Jerry+Zhang

//**Hello There!**//





//**Welcome to**// //**JZ's**// //**Mind Blowing**// //**Bio Wiki**// Discussion Goal: 100 posts = =

__Homework Post #1 - Germ Cell__

Aha I know what you are thinking! Germ cells come from germs! Unfortunately, you are wrong, in this case, germ cells are biological to gametes (which is a cell that combines with another cell during the fertilizing process of sexual reproduction, ie. humans - ovum or egg for females and sperm for males). These germ cells originate way back when you are I were still in the tummies of our mothers as embryos and will eventually grow, develop and travel to the gonad (the reproductive organ, testes - males, ovaries - females). When a egg cell meets a sperm cell, they will form a zygote which 23 chromosomes each giving the offspring a total of 46 chromosomes. The gender of the baby is determined by the X and Y chromosomes, the egg cell will only contain X chromosomes, while the sperm cell can have either a X or a Y, and when combined its 2 X chromosomes then it is a girl, if X and Y then it is a boy! Now, the reason I wanted to do germ cells was because the type of cancer I had was known as the Germ Cell Tumor, meaning sometime in the embryo during the time I was still developing, some of the germ cells did not match up correctly and it began to divide rapidly inside my lungs later in life (normally they would be around the genital area). Doctors are still curious why it might have grown so big so fast (the largest tumor was found in my right chest weighing 88g), some factors include: stress, depression and diet; however, I ate healthy, exercised regularly and was on my way towards graduation next year. I have mentioned above about the chromosomes, in parts of my body, most likely the tumor, they have found abnormalities in the cells because it had contained 2 X chromosomes and 1 Y chromosomes. After my diagnosis, I was operated on several times before they did chemotherapy (which is injecting your body with poison that will kill the cells that created the tumor, however they also kill the good cells, which is why I lost about 10 Kg during my treatments and my hair as well. With a final big 8 hour long surgery to attempt to remove all the tumors in both lungs (which was very successful by the way) and a last round of Chemo, I was on my way towards recovery. Now that I am all healed, I am back to school and sports doing what I like most: Biology and Badminton (and all the fun struggles, temptations and thrills in between). Cells are truly bizarre and can bring both good and bad to the human body, I have experienced the bad part about cells, how about you? Please feel free to ask questions or leave comments as I would like to reach a Discussion goal of 100 posts.



Nicholas, C. R., Roth, B. J., Heerema, N., Griep, J., & Tricot, G. (1990). Hematologic neoplasia associated with primary mediastinal germ-cell tumors. //The New England// //Journal of Medicine//, (322), 1425-1429. Retrieved from http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199005173222004#t=articleTop
 * Reference:**

**__Homework Post #2 - Apoptosis__**

Apoptosis is the natural or healthy way of cell death in multicellular organisms. Everyday about 100 billion cells die within our body due to apoptosis; on the other hand, necrosis is an event of uncontrolled cell death which may cause serious health problems. If however apoptosis does not occur, abnormal cell growth can lead to cancer or the webbing of fingers and toes.

Basically, there are four steps of apoptosis: 1. A signal is received by the cell and the cytoskeleton begins to shrink 2. The breakdown of chromatin in the nucleus (horseshoe shape) 3. It continues to reduce in size into a small package which are then removed by macrophages 4. Phagocytic cells remove the apoptic cells before they cause damage to surrounding cells and vesicles transport them to a nearby T-cell (white blood cell) to be broken down by the enzymes of the lysosome



Dash, P. (n.d.). //Apoptosis//. Retrieved from http://www.sgul.ac.uk/depts/immunology/~dash/apoptosis/
 * References:**

__**Personal Post #1 - Chapped Lips**__



Everyday we use our lips to help us communicate, to keep food in our mouths and of course to show love towards another person. However, recently I have found my lips to be very dry and flaky. They may become cracked or bleed if I do not treat them fast. How does it happen?

Well there can be many factors that contribute to this:

1. Constantly licking our lips, eroding away the oily substance that keeps our lips moist 2. Cold or windy weather 3. Lack of nutrients and dehydration that supply water and vitamins

The cells that make up our lips protects the body from unwanted substances of the outside world. The cell membrane produces an oily substance which will keep moisture in (hydrophobic - outer layer of the membrane). The thinnest skin of the body are on the lips and therefore when oil coating on the lips are removed (by licking, windy or cold weather and lack of vitamins) the water molecules evaporate which leaves dry, flaky skin cells.

