Category Archives: Science Communication

Getting a Grip on Hydrogen Fuel: Metal-Organic Frameworks

Posted on November 28, 2013 by nsmyrnis | Leave a comment

Hydrogen is considered as one of the most volatile elements known to man. Yet, if this explosive hydrogen gas can be safely stored it can instead be used as a new fuel source, which would benefit the world at large. Recent advances in chemical engineering have produced a family of materials, with the ability to efficiently adsorb (store) hydrogen gas. These materials, known as Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), are a molecular structure that allows us the opportunity to take advantage of hydrogen as a fuel source. There are several benefits to using hydrogen as an energy source, one being that it can be readily produced for domestic use. For example, hydrogen can be generated from natural gas and biogas sources, as well as through the electrolysis (splitting) of water. This is favourable because the sources required to produce hydrogen are renewable, thus there is no need to worry about production shortages. Another advantage is that hydrogen is eco-friendly, in that using it in a fuel cell does not produce any greenhouse gases or air pollutants, and is not contributing to the effects of global warming.

In the following video, the basis of metal-organic frameworks in hydrogen gas storage is discussed, along with the associate research published by UBC graduate student Angela Crane:

With so many potential benefits, you may wonder why MOF technology is not currently being utilized in hydrogen-fueled vehicles, to provide a viable green alternative. The problem lies with the MOF’s mechanism of hydrogen adsorption and desorption (release), where the flow of hydrogen in and out of the structure is, for the most part, only through methods involving extreme cooling and heating. This system of temperature-regulated gas delivery enables precise control over hydrogen flow and greater storage capacities, however it is an impractical system to adopt in vehicles.

Triptycene
Source: Animated

To remove the need of temperature for driving gas regulation and improving overall storage in the MOF structure, scientists are actively searching to optimize the material. They do this by increasing the available hydrogen binding sites and encouraging optimal pore-size, meaning hydrogen is better able to enter and remain in the MOF. In her research, Angela Crane investigats triptycene and pentiptycene, two large organic linkers with the potential for optimal pore size and orientation, thus being favourable in adsorbing hydrogen. When the MOF’s were tested for gas adsorption, however, she discovered that the complexity of the structure led to blockage of the pore-openings. This finding illustrates how the mechanics behind metal-organic frameworks are more complex than what one would expect from its relatively simple molecular structure.

Source Wikipedia: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IRMOF-1_wiki.png

Hydrogen fuel cells have the potential to revolutionize how we power the world. These devices lack all the liabilities associated with more conventional fossil fuels; most importantly pollution, and even other, less recognized concerns such as global conflict and of the depletion natural resources. The current state of hydrogen fuel cell research has some significant drawbacks that will have to be addressed in order for this technology to become a viable alternative energy source. Currently, conventional methods for producing hydrogen gas relies on the use of methane, a fossil fuel, making this process inherently unsustainable. There is hope, however, in the way of MOFs, which may one day provide an effective storage medium for hydrogen gas, if a sustainable method of hydrogen synthesis can be found.

Information on the drawbacks of hydrogen fuel is available below:

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While the focus of metal-organic frameworks has been primarily based on hydrogen storage, MOFs have shown potential in various other applications as well. MOFs are currently being implemented for a variety of uses; acting as filtration systems, drug delivery components, fluorescent-imaging vectors and catalytic systems, to name a few. Due to the relatively simple production process, MOFs have now become commercially mass-produced. With their basic structure and efficient manufacture, the future for metal-organic frameworks is not limited to hydrogen gas storage, and its broad spectrum of use gives these frameworks unprecedented potential.

-Natasha Smyrnis, Sungbin Choi, Gurneet Kalra

Group2

References:

The New Chemistry of MOFs, Metal Organic Frameworks

Plants – A Better Way to Fuel

Posted on November 27, 2013 by zphil | Leave a comment

Long line-up at the US Costco gas station for cheaper gas. Credit: Paul Sakuma

It is that time of the year again, when your neighbours brag about all the cheap items that they bring back from the south. But believe it or not, the one common thing that all these Canadian shoppers who pass the border for the US Black Friday sale come back with is neither discounted clothing nor electronics. Rather, it is gas.

