Abbey+G.

Wiki post #3 Butterfly Adapting to Climate Change May 30, 2014 With the warming of today’s climate, it is evident that at some point we may all have to adapt to the changes in one way or another. Butterflies are one species that have learned how to cope with climate change. In a study done by scientists from Imperial College London, Philipps-University Marburg and University of Copenhagen, they have found that both light and dark colored butterflies are moving north to deal with the increasing temperatures in Europe.



However, they have also found that the lighter colored butterflies are thriving more so then the darker butterflies in this area.Darker colored butterflies are generally found in cooler climates because they have more ability to soak up energy and regulate their body temperatures needed to survive in the colder temperatures. On the other hand, light colored butterflies which would reflect the sun, are more likely to be found in warmer climates because they do not need to absorb as much heat.



Since lighter colored butterflies are being spotted in cooler climates, this can be used as proof that climate change is indeed happening. This could also mean that with climate change, animals will evolve to and select for certain characteristics such as lighter colored wings. This could lead to the extinction of some species. For example, butterflies that are most commonly found in mountainous areas and are accustomed to that climate, there are not many places they can move to adapt. However, there are some species that can find sustainability in various conditions.

An example of a butterfly that has learned to adapt to the change in climate is the //Quino// checkerspot butterfly. This butterfly has managed to make changes in its host plant and shifted to higher altitudes where its original host plant was not found. It had been discovered that the butterfly has also made changes in its genetics. This is an example of how quickly some species can adapt to rapidly changing environment.



This video shows examples of how human behaviours can have such a big impact on the butterfly populations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUqwAAoBcPA

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**Picture References**

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111130095301.htm http://earthblawg.com/2009/06/

** Wiki Post #2: Twins ** ** by Abbey Greer ** ** May 5, 2014 ** Twins are defined as children that result of two children from the same pregnancy. Twins can either develop from one egg, meaning they are monozygotic or identical twins. Twins that develop from the same egg are called dizygotic or identical twins. In this post, I will cover some different types of twins as well as some of the complications that occur.



**__Fraternal twins__**: fraternal twins are formed when two eggs are fertilized by two separate sperm. Two out of three pregnancies resulting in twins are fraternal twins. Fraternal twins are no more alike than regular siblings; they are just conceived at the same time. Fraternal twins can be different sexes and may not have many visual similarities. This is a picture that shows how fraternal twins are formed in the womb.

__**Identical twins:**__ identical twins are formed from the same egg and sperm however the cell divides when it is being fertilized resulting in two genetically identical genomes. The chance of having identical twins is 0.4%. Any differences that are seen between identical twins are due to environmental factors. Usually as the twins get older the differences in appearance become more evident. There have been many studies done on identical twins that have been separated at birth and even though they may not have met each other they share similar personality trait and twitches. This is a video that shows and example of this.

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__**Conjoined Twins:**__ conjoined twins are formed in the same way identical twins do but they do not completely separate. Conjoined twins are very rare. It is thought that one in every 200 000 births are conjoined twins. They are often joined at the chest, pelvis or gluteus. It is rare that conjoined twins live. They often result in still births or die shortly after birth. Conjoined twins can be separated after birth depending on the circumstances. Many conjoined twins share some internal organs which might make it difficult to separate them after birth. A good example of conjoined twins that have survived not only after birth but have lived through high school and even have their own TV show are Abby and Brittany. They are defying the odds and now work as school teachers.

__**Complications:**__ like and birth, there are factors that put the pregnancy at risk. In the case of twins, complications are more likely. Women that are having twins are more likely to go into premature labour. They are also more at risk for pre-eclampsia and placental abruption which is the separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus before delivery. In the case of twins, they might not grow at the appropriate rate compared to a single child. A more rare complication for twins is when they share the same blood supply. This is more common in identical twins. In this case, one baby gets too much blood and the other gets too little. When this occurs, it is likely that both babies will be still born. However with monitoring of health conditions, twins can live completely normal lives whether they are identical, conjoined or fraternal.