How to cure chapped lips

1. Use lip balm, they sooth chapped lips by restoring some of the oil in the cells 2. Beeswax, petroleum jelly and honey keep the harsh weather conditions from evaporating the moisture 3. Do not lick the lips if they become chapped as they will get worse

2 Lip Stick Commercials media type="youtube" key="8A99RvSdDaw" height="238" width="419"media type="youtube" key="qMDH6DYl-OM" height="245" width="424" align="right"

Cure for Chapped Lips

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 * References:**

Corwin, B. (2008, April 01). Chapped lips – causes, symptoms and treatment [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://corwinbrown.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/chapped-lips-causes-symptoms-and-treatment-374615.html

Wright, E. A. Chapped lips: how and why lips chap [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://eawright.hubpages.com/hub/chapped-lips

__ **Personal Post #2 - DNA Mutations** __



When we think of a mutant, (someone or something who is physically different from the norm), we often refer to comic books or video games where all the super heroes and super villains with alien-like, inhuman powers or lab rats with three eyes, two heads and five tails. They can change their body into a different formation, color and even replicate another person, or they can become invisible, run as fast as lightning and have immense strength to lift heavy objects. They can be a result of an evil mad scientist or they can form naturally or even passed down from parent to child.



All of these things are a result from when the DNA becomes damaged and cannot repair itself; therefore, causing a slight alteration in the genes that can either develop in an offspring or themselves due to their environment change (smoking). Billions of years ago, when sea creatures lived in the ocean, when they evolved or changed, they came on land and eventually learned to walk on two feet instead of four, those were our ancestors, some say we were once all apes and as we developed for better understanding and knowledge of the world, we become more advanced and our genes mutated into what we are today.

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Mutations can happen in any living organism. Plants can become mutated (purple carrots), bacteria mutates so its harder to find a cure.



On the other hand, not all mutations are bad, some can have no effect on the person, some may experience problems later in life or some can look physically different, but most people who has a mutation is when the protein that makes up the gene was not properly formed, thus it cannot carry out its proper function.

However mutations happen every where in the world, every second at least three babies are born, when the parents pass down a mutation of the DNA it is called the Germ-Line Mutation which means that every cell in that babies body is mutated which is why diseases, health conditions and disorders can run in a family generation after generation.



There are many forms of mutations, I will only talk about three today. 1. Point Mutation (single-based substitution, example would be the sickle cell disease) This is when only one base or one nucleotide of the codon is misplaced by an different which creates a different protein due to the amino acid change.

2. Insertion/Deletion Mutations (example would be bowel cancer, respiratory/digestive dysfunction)This is when an extra set of amino acids get either added or removed. A result of both inserted and deleted DNA in a chromosome is most likely going to cause a protein not to function properly.

3. DNA Expression Mutation (example would be when it should be making a skin cell it makes a nerve cell) This is when the protein is made at the wrong time, wrong place or how much is made becomes uncontrolled.



//References://Murnahan, I. (2010, June 23). What are dna mutations? [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.exploredna.co.uk/what-dna-mutations.html

//Mutations//. (2011, June 13). Retrieved from http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/M/Mutations.html

Stafford, K., & Mannor, M. (n.d.). //Genetic diseases//. Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/17109/diseases.htm

Toland, A. E. (2001, January 03). //Dna mutations//. Retrieved from http://www.genetichealth.com/g101_changes_in_dna.shtml

**__Personal Post #3 - The Influenza Pandemic__**



In 1918, during the last few months of WWI, a deadly virus also known as the Spanish Flu became a worldwide enemy. It appeared at first as a common cold, out of nowhere and the first case was reported somewhere in the US military camps. It had killed more than 600 thousand Americans and infected at least twenty percent of the world's population. In the end, between 20 and 40 million people lost their lives to this horrible, devastating, no-mercy virus. Although the origin of the virus was not known, it had definitely made its point in human history.



There are three main types of the influenza, A,B and C. In type A there are 25 subtypes, and also it has the ability to change its viral makeup (antigenic shift)In type B it does not change as rapidly as type A, but we need to keep a close eye on it to stay on and update the vaccines if it does changeIn type C, it is of little threat to the human body and also it has a completely different genetic make-up



__How can we get infected?__ There are three ways Number 1 - A direct contact with another already infected individual (handshake) Number 2 - Through a contaminated object (doorknob) Number 3 - Through a virus loaded medium (air) of a cough or sneeze Outbreaks of the great Influenza of 1918 crept through 5 continents and hundreds of countries with a mortality rate of 3 percent