The price of fuel has been skyrocketing over the past few years, compelling the Canadian industry to seek alternatives to fossil fuels. One of the most popular alternatives lies in the area of biofuels, a renewable and economical energy source derived from the products of living organisms such as the sugar secretions of plants. However, the problems with production efficiency and environment sustainability affiliated with biofuels have hindered their general adaptation in the industries.

Arabidopsis Thaliana secretes sugars which can be processed for biofuels. Credit: Thomas Meyer

Last year, an attempt to resolve the problem was done when Gabriel Levesque-Tremblay and his colleagues at the University of British Columbia conducted a research on the role of vesicle transport of sugars from the Golgi Apparatus to the cell wall of a small flowering Arabidopsis plant.

With prior knowledge of the functions of a particular plant gene, which encodes proteins that play a significant role in cellular secretion, Gabriel’s research team inhibited the expression of this gene, namely the ECHIDNA gene, in plant seeds to study the changes in the activity of secretory vesicles containing the polysaccharides, or sugars.

Granule accumulation inside the cell. Credit:http://pcp.oxfordjournals.org/ content/early/2013/09/20/pcp.pct129. full.pdf+html

They found that without the expression of the ECHIDNA gene, the cells are still able to transport sugars across the Golgi apparatus. However, the secretory vesicles are unable to fuse with the cell wall of the plant, resulting in clusters of vesicles accumulating near the cell membrane. In other words, without the proper functioning of this ECHIDNA gene, the plant is unable to secrete the sugar products that the industry needs to extract to use as biofuels.

The following podcast introduces the two novel techniques that Gabriel’s study used to knock off the gene of interest in order to study the genetic effect of proteins on the plant’s vesicular transport and subsequently the secretion of sugars.

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Gabriel’s study suggests that the ECHIDNA gene, as well as perhaps other unidentified genes in plants, plays a critical role in controlling the vesicular fusion with the cell wall. Consequently, the ECHIDNA gene also regulates the efficiency of plant secretion. This opens window into increasing the secretion yield of plants. Engineers may be able to modify the genes to improve the fusion of cellular vesicles with cell walls and enhance the efficiency of cellular secretion. Ultimately, this could allow more sugar extractions from the plants to be used as biofuels and potentially lower gas prices

For more details about the experiment and more examples of the industrial applications of biofuel, check out the following video:

–Ziharrphil Magnaye, Connie Lee, Nick Hsieh (Group 3)

References:

More Than Meets the Eye

Posted on November 27, 2013 by angelicareyes | Leave a comment

Everyday we are constantly surrounded by different types of screens. For example: our computer screens, our TV screens, and our cell phone screens. However, the images we see are not comparable to what we see in reality. Being aware of such a difference can be dissatisfying, especially when we look at pictures of: the sunset, the mountains, and the beach. Jakob Emmel, a Ph.D Candidate from the Physics Department at the University of British Columbia, was not an exception.

Jakob Emmel. Image source: still shot of raw footage

The first time he saw high dynamic range (HDR) displays that can show huge contrast, he described it as an “eye-opening experience.” HDR refers to the ratio of the maximum darkness to the maximum brightness that a screen can show. The higher the ratio, the better we can distinguish the “black” parts of the screen compared to the “white” parts. For comparison, a common non-HDR display may show a contrast ratio of 1000:1 while average human eyes can see a contrast of 100,000:1. HDR displays can show a contrast in the range of the human eyes or even higher.

