Understanding the toxic Chinese baby formula incident from a scientific view

While the Sanlu (三鹿) baby formula incident is all the rage in the news, Taiwanese news reports are very superficial in that they only report the reaction of horror of the people and government to the incidents. After reading the in-depth reports in the New Yorks Times, I think I'd like to share some scientific facts of the incident here with friends, and try to give a better understanding for people who had only read superficial reports.

So what surprised me is that the toxic contaminant in the baby formula is melamine, which is the same contaminant as in the toxic Chinese pet food incident sometime ago that happened here in the US. Interestingly, after the pet food incident, a lot of vet papers showed up exploring the effects of melamine on animals, as this is a contaminant that previously wasn't expected to show up in foods. It's said to be used mainly in plastic manufacturing and fertilizers. And as in the reference paper I found, adding melamine can fool conventional tests of food protein levels, boosting it's nutrient content read levels.

Thus, it seems that someone has added melamine as a way to boost up fake nutrition levels, making the food products seem "more nutritious", while it forms crystals in the kidney of pets, babies, or who/whatever is the victim. Interestingly, according to the paper, melamine has to form crystals with cyanuric acid, and cyanuric acid was also present in the pet food incident; while they could not find major crystal forming in their experimental animals administered with melamine or cyanuric acid alone (which they used as a negative control). However, I could not find reports that state cyanuric acid also present in the baby formulas. FDA even had a report that melamine is non-toxic to humans unless in extremely high levels, although babies may have a way lower susceptable threshold and it is possible that the formulas were highly contaminated. Are the kidney precipitate crystals melamine-cyanuric acid complexes? Or some other complex with melamine? This is yet to be clear until farther scientific reports come up.

Farther Reading:
NYtimes | Chinese Baby Formula Scandal Widens as 2nd Death Is Announced
USA today | FDA: Melamine found in baby formula made in China
FDA | Low Risk of Illness From Food Containing Melamine

R. Reimschuessel et al. Evaluation of the renal effects of experimental feeding of melamine and cyanuric acid to fish and pigs. Am J Vet Res 2008;69:1217–1228

生科幻想... 大戰小強

生科背景的如何對付小強呢？

看我的酒精噴霧！！！
等到小強在70%酒精中游泳時，拿出打火機吧！

這時發現小強燙一下就跑了。

可惡，那用漂白水噴霧好了，應該有毒性吧...... 小強好像沒感覺耶

這時想起...... 昆蟲的腹部側邊很多氣管系開口，那對腹部做detergent攻擊好了
看我的...

Tween 20!!!

什麼，不夠強，那換Triton X 100好了

可惡，再不行，那撒SDS好了（記得戴上N95口罩）

阿阿阿阿阿，拿液態氮比較快！

控制好怒氣不要噴EtBr或照UV阿，若突變成「巨強」就世界末日了XD

（以上純粹為無聊研究生的幻想）

聯合 | 民進黨基層 籲大小綠合併

http://udn.com/NEWS/NATIONAL/NATS3/4476802.shtml

想的美咧，合併個頭啦。

民進黨現在只有兩條路，1)就地解散 2)逐漸泡沫化。若真的愛台灣，選擇(1)，是現階段的民進黨能夠給台灣最大的貢獻。

最好不要污染台聯，否則台灣僅存「還比較不爛」的政黨被吃掉後就真的整個政治界「天下一般黑」了。那樣的話，台灣真的會完蛋，台湾オワタ＼(＾o＾)／

再衝？

在這個rotation所剩日子不多，老闆似乎有意幫忙我弄到這三個月的data可以發paper... XD

雖然說cloning又進入鬼打牆般的奇異狀態（再小心都有奇怪的地方會出問題），但就只能盡量衝了。秉持著台灣人打拼的衝衝衝精神，沒故事也要蒐集成一篇short communication吧 ><

大學生活......

雞排、嘴砲、蹺課、阿宅、好人、選課、加簽、跑堂、讀書會、報告、爆肝、社團、系隊、期中期末考完美的結合......