__Symptoms__ Smokers cough (wheezing) Intense pain throughout the body Dark blue skin

//Author brings "the great influenza" to the school//. (2005, March 4). Retrieved from http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/articles/2005/great_influenza.html
 * References:**

Billings, M. (1997, June). //The influenza pandemic of 1918//. Retrieved from http://virus.stanford.edu/uda/

Cross, C. (2010, October 1 ). //What are the pathogens that cause influenza?//. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/266302-what-are-the-pathogens-that-cause-influenza/

Racaniello, V. (2009, April 29). //Influenza virus transmission//. Retrieved from http://www.virology.ws/2009/04/29/influenza-virus-transmission/

**__Contagion Movie Assignment __**



When a woman returns from a business trip from Hong Kong to her home in Minneapolis via Chicago she caught a virus that cost her life. Because she was in contact with many many people in between the time she was infected and the time of death, the virus was able to spread. As it jumped from victim to victim, it's form changed and the WHO doctors were not able to find a way to grow it, thus they cannot make a vaccine because it kept killing the items in the petrie dish. Eventually, the media caught on with the case and the world went into panic mode, trades shut down, people began to die and go on strike as well as stealing and cities/countries closing down its borders (quarantine). Finally, one doctor was able to find a vaccine, however it has already been a couple of months and millions have already died as a result of this pandemic. The production of the vaccine was in full throttle after a doctor tested on herself, many countries have reopened their borders and began to organize huge relief efforts for the people that survived or did not get infected. However, people were still put into make-shift hospitals,sports stadiums, as many were still under intensive care and a small percentage of the victims survived because their immune system was able to fight off the virus. One doctor traveled to Hong Kong to try and find where the virus originated, but was held captive and used her as leverage to get the vaccine for a ransom. The movie ended to show that a pig ate an infected banana which was later slaughtered by a butcher who shook the woman's hand's without washing it first.

__Infectious__ - a virus or bacteria is able to infect another host from its already infected upon contact or through a medium (doorknob, sneeze - air) __Virus__ - particles of nucleic acid, protein, sometimes lipids which reproduce only by infecting a living cell __Quarantine__ - a restraint or isolation of activity or communication to prevent spread disease __Vaccine__ - a less-dangerous copy of the virus for the immune system to defeat __Immunity__ - when the body is able to fight off the virus by itself, resist a disease’s effects

At the beginning there was a mixed feeling of both thrilling action and immense sadness for what the husband was going through. As the movie progressed, I began to feel bad for the hospital workers and the government who had to try and control (work) during the hours when they should be with their families. Eventually, all hell broke lose, as people went mad destroying, stealing, vandalizing and terrorizing the city, the only people that still seemed to be operating at a normal rate were the doctors of WHO and some of the government officials (police, military) trying to help the citizens from starving, dying or even killing each other, which was just really sad because the social structure merely crippled and fell apart because fear was in the air. Eventually, a vaccine was produced, then I thought how would they know who gets it first? I had many thoughts, but my question was answered through a random draw for birthday. The only other thing that made me mad was the freelance journalist who kept trying to get the public to notice his works through lies and unlikely ideas. None of the characters really stood out, so it was just a like scientific non-fiction story portraying what the world could become in a matter of days through something that they might not even know what it is. Some of imaging was graphic and the dialogue had a mixture of humor yet detailed scientific language which proved to be very realistic and traumatizing. I did not find anything to be dramatized, but some of music was pretty intense, parts of it seemed like CSI where they were trying to figure out how the virus came to be, going backwards and acting out every move trying to decipher the disease.

__**Personal Post #4 - Flatulence Gas**__

Beans, Beans, the musical fruit The more you eat, the more you toot

The popular nursery rhyme we hear when my family is invited by the neighbors and we have chili as the main course. Today, I wanted to talk about the "fart", and how beans might make it worse.First the gas comes from a few different areas, the air that we swallow (talking, chewing gum, drinking pop), the gas from our bloodstreams, and the gas produced by the bacteria in our body all contribute to and make up a "fart".

