Science, Art, Litt, Science based Art & Science Communication
Qs on science and my replies - Part 257
Q: How is the stem cell transfer a type of immunity?
Q: Is there a better test to detect colon cancer than colonoscopy?
Krishna: The stool DNA test is a noninvasive laboratory test that identifies DNA changes in the cells of a stool sample. The stool DNA test is a new method to screen for colon cancer. The stool DNA test looks for abnormal DNA associated with colon cancer or colon polyps. Then colonoscopy has to be conducted if the test comes back abnormal.
If positive, this test must be followed up with colonoscopy. If negative, this test should be repeated in three years. Stool-based tests look at the stool (feces) for signs of cancer or pre-cancers. These tests are less invasive and easier to have done. But they usually need to be done more often than other types of tests.
Fecal DNA testing is more sensitive but less specific than fecal immunochemical testing (FIT), and as a result, has a higher false-positive rate. It is also more expensive than other noninvasive alternatives such as FIT. The fecal immunochemical test, or FIT, uses antibodies to detect blood in the stool, and it's about 79% accurate at detecting colon cancer. We do not know which test will be better at reducing mortality. (Level of Evidence = 2b)
Q: Can stress have positive effects on us?
Krishan: Some amount of stress is really good. It makes you work efficiently!
I am one of those persons who can perform well under stressful conditions. And I am not the only person who can do this.
Studies in the US and Australia have shown that people who see stress as enhancing experience greater productivity at work, better mental health and academic performance. There are also links between a positive mindset and how people view stressful situations – such as seeing difficult tasks as a challenge instead of a threat.
Athletes who saw stress as positive or enhancing were more likely to see stressful situations as a challenge. This was also linked to better mental health on average, including more energy and fewer depressive symptoms.
Of course, chronic stress is linked to a whole host of negative health conditions so it’s important not to depict stress as only being a positive thing. But if we highlight that responses to acute stress can actually be helpful, athletes are more likely to see better performance and mental health. For example, if an athlete sees the stress of competition as useful, it might lead them to have better focus and motivation to succeed.
Studies have shown that in the average person, watching videos that explain the positive effects of stress and why stress happens can help them to change their stress mindset.
Another study has also shown that thinking about your responses to stress as a positive (rather than negative) reaction can improve wellbeing and academic performance. This might involve a person thinking of their nervous stomach as a sign that they’re excited instead of stressed.
Stress is not always distress. If we choose to accept and embrace the upsides of stress, it can improve our mental health, performance and productivity.
Q: What are Lagrange points?
Krishna: Lagrange points were first theorised in 1772, by French mathematician and astronomer Joseph-Louis Lagrange. In 1906, the first Trojan asteroids were discovered at these points in the Jupiter-Sun system.
When two massive bodies orbit each other, there are five locations around these bodies where the gravitational forces balance. And it’s at these gravitational sweet spots, called Lagrange points, where a smaller object can stay in equilibrium. So, for the Earth-Sun system, a spacecraft or natural object can orbit the Sun, while keeping a position relative to the Sun and the Earth, as they ‘hover’ at these Lagrange points.
When we talk about the Earth-Sun system or the Jupiter-Sun system, this refers to how the two bodies interact (i.e., one orbits the other), and their associated Lagrange points.
Of these five Lagrange points, L1 to L5, two – L4 and L5 – are stable. This means that if a small object at L4 or L5 is nudged, there would be an effective restoring force and it will come back to this spot. Nudge a small object at one of the three unstable Lagrange points, L1, L2 or L3, and it will break orbit and drift off into interplanetary space.
We have heard about L2 in the news, as it’s recently become home to the James Webb Space Telescope. We also heard about a new Earth Trojan asteroid lurking at L4.
Q: Which organ in the human body receives more cosmic energy than others?
Krishna: This is a belief based question. “Cosmic energy” is a form of energy in spirituality and alternative medicine.
Claims related to energy therapies are most often anecdotal, rather than being based on repeatable empirical evidence. There is no scientific evidence for the existence of such energy.
