Will fish scales soon be a powersource for electronics and medical devices?

Researchers at Jadavpur University in Koltata, India have found a way to turn fish remains into biodegradable generators. Fish scales are made of collagen which has piezoelectric properties. In other words, when stress is placed on the collagen fibers an electrical charge is produced. This fish scale generator is now being called a "bio-piezoelectric Nano generator." The research team started by making the fish scales transparent and flexible. Once that was achieved they experimented to find the right hierarchical arrangement of the collagen fibers to maximize the energy output. The resulting generator can harness energy from a wide range of things. Body movements, machine and sound vibrations, and wind flow just to name a few.Not only is this technology biodegradable but it is also very efficient. A finger touching the generator on repetition was able to power 50 blue LEDs. Regardless of this being so unique and interesting this new technology shows major promise for the technology of the future. Implantable medical devices such as pacemakers; as well as technology such as phones could eventually be fueled by something sustainable. Not only is fish consumed in massive quantities throughout the world the resulting remains such as tails and scales aren't used for very much. This will help to keep fish remains out of landfills, is cheap, not to mention it is beneficial to the environment.


https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2016/09/fish-scales-help-develop-biomass-power-generator-in-india/

http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/fish-scales-made-biodegradable-energy-generator.html

Optomotrists will be in great demand in the years to come, how come?

Technology has many perks. It helps people communicate, learn new skills, and organize more effectively. However, the use of technology also has its drawbacks.  Every time we glance at our phone, tablet, or computer we are damaging our eyesight. Myopia is the medical term for being nearsighted. Meaning you can see things close but lack the ability to see distance. The eyeball becomes too long which causes light rays to fall short from the retinal. By 2050 it is hypostasized that  nearly 5 billion will become blind from technology induced myopia. As more people suffer from poor eyesight the need for optometrists will sharply increase. In the past 5 years myopia cases have increased by nearly 66%. Mostly in children, which isn't surprising as more and more schools are integrating online learning components.

http://www.educationnews.org/technology/is-technology-causing-nearsightedness-in-students/
http://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/children-computer-vision-syndrome.htm
http://www.nature.com/news/the-myopia-boom-1.17120

A hope for Chrone's Disease

    For years the medical community has been baffled on why Crohn’s Disease actually occurs. Crohn’s Disease affects approximately 565,000 people in the U.S. For years, it has been hypothesized that the body mistakes the digestive tract as an invader, hence the immune system attacks healthy cells. Which causes inflammation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss and fatigue amongst many other symptoms.

    This week studies have found proof that Crohn’s Disease is in fact the by product of a fungus and two bacteria.  Research conducted by Mahmoud A. Ghannoum, professor and director of the Center for Medical Mycology at Case Western Reserve and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center discovered Serratia Marcescens, E. Coli, and the fungus Candida Tropicalis  as the main cause for the inflammatory response. When the bacteria and fungus interact they produce a slime which covers organs causing inflammation.

    The experiment tested a variety of strangers and family members. This was important because family members would have similar genetics and dietary habits. ( two things that also effect Chrone's) Compared to family Serratia Marcescens, E. Coli, and the fungus Candida Tropicalis were much higher in the person with Chrone's. The strangers also showed a similar result as the rest of the family having a low percentage of these bacteria or fungus.

    Discovering the root cause of the issue will allow much better treatment of Chrone's Disease in the future. Up to this point treatment has been limited by what little they knew about Chrone's. Surgery was a main option and the medications were often a mix of steroids that brought with it many other issues.  In the years to come the research team hopes to form new medications and probiotics to help patients cope with the unpleasant symptoms of Chrone's Disease.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/crohns-disease-cause_us_57e40374e4b0e28b2b52a67c
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/09/13/inflammatory-bowel-disease.aspx
http://www.health.com/crohns-disease/crohns-disease-fungus
http://knowthecause.com/index.php/health-blog/doctors-and-trade-professionals/2393-fungi-may-aggregate-crohn-s-disease

Sucrose for soothing infants in the pediatric feild.

