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A.
A Rapid, Bio-terrorism Detection System is in the
Works
Narrator:
This is Science Today. Plague detection and the
detection of other disease-causing pathogens, is
a matter of public health, as well as a possible
bio-terrorism or bio-warfare concern. Bert Weinstein,
associate director of biology and biotechnology
research at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,
says that's why they're working on a system of rapid
detection.
Weinstein:
We're working on diagnostics that would allow very
rapid detection of not only plague, but a lot of potential
pathogens. We work on this from two directions - the
thing that got us started in it is the counter bio-terrorism,
counter bio-warfare interests of being able to rapidly
detect if there has been a bio-terrorist event.
Narrator:
Weinstein says it's the same technology that you'd
need for rapid detection of any disease, so they're
working with the Centers for Disease Control.
Weinstein:
The ones that we're working on first are the
counter bio-terrorism concerns because that was
how we initially got started in this, but we're
also expanding it to food-borne diseases and other
potential health concerns.
Narrator:
For Science Today, I'm Larissa Branin.
B.
The Importance of Laughter During Bereavement
Narrator:
This is Science Today. Laughter may seem inconceivable
during a time of bereavement, but according to University
of California, Berkeley social psychologist Dacher
Keltner, people who can laugh in the months following
a traumatic event such as the death of a spouse, do
better than those who show anger.
Keltner: There's this common
assumption, which we call the grief work hypothesis,
which is that in order to respond adaptively to the
death of a spouse, you have to work through and process
your negative emotion - the pain and the distress
of the death and in particular, the anger - that you
really have to work through it.
Narrator: But Keltner found that people
who were positive during bereavement - long considered
a sign of denial or poor grief functioning - actually
did better in the long run.
Keltner:
People who showed smiles of pleasure and also laughter
as they talked about their deceased spouse six months
after the death actually were doing better one year
later and then two years later as well, both in terms
of their reduced grief severity and also their physical
health.
Narrator:
For
Science Today, I'm Larissa Branin.
C.
The Role of Parasites in Mate Selection
Narrator:
This is Science Today. When it comes to the selection
of mates by females of an animal species, the role
of parasites may be instrumental. Marlene Zuk, a professor
of biology at the University of California, Riverside,
has demonstrated that the ornamental and showy plumage
of many male birds may indicate to a female that the
male she's choosing is of high genetic quality.
Zuk:
The idea is pretty straightforward - if a female
is going to evaluate a males and see what kind of
traits are going to make a good mate, the best thing
that she could do would be to evaluate his resistance
to disease.
Narrator:
In a study, Zuk let the female choose between two
roosters - one with parasites and one without.
Zuk:
The female would choose the one that was not parasitized
more often than not and she would also use the same
traits that the parasite affected a lot. The traits
that were particularly subject to being smaller or
less colorful or whatever when the bird was parasitized,
to make her male choice decision.
Narrator:
For Science Today, I'm Larissa Branin.
D.
Adverse Effects of Ephedra Containing Supplements
are on the Rise
Narrator:
This is Science Today. Ephedra, a stimulant that's
used widely in dietary supplements, has been linked
to many adverse heath effects and sometimes, even
to death. According to recent national statistics,
the rates of adverse effects have been on the rise
since 1997. Dr. Christine Haller, of the University
of California, San Francisco says about 12 million
Americans use ephedra products to boost levels of
energy or to lose weight.
Haller:
It contains ma huang, which is an herbal form of ephedrine
and caffeine. And these two products in combination
seem to be potentially more dangerous in causing adverse
effects - a sense of nervousness, nausea and vomiting.
But it could be more serious - chest pain, indicating
a possibility of having a heart attack or stroke.
Narrator:
Many of these supplements have warning labels,
but many consumers are still unaware of the risk.
Haller:
The problem is that a lot of the population being
targeted for use of these products are adolescents
and young adults who generally don't feel that they're
at risk for any adverse effects and so they may not
read the warning labels.
Narrator:
For Science Today, I'm Larissa Branin.
E.
Working to Biodegrade MTBE Contamination
Narrator:
This is Science Today. MTBE, a gasoline additive initially
used to clean the air, but later linked to polluted
groundwater supplies, is being phased out. The decision
was based on a University of California study, which
found that the carcinogenic chemical was contaminating
drinking water. Meanwhile, chemical engineer Mark
Deshusses of the University of California, Riverside
has been working on ways to biodegrade the MTBE that's
still out there.
Deshusses:
We use microbes to break down the chemicals and we
took some cultures from contaminated sites - some
microbial cultures. It does get broken down over time
and that's a very interesting finding because it was
not known until very recently that MTBE could be degraded.
Narrator:
The challenge is getting MTBE to biodegrade in the
field as well as it does in the lab.
Deshusses:
It's really important to find a solution. MTBE moves
very rapidly in the soil, underground. So when you
have a leak, very quickly you will find it in your
drinking water.
Narrator:
For
Science Today, I'm Larissa Branin.
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