I found the article ‘From Prion Diseases to Prion-Like Propagation Mechanisms of Neurodegenerative Diseases’ quite difficult to understand, as I do not have any kind of scientific background to assimilate it. While the movies were helpful in giving a clearer description of what Prions were and their consequences, it I am still not quite clear how such proteins function. I guess that the fact that scientists in general themselves know so little about it only adds to the confusion in getting a clear representation of the facts. Exactly for that reason, prions are a subject that appeals greatly to the general public; it is a mysterious phenomenon but mostly it has no know cure. As one of the video’s worded it, it is the Real Zombie-Maker, and is virtually undetectable unless the right kind of testing is done. I also believe that the intense attention given to Prions is also due to the fact that it is basically a self-destructive process; once your nervous system starts failing their is not external factor that you can aggressively attack as you could for a tumor; it is basically accepting that your own system is failing you and that the loopholes in the smooth process that is the brain have been found.
I would have liked to understand more fully the exact process that takes place during infection but the scientific research that is available to us is unfortunately quite inaccessible to me for the time being.
The article From Prion Disease to Prion-Like Propogation Mechanisms of Neurodegenerative Diseases clearly set out some of the types of prion disease (scrapie and bovine spongine encephalopathy), discovery of prions, the protein only hypothesis. But the part of the article I found most interesting was Section 5, which discussed how there are common mechanisms I prion disease and other diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. After conducting research on these other diseases, I enjoyed thinking about them from the new perspective of cell to cell propagation that is similar to prion mechanisms. Hopefully, the conclusion drawn that a deeper understanding of prion diseases and how they function will lead to “new strategies” in diagnosing and treating various neurological diseases will turn out to be accurate. The article was dense and a bit difficult to read because of the heavy scientific details, but it made me want to ask more questions about how we might go about thinking about neurodegeneration and the methods of looking for therapies and cures.
As a student who has enjoyed making films to express scientific ideas, I found the various approaches of the four movie clips on prions instructive for various reasons, and it helped me reevaluate tools that I would like to use in future films. I think it is really important to consider audience for the films, as different people would be more or less attracted to particular film styles. However, I found all of the clips actually reinforced different prion tidbits, making the overall learning experience memorable.
The short film Kuru- A Prion disease provided interesting facts combined with graphic pictures, a bit of humor, and intense, upbeat music. I found the combination to be very effective in making me want to read all of the facts on the written frames of the screen. The pictures broke it up enough to keep me interested and wanting to read more, while the music was energetic even though it was not pleasant music. The “quiz time” at the end was a fun way to reinforce some of the key facts. A terrific clip all around! The under two-minute, short movie clip Prions was much more dry, and provided much more scientific-detail facts. Although the voice talking about prions, their origin, their structure, and their function was quite monotone, the visual images were helpful in allowing me to visualize Prion facts. It is the type of clip that would have to be watched several times to remember all the details learned, and it was less entertaining that the Kuru clip. I found the short film Prions the Real Zombie Maker fascinating, in that it drew me in with an elementary level and funny presentation that had a good deal of irrelevant information, but then ended up providing a large amount of valuable information about prions, how they work, and how they cause disease. I really enjoyed the film and learned a lot at the same time. The explanation about the genetic protection from Kuru disease by some of the female Kurus was particularly intriguing. Finally, the clip Prions What are They, was cute, and a fun reinforcement of the few, very basic prion facts that it described.
This week’s class discussion of the Egyptian blue which Jocelyn presented on, gave me a true first understanding of how essential chemistry and other sciences are in creating art. It is fascinating that the ancient people were able to execute such science with what we believe to be limited scientific developments. As an anthropologist, this clear notion of further development in the ancient times is fascinating to me as the sciences and arts go hand in hand in preserving such a unknown era.
In extension to this concept, I really enjoyed Bevil Conway’s piece of making science and art. Understanding that a scientist’s goal is to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, this makes me think there is a greater fundamental connection to art. As with historical introductions of new kinds of art, trials and errors, and gaging the public’s response, such as with the impressionist’s style or Picasso’s post-impressionism innovative, science and art are connected on a greater scale for the discussion they wish their work to evoke.
From a more scientific perspective, I enjoyed the reading about the components of the atoms, their properties, different kinds of bonds, their chemical compositions, and more interestingly, how they create different effects. I think it’s fascinating how the smallest of difference amongst atoms such as how one electron is paired can alter its functions.
