kidneys are far from ready to be used on humans, but if scientists can fix the problems with the kidneys they will be able to be used on humans.


N.O.S. Themes
1. science is collaborative- a team of scientists are working on this project.
2. Science is based on evidence- the rats are alive even with the new kidneys.
3. Science is testable- the scientists have run many tests to make sure the kidney work and how well they work.

Link: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=lab-grown-kidneys-transplanted-into-rats-and-become-functional

Understanding the Brain's Perceptions.

This article is about trying to understand the way our bodies can take sensory information and turn it information that our bodies can understand and use. Biomedical engineering Professor Garrett Stanley has been working on a way to observe the spiking of neurons in response to stimuli and make a prediction about what is happening with the senses, or causing someone to experience something that is not actually happening. The way to read the spiking of neurons has a lot to do with the timing of electricity in the neurons. If scientists figure out a way to map the brains functions they could cure various diseases such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, or even restore lost body function following a brain injury. With advances in technology it shouldn't be long before the scientists are able to map the neurons in the brain.

N.O.S. Themes:
1. Science is collaborative- many scientists are working on mapping the brain neurons.
2. Motivation and Curiosity- the scientists want to figure out how the brain works and they are curious to see if their experiments will work.

Link to Article: http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/03/12/neural_synchrony_may_be_key_to_understanding_how_the_human_brain_perceives.html

 

Cactus Spines Help Isolate DNA

DNA isolation for humans is a rather simple process, but for other organisms it can be quite difficult. Researchers at Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona, have developed a new procedure that simplifies the chromosomes of DNA isolation from cactus tissue. It's difficult to get an accurate reading of DNA from cacti because of polysaccharide-based mucilage content and other compounds. To extract the DNA you have to use toxic chemicals and modify protocols to get an accurate reading. Shannon D. Fehlberg and some colleagues figured out a way to make testing easier. Now instead of using the plant epidermis they grind up the spine of the cactus. This makes the procedure easier and quicker. This discovery can help the work of genetics in the future.

Link: http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/03/05/spinal_tap_using_cactus_spines_to_isolate_dna.html

N.O.S. Themes:
1. Science is collaborative- There were many people that helped with this discovery.
2. Science is tentative- The way of getting DNA from cacti has changed and will probably change again.
3. Science is based on evidence- There were tests involved to make sure the new method worked.