Category Archives: Science in the news

Animals Can Be a Benefit to Your Health!

Posted on February 10, 2014 by miranda | 4 comments

“A dog is a man’s best friend.”

Though a seemingly overused phrased, it does have its importance. Not only towards dogs, but towards all animals, be them little critters or large. Why? Let me ask you this question. Was there ever a time in your life when you felt extremely emotionally depressed and stressed out, but didn’t know how to fix it? The answer is simple really. Animals. (Read on, and I promise you’ll find out why).

According to a research published in the PLoS ONE journal from the University of Queensland, Australia, it was discovered that animals have the ability to

Puzzle pieces (Source: Flickr – Julianaorihuela)

increase social behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Basically, ASD is a brain development disorder that affects and impedes difficulties on individuals specifically in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behavior. Although ASD does affect the individual intellectually as well, it has been documented that some individuals have excelled in categories such as visual skills, music, math, and art, regardless.

A guinea pig being held up. (Source: Flickr – Petspantry)

Marguertie O’Haire and her colleagues, the researchers conducting this study, wanted to compare whether or not animals would play out better results than toys. Thus, guinea pigs were brought to a classroom of children with ASD, ranging from ages 5 to 13. The goal was to find out how these children would interact with adults and other peers in the presence of animals versus toys.

The study observed that these children demonstrated more social behavior, such as speaking to adults and peers, and making more physical contact.

A person smiling (Source: Flickr – Daniayu)

Interestingly enough, interaction with the guinea pigs also induced more cases of smiling and laughing among children, whilst a decrease in the instances of frowning, whining and crying behaviors was evident. These results definitely outplayed the results of the behaviors observed when they were simply given toys to play with.

From this study, along with previous studies, animals have been suggested to exert a “social lubricant” effect on humans that can make us less anti-social and more open. It could prove to be exceptionally helpful towards individuals that may have emotional disabilities, emotional anxieties and stress.

Personally, as a busy student taking five courses currently, I haven’t omitted the idea of actually getting a guinea pig. (I’ve always loved guinea pigs, though I was never allowed to have one). They definitely would help to relieve my stress. Sometimes, we all just need to take time off to relax and have fun with some animals. For those (like me) without the privileges of getting one yet, head over to the Wellness Centre and attend the pet visits, provided by Pets and Friends at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre! What are you waiting for!

Jasmine – “Come visit me at the Wellness Centre!” (Source: UBC Wellness Centre)

– Miranda

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183504.htm

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Posted in Biological sciences, Issues in science, Public engagement, Science communication, Science in the news

Tagged animals, austism spectrum disorder, wellness centre

Communicating with Our Dogs!

Posted on February 9, 2014 by christyk | Comments Off

Most dog owners have only dreamt of tapping into Fido’s inner thoughts. Turning dog thoughts into human language has yet to be made possible, and previous studies in the field were based on mere speculation. Studies performed by Eötvös Loránd University concluded that humans utilize acoustic parameters of barks to determine emotions (Pongrácz, Molnár, & Miklósi, 2006). These methods contain numerous discrepancies and inaccuracies in the interpretations; however, it has been the closest method used for understanding our canine companions. To close the gap between dogs and humans, new researches have been taking advantage of existing technology, such as EEG monitors, to read our dog’s thoughts through electric signals transmitted by their brain.

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a type of existing technology used by numerous neurologists to examine brain activity through impulses sent by neurons while performing different activities. According to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, electrodes are placed on the scalp to detect and record electronic impulses, which are then printed out on a computer, which are then read to to determine the patient’s consciousness and alertness (Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, 2014). Electronic impulses can provide details on how the brain works as demonstrated in this video from ASAPS, A Sharing Approach to Promoting Science. Numerous studies have utilized EEG to identify memory performances, and to classify neurological disorders (Klimesch, 1999).

Up until now, not a lot of research has been done on closing the gap on communication between canine friends and human beings. However, NSID, or Nordic Society Invention Discovery, funded by Indiegogo aims to to do just that through EEG sensoring, microcomputing, and special BCI software (NSID, 2013). The project, known as No More Woof, has designed EEG monitor devices that can be placed on Fido’s head as shown below to detect neurological impulses that result from different stimulation. The data from the impulses detected are then translated into human language.