Nonetheless, there are still drawbacks with these awesome displays. In the video below, Jakob describes how current displays can be improved in projecting more uniform brightness across the screen as well as the contrast:

Although Jakob’s research was successful, the first prototype he made was not as effective. To control the light coming from each light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for better contrast and uniformity, he had used black filters on top of each LEDs. However, due to the nature of these filters, they absorbed some of the light rather than allowing the light to brighten the screen.

First Prototype with Black Filters. Image source: still shot of raw footage

In his second prototype, Jakob made white filters with special reflective coatings. This allowed the spreading light from each LEDs to be reflected back to its source rather than be absorbed, preserving the light more efficiently. This way, dark areas can be dark and bright areas can be bright in the displays.

Second Prototype with White Filters. Image source: still shot of raw footage

This technology can be applied in many areas. The most prominent source for its effective use is in medicine. With a better display, doctors can see images more clearly and be able to differentiate them more effectively since even the smallest irregularity can be a sign of a deadly tumor.

Specified in the podcast is the technology’s application in movie post editing. As doctors could examine x-ray or MRI images better, movie editors can take advantage of this as well for spotting inequalities in the raw footage.

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It is adequate to say that Jakob Emmel’s technological innovation is a step forward in grasping reality into the pocket screens of our phones and more. Contribution in the fields of medicine and movie production may only be the tip of an iceberg of vast technological advances to be uncovered.

Group 1
Jina Choi, Matthew Hong, and Angelica Reyes

Introduction to Cybercrime

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Jina | 1 comment

Criminal behind a computer. Image from Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pccare247_inc/7151335071/

Cybercrime is one of the fastest growing sectors in crime. A computer security software company defines it as: any crime that is committed using a computer or network, or hardware device. It is also one of the most ambiguous terms because these illegal activities come in many shapes and there is not a definite legal-illegal boundary set by the authorities around the world. Some of these crimes are listed as follows:

-stealing and/or modification of data, or identities

-corporate espionages

-distribution of viruses via a link in emails (phishing)

With developing technology, the speed and the convenience of being able to commit a cybercrime anywhere, anytime in the world has contributed to its growing popularity. However, because internets are global but laws are not, legally speaking, it is hard to catch and punish cyber criminals. If individuals, or small groups of individuals worked together in the past to hack a system, for example, nowadays, they have organized themselves into a group of technology professionals. They sell hacking services openly online and products are made available to them for their “businesses.” For instance, if you want them to attack a website, they might do it at $30 per hour. To test their viruses, or codes, before selling, platforms are available for testing with a fee.

So, how does a device get infected?

It can be as simple as plugging in a USB, containing attacking codes to a target computer. Within seconds, documents can be accessed and modified, and programs can be launched. If the computer is connected to a network of a company, it could lead to disastrous outcomes for that company. However, needing to physically plug in a USB may be challenging in most cases.

A common way to infect a website is by entering codes directly into it. Most companies have a comments section where people can submit comments. If the attacker enters a code instead of a comment and submits it, the code will be interpreted. This is all under an assumption that the security level is not high.

Cyber Attack. Image from Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/75468116@N04/8569854011/

According to the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), stolen intellectual properties from businesses worldwide are worth around $1 trillion in US dollars.

If protected business networks are attacked successfully, how can we protect our less secure personal devices?

James Lyne, an expert in this field, advises that by doing the basics such as keeping up-to-date with antivirus programs, having differing passwords and changing them frequently, 99% of the attacks may not work. Also, he mentions in his TED talk that when our devices can scan for wireless networks, we let out information about connected networks in the past. This is important because most network names imply location and possibly what the place is (eg. StarbucksWifi, UBCSecure). Therefore, even if it is convenient, we should delete the “remembered networks” if possible. Also, when using social media, it is important to check not only our security settings but also the settings of our “friends” and “followers.” With these precautions, our personal information may be better protected. Here is a short video about interesting facts of cybercrime.

