Category Archives: Science in the news

Next time you drink too much, maybe you can blame your genes.

Posted on February 24, 2014 by | 3 comments

Figure 1. Drinking too much can cause alcohol dependence. (Courtesy Wikipedia commons)

Do you know that an average of 2.5 million people die from harmful use of alcohol every year?[1]  Alcohol dependence is a serious problem that can place burden on individuals and families, and even on the society. If you think that only ignorant people would allow themselves to drink excessively, you may want to think again.[2] Researchers are now suggesting that the trigger to alcohol dependence is likely due to genetic mutation.

Study led by Professor H. Thomas from Imperial College London compared two groups of mice – one group were normal, and the other group had two single base-pair point mutation in Gabrb1 gene. When the mice were given a choice between water and 10% ethanol, the latter group showed strong preference of alcohol by consuming it 85% of the time. This is equivalent to drinking one glass of wine a day! Alcohol dependence in these mice were so strong that many of them would drink sufficient alcohol to become intoxicated in an hour, and would continue to do so even after they were observed to be tipsy and had trouble moving.

Figure 2. Different types of point mutation. (Courtesy Wikipedia commons)

So why does this happen? Well, study showed that point mutation altered a series of mechanisms in the brain. To begin, Gabrb1 codes for beta1 subunit, which is an important component of GABAA receptor. Normally, GABAA receptor is activated only when GABA, a chemical messenger, is present. However, mutation to Gabrb1 causes GABAA receptor to be activated spontaneously, even when GABA is not present. These changes occur in nucleus accumbens, the brain region that controls pleasurable emotion and reward. Therefore, as more signals were sent out by GABAA receptor, mice would have increased craving for alcohol because their brains told them that alcohol consumption gave them pleasurable feelings. The study also showed not only did the mice enjoyed this feeling, they also wanted the feeling to last longer, and they did so by putting out extra physical effort, such as pushing lever for longer periods of time, in order to obtain more alcohol.

Figure 3. Location of nucleus accumbens in human brain. (Courtesy Wikipedia commons)

Professor Thomas’ study allowed researchers to gain better understanding of the mechanisms that monitor alcohol dependence in mice. Researchers believe similar mechanisms operate for humans, and are currently attempting to modify the mechanisms to human brain. GABA system is of particular interest because it controls human alcohol intake.  If similar processes are found to operate in humans, this would allow doctors to screen individuals that are likely to be at risk, and ensure that early treatment can be administered.

By Kelly Liu

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Posted in Biological sciences, Science communication, Science in the news

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Fish feminization: An impact of pharmaceutical drugs in our water

Posted on February 10, 2014 by | 2 comments

Today, there is a pill for almost anything and everything.  Have a headache from studying too much organic chemistry? There’s a pill for that.   Depressed after getting your Chem 233 midterm back?  There’s a pill for that too.  What many people fail to realize is that our increased use of pharmaceutical drugs is having a profound impact on our environment.

Birth control pills
Photo taken from Wikipedia Commons

After consumption, a small percentage of the drugs are excreted into the environment via the sewage systems.  Currently, the vast majority of water treatment facilities do not screen and treat for such drugs because of the high associated cost.

In 1999, the United States Geological Survey reported that over 50 different pharmaceutical drugs were found in rivers and streams across the United States. Just over 10 years later in 2009, they released another report stating that up to 91% of largemouth bass, a common North American fresh water fish found in a river in South Carolina, had both male and female reproductive organs.  This phenomena is called intersex.

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Photo taken from Wikipedia Commons

Intersex fish are either infertile or have reduced reproductive ability causing significant declines in the size of populations.

The presence of intersex fish is the result of an imbalance of sex hormones.  Many drugs act as artificial hormones and disrupt the organism’s endocrine system, which is responsible for regulating numerous biological processes.  Birth control pills are especially harmful to the environment as they release large amounts of estrogen, causing male fish to begin to develop as females.  In the same 2009 study, the United States Geological Survey reported finding male fish with female egg cells in their testes.

Although there have been no studies documenting such dramatic effects in humans, the need to reduce the amount of pharmaceutical drugs in our water is clear.

In order to reduce the presence of drugs in our water system, the first step to take is ensuring that all drugs are properly disposed.  Since 1996, the B.C. Medications Return Program has played an important role in this step.  Almost all pharmacies in BC now, at no charge, accept and dispose of unused or expired medications in an environmentally safe way.