新生宿營、蛙骨、漁房、「幹！自摸！」、漫畫、老大普渡眾生、「夜烤」、黃金單身漢、校園植物調查、實驗、班遊、生態池、生蚵之夜、聖誕晚會、系主任時間、「剛剛走出去的都是我的敵人」、藍白拖、吊嘎、「有漿選」、「我跌倒都沒有人扶我...」、「我也要濁菌液～！」......

想到妹即將要上大學，我竟進入大學生活無限回想模式...... 在生科B92太多回憶了，竟然才畢業一年就想成這樣 T_T

尤其，第一次在漁房以讀書會之實，行雞排會之實，簡直永生難忘XD

以後，在這裡，會不會有除了生data以外的回憶呢？

Night view of Philly along the Schuylkill river

Night view of Philly along the Schuylkill river
Originally uploaded by intellidryad

Philly along the Schuylkill river
Originally uploaded by intellidryad

Philadelphia Amtrak station
Originally uploaded by intellidryad

|||OTL

我身上一定有什麼強大的斥力場。

為了多認識一點人，想說不要一直窩在實驗室，就一連報名參加了兩個研究生學生會的校園導覽。

第一場，單車遊校園......
我第一個出現，之後只出現第二個人，然後，就沒了。聽說有6還8個人報名......
好吧，認識一個同樣對outdoors有興趣的日本人，還不錯吧

第二場，國際新生校園導覽......
好不容一把當天早上的實驗以最快速度衝完，衝到集合地點
哇這太扯了，15人報名只有我一個人出現；據說往年慣例是出現的比報名的多......orz

這就是所謂的無緣分嗎？

如果8~10年後我回台灣跟黃偉邦一樣乾淨......那至少讓我工作也跟他一樣好找吧 囧

暑假？

真是奇怪的感覺。

所知道在美國這邊的朋友幾乎全都跑回台灣渡假了。

聯老闆、實驗室學長也都跑去渡假了。

夏日最佳飲料：麥茶

上個月跑到日本超市買了日本進口明治麥茶茶包，超便宜的一盒$2.99，內含20個茶包。

盒子上號稱一個茶包可以泡1公升的麥茶。很方便，茶包丟進一公升的廢棄果汁玻璃罐中，加冷水加到滿，放冰箱半小時完成。結果我口味清淡，泡完再加水週而復始，一包竟給我泡了六七泡（也就是快七公升了）。

算起來，簡直是140公升的飲料才$2.99（水費房東出，濾水器的錢，反正都要喝水，也不貴啦）$2.99去餐廳大概只有一公升可樂吧，去賣場也只有三公升。而且美國的飲料大多超甜，滲透壓很高，越喝越渴。麥茶清涼解渴，不虧是台日共同熱賣飲品阿^^

預付手機真好

電話幾乎都不用開機，反正熟人全都在網路上、方圓1000km以外的世界另一角落，不然就是天天見面的實驗室同仁，沒有人會打電話給我。開機收到的也幾乎都是詐騙電話（接詐騙電話還要扣我電話費orz）。

因此，純粹備用，最低額度每三個月才$15真是太棒啦！除了台灣PHS免月租費方案以外，我還想不到更適合我的方案咧。更棒的是，這超省錢方案今年被刪除了，只有不想換方案的老客戶可以用了，嘿這麼划算我幹麼換方案XD

面容老化速率

以前覺得，以臉部跟皮膚來說，白人特別容易老，有些人二十幾歲就有一點皺紋、臉部坑洞一堆了orz （尤其看到同樣亞洲人，臉部老老的，身體其他部份、穿著打扮看起來都是年齡二字頭的，真的很囧）

現在覺得，以我的標準來看，大部分國家、種族的人都特別容易老XDD
（就不列出我的取樣了，以免得罪人，不過包含黃皮膚黑頭髮的外國人喔）

換個角度想，我習慣的老化標準是台灣人的老化速度；也就是說，台灣簡直是永保青春超級娃娃臉的國度！以外國標準來看，大概台灣人就算出社會了，除了穩重點之外，看起來30歲像十幾歲吧 :P

不過這邊台灣人太少了，也就是這邊的人大多沒看過多少台灣人，所以也很難問別人是否對台灣人有這種感覺了。

這樣一推論，似乎老外大學畢業就結婚，台灣人還可以到30歲才拉警報似乎有道理耶XD

雜感

If Invitrogen's Lipofectamine is just a suspension solution of lipid micelles, it must be one of the most expensive & profitable oils in this world.

