Are We Wearing the Wrong Shoes?

Some people can find going to buy shoes bothersome, others not so much. Personally I fall under the category that loves to go shoe shopping. There is a study that shows inserts in the shoes can improve comfort and less pronation of the foot. This study was tried on soldiers. "Researches asked soldiers to try six show inserts, which varied in terms of cushioning, arch height, heel shape, thickness and other variables. The soldiers were asked to pick the one insert that felt the most comfortable to them and wear that insert inside their shoes during their subsequent military training. A separate group of soldiers wore standard footwear as controls." When they tried this experiment the result was that the soldiers who chose inserts that were comfortable to them had a lower injury rate compared to the control group. Dr. Nigg came to the conclusion that our body should be the judge of our own comfort and how it should be moving. "Our bodies are 'very good judges' of how each of us should move and run, he said. When we ignore or fight our bodies' natural movement pattern, he said, such as by trying to control pronation, the risk of injury rises. Instead, he said, we should pay close attention to our body's opinion about running shoe options." 

Like I've mentioned before, I love to go shoe shopping. I would wear the most uncomfortable shoes because they're pretty. Now that I know it can cause more injury to my feet I'll most likely stop and find more comfort. 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/05/choosing-the-right-running-shoes/?ref=health&_r=0

Seaweed Bacon

Vegetarians and health fanatics around the world can rejoice to the familiar taste of bacon. Biologists in Oregon have created a strain of dulse seaweed that tastes like bacon once it is cooked. The red sea plant is a vitamin-rich super-food, and had twice the nutritional value than that of kale. With 16% of protein in dry weight and the various ways of preparing it, the super-food can potentially be a substantial nutritious substitution for the fatty and cholesterol-rich bacon. Many chefs in Portland, Oregon are testing the super-food in their recipes for both cooked and raw consumption. Although, full analysis on whether or not a commercial operation would be economically practical has yet to be pursued. Dulse can be grown quickly and in large quantities, which makes it very desirable. In fact, the biologists in Oregon are growing the plant in large tanks at about 20-30 pounds per week. They plan to increase production to 100 pounds per week. Further research is being conducted on the bacon flavored dulse to gain further knowledge of its chemical properties and potential uses. Since the plant grows in water, all that is need to produce the crop is seawater and sunshine. This makes it a somewhat cheap crop to produce and sell. I found this article interesting because, even though I love bacon, I rarely eat it because of its small nutritional value. The discovery of this "healthy bacon" is very appealing to me and I think other people would feel the same way.

Dulse Seaweed

Dolphin Exploring Unfamiliar Habitat

A dolphin has recently found its way into the South River located in Old Bridge New Jersey. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center were focused on finding ways to usher the mammal back towards the deeper waters in order for it to make its way back to the ocean. However, the dolphin choose to stay in the river for another day, which forced the Raritan Riverkeeper group to ascend into the water to help lead it back towards the ocean. The mammal chose to stay in the new ecosystem it had ventured into despite the efforts.

This river being fresh water is not the proper location for the dolphin to be settling. The mammal was not eating and was a senior, making it extremely deteriorating towards its health. According to Robert Schoelkopf the director of MMSC the river was not a safe area for technicians to advance in to with its slopping sides and deep center. The experts are doing all they can to direct the dolphin back to the open oceans and save its life.

As an intern at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center I have had a close relation to this happening. It is very uncommon for dolphins to enter fresh water areas and stay for long, which suggests it might have been looking for food because of the decreasing amounts of food sources in the ocean due to over fishing. If dolphins are not able to get necessary nutrients in the ocean maybe they are going to more frequently start invading other bodies of water, which could result in evolution for these mammals.

Are Kangaroos Left-Handed?

The kangaroo, a marsupial species, is thought to exhibit left handed favorability. Researchers in Australia have studied two bipedal species of kangaroos and one bipedal species of a wallaby. The study showed that the two kangaroo species favor their left hand in all activities, whereas the wallaby favors the left hand in activities such as feeding. However, quadruped marsupials are known to have relatively weak forearms and do not exhibit hand favorability.

Red Kangaroo in Australia 

This new information is strange because true 'handedness' was thought to have evolved from primates and eventually humans. This shows that there is a connection in the evolution of the kangaroo and other handedness species. Although, most handedness mammals are right handed, rather than left handed. I found this study interesting because it shows more information on the kangaroo and their behavior. I always thought they were a strange species, because of their habits and characteristics. This new insight adds to my previous perspective of the strange, but unique species.

Monkey Mud Pies

Vernon Reynolds is a professor at Oxford University for emeritus biological anthropology. He has been studying the lives of chimpanzees in the Budongo Forest in Uganda for over 50 years and for the first time has experienced something that he has never seen these animals do before. The chimps have begun eating clay as meals. Dr. Reynolds theory on the chimps interesting new food choice is brought on by the mass deforestation of raffiapalm trees. These trees leaves can be used for tobacco needs and the tobacco farmers have been removing them in mass amount to cure and dry tobacco. The chimps usually would eat the decayed pith of the raffia tree, which is abundant in necessary minerals but with the deforestation of this tree it seems they have turned to clay to receive their necessary minerals.

Dr. Reynolds has stated that the clay has ““plenty of aluminum in it, high concentrations of iron, lots of manganese, magnesium and potassium,” which is very efficient for a chimps diet. The one down fall is the lack of sodium levels in the clay. The raffia palm trees provided a great amount of sodium to the chimps in the past that the clay does not. There is no known source of sodium that the chimpanzees are acquiring in order to make up for the lack of it they receive from the clay.