So, why do beans make us fart so much? The reason being that beans have many sugars that the human cannot digest (raffinose, stachiose, and verbascose) When they enter our system, bacteria will begin to feast on these sugars and as waste they produce pungent smelling flavors The two major gas elements are nitrogen and carbon dioxide which are both odorless The only smelly gas would be produced by the bacteria inside our bodies which we have no control over (methane)

Other factors that may contribute to a more stinky fart are:what you eat - eggs, cauliflower and meat (sulfur rich diets which will make your fart smell how long you hold your fart for - gas builds up eventually leaves through the anus





__Fart Facts__ On average, people fart 10 times daily! It is a myth that women fart less than men, they fart just the same amount, however according to some researchers, a women may fart a smaller volume of gas than men but their content may be more concentrated than men, so levels equal out. It is also a myth that burps are farts that come out of your mouth. Burps come from the stomach and it is composed of different chemical elements. Farts can be burned - they contain methane and hydrogen which are flammable. Dogs and cats fart as well, protein contain tons of sulfur which in kibble they contain, thus a result of more concentrated smelly fart.

__How to hide your fart__ A company has designed a pair of underwear called "Fartypants", they absorb and catch any odor that come out of your behind. Also you can blame it on the person next to you, a pet or just act innocent.


 * References:**

Lorenz, B. (1998, October 26). //Facts on farts//. Retrieved from http://www.heptune.com/farts.html

**__Personal Post #5 - Dreams!__**

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Last night, I had a wonderful dream that I was able to fly, it was fun until I started to fall out of the sky. When I woke up in the morning, I forgot about it, but just now I remembered it all over again. Sometimes dreams can come true, they can be funny, scary or just bizarre, we do not see in our regular lives, but perhaps in movies or read them in books. So, I just wanted to check it out and decide to do a small, quick post on dreams.

What are dreams truly?

Austrian psychiatrist, Sigmund Freud believes they are visuals apart from our daily activities, this is part of the brain called the subconscious that stores our memories and desires.

When do dreams happen?

Usually when we are sleeping, sometimes we may have day dreams, but that's just your brain going off to a subconscious world thinking what you want. Dreams, you really cannot control what happens or what may happen next. Every night, they can last for 15-45 minutes and up to 4 times during REM (rapid eye movement). Each person has a particular sleeping cycle, when they have reached the REM part they are most likely to dream, this is also when the eyes dart around quickly under the eyelids while the rest of the body remain generally still.

Are dreams visions or simply our imaginations?

No, as of right now, many study have concluded with enough evidence that we can believe that some dreams are meaningful and can impact our daily lives, however, they have not been truly understood by many scientists and are constantly arguing what dreams truly mean.

Now you know!
 * References:**

//What are dreams?//. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.chevroncars.com/learn/wondrous-world/what-are-dreams

__**Personal Post #6 - Brain Foods!**__



I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting a little bit stressed out over the midterm we are having next Wednesday. So today, I have decided to do a topic on nutrition and what we can eat to help us get prepared for the test.

Some of the best kinds of food are very hard to find, but once they are found, you are on your first step towards acing that midterm!

First let's look at some of the types of food that are good for the brain.

1. **Fruits** Blueberries, Apples, Grapes and Cherries 2. **Vegetables** Onions, Broccoli, Red Beets, Eggplant, Brussels Sprout3. **Herbs** - Rosemary, Ginseng, Green Tea Leaves 4. **Meat and Alternatives** Fish, Seafood, Nuts, Seeds 5. **Other** Cocoa Beans in Chocolate or Coffee, Honey



Now let's look at what types of essential nutrients the body can extract from these brain power foods!

**Anti-Oxidants** They are used to fight diseases, build/produce enzymes need for the body to function at its maximum potential. Examples include Blueberries, Green Tea. **Omega 3 - Fatty Acids** These are vital for the heart, cleans out your blood vessels of cholesterol. Examples include Organic Nuts (walnut, peanut), Wild Fish (salmon). **Vitamin B & E** These vitamins provide for the nervous system, slows down the aging process as well as an overall mental happiness. Examples include Spinach, Broccoli, and Sunflower Seeds. **Iron** Help supply oxygen and blood throughout the body, people who lack in iron can result in mental dysfunction and mental disorders. Examples include Brussels Sprouts



Now that you have learned about brain food, about what kinds of food to eat, next time your parents go to the grocery store, ask to tag along and grab some of these listed food items mentioned above. Ask your parents to prepare a meal or check online for a dish that can be easily prepared or just put the items you want and make a smoothie to drink! Add some honey or nuts to spice up the flavor! Remember you cannot go wrong with these brain foods.


