ALS Association Research Efforts Seek

The ALS Association is a national nonprofit organization established in 1985 to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting the brain and spinal cord nerve cells. ALS causes motor neurons (which control muscles and allow voluntary movements) to degenerate and eventually die. When the motor neurons die, the brain can no longer begin and control muscle movement, which results in the loss of movement and the inability to eat, speak, and breathe. The causes of ALS are unknown. The disease usually develops in people between the ages of 40 and 70.

The ALS Association helps people with ALS and leads the way in global research, public education, care services, and public policy. The association maintains an international research program and has funded over $111 million to research collaborations around the globe. As the world’s largest private funder of ALS research, the association actively supports 100 research projects chosen through a peer-review process with leading ALS scientists. Because of the funding, the association has played a part in some of the most significant ALS research discoveries.

The research program searches for treatments and a cure for ALS. The program is unique because it operates globally and translates findings into meaningful, practical therapies. The ALS Association research program funds all phases of selected research and commits to forging partnerships with academia, government, industry, and nonprofit organizations. The entire scientific review process of the program is robust, with a distinguished panel of scientific advisors and specialists.

The association supports 13 scientific focus areas: disease mechanisms, genetics, drug development, nanotechnology, assistive technology, biomarkers, natural history studies, disease models, cognitive studies, precision medicine, stem cells, clinical studies, and environmental factors. For example, for environmental factors, researchers look for lifestyle aspects that may interact with genes to cause ALS or contribute to its development.

In this scope, the ALS Association supports investigations that aim to identify the environmental elements by collecting comprehensive data on environmental exposures. The association also supports the National ALS Registry to gather information directly from people with ALS.

Over the years, several clusters of ALS have been reported. However, scientists have not yet identified the factors that contributed to them, whether environmental or genetic. Researchers suspect that some environmental factors can contribute to ALS in conjunction with genetic susceptibility. One of the first clues indicating that ALS could involve environmental factors was obtained in Guam, where scientists could see an apparent cluster of ALS.

Although the causes of the increase in cases in Guam are still being investigated, and many theories have emerged throughout the years, one of the most accepted theories is elevated exposure to beta-Methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA). This neurotoxin can damage motor neurons. Studies are trying to determine its role in the process of ALS. Other environmental factors contributing to ALS include viruses, smoking, radiation, warfare, pesticides, and toxins in solvents.

Common Types of Fishing

Fishing is defined as a sport or activity involving catching fish. It is an old art with some practices dating back 500 millennia. Notably, fishing developed between 40,000 and 10,000 BCE. Additionally, archaeological evidence shows that ancient Egyptians used fishing equipment, including nets, rods, and lines, around 3500 BCE.

Modern fishing has evolved and involves a variety of equipment. The most common include a hook and line and a net. Others include traps, enclosed places for capturing fish, and grappling devices such as harpoons and spears, used to target individual fish.

There are different fishing types designed to achieve specific purposes. Bait fishing is the most common and uses bait attached to a hook, reel, and rod. Mostly, bait fishing happens on the shore and doesn’t require a boat or fly fishing rod. Fishermen or anglers use bait fishing in ponds, rivers, lakes, and creeks.

Fly fishing uses an artificial fly as bait with a long, flexible rod and two fishing lines. Anglers in the category mostly fish in National Park Service (NPS) water bodies and lands. A person usually walks or hikes for many miles to get to the fishing spot. Nonetheless, anglers may capture fish in streams and other water bodies. Also, it takes time, patience, and practice due to the equipment used.

With spin fishing, an angler stands on a bank and repeatedly casts a lure until they catch a fish. It derives its name from the equipment used since it has a spinning wheel that houses the line and retrieves fish from the water. Spin fishing is beginner-friendly and is used by people of all ages in almost any location.

For those with boats, trolling is a great way. While most anglers use motorboats, rowboats are equally effective. Also, most anglers fish in freshwater, though some go to the ocean where they catch large fish. In this type, an angler drags a long sturdy rod with a heavy line behind a boat and catches fish as it moves through different areas with varying fish populations.

Jigging is a technique where a weighted bait called a jig lures fish by moving in a certain motion. The angler uses a normal fishing rod and dips the jig below the water surface. Once it reaches the desired depth, the angler holds the rod with both hands and lifts it a little, then down again. The fisherman repeats this motion, called jigging, several times until a fish bites the hook, after which it is retrieved to the surface.

Other anglers use drones to catch fish. The drones may be specifically designed for fishing, or a person may attach fishing equipment to other non-fishing but capable drones. The angler lets the drone carry the fishing line and drops it in the water far from them with this technique. The drone drops the line, hovers over the area, and releases it once a fish bites the bait, upon which the angler draws it back.

Other rare fishing techniques include spearfishing and ice fishing. With spearfishing, a fisherman throws a spear into the water. They may also use spearguns and slings to propel the spears. Notably, spearfishing is illegal in some places.

Ice fishing involves cutting a hole on ice big enough to draw a fishing line. This happens during winter and in cold locations. Importantly, a person should drill a hole on a surface thick enough ice to support their weight. The best tool to drill a hole is an auger though an ice chisel can do.