1st Batxillerat Review

My first year of Batxillerat was a bit strange because it passed very fast.

First of all, it was a quite complicated year because if you wanted to take a good mark you had to study a lot (not like in ESO, where you can take good marks without studying a lot).

In 1st Batxillerat you don't have as many projects or homework than in 3rd or 4th of ESO. And this fact helps a lot because you can be more focused on studying every single subject.

Then, I noticed that my level dropped down from the first term to the third term, so my marks dropped to. I know it is a difficult year but it is not an excuse.
I considere I have learnt a lot during the school year. 

I hope to remain the level and can take good marks to study the degree I want.

So, 1st Batxillerat was a profitous year because I learned a lot thanks to the teachers and, above all, thanks to the classmates I had.

News: Biologists Identify Vulnerability in Brain Cancer Cells

Researchers have discovered a vulnerability of brain cancer cells that could offer a new opportunity for treatment of glioblastoma. Researchers find a subset of glioblastoma tumor cell that is dependent on a particular enzyme that breaks down the amino acid glycine. Without this enzyme, toxic metabolic byproducts build up inside the tumor cells, and they die. Blocking this enzyme in glioblastoma cells could offer a new way to combat this tumors. Loss of GLDC produces a disorder (nonketotic hyperglycinemia, which can cause severe mental retardation). The researchers found that GLDC is overexpressed only in glioblastoma cells with SHMT2 gene. Those cells are dependent on GLDC and when they lose it, they die. SHMT2 is expressed most highly in cancer cells and gives these cells a survival edge because it can indirectly influence the activity of PKM2 enzyme, that can impact whether cells can generate the material to build new cancer cells, but the same regulation also affects the consumption of oxygen. Without GLDC, glycine enters a different metabolic pathway that generates toxic products that accumulate and kill the cell. The finding also raises the possibility that these GLDC-dependent cells could be killed with drugs that block GLDC activity.

Source: Anne Trafton, MIT News
source

My top 10 favourite rock bands and some of their songs

1. The Beatles: I think this was the first rock band I heard about and I interested in, so because of that I put them in the first place.
Hey Jude, A day in the life, Let it be are my favourite songs.
2. The Rolling Stones: This is a great band that I admire because they are from the "Old School".
Satisfaction, Gimme Shelter, Sympathy for the devil.
3. AC/DC: This is the band I listen to more frecuently and that I like the most now. I really enjoy listening to Angus Young solos.
You shoock me all night long, Back in black or Highway to hell.
4. Guns n' Roses: I like this band because of their awsome guitarrist: Slash, with a fantastic artistic career that has made everyone enjoy.
Paradise City, Welcome to the jungle or Sweet Child O'mine are some of the songs that I love.
5. Metallica: Master of puppets, One.
6. Jimmy Hendrix: I think he is one of the bests guitarrists of all times.
Voodoo Child, All along the watchtower.
7. Led Zeppelin: Starway to heaven, Kashmir.
8. Nirvana: a revolutionary band that made enjoy all their fans.
The man who sold the world, Smells like teens spirit.
9. Red Hot Chili Peppers: Californication, Soul to squeeze.
10. U2: With or without you, One.

It is a very subjective classification. Maybe some people like it or maybe others hate it but this is a honest opinion in what I really believe.

My favourite cartoons

My favourite cartoons are The Simpsons. I think this is the best show ever because you don't get borred (you cannot get borred) with any episode. It's a very clever and intelligent show that rewards paying attention. There are always references to many things that in every viewing of an episode you will find something you hadn't before.

At first, The Simpsons achieved their popularity from the everyday episodes and way of life of the Simpson family. Homer is very lazy and doesn't like his job, Bart doesn't study at school and hi is a naughty boy. Marge a usual housewife, responsible and the voice of reason. Lisa, the smartest member of the family, and maybe the different of the family. And finally Maggie, not a simple baby , but a member of the family that plays and important roll in the show. This program makes funny imperfect things. This show is packed with jokes and because it's a cartoon, the writers can get away with surreal scenes.

So better you saw it and don't miss any episode of this peculiar family.

Book Review: Officially Dead. Richard Prescott

This book talks about a failed robbery. The main characters are Collin and Julie Fenton, a couple who work on their own Informatics company; and John and Linda Bentley, apparently a common couple, they had a hard past (he was a thief and she was abandoned by her mother).

