mathbionerd

Yeah, I'm hooked

2012-01-31T10:15:00.001-08:00

Yes, I am hooked on Katy Perry. I'm sure it'll pass... someday.

Music and Planet Money

2012-01-31T10:07:00.000-08:00

I like the podcasts from Planet Money on npr - they're an entertaining way to learn about finances here in the US and abroad. I am often pleasantly surprised by how varied their content is.

Recently I listened to a Planet Money podcast about Katy Perry. Well, more appropriately, about recording agencies and the distribution of the ridiculous amount of wealth that can be accumulated with a hit song, or five (even with the rampant piracy that certain US legislators seem so worried about).

I heard another podcast about an independent musician, and he netted about the same amount from his music working as a free-agent for his initial work as he did for his second album, when he did a lot more work, partnering with a recording agency.

So, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad time for the recording companies to be put out to pasture.

Want to work with dolphins?

2012-01-30T20:26:00.000-08:00

Then don't skip your Calc class. I have a friend who wrote an article about her experience studying dolphins. The spectacular thing about it is that she highlights that it wasn't simply love of the adorable sea mammal that got her where she is now. It was coursework in genetics, and algebra, and biology. It was working hard as an unpaid intern. It was dedication, boredom, and enjoying the enormous, but difficult to catch, thrill of discovery.

Animal

2012-01-30T08:55:00.000-08:00

I have to focus on work today - and I think it will be a good day - so here's a video that sings to me this morning.

Homemade food

2012-01-29T20:27:00.000-08:00

So, I do cook a lot, but since I've lost my iPhone (aka instant camera) I haven't been posting as much about it, or anything really. I like having pictures. Well, no new phone, but I have a computer that makes it much easier to download pictures, so I'm hoping to get back to posting a little more often, with images.

So, vegan. I like the idea of it (except foregoing honey - really, honey? Honeybees are good, and honey is delicious. I could never ever give up honey). But the rest of it - limiting/excluding animal products, is really, for the most part, good for ones own health (assuming you don't live on potato chips and vegan ice cream), but more so, it is good for animal welfare (which is good for both humans and animals, emotionally), and it is good for the environment. So, although we did buy some animal products this week, I'm still trying to incorporate less of them into our regular diet.

Luckily, there are lots of delicious, animal-product free foods!

First, I made edamame-guacamole (same recipe as guacamole, but substitute half of the avocados with pureed edamame). I was inspired because we found a whole bag of avocados at the store for a dollar (they were ready to be eaten today), so I made the largest bowl of guacamole any 2-person household should every have (regular-sized coffee cup there for comparison).

For breakfast this morning (yes, at the appropriately ungodly hour of 7:23am) I made not only vegan pancakes (substituting ground flax seed and water for the egg), but DINOSAUR PANCAKES!! They were really delicious, and doubly fun because, well, they were dinosaurs. Claire ate all the Pterodactyl eggs. Also, in case you're wondering the top is a momma Pterodactyl with a bunch of eggs. On the bottom is a Tyrannosaurus Res attacking a Stegosaurus.

And, last night, I made a very flavorful black bean soup.

Black Bean Soup
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 celery ribs, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1/2 onion, diced finely
1 can of black beans
1 cup re-hydrated black beans (or another can of black beans pureed)
1 tomato, diced
Chile powder to taste

Vegan sour cream (toffuti brand is good!) and chopped cilantro for garnish.

Saute garlic and onions. Add celery and carrots and cook 5-8 minutes. Add beans tomato and chile powder. Cook until carrots are your preference of softness.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-23T09:30:00.000-08:00

It's Chinese New Year today, so I'll celebrate by sharing our annual greeting card, highlighting some of our favorite captured-on-film moments of the year.

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Juicer fun

2012-01-18T14:19:00.000-08:00

I got a masticating juicer for my birthday, and have really been enjoying it (the whole one day I've had it). It is really cool! It juices just about everything. I tried carrots, beets, onion, cilantro, swish chard, celery, tomatoes, kale, pears, apples, oranges, broccoli and cabbage. I want to try and figure out how to use most of the fibrous output (although there isn't much to do with the fibers from the kale other than compost them).

My first attempt was with the carrots, I made a carrot-ginger soup, and it was a wonderful start to our dinner (vegan enchiladas).

This morning we juiced a pear, carrots and a half a honeydew. It's amazing how sweet the fruit juices are.

My favorite thing about the juicer is that I can make fresh fruit and vegetable juices for our daughter (and water them down). Yesterday she had half-carrot, half-water with dinner and this morning she really loved the honeydew juice. Yay!

It's so easy being green

2012-01-18T14:05:00.000-08:00

So, I've not really made a huge effort, and have really enjoyed being mostly-vegan the past few days.

Yesterday (sorry, I forgot to take pictures) I made vegan peanut butter cookies. They were very flavorful, but a little crumbly, probably because I used whole wheat flour.

For dinner I made amazing green vegan enchiladas. I used green enchilada sauce, layered with corn tortillas and a mix of Fantastic Foods Taco mix with a can of no-salt-added kidney beans.

After some research, I decided to try the daiya cheddar style shreds to melt on top and was not disappointed.

I also bought some seitan and some tempeh, but haven't decided what to make with them yet. I'll blog more when I actually make something with them. But, so far our family's forays into being mostly-vegan have been easy and delicious.

Going vegan

2012-01-16T14:04:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm not going totally vegan, but I'm really excited about my birthday present (a juicer, coming soon!!), and about trying to eat a little healthier (both for our own wellness and for the environment). So, I bought a new cookbook, and I'm going to try to make some recipes and them blog about the outcome - both how tasty and how easy they are to make.

Canada unmarried us?

2012-01-12T15:01:00.000-08:00

How would you feel to wake up, listen to the news, and realize that the government where you got married decided to that "until death do us part" really meant "until the conservatives gained a majority and deemed us unworthy of this lifelong commitment"?

Well, that has happened to thousands of couples married in Canada, including a commentary from one here.

I have to admit, there was no earth-shaking realization the morning after our marriage when the world looked different and my life was forever changed. It was forever changed when I decided to spend the rest of my life with one other person, choosing to live with him, do my best to make him happy, raise a family with him, weather the ups and downs, and share our strengths and weaknesses. The wedding, the marriage document, they didn't make our relationship what it is, and the disreputable act of the Canadian government is not going to break up any relationships.

It does however show a lack of respect for our fellow humans. And, it threatens to strip rights that any committed couple should have (such as being able to stay with a sick partner in the hospital, or carried on health insurance, or, should it come to it, taking over after someone has passed).

The finalized paperwork of a marriage implies so many legal rights and responsibilities that it probably shouldn't, but because it does, I don't think it should matter who wants to enter into that contract, so long as they do so of their own free will.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

2012-01-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

Well, she isn't a little baby anymore, but she'll always be my baby. She's been walking for nearly three months now, and is a pro. We were lucky enough to celebrate her birthday and Christmas with her grandparents, and family on her dad's side. It was a truly wonderful trip. She didn't mind (or at least tolerated for a couple minutes) the abundance of hairbows we put on her, even the ridiculously large ones:

She took pictures with her cousins (but hasn't yet learned the reflex-smile-for-the-camera):

One of her favorite activities during our trip was playing peek-a-boo with everyone from inside the cardboard house that Nana bought and her cousins decorated.

She really enjoyed the whipped cream frosting birthday cake.

All around, she's a very happy little girl. She likes waving to strangers, meeting and playing with other little kids, and exploring everything around her. We couldn't be luckier. She wakes us up with smiles and baby-talk, and keeps us going all day long. Thank-you sweet girl for such a wonderful first year of life! I'm so excited to watch you (and learn with you) over the next year.

Not just door to door anymore

2012-01-10T11:02:00.000-08:00

Ring, ring. Or, in my case, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz.

I answered my cell phone, wondering who would be calling me at work from the (814) area code (where we used to live in State College), and a woman with a soft voice answered, "I'm so glad you're at home today. You don't know me, but I'm a volunteer, and I'd like to share some Bible verses with you today."

Wait, what?

As kindly as I could I said, "No thank-you, I'm an atheist," and hung up.

I googled the phone number to find out it is owned by the Jehovah's Witnesses (see reverse phone lookup here). So, apparently they're not going door-to-door anymore, now they're calling. Awesome.

How did they get my cell phone number? And why would they think I want to listen to fairy tales while I'm at work? Or, for that matter, from a stranger at any time of day? It's so intrusive, and presumptuous, and downright rude.

When sound effects make the movie

2012-01-07T20:53:00.001-08:00

Or, in this case, the clip. I don't know why, but this video cracked me up. I know chameleons don't scream, but I imagine that if they could, the world would be a very funny place.

Peruvian dinner

2012-01-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!

Both Scott and I went to pick up Claire from daycare and on the way home decided to get dinner out (usually one of picks up Claire and the other works later then we meet up for a quick dinner at home before getting Claire ready for bed). We stopped into a new Peruvian restaurant, Tumi, and we were not disappointed. Neither of us had tried Peruvian before, and it was fantastic!!

We met and spoke with the owners (the host/waiter/owner was the husband and the cook/owner was the wife), throughout dinner, and also struck up conversation with the only other table, a Peruvian father/son who had come in for dinner. It was a truly wonderful experience all around.

But, let's get to the most exciting part: the delicious food!!

We started off with a traditional Perubian drink, Chicha Morada. Our host explained that the Peruvian chicha morada is made of boiled blue corn and pineapple husks, with spices and a tad of sugar. It was deep purple, spicy, and very fulfilling for a drink. I am tempted to find a recipe and try to make it at home!

Next we had some platanos fritos (fried plantains with sour cream and salsa criolla), that Claire noshed on, and a plate of Ceviche de pescado clasico. Whoa. It was one of the most amazing dishes I've ever eaten, but definitely not for everyone. It is described as, "White fish, made with rocoto, cilantro, red onions, toasted Peruvian cancha, Cuzco corn, and sweet potato". The liquid is called, "leche de tigre", and our host told us that is is basically a "cure-all" in Peru. He said people will order a shot of it (the lime juice turns milky after the fish has marinated, and the spicy pepper turns it a pink/orange color), to stave off a cold or cure a hangover.

So, in traditional Peruvian fashion, after we finished the ceviche, I downed the leche de tigre. What was really surprising is that it is very spicy, but unlike other peppers, it vanishes pretty quickly. I would definitely recommend ordering this dish!

Then, our main meal was Arroz con Mariscos (Peruvian style paella, calamari, scallops, shrimp, baby octopus, Peruvian scallops, clams, mussels, fish and salsa criolla). Our host described it as rice full of surprises in every bite, and he wasn't lying. Every single bite had a piece of seafood goodness in it. We got a picture with one of the baby octopi:

It's a little challenging to keep Claire occupied when we go out to eat, but we will definitely be going back to Tumi to try out some more freshly-prepared Peruvian fare!

It makes me sick to my stomach

2011-12-21T12:14:00.000-08:00

I literally feel sick when I see comments like this (from a friend on facebook):

"AMEN.......the sweet INFANT JESUS ,,,NAILED AND SUFFERED FOR US ALL..NOW THAT IS LOVE AND THE PERFECT PLAN OF THE FATHER...WHO WANTS US ALL IN HEAVEN WITH HIM......."

