As reported in CNN health.com stem cells may actually put an end to the use of animals especially in the use of testing for pharmaceutical companies.
This relates to several of our discussions into the topic of the ethics around animal testing and the reasons why we need to use them. This article presents another approach to the issue, a very viable option.
This article does not go into great enough detail into how this will work and the process by which the stem cells will be used in the research. One of the things it fails to discuss is the reality that we need to use animals for certain experiments that use different parts of the animals anatomy. This article talks a great deal about the pharmaceutical companies and the impact it will have on the testing that could be done and some of the implications.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/12/22/stem.cell.drug.tests/index.html
Friday, June 5, 2009
illusion
http://www.bucknell.edu/x49962.xml
In this article Art Shapiro and two Bucknell University graduates created an illusion that fools the brain. There illusion shows a spinning ball, when you watch the ball directly it moves in a straight line, but when you see the ball from the corner of your eye the spinning of the ball tricks the brain into thinking that the ball is sharply curving. This study may explain why batters in baseball can have so much trouble hitting the pitch. Knowing this you could possible improve your batting average. This study could help us understand more about sensory perception and the more of the brain since it is so complex..
To try the study yourself go to
http://illusioncontest.neuralcorrelate.com/2009/the-break-of-the-curveball/
In this article Art Shapiro and two Bucknell University graduates created an illusion that fools the brain. There illusion shows a spinning ball, when you watch the ball directly it moves in a straight line, but when you see the ball from the corner of your eye the spinning of the ball tricks the brain into thinking that the ball is sharply curving. This study may explain why batters in baseball can have so much trouble hitting the pitch. Knowing this you could possible improve your batting average. This study could help us understand more about sensory perception and the more of the brain since it is so complex..
To try the study yourself go to
http://illusioncontest.neuralcorrelate.com/2009/the-break-of-the-curveball/
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The past several years ive been observing the relative tolerances for pain of my grandmothers, Betsy and LaVerne. One of them appears has a very high tolerance while the other has a very low tolerance for pain. Betsy is seemingly not bothered by complicated and intrusive surgeries, while LaVerne complains greatly over something as common as a sliver. The idea of gaining higher tolerance for pain through painful experiences is thwarted by the fact that they both have had many of the same injuries and surgeries and have gone through childbirth many times, so what is the difference between them? Maybe Betsy is just less likely to make her pain known than LaVerne. Afterall, nobody likes a whiner. Maybe there is some difference physically. To gain insight into this, I have devised an experiment (hypothetically of course).
The goal of the experiment is to determine whether Betsy truly is more tolerant to pain than LaVerne. A small electrode will be attached to the tip of each subject’s nose. Electrical pulses will be sent through the electrode and into the nose in intervals, starting with no power and increasing gradually. The subject will be given a stop button that will turn the power to the electrode off and instructed to only press the button when they experience pain. I believe that LaVerne will press the stop button at a lower level of power than Betsy.
A possible problem with this, aside from the fact that I doubt that either of them would agree to participate, is that this would not distinguish whether the difference is in the nerves in the nose, or if it is something in the brain that causes one to be more tolerant than the other. Also, it does not account for temporary desensitization. Future studies could focus on the location of the differences or use different stimuli on different parts of the body.
The goal of the experiment is to determine whether Betsy truly is more tolerant to pain than LaVerne. A small electrode will be attached to the tip of each subject’s nose. Electrical pulses will be sent through the electrode and into the nose in intervals, starting with no power and increasing gradually. The subject will be given a stop button that will turn the power to the electrode off and instructed to only press the button when they experience pain. I believe that LaVerne will press the stop button at a lower level of power than Betsy.