picture sources: [|https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=643&q=twins&oq=twins&gs_l=img.3..0l10.2722.3711.0.3885.5.5.0.0.0.0.181.731.0j5.5.0....0...1ac.1.42.img..1.4.571.NFLX3YtU3Dg#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=lqOaCeQoxwEugM%253A%3BftY2s2kTRvBmhM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F0.tqn.com%252Fd%252Fcreate%252F1%252F0%252FC%252FC%252FH%252F-%252F2-babies-twins.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmultiples.about.com%252Fb%252F2012%252F02%252F22%252Ftwins-of-the-week-183.htm%3B765%3B568]

[|https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=643&q=twins&oq=twins&gs_l=img.3..0l10.2722.3711.0.3885.5.5.0.0.0.0.181.731.0j5.5.0....0...1ac.1.42.img..1.4.571.NFLX3YtU3Dg#hl=en&q=how+fraternal+twins+are+formed&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=fxdbc0CgajUP8M%253A%3B6cnZluDAPwrulM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fclassconnection.s3.amazonaws.com%252F223%252Fflashcards%252F1190223%252Fjpg%252Ftwin11333489293835.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.studyblue.com%252Fnotes%252Fnote%252Fn%252Fthe-placenta%252Fdeck%252F2610678%3B701%3B565]

[|https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=643&q=identical+twins+abby+and+brittany&oq=identical+twins+abby+and+brittany&gs_l=img.3...147.13083.0.13304.33.10.0.22.0.0.197.1510.0j10.10.0....0...1ac.1.42.img..29.4.615.sNxMYD6BpyA#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=wnp2nCfE2cZL5M%253A%3BY8z11jG6Or2cHM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fjadeafrican.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F09%252F1Kodi2.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.jadeafrican.com%252Fconjoined-twins-abigail-and-brittany-hensel-have-their-own-reality-tv-show-documenting-their-graduation-and-travels-across-europe%252F%3B634%3B356]

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** Wiki Post #1:Possible Cures for Aggressive Brain Tumors ** By Abbey Greer February 28, 2014

One of the most aggressive and commonly diagnosed forms of brain cancer is Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). It is believed that the cause of this cancer is a genetic mutation. GBM is a form of cancer that spreads malignant cancer cells through the nerve fibres and blood vessels of the brain. because GBM is so fast spreading, the survival period for most patients once diagnosed is generally 15 months. Patients diagnosed have only a five percent chance of surviving for more than five years. This is one of the reasons why this form of cancer is so difficult to treat. The tumor becomes hidden in the brain making it difficult to perform. However, after a study done by the Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center & VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, researchers may have found a method for controlling and treating this devastating form of brain cancer.

The head researcher, Paul B. Fisher and his team have discovered the gene that they believe makes Glioblastoma so invasive. The gene is gene-9; also known asmda-9/syntenin. The gene is responsible for the moving and invading of cells. The team found that when mda-9/syntenin levels were increased, the tumor grew larger and had more ability to metastasize. They also discovered that when the levels of gene-9 are decreased, it had the opposite effect and the tumor size decreased.

Blocking gene-9 also decreased the production of interleukin 8(IL-8) proteins that contribute to tumor growth and promote cell migration. Fisher says that they are now developing drugs that can block the forming of this specific cancer. He also said that if the teams work is effective, then using gene-9 as a targeted therapy could contrbute to curing Glioblastoma cancer.



Although this research is very new, there are older methods scientists have used through gene therapy that also have the potetial t be effective. This video explains one of those treatments and how it works. media type="youtube" key="lZGUoVWP2GM" width="560" height="315"

Thus far, the scientists have only tested their theories on animals with similar genetic makeups as humans. However this is a huge break through and it shows that a cure for GBM may be on the way. If mda-9/syntenin can be used to control and decrease the size of this certain brain tumor, it may be lead to help cure other cancers. If scientists can develop effective targeted therapies, it can present a bright future for other forms of cancer.




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[] [|www.curetoday.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/article.showArticleByTumorType/id/804/tumorCategory/Brain/article_id2189] [] []
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