And it nearly brings me to tears when I hear the "Christmas" songs wondering whether the sweet baby knew he was born to die. Sure the melody is pretty, but the words? Unfeeling, insensitive, and brutal.

These kind of thoughts are sick and demented. In any other context, discussing a child's impending death is horrifying at best, and should be cause for arrest or at least a thorough mental health review.

This holiday season I will be hugging my sweet baby girl, dreaming of her future, and doing my best to be a caring and supportive mother. I'll also probably get a little teary listening to the song below (while I tune out the appalling chants for a sweet baby's death):

The way to this girl's heart is through her mind...

2011-12-19T13:06:00.000-08:00

I'm not big on the consumer-culture of the season, but who doesn't like a new toy every now and again?

Here is a list of neato-frito science gifts for the nerd-at-heart on your list.

It is so hard to choose a favorite. I'm torn between the EcoSphere and the gallium.

Remembering Christopher Hitchens

2011-12-16T10:40:00.000-08:00

Christopher Hitchens died yesterday. He is remembered here in Vanity Fair.

I will miss him for being outspoken, quick-witted, and unapologetic.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Let's talk about evolution

2011-12-14T10:48:00.001-08:00

http://cteg.berkeley.edu/~nielsen/2011/lets-talk-about-evolution/

I think scientists do a disservice to our peers, our children and our society if we choose to focus solely on research, and do not disseminate our findings in accessible language to the public.

Along this line, that has been a lot of talk in our lab about making short videos describing our current research projects. Some are in progress, and will hopefully be posted here soon. In addition, a group of Nielsen lab postdocs are developing short, interactive lessons about evolution including population genetics, comparative genomics, and forensics that we plan to present to Berkeley Area High School students in the Spring. In the meantime, I thought I'd plant the video-blog bug in your mind with this discussion of what evolution is, why it is important, and why it should be taught in school.

It is a compilation of several submitted videos, and although it is a little long, I think there are many great ideas to get out to the general public. One statement from the video really struck home with me, summarizing the integral nature of teaching evolution:

"To teach science without evolution is kind of like teaching sentence structure without the alphabet."

Baby sloths!

2011-12-14T09:58:00.000-08:00

Do I miss having a television? Not usually. We have the internet and computers, and we rent movies each week. But then, something like this comes along, and I feel a little sad that I won't be able to soak in the whole hour of sloth adorableness:

For my last project, I considered spending some time in Costa Rica to collect data on sloths. It wouldn't have been this adorable (it would have been analyzing testis mass from road-kill sloths), but still may have gotten to see some live sloths. The only ones I've seen were in the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo in the indoor rainforest (which you should all go to, seriously, it's worth the trip to Nebraska to visit the zoo!).

Back to work.

Daily Show vs O'Reilly

2011-12-09T09:21:00.001-08:00

Because Fox "News" can't take a joke, and seems disgusted with everyone who shows any shred of tolerance.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

What's better than statistics?

2011-12-07T14:59:00.001-08:00

Statistics and Ryan Gosling.

Your daily cute (from a non-human ape)

2011-12-01T14:11:00.001-08:00

This video is really cool, and makes me want to take a trip to the San Diego Zoo (hint, hint).

This little baby was born on June 17, 2011.

Also, gorilla babies:
- are about 2.5-3.5lbs when born
- can't support their own weight, so mom's hold them 24/7 (attachment parenting?)
- nurse up to three years
- start walking around 6 months

Ballet

2011-12-01T14:01:00.001-08:00

Here's an article about my cousin, Sam, who is now a famous ballet dancer. I didn't get to see my cousins very often growing up because my dad and his brothers lived from one end of the country to the other. I remember spending time with Sam when we were both kids at a house in Oregon for our grandparents' wedding anniversary. The next time I saw him, was at our grandfather's internment at Arlington National Cemetery. Since then we've reconnected on facebook, but haven't seen each other in person. Maybe the next time we visit the East Coast we'll make a trip up to New York City. :)

Fiber One should highlight this research

2011-11-30T14:35:00.000-08:00

A meta-analysis (meaning an analysis of many studies) concluded that every increase of 10grams per day of dietary fiber resulted in a 7% reduction in breast cancer risk. Wow!

I've recently started eating oatmeal (with bran and flax) every morning after my doctor recommended it (he scoffed at fiber additions like Benefiber instead of getting it unpurified through other dietary sources). It's been about a week, and I would say I definitely don't feel as hungry throughout the day, and feel like I have more energy overall (but maybe that's just daylight savings time). :)

It seems that the benefits of dietary fiber just keep piling up, including benefits to "bowel function, gut health, immunity, blood glucose control and serum lipid levels", as well as protection against colon cancer, and treating irritable bowel syndrome.

Now, I just need to find a tasty bran muffin recipe - looks like I'll be doing some baking soon!

For further reading:

Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Sep;94(3):900-5. Epub 2011 Jul 20.

Dietary fiber intake and risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

Dong JY, He K, Wang P, Qin LQ.

Nutr Clin Pract. 2011 Oct;26(5):625-35.

Benefits of dietary fiber in clinical nutrition.

Klosterbuer A, Roughead ZF, Slavin J.

Source

Mol Cell Biochem. 2011 Nov;357(1-2):235-45. Epub 2011 Jun 11.

Simulated colon fiber metabolome regulates genes involved in cell cycle, apoptosis, and energy metabolism in human colon cancer cells.

Putaala H, Mäkivuokko H, Tiihonen K, Rautonen N.

Gut Liver. 2011 Mar;5(1):22-8. Epub 2011 Mar 16.

Probiotic Fermented Milk Containing Dietary Fiber Has Additive Effects in IBS with Constipation Compared to Plain Probiotic Fermented Milk.

Choi SC, Kim BJ, Rhee PL, Chang DK, Son HJ, Kim JJ, Rhee JC, Kim SI, Han YS, Sim KH, Park SN.

Why sequence your genome?

2011-11-29T13:40:00.001-08:00

I just attended a talk by Jasper Rine that started with the topic: Looking for good in the human genome.

He suggested that there should be more efforts towards looking for variants in the human genome positive, actionable, inexpensive solutions, such as changes in diet or exercise.

From the HGV2011 conference, I remember that one of the consulting agencies does this exclusively. They do not analyze or consider variants that do not have actionable solutions.

Although I think research should consider all variants, regardless of our ability to affect the phenotype, I understand and support efforts to publicize the beneficial variants, or those on which the average person can have some impact. Even further, perhaps, is to find variants that are just fun to know. This second aim, while not high on the list of most funding agencies might be the best way to increase public interest in genetics.

Here are variants (serious and fun) that I think would serve to increase public awareness/interest in their own genome (caveat: I'm not sure how much of a genetic component all of these have):
- predispositions to vitamin deficiencies (easily solved by a supplement)
- hair color/consistency
- eye color variants (do you have recessive mutations for blue eyes?)
- toenail/fingernail growth rates
- predisposition to back hair
- number of wisdom teeth
- lactose intolerance (infant, young adult and adult stages - can switch to diary-free)
- gluten intolerance
- second toe longer than first
- height-related genes (two "tall" alleles or just one?)
- allergy susceptibility (environmental and diet)
- how fast is your basal metabolic rate?
- skin elasticity (prone to stretch marks?)
- flexibility (are you more likely to twist yourself into a pretzel?)

Of course, one danger with any genetic analysis is that people might interpret it as limitations, instead of for fun, or as a challenge, or doing something useful with it.

For example, if there were a genetic component to flexibility and I found out I didn't have it, would I push myself as hard at yoga or stretching? I hope so, but part of me might give in with less effort. Then again, I think many people give in without any excuse, so perhaps knowing any genetic components might not have an affect.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Turkey Day

2011-11-28T14:05:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful holiday weekend! Our good friend Sam came down for the weekend, and we had many adventures.

We've decided to start two Thanksgiving traditions. The first we actually started last year: we will donate to our local food bank. This year we donated to the Alameda County Community Food Bank. It was shocking to me to learn that this food bank serves approximately 49,000 people every week. Also, because they are so large, with large buying power, they deliver ~$5 of food for every $1 donated. Donate to your local shelter today!

Second, we are going to participate in a Turkey Trot. This year we got bundled up and made our own route through Berkeley.

Then we all pitched in to make our Thanksgiving dinner, especially the delicious stuffing (or dressing if you prefer). In addition to our small clan and Sam, some new friends from work came over (with Taiwanese chicken and homemade apple pie). We stayed up late eating, chatting and playing games - a truly wonderful day!

The next day we got up early and drove down to tour the Winchester Mystery House. This mansion has about 160 rooms, and is quite the architectural wonder. It was wonderful to see, but the tour was rushed (average of a minute per room) and our teenage tour guide was lack-luster.

Then, on Saturday we woke up very early to beat the crowds and hiked all around Muir Woods.

The park let us borrow the stroller, but we ended up carrying it for about half the hike as we went uphill and through the rocks/foliage. The trees are really spectacular, and the park is well-designed. There are easy-to-access trails, a wonderful lodge with locally-made snacks (and hot chocolate!), and park rangers that give "tree talks" throughout the day. Definitely a must-see in Northern California!

Where's the money?

2011-11-23T10:59:00.001-08:00

A series of plots by xkcd that show where and how money is distributed in the US and global economy.

Breastfeeding tips

2011-11-22T14:11:00.001-08:00

Also, I love nursing. I have from the beginning, but there were days during the first few weeks when it was really hard, and hurt, and I wondered if I was going to make it. It's okay. It comes more naturally for some babies than others. And, in the end, all that matters is that your baby is fed and loved, whether formula or breastmilk. But I also think there is a definite lack of support and information for nursing mothers in the USA.

I'm not a certified medical anything (not "that" kind of doctor), so these are just things I, as a new nursing mom, found useful. I would take all of these things with you to the hospital, so you have them when you need them.

1. Soft shells for sore nipples

They might have them at Target or Walmart, and definitely at Amazon (I got mine at Target). They are a little weird at first, but they help with airflow and keep you from sticking to your shirt.

2. Nursing pads (when not using the soft shells).

They're thin, keep you from leaking all over and keep the lanolin or nipple butter from getting all over your shirt. I personally liked the Nuk variety longer term because they are very thin, but tried several other brands and didn't have any complaints about them. When we had a washer/dryer at home, I also used the reusable ones, but switched to the disposable when we moved. The reusable ones are nice, but, in my experience, don't seem to hold as much milk, so I had more leaking with them.

3. Nipple Butter by First Years.

The hospital will likely give you lanolin. Lanolin is nice, but gets hard when it is cold, and isn't always as easy to spread, which can be torture on already sore/cracking nipples. The Nipple Butter is very smooth, and lanolin-free (good also in case you have an allergy to lanolin). I liked it better, but that's my preference. It is definitely worth having it as a second option, and there are many others. In any case, however, it will probably help to have something to help soothe sore nipples and keep them from drying out (a friend I have even preferred organic crisco).

4. Nursing tank, or some other "easy access" shirt.

Although I didn't know I'd want it, I loved the nursing tank I got at my shower. It was from Target, and unclipped at each side. Now, I've found lots of "normal" shirts/tanks that can work, but the nursing tank was especially strait-forward and easy to use as a first time nursing mom in the hospital. You don't have to worry about all the extra layers.

