Introduction to DEB Volume 1: Post 1

Science Uncovered

Human-Rat Hybrids?

By Poli Lofton

Even though scientists have been playing with the idea of human-animal crosses for some time now, scientists in Japan and China have taken these experiments to a new level within the last few years. Stem cell biologist Hiromitsu Nakauchi of Tokyo University and Standford University revealed in 2019 that he, along with his teams at the universities, are trying to develop a way to grow human pancreases in rats and mice.

How exactly is the team planning on doing this? Well, they’re starting by injecting human induced pluripotent stem cells into rat and mice embryos. These embryos have all been genetically modified to not make their own pancreas. To fully understand what's going on, we have to take a step back and examine stem cells. What are they exactly? Well, to put it simply, they’re cells without a current purpose, serving as a repair system to the body. They can develop into a wide variety of cells, depending on what the body needs.

Science image credit to The Open Notebook Science Blog

So, with this in mind, the goal of Nakuachi’s team begins to clear. Since these rodent embryos are unable to make their own pancreases, the hope is that these stem cells will grow human pancreases in the rodents. But why?

There is a great need for transplants in the world today, but the level of donors can not begin to come close to filling that need. By growing human organs in rodents, Nakuachi hopes to benefit people’s lives. If these rodent experiments prove successful, Nakuachi wants to move on to larger animals, such as pigs.

How ethical these experiments are is a matter of discussion. Some will say that it is cruel to kill animals for this purpose. Although it’s an understandable point, it holds little ground in an argument. Animals are used every day to supply us with food and clothing. As there is no shortage of rats, mice, and pigs, scientists will not see this as a huge issue.

The real problem lies in the fact that they are unsure of where these stem cells will go. Though they could possibly form a human pancreas in the rodents, they could also travel to the brain, forming a somewhat human conscience in a rodent body. Though Nakuachi says that they will suspend the experiments if they detect that more than 30 percent of the rodent brain is human, some fear that the scientist will want to take the experiments further to develop a humanized animal.

Nakuachi, however, does not think that the stem cells will travel to the brain. “We are trying to ensure that the human cells contribute only to the generation of certain organs,” he told the Standford University’s magazine, Out There. “With our new, targeted organ generation, we don't need to worry about human cells integrating where we don't want them, so there should be many fewer ethical concerns.” Not much has been heard of the experiments since 2019.

Nakuachi’s experiments are not the only ones underway. Researchers in China are hoping to create human-monkey chimeras for the same purpose as Nakuachi’s work: growing organs for transplants. The same concerns are being raised about those experiments, but as of yet, no half-human monkeys have developed.

This genetic alteration of cells is a delicate and difficult process, and oftentimes the human-animal crosses have to be destroyed due to their failure to produce the expected results. While scientists are hoping to find a way to supply organs for transplants, the dangers of these experiments leave many wondering if they will ever be successful, let alone ethical.

Hunger and Scanning

A Short Story by Delanora Jones

The pain gripped her sides and her throat constricted as she placed another old picture on the printer. She pressed the 'Scan' button and a buzzing sound emanated from the printer. When the buzzing stopped, she looked over at the stopped printer to see if it had finished; it hadn't, for it started buzzing again. She sighed. When the picture finally finished, she lifted the scanning cover and grabbed the flimsy glossy paper that had a portrait of 2 distant family members. It was yellowed with age and had a sepia tint to it.

Although she didn't know who they were, she knew they were related to her. Hunger again called and reminded her not to neglect it. She grabbed another picture and slipped it under the scanning cover.

At this point, She wanted to leave her spot and eat dinner, but she had a job to do, and she needed to finish it. She was being paid to do this. She had 50 or so pictures to do, and she was almost done; she couldn’t quit now. She was going to be paid 15 dollars to do this.

After she scanned the last picture in, she clutched her sides and groaned silently. I'm finally done with this, I'm going to eat.

Curried Cauliflower Soup 

Rewritten by Quinnifer Sky

Winter is the perfect season to warm up with some delicious soup!

Ingredient List

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 3-4 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon curry spice blend
• ½ tablespoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 can organic coconut milk
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
• Cilantro leaves for garnish

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
• Add chopped onions and sauté until starting to turn translucent.
• Add garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
• Add vegetable broth, cauliflower, curry blend, cumin, cayenne pepper, and sea salt.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.
• Remove from heat and let slightly cool.
• Place 2 cups of slightly cooled cauliflower in a blender.
• Add ½ cup coconut milk and place the top on a blender slightly slanted to release steam.
• Blend until smooth. Repeat until all cauliflower mixture is blended.
• Season to taste with additional sea salt and pepper.
• Reheat blended soup if desired.
• Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh cilantro.
• Serve and enjoy!

The way people think leads to their actions, and that’s what changes the world. 

