Trichomoniasis (topic1)

Trichomoniasis is a common cause of vaginitis. It results couples from sharing external water sources like Eg. hot tubs, wet bathing suits, wet towels and so on and so for, since it is a sexually transmitted disease . It is caused by the single-celled protozoan parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. Trichomoniasis is an infection of the urogenital tract. The most common site of infection is the urethra and the vagina in women. It is more common in women and than uncircumcised men. For these men, the most common site for the infection is at the tip of the penis.



Symptoms include:Vaginitis( itching, burning, and inflammation of the vagina ), Cervicitis which is the inflammation of the cervix,Urethritis the inflammation of the urethra , Greenish Yellow frothy vaginal discharge with a strong odor. Most men with trichomoniasis do not have signs or symptoms, but very few men might have a temporarily irritation inside the penis or mild discharge, or slight burning after urination . In very cases, lower abdominal pain can occur. Symptoms usually appear in women within 5 to 28 days of exposure.


Diagnosis
In women, the doctor will collect a specimen during a pelvic examination, starting by inserting a speculum into the vagina and then using a applicator to collect the sample. The sample would be sent to a labortory for analysis. During the analysis, there might be small red ulcerations on the vaginal wall or cervix.

Treatment
To treat both pregnant and non-pregnant patients, metronidazole (Flagyl) is usually used. The dosage is 500mg oral 2-3 times per day for 7-10 days. Both sexual partners, even if asymptomatic, must be treated at the same time.

References:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichomoniasis

The leopard shark (topic2)

The leopard shark, also known as the ‘Triakis semifasciata’ . It can be found along the coast of North America from Oregon to Baja California. This shark is not dangerous to people, though the animal will bite if bothered.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Triakidae
Genus: Triakis
Species: T. semifasciata
Binomial name :Triakis semifasciata




SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS
The leopard shark can grow up to a maximum of 180 cm in length. It can weigh up to 71 pounds (32 kg) The markings on their backs gave the leopard shark its common name and also provide camouflage.

DIET
Leopard sharks are benthic (bottom-dwelling), which includes worms, mollusks, crustaceans, octopuses, and small fishes.

REPRODUCTION
The leopard shark is ‘ovoviviparous’, which means that the female gives birth to young that is live that has been developed from eggs hatched inside her body ( 4 to 29 pups per litter). Most of the time, the leopard shark’s young are usually born in spring.

PREDATOR
Marine mammals prey upon young leopard sharks, and both juvenile and adults are vulnerable to large fish, including the white shark.

CONSERVATION STATUS
Although it is not really endangered, it still needs people to conserve or protect it

HABITAT
Leopard sharks are found in rocky areas, like rocky reefs or kelp beds. Leopard sharks swim at depths of about 10 to 250 ft. They are mostly seen swimming at 20 feet or less. They prefer cold water more than warm water.

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopard_Shark

http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/sharks/shore-to-sea/leopard.html

The Naegleria fowleri (topic1)

The Naegleria fowleri which is also known as the brain-eating amoeba, mostly found in warm fresh water, that is around temperatures of 25 to 35 degrees Celsius in either an amoeboid or temporary flagellate stage.(look at the picture above)
The Naegleria fowleri is able to invade the nervous system.Although this occurs rarely, if it attacks the nervous system, resulting the death of the victim.

The Naegaleria fowleri can enter from the nose, and then starts to invade the central nervous system. When the Naegaleria fowleri enters the nose, the amoebae will climb along nerve fibers via the floor of the cranium through the plates of the cribriform and finally into the brain. It then becomes pathogenic, causing primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM or PAME). PAM affects our central nervous system and olfactory perception (taste and smell), followed by vomiting, nausea, fever, headache, and may even result in unconsciousness and death within two weeks.

PAM usually occurs in healthy children or young adults with no prior history of immune compromise who have recently been exposed to bodies of fresh water.

