Katelyn+P.

//**03/24/2013 **//
 * Wiki Post #1: Genetics **



Every year in the US alone, about five thousand babies are born with genetic or functional disorders that can be partly or completely treated through early detection. Now, every state in the country can screen babies for at __**least**__ 21 different diseases through a blood test the day they are born.Although it is not yet possible to completely eradicate genetic disorders before a baby is even born, scientists have done the next best thing. This is called newborn genetic screening.



Newborn genetic screening is the practice of testing newborns for harmful or potentially fatal disorders that are not apparent at birth. Although screening programs are conducted worldwide, each state decides which disorders to test for and how to cover the costs of the screening. With this blood test, a doctor will be able to tell whether a newborn has any conditions that will cause complications later in life. Although these conditions aren't common and most babies are considered virtually healthy, early diagnosis and proper treatment may make the difference between a normal healthy life versus one of lifelong struggle or impairment.
 * What is newborn genetic screening? **

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The baby is pricked soon after birth whether he/she is seemingly healthy or not. Finding these conditions soon after birth can prevent serious problems such as brain damage, organ damage or even death. If a baby is found to have a disease it will be treated early on as much as possible to give the baby a best possible chance. For example, a baby with sickle cell disease is at risk for some serious harmful infections. These babies can take a daily dose of penicillin, an antibiotic medicine, to help prevent infections. Although the penicillin will not change the fact that the baby has sickle cell disease, it can help prevent serious problems.
 * How is it done? **



The newborns are screened for multiple diseases that can be treated. As taken from Ontario statistics, these diseases include:
 * What exactly are they screened for? **
 * Argininosuccinic Acidemia (ASA)
 * Citrullinemia
 * Homocystinuria
 * Maple Syrup Urine Disease
 * Phenylketonuria
 * Tyrosinemia Type I
 * B-Ketothiolase (BKT) Deficiency
 * Glutaric Acidemia Type I (GAI)
 * 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA Lyase Deficiency
 * Isovaleric Acidemia (IVA)
 * 3-Methylcrotonyl-CoA Carboxylase Deficiency
 * Methylmalonic Acidemia (mutase deficiency and cobalamin defects)
 * Multiple Carboxylase Deficiency
 * Proprionic Acidemia
 * Carnitine Uptake Disorder (CUD)
 * LCHAD Deficiency
 * MCAD Deficiency
 * Trifunctional Protein Deficiency
 * VLCAD Deficiency
 * Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)
 * Congenital Hypothyroidism
 * Cystic Fibrosis (CF)
 * Biotinidase Deficiency
 * Galactosemia
 * Haemoglobinopathies including sickle cell anemia, Hb SC disease and Sickle/Thalassemia



__You may get more information of newborn genetic screening at:__


 * 1) [] (A more in depth video about newborn genetic screening from the University of Utah)
 * 2) [] (A page all about cystic fibrosis, one of the more common diseases which is screened for)
 * 3) [] (Shows each disease that is screened which I listed above but offers links to all, giving an explanation to each one)
 * 4) [] (Explains the importance of newborn genetic screening)

__Sources:__

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//**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">04/12/2013 **//
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 17pt;">Wiki Post #2: Evolution **

====Have you ever visited an old authentic museum or untouched structure from the eighteenth or nineteenth century? Did you happen to notice just how small the the door frames and ceilings were and how you had to duck to get around, even if you never considered yourself to be tall? This is likely because the people of our day and age have evolved to be taller than they ever were. In fact, over the last 150 years the average height of people in industrialized nations has increased approximately 10 centimeters (about four inches). You may have heard of the basketball player, Kevin Ware, who recently suffered from a compound fracture simply by landing on his leg the wrong way after jumping up in the air to block a three point shot. Ware himself stands at a height of 6 foot 4 inches. ====

Why Have We Grown so Much?
====One of the biggest reasons for the great human growth spurt is a significant change in diet. Yes, people of the new generation do eat fast good and there are many processed foods. But despite this, we have a much better vitamin and mineral intake and consequently our bodies are able to grow much better than it could 100 - 200 years previous. Another big reason for our growth is our advancement in technology and medicine. We have fewer diseases now which plays a considerable role as an incidence of disease will usually mean that the nutrients we do consume are not absorbed by the body sufficiently. A disease will take up all your energy and there will not be enough left over to help our bodies grow.====



History of Height
====Humans were relatively tall in the Middle Ages, when population densities were low and food supplies were still fairly adequate. The lowest point, literally, was in the 17th century. Frenchmen, for example, were on average just below 5 foot 4 inches which is extremely small. Only since about the middle of the 19th century has there been a general trend upwards. The American population was the tallest in the world from about the American Revolution until World War II <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;">. ====

This is a video which takes on a unique and different perspective towards the "evolution" of human growth.