I help out in the NICU on the weekends and something that has always intrigued me is the use of sucrose to sooth infants. Over 150 studies have been conducted on this subject. The first mention of using sweets to sooth an infant was back in 632AD; when a prophet named Mohammed suggested to give a child a pre-chewed date. Most studies have concluded that sucrose or other sweet substances are effective to sooth a baby up to 12 months of age. The reason being that there is a natural connection between a humans taste buds and opid receptors in the brain. A comprehensive review of 44 RCT's showed that sucrose did reduce signs of physical pain such as cry duration and facial expression. Heart rate also seemed to stay lower then if no sucrose was given to the babies tested in the majority of studies. The normal dosage for a pediatric patient is to administer 25% sucrose solution 2 minutes prior to procedure/ movement on top of the tongue . The effect is short lasting only 4-6 minutes and works best if it is something not overly painful. In newborns it has showed to cut crying time by a little over 2 hours a day when given twice a day. Such procedures include venipuncture and diaper change. It is sometimes also administered to sooth a fussy baby in hopes that they will relax enough to fall asleep. No studies have been conducted  on whether or not this method sets a child up to crave sweets when they become anxious as they get older. This is something that I feel is important to discover in the years to come.
http://apps.who.int/rhl/newborn/cd001069_murkis_com/en/
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/PedPainGroup/OralSucrose.pdf
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/cochrane_data/yamadaj_01/yamadaj_01.html
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/5/918
http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/588971

What happens to the body in space?

 

Have you ever wondered what happens to the human body if no protective clothing was worn in space; or the space suit fails? We all have that one simple assumption that you would die from lack of oxygen or it would be cold and we would freeze to death. Which certainly is the case however there is much more too it. At first you would be freezing since the further up you go the colder the temperature is. During this time as the atmospheric pressure drops and vapor pressure goes up your blood would start to boil. You also would not be able to breathe which most likely would kill you before the rest does. Now what would happen if you held your breath? The lack of atmospheric pressure outside of your body would cause the existing air in your lungs to expand. Which ultimately would cause your lungs to explode. Radiation from the sun would also leave you quite sunburned. You might even suffer from decompression sickness like scuba divers can. I find that it is probably wise to add just for ones own knowledge that your corpse would not decompose. In order for decomposition to occur oxygen would be necessary. So if you were near a heat source say close by the sun then you would be instantly mummified. However if you weren't then you would be frozen in suspension for millions of years just drifting through space. Talk about a terrifying way to die!

http://www.medicaldaily.com/men-space-outer-space-human-body-space-travel-389565?utm_source=FBPAGE&utm_medium=Social&utm_term=Health%20&%20Wellness&utm_content=494846234&utm_campaign=Medical%20Daily%20-%20MedicalDaily&linkId=25579491
https://www.cnet.com/news/what-happens-to-the-unprotected-human-body-in-space/

The common cold originated from camels, new study claims

A study was conducted by DZIF Professor Christian Drosten (Institute of Virology at the University Hospital of Bonn) and his crew.  In this study they found that one of the four coronaviruses responsible for the human cold might actually have originated from camels. Researchers  tested about 1,000 camels. They believe that the HCoV-229E coronavirus at one point in history jumped over to infect humans. To test this they isolated the common cold virus from live camels and to there suprise the virus entered the same receptors as the HCoV-229E virus. They also disovered that the common cold virus mutated to allow it to spread among humans.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160818093438.htm
http://www.sciencealert.com/one-of-the-common-cold-viruses-originated-in-camels-study-finds

Hydra Oligactis

Hydra Oligactis

Attaches to substrate by its stalk. It can have up to 12 tentacles that can reach up to a an inch long.  They reproduce in several ways. One is through budding which happens every 3 days, they will occasionally reproduce by transverse and longitudinal fission. They move by basal gliding to places of high oxygen as needed. They are carnivorous creatures that eat small metazoans, including annelids, copepods, cladocerans, and insects. They start off by using a special cell called nematocysts to paralyze their prey. After, a response triggered by glutathione makes the tentacles pull in toward the mouth. Each time the hydra eats it takes the mouth with it and grows a new one. Males outnumber females and they can live for over a year . They also have the ability to regenerate.

Trichocerca Capucina

Trichocerca Capucina
Is a rotifer whose body is approximately  180 - 200 µm. It has a long tail referred to as a toe  that is 90 - 100 µm long.  Like the others this trichocerca uses pedal glands to produce mucous secretions. This allows them to attach to substrates and to keep upright. Unfortunately not much information is known about the Trichocerca genus. A few scientists have tried to understand them but haven't gotten too far.