If the presence of pharmaceutical drugs in natural water systems continues to increase, not only will many fish species be adversely affected, so to will all the associated species that rely on these fish.

Keep the potential impact of pharmaceuticals on the environment in mind the next time you want to throw away that old bottle of Advil.  Otherwise, Finding Nemo 2 might have to be rebranded as “Finding Nina”.

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By Morgan Haines

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Posted in Biological sciences, Issues in science, Science in the news

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Which is Healthier? Brown Sugar or White Sugar?

Posted on February 10, 2014 by | 4 comments

We all know that brown rice healthier than white rice, and whole wheat bread is better than white bread, but is brown sugar better than white sugar?

Raw sugar comes from sugar cane, and it is brown when it is formed due to the presence of molasses. In order to produce refined white sugar, manufacturers bleach the sugar to extract the molasses. By adding molasses back to the white sugar, brown sugar can be produced. Let’s take a look in how brown and white sugar are processed. First, sugar cane field is set on fire to remove dead leaves. Then the sugar canes are harvested and are chopped into miniscule pieces. Next, stalk pieces are crushed to release the sugar cane juice. The juice extract contains some impurities such as dirt, cane pulp, and tiny pieces of the stalk. In order to purify the juice, calcium hydroxide is added to the mixture creating insoluble calcium compounds. With the help of polyacrylamides, the juice is filtered. The purified fluid is simmered until the water evaporates. The remaining “juice” is warmed and once afresh, fine seed crystals are added to help the sugar crystallize. Through this process, the mother liquor, a remaining by-product that contains molasses, is removed. Finally, the sugar cane juice is centrifuged to separate the sugar crystals and form raw sugar.

The video below shows the processing of raw sugar from sugar canes:

Though many people believe that brown sugar is healthier than white sugar, the truth is that they only have marginally different nutritional values. White sugar contains 99.9% pure sucrose, whereas brown sugar contains 97% sucrose, 2% water, and 1% other substances. In 100g of white sugar, there is 387 calories, while brown sugar has 377 calories. Molasses in brown sugar contains a number of minerals, which include calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron. However, since only very small amounts of these minerals are found in brown sugar, they do not bring any health advantages to the body. According to the Plant Physiology article, sugar contains very little nutrients, and the elements found in both white sugar and brown sugar does not promote health. Molasses are not healthy and do not contain any important nutrients for the body, in other words, brown sugar cannot be considered healthier than white sugar.

Therefore, the decision between consuming white sugar and brown sugar is a matter of personal preference. While some people favor to consume brown sugar because of its rich taste, others like the pure sweet taste of white sugar. Nonetheless, both types of sugar can be harmful to the body if they are consumed excessively.

– Rubina Lo

References:

http://commoditum.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=66

http://www.chempap.org/file_access.php?file=546aa375.pdf

http://practicalaction.org/docs/technical_information_service/sugar_production_from_cane.pdf

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The Truth about Plastics

Posted on February 8, 2014 by | 1 comment

Plastic pollution has become one of the most serious threats to our oceans today. Approximately 90% of all garbage floating in our oceans is plastic. Common sources of plastics entering our oceans include beach users, illegal dumping, and plastics manufacturers and transporters. Unlike other types of garbage, plastic is not biodegradable by bacteria and other micro-organisms. It is either broken down by tidal movements into micro-plastics or is photo-degraded into smaller and smaller pieces by sunlight. Therefore, these small pieces of plastics never really leave our oceans.

According to statistics, 267 species are being affected by plastic ocean pollution worldwide, including 86% of sea turtles, 44% of all sea birds, and 43% of marine mammal species. Marine animals often mistake pieces of plastic for food. Once ingested, their bodies are not able to digest these plastics. Therefore, these plastic items remain in the animal’s body causing damage to its digestive system. As a result, the animal dies from starvation and dehydration.

Animals also suffocate on plastic trash, such as plastic bags and cigarette packages, which block the animal’s air passageway and may also inhibit normal growth. Common examples include sea turtles mistaking plastic bags for jellyfish. The plastic bags are too large for sea turtles to digest. Thus, the sea turtle suffocates to death.

Sea Turtle Mistaking Plastic Bag for Jellyfish (Image taken from http://www.seaturtles.org/section.php?id=126 via Google advanced search)

Smaller plastics, known as microplastics,  remain in our oceans and are ingested by planktonic organisms at the base of the aquatic food chain. These organisms act as food for other predators which make up higher trophic levels. As a result, the plastics, as well as the chemicals within the plastics, are passed on to higher trophic levels, affecting the entire aquatic food chain.