Another option that I stumbled upon is the "yoga bralette". I haven't seen something else similar to this, and I really love it, especially now that I'm back at work and don't want to wear nursing tanks every day. It is great for nursing moms because it provides a little structure without being too restrictive (and inhibiting milk production), is very flexible for accessing breasts for nursing or pumping, and can be worn with any regular clothes, so you can start to dip into your pre-baby wardrobe again - yay!

There are so many types of nursing bras/tanks out there, that are probably better/worse based on your body type/breast size. I tried a few different ones, and realized, for my lifestyle and shape, the above options were best, but like jeans, it isn't one-size-fits-all.

5. Cool/warm pads
I used the Nuk/Gerber cool/warm packs. I would put them in the freezer and then, when engorgement hit, they were great relief. I never warmed them up, but I imagine they would be nice for that. The benefit of these versus a regular warm/cool pad is that there is room to leave the nipples exposed (especially if they are still healing).

Nursing has so many benefits for mom and baby, but it isn't always easy to go it alone, especially when institutional support isn't always the best. I hope these tips are useful, and wish you the very best in your adventures in breastfeeding!

Laboring medication free: part 2

2011-11-22T14:03:00.001-08:00

I hadn't intended to write this in two parts, but as I started writing last time, I realized I had more to say about why, than a one-liner. Here's part 1. It's also given me a lot of time to think about whether I want to make this public or not. But, I realized that there is very little discussion about labor/deliver/recovery, and other soon-to-be moms might find this very useful. So here we are at the nitty-gritty.

PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.

----

Labor/Delivery

----

After arriving at the hospital, I pulled out my birth-plan to give a copy to the nurse. It was a short list of my preferences, but it could have been summed up in two phrases:

1. I prefer no interventions unless medically necessary.
2. I want to nurse the baby as soon as safely possible.

I am definitely happy that we have made so many advances in medicine, and would never refuse intervention if there was any concern whatsoever for my health or the health of the baby. To me, it isn't worth risking my baby's life or mine for some notion that "I can do it on my own". That said, it is my personality to want to minimize the risk of adverse reactions.

I had already tested negative for group B strep, and wasn't high risk, so my OB was comfortable with me declining an IV unless it became necessary.

Labor, for me, was near-constant intensity. After weeks (months?) of wondering how it would be, and planning all sorts of different techniques to pass the time while the intensity built up, it all went out the window. Labor hit me like a truck. It seemed like one second I was sitting on the couch, the next, my contractions started and quickly escalated to severely painful. There was no gradual buildup, in length or intensity. They were, pretty constantly, about 90 second contractions with about 30 seconds in between for about 9 hours. I didn't have time to do much other just focus inward during each contraction. I didn't want any distractions, and could hardly respond when questions were asked. The 30 second intervals seemed to pass in a flash.

Scott was great because I would get very hot and start sweating during the contractions, and want the blanket off of me, then would cool down rapidly and have chills/shakes in between and want it back. I could barely respond to him, and so I think he thought I was upset, when I was really just focused on the process and didn't have the energy to devote to being polite (Thanks for being so understanding, Scott.).

Given the intensity, if I had had longer breaks between contractions, I might have seriously considered medication, but as it was there was no time.

All my plans for laboring on the ball, or pacing the halls, or all the fancy positions dried up. I did get in the warm shower (and would have stayed there much longer if they'd let me), but then it was all I could do to control myself, and spent most of my labor in different positions in the bed. If I could have drug myself out of bed, perhaps labor would have gone faster, but the thought wasn't a possibility at the time.

Finally, and you'll know when it really hits, I felt the undying urge to push, push, push! Similar to my first thoughts that I was in labor, I had experienced a couple times during labor where I thought I was ready to push. When it is really time, it isn't a thought, it's a need. I need to push. Now. Before that, however, it's probably best not to waste your energy or stress, and wait until the need overcomes you.

Everything was quickly put in place, ready for the baby. The doctor even said he expected the baby to be out in just a couple pushes. The pain of delivering a baby is so much different than labor. In a way it is more intense, but it is also much easier because you know the baby is going to be there any second (instead of the seemingly endless wait of labor). It really does feel like a ring of fire, but it's also a little numbing. My brain was strangely focused during the pushing/delivery stage.

So, I pushed. And the baby moved down. I pushed again, and her head was 1/3 out. I pushed again. And she didn't move. I pushed and pushed and pushed. For nearly an hour I pushed, and everyone (the doctor, my husband, the nurse, my dad) kept saying, "just one more", "she's so close", "push just a little harder". I pushed until I had nothing left to give. Push, push, push, fight, fight, fight. Then, she turned blue. Blue. Very blue. Scott's face lost it's color and the doctor said (as he started the process) that he was going to do an episiotomy. He then told me to push (as soon as the scalpel was out of the way), and pop! Baby girl slid out without any problems.

I was always nervous about routine episiotomies, and how everyone says they take longer to heal than natural tears (which they do), but man, in this case it made all the difference in the world. If I knew that it would have saved me an hour of pushing, a giant egg on my little girl's head, and nearly suffocating her, I would have asked for it from the get-go. That said, research shows that in most cases episiotomies may not make much of a difference.

I ended up with three natural tears that required stitches, in addition to the episiotomy, and a beautiful baby girl (with a big bump on her head). Also, I felt great after delivery. Really great. Wonderful. I got up and showered (with a little help - but it was so, so nice to rinse off). Claire nursed right away, and although I was still learning how to breastfeed, she did a great job latching on (one BIG benefit of babies born closer to 40 weeks, rather than earlier is they have enough fat in their cheeks to facilitate good nursing).

----
Recovery
----

I don't think a lot of people discuss recovery for the mom. Also, I am not a medical professional (not "that" kind of doctor), so please discuss everything with your health care provider first. These things were really great for my situation (vaginal birth with stitches) for promoting healing and limiting discomfort, but there are likely many other things (please share in the comments):

1. The hospital has something called "super cream" that you may be able request (a nurse offered it to me the last day in the hospital, and I wish someone would have mentioned it sooner). It's a salve that helps take away the pain/burning around the tears/stitches/labor-induced hemorrhoids, but is only used for a few days.
2. Ice diapers or ice packs for swelling
3. Sitz baths (the ones at the hospital look like this) to promote blood flow
4. Dermoplast spray for pain (I thought it was less helpful than other things, but a good option to have)
5. Witch hazel for cooling relief

And, more practically, when you go home:
1. Take several pairs of the throw-away underwear from the hospital, it's so nice not to have to worry about this.
2. Take the squirt bottle. It's quite hard to keep everything clean, and the squirt bottle (esp with warm water) is very soothing.
3. Find an old washcloth to pat yourself dry after using the restroom and rinsing with the warm water (instead of toilet paper that can leave little pieces, especially getting caught on the stitches)
4. Take a few minutes each time you go to the restroom to really just focus on yourself and on healing. It's worth it to take the sitz bath, even if you're exhausted, to help encourage blood flow and healing.
5. Ask your partner to help you remember to keep up on any meds you are taking for swelling/pain. Even just tylenol/advil. It is so easy to forget, so having an extra person and staying on top of the pain can really work out in the long run.
6. Have your partner help with bringing you food and -especially if you're nursing - making sure you always have fluids near. There will be a lot of swelling, and believe it or not, drinking more fluids can actually help to reduce traumatic swelling.

This is my small contribution to helping new moms with some of the topics that get lost in the excitement of the the new baby (at least in my experience). Good luck and happy labor!

You can find me on google scholar

2011-11-22T13:57:00.001-08:00

So, it's actually super-exciting for me to realize that people have actually been reading, and citing, the papers I've published! Sometimes I feel like I'm in my own little world, figuring out things that I think are awesome, and well-worth the time, but unsure of how other people perceive the work. Well, now it is easily quantified through Google Scholar: Check it out!

My grandma always used the right terms

2011-11-21T22:01:00.001-08:00

...but she was a nurse. And not everyone uses the right terms, and, as my friend points out so clearly, we somehow think the word vagina is more naughty than penis. He says it better than I:

Helper dog and simple dog

2011-11-15T10:44:00.001-08:00

I haven't even read the whole thing, but I'm sure this describes our dogs perfectly, especially before/during our move across country: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html.

Losing the forest for the trees

2011-11-15T10:20:00.001-08:00

Oftentimes other people say things much better than I do. There has been a bit of a mini-frenzy surrounding the use of the word "fitness" in a sign my labmates took to one of the Occupy Oakland protests a couple weeks ago.

Granted, it is generally the nature of scientists to be sticklers for accuracy, but sometimes, just sometimes, it makes sense to relax and appreciate the broader context of a message instead nitpicking. My current research supervisor hit the nail on the head with his response.

Most of the students and postdocs in my group are from Europe, and many have not been here for long. They have perhaps not quite gotten use to American political discourse and may not express themselves in a way that most Americans find convincing. But at least they haven’t quite lost their sense of empathy and care for other people. I figure that if I keep them here, in an American academic environment, for a couple of years more they will get cured of that problem and will be able to concentrate fully on their research careers without getting distracted by the economic and social problems they encounter in the neighborhoods around campus on their commute from and to work. If I push them hard, the may even eventually end up getting real jobs and move up in the East Oakland hills. They will then never have to worry about the problems in West Oakland again, and can spend all their time making sure they include all components of fitness when making blog posts.

Teachers at UC Berkeley condemn police violence

2011-11-14T09:12:00.001-08:00

http://cteg.berkeley.edu/~nielsen/2011/teachers-at-uc-berkeley-condemn-police-violence/

Knock knock

2011-11-13T16:08:00.001-08:00

It's been an emotional week.

Here's a little comic relief from the Blogess. Read it. Seriously. It's awesome.

Thank you

2011-11-11T10:15:00.001-08:00

Today is Veteran's Day in the U.S.A., and I'd like to say a special thank-you to all the military service members in my life especially my little brother, both my grandpas, my step-brother-in-law and some of my best friends from high school. Being a scientist, I am often surrounded by international researchers who may know one, or two people who have actively served in war-zones. Not me. I can think of at least a dozen friends and family members off the top of my head who have been in war zones (Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as during the Vietnam war, the Korean War, WWII, and others I'm probably not aware of). Give me a few minutes and I can probably list two dozen.

Here is my brother, dad and grandpa, a few years ago:

I was planning to take this Veteran's Day to write a longer post about thanking all of our Military, and acknowledging that there are many atheists in foxholes. While my friends who have served in the Military tend to be overwhelmingly supportive of diversity (whether it be religious, sexual orientation, gender, or you name it), because they all work together towards their common goals, it seems many civilians have difficulty supporting the same thing (in or outside of the military).

But, that will have to wait for another day. On this Veteran's Day I am going to try to raise some awareness about the growing number of suicides among members of the Military each year. Here are two cartoons that really get the point across.

A recent report discusses the severity of this problem, proposing several reasons for the spike in suicides among active military members and also providing suggestions to reduce suicide rates. Some of the proposed reasons for the increasing rate of suicides among active Military personnel (suicide rates are predicted to be very high among veterans, but are quite difficult to accurately assess) are:

- The mental health screening process following deployment is flawed (anonymous surveys show rates of depression, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts were was much as 4 times higher than in the not-anonymous post-deployment screenings).
- Repeated exposure to military training as well as to violence, aggression and death dulls one’s fear of death and increases tolerance for pain, even among those who never serve in combat zones. (Thus, natural aversions to death and suicide are eroded.)