Stauroneis Anceps

Stauroneis Anceps
Is an unicellular diatom. It's name translates to “little cross” . Like all other diatoms it is hidden in a shell made of silica called a frustule. It is capable of photosynthesis and reproduces asexually

Vorticella Convallaria /Eupoltes

Vorticella Convallaria
Is different from the previously seen Vorticella Nebulifera  because it doesn't have retractile granules in the endoplasm. It also has a tendency of being commutative. The zooid (body) is 30–40 μm in diameter and has a  100–200 μm tail that can tightly coil in 1/60th of a second.  An organelle called a spasmoneme (myoneme ) is responsible for the rapid coiling. The spasmoneme contains calcium that binds with spasmin forming an electrical pulse. It returns to a non excited state when the calcium and spasmin are unattached and the stalk uncoils. Much like the other they eat bacteria and small protozoans. Reproduction is also the same.
Eupoltes
Is a clear hypotrich that is 80-200µm in size. It also has a C shaped macronucleus. Euplotes is considered the most evolved and complex protozoa. They are both sexual and asexual (binary fission ) creatures. It has two types of nucleus.  One macronucleus and one or more smaller ones.  It moves by using its cirri which is essentially cilia that is fused together.

Daphnia Magna

 

Daphnia Magna
Is a  crustacean females are 5 mm in size while  males are about 2 mm. They are considered the largest of the daphnias'. The body is protected by a carapace made of chitin. The intestine is shaped like a hook and includes two digestive cecae. On the head is  two antennae and a compound eye. Other then it's massive size daphnia Magna is different from the other Daphnia Pulex because of the way the abdominal claw is seen. In a female it has a gap and then continues. They can survive in fresh and brackish water up to 20% salinity. It eats mostly algae but also detritus and bacteria. It filter feeds by a current that's created in its carapace. They reproduce by cyclic pathogenesis meaning it cycles between sexual and asexual reproduction .
You can see the daphnia breathing and it's heart beating .

Lepidodermella Squamata

Lepidodermella Squamata
Is part of the gastrotrich phylum (often referred to as the hairy back group)and feeds on algae,bacteria, and detritus. It can grow up to 190 μm and moves by means of cilia on its ventral body. The cilia on its head however is for sensory reasons instead. They grow rapidly and are asexual creatures. They lay approximately four eggs which can survive freezing temperatures and even dissection.

Parenema

Parenema
First seen in the 1700’s is a flagellated protist that lives solitary from others. They are hunters and feed on bacteria, and flagellates by a rod - organ which stabs and cuts the pray multiple times like a knife. Once the cells are opened they use their flagulum to mix up the cells parts for easy eating. They contain the protein rhodopsin which makes them curl when exposed to light. Even though they lack eyes they can still see from pores in the skin. It is very difficult to find parenema in general. On a compound light microscope it is even harder to get an idea of the insides of the organism hence why many scientists have argued over how it carries out its eating habits until more recent years with the addition of electron microscopy.

Eastern Black Swallowtail

Eastern Black Swallowtail
One of my many hobbies is raising butterflies so when my 3rd instar caterpillar shed its skin my curiosity got the better of me. Eastern Black swallowtails hatch from tiny yellow eggs. The eggs are often on the front or back of the host plant. They eat parsley, Queen Anne's Lace,cilantro,fennel and dill. It takes about 2 weeks for them to enclose and another 2 weeks to actually be able to fly.  This can take up to 18 months however. Males are black and yellow and females are black and blue. The males also have claspers that they use to hold onto the female during mating. They have a special organ called an osmeterium to scare predators. They also produce poison to kill birds that try to eat them.

Penicillium Italicum

 

Penicillium Italicum
Is considered a plant pathogen that is infamous for infecting citrus fruits. Once damage occurs to the skin the conidia gains access and starts to germinate. At first the fruit will develop a wet area. Soon after it will turn white and then blue/green. This signifies sexual maturity the spores are called conidia. This fungus prefers cooler temperatures which is why it is often found in the refrigerator.

Inchworm

 

Inchworms are the larvae of Geometridae Moths. They are about 1 in long and make an inching/undulating movement since they have no legs in the middle. Which is how they get there name. There are about 1,200 types of moths in the Geometridae family. They have 3 pairs of true legs in the front of their body but only 2 prolegs. There bodies are hairless and they often have projections for camouflage and when bothered stand up to resemble the plant they are on. The majority of them are nocturnal and are attracted by light however there are exceptions. Seen in this picture is the digestive tract of an inchworm at 10x objective

Chilodonella

Chilodonella
Are single cell ciliated protozoa
Reproduce by binary fission and occasionally by conjunction. They are leaf shaped and 30-70 micrometers and 30-50 micrometers wide. The ventral side has cilia while the the dorsal side does not. They like cold water 38-48°F. This is a fish parasite and often attacks in the early Spring when fish immunity is low. It will stay dormant until conditions are favorable.