Plastics are made up of petroleum and other toxic chemicals. One of the most common chemicals found in plastic items is phthalates. Phthalates are used in many beauty products, such as cosmetics and facial scrubs. These products are used by humans on a weekly or daily base. However, the marine environment suffers the consequences of these chemicals and plastics being flushed down the drain.

The video below provides an insight to plastic pollution in more detail:
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It is necessary for humans to take necessary actions to prevent further damage to marine life. We do not have to be the reason why another sea turtle suffocates to death. We do not need to throw our litter on beaches. Don’t become a part of the problem. Be a part of the solution.

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Has The Mystery Of Why Hot Water Freezes Faster Than Cold Water Been Solved?

Posted on February 3, 2014 by | 9 comments

The phenomenon that warmer water freezes faster than colder water has baffled scientists since ancient times. This paradoxical observation is known as the Mpemba effect, after a Tanzanian student who, much to his surprise, found that hot ice cream mixture cooled faster than cold ice cream mixture. After centuries of inadequate explanations, a team of scientists, led by Xi Zhang at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, claim they have uncovered this ancient mystery.

If this is your first exposure to the Mpemba effect, I can only imagine that you’re feeling more than a little skeptical. This phenomenon can seem very counterintuitive. It is important to note that the Mpemba effect is only observed under specific initial temperatures, container shapes and cooling conditions. A study carried out by Dr. Auerbach of Michigan University showed that the Mpemba effect was most likely to occur at cooling temperatures between -6°C and -12°C.

Boiling water cooling at sub zero temp. : Courtesy of  www.flickr.com
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So, what is the cause of this strange effect?

Zhang and his colleagues have found evidence which suggests that the Mpemba effect can be attributed to the unique properties of the hydrogen bonds that hold water molecules together.

They claim that when water molecules are brought close in contact with one another by hydrogen bonds, the covalent O-H bonds of water become compressed and store energy. As the water heats up, the hydrogen bonds relax and the water molecules move apart. This allows O-H bonds to relax and give up energy.

Cooling occurs when thermal energy is lost to the surroundings. The additional energy lost through the relaxation of O-H bonds causes warmer water to cool faster than colder water.

Hydrogen Bonds : Courtesy www.flickr.com

Researchers calculated the additional thermal energy lost by covalent bond relaxation and found it to exactly account for the different cooling times of the warmer and cooler water.

Although this explanation is very convincing, Zhang and his colleagues have yet to use this new theory to explain another property of water. So, while the mystery of the Mpemba effect may have been solved, more work is needed before this theory can be fully accepted.

Fardowsa Yusuf

References

  1. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2483383/Mystery-hot-water-freezes-faster-cold-solved–strange-behaviour-atom-bonds.html
  2. http://gizmodo.com/weve-finally-figured-out-why-hot-water-freezes-faster-1455906029
  3. http://arxiv.org/abs/1310.6514
  4. http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/hot_water.html
  5. http://www.picotech.com/experiments/mpemba_effect/results.html

 

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Cure for Malaria on the way?

Posted on February 3, 2014 by | 2 comments

Each year, more than a million people die of the harmful parasitic disease known as Malaria and this number is increasing each day. Approximately 3.3 billion people (this is almost half the population of the world!) live in Malaria-affected region; most prominently in the Sub-Saharan Africa. This harmful plague has been circulating our planet for a long time now and yet there is no known cure for this disease. In the past recent years, the parasite has developed resistance to a lot of drugs. According to some researchers, some prosperous nations were able to get rid of Malaria; it is the third-world countries where the number of deaths due to this disease keeps increasing. Figure 1. below shows the regions that are at risk of  Malaria. Fortunately, Malaria is no longer overlooked and there is extensive research being done to find the cure for this malicious disease.

Figure 1. World map showing the risk of Malaria across the world.

 

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From the genus Anopheles, the female mosquito attacks the human when it is sound asleep and drinks the blood without acknowledgement. In the process, she releases saliva to prevent blood coagulation, and it is at this point when the infection spreads in the human body. This saliva contains one-celled malaria parasites (plasmodia) that act like tiny microscopic worms and burrow themselves in different liver cells. From this point on the disease spreads in the body through red blood cells and causes symptoms such as fever, headache, chills, nausea etc. The following video shows what happens in detail once the parasite attacks the host:

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Researchers and doctors from all around the world are working hard to develop, not just vaccines, but drugs that might help cure Malaria. Through the use of chemical insecticides or drainage of the water where the larvae of these mosquitos live in, could result in a significant reduction of their population.