References: Cybercrime (Interpol), What is Cybercrime?, James Lyne: Everyday Cybercrime — and What You Can Do About it

1 Comment

Posted in Issues in Science, Public Engagement, Science Communication

Tagged Computer Viruses, Cybercrime, Hacking, Internet, Malware, Privacy

The Haunting Truth Surrounding Decorative Contact Lenses

Posted on November 4, 2013 by angelicareyes | 1 comment

Those decorative contact lenses you bought to spice up your Halloween costume may be scarier than you thought! They come in a wide variety of crazy colors and styles to change the appearance of your eye. Even though Halloween is over now, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants consumers to be aware of the dangerous side effects that could potentially haunt them forever.

Halloween Costume with Decorative Contact Lenses. Image source: Flickr

These contact lenses are sold at many different places such as: Halloween stores, boutiques, salons, novelty stores, the internet, and flea markets. But according to the FDA, they are not considered cosmetics or over-the-counter products. They are regulated medical devices and selling them without a prescription is against the law.

Different Types of Decorative Contact Lenses. Image source: Lens-Saver

Dr. Bernard Lepri, an FDA optometrist said, “The danger isn’t with the contacts themselves. It’s the way people use them improperly.” So, in order to safely buy them, many precautionary steps must be taken:

1)   You need to get an eye exam from an optometrist or ophthalmologist. This is
important, regardless of whether or not you think you have 20/20 vision.
2)   You need to get a valid prescription for the lenses. This must include the
brand name, lens measurements, and an expiration date.
3)   You must buy your lenses from a vendor that requires a prescription.
Otherwise, you are buying them illegally.
4)   You must follow the directions provided for cleaning, disinfecting, and
wearing the lenses. This is very important in order to prevent any bacterial
infections from occurring.
5)   You must see your eye doctor right away if you notice any signs of redness, eye pain, or decrease in vision.

Unfortunately, most people don’t follow those steps, since you can just buy the lenses over-the-counter. Also, Dr. Lepri said, “Most people believe that decorative lenses do not require the same level of care or consideration as a standard contact lens, but this is far from the truth.”

Standard Contact Lens. Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Consequently, if those precautionary steps are not followed, you could cause serious damage to your eye, including:

– Corneal abrasion: scratches on the cornea (the transparent tissue that
covers the colored part of your eye)
– Corneal infection
– Conjunctivitis (also known as pink eye)
– Decreased vision or blindness

But don’t expect your eye doctor to prescribe any over-the-top circle lenses just yet! The FDA has not approved those.

Below is a video showing how detrimental decorative circle contact lenses are to your eyes.

References:

-http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/news/20131024/halloween-contact-lenses-can-be-horror-story-for-eyes
-http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm275069.htm

-Angelica Reyes

1 Comment

Posted in Issues in Science, Public Engagement, Science Communication, Science in the News

Tagged contact lenses, decorative contacts, Halloween costumes, over-the-counter products

Burning Fats In The Winter With Chili Peppers

Posted on October 28, 2013 by connie17 | 3 comments

When you wake up in the dark at 7:00 am in the morning, you know that winter is here. For me, this is the time of the year when I crave for hot spicy stews every meal. But like most girls, I am afraid of gaining weight from eating so much and constantly find myself on the dilemma of whether to dig in or not. If you find yourself in the same situation as me, here is the good news! Research has found that low temperatures and chili peppers could help burn our body fat!

Chili peppers help to fight fats in body. Credit: iStock

Researchers from the Hokkaido University of Japan recently found that spending time in cold weather and consuming chili peppers allow a person to burn more energy because low temperature and the chemicals in chili peppers seem to stimulate and increase the activity of brown fat cells.

Brown and White Fat Cells. Credit: Susan Ardizzoni.

There are two types of fat in our body, namely the brown adipose tissue and the white adipose tissue. While brown fat cells burn off energy, white fat cells store energy and are responsible for making some people fat. Brown fat cells appear red-brown because they contain many mitochondria, which produce a large amount of energy in the form of ATP. And white fat cells appear white, or pale, under the microscope. Below is a clip which I found very clear on explaining the differences between the two different fats.

