• A comment about…comments.

    Posted on by Jura 2 Comments

    I think things have finally gotten to the point, where I might need to instate a comments disclaimer. I’ll probably do that later today, but until then:

    1. All first time comments require authorization. Not because I care about what you are going to say, but because I don’t like spam.
    2. If you want to comment on how well done (or not) my site is, that’s fine, but you better mention some specifics, else I’m going to assume more spam.
    3. I suppose I could mention something about not posting porn sites, but that’s basically a spam related problem anyway.

    Basically, post whatever you want; just no spam.

    ~Jura


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  • Valentine’s advice for the forgotten.

    Posted on by Jura 1 Comment

    When children are asked what they want to be when they grow up, most give answers that they are not particularly tied to. Astronaut, police officer, president. Much of the time this is just said to appease the teacher. Some children, though, do know what it is they want to get from life. These kids are the dream chasers.

    Many people give up their dreams too early in life. Far too many are willing to sell off their dreams for instant gratification. Their only regrets coming 15 years down the line when they ask the inevitable:

    “What happened to my life?

    Those of us that never stopped pushing for the goals we had set for ourselves early on in life, will eventually achieve the pride of knowing that we never gave up. We kept reaching for the proverbial brass ring, until we got it. For these folks; determination, discipline, and willing sacrifice are the tools. Pride is the reward, and loneliness is the burden.

    It’s seems so hard for many to understand how someone could have so much of their life planned out in advance. Yet, after a mid-life introspection, it is often these same people that encourage the next generation to never give up on their life goals. So us die hards are obviously doing something right.

    That said; as a dream chaser, one must be prepared to deal with a seemingly endless gauntlet of detractors and nay sayers. They might be parents who encourage your dreams, but advise alternate goals. They might be advisors in school who insist that you try other things to “make sure this is what you want to do.” They are often friends who just don’t get why you don’t like to “party,” or members of the opposite sex who just don’t get you at all.

    Dreamers can often find themselves feeling alone out there, but that’s just because so few people stay on this path in life to begin with. Dreamers are lonely because they have blazed the trail further than any of their peers. While the price for achieving our dreams is often a high one, we wouldn’t be making these sacrifices if we didn’t think it was worth it in the end.

    I guess this was my long-winded way of wishing the dream chasing set good luck for today; the holiday that punishes people for being single, and encourages folks to lose sight of their ultimate goals.

    Today might suck, but it will pass. Don’t let the influx of culture driven hormones, distract you from what you really want in life. Remember that it is more important to live the life you want, than to just live. Never give up, and never lose sight of your goal.

    It’s worth it in the end.


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  • On this day in 1809…

    Posted on by Jura Comment

    As a biology related site, I would be remiss to not mention that today marks the 199th anniversary of the birth of Darwin.

    More commonly called: Darwin’s Birthday.

    Okay, I have to admit I have a problem with the celebration of people’s birthdays after they have died. As far as I’m concerned, the only reason we celebrate birthdays is so we can remind ourselves of how long we have (personally) been alive on this planet. Once you kick the bucket, the birthdays should stop.

    Now don’t think I’m picking on old Charles here. I have issues with Christians celebrating Christ’s birth, or Americans celebrating Washington, or Lincoln’s birthday. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. Being born, while fascinating from a biological standpoint, really is no big deal. It’s the acts of these people that really made the difference, not their actual existence (though I suppose Christians could argue the Christ analogy).

    But then I’m a misanthrope who places actions above people anyway, so that might be part of my reasoning.

    Besides, it’s not like we don’t celebrate the reason for Darwin’s popularity. Every year, there is a celebration (or at least an observance) of the such and such anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species (which will be 150 years ago, next year). It was this publication that made Darwin so famous (and infamous).

    And while Darwin did wind up changing world view, it is important to keep in mind what it was that he actually did. Too many people credit Darwin with the concept of evolution, but that concept had been around since Ancient Greece. Jean Baptiste Lamarck, and even Darwin’s father, Erasmus, all made attempts at explaining a known biological phenomena. Namely: life evolves.

