RATS are not scary

CUTTEE!!! *screams in a high girly tone*

Obviously it cant be me, your male writer screaming that. It would be the millions of females who have something to scream about cute, adorable things. And this is one of them.

Recently, we have re-discovered a species of rat named a red-crested tree rat it has not been seen since 1898. It was found within eco-lodge in a Colombian nature reserve. Over a century ago, that a very long time for a rodent to have not seen even with a couple of searches were sent out purposely looking for the red-crested tree rat's existence.

It simply is incredible that we as humans are lucky to be finding new creatures in our modern age, simply because the planet loses more species than discovering the new ones. Even though rats may be ugly but this one is a big exception. go to the link below and you will be going "CUTTEEE" at your computer screen, you may not yell it out loud but it may go through your head.  By the way, its a 18-inch cute rat.  Anyone got cheese and crackers for the bugger?  


http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/2011/05/rats-well-one-at-least.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+OpinionLa+%28L.A.+Times+-+Opinion+Blog%29&utm_content=Twitter

Quick Shot away from Allergy Symptoms by Canadian Immunologist

What every person with allergy fear is the upcoming change in season. For many,  it is the start of headaches,  never ending runny noses and itchy eyes throughout the season that plagues in each individual they their own unique allergies.

An immunologist from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada named Mark Larche  has been developing a vaccine that will be more quick and safe than current therapies. This will be the next-generation allergy shot.


Doctors do know and realize that current forms of therapy requires the patient to take injections regularly for three times a week up to seven months and could continue up to 5 years or more. The injections effectiveness is a risky approach by increasing the tiny amount of what the individual is allergic to for each injection. The risk is serious, it could range from swelling to a anaphylactic shock. all the from the allergic reaction of the current therapies for allergies.

The new and improved shot in the works will use only pieces of what the person is allergic to and injected into the body, but just enough that the body will not cause any allergic reaction. Administering of the new vaccine would be one shot for every four months. 

Larche has been testing his first trial runs with people who are allergic to ragweed and cat because 20% and 10% of Americans are affected by these two respectively.

Trials included 350 people for the cat vaccine and planning to test several hundred more people in the later months of 2011. Also, 300 allergy sufferers had ragweed version. The rescipients were held inside a chamber with circulating allergen and the results showed that approximately half of the people had no and little response.

For more details about allergies, the development and science of allergies . Please follow the link below

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-cat-allergy-vaccine-20110516,0,136842.story

Amazing births in Rwanda

With the rare and dying numbers of the mountain gorillas dwindling to about 780 in the wild. There have been extreme conservation measures put into place by IGCP (International Gorilla Conservation Programme). Measures that include the use of veterinary care and daytime guarding against hunters this has help with the recently increasing numbers in the population compared to conventional conservation efforts, those numbers have decreased. The increased protection and facilitating veterinary treatment has only helped the growth rates and there are is immense need for resources and extreme measures  to save some endangered species.

The fantastic news in reported on June 10, 2011 is that a pair of twin mountain gorillas were born in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, the birth marks the seventh recorded case of twin mountain gorillas ever recorded since the observations started 40 years ago. In the past February, another set was born. Fantastic news for one endangered species.

Hope to see the extreme measures in protection and  veterinary care are given to other endangered animals in the world. Examples would include the Panda Bear, Black Rhino, Mako Shark and the Alligator Snapping Turtle are where the efforts of conservation programmes and WWF need to expand with the help of sponsors, donators & companies to help fight the extinction of highly endangered species.

Hundreds of Seniors cleaning Japans Nuclear disaster

This is one incredible story of Japanese pensioners volunteering and organizing groups to attack the leak of radiation that still continues to flow into Japan's land.

It was Yasuteru Yamada who thought it is not only their responsibility to clean up the mess instead of the  younger generation. Reasons include the thought of cancer developing takes over 20-30 years while life expectancy is around 15 years at the age of 72.

He has actively been sending e-mails to old co-workers in field of engineering and other professionals, and the use of twitter to recruit others who like to help out.  Other former power station works, experts in factory design. Surprisingly a singer and two cooks have also choose to join the group to keep them from starving and being bored while fixing the problems at the numerous plants.

Couple of the issues that need fixing include repairing the main cooling systems to prevent explosions  and further spreading of radiation. This catastrophe of the earthquakes and tsunami occur only three months ago but feel like a lifetime ago.

Mr. Yamada is pushing hard to get the Japanese government to allow his volunteers into the power station. The government is thankful but has not allow them to.  It is very likely more workers will be needed with operator, Tepco, confirming three of the reactors probably suffered meltdowns.

 In the eyes of the world, this is truly heroic in all sense of the word. Selfless, honor, and bravery. All this volunteers and Mr. Yamada leading the way to save future generations from suffering from mutations and radiation poisoning. To find people with hearts that big is a rare and this is their quest and will to do what is right for their people and country. So much can be learned from them if the Japanese government would offer them a chance to  operate in the power station and prevent further damage.

Shark Fin Ban in Toronto

A New Beginning to an end. 

The end of the centuries old tradition. The Chinese have always had the delicacy of eating shark fin soup at significant family events and Weddings.

Councilor Kristyn Wong-Tam of Toronto has decided to make a move and propose a motion in council next week to ban the selling and distribution of shark fin in Toronto.

Shark fin is an unsustainable. The shark population is becoming devastated by the rapid, over shark-fishing in and all around the world. Soon, we as humans are causing another extinction to happen. This can be avoided with the new beginning of a ban of shark fin in Toronto.

Brantford, Ontario was the very first city in Canada to put a ban in place to look forward to a future where are sharks around the world can live and keep the balance in the ecosystem.

The Chinese tradition will have to change and adapt to changing times, just as the world around us continue to change every second.

A Simple Test To Help Reduce Hearing Loss

Incredible findings at the University of Alabama in Birmingham has done research to help detect cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus that newborns contract but are not regularly tested for. The baby can suffer permanent hearing loss for the rest of their lives. Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 1 in 150 babies are born infected. CMV is known to probably cause about 20 to 40 percent of loss of hearing in their early childhood. A shocking statistic about CMV is that about 2000 to 4000 children are hit by this each year.

The current testing method includes taking sample of the baby's urine or saliva. The labs let the cells in the sample grow in the dish which is complex and time consuming.  Researchers have found a much simpler way of detecting the virus by using dried samples of saliva which a lot more user-friendly. In this case, they tested 35,000 babies and it was a 97 percent successful at identifying which babies have the virus and the great part of the test is that it only costs 3 dollars. The research Suresh Bopanna , a professor of pediatrics at UAB hopes to see this test to become widely accepted and used universally .

http://www.gpb.org/news/2011/06/01/simple-test-for-babies-could-help-spot-a-virus-that-damages-hearing