One night, Collin Fenton went to a pub and met the Bentley family. He and John were indentical and because of that, Linda decided to get closer with Collin to prepare the perfect alibi for the "perfect robbery". By the other side, the Fenton's company didn't produced enough and had many debts. That's why Collin accepted to help the Bentleys to make the robbery, but Julie didn't know that.

Unfortunately the plan went wrong: Collin had an accident and died as John Bentley, so now the Bentleys could make the robbery without any danger.

But there was a witness in the accident, Mark Ashwood. When Collin died he told Mark: "Tell Julie I am sorry". He went to the Bentleys house and discovered that Bentley widow's name was Linda.

From this point of the story, Mark met Julie and solved the case. Then, they started living together. After the robbery, the Bentleys escaped to Spain. Finally, seven years past and they were arrested.

I didn't feel identified with any of the scenes of the book, but I think it is a good novel from the point of view of detective narration. I recommend it to everyone who likes this kind of novels, with action, investigations and a happy end.

SOMBOITS

Somboits is the name of my new group, an Empordanès group born in early 2015. It is formed by 8 great music students eager to form a group and to make people sing and dance with their music.
We considere that we have not a difining style or kind of music because we play a great variety of music styles.
The members of the group are:
Roger Carreras: the guitarrist and principal vocalist (although he is a great drummer and percussionist). He is the soul of the group.
Martí Sanchez: the pianist, accordionist (and any instrument you can imagine) and second vocalist. He is the soul of the group, too.
Ot Subiranas: the bassist.
Arnau Grau: the drummer.
Ion Cortada: percussion instruments and third vocalist.
Josep Comas: the trumpeter and chorister.
Pau Torras: saxophonist and chorister.
And me, Gabrirel Almeida: fiscorn/trombonist.

For more information: https://www.facebook.com/somboits

News: Energy Drinks Significantly Increase Hyperactivity and Inattention in Children

Middle-school children who consume amounts of sweetened energy drinks are 66% more likely to suffer from hyperactivity and inattention symptoms. The finding has implications for school success and experts recommend children avoid energy drinks, which also often contain caffeine. Boys (specielly black and Hispanic boys) were more likely to consume energy drinks than girls. "The results support the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that parents should limit consumption of sweetened beverages and that children should not consume any energy drinks.” 

Previous research has shown a strong correlation between children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and poor academic outcomes, greater difficulties with peer relationships, and increased susceptibility to injuries. 

In addition to hyperactivity and inattention, sugared beverages also impact childhood obesity and sugar-sweetened beverages are a leading cause of added calories in the diets of obese children. 

Source: Michael Greenwood, Yale University

source

News: Engineers Develop Probiotics That Can Detect Tumors

A team of engineers, by using probiotics, has devised a new way to detect cancer that metastasize to the liver. Those patients with liver's cancer have a higher survival rate, so there’s a particular need for detecting its early metastasis. The researchers programmed a strain of bacteria E. coli to produce a luminescent signal that can be detected with a urine test.

Previous studies had shown that bacteria E. coli can penetrate and grow in the tumor microenvironment, where there are lots of nutrients and the body’s immune system is compromised. Because of this, scientists have been trying to develop bacteria as a possible vehicle for cancer treatment. The researchers decided to investigate the possibility of delivering the bacteria orally. This allowed the team to develop a diagnostic specialized for liver tumors. In tests in mice with colon cancer that has spread to the liver, the probiotic bacteria colonized nearly 90% of the metastatic tumors.  The researchers focused on the liver because it is difficult to diagnose metastatic tumors there. With the new system, they can detect bigger liver tumors offering more sensitivity than imaging methods. The MIT team is now pursuing the idea of using probiotic bacteria to treat cancer, as well as for diagnosing it.

Source: Anne Trafton, MIT News

source

Summer 2015

Now we have almost finished, I can only think about summer. This was a very hard year and I think we deserve these summer holidays.

During the vacations I will go very often to the beach and spent time with my friends. I will use summer to get away

But I have to "hardwork" to: I must work on the research project, so when classes start again, I will not have so much pressure. And my tutor will be proud and confident with me. However, I have to study a lot the fiscorn to progress and improve my level (I hope next season I will be ready to play in a good professional cobla). And I will take some classes to brush up my knowledge about what I've learnt this year (Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Biology). I say "hardwork" because I have to do it well, but I don't mind because I like to do it and, what's more important, I enjoy doing it.

Then, I'm sure I will rehearse a lot with SOMBOITS to be ready to do a great concert if someone hires us.

And maybe I will go a whole weekend to Italy to visit my family that lives there.

Maybe it is not the most exciting summer but I like the plan.