    No, what Darwin did with the Origin of Species, was come up with a plausible mechanism for how evolution operated. Not only was it plausible, but it was also testable. Thus, Darwin warrants praise because he removed the nebulous nature of evolution, and grounded it firmly in the realm of science.

    Which isn’t to say we know all there is to know about evolution. Far from it; in fact. Since Darwin’s day, we have learned about how organisms pass their traits to one another, and the importance of genetics to the evolution of new species. Still, the core concepts from Darwin’s day, namely that the environment makes the final decision on who goes and who stays, remains the same.

    Darwin was also responsible for bringing evolution to the forefront. By grounding evolution in the realm of science, Darwin had unintentionally thrown a wrench into the already rickety creationist world view of the time. That Darwin knew the ramifications of his findings, can hardly be doubted. The fact that he waited years after writing various drafts of The Origin of Species, before finally publishing it, stands as a fine testament to his trepidations about his discovery.

    Which brings me to another point. Though Darwin feared retaliation from the public, and the church, for his apparently blasphemous discovery, he feared being scooped even more. For, as many students of evolutionary biology are now well aware (if not, Wikipedia currently has a good rundown of the history.) Alfred Russell Wallace is equally deserving of credit for the theory of Natural Selection. Both men, who had never met, and were working in completely different parts of the globe, had come across the same results. In science this is a veritable slam dunk in terms of the stability of a theory. For if both parties, through independent means, achieve the same results, then chances are quite likely that those results are damned accurate.

    Still, in science, publication is the name of the game, and the goal in this case, was to get all that hard work out into the public eye and thus establish priority. So that is exactly what Darwin did. And while Wallace might have cursed him for beating him to the punch, I’m sure he was happier that it was Darwin who received all the vitriol that would ensue from a populace that was still thoroughly entrenched in a creationary view of life.

    Now here we are, 149 years after the publication of one of the most landmark pieces of work ever created. 149 years after humanity realized that they lived on a planet that was in constant flux, and that the life they saw that day, would not be the same life a million years from now.

    And of course, 199 years after the birth of the man who took a gamble by publishing one of the most blasphemous, heathenous pieces of literature for its day. A gamble that has paid off in spades, with our greater understanding of where life came from, and where it might be going (which is to say nothing for all the medical advances that occurred specifically because we realized that life does evolve).

    So today we celebrate Darwin’s birthday. Still, I don’t like the taste of that saying, and much prefer the one that Skepchick Rebecca uses:

    Happy Darwin Day!

    If it was a few months earlier, I’d say to celebrate by getting your flu shot.

    ~Jura


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  • The Hummingbird of Pterosaurs.

    Posted on by Jura Comment

    Nemicolopterus

    Just announced today in the journal PNAS, is the discovery of the world’s smallest pterosaur. Dubbed: Nemicolopterus crypticus, this little guy had a wingspan of only 10 inches (25.4 cm). I haven’t had a chance to read the paper on it yet, but from the abstract, it appears to be a juvenile. I’d like to know how much larger the authours believe N.crypticus got.

    Either way, this is big news for pterosaur researchers. It means that either:

    • A.) Pterosaurs covered a greater size range than previously thought, or…
    • B.) Pterosaur juveniles lived in different niches than adults.

    Given the reptilian status of pterosaurs, I wouldn’t be surprised if it did turn out to be choice B. The large size discrepancy between adults and hatchlings / juveniles, often results in the formation of two size classes per species. This allows the animals to better exploit their given ecosystems.

    Anyway, we’ll just have to wait for the paper, and see what the results suggest.

    Still, it’s a mighty neat find.