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__You may get more information about the evolution of human height at:__

> > >
 * 1) [] (Kevin Ware breaking his leg... __ ** warning ** __, very graphic)
 * 2) [] (An in depth explanation)
 * 3) [] (More info)
 * 4) [] (Information on Kevin Ware's injury and how it happened)

__Sources:__

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//**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">05/17/2013 **//
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 17pt;">Wiki Post #3: Genetics #2 **

It's the fourth leading cause of kidney failure in North America. It is the most common inherited disease in the United States and about 500,000 people from the US have it. I chose to do my third post on Polycystic Kidney Disease. I did my post on this as it is something my mom has dealt with herself and there is the possibility of it passing on to me and/or my siblings. In my mother's severe case, the cysts passed on to her liver, ovaries and gallbladder and she required surgery to have the cysts and her gallbladder removed. Although often the cases are much more mild.

Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic condition in which multiple fluid-filled sacs or cysts develop throughout the kidneys. The cysts can be different sizes and vary in number. They may affect the kidney's ability to function and will eventually lead to kidney damage if the cysts become large and numerous.



Polycystic Kidney Disease has many symptoms. Individuals with Polycystic kidney disease may not experience all of the symptoms.
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">What are the Symptoms? **

Some of the most common symptoms of polycystic kidney disease are:


 * ** frequent kidney infections **


 * ** high blood pressure **


 * ** back and side pains **


 * ** blood in the urine **


 * ** urinary tract infections **


 * ** liver and pancreatic cysts **


 * ** abnormal heart valves **


 * ** kidney stones **


 * ** aneurysms in the brain **


 * ** diverticulosis **




 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Who is effected? **

There are two versions of PKD, the one found in adults and the small percentage found in children. 90% of people with PKD have autosomal dominant (means that if one parent has the disease, there is a 50 percent change that the disease will pass to your child, and that both girls and boys are equally affected) polycystic kidney disease or adult PKD. The remaining 10% have autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease, which affects infants and children.

The adult PKD occurs when one parent has passed the gene on to a child. Because the gene is dominant, there is a 50% chance that a child will get PKD if one parent has the disease. In some cases, however, this form of PKD can occur spontaneously as a result of a new genetic mutation and is not passed on from parents.

It is possible to get Polycystic Kidney Disease even if it is not apparent in either of your parents. This is ARPKD, the rarer form of PKD. ARPKD happens when each parent is a "silent carrier." This means that the parents carry the gene but are not affected by PKD. There is a 25% chance that a child born to parents that are both carriers will get the disease. If only one parent carries the gene, children will not be affected.

Here is a video containing more information on PKD.

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 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">How is it Treated? **

In most cases with PKD the symptoms are treated. For each symptom there is different treatment. Such as:

__** High blood pressure. **__ -- A low-sodium diet combined with m edications called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors may be used to control high blood pressure in people with polycystic kidney disease, though more than one drug may be necessary for good blood pressure control.

__** Pain. **__ Chronic pain, usually located in your back or your side, is a common symptom of polycystic kidney disease. Often, the pain is mild and you can control it with over-the-counter medications containing acetaminophen. For some people, however, the pain is more severe and constant. In rare cases, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove cysts if they're large enough to cause pressure and pain.

__** Bladder or kidney infections **__. Prompt treatment of infections with antibiotics is necessary to prevent kidney damage.

__** Kidney failure. **__ If your kidneys lose their ability to remove wastes and extra fluids from your blood, you'll eventually need either dialysis or a kidney transplant.

__** Liver cysts **__. Nonsurgical management of liver cysts includes avoidance of hormone replacement therapy. Other options in rare cases include drainage of symptomatic cysts if they're not too numerous, partial removal of the liver or even liver transplantation.

__** Aneurysms. **__ If you have polycystic kidney disease and a family history of ruptured brain (intracranial) aneurysms, your doctor may recommend regular screening for intracranial aneurysms. If an aneurysm is discovered, surgical clipping of the aneurysm to reduce the risk of bleeding may be an option, depending on its size. Nonsurgical treatment of small aneurysms may involve controlling high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol, as well as quitting smoking.



