84 posts · 35,007 views
Quirky quality life science stuff. Drugs and microbes, mostly. Heavily researched and tends toward the weird.
Rosin Cerate
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- April 7, 2016
- 07:28 AM
- 9 views
Some fungi are into dead bodies and waste piles
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
For the past couple of years now, a fungus called Xylaria polymorpha has been munching on the buried roots of a beheaded tree on my parents' front lawn. In the grass surrounding the stump, X. polymorpha sends up a thicket of charcoal club-like mushrooms every summer. They look kinda like a dead man's fingers, which not coincidentally happens to be a common name for the fungus.... Read more »
Sagara N. (1995) Association of ectomycorrhizal fungi with decomposed animal wastes in forest habitats: A cleaning symbiosis?. Canadian Journal of Botany, 73(S1), 1423-1433. DOI: 10.1139/b95-406
- April 5, 2016
- 01:59 PM
- 36 views
Extreme slam dunk injuries
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
For today's edition of weird sports injuries, dunking a basketball is not without its risks... Read more »
Hsieh CH, & Lin GT. (2006) Thumb amputation resulting from an attempted basketball slam-dunk. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 16(3), 274-5. PMID: 16778552
- March 31, 2016
- 10:40 AM
- 107 views
Extracting goo from corpses to better understand them
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
It's goo week here at Rosin Cerate. So far we've looked at forms of natural springtime goo. For today's post, it's on to a much darker and less life-affirming goo. We're going to take a peek at the viscous fluids you can extract from a corpse to determine where/when/how it became a corpse and other useful forensic information.... Read more »
Bévalot F, Cartiser N, Bottinelli C, Fanton L, & Guitton J. (2015) Vitreous humor analysis for the detection of xenobiotics in forensic toxicology: A review. Forensic Toxicology, 34(1), 12-40. DOI: 10.1007/s11419-015-0294-5
Deking J, Hargrove VM, & Molina DK. (2014) Synovial fluid: An alternative toxicologic specimen?. The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 35(2), 154-6. PMID: 24781403
- March 29, 2016
- 07:33 AM
- 83 views
Springtime nature goo
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
Here in Southern Ontario, spring is in the process of being sprung. This means warmer temperatures and lots of rain, which can bring about the appearance of various sorts of goo. That's right, goo. Time for some photos!... Read more »
Kim E, Lin Y, Kerney R, Blumenberg L, & Bishop C. (2014) Phylogenetic analysis of algal symbionts associated with four North American amphibian egg masses. PloS One, 9(11). PMID: 25393119
- March 22, 2016
- 03:40 PM
- 117 views
Parsley, prohibition, and machine gun oil: A sorrowful history of tricresyl phosphate poisoning
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
Some poisons are better known than others.Arsenic, for example, is famous for its participation in many a murder and suicide from the Middle Ages through to the mid-19th century (after which it became easier to detect and more difficult to acquire). Even to this day, the malicious metalloid remains in the public eye as a contaminant of groundwater in parts of South Asia and of soil in old orchards.A decidedly more obscure poison is a gooey industrial derivative of coal tar (leftovers from conver........ Read more »
Craig PH, & Barth ML. (1999) Evaluation of the hazards of industrial exposure to tricresyl phosphate: A review and interpretation of the literature. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part B, 2(4), 281-300. PMID: 10596299
Godfrey CM. (1961) An epidemic of triorthocresylphosphate poisoning. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 689-691. PMID: 13706193
- March 17, 2016
- 03:40 PM
- 162 views
Green fungi for a certain March-based holiday
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
In honour of St. Patrick's Day, here are a couple of neat green fungi. I was going to do plants, but there are just so many to choose from. Ha ha.... Read more »
Cao Y, Zhang Y, Yu Z, Mi F, Liu C, Tang X, Long Y, He X, Wang P, & Xu J. (2013) Structure, gene flow, and recombination among geographic populations of a Russula virescens ally from Southwestern China. PloS One, 8(9). PMID: 24069176
Santi L, Maggioli C, Mastroroberto M, Tufoni M, Napoli L, & Caraceni P. (2012) Acute liver failure caused by Amanita phalloides poisoning. International Journal of Hepatology. DOI: 10.1155/2012/487480