Answer to your Q: The only things science recognises are cosmic rays a form of ionizing radiation from outer space. Cosmic rays are high-energy protons and atomic nuclei that move through space at nearly the speed of light.
Space radiation is made up of three kinds of radiation: particles trapped in the Earth's magnetic field; particles shot into space during solar flares (solar particle events); and galactic cosmic rays, which are high-energy protons and heavy ions from outside our solar system.
Cosmic rays constantly rain down on Earth, and while the high-energy "primary" rays collide with atoms in the Earth's upper atmosphere and rarely make it through to the ground, "secondary" particles are ejected from this collision and do reach us on the ground.
Cosmic rays are of two kinds: galactic and solar. Galactic cosmic radiation comes from the remnants of supernovas, which are powerful explosions during the last stages of massive stars that either collapse to black holes or are destroyed. The energy released in these explosions accelerates charged particles outside our solar system, making them highly penetrating and extremely hard to shield. In essence, supernovas act like huge, natural particle accelerators. The Earth is constantly exposed to galactic cosmic radiation.
Solar cosmic radiation is composed of charged particles emitted by the Sun, predominantly electrons, protons and helium nuclei. Some of this radiation is continuously emitted from the Sun’s corona, which led scientists to call it the ‘solar wind’. The remainder comes from solar particle events – sudden and sporadic outbursts of electrically charged particles accompanied by electromagnetic emissions that occur when magnetic fields on the Sun’s surface stretch and twist.
Cosmic radiation is an ionizing radiation produced when primary photons and α particles from outside the solar system interact with components of the earth's atmosphere. A second source of cosmic radiation is the release of charged particles from the sun, which become significant during periods of solar flare (“sun storm”). Ionizing radiation is a natural part of the environment in which we live, present in the earth, buildings, the food we eat, and even in the bones of our bodies.
Humans, animals, and plants have all evolved in an environment with a background of natural radiation and, with few exceptions, it is not a significant risk to health.
The amount of cosmic radiation that reaches the earth from the sun and outer space varies: its energy is effectively absorbed by the atmosphere and is also affected by the earth's magnetic field. The effect on the body will depend on the latitude and altitude at which the individual is exposed, and on the length of time of exposure.
While airplanes passengers are exposed to elevated levels of cosmic radiation, especially at higher altitudes and latitudes, the radiation they receive in one flight is quite insignificant. Aircrew and frequent flyers are exposed to higher levels of radiation doses from space, because of how often they fly.
Space radiation may place astronauts at significant risk for radiation sickness, and increased lifetime risk for cancer, central nervous system effects, and degenerative diseases.
Q (S): Can brain waves/telepathy help me to convey messages to a person whom I like? What is the procedure?
Krishna: Oh my! But why don't you tell the person directly?
There is no good evidence that telepathy exists, and the topic is generally considered by the scientific community to be pseudoscience(1).
A variety of tests have been performed to demonstrate telepathy, but there is no scientific evidence that the power exists (1,2).
However, recent advances in brain-computer interfaces are turning the science fantasy of transmitting thoughts directly from one brain to another into reality.
Studies published in recent years have reported direct transmission of brain activity between two animals, between two humans and even between a human and a rat. These “brain-to-brain interfaces” (BBIs) allow for direct transmission of brain activity in real time by coupling the brains of two individuals.
This is possible only through science.
Brain-to-brain interface is made possible because of the way brain cells communicate with each other. Cell-to-cell communication occurs via a process known as synaptic transmission, where chemical signals are passed between cells resulting in electrical spikes in the receiving cell.
Synaptic transmission forms the basis of all brain activity, including motor control, memory, perception and emotion. Because cells are connected in a network, brain activity produces a synchronised pulse of electrical activity, which is called a “brain wave”.
Brain waves change according to the cognitive processes that the brain is currently working through and are characterised by the time-frequency pattern of the up and down states (oscillations).
