Adventure Ausrama Blog

A cache of old photographs has been put on display in Scotland. It is not known who took them, but the person must have been an ardent world traveller. There are pictures taken in Bolivia, Argentina, India and New Zealand. The images are of very high quality. The collection had been stored at the Roslin Institute for many years. This is where Dolly the Sheep was born. Photos of animals were probably taken during research at the institute. It is possible the "culprits" were James Cossar Ewart (who did travel widely) and Robert Wallace who were professors there from 1882. The rest of the photographs are a mystery. The animal pictures are interesting enough, though the images of people in other countries are illuminating. In one, a leper is carried by two boys with a hanging container for alms. The boys use a carrying pole to distance themselves from the leper. Another picture shows a child with a lamb. The most significant scene shows a Maori Girl in fu...

Professor Alpha Yap has received the Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology President's Medal. That is some title. It is also the scientists real name. His research is very important. It involves the way the body "glues" flesh together. Cells in the body must be able to join together to form separate organs. The gluing must be specific. It cannot be general adhesion because everything would join together and not function property. The substance that controls bonding is cadherin. Diseases such as cancer and even inflammation can stop the gluing action in the body. Lack of cadherin occurs with the onset of cancer. Problems of the intestines like ulcerative colitis and chrohn's disease cause caderin dysfunction which breaks down epithelial barriers. Loss of cadherin could be causal or the result of disease. It is hoped e-cadherin levels in the body can be controlled. This may affect chronic disease and become treatment for seri...