Author Archives: Ryan Thomas Byrne

RIP Jack Byrne

Unfortunately the topic of heart disease is one I have been forced to look into more due to the recent and sudden death of my uncle Jack Byrne. I felt that it was appropriate to write a blog in his honor to help gain awareness for a condition that many do not know of and can be life threatening. Last Thursday after his sudden death, my family learned that my uncle had a heart condition known as a cardiomyopathy which is when “the heart muscle becomes enlarged, thick, or rigid. In rare cases, the muscle tissue in the heart is replaced with scar tissue” (“What is Cardiomyopathy?”). Andrew has taught us the differences between soft and hard points and I think this is a big part of my uncle’s story. We have yet to find out the true cause of death to this point because all the medical examiner was able to conclude was that he had this cardiomyopathy. This would be considered a soft point because it is something that can lead to a deadly symptom, but it is not actually the cause of death. For more information on the cardiomyopathy itself I have attached this link, but I would like the focus of this blog to be more on what hard points can result from this unusual soft point.

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The main problem with a cardiomyopathy is that the normal circulation of blood flow weakens as compared to a heart without the issue. This can cause many problems down the road but not all that would have led to a sudden departure. There are three different types of cardiomyopathy, and although each come with different symptoms, it seems as if there are small likelihoods among each that sudden death would occur. Normal symptoms seems to include fatigue, shortness of breath, or chest pain but it baffles me that it may have lead to the death of my uncle (“Hypertrophic..”).

Cardiomyopathy is something that can go along with just being born, but it is also a condition that can be developed overtime. Links between this condition and alcohol seem very prevalent, and frankly that is a possibility for how my uncle may have gotten it. Due to this fact it is something that almost anyone who is not careful can risk happening to them.

Many always seem to forget that heart disease is still the number one killer in the world over cancer and even ebola! I believe it does not get as much attention because of the speed in which it kills its victims but this is why awareness needs to be raised. When symptoms arise, those that may be in danger need to take the necessary precautions and treatments to ensure that they are safe. Studies have shown that simply taking care of your body can decrease your chances dramatically of sudden heart disease which is yet another benefit of getting in shape. For all those out there that take days for granted, or do not go after the dreams they wish to accomplish remember how quickly those opportunities can be taken away from you. Scientists have worked endlessly to provide more and more information on conditions that can be life threatening so it is important to be aware of as many as possible so you can do what you can to avoid them.

A final tribute to my uncle John Patrick (Jack) Byrne…he was a great man that was loved by many who’s life was unfortunately cut short. Let us learn from Jack and trust in the scientific method, those around us, and even yourselves to find out more about deadly conditions and rid them from our society. I love you Uncle Jack.

Works Cited

“Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy – Symptoms, Tests, Treatments.” WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014. <http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy>.

“What Is Cardiomyopathy?.” – NHLBI, NIH. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2014. <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cm/>.

The Vast, Unknown Universe

When listening to Dean Larson’s interesting lecture on all things in our universe, I was intrigued to wonder how much we actually know about it all. Obviously, most know at least the names of the planets within range of our sun, but that only contributes the equivalent of a pore on human skin or a brick on a 20 story building. Our universe is immense in size and it is almost impossible to wrap our minds around just how large it truly is. Just because we can identify far away galaxies and starts does not mean we know what makes up our entire universe. According to an article I found, we do not know what 96% of the universe is made up of. Both dark matter and dark energy make up huge portions of it all and nobody truly knows what either of these components are (Moskowitz, Clara). This is amazing to think about considering people have been studying that stars for over 2000 years. After all of that time, we as human still only understand 4% of our universe. If dark matter makes up a majority of the universe then why don’t we know more about it? We need to find ways to understand what it is so that we can advance as a society and understand how our planet and others came about to a further extent.

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I believe understanding our universe is very important because it is where we all originated from. The only information that we know about dark matter now is through curious observations of how stars should orbit other object and the reality of how they actually do. Due to lack of consistency, scientist have chosen to conclude that there is matter out there other than the gasses that we can see that is not able to be seen. Study on this matter could unlock even more about our universe. If there is such matter that cannot even be seen, we can never know how large our Universe is or even where everything is located. We need to study dark matter more so that we can understand these factors.