Article by Charlie Snowcrest

Picture it: You're late on an assignment, you’re contemplating either scraping up something quickly or mapping out an excuse. Just imagining this leaves me nervous and feeling anxious.

Your efforts to solve the issue is your reaction, you want to act on it and clear yourself of this punishing warning. The solution you make can be good or bad depending on how confident you are about fixing it. But what is the problem here? Is it the warning effect or the actual cause?

It’s not news to say that “you need to get rid of the cause of your anxiety”, though I still see little change in how we all view the subject. You can meditate stress away, but a physical problem still needs management. We shouldn’t disguise an issue with mental illnesses. Anxiety over minuscule tasks exists, but some may use it to ignore the fact that they need to change. Some people may hide behind anxiety to disguise the change that needs to happen in their lives. Change is hard and usually unpleasant.

Another example is me and my room. The largest thing that gives me anxiety is cleaning out my old stuff. The organizing stresses me out because it seems like more objects keep appearing. Then I realize that this could have been easily avoided if I just learned to clean up after myself right after I made the mess in the first place. The worst part is that I don’t even know how to approach it. Everything is scattered on the floor and in my mind. My dad said that I had to “be organized in my mind in order to be organized with my things”.

When organizing, you can take things and rank them according to the value they have to you, from “most useful” to “not worth it”. The goal is to get rid of the junk that you are hoarding in your living space, and once that’s done, it feels like such an accomplishment!

In this case, the junk is causing the anxiety, A.K.A,  the worrisome feeling. And just like with my room, I will sort through all my assignments in my head and do what needs to be done with each of them. You’re going to have to be honest and clear, no more saving things for later.

Out of all the time I spent suffering from being behind, I learned to take all of the advice I could and apply them to my current situations. We have something to learn from everyone, whether it’s what to do or what not to do. I learned to look at anxiety differently and to stop blaming my mind's reaction to procrastination. 

Anxiety is now my reminder to get better, to use it as an opportunity to be stronger than the person that let it happen, and to clean up after my messes immediately This thought process works for me, though it’s really up to the individual’s aspects. Everyone has different motives, responsibilities, and passions. We are all capable of doing great and unexpected things. If we start thinking in a way that motivates us to take action, we will change our world.

Charlie Snowcrest (Copyright January 18, 2021)

Turmeric: Benefits and Side Effects

By Delanora Jones

The Turmeric Root, Curcuma Longa, can be an aid when dealing with physical problems in the body. Turmeric can aid in managing Rheumatoid Arthritis, Depression, and even Diabetes. But with benefits come drawbacks. If taken more than prescribed, Turmeric can cause side effects of Indigestion, Heartburn, Liver problems, Alopecia, and Hypotension. A mild itchy rash can occur if you are allergic to Turmeric. For best results, take only as prescribed by a doctor.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric

Easy Breakfast Pizza Bowl 

by Poli Lofton 

This recipe makes for an easy and fast breakfast on rushed days. Just mix in your favorite pizza toppings for a delicious spin on the classic egg bowl. 

Ingredients 

•  1-2 eggs (depending on your appetite) 
• A splash of milk 
• Shredded cheese (I would recommend mozzarella) 
• A dash of salt and pepper to taste 
• Whatever your favorite pizza toppings are! 

Instructions 

• Crack the eggs in a medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl. 
• Whisk the eggs together with the milk, salt, and pepper. 
• Stir in the cheese and toppings, ensuring that they are spaced evenly throughout the mix. 
• Place the bowl in the microwave for five minutes or until done. 
• Enjoy! 

 How To Sew Part 1: Basic Materials

Written by Delanora Jones

You have just entered a course about how to learn how to sew. If you’ve never done it before it may seem like a daunting task. If you are interested please tune in to learn more. All you need are a few materials and patience. I have been sewing for a while, and even though I’m not a professional I still know a couple things that will help introduce you to sewing. First I will tell you the materials that will be needed for a basic sewing project.

Scissors. You might have to get another pair of scissors than the ones you use for paper because paper dulls scissors. Sharp scissors are very important if you want to cut fabric efficiently. You might see in sewing videos that they use rotary cutters or rotary wheels. Honestly, they are not vital to sewing, though they do make the job easier. Once you are comfortable with using scissors, you can buy a rotary wheel if you wish. Rotary wheels are not absolutely necessary unless you are doing large projects or you need extra clean lines.

Needles. The easiest needles for beginners are the large ones; 3 inches long with a fairly large eye, but not so large that it can’t glide through fabric.

Pins. Pins are a very, very important tool to have when sewing. They help keep pieces of fabric together while you are sewing. For efficiency, you can get long(about 4 inches) and short (about 2 inches) pins. Long ones are great for thick fabric and short ones are great for flowy or slippery fabric. There are two ways to store pins and needles; with a pincushion, or with a magnetic pincushion. Magnetic pin cushions are not a must but are very, very nice to have.