A possible problem with this, aside from the fact that I doubt that either of them would agree to participate, is that this would not distinguish whether the difference is in the nerves in the nose, or if it is something in the brain that causes one to be more tolerant than the other. Also, it does not account for temporary desensitization. Future studies could focus on the location of the differences or use different stimuli on different parts of the body.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
"Cool Fact" Experiments
http://www.skygaze.com/content/facts/psychology.shtml
In this article that I have found on this website states an interesting fact about termites. Studies at a couple different colleges have shown that heavy metal music not only amps up humans but termites. Studies have shown that when introducing heavy metal to theses insects caused them to chew through wood at twice the speed as the would normally. I think this is cool because it is interesting to see how music or hearing can effect or actions or stimulate the brain. If you have some house work to do listen to heavy metal and you might get your work done twice as fast.
In this article that I have found on this website states an interesting fact about termites. Studies at a couple different colleges have shown that heavy metal music not only amps up humans but termites. Studies have shown that when introducing heavy metal to theses insects caused them to chew through wood at twice the speed as the would normally. I think this is cool because it is interesting to see how music or hearing can effect or actions or stimulate the brain. If you have some house work to do listen to heavy metal and you might get your work done twice as fast.
Synaesthesia
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/02/09/synesthesia.genes/index.html
In our readings "A world of one's own" we have come to understand the condition known as Synaesthesia. In the article "Seeing color in sounds has a genetic link" Cnn reports the genetic link that has been discovered in regards to syneasthesia and those who live with it.
This article relates to our readings in that it covers the genetic evidence that has been studied for so long by other people. It discusses the old belief that one gene was responsible for the condition and the findings that it is actually linked to four regions, Chromosomes 2,5,6 and 12. Our reading went over the symptoms and some of the reasons for it and this article explains the genetic evidence that has recently been discovered.
This article was very brief in its description of the condition. It described several people in history who have had the condition and the ways in which it effected them. I do believe that it covered the basic areas of the condition and the way in which the brain processes stimuli. Their was sufficient reference to studies that supported the material discussed. Upon further investigation into the sources of the studies i found that they were indeed published and supported.
In our readings "A world of one's own" we have come to understand the condition known as Synaesthesia. In the article "Seeing color in sounds has a genetic link" Cnn reports the genetic link that has been discovered in regards to syneasthesia and those who live with it.
This article relates to our readings in that it covers the genetic evidence that has been studied for so long by other people. It discusses the old belief that one gene was responsible for the condition and the findings that it is actually linked to four regions, Chromosomes 2,5,6 and 12. Our reading went over the symptoms and some of the reasons for it and this article explains the genetic evidence that has recently been discovered.
This article was very brief in its description of the condition. It described several people in history who have had the condition and the ways in which it effected them. I do believe that it covered the basic areas of the condition and the way in which the brain processes stimuli. Their was sufficient reference to studies that supported the material discussed. Upon further investigation into the sources of the studies i found that they were indeed published and supported.
Erickson: The More Sensable Theorist to Mankind
The pioneering theorist to approach human development pschology, I believe to be, is Erick Erickson. While Sigmund Freud psychosexual stages make sense, they seem to be too more opinionated and tend to lack life. Erickson on the other hand, while taking a similair approach to studying infants, children and the youth as Freud, he went above and beyond; he opened his mind to the possibilities of more. Erickson's psychosocial approach took in how an infant acts and responds to its surroundings and mostly to people (trust and mistrust). Not just its obession with the mouth as its only concern. In the industry vs. inferiority stage he notices the childs slight acts of rebellion n how the roles of compitition with other peers and the media play in a childs life. Where as Freud only seemed to reconize the childs ability to supress its concentration on their private body parts because they become more concerned will socialization. Erickson took note children learned and adapted to there enviroments, they became "indivudual people". He took in that there is much more to a person's development then "sex" and a person did not stop developing after puberty or in too adulthood, thus the added three stages. Maybe even helping people come to the conclusion those later years are their "golden years". Life didn't end at 40. He reconized mankind is contuniously learning and adapting from there surroundings, possibly to be more comfortable in them. His stages of development are easily understable and something that anyone can relate with and find examples in life to support his theories. I for one don't believe Erickson was nearly as shallow as Freud.
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