In the Japanese study, eight subjects with little brown fat tissue were recruited and exposed to a low temperature of 17 °C for two hours daily for six weeks. Comparing with the control participants who went about their normal lives during the experiment, the study found that the eight subjects who were exposed to low temperature had an average of 5% less body fat and less white fat cells. They also burned on average more energy than those in the control group.

In addition, the researchers studied people who ate chili peppers, which contain capsinoids, or substances that give chili peppers the hot taste. It was also found the participants burned more energy than the control group when exposed to cold. This result was consistent with a previous study which found that Ingesting capsinoids increased the levels of fat breakdown in our body, showing that capsinoid plays a pivotal role in fat reduction in mildly obese individuals.

Even though the reduction of white adipose tissue from cold exposure was somewhat expected, it was not expected that capsinoid in chili pepper would have an impact on energy and fat metabolism. The researchers concluded the study by stating that “capsinoids appear to [simulate] brown fat in the same way as cold, by ‘capturing’ the same cellular system that the body’s nervous system uses to increase heat production.”

While chemicals like capsinoids, which stimulate brown fat cells, demonstrate potential application in obesity treatments in the future, it is comforting to know that eating a bit more hot spicy stew than normal will not have a significant impact weight for now!

– By Connie (Kangchi) Lee

References:

Cold temperatures and chili peppers could help burn fat

Capsinoids and related food ingredients activating brown fat thermogenesis and reducing body fat in humans

3 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Science Communication, Science in the News

Tagged adipose tissue, capsinoids, chili peppers, energy metabolism, fat metabolism

“Junk DNA” has a use after all!

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Amna Awan | 2 comments

Unique face. Image taken from India Times.

Every human has a unique face and our genetics play a major role in determining the shape of our face. But we all have the same genes that control the development of our heads. How do these genes get turned on and off? However, until now scientists have not known exactly how DNA achieves this task.

A new study has found that “junk DNA” may be responsible for unique appearances. Junk DNA or non-coding DNA is the part of the genome that does not encode for proteins. The work was published on October 25, 2013 on Science.

Axel Visel and Catia Attanasio have found around 4,000 enhancers in the human genome. Picture taken from Huff Post Science.

The researchers have found over 4,000 enhancers in the mouse genome that influence the way facial features develop. According to Axel Visel, a geneticist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, “Enhancers are part of the 98 per cent of the human genome that is non-coding DNA – long thought of as junk DNA”. He also added, ” The expressions of these genes makes all the difference and all the countless variation all around us.”

Growth of experiment mice. Image retrieved from Live Science

How did they test whether enhancers were responsible for shaping our face? Visel’s team deleted three of the enhancers in mice and compared them with an unmodified mice at 8 weeks of age. The results of this experiment showed that the deletion of each enhancer caused subtle changes in the shape of the face.

Earlier, enhancers had no directly visible role of shaping an organism, but now we know that these genetic sequence can add a layer of complexity.

This research could help us understand how things can go wrong as embryos develop in the womb. However, Professor Visel said it was very unlikely in the near future that DNA could be used to predict someone’s exact appearance.

References:
‘Junk’ DNA could determine face shape, scientists say, New Research Finds How Genes Shape Faces, Fine Tuning of Craniofacial Morphology by Distant-Acting Enhancers

– Amna Awan

2 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Outreach Project, Science Communication, Science in the News

Tagged Alex Visel, enhancers, Face, genes, non-coding DNA

Is exercising with a cold harmful?