Schuster A, & Schmoll M. (2010) Biology and biotechnology of Trichoderma. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 87(3), 787-799. DOI: 10.1007/s00253-010-2632-1
- March 14, 2016
- 01:59 PM
- 139 views
How machines used to resurface ice rinks can also resurface your lungs
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
In a previous post, I discussed how the introduction of the automobile also introduced a bunch of new ways for people to hurt themselves. Similarly, an injury known as ice hockey lung didn't exist until a key advance was made in the world of ice sports: motorized ice resurfacing machines. Otherwise known as Zambonis (the same way Kleenex is a catch-all term for different brands of tissue paper), they were developed in the 1940s as a means of quickly and efficiently restoring ice sheets carved up........ Read more »
Brat K, Merta Z, Plutinsky M, Skrickova J, & Stanek M. (2013) Ice hockey lung - a case of mass nitrogen dioxide poisoning in the Czech Republic. Canadian Respiratory Journal, 20(6), 100-103. PMID: 24032121
- March 11, 2016
- 09:11 AM
- 175 views
Anesthesia, cancer, and the wrong pipe: A quick tour of cycloalkanes
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
The simplest organic molecules out there are alkanes, which consist of one or more carbon atoms coated with hydrogen atoms. If you loop an alkane chain you get a cycloalkane. For today's post I'll be looking at a couple of cycloalkanes and their relevance to human health and biology at large.Cyclopropane is an unstable carbon atom triangle. It's a gas at room temperature, and its lack of stability makes it explosive when mixed with oxygen. Back in the day, medical folks became interested in usin........ Read more »
Boros G, Miko E, Muramatsu H, Weissman D, Emri E, van der Horst GT, Szegedi A, Horkay I, Emri G, Karikó K.... (2015) Identification of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer-responsive genes using UVB-irradiated human keratinocytes transfected with in vitro-synthesized photolyase mRNA. PLoS One, 10(6). PMID: 26121660
Park SH, Moon K, Bang HS, Kim SH, Kim DG, Oh KB, Shin J, & Oh DC. (2012) Tripartilactam, a cyclobutane-bearing tricyclic lactam from a Streptomyces sp. in a dung beetle's brood ball. Organic Letters, 14(5), 1258-1261. PMID: 22360311
- March 7, 2016
- 10:05 AM
- 192 views
Making booze feel bad
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
Alcohol-sensitizing drugs are used to ruin the experience of consuming alcohol. This can be helpful for people seeking treatment for alcohol dependence, but otherwise sounds absolutely terrible. After consuming an adult beverage, alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream and carried to your liver. There, it is set upon by two enzymes. The first, alcohol dehydrogenase, converts alcohol into acetaldehyde. The second enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase, converts the acetaldehyde into acetic acid (the st........ Read more »
Lessenger J. (1998) Case study: Hypotension, nausea and vertigo linked to hydrogen cyanamide exposure. Journal of Agromedicine, 5(3), 5-11. DOI: 10.1300/J096v05n03_02
Suh JJ, Pettinati HM, Kampman KM, & O'Brien CP. (2006) The status of disulfiram: A half of a century later. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 26(3), 290-302. PMID: 16702894
- March 3, 2016
- 08:32 AM
- 216 views
Identifying a shooter by their snot
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
I'm Canadian and didn't grow up on a farm or anywhere particularly rural, so it shouldn't be surprising to learn I've never fired a gun. Furthermore, guns are very far down on the list of things I'm interested in learning more about. Yet sometimes tooling around the scientific literature leads to unexpected topics, such as the forensic analysis of gunshot residue. Turns out there's a neat bit of biology involved, and thus we've got ourselves a quick blog post.... Read more »
Aliste M, & Chávez LG. (2016) Analysis of gunshot residues as trace in nasal mucus by GFAAS. Forensic Science International, 14-18. PMID: 26874050
- March 1, 2016
- 12:26 PM
- 203 views
How bacteria and fungi can poison the air
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
One of the main reasons we study how bacteria and fungi work is to minimize their negative effects on our health. These effects usually stem from being munched on (in other words, an infection) and/or being damaged by a toxic substance (being poisoned). While poisonings due to bacteria and fungi predominantly occur either in association with infections (e.g. diphtheria and tetanus) or via eating contaminated food (e.g. botulinum toxin and aflatoxins) or a misidentified mushroom (e.g. amatoxins),........ Read more »