Further, it is estimated that one active service member dies by suicide every 36 hours and one veteran dies by suicide every 80 minutes.

This is unacceptable.

There is help. Now. Right now. Before any of the above issues are addressed, if anyone affiliated with the Military even has the tiniest inkling they might want to talk to a third party, they should be directed here:

Help for Service Members, Veterans and Military Families

Veterans Crisis Line: 1.800.273.TALK (8255), Press 1

So, for my family and my friends, and all the people I don't know in the Military, please know that there is help. It will get better. Mental illness is not a weakness. No one will think less of you for seeking treatment. In fact, we'll be so very, very thankful to get to celebrate another Veteran's Day with you.

Totes for Water

2011-11-09T14:20:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for a gift this holiday season (Happy Christmas-Hanukkah-Festivus-NewYear!!), and like meaningful gifts, but want to give something more than a, "I donated in your name" card, then consider buying a Tote for Water.

The entire cost of the Totes goes to the project, to build fresh water wells in Haiti.

You can follow the link above for more information about the Totes specifically, or read more about how the project got started with this press-release.

An excerpt:

"I want to bring water to a dry, dusty place to bring life to its people who are struggling daily to eat, to bathe, to live with human dignity. I want to build a well in Haiti to help the people grow food to feed themselves and their families. I can’t build a well myself -- but there are people who can at Food For The Poor.

Instead, I can sew, and I am making tote bags to sell to help Food For The Poor raise the money necessary to build a well for a village in Haiti."

They also make handy baby totes (of course, I'm kidding, but who doesn't love a baby in a bag??):

Whole-exome tutorials

2011-11-08T16:38:00.001-08:00

http://cteg.berkeley.edu/~nielsen/2011/whole-exome-tutorials/

Mobius Breakfast?

2011-11-06T15:42:00.000-08:00

I think I'll have to do this with baby girl when she gets older, and can eat bagels:

http://www.georgehart.com/bagel/bagel.html

Venting

2011-11-03T14:31:00.001-07:00

Background: Our ten month old daughter was up all night last night with a fever in excess of 102, stuffy nose and vomiting. Tylenol kept the fever around 100.0, but didn't take it completely away, and today the doctor diagnosed her with a viral infection. We are to keep her hydrated and use advil (the dr claims it lasts longer) per dosage instructions to treat when her fever starts to affect her behavior negatively. We are going to keep an eye on the fever and if it persists until Sat, or worsens, we will return for more tests.

Situation: We stop by the closest store (the Whole Foods Mart) to buy some infant advil to have on hand to treat her fever if we need it. Searching around, all I see is homeopathic placebos. An employee sees me searching and offers help. After I tell him I'm looking for infant ibuprofen, he says they don't carry it, but wouldn't I like to see their "natural" remedies.

What I wanted to say: No, asshole, I don't want to see the ridiculous wastes of money that will not treat my daughter's fever, and at most will make me feel better by giving the illusion that I'm doing all I can when in reality I should be comfortable with the fact that all I can do for her viral infection is to keep her hydrated, play with her, monitor her fever, and patiently wait while her immune system does its job. (Deep breath)

What I said: No. Then walked away.

End rant.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Cathy Oliver

2011-10-29T23:17:00.000-07:00

Cathy Oliver is a mother, but has also experienced the heartbreak of pregnancies that did not result in live births. She is also an atheist. Thank you, Cathy, for sharing your story.

Zeus?

2011-10-28T22:15:00.001-07:00

http://lolgod.blogspot.com/2011/10/polyatheism.html

Occupy wall street

2011-10-21T13:21:00.000-07:00

My dad posted this commentary by famed economist Dave Ramsey about Occupy Wall Street (OWS).

I have to say, I think he (Dave Ramsey) completely misses the point. I thought the essay was snarky, disingenuous, and sometimes just downright mean.

It is a very easy target, and not at all unique for Dave Ramsey to say that OWS has no specified goals. I am unimpressed. He starts this way so he can be open to choose individual signs here and there that he can point to and ridicule. But he fails to acknowledge that there is something very real pulling so many thousands of people together across the US, and after some real journalism, I was very impressed with recent NPR reports about what that is:

Participatory Economics

Or heck, just direct participatory government.

Even though there are a hundred different viewpoints, the reason they haven't just dispersed is that they've found common ground in the shared desire to come together and make decisions based on consensus.

Is this the best way to govern (versus the representative government that we have now)? I don't know. On one hand, who has time to participate, and make informed decisions about everything? On the other, how many representatives and senators actually make informed decisions? I have to think about this more, and am sure I could find some research that's been done on direct participatory government that would have more to back-up their claims that I have now.

The point here is that OWS is not about wall street, or the New York Stock Exchange, as Ramsey snidely distinguishes (Of course no one thinks the actual street is evil - Ramsey is especially dishonest in misrepresenting his opponents' view here). OWS is, I think, resulting from a desire to be involved directly in government and economics - likely as a result of the internet, social media and all of our options for instant-input (text messages, phones, video chat, facebook, twitter, flicker, and on and on).

To support his own movement, Ramsey ends his rant by claiming OWS is actually for something, that they are "protesting rich people who actually earned their money". This is patently not true, and yet another case of Ramsey building up a straw man, just so he can cut it down. Here he suggests that no OWS people are "rich", and further implies that none of them "actually earned their money". Furthermore, he makes other incorrect assumptions to make his own arguments seem stronger, such that most OWS protestors do not have jobs, and continually refers to the protestors as stupid. In direct contrast to this, survey results of occupywallstreet.com respondents show that nearly 70% of respondents had full (50%) or part-time (20%) jobs, over 92% have some level of college education. In addition, nearly 30% of OWS protestors earn over 50,000 a year. But even that is unfair because who is to say the 70% that make less than 50,000 do not

Ramsey is a wonderful writer, however, so I'll end by paraphrasing Ramsey. Regarding his own writing:

I'm not very impressed at the moment. I'm not impressed by your temper fit. I'm not impressed at your disingenuous representations and lack of genuine inquiry into the controversy. I'm not impressed by the fact that the only thing I see about your opinion article is ignorance and immaturity. Grow up.

October is National Shelter Month

2011-10-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

We have two rescued chihuahua mixes. Although they (especially one) cause some frustration, they are a joy to have, and are definitely part of the family.

The first thing that comes to mind is a post by my friend, about National Dog Day, back in August: about her dog, Tootsie, finding her forever home.

I also wanted to draw attention to the Northern California Chihuahua rescue (please forgive their terrible web design).

Also, of course, the Centre Country PAWS shelter where we got both of our furbabies.

science-related posts

2011-10-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

I've gotten a kick in the pants to start writing more science-related posts at my new lab's blog (http://cteg.berkeley.edu/~nielsen/blog/). I think I'll try to post something science-related there once a week, and give you a link here. So far, I've written three posts:

Peer review: not as dark as some might propose

Postdoctoral fellowships

Which exome platform is best?

Books I'd like to read (when I have some time)

2011-10-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

This book came out a few years ago, but I think I'd like to read it: Don't sleep there are snakes.

Feminism in the 21st century

2011-10-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

I'm often torn about the f-word. To me, feminism evokes images of bra-burning women, fighting against butt-slapping, boob-watching men. Because the sexism I experience today is so different from what I think of feminists fighting against, it's hard to call myself a feminist, or to want to be a feminist. Day to day, I would generally say I don't experience overt sexism (except for one glaring example during graduate school, which I'll tell you all about later). But, if I sit down and think about how the media reports on and portrays women, it makes me frustrated.

How am I supposed to teach my daughter that she can be anything she wants, when there are so few examples for her to look up to (e.g. only 3.6% of career firefighters are women)?

How do I deal with the information that wearing make-up (i.e. being more beautiful) makes me appear more trustworthy?

What do I do with the information that women across all fields still earn less, on average, than men (no, I don't think it is all blatant discrimination, but there is, as the article states, a higher likelihood of women working lower-paying jobs, and men working higher-paying jobs - why is this?).

Is it fair, to women or men, to expect such ridiculous body standards?

Oftentimes when I think of gender biases, I find myself drawn to thoughts of how changing standards for men and women will reduce biases, and make life better for all sides. Certainly all people are not the same, and I don't want everyone to conform to some idea. I do, however, think that it should be okay for men to speak softly or have dyed hair, or wear frilly clothes. But burly, buff, jocks, can be just as much of an ally in making sure everyone has similar opportunities. Petite, busty women should be able to pile on the makeup and miniskirts, if they wish. But a woman with a crew cut shouldn't given any fewer opportunities (assuming they both have the same skill set), because she someone doesn't think she's as pretty.

Maybe one of the biggest challenges with gender equality is that ensuring equal opportunities doesn't mean everyone is equally qualified for every opportunity. What I mean by that is that we all have different interests and talents, and we shouldn't try to change the system so anyone can get into medical school. Instead, we should start from the ground up, in pre-school/kindergarden, and make sure every student has the training (perhaps even extra attention, given different home/economic situations), to be prepared for, and encouraged to pursue, whatever life path they choose. Especially we need to make sure that the options are known. I was aware of pathetically few options for my life when I was in high school - and maybe I wouldn't have cared about them if they'd been in front of me - but at least some of them might have stood out. Are there people who study this? The advantages of being well-informed early in life?

Ah, clearly, I have a lot of thinking to to about it still, and will try to work out some of those thoughts here, but in the meantime, I think I'd like to see this movie:

But what if its the wrong thing?

2011-10-13T10:39:00.001-07:00

Mayhem... toddler style

2011-10-11T13:27:00.000-07:00

I'm preparing for this, in the very near future:

For your listening pleasure

2011-10-05T15:13:00.001-07:00

While looking for the original version of this song, I came across this cover, and I really like it!!

What to do when your paper is rejected

2011-10-04T21:19:00.000-07:00

You have just spent the past several months (or years) of your life preparing a research manuscript for submission to Journal XX, waiting while it was out for peer review, only to have it rejected. What to do now? Well, read more here from the editor of Molecular Ecology.

Back in the saddle again?

2011-10-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile - longer than I like to go without posting, and unfortunately I don't have anything in depth to post her now, so I'll placate you with some pictures. In the past several weeks we've been busy.

We've gone hiking at Tilden Park, giving the doggies some outdoor time:

Attended a wedding of some good friends from State College, who got married right here in Berkeley:

Went to Jake's Steaks to watch Penn State barely pull off a win against Temple (although I was secretly rooting for Temple because they were so very excited and did play very well):

Visited Pier 39 and took baby girl to see the Aquarium, where she loved watching all the fish swim overhead:

And last week had a wonderful visit from my mom:

This past weekend we were in Little Rock, Arkansas for a wedding, but I haven't downloaded the pictures yet, so I'll leave that for another post. More pictures are surely to come, along with many visitors (yay!!) in the next few weeks. First we have a very good friend of ours is coming to visit from PNNL, then my friends from Denmark are stopping by for a couple days, and it rounds out with my dad and stepmom coming up for some baby time and to spend Halloween weekend. I am so, so excited! It's wonderful to have so many visitors, and I'll be feeling lonely when they all leave, so if anyone else wants to come visit, I can guarantee that you won't be bored in Berkeley!