Bastille day at the Eastern State Penitentiary

As I rode home from a long ride from King of Pruissa, I passed the Eastern State Penitentiary (a historic prison-turned-museum close to my place) and ran into this festival. Will, it's true that almost a week after our Independence day, it's the French's turn to celebrate Bastille (seems to be the French word for prison, and also refers to the French prison that they stormed into back then) day; but I never thought people here in the US would join in the fun (人家嗨你也跟著嗨...). But anyways, it's fun.

So when I got there, there's already a huge crowd there, most of them have a cup of beer with "Kronenbourg 1664" printed on it. I was already hungry and thirsty from the ride (over 40 miles), and so first thing I did is go in to the pub near by to fetch my own cup of "Kronenbourg 1664" :D (after checking on the web, seems to be a French beer). Tastes real good, not too thick, more sweet then bitter; but I admit after a tiresome long bike ride, as long as it's not disgusting Miller or Budwiser, any beer would taste real good :)

There was actors acting as French revolutionists at the door of the prison, with a guillotine (斷頭台) right there. After singing the US & French national anthems, they started shouting at a Queen on the top walls of the the prison.

"We have this newest model guillotine called the *** nano (I forgot the name), it comes in may colors, red, blue, green, white and black. It can slice and dice and slice and slice and slice and slice and slice and slice!"
...
"How long have we lived with out freedom?"
"Too long!"

"How long have we lived with pests and rodents?"
"Too long!"

"How long have we waited for the 3G iPhone?"
"Too long...... Hay!"
......

And the protests went on, with occasional jokes sneaked in.

"How long have we starved with no bread to eat?"
"Too long!"

And the Queen replied: "I'd say, if the people don't have bread to eat, let them eat...... Tastykakes! (a brand of cakes, sponsor of this festival)"

And then, to my surprise, the Queen's army started throwing real Tastykakes down at us (the crowd) as if the cakes were ammo! And of course, instead of fighting back, everyone started to try catching as much of the raining cakes as they can. Yet, some people really threw cakes back up the wall, although only one succeeded in throwing the cake over the 3-story-high wall. Mean while the revolutionists are firing fake cannons back up, and through the bang and smoke, more cakes flew out.

After the Queen's army ran out of cakes, they held out the white flag, soon the prison door opened and the revolutionists stormed in and brought out the queen and her men, to the guillotine.

They said they wanted to behead one of the Queen's men, and then they put a watermelon under the Guillotine, and started slicing the watermelon. The crowd cheered with every slice.

After it was over, the crowd left and I get to get closer to see what the stage looks like. On stage, the guys were still slicing watermelon, and with every slice, kids who are watching cheered: "watermelon!"

Forbidden Drive in the Wissahickon valley

哇這篇欠文欠好久，看圖說故事吧XD

Well, weeks ago, I set out on a ride along the Fairmount park bike trail along the Schuylkill river, and then on a whim upon seeing the beautiful natural Wissahickon valley, went in and, well, rode through the whole valley trail.

I first set out along the Parkway, heading towards the Philadelphia art museum

Art museum
So here's the magnificent art museum, which is right next to the river and the bike route along side it.


DSC03362
The sidewalk in front of the museum


boat row
And Now I am on the riverside bike trail. Facing the river, next to the museum, is the boat row, where there's a row of boat houses, among them are the Penn and Drexel University canoe racing clubs. This part of the park is the place where a lot of people come to get their morning workouts.


DSC03365
Farther along the river, there is much less joggers, and the road quality is very nice. The view along the river is also great. You can see the Zoo balloon in the distance on the other side of the river.


My bike at the Schuylkill river trail
Of course I'd have to take a picture of my bike next to a bike trail sign!