Another idea that I believe astronomers tend to overlook is whether we are alone in our universe. It is very difficult to believe that in such a massive place our planet was the only one lucky enough to inhabit life. There are billions of galaxies with billions of stars so the chances that we are the only living beings in our universe I feel are slim. Even considering the fact the humans alone are miracles, why couldn’t the same such miracle occur somewhere else? Even if there is a place out there that has organisms not as developed as we are it is still important to find them. This will allow us to understand the environments they live in and maybe adjust to future issues we will have in civilization. For more on specific information we do not know about our universe feel free to read more.

Our universe is a vast place that needs to continue to be explored. It seems as if we know a lot about it but truthfully we barely know anything at all.

What did you think about Dean Larson’s lecture?

 

Moskowitz, Clara. “What’s 96 Percent of the Universe Made Of? Astronomers Don’t Know.” Space.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2014. <http://www.space.com/11642-dark-matter-dark-energy-4-percent-universe-panek.html>.

“Dream content is not well understood”

I have never been one that has been very good at remembering my dreams, so I hoped to learn more about how dreams work, how much we truly know about them, and how I can better remember them in the morning. Dreams are very intriguing because many repeat themselves and have significant meaning on the way your mind works.

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When looking into the process of dreaming I found that about 90 minutes into sleeping, one enters a phase known as the rapid eye movement or REM cycle in which dreams are most vivid. Although you are in a deep sleep during this time, brain activity at this time is at a level almost as high as it is during the day time (“Sleep Health..”). For more on dream cycles check out this article on how they work. Science has even had its trouble in finding out more in depth information on dreams. Studies have shown that many have to deal with people and places close in your lives (Bullkely, Kelly). This brings up the question an observation that I, myself, have had which is whether dreams can somewhat predict the future. Personally, I have had many deja vu experiences in which I can not explain it but it feels as if I’ve been in this exact situation before. Our brains can do more than we can even grasp and maybe this is one of the unknown possibilities. It is amazing to look into all that our brain can do, and I think dreams are a key component into discovering more. In doing this, we must become better at remembering what we have dreamt so we can record our findings and look for trends. I am not the only one with this issue so I feel that these are important tips in doing so.

The first tip is to observe and immediately reflect before bed. A suggestion such as just looking out the window and recording what you see is said to allow you to deeper reflect on images. Something that goes along with reflection would be to write down what you did throughout your day including what you wore and where you were (“HowStuffWorks”). This will aid in remembering dreams and allowing us to better understand them. It is interesting that as long as mankind has been living and dreaming, we still do not understand what dreams mean or how we can use them to expand our minds. Other methods such as simply telling yourself you will remember your dreams or peacefully waking up rather than to an alarm can also help you to remember your mid-night stories (“HowStuffWorks”).

This is a topic that needs to be further studied because it is one that not many at all understand. Why do these simple tasks help us remember what we think about  while we sleep? How much more can we know about our brains by just understanding our dreams? It is crucial to further expand our intuition and ask these questions so that we can understand the world around us. Also by understanding more about the human brain we will be able to do even more in our every day lives. What more is your brain capable of?

Works Cited

Bulkeley, Kelly. “What Does Science Know About Dreams?.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 23 Apr. 2013. Web. 8 Oct. 2014. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-bulkeley-phd/what-does-science-know_b_3142726.html>.

“HowStuffWorks “5 Tricks for Remembering Your Dreams”.” HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2014. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/sleep/dreams/5-tricks-for-remembering-dreams.htm#page=1>.

“Sleep Health – Tips for Insomnia, Sleep Apnea, and Getting a Good Night’s Sleep – Sleep Health – C-Health.” Sleep Health – Tips for Insomnia, Sleep Apnea, and Getting a Good Night’s Sleep – Sleep Health – C-Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_health_features_details.asp?channel_id=135&relation_id=2334&health_feature_id=363&article_id=1139>.

Central Park: The Amazon of the North

Manhattan is a concrete jungle that is one of the most well known places in the world. I would doubt that the first thing one thinks about regarding Manhattan would be the abundant amount of life other than human beings. It turns out that underneath Central Park, the soil is abundant with hundreds of thousands of microbes that have never been discovered before. It is interesting to think that one of the more diverse ecosystems could be located in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world, but that is the fact of it. Feel free to read up on more background of Central Park if you please.