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Steven Cheema | 2 comments

As the seasons change from summer to fall, the first thing that usually happens is the decrease in temperature which then leads to people getting the common cold. The common cold is usually just a neck cold, which in other words is a runny nose, clogged sinuses and a mild headache. People with the common cold are told that the best cure for it is rest so that the immune system is at its best, but what about those people that cannot rest and feel they need to be in the gym? I can help with that.

image source: flickr

Some of the best exercises to do when you have a cold are walking, jogging, Qi gong, yoga and dance. Walking and jogging are considered to be good exercises because they are fairly low intensity, which means that it will not put much stress on your body, allowing your immune system to function at a high rate, and it clears your head while breaking a sweat. Qigong is an exercise that is a cross between martial arts and yoga that enhances the blood flow in your body and permits the immune system to be working at a high standard. Dance is also low impact and it lowers the cortisol levels in the body, which then will let the immune system to work at a greater level.

image source: flickr

The worst exercises to do when you have a cold are endurance running, lifting weights, using machines at the gym, and team sports. Endurance running and lifting weights are bad because they are high intensity exercises and require a lot of your body’s resources to do these exercises, which leads to the decrease in energy put towards the immune system. Using machines at the gym and team sport are not good because these just influence the spread of the cold.

Having a cold is not a good enough excuse for sitting on the couch and watching the TV, so get out of bed and go for a walk or a jog to clear your head, but avoid going to the gym so that you are not the reason that everyone in the gym is sick. Here are a couple of simple yoga poses to help with your cold.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/10/health/exercising-with-cold-flu/index.html?hpt=he_t3

2 Comments

Posted in Science Communication, Uncategorized

Tagged cold, exercise, health

Faking is Not Always Bad

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Jina | 2 comments

You are nervously waiting for your turn in a competitive job interview. All interviewees seem to be around the same age as you with similar degrees, and similar work experiences. How would you differentiate yourself?

Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, and associate professor at Harvard Business School, would say power posing.

When we think about body language, we know that it contributes a lot in communication. We judge others by what they say, but also from what their bodies say. Likewise, others judge us by interpreting our body language. Amy Cuddy points out, however, that we are forgetting another audience—ourselves. By faking our postures to be seen as more powerful, confident and optimistic for two minutes, we can feel powerful, confident and optimistic.

First, let’s observe how power is exemplified in postures.

In Amy Cuddy’s TED talk, she shows a picture of a gorilla and a monkey with their arms wide open. This pose of making oneself big and taking up space is a

Examples of high power pose. Image from Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/whiteafrican/6279920952/

sign of power and dominance. Similarly, for humans, we can picture someone who has just run through the finish line at a marathon—arms are wide open, and the chin is slightly lifted. On the other hand, hunching up and making oneself small are examples of low power poses.

Physiologically, low levels of the stress hormone cortisol and high levels of the dominance hormone testosterone are found in powerful, effective leaders as well as high-power male primates, according to numerous studies.

In a study published in 2010, Amy Cuddy experimented how high and low power poses relate to testosterone and cortisol levels in people. The subjects were required to either do high or low power pose for two minutes. Their saliva samples from before and after posing were compared. The results were not surprising. High power posers had increased testosterone levels and decreased cortisol levels, whereas low power posers showed the opposite pattern. The researchers in this experiment concluded that by consciously power posing, people can feel different about themselves.

So what does all this mean in more practical terms?

This was the same question Cuddy asked herself which led her to do another experiment. The procedure was the same as her previous experiment but this time, after posing, the subjects went through five minutes of recorded, stressful job interviews. The interview videos were then watched by coders, who were blind to this experiment, to choose who they would hire. Not surprisingly, the chosen subjects were high power posers and were generally judged more positively. Because the content of what the interviewees said, eligibilities, and competence were all taken into account, these factors did not affect the selection process.

Overall, it is fascinating how faking a high power pose for few minutes can change hormone levels to feel more powerful and certain about ourselves. With many interviews and similar situations to go through in the future, power posing may be one of the keys to successful outcomes.