DSC03369

The Dam at the entrance of the Wissahickon valley
And after a little trip to Target for some free AC and drinks, I'm here at the dam where the river trail and the valley trail cross.

Riding into the valley bike trail
I saw a lot of people riding in and out of here on bikes, so in I went.


Great road quality
With smooth asphalt, natural view and no cars or other disruptions, I think this is the best bike route I've ever seen! Man, this road quality is even way better then the streets in downtown Philly!


Entering the valley trail
After this sign, I guess I am really going into the valley. From this point on, it's a historic trail that's kept as close to it's natural condition as possible, and the trail turns in to gravel. So it's kind of like the easiest form of offroad, just a little bumpy, no danger, no special excitement. Doesn't seem to be too nice for road bikes, though :) There is a sign that said speed limit 15mph. Oh well, I can easily paddle up to 18, and well, with a little effort, you can easily go up to 25mph. Oh screw it XD


Offroad trail leading off to the side
Along the route there are numerous tiny trails that lead sideways out of the valley back to developed areas. This one in the picture looks especially wild, so much that there's a sign in front that said on foot or on horse only, no bikes.


little shack by the road
There are also lots of little shacks along side the road for resting.


Valley Green
And now I am in Valley Green, the place in the middle of the trail where there is a restaurant, snack store, and...

The river in the valley
...a spot close to the river shore (there is a river flowing through the valley).


Swans? or ducks?

DSC03394
The place sure is crowded with water fowl.

DSC03404


little food store
The little window where you can buy snacks and drinks to replenish after the ride.


DSC03408
A close look at the nice restaurant, if you ever come biking with a girl, this is the place to have lunch. Unless you don't have enough green in your pocket, that is.


DSC03409
The trail runs along side this Wissahickon river in the valley. Historically it was a trail with rows of water mills, so there's a lot of dams along the river.


Abandoned house
This house looks very nice, wonder why it's abandoned.


Forbidden drive
This sign explains the name "Forbidden drive". It's a historic trail in a natural park, which, along the years there was many requests to allow cars to drive through, but people wanted to keep it natural, so, cars are still forbidden till this day, conserving the beautiful park and thus the name of the trail.


End of the trail
Finally I've reached the end of the trail, connecting to an asphalt road leading back to civilization.


The "Tree House"
A side trail at the end leads to this house named the "Tree House", which seems to be a natural conservation center. Too bad it's closed on weekends.


Birds that can "walk" all over the tree
In the back of the tree house, there's a tree with lots of strange birds "walking" on it. These bird are really amazing that they could walk around the tree twigs, even upside down, like a lizard.


Chestnut hill college looks like a castle
A little off the trail, and I'm close to German town now. I found this beautiful castle-like structure, which, turns out to be a college. There sure are a lot of old styled buildings in Pennsylvania.


DSC03432
This is just a sidewalk, but it's so nice.

Then I back tracked through the biking trail. It was slightly down hill going back, and, as I am not taking that much pictures this time, it was much faster going back.

Leaving the trail
A late evening photo upon leaving the valley.

Although it was hours on gravel, it really felt very nice to have an afternoon's ride through a valley shaded in lush, naturally growing trees. It was mostly flat, too, not much climbing, and the trail is very wide with close to no curves. Not as challenging nor exciting as in the mountains in Taiwan, but I like it very much to have a taste of nature this close to urban city life, something I never expected to find in the old, long developed city of Philly.

省錢大作戰

如上一篇說的，附近超市不便宜，那怎麼辦呢？沒關係，身為研究生，要有「免費食物雷達」

• 每週的lab meeting有免費餅乾
• 每週的演講有免費pizza
• 每週的細胞生物學先修讀書會有免費晚餐
• 每半年好樣都會有一次研究生聚會，當然，食物啤酒由研究生聯合會出
• lab所在的研究機構（學校之下一個分支的研究院）每年會有BBQ，節慶有party
• Again, lab所在的研究機構每天免費提供咖啡、紅茶、綠茶、熱可可（每天的飲料費都省了）

雖然這邊還沒聽說有人像 U Alabama 有強者架網站每天整理免費食物情報，但身為薪水不多的研究生就要消息靈通倒是真的。免費食物很多，只要有心......XDD

