Mary+J.


 * __Cystic fibrosis__**
 * Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition inherited from chromosomes. In this case chromosome 7 goes through a mutation. The CF gene that exists within us naturally copies a protein which is known as the cystic fibrosis trans membrane regulator or CTFR. In every person there are two C[[image:http://www.creativecrash.com/system/photos/000/049/375/49375/big/chromosome7.jpg?1251171749 width="180" height="172" align="right"]]TFR genes that are received, one from each parent cell. Cystic fibrosis is passed down from the recessive gene. Meaning the parents are both carriers but since it is not dominant within there genes the disease will not affect them. Both parents ha[[image:http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/images/cysticfibrosis02.gif width="182" height="196" align="left"]]ve to have cystic fibrosis in a recessive gene for there child to inherit it. However there is only a 25% of CF developing in there genes and a 25% chance they will not be affected or a 50% will be a carrier as this chart shows. It is a fairly common disease and 30,000 people in the united states alone suffer from CF. Up to 70,000 people in the world. 1000 people per year in the US are diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. When it does occur the CTFR protein when copied in people with CF is abnormal and causes problems which the chloride channels in the body As this picture shows normal CTFR proteins moves the chloride ions out of the cell. The abnormal CTFR protein cannot move the chloride ions out of a cell and causes the chloride to condense causing a build up of a sticky mucus outside of the cells. Since chloride channels are functioning abnormally sweat is very salty.**
 * __Health consequences of CF__**
 * CF produces a mucus than is very thick and sticky. When this mucus is in a patients lungs it is difficult for them to breathe and causes lung infections and other consequences over time. By the time a sufferer of cystic fibrosis is a child lung problems start to develop and become more severe. As they age lung conditions that cause permanent damage to the lungs can and most likely will occur the longer a person lives with it. The think mucus that cystic fibrosis produces can infect other areas of the body. Vitamin levels are often low due to the fact that the mucus can block areas of the pancreas and as a result enzymes involved in digestion cannot reach the small intestine. Other areas of the body include the pancreas and even sex organs. As far as life expectancy goes it varies from patient to patient and severity of symptoms. With treatments becoming more advanced people can live with cystic fibrosis into there 40's and 50's however the life span is less than average due to breathing problems and the risk of organs becoming infected and the immune system over all is weaker.[[image:http://www.diapedia.org/img_cache/markdown_thumbnail_1381a5a3b6d3b96b3bf96e3b6c03c404bc7097d0-bf47d.jpg width="240" height="217" align="right"]]**
 * __How to treat it[[image:http://blog.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/white_pillsiStock-300x225.jpg width="188" height="141"]]__**
 * Cystic fibrosis has no cure because it is passed down and is within chromosome 7 of the body. People who are carriers for cystic fibrosis experience no symptoms and there fore usually don't know that they carry this defective gene. There are options to lesson symptoms of the condition. From drugs that can reduce the thickness of the mucus to vapors that can be inhaled to enhance breathing capabilities. Antibiotics are commonly used drug treated and can be inhaled and or in the form of pills. One example of an antibiotic used is ibuprofen since it is an anti inflammatory and therefore could reduce inflammation of the lungs or what ever area the mucus has infected. A common procedure used to reduce the effects of CF is called postural drainage and percussion. This involves the patient lying flat as there chest is compressed to loosen mucus within the lungs. Even having a lung transplant is an option but is used in more severe or progressed cases where the lungs are badly infected with the thick mucus and is causing difficulty breathing and other complications.**


 * __Foundation for CF__**
 * In 1955 the cystic fibrosis foundation was designed to progress the treatment and care of people. This site gives information on how learn about the options someone has as well as about the disease itself. Here is a video showing where and why cystic fibrosis occurs in our genes.**

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__sites__
@http://www.medicinenet.com/cystic_fibrosis/article.htm @http://www.cff.org/AboutCF/

=**__Evolution of Bacteria and viruses__**=

Bacteria and viruses change or evolve over time to survive and multiply. It has been found in fossils from over 416 million years ago. However when oxygen was present in the earths atmosphere 1.5 billion years ago cyanobacteria was also present. Bacteria has been evolving and changing for millions and millions of years to adapt to the environment it is in and so it can reproduce.
 * __Environment for bacteria__**

For a strain of bacteria or a virus to thrive and infect a host it needs a certain type of environment. For example in the human body cells that are bacterial or not require elements, carbon, phosphorous, sulfur, and nitrogen primarily. However carbon is the greatest need bacteria has due to the fact that hydrogen/ oxygen is contained in water. An energy source is also needed for bacteria to thrive. The most common energy sources are organic and inorganic compounds which are consumed by the organism. Plants for instance obtain energy from sunlight. Other sources of energy for animals are fats and proteins for instance.
 * __How bacteria evolves/mutates [[image:smithlhhsb122/bacteria.png width="260" height="260" align="right"]]__**