I found the article ‘From Prion Diseases to Prion-Like Propagation Mechanisms of Neurodegenerative Diseases’ quite difficult to understand, as I do not have any kind of scientific background to assimilate it. While the movies were helpful in giving a clearer description of what Prions were and their consequences, it I am still not quite clear how such proteins function. I guess that the fact that scientists in general themselves know so little about it only adds to the confusion in getting a clear representation of the facts. Exactly for that reason, prions are a subject that appeals greatly to the general public; it is a mysterious phenomenon but mostly it has no know cure. As one of the video’s worded it, it is the Real Zombie-Maker, and is virtually undetectable unless the right kind of testing is done. I also believe that the intense attention given to Prions is also due to the fact that it is basically a self-destructive process; once your nervous system starts failing their is not external factor that you can aggressively attack as you could for a tumor; it is basically accepting that your own system is failing you and that the loopholes in the smooth process that is the brain have been found.
I would have liked to understand more fully the exact process that takes place during infection but the scientific research that is available to us is unfortunately quite inaccessible to me for the time being.
The article From Prion Disease to Prion-Like Propogation Mechanisms of Neurodegenerative Diseases clearly set out some of the types of prion disease (scrapie and bovine spongine encephalopathy), discovery of prions, the protein only hypothesis. But the part of the article I found most interesting was Section 5, which discussed how there are common mechanisms I prion disease and other diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. After conducting research on these other diseases, I enjoyed thinking about them from the new perspective of cell to cell propagation that is similar to prion mechanisms. Hopefully, the conclusion drawn that a deeper understanding of prion diseases and how they function will lead to “new strategies” in diagnosing and treating various neurological diseases will turn out to be accurate. The article was dense and a bit difficult to read because of the heavy scientific details, but it made me want to ask more questions about how we might go about thinking about neurodegeneration and the methods of looking for therapies and cures.
As a student who has enjoyed making films to express scientific ideas, I found the various approaches of the four movie clips on prions instructive for various reasons, and it helped me reevaluate tools that I would like to use in future films. I think it is really important to consider audience for the films, as different people would be more or less attracted to particular film styles. However, I found all of the clips actually reinforced different prion tidbits, making the overall learning experience memorable.
The short film Kuru- A Prion disease provided interesting facts combined with graphic pictures, a bit of humor, and intense, upbeat music. I found the combination to be very effective in making me want to read all of the facts on the written frames of the screen. The pictures broke it up enough to keep me interested and wanting to read more, while the music was energetic even though it was not pleasant music. The “quiz time” at the end was a fun way to reinforce some of the key facts. A terrific clip all around! The under two-minute, short movie clip Prions was much more dry, and provided much more scientific-detail facts. Although the voice talking about prions, their origin, their structure, and their function was quite monotone, the visual images were helpful in allowing me to visualize Prion facts. It is the type of clip that would have to be watched several times to remember all the details learned, and it was less entertaining that the Kuru clip. I found the short film Prions the Real Zombie Maker fascinating, in that it drew me in with an elementary level and funny presentation that had a good deal of irrelevant information, but then ended up providing a large amount of valuable information about prions, how they work, and how they cause disease. I really enjoyed the film and learned a lot at the same time. The explanation about the genetic protection from Kuru disease by some of the female Kurus was particularly intriguing. Finally, the clip Prions What are They, was cute, and a fun reinforcement of the few, very basic prion facts that it described.
This week’s class discussion of the Egyptian blue which Jocelyn presented on, gave me a true first understanding of how essential chemistry and other sciences are in creating art. It is fascinating that the ancient people were able to execute such science with what we believe to be limited scientific developments. As an anthropologist, this clear notion of further development in the ancient times is fascinating to me as the sciences and arts go hand in hand in preserving such a unknown era.
In extension to this concept, I really enjoyed Bevil Conway’s piece of making science and art. Understanding that a scientist’s goal is to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, this makes me think there is a greater fundamental connection to art. As with historical introductions of new kinds of art, trials and errors, and gaging the public’s response, such as with the impressionist’s style or Picasso’s post-impressionism innovative, science and art are connected on a greater scale for the discussion they wish their work to evoke.
From a more scientific perspective, I enjoyed the reading about the components of the atoms, their properties, different kinds of bonds, their chemical compositions, and more interestingly, how they create different effects. I think it’s fascinating how the smallest of difference amongst atoms such as how one electron is paired can alter its functions.