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Another day, another school year
Aug. 22nd, 2007 10:26 pmHaste Street, on the Feast of the Queenship of Mary
One more day of orientation left. Had to sit through two hours of safety training plus an extra four hours of radiation training today, complete with requisite quizzes. @_@ Have managed to mingle somewhat with the other first-year students, although the ones with whom I habitually keep company are all in the immunology division (including my roommate). Should probably be emailing professors about potential rotation projects but have only buckled down to email one (i.e. my top choice). Apparently we're supposed to meet with approximately ten faculty before we put down our five rotation choices. Well, at least I've scheduled one appointment.
Interesting things I've learned from seminar:
1. Pregnant women shouldn't eat soft cheeses because they contain Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogenic bacteria that is well-known for utilizing its host cell's actin (the protein that makes up the cytoskeleton) to move around in the cytoplasm. (You can see some neat videos here.) Apparently, a Listeria infection can lead to abortion.
2. Legionnaire's Disease, which exhibits symptoms similar to pneumonia, is caused by a bacteria that normally infects freshwater amoebae. It first came to medical attention in 1976 when there was an outbreak at a Philadelphia hotel hosting a Legionnaire convention. The bacteria infects macrophages, which engulf the microbe by phagocytosis in much the same way their natural hosts, amoebae, do. Apparently, they grow very well in cooling towers and air conditioners, where large amounts of amoebae aggregate due to the extra moisture and warmth.
3. There are eight types of herpes virus, and every human being is likely to be carrying at least three or four infections. One particular type apparently infects 100% of all human individuals, which means there's no escape!
4. As many of you may know, one way of extending lifespan is to reduce caloric intake. What I didn't know was that the physiological effect was mediated by the insulin pathway: knocking out an insulin receptor will also increase lifespan. (The insulin pathway is also involved in growth control during development, interestingly enough.)
I went to a used bookstore during the break and found hardcover copies of China Mieville's Iron Council on sale for $4.98. I dithered over buying it before I decided to just get Roger Zelazny's The Chronicles of Amber instead. (My reasoning being that it's much harder to find the Amber books than it is to find Iron Council in the library.) But...five dollars for a hardcover book! I may just go back tomorrow and buy it anyway.
Yours &c.
One more day of orientation left. Had to sit through two hours of safety training plus an extra four hours of radiation training today, complete with requisite quizzes. @_@ Have managed to mingle somewhat with the other first-year students, although the ones with whom I habitually keep company are all in the immunology division (including my roommate). Should probably be emailing professors about potential rotation projects but have only buckled down to email one (i.e. my top choice). Apparently we're supposed to meet with approximately ten faculty before we put down our five rotation choices. Well, at least I've scheduled one appointment.
Interesting things I've learned from seminar:
1. Pregnant women shouldn't eat soft cheeses because they contain Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogenic bacteria that is well-known for utilizing its host cell's actin (the protein that makes up the cytoskeleton) to move around in the cytoplasm. (You can see some neat videos here.) Apparently, a Listeria infection can lead to abortion.
2. Legionnaire's Disease, which exhibits symptoms similar to pneumonia, is caused by a bacteria that normally infects freshwater amoebae. It first came to medical attention in 1976 when there was an outbreak at a Philadelphia hotel hosting a Legionnaire convention. The bacteria infects macrophages, which engulf the microbe by phagocytosis in much the same way their natural hosts, amoebae, do. Apparently, they grow very well in cooling towers and air conditioners, where large amounts of amoebae aggregate due to the extra moisture and warmth.
3. There are eight types of herpes virus, and every human being is likely to be carrying at least three or four infections. One particular type apparently infects 100% of all human individuals, which means there's no escape!
4. As many of you may know, one way of extending lifespan is to reduce caloric intake. What I didn't know was that the physiological effect was mediated by the insulin pathway: knocking out an insulin receptor will also increase lifespan. (The insulin pathway is also involved in growth control during development, interestingly enough.)
I went to a used bookstore during the break and found hardcover copies of China Mieville's Iron Council on sale for $4.98. I dithered over buying it before I decided to just get Roger Zelazny's The Chronicles of Amber instead. (My reasoning being that it's much harder to find the Amber books than it is to find Iron Council in the library.) But...five dollars for a hardcover book! I may just go back tomorrow and buy it anyway.
Yours &c.