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In a study of over 500 different soil samples all across central park, scientists “were surprised to learn that the park has just as wide a range of soil microbes as do tropical rain forests, prairies or other wild places that have been studied” (Newman, Andy). With this amount of life harvested in such a small area how abundant was the land the city of manhattan was built on before all the construction? Before New York was made into a huge city, Henry Hudson discovered Manhattan as a huge area full of trees, shrubbery, and wildlife.

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This picture truly amazes me because it shows the vision of the people who colonized our nation to be able to see the potential of the land they were discovering. If this land was so diverse before than it has just been evolving ever since. Just because a city surrounds it, Central Park is still extremely well kept and needs to be looked at more. Why haven’t we examined this soil in the past? Has human negligence forced us to overlook possible one of the more diverse ecosystems on the planet? It is hard to believe that there are small organisms living in the soil of Central Park that have yet to be discovered, and we are just realizing it is important to know what they are. If in the center of a city filled with about 1.7 million people there are undiscovered organisms that are being overlooked, where else in the world have be neglected to research further? I believe this attributes to the idea that Andrew constantly harps on about HUMAN INTUITION IS LOUSY. Some may argue that little organisms in the soil of Central Park have no effect on the way we live but that is superficial of them. At one point all humans evolved from little organisms like this. They are the stepping stones of advanced life and in order to learn how the world works we have to look into things like these more. It is crucial to not overlook the wonders of life. An area as abundant as a rainforest is sitting right in the middle of one of the largest cities in the world. Let’s explore.

Animals are just like humans

When I think back over my first month at State College, I think of the things back home that I miss the most. Before anything else, I normally think of my dog, Shadow. The way she always seems happy, responds to what I say, and loves the words “beach” and “treat” made me think about the possible personalities that non-domestic animals could have.

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First off, it is important to first know the types of personalities that domestic pets such as dogs have so that we can then see how that compares to all animals in the wild. A blind trial by Dr. Samuel Gosling in which an observer unfamiliar with the dogs would judge the behaviors of the dogs while doing various activities showed the results to be quite consistent with what the owners believed of their dogs (How Stuff Works). This is essential to proving that dogs do have personalities, but those that are around them constantly already know that. Dog breeding is highly controlled and due to this, some may question whether or not animals outside of domestic households have the same type of distinct personality traits as dogs like my own do. Some may say that the following studies could be due to chance but through numerous trials it is safe to say that the studies were performed well. One study in the Netherlands showed that birds of different sorts were seen as having specific traits ranging from adventurous to shy and timid (How Stuff Works). This baffles me as an intellectual because humans always believe that they are the most dominant beings on Earth and constantly overlook the millions of other species, but if animals are able to act just as humans do in social situations could there be more to the ways they communicate, learn, and adapt to situations around them?

Along with birds, a separate and more recent study on sharks has arisen the same question for sea dwelling animals. In the study of cat sharks, were placed in all different environments yet where ever they ended up it seemed that the more “social” sharks stayed together and the “antisocial” ones avoided others (Shark Study).

This information makes me think about evolution and the similarities humans have to other species but I feel as if nobody takes the time to think about how the way we act is also similar to all species of life. There are those that love to be in the spotlight and the opposite who would never dare put themselves out there, but it is interesting to know we are not alone in those situations. It took an almost miracle for the human race to exist and so it makes you think what else is evolving with just as much luck as we did thousands of years ago? With so many animals so similar in the way our minds work, how far off are those animals from being able coherently and rationally learn as humans do?

 

 

Works Cited

“HowStuffWorks “Animal Personality Studies”.” HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Oct. 2014. <http://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/do-animals-have-personalities1.htm>.

“Shark study shows they have individual personalities.” BBC News. BBC, 10 Feb. 2014. Web. 2 Oct. 2014. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/29461882>.

Electronic or conventional lung killers?

I have never been one to smoke cigarettes whether that be electronic or conventional ones. My family has always had trouble with cancer without ever having smoked so I felt that the short term buzz I would get from some puffs would not be work the long term risk that is already running through my genes. That being said I found this an interesting topic to look into because anything that can reduce to risk of cancer, even among those who in my opinion are dumb enough to blatantly take years of their lives, is important to me.