This is a great representation of evolution, when a key resource is diminished these chimpanzees have made sure to find a new source to take its place. Eating clay may not be as tasty as raffia trees but the chimpanzees are not giving up their territory that easy and are making do with what they have.

Yet Another Consequence of Noise Pollution

Noise pollution has been an underlying factor in our lives for years.  It’s a product of transportation, technology, and mechanical interactions with the environment.  We’ve grown accustomed to its constant din, and as a result, tend to hardly notice the impact it has on our local and environments.  Researchers have turned their attention to a northwestern region of Australia, an area that is active in its use of oil and coastal construction; an area that is home to more than a hundred species of sharks and rays.  Previous investigations have found that anthropogenic noise can destroy sensory tissues in the inner ear and lateral line systems of fish, which can cause loss of hearing or the ability to detect hydrodynamic changes, which consequently may lead to death.  Noise pollution does not only bring physical harm to the sharks and rays, but may mask communication among species or the sound of local prey or predators.

Sharks are sensitive to the low frequencies that overlap with human-made noise, and though many sharks are itinerant, most sharks in the northwestern region are nonmigratory species.  As a result, they will most likely remain in the same area, even in a particularly unfavorable environment.  The Neuroecology Group of the UWA Oceans Institute and School of Animal Biology is conducting research to determine the reactions of sharks to the several noise frequencies.  This research is important in discovering the extent of the effects of anthropogenic noise on sharks.  With this information, they can raise awareness of the issue, and hopefully take action to nullify it.

Bacteria and Circadian Rhythms

Researchers from the Argonne National Library and the University of Chicago recently conducted a study concerning microbes that reside in mammalian stomachs and intestines that appear to have an affect on circadian rhythms.  Previous research has verified the relationship between metabolism and circadian rhythms, so it is not outrageous to assume that the microorganisms that aid in our digestion can also have an affect on how our bodies handle day and night cycles.  There is evidence that these bacteria also have an affect on allergies, mental health, and weight.

Using mice to conduct the experiment, researchers found that mice with the natural set of microbes (the control) exhibited normal daily microbial cycles, which were defined as having different species flourishing during different parts of the day and producing different compounds.  The compounds, in turn, facilitate the expression of circadian clock genes in the liver.  Another set of mice were given a high fat diet, which reduced the variation in microbial cycle, so less compounds were produced and the mice quickly gained weight.  This, researchers hypothesize, is because too much fat changes the natural compounds microbes produce.  A new set of mice, the “germ fee” mice, displayed a disrupted circadian cycle as well, however without the weight gain.  This demonstrates the possibility of a strong bond between bacteria and the regulation of circadian rhythms.  Understanding the microscopic organisms that reside in us can give us valuable insight into our dietary needs and circadian rhythms.  The researchers hope to continue their exploration of what other diets trigger these responses.

Lost or Found

A new research is being made about memory. Many people have problems with memory loss. This research has done tests on rats with amnesia. The only way the rats would  have reverse amnesia was when there were reminders placed in front of them. "Previous research in this area found that when you recall a memory it is sensitive to interference to other information and in some cases is completely wiped out." With this knowledge it is hoped to find a type of treatment that could be developed for anyone with any memory disorder. " However, these animal models do accurately reflect what's happening in humans and suggest that out autobiographical memories, our self-histories, are clouded by new memories rather than actually lost. This is an exciting prospect in terms of treating psychiatric illness associated with memory disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia and psychosis."

Personally having family with memory loss problems, this brings hope into my family. Although its not completely proven in humans knowing that there is some hope brings happiness to my family. 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150804073706.htm

Hepatocytes Engineered from Stem Cells

Scientists have discovered a cost efficient way to study hepatocytes in Jerusalem. They have figured out a way to create their own liver cells from human embryonic and genetic engineered stem cells. Before this, the only way to obtain accurately functioning hepatocytes was from donated organs. Although, hepatocytes have been created in a laboratory setting before, this is the first time the cells have shown functional ability for clinical analysis. Since the liver plays such a big role in breaking down drugs and other substances, it is usually the primary organ to be injured from drug abuse. The newly engineered hepatocytes can detect the effect of pharmaceutical toxins with a staggering 97% accuracy. Pharmaceutical companies also benefit from this discovery, as it is a cheaper way to study liver function. Also, it gives us access to an unlimited supply of hepatocytes and research. I find it interesting that scientists can improve research and possibly cure many diseases with the simple construction of cells. Just like the supply of hepatocytes, the possibility of further groundbreaking research in healthcare is endless. 

The human liver. 

Engineering Organs

 What if we could build organs from a single cell?  This form of stem cell research has been ongoing for years.  With the successful development of a new tissue “scaffold” technology, this may finally become a reality.  The Universities of Bristol and Liverpool led the research into the development of this scaffold, which is a combination of cells that produce living tissue that scientists hope can replace diseased parts of the body.  One roadblock the team faced was the oxygenation of cells in the center of the tissue, which decreased as the overall dimensions increased.  A new team of researchers found a possible solution to this oxygen deficiency problem by synthesizing myoglobin, an oxygen-carrying protein, and attaching it to the membrane of the stem cells.  These were used as a reservoir of oxygen to the cells.  Dr. Perriman from Bristol’s School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine compared the proteins to a scuba tank; the cells “use it to breathe from when there is not enough oxygen in the local environment.” 

The research opened new opportunities not only in creating new cartilage, but muscle and bone as well.  This new protein development opens up “a wide range of biotechnologies,” and is therefore a large step in the right direction for stem cell research.  The long-term goal, of course, is to be able to provide transplants of healthy tissue into patients with diseased or damaged tissue.