I want this shirt

2011-09-12T20:43:00.000-07:00

Scott and I got in a debate about orders of infinity yesterday. Afterwards, I realized how much I love being able to have those kinds of discussion with the guy I'm spending the rest of my life with. And, I NEED THIS SHIRT. :D

Laboring medication-free

2011-09-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

I think part of my hesitation with blogging about labor is that I have been nervous about how people will perceive it. I have had a lot of people make the comment that, "no one gives you a medal for laboring without pain meds", which implies to me that they think people who labor medication-free are looking for some kind of bragging rights. Maybe some are. Not me.

I chose to start labor pain medication-free, with the intention of going without interventions unless necessary, but willing to accept whatever was needed to make sure our baby girl arrived safely. Some may wonder why anyone in their right mind would choose an "unmedicated" birth. I'll just say, it wasn't really much of a decision. I didn't sit, conflicted, wondering about how I wanted to labor. I am just a person who prefers not to take pain medication, and think I have a normal-to-high pain tolerance.

If I really think about it, I can come up with reasons, listed below, but they all boil down to this:

I didn't want to add anything to my body that might adversely affect the labor and delivery process.

Specifically:
- I wanted to be able to stand/walk/use the lower half of my body immediately after delivery.
- I didn't want anything to potentially impede my first experience nursing my baby (there are debates about how narcotics or other pain medications pass the placenta boundary and affect the baby's ability to nurse immediately after birth).
- I have asthma and low blood pressure and have read research papers linking epidurals to drops in blood pressure. I didn't want to risk passing out or increase my likelihood for needing oxygen during delivery.

- I've had experiences with numbing agents (e.g. during tooth extraction) that didn't work completely, and so didn't want to pin any hopes on a pain-free (reduced?) delivery when there was a reasonable chance they might fail.

Even with all of those thoughts, I kept my mind open and willing to accept pain assistance if everything got too much to handle, or labor-inducing meds if progression stalled, or IV fluids if I got dehydrated, or a Cesarian birth if our little lady required it.

I'll tell you now that I am not super-woman, but am an advocate of birth-your-way (in a safe-for-mom-and-baby environment with medical professionals). In my case that meant that I did labor and deliver medication-free (and even IV-free, just sipping cold water and crunching ice chips). I was also very happy to be able to nurse and shower right after delivering. Stay tuned for the next episode, where I'll go into the gory details of labor/delivery.

The evolution of laughter

2011-09-07T19:29:00.001-07:00

Going into labor!

2011-09-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

I realized I haven't blogged about a very blogable event. The arrival of our baby girl! We have several friends who are expecting soon, but we're so far away now that I feel like the only thing I can offer is my perspective, and to tell them that everything will work out, even if it isn't exactly according to plan. We are lucky to live in a country with great medical care, and as much as I hope the labor/delivery/birth experience is what you are hoping for, the most important thing is that you have a happy, healthy baby. That said, the labor/delivery/birth do matter, and so speak up if there's something you do or don't want (if you can speak... I was kind of mute throughout most of my labor). :)

So, let's start at the beginning.

I was certain I was going into labor when we went in for our check the day before my due date. I was so excited. I told my dad and Scott that we'd better get ready for the baby, and couldn't wait to get to our check-up.

I told the doctor "I think I'm having contractions!" with a smile, and he responded, "If you're feeling like that, you're not in labor". But, dutifully, he checked and said that things looked like they might progress soon, and to be prepared. But, he was concerned about a few things so said that if she hadn't come in a few days he would feel better if we scheduled an induction (but, being the very diplomatic OB, said that I could wait longer if I wanted). I said, sure, let's schedule it (but secretly felt disappointed with myself that I might have to be induced, even though that's silly). I almost cried when we got in the car because the contractions were just Braxton-Hicks and we weren't going to have the baby on time, and just because I was pregnant, I guess. It's amazing how much that stupid "due date" affected me psychologically. I know that they can be off by as much as two weeks, but pregnant-me was really fixated on this date, and going to be very frustrated if we overshot it.

We went home and did our best to distract me, and enjoy time with my dad, who had come out for three days. His flight was scheduled to leave Wednesday afternoon (and we were scheduled for induction on Wednesday morning), so I was also sad that he came out to Pennsylvania from Arizona and wasn't going to meet his grand-daughter. Sad, pregnant-me was up most of the night on and off, being uncomfortable and disappointed, but by the next morning decided I'd just enjoy the time with Scott and my dad. We got up and explored the town a little, then came home and had lunchmeat sandwiches and sat down to watch an old Jackie Chan kung-fu movie.

About half an hour into the movie I felt the first "real" contraction, although I didn't know it yet. I got up and tried to walk around and then the next one took me a minute to breathe through. I didn't want to raise a false alarm again, so started quietly timing them, and then when I realized they were somewhat regular and strong, and noticed I might be slowly leaking amniotic fluid, I decided it wasn't a false alarm, but still didn't want to make too much of a big deal. So, I told my dad and Scott what I was suspecting and we decided that since it was still office-hours that we should call the OB office and see if they could check me before we went to the hospital (to make sure I wasn't overly excited again). We quickly grabbed our prepared baby bags and headed over to the office where he confirmed that I was 4-5cm dilated, and definitely in labor. They handed us a wad of towels and said to head immediately to the hospital, and be prepared for my water to break on the way. Eep!!

The contractions were getting stronger and more frequent on the way there, but luckily no breakage. The hospital was prepared for us, and took us upstairs to the birthing room. After getting checked in and changed into my gown I was on the bed when my water broke. I told the nurse the next time she came in, who was a little skeptical, but after checking confirmed I was right, and then... the real labor started. I'll continue this another day (with warnings for the faint of heart). :)

Correlation? Nope.

2011-09-07T09:05:00.001-07:00

best

2011-09-07T07:55:00.001-07:00

"But who can say what's best? That's why you need to grab whatever chance you have of happiness where you find it, and not worry about other people too much. My experience tells me that we get no more than two or three such chances in a life time, and if we let them go, we regret it for the rest of our lives."
— Haruki Murakami (Norwegian Wood)

thief

2011-09-06T11:33:00.001-07:00

This is especially funny to me because our little brown dog always steals (blankets, pillows, treats, toys) from our anxious black dog:

A deathbed story I would tell

2011-09-06T08:57:00.000-07:00

After reading this commentary about a book and story from R. Feynman's life, I realize that I do not fall into the group that agree with the commentator, and rather, fall with the scientists. But I think it is a little more than that. I disagree with the sentiment in the piece that scientists are not emotional. Just because a scientist may rely on observations and dismiss coincidence, does not mean that we do not still feel the emotional value of life's experiences.

In fact, I find it offensive and dishonest when people try to take something personal and meaningful, in this case the death of a spouse, and turn it around so that the focus isn't on the people and the real events anymore, but is on some supernatural poppycock. In doing so, I think the human experience is belittled. We are all here to occupy our small space and time, and I think we should spend that time focusing on our own experiences and those we care about, not whether "the Universe" or some other supernatural personification gives two cents about us.

smog

2011-09-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

We live close enough to campus that we both walk in every day. We walk baby girl to daycare, walk to the gym and the grocery store, and even live close enough that I walk the dogs to the vet. We have a car, for emergencies (like when I was miserably sick last week) and for longer trips, but since we've been here, I think we've used it about once a week. We've discussed going completely car-free, for both economic and environmental reasons, but with a baby, have decided it is safest to keep it.

I'd like to maintain this type of commuting anywhere we move, although we might add bicycling (it isn't safe to bike with the baby yet).

I'm just not sure how to convince other people that this kind of commuting is best. Maybe this warning message we received today would help:

Tomorrow, Friday, September 2, is a Spare the Air Day in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Concentrations of ground-level ozone pollution are forecast to be unhealthy tomorrow. Hot temperatures and light winds will combine to produce poor air quality for the Bay Area.

To help prevent smog tomorrow, please:

- Carpool or vanpool with friends or co-workers
- Take public transportation
- Telecommute -- work from home instead of driving to work
- Link necessary trips and postpone errands if possible

To plan your commute online, visit 511.org.

To monitor current air quality conditions, visit http://www.sparetheair.org

meeting other moms

2011-08-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

It's hard to meet other new moms. It is doubly hard to meet other new moms when you work during the day, then want to spend time with your family in the evening. This morning, however, I met for coffee with another mom who is also a new postdoc, whose baby is nearly the same age as ours. Her daughter was born just a few weeks after ours, she moved to Berkeley from Palo Alto, but all their family is up north, and, for all our differences, we have an awful lot of similar experiences.

The biggest similarities come with feeling sad about leaving our babies all day, but also feeling frustrated that we can't spend longer at work (and nervous that everyone else notices that we don't spend as long at work as we might want to).

For me, I try to get into lab around 8am, but usually don't make it there until 8:30am. The hard thing is that I have to leave at 4pm every day to make sure I have enough time to get to daycare to pick up baby girl. Then, between lab meetings, journal clubs, seminars, pumping and just taking a few minutes to be social with labmates, the time seems to slip away. I'm fortunate that I can work from home also, so I try to save the bigger writing tasks for the evening, after baby girl has gone to bed.

I've decided, however, that for me, for us, the daycare that we found (small, family-run) really is the best option. I have a hard time being home alone with baby girl all day everyday. I think, if we had family or close friends nearby, I wouldn't mind being a stay-at-home mom. But here, where it's strange and there are so many sketchy people wandering around, and I don't know anyone, it is very stressful to be alone all day. Thus, going back to work not only means I have the time off to focus on other parts of myself, it lets me be a better mother when I am home. This is particular to my personality, but it does help.

Now, although baby girl is napping, I still feel inclined to do "domestic-type" things when I'm at home, so I'm going to go make some bread and get dinner started.

routine

2011-08-31T17:03:00.000-07:00

Sometime over the past week our little girl decided she didn't need to nap during the daytime, and instead, all of a sudden, takes an hour to hour and a half nap around 4:30 or 5:00pm. Then, she gets up and we play/eat/bathe/read then play some more until she is tired enough to fall asleep. As much as we've tried to get her to go to bed earlier, I think she's taking after her daddy. She tends to sleep from about 9:30pm-7:30am.

But, of course, as soon as I write about it, it will change. It seems like she hasn't really had a routine that lasted longer than a week or two since she was born, so I'm just trying to enjoy it for the moment.

Caffeine free Teeccino? Yum!!

2011-08-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

It's been over two years since I cut out caffeine. I was much more strict during and immediately after pregnancy. In the past several weeks I've had some half-caf coffee, and some green tea, but am still limiting my caffeine. The problem is that I really like the flavor of drinks that happen to be caffeinated. Of course, I'm always a fan of water (and especially of the delicious tasting water here in Berkeley, CA), but I'm always on the lookout for new caffeine free drinks.

This past weekend I stumbled upon teeccino, a product sold as "caffeine free coffee". Huh? It is a blend of roasted carob, barley, chicory root, figs, dates, almonds, and some other ingredients specific to each blend. It is a ground substance that you brew just like coffee.

It is delicious!! It is rich and fulfilling, and not just decaffeinated, but caffeine free. We have only tried the Hazelnut variety, but it is enough to make a fan out of me. This review has me excited to try some of the other flavors.

My favorite part is that I can drink it anytime of day without worrying about staying up too late, or giving baby girl a boost of caffeine that will keep her up. Yay!