Thread. When I first started sewing, I would have old and/or cheap thread. For a beginner, that is fine. It might be best that you use cheap thread so that you don’t waste high-quality thread for low-quality products.

Tape Measure. The ones made for sewing are much easier to use than hard plastic rulers. 

Iron. Most people already own irons so it’s not much of a problem to get. They are important for pressing seams, banishing wrinkles, and making straps lay flat.

Fabric. Another material you are obviously going to need is fabric. The best fabric to get(for beginners) are sheets or shirts from thrift stores. The best fabrics for beginners are t-shirt fabrics or cotton fabric. They are the most readily available and more affordable than other fabrics. Also, there might be seamstresses around you that might offer you some scrap fabric or fabric that they don’t use. Make sure to ask around before spending a lot of money on fabric.

Stitches

Now we will delve into stitches, the main component of sewing. 

Running Stitch. The easiest stitch, and the first stitch I learned, was the running stitch. It is not the most durable stitch, but it is good enough for most projects. It will benefit you to do smaller stitches for projects who will take more wear and tear. But as you’re first starting, you can practice with larger stitches to become more accustomed to how needles work.

Backstitch. The next stitch that you might need is the backstitch. This stitch is more durable than a running stitch because each stitch forward reinforces the previous stitch. Though it uses more thread, it is worth it. 

Backstitich

Ladder, invisible, or slip stitch. The last stitch I’ll be covering is an Invisible stitch or a ladder stitch. Invisible stitches help you fix holes or to disguise hems. It is easily done in very handy to have.

If more help is needed, there are many avenues to learn more about sewing. Look forward to the next part of this series. 

On Little Cat Feet

By Delanora Jones

On little cat feet, Cats dance. 

On little cat feet-cats prance. 

On little cat feet- cats move. 

On little cat feet-cats prove, 

That on little cat feet, cats live.

Crochet cat(picture by Stephanie Johnson)

With little cat tails-cats shake, 

With little cat tails-take, 

With little cat tails- cats jerk, 

With little cat tails- perk, 

Up with happiness of love.

Little cats heads-think

 Little cats eyes-blink

 Little cats nose-smells

 Little cats mouth-tells

 That they are cuter than the other cats on the street.

Did You Know… 

Your heart beats about 100,000 times in one day and about 35 million times in a year? During an average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times. 

Heart Image credit to Michigan Health Blog

 If you run a mile, play soccer or do any exhausting activity, you may experience muscle fatigue in your arms and legs. Your muscles will eventually need to rest, causing you to feel tired. Isn't it great that we don't have to rest our hearts? Think about it, your heart is constantly working at pumping blood through your body and it never has to stop and take a rest. In fact, most of your life you don't even have to think about it! All the while your heart is still constantly moving and pumping so you can live. 

 If you're an athlete in exceptional physical shape, your resting heart rate may be much lower. Some professional athletes have resting heart rates of only 40 beats per minute. 

To check your pulse rate, find your pulse and count the number of beats in 15 seconds. Then multiply that number by four to calculate your pulse in beats per minute. 

Article by: Quinnifer Sky

A Book Review of Red Gloves by Rebecca Watts

Review by Poli Lofton 

Four years after her debut collection, The Met Office Advises Caution, in 2020 Rebecca Watts rolled out a new book of poetry as exciting and fresh as the first. With its constant delivery of images, Red Gloves paints a powerful picture of a variety of topics, including DNA tests, Emily Dickinson, library books, hawks, and the sea. The more of the collection you read, the harder it is to put down. Some of my favorites were “Barbecues”, “Gloucester, Massachusetts”, “Having Bled on a Library Book”, and “When I was a girl”.

Quick Alfredo Lunch

Recipe by Delanora Jones

This quick and easy meal can ease your hunger in just 5 minutes. With the advantage of using already made alfredo or pasta sauce, you can whip this meal up in 5 minutes. Makes one serving.

Ingredients:

• One small zucchini(about six inches long) or ½ cup precooked noodles
• ¼ cup alfredo or pasta sauce
• 2 slices Turkey deli meat
• 2 handfuls fresh spinach or ¼ cup frozen spinach
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil for frying

Directions:

Grate, peel, or make zucchini into noodles(or zoodles, if you prefer that name) and saute in olive oil for about 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook until it is wilted all the way. Add 2 slices of cut-up deli meat and heat until just warm. Mix in Alfredo or pasta sauce until mixed and warm. Serve and Enjoy!

Comics

Life of a Homeschooler: Part 1

Comic by Quinnifer Sky

Comic Written and drawn by Quinnifer Sky

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!

Encouraging quote here...