Additionally, several drugs are under work that may be effective on a small scale. One such company is GlaxoSmithKline that developed a vaccine and conducted a clinical trial on 15,000 babies and children in Africa. Up to 18 months of age, the drug worked effectively and protected the babies. But the effectiveness wore off afterwards. A Research team at the University of Cape Town have been working on a drug that worked adequately on animals with no adverse side effects. Once this drug is put to use in clinical trials and positive results are found, it might be the breakthrough to the cure for this disease.

Even though there isn’t a set cure for this disease yet, there is still some ongoing progress. Until further research is done and results are found, we can only hope that this plague is cured before it gets too late.

– Hiba Rajpar

 

References

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/africa/131008/cure-malaria-new-vaccine-could-save-millions

http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-diseases/raging-malaria/

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/08/29/university-of-cape-town-researchers-believe-they-have-found-a-single-dose-cure-for-malaria/

 

 

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Shivering can help lose weight!

Posted on February 3, 2014 by | 6 comments

Losing weight may not be an easy task as it requires great self-discipline and motivation on going to the gym and eating healthy; however, a new study shows that you can now lose weight in the comfort of your home.

Dutch researchers from Maastricht University Medical Center have now proved that you can lose weight by simply turning down the heat at home and allowing your body to shiver.

 

Turning down the heat is a possible way of losing weight

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3122/2365962270_e98cb8f904_o.jpg

The study known as “cold thermogenisis” shows that most household kept their temperature around 21 degrees Celsius. If you drop the heat down to about 16 degrees Celsius, your body temperature will drop at a more rapid pace and your will brain respond by telling your muscles to starts shivering to maintain a stable body temperature. By doing so, the rapid movements of the muscle is not only keeping your body warm, but it is also increasing your metabolic rate by up to 30%. When the involuntary movement of shivering occurs, your muscles are moving so fast that researchers are comparing it to as if you were performing cardiovascular exercises. By shivering for one straight hour, you are able to burn up to 400 calories, which is equivalent to a 40 minute run at a moderate pace.

This is something very interesting because my previous knowledge to this technique had been either working out in cold weather or taking ice baths; thus, still quite time consuming as it still requires you go out of your way to do this. The new of shivering to lose some weight seems like a much simpler; however, it does not mean it is a treat either. Many must agree with me that feeling cold is a very tough to cope with and would not want to be in a cold environment for a long period of time.

In the end, if you are brave on a cold night like tonight, it is the perfect opportunity to turn down your thermostat  and shiver some of the weight off of your body.

Here is a video that shows the testing of “cold thermogenesis”:YouTube Preview Image

References

Cannon, P., & Keatinge, W. (1960). The metabolic rate and heat loss of fat and thin men in heat balance in cold and warm water. The Journal of Physiology, 154(2), 329-344.

Craig, A. D. (2002). How do you feel? interoception: The sense of the physiological condition of the body. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 3(8), 655-666.

Gagge, A. P., Fobelets, A., & Berglund, L. (1986). A standard predictive index of human response to the thermal environment. ASHRAE Trans.;(United States), 92(CONF-8606125-)

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Molecular Gastronomy-the next generation of food

Posted on February 3, 2014 by | 1 comment

 Figure 1. Coke Spherification

Nowadays, scientific technology is not only applied to analytical laboratories, but also used by some creative chefs. This new method of cooking is called molecular gastronomy, which was named by a French chemist Hervé This, and a Hungarian physicist, Nicholas Kurti in the 1980s. This special discipline investigates the physical and chemical changes of ingredients during cooking, and the chef aims to make the food more artistic, technical and healthier. For example, coke spherification, is a dessert made by coke. Also, Chef Fung, who designed the dish “Steak-tartare” which made by chopped watermelon with a sphere of mango juice and mints said he liked to trick people’s eyes and minds. “Customers may think they know the dish well, but they will be surprised when they taste it”.