The No More Woof Prototype

(NSID, 2013)

Studies performed on EEG-based Emotional Recognition have shown that classifying emotional expressions using neural networks has a success rate of approximately 64% (Bos). The prototypes will detect and record impulses on two axes: arousal and valence. Any emotions that can be recorded can be efficiently mapped, and data can be used to determine which emotions our dogs are going through. The prototypes offered by No More Woof are only able to identify 2 – 4 emotions, and more more information can be found in the video below.

(NSID, 2013a)

To get your hands on one of these devices, visit Indiegogo. For just $65 USD, investors can get their hands on one sensor equipped No More Woof device capable of translating 2 – 3 thoughts, and for $600 USD, the device can translate over 4 thoughts. While the initial prototypes are rudimentary, with more data collected, better estimates can be made. Thanks to the power of science, understanding dogs will no longer be a far-fetched dream.

References:

Bos, D. EEG-based emotion recognition

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. (2014). What is an EEG and what information does it provide?.

Klimesch, W. (1999). EEG alpha and theta oscillations reflect cognitive and memory performance: A review and analysis. . Brain Research Reviews, 29(2-3), 169-195.

NSID. (2013). The first device to translate animal thoughts into human language. No More Woof,

NSID. (2013). No more woof. Indiegogo,

Pongrácz, P., Molnár, C., & Miklósi, Á. (2006). Acoustic parameters of dog barks carry emotional information for humans [Abstract]. Applied Animal Behaviour Science; Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 100(3) 228-240.

Programme, N. (2013). Hello brain – what makes my brain work?. ASAPS, A Sharing Approach to Promoting Science.,

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Posted in Biological sciences, Public engagement, Science in the news

Tagged brain-computer interfacing, cognitive tasks, communicating with animals, Dogs, EEG, electroencephalograph, inventions, pattern recognition, technology

Image

Catch-and-Release rather than Catch-and-Kill!

The research team angles Tiger Shark up to the boat to begin samples.

It is obvious that any kind of living animal would respond to stress through catch-and-release fishing. Scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy and the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science investigated how several species of coastal sharks respond to these stresses as a result.

The five shark species being experimented on through catch-and-release fishing were the hammerhead, blacktip, bull, lemon and tiger sharks. This was taken place in South Florida and Bahamian waters. Researchers took blood samples to examine stress, including pH, carbon dioxide and lactate levels, conducted reflex tests, as well as used satellite tags to look at their post-release survival.

The blood lactate levels of sharks were hugely affected due to them resisting to be caught, which is similar to what happens to humans during intense or exhaustive physical exercise. This is linked to mortality in many species of fish. The study showed that the hammerhead exhibited the highest levels of lactic acid build out of all five species, followed by the blacktip, bull, lemon and tiger sharks. The study even showed that after release, hammerheads were prone to delayed mortality. Hence, the hammerhead sharks are more sensitive than the other sharks whereas tiger sharks can withstand or recover from even the minimal catch and release fishing a lot better.

This study not only shows the different effects on catch-and-release fishing on the different types of sharks but also conveys that it is not guaranteed that all of these species would survive from the encounter even if it swims away from the area. This has serious conservation implications because those fragile species might need to be managed separately, especially if we are striving for sustainability in catch and release fishing.

Many of the shark populations worldwide are declining due to overfishing. In order to conserve this population, the process of catch and killing is now slowly being switched to catch and releasing. Therefore this study helps fisherman make informed decisions on which sharks make good candidates for catch and release fishing, and which do not, such as the hammerheads.

Yuri Tomura

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Posted on February 3, 2014 by ytomura in Biological sciences, Issues in science, Science in the news

Tagged animals, Conservation, Ecosystem, fishing, Marine Biology, population, Preservation, Sharks, Sustainability

Grey Holes?

Posted on February 3, 2014 by nmacdonald | Comments Off

An exaggerated rendition of ‘gravitational lensing,’ an indirect way of observing black holes via their gravitational effect on light. (Wikipedia Commons)

A couple weeks ago, renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking released a paper suggesting a new take on black holes. This paper, “Information Preservation and Weather Forecasting for Black Holes” — and although yet to be peer-reviewed — strives to unravel the “firewall” controversy surrounding black holes. This so-called controversy came about through the work of Stephen Hawking himself: in 1974, Hawking theorized that black holes should emit some kind of radiation. While black holes are capable of trapping even light itself, the probabilistic and dualistic nature of small particles means that particles should be released beyond the event horizon, that is, the theoretical point-of-no-escape for a black hole due to its immense gravity. This means black holes radiate: this radiation is commonly referred to as “Hawking radiation.”

