Month: January 2013

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Statistics and the Social Causes of Obesity

— Obesity is one of the major health issues facing America today. Affecting over one third of all Americans, obesity-related conditions are estimated to cost over $150 billion and cause the premature deaths of an estimated 300,000 people each year. Obesity prevention efforts generate lots of press, whether it be Mayor Michael Bloomberg outlawing the sale of large, sugary beverages in New York City or Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign. Given the stakes, it makes sense that people are searching for effective ways to prevent obesity. Continue reading Statistics and the Social Causes of Obesity

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Mind control: mapping motivation with light

— It has been estimated that around 20 percent of people suffer from major depression. In addition to symptoms such as persistent negative feelings, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating, depression can be marked by a debilitating lack of motivation. Unfortunately, very little is known about the biological causes of depression, much less how it affects motivation. In a paper recently published in Nature, however, Professor Karl Deisseroth and his team have begun unraveling the dynamics behind motivation—and the lack thereof experienced in people with depression. Continue reading Mind control: mapping motivation with light

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Fatty acid-rich fish stocks: a sixth extinction crisis

— We’ve all heard news reports about the benefits of eating fish, and replacing some red meat meals with fish as an alternative source of protein. Fish contains a lot of minerals, including iodine and selenium, which are beneficial for the human body. Most fish species are lean and therefore fit perfectly in a healthy diet. Fattier fish species, such as salmon, offer other benefits: they are full of unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for optimal functioning of cells and organs, and for good development of the central nervous system. Unfortunately, these important health benefits are leading to increased demand for these species, which now threatens global aquatic biodiversity. Continue reading Fatty acid-rich fish stocks: a sixth extinction crisis

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Wound Healing and the Immune System

— You’re walking on the sidewalk and you come across a patch of ice. You don’t see it coming, so you lose your balance and fall hard on the ground with your elbow bearing the brunt of the impact. Although you get right back up, a tremendous bleeding scrape on your elbow remains – an unwanted “souvenir” from the dastardly ice patch. With, some quick first-aid, you patch the wound to prevent infection, and about two to three weeks later you forget about the scrape as it resolves itself. A puzzling question from this common scenario is how does this wound (or any wound for that matter) heal? The answer is that it involves a complex process that is not completely understood. This process coordinates numerous types of cells (originating from various locations in the body) to affect the healing response. In this article we’ll delve a little deeper into what’s known about this amazing process, focusing specifically on skin and how the immune system is involved in wound sterilization and tissue repair. Continue reading Wound Healing and the Immune System

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