 * Sorry... I will not GUARANTEE an A+ on that midterm.**
 * Results may vary. Eat at own risk.**
 * Writer of this article is not responsible for a failed midterm or other mishap.**

//10 foods that boost memory//. (2008, February 09). Retrieved from http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-foods-that-boost-memory.html
 * References:**

Kovar, V. (n.d.). //5 foods to remember for better memory//. Retrieved from http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/5-foods-to-remember-for-better-memory/

Toffelmire, A. (n.d.). //Brain food for thought//. Retrieved from http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=4239&channel_id=11&relation_id=27878

__** Personal Post #7 - Paresthesia **__

This is the sensation most people feel when we sit on the toilet for too long (including myself), it feels like a bee sting, but not quite, yet it does not hurt or physically do harm to the body, it does however create a lot of what we like to call numbness, tingling within the area affected and for a short amount of time we are limited to some extent: movement. Recently I have bought a pair of what they call Vibram Five Fingers, which I wear and they are like a pair of shoe socks which five sockets for the toes and they are really light, exceptionally good for training and running or even during regular walking and exercising. (Picture below). I used it almost everyday until my toes began to feel numb, I asked my doctor to see if it would have been related to a side effect from the chemo I've received during therapy, but as I stopped wearing the Vibrams, and started to get some massage and washing my feet in warm water so the blood flows in to the feet, they miraculously started to feel better. This is partly why I wanted to do today's post on the numb feeling we get and sometimes it feels like needles are being poked into our skin (shiver, it just sends the chills down my back).



Paresthesia is quite common the the hands and feet, however when people go in shock due to extreme accidents, they may began to not be able to feel their limbs simply because the body shuts down the unneeded body parts to make sure the vital organs and brain still function so that the person will not go unconscious and/or die.Some of the ways to ease a simple numbness is to walk it off if it occurs in the legs, shake it off if in arms or hands because it is just pressure that's been applied cutting off the neuron receptors in the body and when released it creates this weird numb feeling within the area. However, when neurons become badly damaged and cannot function properly, it can become a chronic illness, and that is really stressful for the person with the disease.Poor circulation of blood to all parts of the body can result in permanent damage to the neurons and this often happens in the elderly.Inflammation such as arthritis are common symptoms of paresthesia. A variety of causes that can lead to chronic paresthesia can be malnutrition, poor metabolism and disorders like diabetes.



Things that can relieve numbness: Massage Acupuncture Hot baths Exercise High fiber foods Medication Therapy That's all for today folks! Good night everybody.

Hamilton, S. (n.d.). //Numbness & tingling//. Retrieved from http://www.chemocare.com/managing/numbness__tingling.asp__
 * References:**

__Heller, J. (2011, 03 04). //Numbness and tingling - overview//. Retrieved from http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/003206.htm__

__Williams, R. (2010, December 30). //Numbness//. Retrieved from http://www.bettermedicine.com/article/numbness__

__**Homework Post #3 - Stem Cell Research Personal Opinion**__

Personally, I readily agree upon the full use of Stem Cell Research through the four major types:

1. Excess from In Vitro Fertilization (discarded, but used for research) 2. Existing Stem Cell Lines 3. Therapeutic Cloning (Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer) 4. In Vitro Fertilization (embryos created solely for research)

One of the main reasons that I agree with using stem cells for research as well as to provide the non-able to become pregnant but also to cure, never cured before illness and disorders such as cancer and diabetes. However, all forms of stem cell research should be regulated by the government and when laboratories are built for stem cell research, consent must come from all donors who want their embryos used for a potential finding of a cure to a disease or to save some else' life. I firmly believe it is a great advantage that today as humans we have such advanced technology to allow us to be able to find cures, but we definitely need the support from many citizens and the nations around the world. This will help society as a whole to develop and continue to prosper in a better and more healthy world. With such a massive upscale research group, we must also incorporate sophisticated rules, punishable laws and much needed regulations to limit black market stem cell research parties and/or extremist groups that would disobey the regular norms of a particular nation or culture.

When discarded embryos are thrown away, I fear that we have lost many opportunities for jobs, futures or even lives or those who suffer and continue to fear their current illness and when it will take over their life. Thus, I really do hope that in the near future, people began to realize how important it is to see the smiles on these faces who should never have been brought upon these terrible illness such as cancer or diabetes and let them know that there is hope and that we can all contribute to it. When families try to heal from a devastating illness, the most important way we can help them is to let them know that in the future if another member of the family is diagnosed with the same disease that they can be treated at the hospital and that no more grief can be laid upon them.

Just like free health care and education, the taxpayers should all have equal excess to stem cell research facilities that help to heal or cure the body, either mentally or physically. The citizens have a right to be healthy and if the citizens aren't healthy and the citizens are people, the government are made up of people so if there are no healthy citizens to run a country then the world will become total chaos. Everyone will be fighting for their lives to survive to see another sun rise, so if we can offer the best stem cell health treatment care that everyone deserves, think about how the nation can flourish with new young minds that contribute new ideas and offer and share their opinions for a better nation who do not suffer anymore from diseases such as cancer or Parkinson's.