An extremely simplified diagram showing the theoretical processes behind Hawking Radiation. (Stephen Dilorio)

However, in 2012, a group of theorists published a paper in which they applied the workings of quantum mechanics to this phenomenon and realized that, if Hawking radiation exists, it would create a wall of energy around the event horizon of the black hole, a literal “firewall.” Anything passing through the event horizon would be burnt by this energy, but more importantly, it would make black holes visible and extremely obvious. And as we know, no black holes have ever been directly identified: we can only infer their existence through theoretical physics and indirectly identify their locations through the effects of their gravitation pull.

To counter this, Hawking addresses the nature of event horizons and most importantly suggests that they may not be as “strong” as previously believed: that is, light is able to pass through, and black holes may even “leak” matter. Hawking calls these boundaries “apparent horizons.” This goes against the widely held belief that once you pass an event horizon, there is no escape from a black hole, the most well-known characteristic of a black hole. This is what gives black holes their “black” nature, their ability to trap light.

Hawking’s paper isn’t so much a deliberate attempt to solve the paradox outright, but rather, suggests a new way for us to think about the event horizon of a black hole. What makes the paper interesting is that, while the study of black holes involves the heavy usage of mathematics, the paper itself contains no such calculations and comes up to a grand total of 3 pages (not including references). As such, it has been met with both skepticism, but some enthusiasm as well. After all, Hawking is a respected member of the field. This casts an interesting light on this field of science: although it eventually does follow the same rigorous methodology that defines most scientific pursuits (i.e making predictions and confirming them), it shows the power of sitting down and thinking when trying to unravel scientific mysteries.

– Nicholas MacDonald

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Posted in Science in the news

Tagged astrophysics, black holes, cosmology, physics, stephen hawking

Dangers of synthetic pesticides and why we should ‘bee’ careful

Posted on February 3, 2014 by jonghwanseo | 2 comments

When we think of synthetic pesticides, we commonly think of it as a necessary protection for our crops against insects, much like sunscreens, or as a nuisance that builds up inside our bodies and harms us until we pay the piper. However, according to the book, “Crop Chemo-phobia: Will Precaution Kill the Green Revolution?”, there are so much more natural pesticides in the plant compared to the synthetic ones (About 99.9% of pesticides in a plant is, by weight, natural) that if we were to worry about something, it should be the natural pesticides. This, however, does not mean we should be using synthetic pesticides carelessly. They are still harbingers of destruction to ecosystem and have already begun their dirty work on one of the beings that we depend on for agricultural benefits. That’s right, they are destroying the bees.

Source: imgur.com

According to the scientists, the bees are dying from a dangerous disorder called, “colony collapse disorder,” or commonly called as CCD. This disorder is developed from exposure to synthetic pesticides, which brings in other factors as a result, like parasites and fungi that would not have affected them if not for synthetic pesticides. Not only that, one of those pesticides that has been confirmed to be harmless to bees is increasing the bee’s chance of parasitic infection. Consequently, this would raise the stress level far beyond their tolerance and ultimately lead to colony collapse disorder. What is this “colony collapse disorder” you say? It is when bees from a colony up and disappears from their site due to the inhabitable stress in their living habitat, never to be seen again. We, as humans, depend on the bees to do most of the pollinating for countless vegetable and fruit crops. If they develop CCD from interacting with crops laced with synthetic pesticides, there will be fewer bees for the farmers to utilize and the harvest of fruits and vegetables will be severely limited.

Although synthetic pesticides may be insignificant when considering its effect on our well-being after intake, it is a serious cause and concern for the bees as it makes them vulnerable to so many stress-inducing organisms, such as parasites and fungi, and steers them towards what we now know as colony collapse disorder. While we still can, we should prevent usage of such pesticides and conserve their population so that in the long run, ours would be preserved as well.

-Jong Hwan Seo

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Posted in Science in the news

Electric Cars: Too Little, Too Late?