Learning how to learn

2011-08-29T21:01:00.000-07:00

One of my biggest complaints about my formal education up until graduate school is that, for the majority of it, I was taught how to remember, not how to learn. I did have several experiences that encouraged me to think critically, but most of these were on field trips, or with my family. I think this essay does a good job of describing the benefits of learning how to learn, and how the ability to think critically can apply to many different parts of our lives.

A good weekend

2011-08-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we explored the Berkeley Marina. On Saturday during brunch over the bay we saw a seal paddle by, and a small white bird with a long, flat bill fly by the window. Afterwards we walked by the rocky shore and saw an enormous brown pelican. The pelican didn't much care for the extra garlic bread we'd brought, but a very beautiful brown seagull swooped down and obligingly ate it up. I've never seen brown seagulls before, and I think they're lovely.

On Sunday Scott ran to the marina and baby girl and I met him there. We explored the parks and walked down the pier:

One of the kids' parks was especially unique. It was full of recycled material and old planks of wood. The kids could paint, saw, hammer and just be creative, building and changing the playground (under adult supervision). Neato!

Also, we saw a one-legged white seagull on Sunday. The neat thing was, I couldn't see any trauma where it might have lost its leg, so am curious now whether it was born that way or what could have taken the entire leg.

Wine tour

2011-08-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday (prior to the gastroenteritis debacle) we toured some wineries with some of Scott's labmates. Sonoma? No. Napa? Nope. Livermore.

Yes, we went south to the wineries in Livermore, CA. The last time I was at a winery was just before we found out we were pregnant with baby girl. So, it's been awhile (17 months) since I've had anything alcoholic, but I have to say, I didn't taste a wine that I wanted to try again. Scott found one he liked, which we purchased and is sitting in our kitchen, but try as I might, I didn't like any of them. It is hard to describe (clearly I'm not a wine gal), but the best I can say is that they were very strong-flavored, and a little bitey. I prefer much milder tasting wines, generally a little on the sweet side (Wine sushies at Otto's are my favorite!!).

One big difference about wineries in California versus Pennsylvania is that nearly all of the grapes used are local to the area (which I like). But, that means less variety in any given area, and so if you don't like the wines at one location, you probably will not like the wines at the surrounding wineries. Still, the town of Livermore itself is beautiful. It is very clean with lots of quaint little shops and eateries. I would be very happy to go back and spend a lovely day strolling around there.

Misleading science headlines

2011-08-26T23:51:00.000-07:00

I just read this headline "Fossil redefines mammal history" and after reading the article, I think the title is completely misleading. The fossil does nothing of the sort. In fact, as is stated in the article:

"The Liaoning specimen is especially significant because it means the fossil record now sits more comfortably with what genetic studies have been suggesting about the timing of the emergence of the different mammalian lineages."

There is some grey area in exact dates based on fossils (because not every individual that ever lived was fossilized), that we are now able to fill in with genomic data. Certainly, there will still be specific timepoints that scientists will debate, but many of the major divergence times between mammals (likely further out, but I'm most familiar with mammals) are generally accepted across the board.

Science and results are interesting, but by propping them up on misleading headlines the press will hurt, rather than help promote general scientific education. We live in a soundbyte era, and so many people will read the headline, then stop, retaining only that one, shockingly inaccurate misinformation.

Coming soon

2011-08-26T23:39:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to have been invited to update the entry on the Pseudoautosomal Region (PAR; see a cursory description at wikipedia) for Brenner's Encyclopedia of Genetics. The previous entry was quite short, and didn't really go into any detail about what a PAR is, or how it evolved.

I am planning to add quite a bit more background about the evolution and function of pseudoautosomal regions (and how species without PARs might get along). If this seems a little vague, don't worry, I'll link to it as soon as it is accepted.

I especially like that this newest edition will:
- have longer entries (1800 words)
- allow figures for every entry
- include up to 15 references
- be accessible electronically

My article is due in October, and will go through a review before publication, so I don't expect the newest version to be available until mid-2012 at the earliest.

I've never updated a Wikipedia entry, maybe I will be inspired to do so after completing this article.

Misery

2011-08-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

No, not the Stephen King classic, but true misery.

I posted a couple days ago about how baby girl emptied the contents of her stomach all over me in the middle of the night. I wish that were the end of the story. As it turns out, it was just the beginning.

I intended to go back into work in the afternoon, but when Scott came home around 2pm, I didn't feel well. I thought I just needed a quick nap, since we had been up most of the night with a sick little girl. Scott wanted to go do the laundry (covered in baby throw-up) and as much as I wanted to go with him, I couldn't muster the energy to do it, but I didn't want to be home alone either. I think he was probably getting a little frustrated with my procrastinating until about 4:30, when the floodgates opened. I spent the next three hours in and out of the restroom every 10-15 minutes. I could hardly respond when Scott loaded baby girl and me up in the car and headed to the ER. It took three miserable hours of waiting (no water allowed) before we were seen by the doctor, who immediately put me on iv fluids and told me to drink some water. Five hours and 5L of fluid later my blood pressure finally came up and they gave us the choice of another liter of fluid or going home. Since Scott was starting to feel bad, and needed some sleep, we opted to head home.

Baby girl only slept a few hours the whole time we were at the hospital, but hasn't shown any other symptoms since early Monday morning.

Scott seems to have kept it mostly at bay by sleeping most of yesterday and staying hydrated.

I am just about ready to start introducing solid foods again. I tried some chicken noodle soup last night that nearly set me back, but feel pretty good this morning.

Today we've done a lot of cleaning around the house. We also went to the laundry mat to wash everything that came in contact with all of us the past three days. We choose perfect timing though, because it was nearly empty when we arrived, so we finished all eight, yes, eight, loads of laundry in less than 90 minutes.

We're going to do a little more cleaning/disinfecting this afternoon, and take the rest of today easy.

The doctor said to wait 24-48hrs after the last symptoms subsided before going back to work. Since I have one pregnant labmate, and one labmate whose wife is pregnant, I'll definitely err on the side of caution. I can't imagine being pregnant and being this sick, which makes me feel really bad about our dinner guests on Sunday.

We had no idea this was coming, and Sunday night had spent a really great evening with friends, who are expecting a baby boy in four months. I wish we had some kind of warning to tell them to stay away, and very much hope they don't come down with it. So far they seem to have avoided it, and, given how fast it seems to have travelled, I think they may be in the clear.

I've hardly ever had to use sick days, but, given our experience the past three days, I'm very glad we have them. Now, I think I'll go be a good patient and rest - as much as is possible with a very mobile 8 month old baby.

science parenthood

2011-08-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

Last night our baby girl woke up at 2am and proceeded to vomit all over me until her stomach was empty. I took a quick rinse in the shower while Scott cleaned her up, then I walked around with her while Scott googled possible causes. After concluding that the best thing we could do, for now, is to help her get some sleep and make sure she stays hydrated we all drifted off to sleep.

This morning came earlier than normal, and I rushed out to get in a few hours in the office. I came home at mid-morning so Scott could shower and get in to work for a meeting. Then, when he comes home, I'll head back into work for the afternoon.

Baby girl is currently sitting next to me, content to explore the intricacies of the white hemming on my grey sweatshirt. She's been in a good mood all morning, so hopefully last night was a once-and-done experience.

Since my work is computational, I'll be multi-tasking today, making sure she's safe and happy, and reading though the second chapter of "Population Genetics" by Hamilton. I tried to do it on my own, and always found other things to take precedence. Now that there is another postdoc in our lab who is also interested on boning up on the subject, we've decided to work through the book, one chapter per week (with the exception of this week where we'll be reading ch1 and ch2). I'd like to blog the summary of each chapter here, for it each Wed/Thur.

Optical illusions

2011-08-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

Neato! I wonder what kind of implications this optical illusion has. I think it easily shows how our brains can be fooled into thinking we're sure of how two things compare to one another, when really all that differs is the existence of a shadow:

Tomorrow

2011-08-17T22:33:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the benefit of science funding (a half of a drop in the bucket of government spending) is to keep us dreaming of what tomorrow will bring:

business

2011-08-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

Today I had two meetings over Skype. The first was about science, meeting with my graduate advisor. The second was about Graduate Women in Science, spanning six time zones (Hawaii, California and Pennsylvania).

I'm not going to lie. It is really awesome to be able to instantly connect with people thousands of miles away.

Both were very successful meetings, and now I'm very, very tempted to look for a full-time faculty position in Hawaii. I can think of very few downsides of waking up every morning to paradise. Paradise with dolphins!

How to celebrate a two year anniversary?

2011-08-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

With "3.15 hellish miles"! Yep, Scott and I are going to do the Warrior Dash!! Will it really be "hellish"? Highly unlikely, although it does make for good advertising. I expect it to be a lot of fun, and can't wait to try all of the obstacles. Now, costume ideas...

And, on a completely unrelated note: because I love magic tricks, here's one for your entertainment.

Graduation

2011-08-13T21:08:00.001-07:00

Today was summer graduation in State College, PA for Penn State. I am 3,000 miles away, sitting on a couch in Berkeley, CA, my baby girl fast asleep on my lap, dog curled up next to me, talking to my husband (yes, I'm multi-tasking).

Instead of attending graduation today, we shared an omelet and pancakes for breakfast, I went into work for a couple hours, came home and took a nap with baby girl, then we walked to check out the outdoor store and do some grocery shopping at Berkeley bowl, made fish and asparagus for dinner, and then spent some time playing with the baby before she passed out on my lap.

I thought I would miss graduation a lot more, but it just seems so much less important that it did a few months ago. I already celebrated with my family (both my mom and my in-laws came to see me defend) in April. I sent my bound thesis to my graduate advisor, my mom and dad. I've already moved across the entire country and started research for my postdoc. Attending a ceremony now, I think, wouldn't really feel like the closing of a chapter. It has been closed for months now.

That being said, I do miss State College very much and all the people there. Maybe there will be a couple job openings there in the future?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

tiny wires

2011-08-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

Here are two blog posts that talk about new, flexible, electronic technology that can be stuck to skin.

It has a lot of potential uses described here and here. Notably, it is a much less obtrusive way to continuously measure medical stats (like heart rate or brain activity). Thinking of when I worked as a nurse aid this would be really fantastic for itty bitty babies (so that you're not taking up too much room on their skin), but also for patients that tend to be non-compliant (who rip off monitors).

Certainly, I'm sure there will be some other applications. If I let my brain stretch a little I can imagine how this might be used to transmit sound (a new handsfree cell phone?), or, in the not-so-distant future, measure eye movement to control a video game, or measure brain waves to control prosthetic limbs (how cool would that be?!).

Tips for Estimated Taxes

2011-08-10T18:47:00.000-07:00

Whether you have a regular job or a fellowship (like the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, or a Postdoctoral Fellowship), you need to pay taxes. And really the one (very small) downside to having a fellowship is figuring out and paying your estimated taxes. Lots of other people (self-employed, for example) also have to figure out their own taxes. And, if you owe more than 1,000.00 for the year, the government requires that you pay estimated taxes (in no longer than quarterly intervals). It can seem a little overwhelming. Luckily, we live in the electronic era and there are two freely available tools (from the government, no less) to help you.

First, you can use the withholdings calculator provided by the IRS to get a handle on what you will likely owe. Way to go IRS, for making something user-friendly and extremely useful! Then, once you have estimated out how much taxes you will owe, you can pay them online using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS). I am very glad to live in a time where I have these electronic tools to help me, instead of having to figure them out by hand, and mail in physical checks, wondering if they got lost in the mail, or are postmarked on time.