As a result, my suggestion is to put all stem cell research into full throttle and have the rest of the details be figured out by the government so we can all live happily ever after. Thanks for reading and good night.

**__Homework Post #4 - The Hot Zone (Part 1)__**



__//Summary//__ The Shadow of Mount Elgon - Charles Monet, a lonely, 56 year old Frenchman running the water pumping machinery in western Kenya catching a lethal virus known as Marburg (MARV), when he visits Kitum Cave. The author talks about how AIDS might have been formed on Mount Elgon and goes into great detail about the disease from when Monet was first feeling the symptoms to the point he vomited and died. Marburg is a type of filo-virus meaning it is composed of RNA gene that is able to cause severe hemorrhagic fevers in humans and primates, there are four types of level 4 bio-hazard filo-viruses, they are Marburg, Ebola Zaire, Reston and Sudan. When Charles was in the hospital in Nairobi, he brought the virus into the system (meaning that it had entered the network of humans through air particle contact when he traveled by plane and in merely 24 hours it would have spread over the world). Luckily one of the few people, the doctor Shem Musoke who tried to save Monet's life was able to escape the virus's harm when exposed to it who was later tested positive for Marburg. Then the author goes on talking about Dr. Nancy Jaax and her husband who works for the USAMRIID (United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease) four years later as Veterinarian Corporals in Fort Detrick. When working with Ebola, after a promotion she almost gets contaminated with the virus, but escapes, meanwhile in Africa, a young boy Peter Cardinal is dead after a visit to Kitum Cave when he got infected with Ravn Virus, a relative of Marburg. Also a nurse in Nairobi hospital is dead after exposure to what is now known as the Mayinga virus, the hottest strain of Ebola. The institute gets blood samples from the CDC (Control of Diseases Centre), and Eugene Johnson leads the Army Expedition to Kitum Cave to try and find the virus; despite the fact that he failed and never published about the expedition, he was however prepared if it comes up again. On the other hand, the Jaax's moved out of Thurmont and back again after another promotion in the same summer and stayed, that was the end of part 1.



__//Response//__

I found that the Preston did an amazing job at trying to get that image of how he would have imagined the people who lived to tell their story on the nasty Ebola Virus and what it can do to humans. Although, sometimes I had to read the parts a couple of times before I actually got the whole meaning to some parts because the story went back and forth in time and I was trying to figure out who was dying and who survived. I was not at all grossed out about how the people died and the symptoms they faced because it did not seem real when read in a book as opposed to being watched as a horror movie. If I was the doctor who had came in first hand contact with Charles, however, that would have been a scary situation, although at the time nobody knew what was happening. Again, I find some of the information maybe have been a little too vague and overwhelming to the point that they do not seem real. I find it highly doubted the fact a virus can do this much harm to a human body or other organisms, simply because I do not like it when people exaggerate or hyperbolic a true story because then it is not true and it's only intention would be to make one rich through their imaginative storytelling. On the other hand, hats off to Richard for going to all the trouble of finding out these information by interviewing the people and institutes as well as hospitals and even Kitum Cave and the friends of Charles Monet. The only parts that I truly did enjoy were the real life accounts of how these victims lived a normal life just like any human being would have lived in the world and how he was able to contradict between work and personal life with the Jaax's as well as Peter and Monet. It seems that the author was able to pursue not only the unknown aspects of the world as well as the more prominent features in life, like the filoviruses and normal businesses in the US and Africa like the CDC and Sugar Cane Factory. To be honest, this unexpected, yet deadly killer that we cannot find a cure for is still on the loose, and that to me is unimaginable and mind boggling enough, because fear is a human's most natural instinct to be scared of something we do not fully understand.

__Personal Post #8 - Kopi Luwak__



When I watched the Bucket List a couple of years ago, I remembered something about cat poop coffee, it seemed gross and stupid, so I decided to check it out. This is what I found, Kopi Luwak meaning coffee of Luwak (Asian Palm Civet - a relative to the common house cat - marsupial family). They live primarily in the jungles of northern India and the Philippines and are considered pests because they eat the coffee berries but cannot digest them and pass them through into their feces. Experts say that the Luwak pick the ripest and best coffee beans, therefore they can make the best coffee. They are said to be smooth when drank and the enzymes in the animal's stomach add something unique when fermented as they give a bold flavor with no bitter aftertaste. These are now known as the world's most expensive coffee/rarest beverage selling at a $25 a cup $160 per pound. Only 500 kilograms of these are produced annually and they are shipped all over the world

Below is a video about some people drinking the coffee.