Posted on February 3, 2014 by hlaw | Comments Off

Tesla cross-country rally finish. Photo: Tesla Motors.

As of 7:30am on the 2^nd of February, Tesla Motors, a California-based electric car automaker, will have completed a high-profile road trip across the United States. Taken boldly in the midst of a States-stopping snow spell, Tesla will soon be inducted into the Guiness Book of World Records for the quickest trans-America journey undergone by an electric vehicle, as well as the record for doing so with the least amount of charge time. This is the latest milestone in the creeping growth of electric vehicles across the automotive industry. As a result of rising greenhouse gas emissions often attributed to the boom in the amount of cars we drive, governments across the world have been offering both automakers and their customers incentives to create and purchase hybrid or fully electric vehicles. This has spawned a range of vehicles from the ubiquitous Toyota Prius to the $500,000 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Drive. This, many hope, will bring an end to the climbing rates of CO₂ emissions and fossil fuel depletion.

SLS AMG E-Drive. Photo: Autoviva

But, is the entire electric car movement a moot point? While electric and hybrid vehicles give off exactly zero carbon emissions at the philosophical tailpipe – electric cars have no exhaust system owing to the lack of gases to burn – the electricity running through their motors still requires an energy source. The electricity running through the sockets to which one would plug in their electric vehicle may, depending on the local power grid, be even more polluting than a traditionally-powered car would be. While oftentimes the plug-in electricity source is at least at parity with internal-combustion engine cars in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, there is still the significant matter of battery production and disposal. Each hybrid or electric vehicle requires hundreds, if not thousands, of battery cells and each of these must at some point be disposed once their capacity to hold a charge is depleted. Doing so exposes a variety of toxic pollutants to the environment. While newer batteries and newer methods of disposal may mitigate this, the automobile electrification problem has still another hurdle to overcome.

Tesla Model S battery packs. Photo: Green Car Reports

It simply doesn’t matter. In a recent exhaustive study, scientists showed that even by 2050, with optimal electric vehicle market share growth, the reduction of net man-caused CO₂ emissions is meagre at best; it is more than likely that the true net change in emissions would be very slim. In fact, emissions due to passenger vehicles account for a mere 20% of the total emissions caused by humans. This statistic draws into question the practice of governments offering hundreds of millions in loans to automakers, often without successful repayments, to provide incentives for the production of electric cars. While a world with exclusively electric vehicles would make for at least cleaner air in cities, it will not be enough to curb the harm we continue to cause to the environment.

Helon Law

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Posted in Issues in science, Public engagement, Science in the news

Tagged electric cars, emissions, global warming, greenhouse gases, hybrid cars, pollution

Pressure Cooking to Sustainability

Posted on February 2, 2014 by flixt | 1 comment

If you’re a technology enthusiast, then you’ve certainly noticed the increase of interest towards new technology emphasizing on the use renewable energy and alternative fuel sources. One such source is Algae, which researchers have managed to use to produce crude oil, a process which normally takes a million years naturally but achievable within minutes in a lab!

Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have recently published a new study detailing their new process of creating crude oil from a slurry of algae. The new process consists of pouring a mixture of water and algae into a reactor, which is essentially a giant pressure cooker extracting the oil from the algal lipids to produce crude oil in less than an hour. Byproducts of this process include a mixture of water and phosphorus which can be recycled to produce more algae. Previous attempts at producing crude oil from algae required species containing high lipid concentrations and drying them in order to extract the oils within. This process pioneered in the 1970’s was not popular due to its complexity and difficulty to produce. The new process presents a much more efficient means of procuring the sought after resource as it decreases the need for additional resources and time.

(source: flickr commons)

So why is the research on algal bio-fuel so exciting that it has even caught the eyes of mainstream media? Well, because of its ease of production, and potential as a source of renewable energy. The production of Algae, or Algaeculture is a growing field within the study of renewable energy. Algae as a species can grow almost anywhere and does not require fertile land to grow; Common algae species can contain up to 50 percent of oil and can be grown within a tank of water. This is efficient as Algae do not require much land to be grown and only require a source of light. Growing Algae can also be Eco-friendly as they are known to capture carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.

