Let Me Sleep On It

So, I've been trying to learn how to do this surgical procedure at work over the past few weeks. It's not an especially difficult procedure, but it does require a little finesse. Basically, I have to locate a specific blood vessel in a mouse (left common carotid artery, labeled lcc in the diagram below), scrape off the smooth muscle layers without puncturing it, and transplant a tissue graft on top of it.

Well, up until this morning, it wasn't going so well. And then, all of a sudden, this morning I was able to do it like I've been doing it for 20 years. I love it when that happens. Actually, that kind of thing happens to me a lot. One day I can't do something and then the next day I can. It's happened with musical ability - one day I can't play something, I sleep on it, and the next day I can. It's happened with physical tasks like being able to ski or cast a fly fishing rod. It's also happened with the ability to understand information - one day I won't get something, the next day I will. The interesting part is that I never put much effort into the equation. It's not like I go to bed willing myself to acquire a new skill while I'm asleep. Maybe my brain needs time to process the new information. Maybe in the heat of the moment, I over-think the task.  I don't understand how it works or why it works, I'm just glad that it does. 

Happy first Harper's moon of 2009!

Science Friday - Solar Powered Slug Edition

Mother Nature is always on the cutting edge of green technology. Elysia chlorotica is a type of sea slug that lives along the Atlantic coast of the US. What sets it apart from most other sea slugs is its ability to run on solar power. It has been known for some time that these sea slugs acquire and store chloroplasts from the algae they eat. In fact, young sea slugs that eat nothing but algae for 2 weeks can store up enough chloroplasts to survive the rest of their lives (about 1 year) on sunlight alone. But there's a catch... Chloroplasts only contain enough DNA to encode about 10% of the genes needed to keep themselves running. The other necessary genes are found in the algae's nuclear DNA. So until recently the question has been, how do the chloroplasts continue to function in a slug cell that is missing 90% of the genes necessary for it to function. Recent studies performed at the University of Maine suggest that the sea slug may be able to steal some of the algae's DNA along with its chloroplasts. When the researchers sequenced the sea slug's DNA, they found that it had incorporated one of the algae's genes that is necessary for chloroplast function. The scientists aren't sure how the slug is able to incorporate the algae's DNA. One possibility is that, as the algae are digested in the slug's gut, the gene is taken into its cells as along with the chloroplasts. The genes are then assimilated into the slug's own DNA, allowing the animal to produce the necessary proteins for the stolen chloroplasts to continue working. Another possibility could be that a virus found in the sea slug will take up the DNA from the algal cells and transmit it to the sea slug's cells. There is still much to learn about how the sea slugs acquire and use the algae's genes and chloroplasts. What is clear (to me, at least) is that nature is cool.

Magic Bread

Two years ago, a miracle happened in my refrigerator. I like eating rye bread for breakfast on the weekends. Because I only eat toast on the weekends, my loaf of bread typically lasts a long time. In fact, it usually gets moldy before I finish it. However, this was not the case with a loaf of rye bread that I bought a while back. I was about halfway through the loaf when the expiration date on the bag caught my attention. It said that the bread had been expired for 6 months. I inspected each of the remaining pieces of bread and found no evidence of mold so I put it all back in the refrigerator. Each Saturday morning, I would take the bread out of the refrigerator, inspect it, find no mold, and make toast. This went on for another 2 months before I actually finished the loaf. As the weeks went on, I became rather attached to my magical loaf of rye bread. I was convinced that it had acquired special medicinal properties. It was a sad day the morning I toasted the last piece. I have had several loaves of rye bread since then and none of them has even come close to the 8 month mark set by my magical loaf. It was a miracle, I tell you. 

My Baby Is Crazy

Harper has entered a new phase of life...temporary insanity. She goes from normal to bouncing off the walls in a matter of seconds. The bouncing is usually coupled with high pitched squeals and/or growls. Toys are thrown. Paper is shredded. Laughing ensues. Sometimes biting occurs. Then, just as quickly as it began, it is over. 

Is this normal? Please help.

Rock Star

Puffs - Take 2

It seems like just yesterday she thought they were rat poison. I guess it's true that your tastes do change as you age.

                                            

                                         

Did you notice how politely she asked for more?