Tuesday, 6 December 2022

Leprosy is One of the Oldest Ancient Diseases - Part 2 - Healthy Life 27

You may read previous post (Part 1):

- Leprosy is One of the Oldest Ancient Diseases - Part 1 - Healthy Life 27



Image 1- Miniature roses

A healthy person is also can be infected by leprosy if the person breaths in the air that contaminated with bacteria. The bacteria cause leprosy is called Mycobacterium leprae.

CDC mentioned that a person will not get infection through:

-Hugging and Shaking hands
-Sitting next each other in subway or bus
-Sitting together in the dinner table.
-Not passing on from mother to her baby during pregnancy



Image 2- Foggy, illustration



Image 3- A gift, illustration

There are about 200.000 cases per year in the worldwide, sure, mostly in developing countries.

Leprosy is rare in the US, but it still exist, and there are about 200 new cases per year.

Finally, this disease is curable with multiple antibacterial drugs. The treatment is amazingly effective.

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Sunday, 4 December 2022

Why are We Worry with Human Extinction? - Science 29

Human extinction has been discussed since many decades ago, and even lead to worry in recent days.



Image 1- Illustration only

The fact that our world just reaches 8 billion people this year. This number is projected to increase in coming years.

World population is projected by United Nation (2022):

- in 2030 hit 8.5 billion people
- in 2050 reaches 9.7 billion people
- in 2100 hit 10.4 billion people

So, why are we worry with human extinctions?



Image 2- Neighborhood in the morning



Image 3- One corners of our small city

Yes, population seem increasing year by year, but it will reach peak in 2100. Since then, world population is expected to decrease.

We are witness decreasing population in many countries such as Japan and South Korea. No growth in China anymore, population will decrease next several years.

Moreover, in term of biology, surprisingly, men sperm production is decreasing since decades ago:

- between 1973 to 1999, about 1.2% reduction of sperm count per year
- since 2000, about 2.6% reduction of sperm count per year

Acceleration of sperm reduction has been occurred all over the world. If this trending continue, human extinction is highly possible in the future.

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Friday, 2 December 2022

White Hominy Pearls Tossed with Coconut Shreds – Part 1 – Food 32

It was 710 days ago, the new virus to be a “breaking news” when we were ready to celebrate the Rat Year of the Chinese New Year.



Image 1- White Hominy Pearls, sold by Walmart

Then I posted about this new coronavirus:

It is over two years since this type of virus, then we called it Covid-19, came up and spread.

Today, the viruses are still hanging around in this world, even many of us got booster vaccines (third times vaccinated).



Image 2- Just for illustration



Image 3- The colder weeks and we “stay in our bubbles”

The viruses do not want away from us. They developed and becoming new strains instead of leaving us.

At the beginning, the new strains were more virulent than their original, and we have to be aware.

About two years ago “A physician from Baton Rouge, Dr O'Neal, warns us not to get out in the next couples of weeks. He encouraged us to stay in our bubbles”.

# To be Continued to Part 2

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Wednesday, 30 November 2022

Black Cobra Chili Plants – Food 31

We used to have several kinds of Chili plants in our yard. Just few are Red chili, Jalapeno and hybrid chilies.



Image 1- Fruit with black color

A Black Cobra Chili plant is our new project for fun now. It seems the plant grows well in the backyard, and reach maturity about 90 days or more, depends on many factors include:

- weather (temperature).
- using of fertilizer
- some diseases

Strange and interestingly that fruits color was black at the beginning (please see at Image 1), then the color changes to red after few weeks.



Image 2- Plant height in inches

In my mind that It is a kind of “adorable” and ornamental plant when color of fruit is at black stage.



Image 3- A Black cobra chili plant crawling up



Image 4- Eastern garter, black snake with little white dots, illustration.

Sure, chili (fruit) of black cobra chili is edible, and yes, quite spicy compared to other several chilies such as:

- Jalapeno
- Serrano.
- and Chipotle

In term of Scoville Heat Units (SHU), the unit to measure spiciness (hotness) of chili shows that black cobra chili is in the range of 20,000 to 40,000 SHU scale.

Have you tasted Black Cobra chili? If yes, do you like it?

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Saturday, 26 November 2022

Learning Process Based on My Own Experienced – Part 1 – Science 28

During my human medicine study at a college, one of courses was Pathophysiology class (BIOL-4310).



Image 1- Learning process level of Bloom’s Taxonomy 
(credit to Cehdclass)

The last session of the class was the student presentation. I chose pathophysiology of shock from the list of assignment.

Before presentation we were assigned to do research from the journals with the peer reviews, and then we write certain pages of term paper about the assigned topic.

The professor would check the paper before we present it and give some feedback, include comments, suggestions and recommendation for further improvement.



Image 2- Neighborhood, just illustration

Whenever, everything in the "the right tracts", the topic then was ready to be presented.



Image 3- Wrap, Illustration only

Shock is a manifestation of pathological condition rather than diseases as many people know.

I understand that diagnosis and management of shocks are require extensive knowledge and clinical experience.

At the beginning, I identified and retrieved my knowledge in Anatomy and Physiology class about how does our heart work (remembering level).

# To be continued to part 2

## Previous posting:

Wednesday, 23 November 2022

Paintings of Elementary School’s Students - Art 9

Our city, Baton Rouge has a program to select talent students in paintings. The students come from Elementary, Middle and High Schools.



Image 1- Painting of grade 1

Then, our city school system hires professional artists, usually local artists to train and improve students' skill in paintings.

They have a kind of “summer camp” to learn how to be a professional painting artist.

The goal off course, students may reach skill at level of:

- local
- national
- or even international



Image 2- A painting of grade 3 student



Image 3- A cat, painting of grade 5 student

Paintings are regularly shoen on the wall of city library entrance, hence people may see and observe the paintings.

As you may see, images 1, 2 and 3 are paintings from elementary school students of grade 1, 3, and 5 consecutively.

Which one do you think the best?

There are price tags on some paintings, the cost vary from just US$ 25 to couple hundred bucks.

I do not know how many people really interest and then buy the paintings, even price is quite reasonable.

Moreover, some best paintings will be shown in the commercial places such as banks, hotels, restaurants and coffee shops.

Is there any kind of talent programs for painting in your city or place?

Tuesday, 22 November 2022

Mediterranean Diet and Alzheimer's Prevention – Part 2 - Alzheimer's 11

You may read the previous post (part 1):

- Mediterranean Diet and Alzheimer's Prevention – Part 1 - Alzheimer's 11



Image 1- Part of the book

Because the countries very close to the ocean, so fish is one of their main sources of protein.

You know that there are 22 countries around Mediterranean sea, some of them are: Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Malta, Monaco, Turkey, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt and Israel.

Those people in the areas also drink red wine in daily basis but always in moderation in term of quantity.



Image 2- Myrtle flowers, illustration



Image 3- Play soccer, illustration

It is also the back way how the people around that areas eat and life. They like to eat together, share their meal, and engage in many daily routine activities altogether.

About the Mediterranean diet is also explained by Dr. Marwan Sabbagh in his book, The Alzheimer's Prevention Cookbook, Recipes to Boost Brain health.

This cookbook is based on evidence of the nutrition. The “science to table” plan that can reduce the risk or delay the onset of Alzheimer's Disease or any other forms dementia: “Eat Smart, Stay Sharp”

# Previous postings:

The Beautiful Bright Green Luna Moth - Nature 148

We saw a beautiful bright green critter it is called the bright green Luna moth. The grub making its way through our yard. Image 01 - A Luna...