Personal diagnosis : Disc Protrusion

Spinal disc herniation or disc protrusion in the lumbar region. Cause unsure. Symptom observed includes sciatica, specifically pain in the lower back, right buttock and right leg. Pain started mid-2011, during involvement in shooting sports which started in February 2011. The sport was put on hiatus due to inability to perform because of severe pain. Treatment of surgery and painkillers alleviated the pain but recovery remains incomplete and not absolute. Physiotherapy reduced the pain and allowed me to walk better. After about 10 sessions, physiotherapy was discontinued and use of painkiller Arcoxia was replaced with Celebrex which was more effective in alleviating the pain. A few months after surgery, use of Celebrex was discontinued because the pain became more manageable. Timeline is uncertain. Starting late June 2013, the pain increased. This is suspected due to growth. Daily usage of Celebrex was continued. Further actions are yet to be decided.

Pareidolia

Pareidolia is a type of apophenia involving the perception of images or sounds in random stimuli, for example, hearing a ringing phone while taking a shower.

Apophenia is seeing patterns in random data, patterns that do not exist.

Pareidolia is a subset of apophenia.

FISH (Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization)

I am currently studying the Human Genome Project. Found an interesting new term related to DNA sequencing. Admittedly, this info is stolen from the National Human Genome Research Institute website right here.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) provides researchers with a way to visualize and map the genetic material in an individual's cells, including specifc genes or portions of genes. This is important for understanding a variety of chromosomal abnormalities and other genetic mutations. Unlike most other techniques used to study chromosomes, FISH does not have to be performed on cells that are actively dividing. This makes it a very versatile procedure.

FISH is useful, for example, to help a researcher identify where a particular gene falls within an individual's chromosomes. The first step is to prepare short sequences of single-stranded DNA that match a portion of the gene the researcher is looking for. These are called probes. The next step is to label these probes by attaching one of a number of colors of fluorescent dye.DNA is composed of two strands of complementary molecules that bind to each other like chemical magnets. Since the researchers' probes are single-stranded, they are able to bind to the complementary strand of DNA, wherever it may reside on a person's chromosomes. When a probe binds to a chromosome, its fluorescent tag provides a way for researchers to see its location.

Scientists use three different types of FISH probes, each of which has a different application:
Locus specific probes bind to a particular region of a chromosome. This type of probe is useful when scientists have isolated a small portion of a gene and want to determine on which chromosome the gene is located.
Alphoid or centromeric repeat probes are generated from repetitive sequences found in the middle of each chromosome. Researchers use these probes to determine whether an individual has the correct number of chromosomes. These probes can also be used in combination with "locus specific probes" to determine whether an individual is missing genetic material from a particular chromosome.
Whole chromosome probes are actually collections of smaller probes, each of which binds to a different sequence along the length of a given chromosome. Using multiple probes labeled with a mixture of different fluorescent dyes, scientists are able to label each chromosome in its own unique color. The resulting full-color map of the chromosome is known as a spectral karyotype. Whole chromosome probes are particularly useful for examining chromosomal abnormalities, for example, when a piece of one chromosome is attached to the end of another chromosome.

Career : Laboratory Geneticist

Currently considering careers related to genetics. I haven't read all the links yet. Significant updates will be posted.

Laboratory Geneticist

Source 1.* Research and study the inheritance of traits at the molecular, organism or population level. May evaluate or treat patients with genetic disorders.

Source 2.** Application of modern genetic technology to agriculture, legal or police work, pharmaceutical development, and clinical medicine requires the services of sophisticated laboratories. These laboratories are staffed by scientists trained inmolecular biology,cytogenetics, biochemical genetics, immunogenetics, and related disciplines. Genetic laboratory directors usually hold Ph.D. degrees or M.D. degrees with specialization in laboratory medicine. Most individuals becoming genetic laboratory technologists have four to six years of university education. Some genetic laboratories require their staff to have specific training and certification in cytogenetic or medical technology. Other genetic laboratories hire people with any relevant B.S. or M.S. degree as long as they can show an aptitude for the detailed technical and clinically important work being performed. The career of a laboratory geneticist offers the opportunity to apply genetics "hands on" to a variety of important problems.

Links for Laboratory Geneticist : * http://www.mymajors.com/careers-and-jobs/laboratory-geneticist

Links for careers in genetics: Job Optionshttp://www.kumc.edu/gec/prof/career.htmlhttp://afterschool.my/course-description/biology/** http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080801080054AAf5nz2