Brainwaves are detected using a technique known as electroencephalography (EEG), where a swimming-cap like device is worn over the scalp and electrical activity detected via electrodes. The pattern of activity is then recorded and interpreted using computer software.
This kind of brain-machine interface forms the basis of neural prosthesis technology and is used to restore brain function.
This is technical telepathy, not what people imagine!
The electrical nature of the brain allows not only for sending of signals, but also for the receiving of electrical pulses. These can be delivered in a non-invasive way using a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
A TMS device creates a magnetic field over the scalp, which then causes an electrical current in the brain. When a TMS coil is placed over the motor cortex, the motor pathways can be activated, resulting in movement of a limb, hand or foot, or even a finger or toe.
Scientists are now working on ways to sort through all the noise in brainwaves to uncover specific signals that can then be used to create an artificial communication channel between animals.
The first demonstration of this was in a 2013 study where a pair of rats were connected through a BBI to perform a behavioural task. The connection was reinforced by giving both rats a reward when the receiver rat performed the task correctly. Hot on the heels of this study was a demonstration that a human could control the tail movements of a rat via BBI.
We now know that BBIs can work between humans too. By combining EEG and TMS, scientists have transmitted the thought of moving a hand from one person to a separate individual, who actually moved their hand. The BBI works best when both participants are conscious cooperators in the experiment. In this case, the subjects were engaged in a computer game (3).
The latest advance in human BBIs represents another leap forward. This is where transmission of conscious thought was achieved between two human beings.
Using a combination of technologies – including EEG, the Internet and TMS – the team of researchers was able to transmit a thought all the way from India to France.
Words were first coded into binary notation (i.e. 1 = “hola”; 0 = “ciao”). Then the resulting EEG signal from the person thinking the 1 or the 0 was transmitted to a robot-driven TMS device positioned over the visual cortex of the receiver’s brain.
In this case, the TMS pulses resulted in the perception of flashes of light for the receiver, who was then able to decode this information into the original words (hola or ciao).
Now that these BBI technologies are becoming a reality, they have a huge potential to impact the way we interact with other humans. And maybe even the way we communicate with animals through direct transmission of thought.
So you cannot do this without the help of both sender and receiver and both knowing it. Isn't direct communication better than this? :)
Footnotes:
1. Jan Dalkvist (1994). Telepathic Group Communication of Emotions as a Function of Belief in Telepathy.
2. Simon Hoggart, Mike Hutchinson. (1995). Bizarre Beliefs. Richard Cohen Books. p. 145. ISBN 978-1573921565 "
3. https://theconversation.com/brain-to-brain-interfaces-the-science-o...
Q ( From the same girl S):
Your answer is quite knowledgeable but the thing is, I can't tell this to him directly.. He is 1 year older than me… I have his number, have talked to him a lil but can't tell him this. And I think he knows it too but it makes my mind spin sometimes. I keep thinking about him! And so to stop this, I wanted to indirectly convey this message…
Could you please help regarding this?
Thanks a ton!
Krishna: Okay, give me his number, I will speak with him and convey your feelings. I will tell him I am your friend. I will act as a scientific instrument to convey the message.
It is not possible without using scientific instruments and technology to do this. Then both you and your friend will have to cooperate and and give permission to scientists to conduct this experiment on you.
When you are in love, you have to be courageous.
All the best to you on this V- day!
Q: What things happening on Earth can have effect on its rotation?
Krishna: Any worldly event that involves the movement of mass affects the Earth's rotation, from seasonal weather down to vehicles moving.
Earthquakes: Do you remember the 2004 Indonesian Earth Quake and the Indian Ocean tsunami that followed it? The devastating mega thrust earthquake occurred as a result of the India and Burma plates coming together. It was caused by the release of stresses that developed as the India plate slid beneath the overriding Burma plate. The fault dislocation, or earthquake, consisted of a downward sliding of one plate relative to the overlying plate. The net effect was a slightly more compact Earth. The India plate began its descent into the mantle at the Sunda trench that lies west of the earthquake's epicenter.