How people in science see each other (by @biomatushiq)

2011-08-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

http://sotak.info/sci.jpg

Tasty Tidbits: The Horse Y Chromosome

2011-08-09T21:04:00.000-07:00

I am particularly interested in anything about the Y chromosome because, as far as sex chromosomes go, it is often overlooked, or intentionally ignored. In genetic sex determination (meaning there is a gene or chromosome that determines whether an individual is genetically male or female), the Y determines maleness. However, it also does not recombine, and is often very small and degenerated relative to its partner, the X chromosome. The Y chromosome also often contains lots of repeated sequences (that may or may not be functional). These repeated regions make it difficult to sequence. The regions of the Y chromosome that are easy to sequence are those that are similar to the X, but, because they are similar to the X, these regions can sometimes be mis-assigned.

So, now we come to the horse Y chromosome. The paper summarized here by Paria et al (2011) is really pretty cool. Without getting into the dirty details I'll say that they do a lot of work making sure the sequence they're analyzing is male-specific.

What they find (and why it's important):

There are some Y-linked genes that are shared across the mammals studied (confirming the shared evolutionary origin of the Y chromosome).
There are some horse Y-linked genes that have been acquired only along this lineage (showing how species-specific gene movements can shape the future of the Y chromosome).
Some of these genes are expressed in many tissues (these tend to be the ones conserved over long evolutionary distances and argue for their importance).
The genes that have tissue-specific expression are expressed in male-specific tissues, like testis (highlighting how male-specific functions can easily accumulate on the Y, the male-specific chromosome).

I should go into more detail, but I'm off to relieve my better half of a yelling baby who thinks she's grown too big for bedtime.

For more, please see the original paper:

Paria N, Raudsepp T, Pearks Wilkerson AJ, O'Brien PCM, Ferguson-Smith MA, et al. (2011) A Gene Catalogue of the Euchromatic Male-Specific Region of the Horse Y Chromosome: Comparison with Human and Other Mammals. PLoS ONE 6(7): e21374. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0021374

(link to paper)

distraction

2011-08-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

I intended to blog something science-like today, but I got wrapped up in meetings. We had a tasty lab lunch at CU Sushi to say farewell to a visiting professor, then I had a really fascinating conversation with one of the faculty here, whose course I will be auditing this Fall. Apparently he is doing some work that may be very closely related to one of my project ideas (something to do with confidently mapping short reads to repetitive regions) - yay!

While all this was going on, I didn't blog, so here's something to distract you from that fact: an adorable baby.

where did the weekend go?

2011-08-07T20:55:00.000-07:00

Let's see, I don't think I update about the mundane stuff often enough, but I think it is good to bring it up now and again. Scientists (or scientists in training), when we're not holed up doing research, do the same everyday things as everyone else. It sounds funny to say it, but I remember reading some magazine looking a celebrities with the caption, "they're just like us", and I realize how easy it is to place people into "them" categories. Of course celebrities are just like us. Well, aside from the multi-million dollar paychecks, and worrying about paparazzi and stalkers.

So what did us exciting science-type people do this weekend? Friday night after work we ordered a delicious bbq chicken pizza from a place down the street and enjoyed some family time.

Saturday we walked up to College street, here in Berkeley, had breakfast then chatted with some nice people on the street while we waited for the stores to open. I'm still not used to how late everything opens in the morning (10 or 11 am usually). Then, we picked up a bridal shower gift for a friend of ours, and explored some fun kids stores. In the afternoon baby girl and I attended our first Bridal Tea. It was so fun to have little tea sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and lemon curd, and petit fours. I don't think I dressed up enough for it, but I think everyone forgave me because I brought the world's cutest baby with me. :)

And today... pancakes for breakfast, then laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning the floors, making dinner and now helping baby girl get to sleep.

Oh, also today, my jaw dropped to the floor when my 7 month old daughter pulled herself up to standing, then, holding onto my outstretched leg, toddled from the couch to the ottoman.

So, as boring as this update is, here it is. I hope you all had lovely weekends as well!

Somebody's kid

2011-08-05T19:23:00.000-07:00

They aren't my children, or family or friends, but looking through these pictures, I feel like any one of them could have been. The pictures are so full of life, and I can't imagine what their families must be going through.

These are the victims of the Oslo bombing and shooting.

Oh, to be Dutch

2011-08-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

Freethinking church officials? I say, the more the merrier.

Shift

2011-08-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

As I walked to pick up Claire from daycare I passed an cafe with lots of outside seating. I noticed (what I assume was) a mom bottle-feeding her baby. My first thought was, "Huh, I wonder why she isn't nursing? Maybe she's embarrassed, maybe her milk didn't come in...". and then I realized what a shift that was from what I would have thought a year ago. Sometime, during the past seven months, breastfeeding has become the norm, whereas before I would have always thought that bottle-feeding was the norm.

But, I am just one person, how do we promote this shift among the general population?

Just after our little girl was born a friend's girlfriend mentioned to me how shocked she was when a lady started nursing her baby in a restaurant they were at. At the time I was more diplomatic, but now my response would be less forgiving. Of course this woman should feed her child, wherever she is. I know that I have often bowed to peer pressure and put off nursing until I could find a private location, but the more I think about it, the more backward this is. Babies should eat when they're hungry, wherever they are, whether it is out of a bottle or from a breast.

Because "Americans only have children on accident."

2011-08-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

I don't understand why there is this perception that being on birth control will cause girls to sleep with anyone indiscriminately. I guess there are double standards for guys, then, because they don't need to worry about getting pregnant, right? That's why all guys sleep with every girl they meet, right?

Furthermore, how can anyone equate birth control, breastpumps, and counseling for abuse with getting a manicure? Grrrr...

I really can understand if someone thinks the government shouldn't pay for medical expenses, but that should include all medical expenses, and shouldn't exclude those that specifically help women (although counseling for abuse is beneficial for both men and women).

I would like to add that I am completely in love with my daughter. And, despite the suppositions of socially conservative US politicians, I have a beautiful daughter, after being on birth control for many years, at a time when I am both emotionally and financially stable. Being able to plan for when her father and I were both ready for her resulted in me having the time to make sure I was in the best health I could be (updated on my vaccinations, taking prenatal vitamins, exercising and eating healthy), before we got pregnant. I think this helped reduce my stress, and helped me be really excited and prepared for about our baby.

I can only imagine how different our society would be if most pregnancies were planned, after women had time to complete the education/training that they wanted, and when most couples had had some time to themselves, as well as time to prepare (emotionally and financially) for being a parent.

That said, can you ever really be prepared to be a parent? Not completely, but you can do your best, and birth control gives women some small bit of control over the timing of their entry to motherhood.

I haven't even gotten into the benefits of providing breastpumps, so I'll save that for a later date.

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Repost: Honey I shrunk the Kids!

2011-08-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

This article discusses some research about and implications of how height and weight measurements of children vary throughout the day. It was surprising to me that BMI measurements varied more between morning and night for girls than boys. The few that shifted from healthier categories to less healthy categories (e.g. from healthy to overweight or overweight to obese). The research was ignited by yearly studies done in England on hundreds of thousands of kids. The major implication is that, of the over 150,000 girls measured, as many as 6017 may have been mislabeled as being overweight. And, as the author discusses:

"Arguably of more importance is that potentially 6017 parents and children would be informed that their child is overweight, due to their misfortune of being measured in the afternoon as opposed to the morning. We know that children labelled as overweight may be at greater risk of stigmatisation, teasing and anxiety; it is not unimaginable therefore that such a letter could trigger unhealthy activity and dietary habits and unnecessary parental intervention."

Accessible Research: the beginning of Tasty Tidbits for the brain

2011-08-03T12:33:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about ways to motivate myself to blog more about science, and I think, do this, I'll just write about the key results of the many research articles I'm planning to read through.

I understand the value in explaining background so that everything is in context, but a lot of times that deters me to writing because I don't think I have the proper amount of time to devote. So, I'm going to try a new technique where I summarize the main findings of a paper, that I think will be useful for me to remember, and then link to the paper so those who are interested can go read more. I'll do my best to make sure these are open access articles, but that isn't always possible.

I am hoping this technique will help me to read more critically and efficiently, and maybe even spur some questions and discussion.

I'm sure the format will change as time goes along, and I'll be happy for any suggestions as to how to make it more useful to readers.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

We aint nothin' but mammals

2011-08-02T11:50:00.001-07:00

So, I was struck today by this thought, "I am a mammal." What brought on this realization? I was getting ready to pump milk, like I do every day at work, and it just crossed my mind how cool it is that we feed our babies milk. To my knowledge, mammals are the only set of species with mammary glands, whether rudimentary like the platypus - who just secrete milk from their mammary glands onto their furry bellies for their babies to lap up, or a pair, like great apes, or multiples of two for whole litters, like mice or dogs or pigs.

We all make milk to feed our babies. I am curious how the content of the milk differs from species to species.

Also, since I've been reading these science fiction books lately, I wonder:
- what would an alien species think of us secreting proteins and fluid from mammary glands to sustain our youngest individuals? (I suppose this includes the assumptions that an alien species would be thinking about anything at all.)
- how would aliens likely feed their young'ins?

Then, I wonder, how many of my assumptions about non-Earth lifeforms are based off of Star Trek, and other science fiction I've seen growing up. How can I start to really think outside the box when thinking of alien life. And then, there's the arguments about what constitutes life. Is self-replication required? What about parasitic life? What about single strands of RNA? What if non-Earth life is not based off of a phosphorous backbone with purine and pyrimidine bases (like RNA or DNA), but some other chemical structure entirely?? What if there were carbon-free, phosphorus-free lifeforms? Are there elements abundant in the universe that we haven't discovered yet?

So many questions! Seems like science is a good career path for me. :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Extras

2011-08-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I have work to do, but I have to finish out the series. I actually finished reading Extras last night, but haven't had time to sit and blog about it until now.

WARNING: I may give away something about the first three books (Uglies, Pretties, and Specials), and maybe even about this book, so proceed at your own spoiling risk.

After finishing Extras I would definitely say that there is the trilogy, mentioned above, and this is sort of an epilogue. The characters from the Uglies trilogy make appearances, but the real story focuses around new characters, in a new town, with a new storyline. I really, really like that this book takes place in Japan - not many of the books I've read (granted this is self-selection) have taken place in East Asia, and so I was glad to have a mainstream book set there.

Once I got over the disappointment of the story not being about Tally, I really got into it, until the big "shocker" that the story centers around, about a quarter of the way into the book. This very strange thing happens and all I could think was, "wait... what?!". I had to put the book down and take a break to consider if I wanted to continue reading, wondering if Scott Westerfeld had just decided to pull a fast one on the readers. Pulling myself together again, I finished the book, and I have to say, it's worth reading, if you liked the trilogy. That said, I didn't feel as connected to the characters, or their world, as I did throughout the Uglies trilogy. Still, there is a lot of neat imagery, and it is a fast-paced, easy read - something that you can put down and come back to without feeling lost.

I've never read anything remotely sci-fi before now, and I think I could get into it a little more. But, I still have two more books (both the first of trilogies) that my friend lent me, so it'll be a little while before I come back to science fiction.

