Do you Favor to Certain Chicken Egg Colors? - Part 1

I know that chicken eggs have many colors in nature, but 3 colors are stick in my “head” only:

- brown

- green

- white

Fig 01- Several colors of eggs.

What factors determine eggs colors?

Michigan State University Extension (December 29, 2013) said that genetics which relate to breeds are primary factor to decide eggs colors.

Nutritional foods which are consumed by hen may affect on egg colors such as (just few examples):

- water quality

- non-starch polysaccharides

- enzymes

- calcium

- phosphorus

- vitamins

Fig 02- Chicken playing on the yard

Other factors are believed to contribute to colors of chicken eggs:

- general stress

- heat stress

- disease

- production system

- hen’s age

Fig 03- Just for illustration

It is facts that 60 breeds are recorded in the USA, and chicken breeds are estimated hundreds, at least 500 breeds in the world.

Fig 04- Eggs without shells

There are more than 10 common chicken breeds in the USA, some of them are:

- California Gray Chicken

- Brahma Chicken

- Buckeye Chicken

- Holland Chicken

- Delaware Chicken

Hence, not surprising that we might find many different egg’s colors either in the groceries or in the community farmings.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Understanding Diseases in Human Body through Knockout Genes – Part 2

Gene knockout (credit to YouTube)

You may read Part 1:

- Understanding Diseases in Human Body through Knockout Genes – Part 1

The knockout will result in disrupt of targeted gene.

Since mouse is closely related to humans, thus, it is favorite animal for knockout experiments.

Especially with regard to genetic questions that relate to human physiology or behaviors.

At Figure above (top of this article), we can see how to target gene.

The introduce specific gene modification in mice by the use of embryonic stem (ES) cell, then produced knockout animal (mice).

As described by Hansson (2007) that knockout have become absolutely important in medical research.

Through targeting (removing) a specific gene, we can find out what happens once it is gone.

Little plant in the early autumn

It is lead to new understanding of normal development and disease processes, then identified new avenues for medical therapy.

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References

Hansson, GK. 2007. ADVANCED INFORMATION. Gene modification in mice.

"The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2007".

NIH (National Human Genome Research Institute). 2015. Knockout Mice.

Understanding Diseases in Human Body through Knockout Genes – Part 1

Procedure to produce gene knockout animal (credit to Medindia)

Knockout is a technique to in-activate specific genes in human body.

The technique is part of biotechnology which has been used to modify living organisms in order to improve human welfare.

The knowledge has been around since a long time ago, may be dated back to 5000 B.C.E.

Inactivated specific genes is the biochemical and pathological basis that might be used to understand human diseases.

For these purposes the scientists produced a knockout mouse.

NIH (2015) informed that human share many genes with mice.

Thus, observing knockout mice gives information that can be used to better understand how a similar gene:

- may cause certain abnormality
- or contribute to diseases in humans.

Then?

Highway go to our city.

So far, knockout mice have been used to understand many diseases, including:

- cancer
- obesity
- heart disease
- diabetes
- arthritis
- substance abuse
- anxiety
- aging and Parkinson disease.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Do You Know that an Owl Flies Without Sounds?

An owl siting on the branch of tree

I saw owls in my backyard sometimes, but I never know that they fly so smoothly without sound.

To have an idea, you may compare an owl and other birds while they are flying in this video: Experiment! How Does An Owl Fly So Silently?

It is clear that other birds produce sound while their wings flap. The noise is due to air turbulence created by flapping wings.

In case of owl, no sound is produced is relating to at least to three following factors:

- the structure of two wings resemble to the comb

- wings have great quality of velvet feathers to form soft layers

- owl’s feathers form the ragged fringe on the wing trailing edge.

The combination of these 3 factors is believed to reduce turbulence noise while owl flying.

Another reason that owl has broad wings, thus make its gliding more, but flapping less. Gliding more means no noise, silent.

Flying silently make owls to be efficient predator in the night, their prey can not able to detect dangerous warning.

In many palm plantations, owls have been used to reduce damages due to rodent pests. They could catch 3 to 5 rats per night. Success story of using silent flying predator.

Why We Should not Feed Monkeys with Banana?

Monkey eats banana

We might wonder with the title: Why We Should not Feed Monkeys with Banana? Actually, there are two types of banana generally:

- commercial banana which we buy from groceries, and eat almost everyday.

- wild banana in the forest or jungle

Our cultivated banana contains more sugar and a lot of calories, suitable for human being only.

If this commercial banana is given to a monkey, it will give them equal to sweet foods such as chocolate, cheesecake and pop tarts.

Many zoos in several countries prohibited to feed monkeys with grocery bananas, its because the fruit likely:

- causing damage to monkey’s teeth

- leading to diabetes.

- causing gastrointestinal problems

The question then, do monkeys eat wild banana which are plenty in the forests and jungles?

No, Monkeys do not eat wild bananas. It was humans first introduced monkey with banana in 1936. Since then, monkeys have been associated with bananas.

Wild monkeys eat both plants and animal protein such as:

- plant based foods include fruits, nuts and seeds

- animal protein based foods that are insects, spiders, bird’s eggs and lizards.