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CBC News Good to the last dropping: cat poop coffee, Monday, September 16, 2002, retrieved at []
 * References:**

**__ Homework Post #5 - The Hot Zone (Part 2) __**



The monkey house is where it all begins and because it is so close to the human population and civilization. It is really interesting at this stage because we already know what Ebola can do to humans, now it has changed course and directed its focus on primates. Dan Dalgard, a manager at a local transfer place for monkeys that get shipped in from southeast Asia and are treated and looked after before they are transported to local zoos and/or laboratories for scientific research. However at the research center, monkeys are dying and so some samples from the monkey are sent to USAMRIID for further testing. What it turned out was Ebola: Reston a mutant strain of filovirus that will only affect primates and not humans. Later they shut down the whole place to get ready to kill all of the monkeys and followed a level 4 bio-hazardous procedure in case it mutates and infects humans. They were very careful so that the media could not follow them and spread the news turning the city into a massive panic state which could be disastrous. Finally they were able to contain the virus and even the people who were infected did not seem to have life-threatening symptoms. All in all I really enjoyed this part of the book because they were so tedious about going in the monkey house the team lead by Jerry Jaax with a group of young inexperienced workers who had no idea what they were up against. Meanwhile Nancy's father becomes ill however she does not visit him but continues to work on the project. What really struck me odd was the virus and how it did not effect any of the workers who had been in contact with the monkeys that were sick inside the monkey house and that everything turned out okay in the end. Also I am intrigued by the detailed information Mr. Preston gave, being so descriptive must have been very difficult to put it all together and let it flow smoothly into each part as well as trying to keep the reader's attention so that it keeps them on the edge of their seat wanting more of what might happen next. His story is definitely one of the most terrifying yet unexpected with twists and turns at every corner of the page. 10/10!

** __Personal Post #9 - The Lung Fish__ **



They are slimy and big that can be found on three different continents, Africa, South America and Australia. There are six different species of this type of fish, but are really primitive to the amphibians because they can breath both on land and in water. There are two families: which include the Lepidosirenidae (South American lungfish and African lungfish) and Ceratodidae (Australian lungfish) both have snake-like bodies and can grow up to two meters in length. These are fresh water fish and have a big diet, they eat almost anything they can fit into their large mouth. They are even known to hibernate when conditions are not right by digging a hole in the ground and reducing their metabolism to avoid heavy energy loss and consume very little to survive. They produce sexually and hatch eggs when the female fish has reached adulthood which is usually about three years. I found this fish interesting because I was watching the TV show and they were going to waters all around the world and this was one of the best episodes. Another episode they found in a fresh water river 150 miles inland a shark! What a nerve-wrecking scene that must have been.

Lung fish, Cichlids forum 2004, retrieved at [] on January 6, 2012
 * References:**

** __Homework Post #6 - The Hot Zone (Part 3)__ **



Richard not only vividly explained the virus itself but also how it affected the people that worked with them, especially Nancy Jaax, when she was working hard on the case of the Ebola Reston Virus when her father passed away. How the news media was able to get on some of the tips given at the Monkey House and how every monkey must be euthanized. If the fear and panic began to spread within the city than it would turn into chaos leading to unwanted mutiny. In the chapters each page was covered in horror as the employees tried in their best efforts to clean up the house although some parts was thrilling like when their batteries ran out, or they forgot something important like a flashlight or worse a rip in their space suits that could cause the pathogen to be spread upon the infected. I was on the verge of going in the book and telling them that everything was going to be okay because this strain of mutated Ebola virus will not infect humans however it can cause some symptoms. Finally when they realized that the type of work of destroying everything alive in the monkeys was an enormous task they began work immediately, setting up camp and making sure that everything was under positive pressure. Fortunately everything went along quite smoothly and eventually all the monkeys and the whole house was sanitized and never to be used again. The virus will not be seen again for quite a while. The only part that truly scared me was when a monkey got out of its cage and began running around and pooping. It was gross because they were dissecting monkeys left and right and trying to clean up the whole house without getting an infection. Whatever the news, I do not fear because I like to take risks and I can take on the hardships that life brings. Which is why I am not easily scared or horrified at the smaller things in life.