Nogué S, Pou R, Fernández J, & Sanz-Gallén P. (2011) Fatal hydrogen sulphide poisoning in unconfined spaces. Occupational Medicine, 61(3), 212-214. PMID: 21467246
Whitney J, Beijerink N, Martin P, Talbot J, & Barrs V. (2013) Hypersensitivity pneumonitis in a dog associated with Geastrum triplex spores. Medical Mycology Case Reports, 122-124. DOI: 10.1016/j.mmcr.2013.05.002
- February 25, 2016
- 01:53 PM
- 210 views
How coconuts bring harm and healing
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
Curries, macaroons, piña coladas...where would we be without the captivating culinary contributions of the coconut?... Read more »
Campbell-Falck D, Thomas T, Falck TM, Tutuo N, & Clem K. (2000) The intravenous use of coconut water. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 18(1), 108-111. PMID: 10674546
Mulford JS, Oberli H, & Tovosia S. (2001) Coconut palm-related injuries in the Pacific Islands. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 71(1), 32-34. PMID: 11167595
Sekar N, Veetil SK, & Neerathilingam M. (2013) Tender coconut water an economical growth medium for the production of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli. BMC Biotechnology, 70. PMID: 24004578
- February 18, 2016
- 10:52 AM
- 268 views
The secret pharmacological life of the humble avocado
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
Guacamole, while delicious, is actually fairly destructive. This is thanks in part to a compound called persin, which is present in the fruit and leaves of the avocado tree (Persea americana). Persin is an acetogenin (a type of polyketide) made via the same biochemical pathways the avocado plant uses to make its delicious fatty acids. In fact, it closely resembles linoleic acid, an essential omega-6 fatty acid.Avocado fruits in their natural setting (Source)For some reason, persin is usuall........ Read more »
McCloy RA, Shelley EJ, Roberts CG, Boslem E, Biden TJ, Nicholson RI, Gee JM, Sutherland RL, Musgrove EA, Burgess A.... (2013) Role of endoplasmic reticulum stress induction by the plant toxin, persin, in overcoming resistance to the apoptotic effects of tamoxifen in human breast cancer cells. British Journal of Cancer, 109(12), 3034-3041. PMID: 24178758
Rodriguez-Sanchez DG, Flores-García M, Silva-Platas C, Rizzo S, Torre-Amione G, De la Peña-Diaz A, Hernández-Brenes C, & García-Rivas G. (2015) Isolation and chemical identification of lipid derivatives from avocado (Persea americana) pulp with antiplatelet and antithrombotic activities. Food , 6(1), 193-203. PMID: 25319210
- February 12, 2016
- 08:48 AM
- 257 views
Heartbreaking drugs: A Valentine's Day special
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
Let's talk about hearts and how they get broken. Literally, with drugs. When we swallow a pill, it's often to help address a problem we're experiencing with a particular body part. An aching head or a sore throat, for example. The pill breaks down in our guts and we absorb the drug into our bloodstream. It travels around our body and eventually ends up at the hurting locale where it works to fix the problem. Unfortunately, sometimes the drug will end up somewhere else and act there to cause an u........ Read more »
Wu A. (2008) Cardiotoxic drugs: Clinical monitoring and decision making. Heart, 94(11), 1503-1509. DOI: 10.1136/hrt.2007.133876
- February 11, 2016
- 09:13 AM
- 278 views
Life amid acidity near a smoldering part of the Arctic
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
Way, way up in northwestern Canada (on the lower east side of Cape Bathurst, Northwest Territories), where the mainland meets the Arctic Ocean, a 30 km stretch of seacoast has been smoldering away for hundreds if not thousands of years.The Smoking Hills, named by the explorer John Franklin during one of his early 19th century expeditions to the Canadian Arctic, consist of shale bedrock covered by several meters worth of soil and loose rocks deposited by ancient glaciers and rivers. The land fall........ Read more »
Adams C, & Hutchinson T. (1984) A comparison of the ability of leaf surfaces of three species to neutralize acidic rain drops. New Phytologist, 97(3), 463-478. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1984.tb03612.x