Algae Photobioreactor (Source: Wikipedia Commons)

As the technology towards better renewable energy improves we may be able to see an increase in use and production of bio-fuel from algae. Once it is economical to do so, it is predicted that an area the size of new mexico can provide for the entirety of current U.S. petroleum consumption and unlike other potential bio-fuel sources like corn, it won’t need to occupy any fertile land at all!

– Felix Tang –

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Posted in Biological sciences, Science in the news

Tagged Algae, BioFuel, Crude Oil, Renewable Energy, Sustainability

Naked Mole Rats And Cancer

Posted on January 27, 2014 by adilcader | 2 comments

Cancer is the reality that haunts the forefront of society’s mind and one of the greatest killers that we fear today. It comes as no surprise that we would expect a great deal of research to be invested in its prevention. When researchers are looking into every possible opportunity that may yield a solution, it peaks our curiosity that a bizarre animal such as the naked mole rat may hold the key.

The Naked Mole Rat (Source: Flickr.com)

Although this not very visually appealing creature doesn’t seem to stand a chance against something as notorious as cancer, scientists at the University of Haifa in Israel believe that the cells of these mole rats secrete a substance that could be linked to the prevention of cancer. In addition to this the naked mole rat lives for a much longer period than your conventional species of rats, up to around thirty years, and hasn’t yet been detected to have any form of tumours. These features of this animal allowed it to win vertebrate of the year in the science magazine.

So how does this seemingly insignificant animal keep cancer out? Scientists from the University of Rochester in New York along with scientists from The University of Haifa in Israel have suggested that the substance responsible is a super sugar called high-molecular-mass Hyaluronan (HMM-HA). The proposed mechanism is that when secreted by cells it decreases cell overcrowding and the formation of tumours. This substance is also secreted by humans into the extracellular matrix of cells, but the sugar in these rats are ‘much heavier’. The evolution of these rats deep underground may have lead to the formation of this advanced version of the sugar. Additionally, this sugar secreted by mole rats allows their skin to be very much more elastic.

Research conducted on these creatures include, inducing cancers via carcinogens on them, however, it was found that the mole rats didn’t appear to develop any tumours. This differs from an experiment in which the mole rats were exposed to these same carcinogens in the absence of the secreted sugar (Hyaluronan). In this case, tumours developed, which lead researchers in the direction that this was, in fact, the substance responsible for the mole rats cancer free record.

The research into this substance is still progressing slowly, like all things in science and medicine. There are still several problems that researchers face, such as; how can it be harnessed and administered to humans? Will the substance cure already existing tumours and how can this be tested safely? Unfortunately several news articles that have been published are misleading to people who are looking for current cancer treatment as this research is in no way a current treatment and still needs several years of work to be of substantial use for human applications. That being said it is a significant door that has been opened in the field of cancer research and should be pursued.

~Adil Cader.

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

Tagged cancer, Naked Mole Rats

The Power of Jenny McCarthy – A Discussion on the Spread of Anti-Vaccination Campaigns in the Media

Posted on January 27, 2014 by cindyliang | Comments Off

Jenny McCarthy (Source: wikipedia.org)

Born on November 1st, 1972, Jennifer Ann McCarthy, also known as “Jenny”, is an ex-Playboy model, television host, actress, parenting-book author, and anti-vaccine activist. Anti- what? That’s right, you read that correctly. McCarthy has been an outspoken advocate for autism research and treatment since 2007 as she believes vaccinations made her son autistic. Her views on vaccination have put her on the news, the internet, and healthcare professionals’ list of “public enemies”.

As educated science students, we all know that any claim made needs to be backed-up by clear-cut evidence. Well, Jenny McCarthy’s supporting evidence for her claim is lacking. While she may not have solid evidence on the casual relationship between vaccination and autism in children, there are many evidence-based reviews that have rejected associations made between vaccination and autism ( seethis article by F DeStefano). For example, a 2003 study done by Stehr -Green et al. concluded that results of the study is inconsistent with the hypothesis that Thimerosal-containing vaccines( such as the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine) is responsible for the rise in the number of autistic children. A Montréal study of over 27,000 children also found no relationship between the MMR immunization schedule and autism.

Linking vaccination and autism has been one of the most litigious topics in vaccine safety in the recent years. Many theories have been debunked. Some, like Dr. Andrew Wakefield, have even been sued for crossing legal boundaries in an attempt to support this anti-vaccination campaign. Click here for abc NEWS‘ report on the case.