**__Homework Post #7 - The Hot Zone (Part 4)__**



Kitum Cave, the place of horror or what seems to have lead to many deaths and virus spreading originating from, however the author himself wanted to see the place for real and that was where he went. Richard talked about the road to Mount Elgon known as Kinshasa Highway, a way of traveling began as a dirt path only for the commoners, later when it was paved into something motorized vehicles can travel on through most of Africa, AIDS, bacteria, viruses and other diseases began to spread along the route. Along with some guides, Preston travels there and writes about the nature and how the others described the place as. He also brought along a set of instructions if he was to catch a virus himself and to follow each step if he was to become ill. His companions talked about the wild, how they lived off the land and the whole place was a forest, now it is just farmland growing corn. There were hunters and trappers trying to earn some black market money from elephant tusks and buffalo meat. As they make camp, the author explores the cave until he bumps his head and felt an unease sudden feeling that he had caught Ebola. He explains that although the virus may be gone for now, but it will mutate and come back again to haunt us without a warning. I really loved how he went to the actual cave to explore the place, when it should have been under restricted surveillance, but now that they went there and talked about it, it made me want to go there as well, to see for myself if it is real and what it is so special about it. If the virus were to come back humans would definitely not be an obstacle because like the author said, it [the virus] is cleansing the world of us [humans].

**__Homework Post #8 - The Hot Zone - Spin-off Post - Biological Weapons__**

While reading the book, I realized how they were studying the virus, but they were not allowed to work with it too much in case somebody tried to cause threat with a dangerous virus turned into a weapon. I mean it was already terrifying enough that people catch the virus by accident anywhere in the world, just think how much panic and disorder it would cause if somebody or a country started making biological weapons with the Ebola virus! Thankfully international law prohibits the use of such makings of these weapons; however, American have used these tactics against various nations during WWII and in highly controlled experiments to be secretly tested on pigs for research. I am highly against these things because they are morally unjust, but to some people it literally translates into mere power and money. Many many viral pandemics have been released upon the human population, ones including the Spanish Flu of 1918 which killed more than 30 million people worldwide, small pox and some of the more recent pandemics include the Bird Flu, H1N1 and Ebola.

Just imagine if some of the world's bigger and more powerful nations decided that they were not going to use atomic bombs anymore against each other because it could destroy the whole planet, but if they just sent in a few infected chickens into some of the major cities then that country can become hell in a matter of days. This way the country would gain the upper hand when their enemies are worried about the basic needs than future technological advances. On the other hand, when a pandemic arises, the first signs are usually panic attacks, when we panic we run and we hide and we are basically not thinking straight, but once people get out of that country they can carry the virus without knowing it and then it could spread to the whole world in less than 24 hours. To me, that would actually be worse than a atomic bomb because, a virus you cannot see it but you can see the damage it can do leaving behind its path of destruction whereas an atomic bomb you can literally see how mighty it is and what it can do to cities.



These weapons are fairly easy to make and use/deploy, mainly because viruses and bacteria are so common and with the technology that we have today it wouldn't be impossible, but the only unpredictable variable would be how to control it and maintain the infection in the wanted area. Because the victims do not die immediately and that they are not sessile meaning they stay in one area, or even so the pathogen that affects and kills the victims are likely to stay alive and wants to attack more victims.

Therefore, the use of biological weapons are so deadly and we do not want to create such a disaster through some human error that was unintended. Assuming that most humans do not intend to use chemical and/or biological weapons against one another we would probably have less people with unwanted mutations that could have caused diseases and death that were never meant to be done. For more info go to the first referenced site for biological weapons used.

**References:**

(2004). Biological warfare. //INDEPTH: BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS//, Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/bioweapons/

Lendman, S. (n.d.). Bioweapons, dangerous vaccines, and threats of a global pandemic. //7//(7), 9. Retrieved from http://www.rense.com/general86/bio.htm

__**Personal Post #10 - World's Weirdest Plants**__

Some of these plants really intrigued me because I'm a vegetable kind of guy, I like to eat veggies instead of meat. So even though these plants may not be edible they do look like they are delicious and even represent some of the other kinds of food that I really enjoy.



//**Welwitschia mirabilis**//

//**Dracunculus vulgaris**//



//**Rafflesia arnoldii**//





//**Wolffia angusta**//



//**Wollemia nobilis**//



Nakamura, M. (2010, July 2). //Eight of the world’s most unusual plants//. Retrieved from http://www.divinecaroline.com/22167/37205-eight-world-s-most-unusual-plants/2
 * References:**