Actinastrum

 

Actinastrum
Is a freshwater algae that's approximately 25µm. It is star shaped on its own but usually isn't found solitary. It likes to stay on groups of 8 or more and has one spoke that has chlorophyll to collect light. Actinastrum is asexual and produces spores.
Seen 30x regular diagram full light

Microcystis

Microcystis:Is a freshwater green blue algae cyanobacteria. They are usually found in groups and posses gas filled vesicles. The groups are bound together by thick mucus like substance of many sugars. Things like xylose ,glucose, fructose,galactose to name just a few . They appear brown on a compound light microscope due to the gas they are filled with. They consume massive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus and it's ability to keep buoyant is part of what makes them so successful at out competing phytoplankton. Microcystis is a neurotoxin which kills brain cells. The walls of the bacteria when stained is gram positive however the cells themselves appear as gram negative. They thrive in nutrient rich water that is low in salinity .
*This is a much better view than just seeing it on the mosquito post a few weeks ago I felt it would be beneficial to get it by itself.
40x objective neutral red stain

Melosira Monoiliformis

 

Melosira Monoiliformis is actually both a diatom and an algae. It's covered in silica just like the other diatoms but has chloroplasts like plants. It does better in the colder water of late winter and early spring and low light. Amazingly this diatom was found in the chilly ocean of NY. Why is it amazing you ask? Well it isn't supposed to be here actually it has never been reported in NY! Until now I have found several creatures that aren't supposed to be in this area and what seems to be the primary suspect was hurricane Sandy. A lot of these creatures were able to survive close to NY and procreate .

Mosquito larve/ Microcystis/Dictyosphaerium

Aedes Aegypti:Is attracted to ammonia ,carbon dioxide, lactic acid and octenol. It is known for spreading the yellow fever. It comes from same family as the one spreading zika virus and could potentially become a carrier for zika as well according to new research. They feed mostly at dusk and dawn and in cloudy weather. Only females bite because they need it to develop eggs. They lay the eggs in water filled with fatty acids and particular bacteria that they find appealing. The larvae spend their time in water developing into an adult when startled they dart down for protection. The long thick part seen above actually is what keeps it floating so it can get oxygen. One thing that everyone can do to help the situation is to not leave water stagnant in fountains, flower pots,or buckets, basically anything that holds water that can fill with bacteria and decaying organic matter.

Microcystis:Seen in two spots in this photo is a freshwater cyanobacteria. They are usually found in groups and posses gas filled vesicles. The groups are bound together by thick mucus like substance of many sugars. Things like xylose ,glucose, fructose,galactose to name just a few . They appear brown on a compound light microscope due to the gas they are filled with. They consume massive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus and it's ability to keep buoyant is part of what makes them so successful at out competing phytoplankton. Microcystis is a neurotoxin which kills brain cells. ( the right hand side close to the edge of the photo and close to the face)

Dictyosphaerium: Is a green water algae in freshwater. It takes up a lot of space in this photo. It's spread out by little strands of a sheath like material and has little tiny dots connected to it.
Oscillatoria:Is a filamentous cyanobacteria. It is named after its oscillating movements which can move it's filaments toward the light. They reproduce by breaking into parts called hormogonia. Each filament has a trichome which moves like a pendulum. It survives using photosynthesis and is a form of algae. It is seen in this photograph near the tail of the mosquito larvae.

Pediastrum Duplex

Pediastrum Duplex is a type of freshwater green algae. They procreate asexually when one peice of its geometric pattern is dislodged. This dislodged piece will grow to be at least 8 but up to 38 pieces. It will be round outside and grows inside out. Unfortunately not much is known about this algae as not too many studies have been conducted on it. However no one can deny the complexity hidden within it.
Seen at 40x objective

Erythrocytes

Erythrocytes are the name for red blood cells something that all humans and animals have in common. Often it is the first thing tested for sickness and it holds many secrets of a person's health. The Cytoplasm has a lot of hemoglobin in it. They lack a nucleus and DNA allowing for maximum hemoglobin saturation. About 2.4 million new erythrocytes are produced per second by our bone marrow. It only takes 20 seconds to make its way through the body. Each cell stays around for 100-120 days before it is no longer useable. Red blood cells make up 40-45% of our total blood volume. They are perfectly rounded and dimpled in the middle. The size of an Erythrocyte is 7µm
*** Please note that the blood cells seen here are from a thalassemic person so some cells are abnormally shaped *****
The bottom picture is the red blood cells/lymphocytes proteins being dissolved for DNA analysis. It is included here for you to see how many red cells make up 2 ml of blood please look at mirror image not the test tube itself you will see little dots each is a cell. The byproduct of that tube with alcohol yielded Tuesday's second post. Viewed 120 magnification blue and green filter