只是，每天晚上的宵夜費還是滿高的orz

--

每天騎單車到校，一天來回至少省$4地鐵費。買車以$320計算，估計80天回本。而且買車花錢不心痛阿，買車會爽，搭車付錢就是單純的荷包縮水XD

親子丼キタ！

先抱歉，打光很爛，照片還用photoshop調過亮度orz

很明顯就是當時太餓了，隨便拍一拍就開始吃了。總之呢，總算集滿食材＆工具可以開始玩有趣一點的料理了。雖然超偷懶式「大雜燴亂七八糟沙拉」不但不用煮、方便省時又吃得飽（吃美式還真方便），但那吃久會膩，還是有白米飯的料理比較開胃^^

恩，很驚訝的在附近有機食品超市的外國食品區找到了「みりん」這神秘的日本料理酒，就給他敗下去，回家玩啦。
照這個網站做的，我只缺柴魚味素還沒買到，暫時用柴魚醬油高湯（本つゆ）+糖代替。

親子丼似乎只要材料備齊了就不難，依照最難熟的最先丟的順序依序下鍋煮到熟，下蛋汁狂攪就是了。帶到實驗室當午餐還是很好吃呢，還被沒看過「親子丼」的美國人羨慕了一下^^

只是，自己煮似乎沒有省很多錢，這邊的生食材跟熟食的價差沒有像北海道那麼大（尤其當附近都只有有機食品超市時，食材都很貴）。而參考那網站的份量做的，結果所謂「四人份」本來計畫分三餐喀的，結果兩頓就肯光了XD

[Review] Scott Sportster P5

搬到 Philadelphia 後不到一個禮拜就受不跑去買車了。這城市還滿密集的，很多地方都有點像台北，東西都很近、很不適合開車、大眾交通工具方便、雙腳可以到達的地方很多。不過，也有很多東西是開車嫌太近、搭公車嫌貴又不想被公車路線綁住、走路又嫌遠。老實說花在搭公車或捷運的一趟$2因為就是一去不復返，會心痛；買腳踏車雖然一次幾百塊，但騎車比較爽，又自由，所以不心痛XD 於是乎，開始想念在札幌時那種腳踏車一踩到處都到得了的自由都市生活。

衝了，開學第一天就買車去了。跑了好幾家車店都只有$500以上偽高級貨（明明價格高檔卻不怎麼好的車，如一台$600 Marin比我的MTA510差很多......原來我買$300的MTA510靠全套Deore可以在這裡賣$900阿orz）在校園某一角（有點像台大活二的一個外包商業區）找到一家登山用品店可以憑學生證15%off，就敗下去啦！

這台Scott Sportster P5有Acera 8速、Shimano大盤，原價$378，學生特價，嘿嘿嘿，自己算。
同價位，到別的車店只有7速，SR suntour大盤，還因為不夠高檔車店不進現貨，要訂購咧。雖然這還是比我的全套Deore 俗又大碗MTA510貴，但美國來說，找不到這麼便宜了吧？店員說Scott在歐洲比較紅，在美國採取低價進攻市場政策，所以才有這種價格。所以這就是我的通勤車啦。嘿，很抱歉啦，為了防盜，跟店員要了廢內胎把下管包起來，所以照片中看不到Scott logo啦。


先看control deck，Shimano最基本的八速算盤指煞變一體把。除了塑膠上蓋的設計比以前的Acera變把堅固，不像以前容易裂之外，基本上是一樣的；變速管線是Shimano SIS，煞車管線是Jagwire的喔。買了個Sigma BC906碼表，基本的時速、均速、時間、時鐘、總里程都有。老實說Sigma自從幾年前換這種設計後，質感整個下降，塑膠感大大提昇。只是，店裡最便宜的就這隻，Cateye只有高階款，所以就選了這隻。因為上一隻是Cateye，使用上感覺操作有點不習慣。歸零比較麻煩，但設定方便多了。最大的兩個好處是 1) 時鐘是準的而且可用，不像Cateye每個禮拜慢一分鐘；2) 按鈕比較不容易不小心按到，不會像Cateye放口袋不小心歸零。