Figure 2. Kitchen as a laboratory

The main purpose of developing molecular gastronomy is that scientists (or cooks) can use new ingredients, tools, and innovative methods to produce amazing products. In the ordinary kitchen, cooks use spices and herbs; similarly, in the laboratory, chemists also use fragrant organic chemicals such as 1-octen-3-ol. If you don’t have mushroom when you are cooking, chemists will add some benzyl trans-2-methylbutenoate instead, because it has a taste just like mushroom. Many chemicals can be used to reinforce the taste of our food, or change the texture so that they will become more attractive and artistic. Also, laboratory apparatus is useful in the culinary preparations. For example, cooks can use a reflux column to keep the flavor of ingredients. There are some other cooking techniques including capsule technique, liquid nitrogen, and low temperature cooking. Treating the kitchen as a laboratory is one of the key ideas to succeed in molecular gastronomy.

The video generally introduces the basic and common techniques used in molecular gastronomy.

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Using molecular gastronomy as a different style of cooking will increase the public’s interest in understanding science, especially chemistry, and inspire people to appreciate their food. Advanced technologies in molecular gastronomy provide more possibilities in culinary art, and people will be more satisfied with tasty and delicate food. Many top chefs around the world are taking the challenge to create fabulous dishes on a molecular level, and with their effort, more people will get to know and try the new way of cooking.

References:

This, H. (2006). Food for tomorrow? How the scientific discipline of molecular gastronomy could change the way we eat. EMBO reports, 7(11), 1062.

This, H. (2002). Molecular Gastronomy. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 41(1), 83.

http://www.ssgastrogrub.com

-By Qianhui Sun (Tianna)

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Multivitamins: Helpful, harmful, or just harmless?

Posted on February 3, 2014 by | 1 comment

Although the idea of vitamins (initially “vitamine” from “vital amine”* (1)) was conceived in the early 1900s, it wasn’t until the 1930s that scientists discovered that they could be artificially synthesised (2). Twenty years later, multivitamins and multimineral complexes (called MVMMs) would be widely consumed based on the belief that they were beneficial for one’s health (3).

Nowadays almost everyone takes MVMMs, and the nutraceutical market has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry. Despite their popularity, MVMMs have received a significant amount of flak in the past year due to the documented inefficacy in healthy individuals. There are several research papers documenting MVMMs ineffectiveness, and some recent findings indicate that MVMMs can be harmful (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11).

It’s not unexpected that high doses of some vitamins are harmful; after all, “the dose makes the poison” and anything – including water – in a high enough dose can kill. However it is unexpected that taking moderate doses of certain vitamins can be harmful. Some ingredients in MVMMs that can harm more than help are vitamin A, folic acid, iron with vitamin D, and possibly vitamin D.

The negative effects of beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A) on smokers has been known for two decades, and gave scientists the first inkling that vitamin supplements could be harmful. There is a well-established correlation in the scientific literature between beta-carotene supplementation (by smokers) and lung cancer (12). Most non-smokers ignore this, but this finding was only the beginning.

Folic acid, the synthesised form of B9, is well-known by women who are trying to conceive or pregnant. After the finding in 1964 that folic acid supplementation reduced neural tube defects, the pill became widely prescribed to pregnant women (and mandatorily added to food) (13, 14, 15).

Despite its supposed benefit, an increased susceptibility to multiple cancers has been associated with folic acid in recent years. Excessive folic acid – especially when it is unmetabolised, as happens often with synthetic B9 – can stimulate tumour growth (16, 17, 18, 19, 20). Some researchers chalk this up to folic acid being inherently different from the naturally occurring form in food, tetrahydrofolate.  The research is still unclear, but it’s probably a good idea to avoid MVMMs with folic acid (unless you’re pregnant).

Regular doses of vitamin D have recently been correlated with increasing the severity of cardiovascular disease (21, 22, 23). The proposed mechanism involves   vitamin D increasing calcium levels (which can contribute to plaque calcification) (24). (Excess can build up after taking a low dose of vitamin D over the long term**.)

Perhaps the most surprising finding on the harmfulness of some vitamins was on vitamin C and iron. Vitamin C is believed to increase the absorption and uptake of iron in the gastrointestinal tract, so many doctors will advise iron deficient patients to take a hefty dose of vitamin C alongside iron supplements. Apparently, this has been linked to a drastic increase in risk of cancers in the GI tract (25, 26, 27).

If you’re a relatively healthy individual, it’s best to avoid supplementation of a number of vitamins and/or minerals. Some people consider MVMMs “health insurance”, although there is clearly a dark side to some complexes.

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(Don’t take MVMMs; if you’re going to supplement, it should be targeted.)

*The “e” on “vitamine” was dropped when scientists realised that not all vitamins contain amines.

**The “long term” is apparently “three months or more”.

– Jennifer Labrie

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