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Above, you can see the process an e-cigarette goes throw while a user takes a draw from it. This fairly new product has only been on the market in the United States for seven years so although they are now common in public many may not know certain facts about them. This includes the fact that they contain no tobacco in them and instead, liquid nicotine. For more on little known facts I will attach a link, but the point of my post is to compare the health differences in electronic cigarettes as compared to conventional tobacco-filled cigarettes.

In an article from the TIME website, they mention how e-cigarettes are by far safer than conventional cigarettes due to the fact that you do not inhale the toxic smoke or awful chemicals that can contribute even further to creating cancerous cells in the future. Additionally, research on over eighty studies have shown that the electronic cigs are not only less harmful to those using them, but also less dangerous to bystanders around the user (Sifferlin, Alexandra).

A common trend among most of the articles I have read on the topic is that the industry as a whole has continued to grow since its creation in 2007. This trend has been larger among young teens than it has for current cigarette users. This is a statistic that worries me because it shows that more people are coming into contact with nicotine. An issue will eventually arise for most of these teens in which the nicotine is not doing enough for them and they will then switch into the tobacco market. This then would negate the purpose of an e-cig that supposedly is better for you because it seems that later on down the road most fall into the path of tobacco anyway.

To those that would argue that e-cigs are a cessation to conventional cigarettes such as nicotine gum or patches, I would counter-argue that many studies made have shown that users are no more likely to stop using cigarettes when switching to the electronic version. They are still getting as much nicotine as they want which is the addictive factor so how would this help them at all?

After looking over both options I’ve come to the conclusion that not participating in either is definitely the best way to go. Both have terrible long term effects that are killing off more and more per year. I say instead of arguing whether or not you should puff something electronic or made of paper, why not question what are you doing in the first place? Avoid both and avoid the argument.

 

 

“HowStuffWorks “10 Little-known Facts About E-cigarettes”.” HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2014. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/smoking-cessation/10-facts-about-e-cigarettes.htm>.

Neporent, Liz. “E-Cigarette Debate Reignites With New Vaping Report.” ABC News. ABC News Network, n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <http://abcnews.go.com/Health/cigarette-debate-reignites-vaping-report/story?id=25271245>.

Sifferlin, Alexandra. “E-Cig Benefits Outweigh Their Harms, New Research Says.” TIME. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <http://time.com/3060370/e-cig-benefits-are-greater-than-their-harms-new-research-says/>.

Double DNA

In a story written by the New York Times, a man who was being accused of rape and robbery could not be fully charged because the DNA they found at the scene of the crime belonged to him…….and his twin brother. There was not sufficient evidence at the time in 2007 to prove that it was him over his brother. Although cases like this are rare, it says that recently a new company has found a way to differentiate the DNA of the two twins and wants to bring that evidence to court. Specifically, this is a very interesting trial but what I want to look at more is how have we looked past the ability to differentiate between twins DNA’s all of this time?

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It makes me wonder what kinds of other parts of life we have been overlooking because we think everything in that field has already been discovered. People have been teaching and learning about DNA for over 100 years, but somehow in the year 2014 we have finally found something that makes it even more unique to the point that you can be split from the same egg and still be unique. It is amazing to think of all the things in this world that we still today overlook, but that is why scientist must continue to question the “facts” of today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/us/new-dna-test-sought-in-identical-twins-rape-case.html?ref=science

Grass is Greener

After watching the Eagles come back on Monday Night football to win 30-27, I thought it would only be fitting to post a football related topic. Across the country in sports such as football, soccer, rugby, baseball, and more artificial turf has become a main stay that seems to create a more even playing field and allow for quicker cuts on the field. Although it may look more appealing to the eye, is this turf actually negatively affecting the sports and the players that play on it? In recent studies of NFL and College football games over the past 4 years, it has been shown that ACL and other ligament injuries have been more common among players playing on an artificial turf field. The article states, “Athletes were also 1.39 times as likely to be injured when playing on modern artificial turf as they were when playing on grass.”Legion_CrossSec2

Creating an ideal surface to play the game on may be more difficult than some think. If turf truly increases the chance for injury over a classic grass field, than why have people not started to notice this trend? It seems like every year new high schools and colleges spend money to construct a beautiful turf sports complex, and in the process they spend millions of dollars. In the end isn’t it more about player safety than anything else? Yes the increased traction helps most on the field, but for the few extra whose feet get stuck in the sticky turf while their leg bends up underneath them we ask is it really worth it? We at least hope that those looking into it are trying to make it a safer surface, but to those who play sports and advocate for youth growing up in these leagues: don’t we want our children to remain healthy? If that means we stick with God’s good grass than that is what we have to do!