    ~Jura


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  • Short blurb

    Posted on by Jura Comment

    Today has been pretty boring. Not much to report on, science wise. Scientology wise, it’s another story. Today is the 10th of February, and Anonymous reported on the success of their peaceful protest against Scientology. There are numerous sites online documenting the protests. I particularly like this one from L.A. The “V” masks were a nice (fitting) touch.

    Other than that, I just recently acquired Photoshop and Illustrator CS3, so I’m going to go play with those now.

    ~Jura


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  • Owen and Mzee

    Posted on by Jura 2 Comments

    Owen and Mzee

    Though their’s is an old story, it’s so unique that I felt it deserved mentioning on my site at least once.Plus it was recently dugg, so I felt a need to respond.

    For those who don’t know the story; back in 2004 during the infamous tsunami disaster, a baby hippo was found stranded on a little piece of land out from the coast of Kenya. The baby hippo, Owen (named after one of the rescuers), was brought to Haller Park near Mombasa. There, the frightened hippo ran from its caretakers and hid by an old, crotchety aldabra tortoise (Geochelone gigantea) named Mzee (MIZ-ZAY). At first, Mzee wanted nothing to do with Owen, but the little (relatively speaking) hippo wouldn’t leave him alone. Eventually he grew to tolerate Owen’s constant harassment.

    Then something wonderous happened. Mzee and Owen became friends. Owen would follow Mzee around everywhere. They would eat together, bathe together, and sleep together. Mzee (the tortoise) invented a way of speaking to Owen. When Mzee wanted to go somewhere, he would gently nibble the tail of Owen. Soon Owen caught on and would do the same, when he wanted to go somewhere. It was an awesome spectacle to behold. This was completely different from what we see with, say, humans and their pet dogs, or cats. It was also different from the agricultural relationship between humans and livestock, or ants and aphids. This was a case of a genuine friendship between two very different animals (separated by over 300 million years of evolution!).

    Owen and Mzee had even developed their own way of talking to each other. They were also very protective. Neither would passively allow a human keeper to get near the other. It was and is one of the most heartwarming, and amazing things to ever be observed in the natural world.

    In 2006, a children’s book was released, documenting the story. Owen and Mzee became world famous, with visitors wanting to see the dynamic duo in person.

    Back in 2007, it was decided that Owen needed to make friends with other hippos. His relationship with Mzee resulted in Owen acting more, and more like a giant tortoise (a hilarious sight to behold). Unfortunately, the friend that they chose for Owen (a female named: Cleo), was too much of a rough houser with the giant tortoises, so they had to separate Owen and Mzee. It’s hard to say if either animal suffered any heartbreak from this separation (I haven’t read any mention of it anywhere). I also don’t know if the two guys are sharing adjacent enclosures, so they might be able to still hang out.

    Nonetheless, the story of Owen and Mzee is one that will live in infamy  for the ages. An amazing case of inter-special friendship between a mammal and a reptile that, prior to this, no one probably ever thought was possible.

    It’s amazing, and it’s all completely documented on their official site: OwenandMzee.com Make sure to watch the documentary. It’s a heartstring puller.

    ~Jura


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  • Random stuff

    Posted on by Jura Comment

    Not much to talk about herp wise, save a new article in the ABQ Journal regarding the New Mexico debacle. It seems that the investigation is back on track. Hopefully we will see some satisfactory results one way, or the other; from this.

    Since there is not much to add, science wise, I decided to post a link to a show that I think deserves some more attention. While biological science is my passion, technology is my hobby (yeah, I know, it’s completely backwards). To feed that hobby, I used to enjoy the programming of a little network called Tech TV. I enjoyed the network so much, because along with the information presented on how to better use one’s computer, or gadget, the crew of the network talked to one another as if they were friends and family. It gave a real “homey” atmosphere to the entire channel. Watching shows on Tech TV was a lot like visiting a bunch of old friends. Especially since one of the main pushes of the network, was user feedback. E-mails, call ins, and chat messages were all done on air. The show personalities would also appear in the fora to answer questions, or in the chatrooms. Overall, it was a great experience.