When a virus or bacteria infects its host the body can sometimes build up natural defences and kill the virus infecting the organism. However to adapt to this environment that is now resistant to this antibody it mutates or changes so it can further spread threw out the body and survive. Antibiotics were becoming more commonly used in the 1920's when bacterial infections such as pneumonia were causing illness and deaths. Penicillin was found to be able to treat or build a resistance for the body to fight the bacteria or virus within the body. Since Anti bodies were and are so frequently used viruses continue to evolve to become resistant against these forms of treatment. For bacteria and or a virus to evolve it has to mutate. For an organism to mutate its sequence of nucleotides is altered somehow. This could code for a different amino acid resulting in a completely different protein. This protein could be better able to survive in its environment depending on if factors around it don't change dramatically. Bacteria also produce enzymes that make the antibiotic designed to treat it useless or unable to do so in a sense. For bacteria to reproduce this resistance against anti bodies plasmids which now carry the enzymes that make it resistant in its genes. These plasmids make it possible for the resistant bacteria to move from organism to organism.
 * __Preventative measures__**

Ways that we can better protect ourselves from viruses and bacteria are; By not using antibiotics to treat viruses because antibiotics don't kill viruses at all altthough they may help with symptoms all we are doing is providing these viruses a way to become resistant to more antibodies. Also high doses of an anti biotic over a shorter period of time is better able to kill an infection. Most infectious causing bacteria is resistant to small doses of treatment and therefore will not be killed. A combination of drugs can be helpful when trying to treat an infection. If one type of drug isn't able to treat it alone the bacteria strain has become resistant at some point. Giving more of the drug could cause the bacteria to become even more resistant than before so sometimes a new drug that is foreign to the bacteria is better able to rid the body of it, gives the bacteria a new pressure.


 * __Facts about bacteria__**

Bacteria are usually harmless and viruses are usually harmful Humans have more cells that are bacterial in our bodies that we do human cells/ normal cells Bacteria is capable of producing oxygen The virus HIV is 10,000 nucleotides in length The largest virus known to us is 400nm in size (Mimi viruses)

This is why some vaccines are needed every so often. This is the influenza virus. For it to survive it changes and shifts so the vaccine used to treat it before cannot protect/ make the body resistant to it. New variations of vaccines are produced every year to treat this ever changing virumedia type="custom" key="25804164"

__**Websites**__ [|**http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/48203/bacteria/272371/Evolution-of-bacteria**] [|**http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/medicine_03**] []

__Ataxia__ What is it? Ataxia is a neurological disorder that causes lack of coordination. This can effect balance, the fingers, arms, speech etc. This condition is usually inherited however if it isnt predominant in any family members or in other words no other family members have this disorder then it is called sporadic ataxia.

__Cause__ Ataxia and its cause lies within the nervous system specifically in a part of the brain called the cerebellum which is at the back of the brain. The cerebellum's function is to coordinate muscle movements that are voluntary or that the body decides to do, not just a response. It also helps with posture and maintaining an equilibruim in the body. So defective genes would cause the opposite instead of having control over muscle movements the body doesnt have control over when and how some muscles move and respond. These genes may also have an effect on the spinal cord causing other complications. These genes are not just limited to affecting the cerebellum unfortunatly they can effect other areas of the brain causing even more problems in the nervous system. The nerve cells that become expised to these misfunctioning genes start to perform incorrtectly and it leads to their degeneration. Muscles become less and less capable of performing tasks such as responding to inside and outside factors that the body is exposed to. The brain tells the muscles what to do or how to react but due to the now defective nerve cells the muscles are now unable to relay the message from the brain to respond.

__Different types__ There are different degrees and variances on Ataxia. A couple examples are; Sporadic ataxia- As previously mentioned there is no other fmaily members affected and it doesnt begin to affect the indivdual until they reach adulthood. Hereditary Ataxia-This can be passed down from the dominant or recessive alleles from previous generations though more commonly recessive since it starts in a persons infancy or childhood. A faulty gene causes symptoms from birth.

__Symptoms and treatment options__ Common syptoms that sufferers of ataxia experience are; -Poor balance and coordination -poor coordination of hands legs, and the arms -slurred speech -difficulty with writing and eating -Certain types of genetic tests can be done to diagnose ataxia as well as bloodtests and xrays all looking or analzying for a specific thing.

There is no cure for ataxia but if it is caused by a stroke or certain chemical, exposure to it then treatments can be done specifically for those conditions and targeting them alone. Research is being done to further increase chances of treatment and possibly a cure. Physical therapy and speech therapy can help with muscle coordination and speech.

The national Ataxia foundation has 24 research studies and has raised over 1 million dollars to help with reseach and further advancements. They have fundraisers as well as members who actively participate to help with this charity.

Here is a video where doctors further explain Ataxia and shows patients and how there symptoms and stuggles vary. media type="custom" key="26177372"

__Sites__
[|http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ataxia&FORM=HDRSC3#view=detail&mid=DDA09E55938B960D9300DDA09E55938B960D9300]

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