Finally, yes, some animals consume wild bananas, they are:

- birds

- elephants

- bats

Why Small Lawn Mower Produces Smoke?

Smoke comes out from machine

When I cut grass on my yard with my small lawn mower, the problems always the same:

- smokes come out

- when I stop the engine, then machine oil was leaking into filter or prime bulb

In case of cloud (smokes), it is said (from internet searching) few possibilities:

- Oil in the chamber is too much.

- Oil leaking when tilting the lawn mower to the filter or prime bulb

- engine is too hot.

Previously, whatever possibilities, I always face with two choices: bring it to a repairman or just simply buy a new one.

Since cost to fix machine almost equal to new one, I usually buy new one for several times.

My front yard

Recently, I found the answer why my lawn mower produces cloud, it is related to over full oil and leaking oil. 

I used to run the smoked engine until it stops, then re-start, stop, re-start it up and stop totally. 

But now, after stopping the smoked engine, I let the engine cooling down for a while. Draining some oil out. Check the oil level by available dipstick.

Drying the lawn mower under the sun for 15 minutes. Push red prime button for several times, and start the engine. It works. 

I am happy with my yard lawn mower now. I fixed the problem. Hope, it would work well at least for this year.

An Affordable Battery for Electric Bicycle

The Alizeti 300c Battery.

We bike just for health purposes, usually on Saturday or Sunday, the distance less than 10 km (6.2 miles). Our bike is a traditional one.

Electrical bike (e-bike) could reach between 32 km (20 miles) to 200 km (124 miles), depend on battery sizes, with single charge:

- 500 watt could reach 60 km (37 mile)

- 3,000 watt will be ride up to 200 km (124 miles)

This type of bike (e-bike) is quite popular recently, especially for these customers:

1) Tourists

Tour operators in many tourists destinations around the globe, provide e-bike for tourists who enjoy cycling, but not have perfect fitness to up the hills and reach medium distance, around 60 km.

2) General public

Several advantages for general public, even without physical training to ride e-bike are:

- easy

- faster speed

- longer distances

- more functionality

- save time

Alizeti 300c is one of affordable batteries available in the market. The 500 watt battery can be installed in any e-bike. The price is US$ 580, quite reasonable.

Then, we might ride with speed of 32 km per hour (20 mile per hour) with 64 km (40 miles) distance.

Do you like to ride bike? Traditional or e-bike?

Wallace's Flying Frog of South East Asian Countries

The Wallace flying frog (Credit to Pinterest)

I caught flying small reptiles (lizards and chameleons) when I was kid. I curious whether they are the same as normal or other harmless reptiles.

I never saw flying frogs in nature, I just know from reading that it is because they are mainly living in the trees, especially in the jungle or dense South East Asian rain forest. No chance to approach them

We have understood that about 3,400 kinds of frogs in the nature, of these, 3 genus are flying amphibians:

- Rhacophorus

- Ecnomiophyla

- Polupedates

Two photos of this post are green flying frog from Malaysia (Malay peninsula) and Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo and western part islands). 

Two flying frogs (Credit to Pinterest)

Parachute and gliding flight amphibian are other name of flying frogs. The British biologist, Alfred Russel Wallace identified and described this amphibian.

Wallace then gave scientific name Rhacophorus nigropalmatus. But, well known as Wallace's flying frog worldwide.

Yes, the green frog lives in the trees (middle canopy), and able to fly from tree to tree. However, they come down to find mates and lay their eggs.

In addition to Malaysia and Indonesia, other South East Asian countries have this kind of frogs are:

- Thailand

- Laos

- Vietnam

Actually, we have found more than 40 species of genus Rhacophorus. Some recent identified and described members are:

- Rhacophorus bengkuluensis, 2014

- Rhacophorus borneensis, 2013

- Rhacophorus helenae, 2012

- Rhacophorus hoabinhensis, 2017

- Rhacophorus vanbanicus, 2019

Have known about this or any flying frogs?

Have You Seen Red Tide on the Beach?

Flow map of red tide in Florida (credit to Start1)

Term of “red tide” refers to blooming of algae in the oceans. It is due to nutrients from ocean floor rising to the surface.

Nutrients are excellent source of foods for different kinds of algae. Some algae are harmful, others are not.

It is natural phenomena, and could be happen any where in the world. The time length of red tide is about two weeks.

Harmful algae called Karenia brevis, could color ocean surface to be red if they are in great number or dense enough in the water.

In the coast of Florida, this algae is appearing from Spring to Summer, and blooming in the November every year.

The longest red tide in Florida in recent years was about 16 months, from around late 2017 persist to early 2019. 

Dead of marine animal due to Florida red tide

(credit to Ivy Yin)

The Karenia brevis released neurotoxin, the effects of this toxic on environments are following:

- killing and contaminating wildlife such as fish, shellfish, birds, dolphin and sea turtles.

- breathing problems to human

Fishes are sensitive to neurotoxin. Commercial fishes which are salmon, cod, flounder, American pollock and Atlantic herring could die in an hour after exposure to neurotoxin.

This 16 months red tide caused lost million of dollars to Florida state economic, especially to business relate to tourism industries.

Have you seen red colors of sea in front of any beaches?