Kyle+T.

=Discovery of the 'Schizophrenia Gene'=

March, Post #1
Researchers have found a gene that increases the risk of schizophrenia and have a theory on why this gene causes the mental illness. Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that interferes with a person's ability to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions and relate to others. Schizophrenia impairs a person's ability to function to their potential when it is not treated. There is no treatment for schizophrenia that exist, but with recent discoveries on the cause, there may be a cure to come with it.

 Researchers conducted studies on both humans and mice and discovered a new schizophrenia risk gene called complement component 4, or C4 (Which is part of the immune system). It appears to be involved in eliminating the connections between neurons, called synaptic pruning, which happens naturally in teenage years.



 As synaptic pruning naturally happens in our body, excessive pruning of neural connections could be what causes schizophrenia. This could be why schizophrenia commonly appears in the teenage years.

Researches have speculated that future therapies could be developed to help slow down synaptic pruning in people who show early signs of psychosis, a symptom of schizophrenia. This would not help the whole illness itself. Researches are hoping to identify anti-complement drugs that are already under development for treating other diseases.

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Sources: https://www.broadinstitute.org/news/7823 http://www.livescience.com/53502-schizophrenia-gene-c4.html http://www.schizophrenia.ca/learn_more_about_schizophrenia.php https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/jan/27/schizophrenia-breakthrough-as-genetic-study-reveals-link-to-brain-changes

Further reading: http://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-0-387-79061-9_2856 http://www.cmha.ca/mental-health/understanding-mental-illness/schizophrenia/ http://www.schizophrenia.ca/learn_more_about_schizophrenia.php http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/miic-mmac/chap_3-eng.php

=Are Northern White Rhino's Extinct?=

May, Post #2
 With very minimal presence of Northern white rhinoceroses, they are on the brink of extinction and are on 24 hour over watch. On July 28, 2015, one of the last five northern white rhinoceroses died due to a ruptured cyst. This northern white rhino, named Nabiré, was a 31 year old female rhino who was born in captivity,on November 15, 1983, was plagued with uterine cysts which made it impossible for her to breed naturally.



In Kenya, three of the four northern white rhinoceroses live under guard to prevent poaching. Sudan is one of them in the group of northern white rhinos, but he is known as the last male left out of all the northern white rhinos on Earth. In the first four months on 2015, 393 rhinos where killed. This is why it is necessary for them to be on constant watch.

You might ask, why aren't they reproducing? Sudan is 42 years old and as they may be healthy, deputy veterinarian George Paul says age is a factor. "Sudan is currently old and may not be able to naturally mount and mate with a female," he says. Sudan also has a low sperm count which complicates things naturally and scientifically, experts say. media type="youtube" key="8r0LyKaf0JU" height="486" width="847"



Today, only three northern white rhinoceroses remain alive on Earth. On November 22, 2015, 41 year old Nola died at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.The remaining three are overseas in Kenya at Ol Pejeta Conservancy. This puts the species at the world's most critical endangered rhino. Will there be a sustainable amount of northern white rhinoceroses left, or will the species be labeled extinct in the years, or months to come?



Sources: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/11/rhino-poaching-in-south-africa-at-record-levels-following-18-rise-in-killings http://www.livescience.com/51681-northern-white-rhino-dies.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-morrow/bringing-northern-white-rhinos_b_9163630.html http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/16/africa/kenya-northern-white-rhino/

Further reading: http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/rhinoceros/african_rhinos/white_rhinoceros/ http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/11/151123-nola-northern-white-rhino-dies-conservation-animals/ http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/25/northern-white-rhino-extinction-endangered-animals-save http://www.nation.co.ke/news/northern-white-rhinos/-/1056/2970862/-/59k44jz/-/index.html