Friday 29 April 2022

Crowned Heron Crawfishing Near Our Neighborhood – Part 1 – Nature 20

We see this critter at our neighborhood every spring. We don’t know where she is living, exactly.

She loves to play on the sides or shallow parts of creek and streams.



Fig 01- Crowned Heron Crawfishing

Some neighbors said that this is not Crowned Heron, but Yellow Crowned Night Heron.

In the photos, you might see light yellow crowned. I think Yellow Crowned Night Heron is more suitable.

Night Heron refer to their feeding activity at night. It might be the reason why we always see them at our neighborhood in the afternoon.

They rest at day light.



Fig 02- Cherry tomato plants, illustration



Fig 03- Just for illustration



Fig 04- The bird found something to eat

Based on status published by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, 2020) that:

- Yellow Crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) is not included as endangered species in the USA.

However, their species is decreasing day by day, and even list as endangered and protected species in the state such as Pennsylvania.

Two main causes decreasing of population:

- their nests are disturbed by human
- habitat lost in this case is wetlands.

What kinds of foods are consumed by Yellow Crowned Night Heron?

# To be continued to Part 2

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Thursday 28 April 2022

Can Alzheimer's Disease be Passing Down from Parent to Child? - Part 2 - Alzheimer's 4.

You may read previous post (Part 2):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Can Alzheimer's Disease be Passing Down from Parent to Child? - Part 1 - Alzheimer's 4



Fig 01- A cute little cat, just for illustration

This inherit disease also called autosomal dominant trait.

It means one copy of an alter gene that cause a disease or disorder in one person is passed down from one of the affected parent.

A person who has biological mother or father suffers the early onset Alzheimer's disease, then this person has 50 percent chance for having the early onset Alzheimer's disease.



Fig 02- A little bird, fall down from sky



Fig 03- Blooming flower



Fig 04- Here the picture of autosomal dominant trait
(credit picture to NIH)

Sadly, if a person who has biological mother or father has a gene mutation of the early onset Alzheimer's, this person has 50 percent chance for having a gene mutation.

So, from the diagram above we can see how the genetic disease inherits from generation to the next generation.

Now, let's do math! If a mother (or father) has early-onset Alzheimer's disease has 2 children, one of the two will get Alzheimer's disease. When she/he has 4 children, then 2 of the children will have this disease,

Fortunately, this early-onset Alzheimer's disease is less common. There is 1 person from 10 person who suffer with Alzheimer's disease.

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Tuesday 26 April 2022

Parks for Dogs in My City Baton Rouge, Louisiana – Part 1

Since I don’t have dogs, I didn’t aware that my city, Baton Rouge, Louisiana has plenty of parks for dogs.



Fig 01- A dog in the park.

I just knew one dog park, it is because I drive through near by park when I go to my work place, five days a week.

The dog park belongs to private company, Raising Cane’s. A fast food restaurant, selling fried chicken.

It is opened for public just several years ago. Then, I think that the park looks crowded day by day.

I am curious to find out: is it the only dog park in the city?



Fig 02- A dog on the street



Fig 03- Flowers at the garden



Fig 04- A little dog at the park



Fig 05- Several dogs play in the park

Moreover, I got the list of more than ten parks in our city, among the favorites parks are:

- Dog park at Burbank park
- Cypress lake dog park
- City Brooks Community park
- Forest community park
- Flannery road dog park
- Baton Rouge city park

# To be continued to Part 2

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Monday 25 April 2022

Blueberry is One of Fruits Rich in Antioxidants – Food 13

We have blackberry in our backyard, but the taste is not so sweet, hence, we rarely harvest its.

Our blackberries seem to be source of foods for wild birds which visit our backyard during spring and summer seasons.



Fig 01. Blueberries bought from grocery

We love to consume berries, edible berries off course. Just few of them to mention are:

- raspberries
- blackberries
- Cranberries and blueberries

By reading the article written by Kiersten Hickman, 2022 (Surprising Effects of Eating Blueberries, Says Science) that blueberry contain high concentration of antioxidants.