Sheath R, Havas M, Hellebust J, & Hutchinson T. (1982) Effects of long-term natural acidification on the algal communities of tundra ponds at the Smoking Hills, N.W.T., Canada. Canadian Journal of Botany, 60(1), 58-72. DOI: 10.1139/b82-008
- February 2, 2016
- 12:35 PM
- 286 views
Weird small holes in the woods
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
Within the ground beneath our feet lie dark cavities of various shapes and sizes. They're home to pale and eyeless creatures living a midnight existence. Natural holes in the ground, filled with air and/or water, can be roughly categorized into three types based on the particular habitat they provide for subterranean organisms:(1) Caves are large, deep, and tend not to contain much organic matter for organisms to munch on. They're often found in karst and volcanic areas prone to developing big h........ Read more »
Pipan T, Fišer C, Novak T, & Culver D. (2012) Fifty years of the hypotelminorheic: What have we learned?. Acta Carsologica, 41(2-3). DOI: 10.3986/ac.v41i2-3.564
- January 28, 2016
- 12:01 PM
- 299 views
A probiotic E. coli from the trenches of World War I
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
Escherichia coli is a two-faced little slimeball.As is often the case with bacteria, it comes in many varieties. Some, such as the infamous O157:H7 serotype, can make people very ill. Once inside us (usually via contaminated food or water), they do harmful things like pump out toxins and feast upon the walls of our intestines. We're talking lots of bloody diarrhea.Yet other strains of E. coli have done us a lot of good. For decades now, research laboratories have been using strain K12 and i........ Read more »
Toloza L, Giménez R, Fábrega MJ, Alvarez CS, Aguilera L, Cañas MA, Martín-Venegas R, Badia J, & Baldomà L. (2015) The secreted autotransporter toxin (Sat) does not act as a virulence factor in the probiotic Escherichia coli strain Nissle 1917. BMC Microbiology, 250. PMID: 26518156
- January 25, 2016
- 01:33 PM
- 328 views
Bacteria can turn chocolate pudding green
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
In 1994, a paper on pudding was published by a party of microbiologists plying their trade in South Africa.... Read more »
Dykes GA, Timm RG, & von Holy A. (1994) Azoreductase activity in bacteria associated with the greening of instant chocolate puddings. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 60(8), 3027-3029. PMID: 8085839
- January 22, 2016
- 10:15 AM
- 291 views
The meanest of the mistletoes
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
Look everybody, it's a Christmas-themed blog post in late January! There's no possible way this was started in early December but forgotten about until now.*Cough*Ah, let's get right to it. European mistletoe (Viscum album) is a strange plant. Instead of being satisfied with perfectly good soil, it puts down roots inside trees and shrubs, feeding off of them in order to produce branch-borne balls of smooth yellow-green leaves and glue-filled white berries. The Vikings and Druids were clearly dra........ Read more »
deBruyn RA, Paetkau M, Ross KA, Godfrey DV, & Friedman CR. (2015) Thermogenesis-triggered seed dispersal in dwarf mistletoe. Nature Communications, 6262. PMID: 25662062
Logan BA, Reblin JS, Zonana DM, Dunlavey RF, Hricko CR, Hall AW, Schmiege SC, Butschek RA, Duran KL, Emery RJ.... (2013) Impact of eastern dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium pusillum) on host white spruce (Picea glauca) development, growth and performance across multiple scales. Physiologia Plantarum, 147(4), 502-513. PMID: 22905764
- January 21, 2016
- 07:49 AM
- 281 views
A sewage-loving, foam-making, spaghetti-resembling bacterium
by Rosin Cerate in Rosin Cerate
While working on my doctorate, I lived for a time in an apartment just down the street from a small wastewater treatment facility. I never noticed a bad smell, but if I stayed up too late I'd end up having to fall asleep to the very low pitched rumble of gallons upon gallons of poop water being pumped into and out of large tanks. I tried not to think too hard about this, which tends to be difficult when you're, y'know, trying to fall asleep.Wastewater treatment facilities, or sewage treatment pl........ Read more »
Rossetti S, Tomei MC, Nielsen PH, & Tandoi V. (2005) "Microthrix parvicella", a filamentous bacterium causing bulking and foaming in activated sludge systems: A review of current knowledge. FEMS Microbiology Reviews, 29(1), 49-64. PMID: 15652975
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