 

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/04/30/football-knee-injuries-likelier-on-artificial-turf-than-grass/

Smarter Mosquitos or Lazier People?

In a recent article from the New York Times, it was reported that more mosquito-bourne illnesses have been popping up in both Japan and the United States. Diseases that are normally accustom to many African nations, and ones that have not been seen in the developed world for over 70 years have been spreading through mosquitos.

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This brings up the question of how are these diseases suddenly coming back and how can we stop them from spreading too much? A disease like such that comes back after being gone for so long must mean that the mosquitos are carrying a new strain that is stronger than previous ones and can be carried for longer. With more mosquito-bourne illnesses becoming prevalent in the developed world we can not sit back and assume it won’t infect us. According to a CNN article, “So far this year we’ve recorded eight travel-associated cases, and seven of them have come from countries in the Caribbean where we know the virus is being transmitted.” This is speaking of Chikungunya a disease that causes huge pain in the joints that can last for weeks. Knowing that Chikungunya originated in the Caribbean, and that most of whom have been infected have brought it back with them we must take proper precautions while traveling. Protect yourself while on vacation because you don’t want to be the reason there is a nation-wide Chikungunya epidemic do you?

Dirty Aliens

While beginning our class last week, many groups seemed very intrigued with the topic of life on other planets. While looking into the information already known about this, I came upon an article that made me think finding aliens on other planets is possible and easier than I previously thought. Now how is anything going to make that easier in a place as big as this below? That is a great question.

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A recent study by Harvard-Smithsonian scientist suggests that the best way to find life on other planets may be to look at the industrial pollution found in the atmospheres. Considering that life forms are actually environmentally unfriendly, a planet whose atmosphere is more ‘dirty’ may have a better likelihood of harboring aliens. This is obviously interesting because many have given up on the idea of finding other life forms on different planets, but hopefully with this new outlook it will aid in making this possibility more realistic. This also creates a large buzz because of the great impact finding aliens would bring to people on earth.

Oral Vaccinations?

Growing up, if there was one thing I hated more that all the vegetables my mom tried to make me eat it would have to be going to the doctor to have a needle shoved into my arm. You would think this nice, happy nurses would know what they were doing until suddenly they find the most tense part of your arm and stick it right in!

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So when I started hearing about the possibility of new oral vaccines you know I would be jealous of all the future little children that won’t have the same struggles as I did growing up. Not only will this idea help those kids like me with Trypanophobia, or the fear of needles, but apparently the oral vaccinations will be even stronger! Ranging from a film you put under your tongue to a nasal spray, these vaccines will be easier to make and store. It makes me think how we have gone so long using needles if there was a better alternative that someone just needed to make. I personally have received a nasal influenza vaccine but something that can be taken orally is beyond me. How the science works of actually getting the protection into my body is amazing. Just think of all the disgusting and terrible ways people used to try to cure disease and how dangerous it all was. With these new oral vaccines we will be even safer while it is being administered to us. There is no threat of HIV injection with a dirty needle, granted that is more for poorer nations, but it is good to know there is a zero percent chance. Be thankful you live in a place you can feel safe from microscopic viruses, and just wait until some smart guy finds a way to put the protection into your bag of skittles then we’ll all be happy.

 

Hey Class

I) I am taking this course because I believe the way it will be presented will be best for me. I am not interested as much in the science that I learned in high school and I felt that this class was going to cover topics that I am more interested in

II) I am not planning to be a science major because I have grown up selling things. I feel like the work I will be able to do in the Business college will be much more attuned to my interests and I also believe that there are more job opportunities for positions I am interested in that relate to that major.

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