Article

 

 

Eczema and Itchiness

One of the most annoying things in life is an itch that won't go away. Scientists have worked for decades to find out why we itch, and to find a cure. Researchers at Harvard Medical School in the USA have discovered that skin bacteria make us itch when they interact with our nerve cells. Lead researcher Liwen Deng said the bacteria are linked to many diseases that cause itchiness. The most common disease is eczema. Dr Leng wrote: "It's not the nicest bug to have on you, for sure. Many patients carry on their skin the very microbe we've now shown for the first time can induce itch." She added that: "Itches can be quite debilitating in patients who suffer from chronic skin conditions."
Dr Leng and her colleagues conducted their research on mice. They found an enzyme (which they dubbed V8) that was responsible for itching in the test mice. The V8 enzyme triggered a protein that made the mice itch. The scientists engineered the protein and developed a drug to stop it making the mice itch. The drug could be used to make anti-itch medication. This could block the itching process in humans. This is good news for eczema sufferers. Eczema affects around 245 million people globally. As well as itchiness, sufferers often get redness on their skin and a rash. They may also get small blisters and a thickening of the skin. Eczema is twice as common in females as it is in males.

Doing tasks

 

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

1. The article says most people know we have five senses.     T / F
2. The dolphin's seventh sense is to generate electricity.     T / F
3. Electricity from the hearts of fish could attract dolphins to them.     T / F
4. Dolphins might be able to move around by using Earth's magnetic field.   T / F
5. Researchers experimented on two dolphins called Donny and Dolla.     T / F
6. One dolphin was better at detecting electricity than the other one.     T / F
7. All sea creatures produce direct current electricity.     T / F
8. The research is published in the "Journal of Dolphin Biology".     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1. common
2. ordinary
3. discovered
4. pulses
5. navigate
6. conducted
7. organisms
8. location
9. near
10. published

1. did
2. living things
3. normal
4. issued
5. beats
6. close by
7. general
8. travel across
9. position
10. found

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1. common
2. using the ordinary five
3. electric pulses produced
4. Dolphins also use their excellent
5. Earth's magnetic
6. what kinds of electricity the
7. They were a lot better at picking
8. sense the location of
9. dolphins could use their seventh sense
10. The study has been

1. published
2. eyesight and sonar
3. field
4. most kinds of fish
5. senses
6. to hunt
7. knowledge
8. up direct current
9. dolphins could detect
10. by the heart beats

 

For students

 

Dolphin Senses

It is common knowledge that we have five senses. Some people believe they have six senses. They say their sixth sense is the ability to know something without using the ordinary five senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. Scientists have just discovered that some dolphins have seven senses. Researchers in Germany say bottlenose dolphins can sense electricity produced by their prey. The dolphins can detect the electric pulses produced by the heart beats of other sea creatures. This could help dolphins to find their next meal. Dolphins also use their excellent eyesight and sonar to sense what is around them. This seventh sense may also help them to navigate using Earth's magnetic field.
The researchers conducted a study on two dolphins named Dolly and Donna. Experiments tested what kinds of electricity the dolphins could detect. Dolly and Donna could sense both kinds of electricity – direct current and alternating current. They were a lot better at picking up direct current. All organisms produce direct current electricity in water. The researchers say being able to detect this means dolphins may be able to sense the location of most kinds of fish that are near them. The dolphins could use their seventh sense to hunt, even if they cannot see or hear well, or if they cannot use their other senses. The study has been published in the "Journal of Experimental Biology".

Tasks for students

 

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

1. The article says early risers set an alarm clock to wake up.     T / F
2. The researchers found DNA at the University of California.     T / F
3. Neanderthals were on Earth 40,000 years ago.     T / F
4. Researchers said a slower body clock means we wake up earlier.     T / F
5. Owls share a similar kind of DNA to Neanderthals.     T / F
6. Scientists compared Neanderthal DNA with DNA in a medical database.   T / F
7. The Neanderthal DNA could be becoming weaker.     T / F
8. The article says the early worm catches the bird.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1. ancestors
2. gather
3. beneficial
4. anticipate
5. rise
6. information
7. existed
8. likely
9. pass
10. comfort

1. probable
2. details
3. get up
4. luxury
5. predict
6. collect
7. go by
8. forebears
9. was found
10. advantageous

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1. people who naturally wake
2. most of us are still in
3. our ancestors who
4. hunt for or gather
5. body
6. some people are early
7. a medical database with genetic
8. DNA may be weakening
9. leaving the comfort
10. the early bird

1. information
2. lived over 40,000 years ago
3. of our bed
4. birds
5. catches the worm
6. up early in the morning
7. as the centuries pass
8. food
9. deep sleep
10. clock

 

 

 

Article for students

 

Early Risers

Early risers are people who naturally wake up early in the morning. Their body clock causes them to get up while most of us are still in deep sleep. Researchers at the University of California said early risers could have some shared DNA from Neanderthals – our ancestors who lived over 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals lived in northern parts of Europe and Asia. They woke up earlier to hunt for or gather food as the sun rose. Researcher Dr Tony Capra said: "At higher latitudes it is beneficial to have a body clock that is better able to anticipate and change to match the changing seasonal light levels." He added: "Having a 'faster' body clock…makes individuals more likely to rise early."
Scientists have spent a long time looking at why some people are early birds, while others are night owls. They looked at a medical database with genetic information for hundreds of thousands of people. They compared the DNA of people who said they were early risers with the Neanderthal DNA. Their research found more examples of Neanderthal DNA existed in the early risers. However, it is likely that the Neanderthal gene is not so strong in many people. The effect of the Neanderthal DNA may be weakening as the centuries pass. Our modern lifestyles mean many of us prefer sleeping in to leaving the comfort of our bed. Nevertheless, it may still be true that the early bird catches the worm.