NASA scientists using data from the Indonesian earthquake calculated it affected Earth's rotation, decreased the length of day, slightly changed the planet's shape, and shifted the North Pole by centimeters. The earthquake also decreased the length of day by 2.68 microseconds.
Physically this is like a spinning skater drawing arms closer to the body resulting in a faster spin. The quake also affected the Earth's shape. They found Earth's oblateness (flattening on the top and bulging at the equator) decreased by a small amount. It decreased about one part in 10 billion, continuing the trend of earthquakes making Earth less oblate.
All earthquakes have some affect on Earth's rotation. It's just they are usually barely noticeable.
Even big dams built on rivers too can have some affect. When the Three Gorges Dam was built in China, 39 trillion kilograms of water from the Yangtze River built up behind it to 175 meters above sea level. This altered the Earth’s moment of inertia changed ever so slightly, causing the rotation to move more slowly. This is the same principle behind why figure skaters tuck in their arms to spin faster.
NASA calculated that the dam only slows the rotation by 0.06 microseconds, which is six hundredths of a millionth of a second.
Infective endocarditis is a bacterial infection of your heart valves. And poor oral hygiene or an injury in the oral region are the major causes according to American heart association.
Streptococcus mutans is the causative agent of bacterial (infective) endocarditis. This microorganism just so happens to also cause dental decay.
Although this is a serious issue, it is not a common occurrence in every person with poor oral hygiene. But, patients with existing heart problems stand a higher chance of contracting this disease, may be due to the compromised immunity and the already weakened heart.
It can be treated with antibiotics and can be completely prevented by maintaining your oral hygiene.
This old myth refers to how the substance beta carotene is needful for light receptor cells in the retina to work well.
Vitamin A does have a role in vision by helping to maintain a clear cornea, and as part of a protein needed for low-light vision, but it can’t make the eyes “better” than they otherwise would have been: Having the correct level of Vitamin A can only help keep things as they should be.
Myopia is caused by the shape of the eyeball: Vitamin A has no role in determining, maintaining, or changing the shape of the eyeball (or changing the refraction of the lens).
But Myopia, commonly called Short Sightedness, has nothing to do with sight cells and carotene. Myopia is caused by the eye growing overlong from the anterior chamber at the front to the retina lining the rear of the eyeball during ascent to adulthood, meaning that distance focussing becomes imperfect. This is a refractive error, not a cellular one.
Use glasses or contact lenses if you have myopia. Laser eye surgery (LASIK and LASEK) can safely correct up to -10 dioptres of myopia but may be limited by the patient's corneal thickness. Consult a qualified eye doctor to correct the condition.
(The whole “eat carrots to improve your vision” was English WW2 propaganda. In addition to German codes being broken by the Bletchley Park teams (leading to very good intelligence), there was a new type of radar that allowed Allied pilots to find German planes, and to cover why all of a sudden the detection was much higher the Government started to put out messages telling people to eat more carrots to see better in the blackouts. Spies reported back that carrots improved vision, and the Germans actually fell for it. This story is an old one but some people still believe carrots can improve vision).
Q: Are there some tricks to read and understand a scientific paper?
If you don’t know the jargon, it is difficult to understand a scientific research paper. Without learning ABCDs you cannot even understand the small words like apple, bat, cat , and dog leave alone sentences and stories.
Even if you read the abstract - an outline/brief summary of a paper and the whole project with an intro, body and conclusion - of a paper you won’t understand much without learning the scientific language.
I am a microbiologist. I learnt most of the jargon of several other fields too because I am a science communicator too. But when I read a research paper in another subject like physics, I struggle sometimes. It takes a hell of time to learn each important concept mentioned.
Then how can a lay man understand anything at all about the work published in high quality scientific research journals?
The best and easiest way to learn about scientific research is to read what science communicators write ( I myself created and run science communication networks to help people like you). Or what scientists themselves write or listen to what scientists say about their work.
In science there won’t be any short cuts. Hard work, hard work, hard work and more hard work.
Either learn the scientific jargon or go to the science communication specialists to get the jargon translation.
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