Fig 02- Blackberries, just for illustration



Fig 03- Blueberries, good for health

An antioxidant called as anthocyanin has multiple functions, they may include:

1) Lowering blood pressure:

- improve health of our heart

2) Lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol

- cardiovascular disease risk might be reduced

3) Helping to fight free radicals

- reduce risk to have chronic diseases such as cancer

4) Improve weight maintenance

- lowering type 2 diabetes risk

Finally, do you like blueberries? Or what kind of berries do you like most?

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Saturday 23 April 2022

A Bird on the Exit Sign in the Library – Part 2

You may read previous post (Part 1):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : A Bird on the Exit Sign in the Library – Part 1



Fig 01- Birds, just for illustration

Actually, crows are urban residents, not only found a lot in my current city, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but also seen across cities in the USA.

Naturally, this omnivorous bird eats everything in nature such as:

- animals
- vegetables
- and wild fruits.



Fig 02- Spring white dogwood flowers, just for illustration



Fig 03- White azalea



Fig 04- Crow in Baton Rouge (Credit to LSUAgCenter)

In respect to animals as foods, this bird love to consume:

- other birds
- bird eggs
- insects and small rodents

Since the birds live in the city, they might search foods in the garbage cans at neighborhood.

The black crows are illegal to be harmed or to destroy their active nests, it is because they are protected by federal law.

Penalties could be maximum to 6 months in prison and a fine to maximum US$15 thousands.

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Thursday 21 April 2022

Can Alzheimer's Disease be Passing Down from Parent to Child? - Part 1 - Alzheimer's 4

The exact causes the Alzheimer's diseases are still unknown.

Some sources said many factors can contribute to the how this disease begins, and how it grows and develops.



Fig 01- Just for illustration (credit to s3.amazonaws.com).

Since the scientists conducted their Human Genome Project, they can decipher the puzzle of of codes in human genes, knowing:

- the sequence of genes
- mapping the location of genes
- and also the linked maps (inherit traits).

Alzheimer's disease was classified into two different onsets. The first one is early-onset Alzheimer's disease, the signs and symptoms of the early-onset show up when a person is about between thirties and mid-sixties of ages.



Fig 02- A fall down tree at neighborhood.



Fig 03- A meme (credit to s3.amazonaws.com)

Moreover, the second one is late-onset Alzheimer's disease. The signs and symptoms show up when a person is in the mid-sixties of ages.

Based on National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institute Health (NIH), USA that the Alzheimer's disease in the early onset is one of some inherit genetic disorders.

The early onset of Alzheimer's disease can be passed down from parents to their children.

What?

# To be continued to Part 2

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Tuesday 19 April 2022

When the Georgian Chicken Came to My Kitchen – Part 2 – Food 12

You may read the previous post (Part 1):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : When the Georgian Chicken Came to My Kitchen – Part 1 – Food 12



Fig 01- Georgian Chicken in my pan is nicely cooked

Bay leaves and allspice give good-tasting in this dish.

Then, I looked what I had in my fridge. Okay! I had:

- chicken breasts
- tomatoes
- and celery.

Cilantro was out, I used it for cooking tom yum last two days ago, so I would use celery instead of cilantro.



Fig 02- Chicken, just for illustration



Fig 03- Chicken breast sold in the market

I also had:

- dried parsley
- dried chives and died dills.

These ingredients were good for me to get started a new recipe, a Georgian cuisine. It did not take long to prepare and cook it, and here, the Georgian Chicken from my kitchen.

For this moment, the Georgian chicken in my kitchen used celery instead of cilantro, but next time I will be well prepare for the ingredients and I will have the exactly Georgian Chicken with true Georgian flavor.

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Short Lifespans of Male Mosquitoes - Nature 140

We have posted the lifespans of female mosquitoes with maximum about 5 months only in nature.  Image 01 - Live of male mosquitoes (from Goog...