Amy Cuddy during her TED talk, suggesting we should try high power pose for two minutes before interviews, rather than be in low power pose. Image from Flickr: https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8142/7460807124_66d1989156_o.jpg

By: Jina Choi

References: Amy Cuddy, Your Body Language Shapes Who You are, Power Posing: Brief Nonverbal Displays Affect Neuroendocrine Levels and Risk Tolerance, Practicing Certain Poses Creates a Sense of Power

2 Comments

Posted in Issues in Science, Public Engagement, Science Communication, Science in the News

Tagged Amy Cuddy, Body Language, Cortisol, Power, Power Posing, TED, Testosterone

Brushing and Flossing Diseases Away

Posted on October 7, 2013 by connie17 | 3 comments

Brushing teeth. Credit: Richmond Smile Centre, (http://www.richmondsmilecenter.com/blog/2012/09/13/your-richmond-dentist-discusses-bad-brushing-habits/)

How often do you brush your teeth thoroughly and floss? Do you pay enough attention to oral hygiene? If you don’t, you might want to consider taking oral hygiene more seriously because research has found that bad oral hygiene could potentially lead to detrimental diseases.

Gum Disease. Credit: St. Lawrence Dentistry (http://www.stlawrencedentistry.com/periodontal-disease-linked-to-other-diseases/)

We know that the oral cavity is one of the places of your body that harbors the most bacteria. These bacteria often do not cause any significant harm to our body, given that we brush our teeth and floss regularly to get rid of these bacteria in our mouth. But when we do not clean our teeth regularly and thoroughly, these bacteria easily build up around our teeth and often cause inflammation of the gums. And in cases when the individuals who suffer from periodontal disease are not taking actions to improve their practice of oral hygiene, infections exacerbate and results in chronic conditions.

Usually, when we think of heart disease, we tend to associate it with obesity, hypertension, smoking, congenital conditions, and other genetic-related problems. But now we might want to add oral problems to our list of factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease. According to numerous studies, chronic bacterial infections in the gums from poor oral hygiene and serious periodontal disease increase an individual’s chance of developing heart attack and stroke.

Plaque in heart artery. Credit: Rudy Pospisil (http://blogs.theprovince.com/2012/03/22/heart-attack-warning-test/)

If you have poor oral hygiene practice, it is likely that you will often accidentally scrape or damage the epithelial oral tissue in the mouth, especially the gums. When the oral tissue is damaged, pathogens can easily enter into the tissues and eventually penetrate into the bloodstream, which then carries these pathogens to other parts of the body, affecting other tissues and body systems and causing multiple inflammations in the body. For instance, a 2005 study conducted by the University of Florida even found oral bacteria inside artery plaque.

Other than heart attack and stroke, the myriads of oral bacteria may also play a role in knee arthritis. In a 2012 study which sought to examine the link between oral bacteria and knee osteoarthritis, the researchers found that out of the 36 patients with knee arthritis, five of them had gum microbes in the synovial fluid in their joints. Although the association between oral bacteria and knee arthritis is still not fully understood, these bacterial certainly worsens arthritis.

Therefore, it is important to brush your teeth regularly and thoroughly since oral hygiene is related to the health of the rest of your body. However, this is not to say that bad oral health has a direct impact on heart disease, since there are other confounding factors such as smoking and type of lifestyle.

– By Connie (Kangchi Lee)

Reference:

How Oral Hygiene Affects the Rest of You

Periodontal Disease Linked to Other Disease?

3 Comments

Posted in Science Communication, Science in the News

Tagged cardiovascular disease, inflammation, oral hygiene, periodontal disease

Category Archives: Science Communication

Getting a Grip on Hydrogen Fuel: Metal-Organic Frameworks

Plants – A Better Way to Fuel

More Than Meets the Eye

Introduction to Cybercrime

The Haunting Truth Surrounding Decorative Contact Lenses

Burning Fats In The Winter With Chili Peppers

“Junk DNA” has a use after all!

Is exercising with a cold harmful?

Faking is Not Always Bad

Brushing and Flossing Diseases Away

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