Domain: Eukaryota
(unranked): Excavata
Phylum: Percolozoa
Class: Heterolobosea
Order: Schizopyrenida
Family: Vahlkampfiidae
Genus: Naegleria
Species: N. fowleri
Binomial name
Naegleria fowleri

references:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naegleria_fowleri

Smilodon (topic2)

Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Carnivora
Family:Felidae
Subfamily:†Machairodontinae
Genus:†Smilodon

HISTORY


Smilodon ,or also named as the sabre-toothed cat, is extinct. This saber-toothed cats that lived about 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago in the North and South of America. Part of their name is "saber-toothed" because of the amazing length of their canines. The most massively built carnivore had reached a mass of up to about 400 kg. A full grown Smilodon weighed around 55-300 kilograms.




DIET

Smilodon hunted on preys like bison, elk, deer, American camels, horses, ground sloths and mammoths and mastodons.

Big cats now like lions and tigers kill by strangling their victims, which would take a few minutes. Smilodon’s jaw muscles were most likely too weak for this and its long canines would have been vulnerable to snapping in a prolonged struggle.

Smilodon was said to use its great upper-body strength to wrestle prey onto the ground, its long canines were for delivering a bite to the throat which would generally cut through the jugular vein and thus kills the prey very quickly.

EXTINCTION

It was said that it was extinct because of a huge ice age.

HABITAT

Smilodon might have been living in grasslands and also pine forests with rocky soil. Alot of the Smilodon fossils had been discovered in areas like these.



VIDEO

You can go to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYe2zQ7jJ2k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYe2zQ7jJ2k
To watch two videos on the Smilodon.

References:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smilodon

THE TASMANIAN TIGER [THYLACINE] (topic2)

DESCRIPTION

The Thylacine was very similar to the members of the dog family of the Northern Hemisphere. Both had sharp teeth, powerful jaws, raised heels and the same general body form. Since the Thylacine and dogs of the Northern Hemisphere are filled the same ecological niche in Australia elsewhere, they developed many of the same features. This animal got its name "Tiger" because of the yellow-brown coat featured with about 13 to 21 distinctive dark stripes across its back, rump and the base of its tail. There were more stripes marked in younger Thylacine and were fading when the animal got older.
A matured Thylacine is ranged from around 100 to 130 cm long, with a tail of about 50 to 65 cm long. Both male and female sexes have a pouch.

EXTINCTION

The extinction is because of competitions from indigenous humans to kill the Thylacine and invasive dingoes are their predators. Their habitats are destroyed due to farming and grazing.
When people protect their animals, they don’t give any food for the Thycine.
Government are giving payment to people for dead "Tigers".


DIET

The Thylacine was carnivorous and feed on kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, birds and small animals such as potoroos and possums. The Thylacine’s favourite prey had been the common Tasmanian Emu.

HABITAT

They stay in open forests and keep near to their grazing preys and close to the protection of forests. They are nocturnal creatures, sleeping by the day and active at night.


1)Kingdom:Animalia
2)Phylum:Chordata
3)Class:Mammalia
4)Infraclass:Marsupialia
5)Order:Dasyuromorphia
6)Family:†Thylacinidae
7)Genus:†Thylacinus
8)Species:†T.cynocephalus
9)Binomial name:Thylacinus cynocephalus

References: 1)http://www.tasmanian-tiger.com/thylafiles.html

2)http://australian-animals.net/tiger.htm
3)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thylacine

For more details on the Thylacine species,please refer to a short video clip at: http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2386381.htm

THE AMOEBA (topic1)

Domain:Eukaryota
Kingdom:Amoebozoa
Phylum:Tubulinea
Order:Tubulinida
Family:Amoebidae
Genus:Amoeba

The amoeba had been discovered by August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof in 1757. Early naturalists named it Proteus animalcule after the Greek god Proteus who was able to change his shape. The name "amibe" was given to it by Bory de Saint-Vincent, from the Greek word “ amoibè” , which means change.

Marine amoebas don't have contractile vacuoles and their enzymes and organelles will not be damaged by the salty water found in oceans, salt swamps, salty ponds and rivers . Some marine amoeba can grow as large as grapes, but most are microscpic.

When an amoeba is in an environment that is unsuitable for itself,the amoeba will become dormant by rolling itself into a shape of a ball and secreting a protective membrane to become a microbial cyst.
When the amoeba does that,it cannot do cell division and until it is placed in the right environment. The amoeba might die if placed in an incorrect environment for too long.

HOPE U WILL LEARN SOMETHING!

references:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amoeba