Cop out

2011-08-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

I am in the midst of finishing my last thesis project (studying gene loss on the human Y chromosome), and am a little behind (my own) schedule, so I'll be focusing on getting some programs run and written this week.

In the meantime, here's a couple neat articles.

The first one reviews a new combo-synthetic/natural gel that is malleable until hit with LED light. Neato!

The other is looking at the probability of getting pregnant, relative to the woman's age at conception. They bring up some interesting topics, like how eggs donated to IVF tend to come from younger women, and how there might be good cause to encourage women to freeze their eggs when young to help with fertility success later in life.

Specials

2011-07-31T13:35:00.000-07:00

I sped my way through the first two books in the series, then started the third, Specials, with some expectations. I'll preface that I loved the first two books (see my brief reviews of Uglies and Pretties), and again warn you to proceed with caution if you haven't read them.

After the first several chapters of Specials I was surprised by the direction the book was taking and throughout the book was waiting for something that never really happened. I felt cheated, and frustrated. I had come to expect a certain set of reactions and interaction with the main character, Tally, that I don't think ever materialized and left me wanting something more from the book. Furthermore, about three-quarters through the book my little bubble of hope for Tally's future was popped, causing me to stay up way too late to finishing the book (instead of just the chapter).

I decided to wait a few days to write my reactions to the book because I thought some perspective would help, and it has. I think I understand, now, why the author, Scott Westerfeld, chose to change Tally's personality and makeup, but, it doesn't mean I agree with it. I would argue that the world could have come to a very similar situation at the end of the book while maintaining some of the hope that I soaked up in the first two books. Maybe that's what makes it such an appealing ending for so many people, that bad things happen, and keep happening, and Tally survives it all, even as she is forever changed by it.

Maybe it is because I'm now a parent, or maybe it is because I'm a hopeless romantic and too optimistic for my own good, but I wanted life to turn out differently for Tally. I wanted her to find love and happiness. Instead she found purpose. Perhaps that is better, but it left me feeling conflicted about this book and unsure of whether to read the fourth novel, Extras. Of course, I'm halfway through Extras now, so look for my thoughts on that to come.

1.5 pounds in two weeks!

2011-07-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

Before I get back to science, however, I was just reminded that I told you all I was on a mission to make it back to my pre-baby weight. It's been two-weeks since I weighed myself, and I was a little nervous with the cold we all had, and the amazingly delicious ice cream sandwich I devoured, that I would be the same, or maybe working in the reverse direction, but it turns out that all the walking is doing some good!

After dragging my mostly-recovered body to the gym today for some stationary biking (while reading the fourth book in the Uglies series, Extras), and abs/stretching, I decided to hike back to the women's changing room and check my weight. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I'm still on track, down to 153lbs. Yay!

What makes me the most happy about this is that it is almost entirely due to the lifestyle change here in Berkeley. We walk nearly everywhere (we use the car maybe once a week to go to laundry and head to Target/Best Buy), which means we are guaranteed at least 2-3miles a day just getting to work and daycare, more if we get ambitious for going out for lunch or dinner. And that doesn't include walking the dogs. Choosing to live so close to campus and town has virtually eliminated the desire to drive anywhere.

I am not counting calories, just making sure we have an abundance of fresh fruits, veggies, and nuts at home, a scarcity of unhealthy options, and doing my best to choose healthy meals when we go out. Really, I don't even think about it much anymore because the greasy, fatty foods don't even look appetizing anymore (another win!).

It doesn't hurt that I like to read through Obesity Panacea on occasion to keep me informed and motivated.

Apology for the science blogging lag

2011-07-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

I've been neglecting my science blogging lately. Mostly this is because the time I have left to blog is stolen from other obligations. A rough approximation of my priority list, at any given moment is:

1. baby
2. husband
3. dogs
4. research
5. fellowship activities
6. food
7. exercise
8. reading
9. sleep
10. blogging

There may be some wiggle-room on the list, but this is generally how I'd like to prioritize things. Sleep moved a little further up the list last week when we all shared a cold that baby girl brought home from daycare. And, although I try to cook, these days it is just about all I can do to try and make sure we have fresh fruits and veggies in the house.

Furthermore, I feel obligated to spend a reasonable amount of time on any science-related posts because I want to make it accessible to anyone who might happen my this blog (welcome!!). So, I end up neglecting the science blogging.

I did want to write, though to say that I've really been enjoying my time back in lab, researching. I am finishing up the last project from my thesis work and, although I'm a little behind, I'm really making some great progress. Part of what is holding me up is that I have thought of a few new things to add. So, what am I working on? I think I'll write another post on that!

Pretties

2011-07-30T21:35:00.000-07:00

The second book in the Uglies trilogy, Pretties, is as captivating as the first. If you haven't read the series, or the first book, please know that this review, while vague, will give away parts of the first book (find my first review here), so proceed with caution.

Okay, on we go. Our heroine, Tally, wakes up as a pretty, with a pretty-body and, more importantly, a pretty-mind. This book centers around finding a cure for pretty-mindedness, and we follow Tally who, try as she might, manages to find herself in amidst a slew of unintended (and somewhat awful) consequences. But, throughout the book she is true to herself, and, as readers, we know that she is doing her best, even if other characters might not be able to see past her mistakes.

Pretties is written with the same pace and optimism of Uglies, and I couldn't wait to get to the final book in the trilogy, Specials.

Uglies

2011-07-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

Among the books a friend lent me was the first in the Uglies triology. I sped through the first book, and was so excited after finishing it, that the next day we went around to the used bookstores in town until I got the rest of the trilogy and the follow up book. But I'll not get ahead of myself.

I think the first book, Uglies, is fantastic. I couldn't put it down. It is hard to describe without giving too much away, but I'll do my best. The story is set somewhere in the future where our own time is a distant, but not forgotten past. Someone is born as a littlie (which my mind always wants to read as "little"), then turn into an "ugly" as they hit puberty, where they stay until their sixteenth birthday when they have the operation to turn "pretty". We follow Tally, a soon-to-be sixteen-year-old, who can't wait to be a pretty, when it all goes wrong. She is an endearing protagonist. Tally isn't perfect, and through her mistakes we learn that the operation to turn everyone pretty, and level the playing field (so we don't judge people based on their looks), has far-reaching, and unexpected consequences. I like the way the author, Scott Westerfeld, describes the future. I can picture the world he has created, and also can imagine how the characters view our own time. The novel is fast-paced, intriguing and left me salivating for the next book.

iPad2 gut reaction

2011-07-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

So, I've only had my iPad2 for a few days, and I have to say, it's really cool. I expected to be underwhelmed, but when I hold it, I feel excited, giddy, like I'm really in the future. I would probably feel this way with any tablet, not just the iPad2, but that's what I have, so that's what I'm going to gush about.

For some reason it gives such a different feeling that when I had my iPhone. It is more substantial, but also small and convenient. The apps are really what make it so awesome. That I can read a book, listen to my music, peruse blogs, type emails, take hand-written notes, even work on documents, so easily, in such a compact, but viewable screen, is just mind-blowing. It is so portable, great battery life, and just fun.

Of course there are features I wish it had - most striking is how terrible the camera is (which is surprising given at how awesome the iPhone4 camera is). The video is okay quality, though, just bad for still shots. But, we'll save that discussion for another day.

For now, I'm just going to enjoy it's ~~awesomeness~~ vaginalness.

Skeletons in my closet

2011-07-27T12:45:00.001-07:00

There isn't a dedicated nursing/pumping room in my building, but I was lucky enough to run into a woman who said I could use her storage closet. It is keycard access, which limits the likelihood I'll get walked in on, has some desk space, a sink, a window, àand a bunch of neat anatomy props!! Below are my new skeleton buddies:

The space is actually much nicer than the basement room, two buildings over that I used at Penn State, and doubly fast (because of the same building and because I can leave my equipment in the room). Yay!!

What I like most about finding this room is the lack of red tape. There is paperwork and signatures to a get access to a room at PSU, but here the access to the official pumping/nursing rooms was very easy, and they encouraged me to ask my department for a closer space. I don't need the room all the time, just once or twice a day for 15-20 min., so this actually helps the university by not holding up a room all day for sparse use. I wish all employers could be this practical.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Summer's Eve Fail

2011-07-27T09:12:00.000-07:00

I should state, in full disclosure, that I think Summer's Eve products, and douching in general, are designed to prey upon womens' feelings of insecurity "down there", which are often played up in sexist jokes. Also, if you only have time to view one video, please watch the one at the end of this post.

So, how did I feel when a friend asked me about the Colbert parody of a Summer's Eve ad? Confused at first, because I hadn't seen the ads. Then, defensive, disgusted and horrified... with Summer's Eve.

You can see both (although not safe for work) here:

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

I think Colbert's satire regarding the Summer's Eve ads is hilarious. His parody commercial... eh, it's alright. It is raunchy, but so is the Summer's Eve ad.

I have to agree with the commentary that, "or some viewers the clips are managing to hit that magical advertising sweetspot of being both sexist and racist". However, I can sympathize with the plight of S.E. when they assert they are trying to combat the stigma still associated with lady part, for example that theg the word "vagina" is still not allowed on some stations.

Maybe, instead of getting the word "vagina" into common usage by referring to it as dirty and gross, in need of cleaning, we could do something like this:

Vigilante justice will kill innocent people

2011-07-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

I don't watch tv, and didn't get wrapped up in the Casey Anthony case, but I did hear the reaction. A lot of people are sure that this woman purposefully killed her daughter, and they want blood.

Well, they're trying to get it, even if it means killing innocent people whose only crime is their physical similarity to Casey Anthony.

We, as a nation, need to take a collective breath, and calm down. Killing anyone isn't going to make this little girl come back. We, thankfully, don't live in an "eye for an eye" justice system. Justice isn't black and white, and although she isn't always blind, I like to think that in the US, we do still presume people are innocent until proven guilty by a jury of peers. In this, as in all high-profile cases, the public has come to their own conclusions. If I had been following it more closely, I probably would have a more biased opinion also, it's human nature to draw conclusions.

However, the knee-jerk reaction to the innocent (of murder) charges against Casey Anthony are too severe, and won't save children. See "Why 'Caylee's Law' is a Bad Idea". And, as is clear in both links, may serve to further harm families.

That being said, as a parent, and a sentient human being, the thought of anything happening to a child, especially my child, sends chills down my spine, and turns on my defensive mode. I want to do everything to protect her, and I'm also terrified, every day, of her accidental death. I want to do everything to keep her safe, healthy and happy, but I don't think arbitrary rules are going to help me towards that goal. Further, people attempting to take the law into their own hands is certainly not going to help, and will likely just cause further heartbreak.

So please, try to separate your anger and frustration at the Casey Anthony case, from your desire to protect children.

Instead, let's try to think of productive ways to make life better for our children. Here's a few off the top of my head:

- Increase the availability of mental health care, especially for parents of young children (who might be particularly stressed, sleep-deprived, and may not know that there is help).

- Get to know your neighbors, be friendly, offer help with what you can, or just a smile.

- Take the time to get to know your co-workers (as much as is appropriate for your profession). Simply having an outlet might be a lifeline for someone.

- In general, try to be patient, and try, hard as it might be, to understand how difficult it can be to ask for help. Think of ways to facilitate a warm, cooperative environment.