　

Euchlanis Dilatata /Colpidium Colpoda

Euchlanis Dilatata is a Rotifer with a transparent body. It has two toes that are used for swimming. Their skin produces silica making these complex organism covered in glass. Inside each rotifer is a brain, bladder, reproductive organs, intestines, and a stomach. It has a mastix which chews food much like the human jaw. While flame cells moves and separates waste down into the bladder or intestines. Interestingly enough they have no circulatory system. The Euchlanis is omnivorous it feeds on bacteria, green algae, and diatoms. Which as one can see the two in this picture have there tummies full! (Seen right larger)

Colpidium colpoda
Is about 16 and 30 μm long. It is a heterotrophic bacterivore that ingests bacteria through an oral groove. It is asexual and reproduces every 4-6 hours. They usually live in heavily polluted freshwater habitats. Fish Tanks, puddles, lakes, streams, fountains are all swarming with Colpidium you literally see these in almost all microscopy investigations with water.(Seen right)

Halteria Grandinella

Halteria Grandinella
Is notorious for its jumping movements. It is covered in cilia that it uses to move and to eat making it a ciliate. It is 20-40 microns long and 30 microns across and always has a rounded body. It is part of the spirotrichs class and has 4 pairs of 20 -25 micron long jumping bristle complexes. After it's long jumps this spirotrich swims fast in a left spiraling motion that moves forward. Occasionally it will stop and move counterclockwise in the same spot to rest.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae or as we know it, active dry yeast is best cultivated at 30-35°C. It is unicellular and about 5–10 μm in diameter. It reproduces by an asexual process known as budding which takes 2 hours. This is not an airborne fungi it's spread to new places my animal contact . It has the amazing ability to double its population every 100 minutes. Its granulated form was developed during World War II when there was a shortage of yeast to cook with. This allowed yeast to have a shelf life and not spoil as fast. Soon after they developed ones that could last 2 years. A centrifuge is used to get only Saccharomyces cerevisiae to reproduce funneling out the other types of yeast under the microscope until only this strain could survive and the others were outcompeted. It is also the only yeast cell known to have Berkeley bodies present, which are involved in secretory pathways. Interestingly enough antibodies to it are found in 60–70% of patients with Crohn's disease and 10–15% of patients with ulcerative colitis. Seen at 30.1 regular light microscope with sucrose soln

Daphnia Pulex

Daphnia Pulex are freshwater crustaceans which feed off of free floating algae,fungi and bacteria. Daphnia procreate by parthenogenesis or in other words without fertilization when enough food is available.This is a type of asexual reproduction and the daughter daphnia  are the exact genetic copy of the parent itself. Any DNA changes is from environmental factors.  They give birth to 10 at a time starting at 3 days old.  This cycle goes on for approximately 25 times in their lifetime and they all are females. If food is scarce or it is close to winter then they will produce eggs which they fertilize to be male. They then sexually reproduce and the eggs remain in suspension  until spring.

Bioluminescent Dinoflagellates

 

Bioluminescent  Dinoflagellates  live in the worlds oceans they are approximately 30 µm to 1 mm large. In large numbers they make up what we call red tides. They glow a bright blue that is triggered by motion it is believed that this mechanism is for protection. Such as startling predators, throwing off feeding patterns, and attracting larger predators. The blue flash of light is created when the protons in the cell increase and drop the internal ph. This can be observed for only 20ms making it one of the fastest cellular reactions. Each day the luciferin  which is depleted by motion is recharged. They work on circadian rhythm and only glow for half of the day.  Observed at 40x filtered light compound light microscope

About me

 

  

My name is Michele and I have loved science since I was 4 . My love for the microscope developed when I was only 5 years old after being bought one as a gift. As I became older I added to my collection of science materials and upgraded to better quality equipment. I am a former medical and neuroscience intern and now a Medical Technology student. I love everything about science and I couldn't be more proud to be a woman in STEM.  Along with running my instagram Micheles_Microscopy I have many hobbies. I am a liscenced scubadiver and bake decorative fondant cakes. I raise butterflies and I'm a writer for a magazine called The Catalyst. I am part of the American Chemical Association and run workshops at my college. I am also on my Campus' Activity board planning school events. I like to cook, sew, bake, do yoga, and paint in my spare time. I love children and enjoy learning from others as much as I love teaching. I'd like to take time now to thank my viewers for there support. 
 https://www.instagram.com/micheles_microscopy/