    Then Paul Allen sold Tech TV to Comcast’s struggling channel: G4, and the network was gutted from there. That, though, is a long dramatic story that has been told elsewhere time and time again.

    The important thing about all of this, is that Tech TV is back. Better than that, it is back in the environment that spawned it in the first place: The Internet. Shows like: DL.TV, Cranky Geeks, Webb Alert, Command N, and the Revision 3 Network have all brought technology television back to the forefront. Hosts from the now dead Tech TV network, have moved on to become internet celebrities. Podcasts like This Week in Tech and Diggnation have audiences that are much larger than any on the former Tech TV network. The best part is that the same atmosphere of a bunch of geeks just hanging out and having a good time; is still in place.

    Anyway, one of the newest shows released on the Rev 3 network is Internet Superstar with former Unscrewed host: Martin Sargent. In many ways, this is just Unscrewed reborn, but that’s okay. The show features Martin showing off the seedier, weirder and more unsavory parts of internet. It’s always good for a laugh, though it may be traumatizing for those of higher morals.

    For the rest of us, it’s just another form of geek entertainment. Anyway, the show is on it’s second episode. If you find yourself with about 20 minutes of free time, give it a look see.

    ~Jura



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  • Study shows shunting in crocs is all about the acid

    Posted on by Jura 1 Comment

    Baby _C.palustris_ says:

    Yesterday a new study was released in the journal of Physiological and Biochemical Zoology. Researchers from the University of Utah, studied the effects of the well documented right-to-left shunt in crocodylians.Okay, let’s get the exposition out of the way first.

    Mammals and birds are both characterized by a 4 chambered heart. This heart allows the complete separation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood streams. Less publicized, but equally as important, this separation also allows for a pressure differential to exist between the two ventricular chambers. That way the right – pulmonary side – of the heart can pump deoxygenated blood at low pressure to the delicate walls of the alveoli in the lungs, while the left – systemic side – of the heart, can pump oxygenated blood at much higher pressure (~7 times higher) to the entire body.

    Reptiles and amphibians differ from mammals and birds, in that they have a heart divided into 3 chambers (two atria, one ventricle). This allows for mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, which reduces aerobic efficiency.

    Please note the qualifier: aerobic.

    Now, as is often the case with herps, this is a rather broad generalization. The hearts of all reptiles, show various degrees of ventricular separation. Also, for all extant reptiles, there are physiological/haemodynamic mechanisms in place that reduce the amount of blood mixing. Meanwhile, some lizards (e.g. varanids), and snakes (e.g. pythons) have such a large muscular septum near the middle of their ventricle, that it actually completely separates the ventricle during the contractile phase (ventricular systole). Thus making varanids and various snakes, functionally four chambered. These reptiles are capable of producing pressures on their systemic side, that are 7 times higher than the pressures in their pulmonary side. In other words, their functional four chambered hearts allow for pressure differentials that are on par with mammals.

    Then there are the crocodylians. Crocs have the most complicated heart of any vertebrate. They are the only reptiles that have evolved a complete seperation of their ventricles. They are anatomically four chambered. Yet, they also retain the ability to mix their oxygenated and deoxygenated blood supplies. This is accomplished through a small connection between the right and left aortic arches (which come out of each respective ventricle). This connection is referred to as the foramen of Panizza. Making things more interesting still, croc hearts also feature a cog toothed valve that can completely block the flow of blood to the lungs, thus turning their hearts into a double pump systemic circuit.

    </exposition>

    So now we know the how it works, the question we want answered next is: why did it evolve in the first place? The classic “orthodox” explanation has been that all of these traits evolved to allow formerly land dwelling crocodyliformes stay underwater for long periods of time. A four chambered heart is great for aerobic endurance, but pretty darn useless for an animal that spends most of its time holding its breath. In that arena, a three chambered heart is a more efficient system. By mixing oxygenated and deoxygenated blood together, crocodylians and other reptiles are able to siphon as much oxygen as possible from their blood, and thus stay underwater longer.

