Nerdy Science Blog

From UNIMAS (Universiti Malaysia Sarawak) Website

Theme : Zoonoses, Environment and Wildlife Ecological Dynamics
Date : 21st-22nd January 2008
Vanue :Centre for Academic Information Services (CAIS) Auditorium, UNIMAS
IMPORTANT NOTES:
+ Abstract of no more than 250 words by 20th November 2007 and Extended Abstracts by 20th December 2007
Organised by : Faculty of Resource Sciences and Technology
Contact Person / Email : abdullahmt@gmail.com , yeelingchong@gmail.com , khgandy@gmail.com , hratnawati@frst.unimas.my
Brochure : Brochure Zoonosis Symposium UNIMAS

Introduction:

The recent emergence and re-emergence of zoonotic diseases (e.g. Japanese encephalitis and Nipah viral infections, knowlesi malaria) in Malaysia emphasises the urgent need to identify infective agents in wildlife, study their transmission to humans and understand the complex epidemiological and ecological mechanisms that directly impact on the health of wildlife and humans. The Regional Zoonoses and Emerging Infectious Diseases Symposium will be held at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak Centre for Academic Information Services (CAIS) Auditorium from 21st – 22nd January 2008 with the theme “Zoonoses, Environment and Wildlife Ecological Dynamics”. The main objectives of the Symposium are:

• To assemble, understand, document and disseminate previous and current state of knowledge from various researchers dealing with animal-related pathogens that are zoonotic and potentially zoonotic.
• To understand the gaps in our knowledge of the human-animal interface in the promotion of good human and wildlife health
• To initiate greater collaboration among Malaysian and international scientists in the promotion of good environmental management for the control of zoonotic diseases.

The fees are RM 350 (USD 100) for the Researchers and RM 250 (~USD 75)  for the students.
(pdf)

After reading youzi’s Two-Headed Reptile Fossil found in China, this remind me of a Chinese tale —— “Two-headed Snake”.

In ancient China, people believed that double-headed snake was a bad omen. There’s a boy named Sun Shu Ao, always hearing his grandmother telling him that whoever saw the two-headed snake will die definitely.

One day, when this lad was playing outside, he saw a two-headed snake. He smashed the snake till death with a rock. After killing the snake, he buried it and ran home telling his mom that he’s going to die because he saw the two-headed snake. Then the mother asked, “Where’s the two-headed snake?”

Sun Shu Ao replied that he killed that snake because he think of others can no longer see the snake. After hearing what Sun Shu Ao said, his mother consoled him and told him that he was not going to die because he’s so thoughtful and the two-headed snake just a misshapen snake. According to today’s knowledge, this phenomenon is caused by axial bifurcation.

What is axial bifurcation?

Axial bifurcation is also known as polycephaly. Polycephalic animal is animal with more than one head. This phenomenon happens when there is duplication in development because of wounded womb or the zygote of conjoined twins fails to separate completely. This can happen to human too.

(Picture Source)

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