__ You may get more information about Polycystic Kidney Disease at: __


 * 1) [] (A more in depth explanation of the disease)
 * 2) [] (Treatments for PKD)
 * 3) [] (Canada kidney research, kidney diseases explained)
 * 4) [] (An additional video on Polycystic Kidney Disease)

Sources: [] [] [] []

**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 17pt; line-height: 1.5;">Wiki Post #4: ** The Cerebral Cortex //**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">06/13/2013 **// The human brain is, without a doubt, one of the most important parts of our bodies. It is the center of the nervous system and controls everything. One specific part of the brain, the cerebral cortex, is responsible for memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness.


 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is the Cerebral Cortex and What Does it Do? **

====The cerebral cortex is the layer of the brain often referred to as gray matter. It is gray because nerves in this area lack the insulation that makes most other parts of the brain appear to be white. It develop s from the most anterior part of the neural plate and is 2 to 4 millimeters thick. It has many folded bulges called gyri that create deep fissures called sulci. The folds in the brain add to its surface area and increase the amount of gray matter and the amount of information that can be processed. ====



The cerebral cortex is divided into right and left hemispheres. It is the most highly developed part of the human brain and is responsible for thinking, perceiving, producing and understanding language. The actual processing of information usually will take place here.

==== It is further divided into lobes that each have a specific function. For example, there are specific areas involved in vision, hearing, touch, movement, and smell. Other areas are critical for thinking and reasoning. Although many functions, such as touch, are found in both the right and left cerebral hemispheres, some functions are found in only one cerebral hemisphere. For example, in most people, language abilities are found in the left hemisphere. ====

**<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">What are the Lobes? **

Below is a video on the cerebral cortex. A bit long and tedious but informative.
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__You may get more information on the cerebral cortex at:__
 * 1) [|http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-cerebral-cortex-brain-structures-and-functions-part-ii.html#transcript] (A much more interesting and creative video on the cerebral cortex)
 * 2) [] (Information on the brain in general)
 * 3) [] (About left and right brained thinkers)
 * 4) [] (A somewhat cheesy but other wise great video on how the brain works)

Sources: [] [] [] []


 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 17pt;">Wiki Post #5: Evolution Of The Horse  **

//**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">06/13/2013 **//

A beautiful yet complicated creature, the horse has come a long way in evolving to what it is today.
The horse belongs to an order known as Perissodactyla. It all comes back to what paleontologists agree was the ultimate ancestor of all modern horses, the Hyracotherium, a tiny (no more than 50 pounds), deer-like herbivore with four toes on its front feet and three toes on its back feet. The giveaway to Hyracotherium's status in the horse world is its posture as it put most of its weight on a single toe of each foot, anticipating later equine developments. Five to ten million years after Hyracotherium came the Orohippus ("mountain horse"), Mesohippus ("middle horse"), and Miohippus ("Miocene horse," even though it went extinct long before the Miocene epoch). The early ancestors of the modern horse walked on several spread-out toes, an accommodation to life spent walking on the soft, moist grounds of primeval forests. As grass species began to appear, their diets shifted from foliage to grasses, leading to larger and more durable teeth. At the same time the species needed to be capable of greater speeds to outrun dangerous predators. This was attained through the lengthening of limbs and the lifting of some toes from the ground in such a way that the weight of the body was gradually placed on one of the longest toes, the third. A video on how the horse has evolved. media type="youtube" key="qtX3ir4eWMM" width="420" height="315" After getting to the horse we know and love today through evolution and natural selection, the horse now varies from breed to breed through manipulation with non-random breeding by human's to achieve specific looks and best body types for specific jobs and or activities. The two main different types of horses are broken down into drafts and horses with an average build. Draft horses are larger than the average horse and are used for heaving pulling and are commonly used on farms. Examples of certain draft breeds are the Clydesdale, the Belgian or the Shire. The average horses are mostly used for events or races, either western or english riding. Examples of these events could be racing, show jumping or reining. Breeds include Quarter Horses, Appaloosas, Arabians, Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds and more.
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">How Did The Horse Evolve To Where It Is Today? **

__You may get more information on the evolution of horses at:__
 * 1) [] (Interesting documentary on Mustangs)
 * 2) [] (Information on the horse in general)
 * 3) [] (Briefly explaining the difference between english and western styled horseback riding)
 * 4) [] (Summarized version of the evolution of the horse)

Sources: [] [] [] []