    As I said, that was the old explanation. Now there is a new one:

    Farmer, C.G., Uriona, T.J., Olsen, D.B., Steenblick, M., Sanders, K. The Right-to-left Shunt of Crocodilians Serves Digestion. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology. Vol. 81(2): 125-137. doi: 10.1086/524150

    Farmer et al studied several groups of juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Each group underwent surgeries of various sorts to measure, and/or block the right to left shunt. The working hypothesis was that crocodylians use their right to left shunt, to serve digestion, by providing a greater reservoir of hydrogen ions (left over from the retention of CO2) for stomach acid secretion. It was suspected that if this was true, then one should see a greater degree of right to left shunting in animals that have just eaten.

    So what did they find?

    Well, for one, they found that juvenile alligators have a preferred postprandial body temperature of ~30?C, and will maintain that temperature to within .03?C. That’s a degree of temperature control worthy of any mammal, or bird.

    Another thing they learned was that alligators that were allowed to stay at that temperature, were a real bugger to keep under control. So they had to drop the temp down 3 degrees, to 27?C instead.

    Farmer et al learned that gastric acid secretion is temperature sensitive. Alligators produced greater quantities of gastric acid at 27?C, than at 19?C.

    Oh yeah, they also learned that crocodylians produced a tonne of acid. At maximum secretion, acid production was an order of magnitude greater than that measured in any mammal, or bird. For those keeping tally at home; that’s 10 times greater.

    The authours final observations warrant some thoughts.

    That the left aorta, which arises from the right – pulmonary – ventricle, is the main blood delivery route for the digestive system. During right to left shunting, oxygenated blood from the left ventricle, gets shoved to the left aorta, and down to the digestive system. That this coincides with increased gastric acid secretion is telling, and strongly suggestive as to the role of the R-L shunt.

    Yet R-L shunting also occurs during dives, and this is still the best explanation for the cog toothed valve. If the crocodylian heart really was specifically developed to increase digestion, then why block the path to the lungs at all? This study shows that the gastrointestinal system benefits from increased oxygen to these tissues. So why block the lungs, if one is trying to keep them oxygenated. Unfortunately the paper doesn’t really mention whether, or not the cog toothed valve was activated during this process. Personally, I don’t remember reading any case of the R-L shunt being used in crocs, without incorporating the cog tooth valve, so…

    I felt that the authours put too much emphasis on endothermy vs. ectothermy. Their final observations involved a blanket statement regarding the R-L shunt in all reptiles. As I mentioned above, crocodylians are unique in their cardiovascular anatomy and physiology. They are also renowned for their very acidic stomach acid. It would seem more parsimonious to say that the R-L shunt in crocodylians, plays a large role in gastric acid secretion for these animals only; and wait for subsequent studies in other reptiles before saying this is true for the whole class.


    Xenomorph
    Okay, so maybe their acid isn’t quite this strong, but you get the point.

    Lastly (I know, I know, this just keeps going), I found it interesting that they studied the effects of gastric acid secretion on the vertebra of a cow. This vert took over 2 weeks to digest! While I can accept that this was partly due to the size of the object, and it’s material (bone is tough, after all.), but 2 weeks! Even at the lower temperature that the experimental group was kept at, it seems hard to believe. The authours gave no mention of gizzard usage in these animals, which suggests that the animals were never given access to gastroliths, which should have sped up the digestive process considerably.

    Either way, the study was interesting. I just think that the authours took their final results a little too far.

    ~ Jura


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  • Argh

    Posted on by Jura Comment

    No sooner do I update my WordPress version; a new one comes out. Oh well, now that I know how to do it, things should at least go a whole lot faster.

    I’ll probably do the switch tonight so I no longer have to get constantly bugged about needing to update.

    ~Jura

    ————————

    Update: Well, as expected, that went easily. Everything is (once again) up to date.


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