變把上只有寫Shimano 8 speed...... S社大概認為Acera這品牌不怎麼風光吧XD
變把兩隻操控桿一上一下真的很不合人體工學，明顯是故意想吸引大家升級兩隻都在下方的Deore...... 不過前年看到車展上有「都在下方」的新版Acera阿，為何成車上都看不到？


SR Suntour前避震。恩，減震能力普普，沒特別好，但也不會像大賣場牌軟到可以晃阿晃的。至少，調到最硬後，還不錯就是了。


Acera特寫。這顆變速可說是滿街跑了吧。


傳動......就標準入門八速系統。鏈條是 KMC Z chain，恩，這不錯。


不知名馬來西亞製雜牌輪框，不過也是鋁合金雙層壁。據說不是登山車的標準26吋，而是跑車輪徑（29嗎？）。說這種規格比較適合城市通勤。

印尼製雜牌輪胎。感覺跟MTA510原廠配的正新輪胎差不多，公路上阻力太大，offroad又抓地力不足，最大優點就是便宜。

Shimano SIS 大盤。那塑膠護盤還不錯，可以保護我的褲管。不過為什麼Shimano字樣是一張貼紙，還有一層透明貼紙翹起來了orz 前變是標準入門級Shimano SIS上擺式。


硬到靠北的Scott座墊。這下我才知道什麼叫做hard tail......路況多糟屁股最清楚XD

騎兩週了，最大感想就是那個座墊真是它X的硬。也不知道是不是後三角或輪框有沒有比MTA510硬，總之路感太明顯了XD 另外，傳動阻力很大，不知道是不是知名BB的問題？除此外，基本上還不錯騎，Acera雖然沒有Deore好，但變速還是滿準的。總之，窮人的入門車，除非我下次回台灣扛一台MTA520過來，不然在這邊就只騎得起這等級啦。

阿，毀了一個實驗

今天心情只能說滿滿的大便orz

早上起床又莫名其妙的滿腦子被Histamine攻佔，鼻水直流，頭昏腦脹。只好喀了兩顆anti-histamine，結果果真給它開始想睡覺，為了下午要準備下週的實驗先睡了個午覺，再衝實驗室。醒來後還是昏昏沉沉，有個念頭閃過「這狀態的自己大概不太能做實驗」，不過急著想要早日有data出來，就忽略了那預感。到了學校，門禁卡沒帶，又回家。然後，第一部份養細胞因為細胞長得出奇的慢，濃度比預期小，在慌亂中完成。接著跑IP，最後一步，很得意的加了antibody，想說終於無事完成了今日進度。結果一轉頭想到，阿，加錯antibody了，對照組都變實驗組了...... 這次重作一大原因是為了多跑對照組說，結果本週的IP就這麼敗給了在Histamine/anti-histamine大對抗中的大腦T_T

如此，浪費了一週進度。Rotation三個月可以有幾個禮拜可以浪費阿，可惡！

At the Bench: A Laboratory Navigator by Kathy Barker

At the Bench: A Laboratory Navigator
by Kathy Barker

Simply put, this is a book that answers all the questions that you might or will have in joining a new lab. It even provides advice on many things we, as scientists in training, would never come to notice but are truly important. As lab training has always depended on mentoring, we lack a systematic way of learning how to start out in a lab; and this is a book that fills in that gap.

I first came upon this book slightly more then two years ago (don't remember if I wrote about the book back then, I couldn't find the post now, though), wondering around the school library as an undergrad, looking for good books to kill time. Some how I noticed this book on the shelf and already learned a lot by flipping through it then. However, I was just an undergrad and more then half of the book was meant for graduate students and postdocs, so I though I should buy the book when I goto grad school.

Well, here I am, just entered grad school, and to my surprise, they gave out a copy of this book to every new student at the orientation! Our program organizers sure do know how to help students get the most out of their lab rotations :)

Teflon...

大家注意喔，油價調漲相關決策完全都是劉兆玄、和底下的內閣在主導，跟馬英九完全無關喔～！