Why am I venting about Jenny McCarthy in particular? No, please don’t get me wrong here. I know what you’re all thinking, but being an ex-Playboy model has nothing to do with her believability. The main problem with McCarthy is that she is a celebrity, meaning she is a public figure and she has a voice. We all know how powerful fame and social media is in influencing the public. In July 2013, she was announced as the new co-host of the widely popular talk show, ABC’s The View. Many critics, such as the organization Toronto Public Health, believe ABC is committing a crime when they allow McCarthy a platform to advocate for her campaign. Naturally, majority of the public is afraid that more parents will resist vaccinating their children, myself included.

As a long-time volunteer at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)’s Immunization Clinics, I am seeing the more and more parents say “no” to common vaccines such as the MMR vaccine. This is not just at one clinic; I’ve observed this at the many different clinics I have volunteered at. The MMR vaccine is given in two doses, one at 12-months of age and the other at 18-months. So the MMR immunization schedule is usually complete before children enter school. Statistics from 2011, provided by VCH, shows that only 87.5% of kindergarten children are vaccinated compared to the goal of 95%, which is the level at which the spread of disease in the community is almost impossible.

2011 Report on MMR Immunization (Source: vch.ca)

Evident from the statistics shown, this rate is slowly going down. As the aunt of an adorable niece and the most lovable nephew, I certainly do not want them, or any children to contract any of the 100% preventable diseases.

So, if you ever see or hear a debate on the link between vaccination and autism, please be a mindful scientist and remind people that while Jenny McCarthy may be famous, she is not right. There are many studies done to prove her wrong. We need to diminish her voice, her power, and let scientific evidence speak instead.

– Cindy Liang

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Posted in Science in the news

Tagged autism, bad science, public health, vaccination

Genetics Is To Blame For Your Muffin Top!?

Posted on January 27, 2014 by jenajuly | 1 comment

Does your stomach take on the form of a muffin? Source: Wikipedia commons

Everyone hates having a muffin top. Any words associated with fat can grasp great attention easily nowadays. The topic of body image has been the centre of attention in the society for some time now, whether among the entertainment industry or the science community. People are constantly trying out new diets to lose excess fat while others engage in intense workouts. Scientists are consistently carrying out experiments to develop medicine and to find ways to help people obtain slimmer, ideal bodies. For those of you who ponder about why it is almost impossible for you to make that abdominal fat vanish even with the help of workouts, you will soon understand why.

The amount of abdominal fat is measured as the ratio of waist circumference to hip circumference (WHR). Having a surplus of fat does not necessarily mean being overweight, however, it may lead to obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and cancer, which can all have drastic effects on one’s life.

Exercises can help most individuals get rid of the excess fat located around the abdominal, although, the case is less fortunate for some. Here is why: epidemiologist Dr. Kira Taylor from the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences and her team discovered genes encoded with information that determines how much fat a person is to have. They estimated that these genes’ contribution to excess abdominal fat can be from 30% to as much as 60%! Out of the newly discovered genes, three can influence the amount of fat on both men and women while two are associated with women only.

One of the biggest troublemakers of this problem is the gene named SHC1, previously known to participate in regulating cell alterations and cell death. Now, Dr. Taylor and the team unleashed new information on more of the gene’s functions, including its involvement with abdominal fat. A SHC1 variant

SHC1 Protein. Source: Wikipedia Commons

can cause alteration in 17 proteins responsible for obesity, therefore increasing fat tissue production around the abdominal area. The amount of fat produced is more than the needed amount for an individual. In other words, people who have this variant of SHC1 tend to have more excess abdominal fat than others naturally.

This is a remarkable discovery for the science community, especially pharmacologically, as it opens up a new pathway for experts in the field to develop medicines that target the responsible variant SHC1, inhibiting its functions, therefore bringing fat tissue production back down to normal. This also leads to the possibility of reducing risks of diseases associated with this problem. As for the rest of the society, including myself, struggling with losing excess abdominal fat, we can anticipate the arrival of a healthy-looking body in the future with the help of this discovery!

– Jena Yang

Other sources:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140122102538.htm

New Genes IDd in Obesity: How Much of Weight is Genetic?

http://news.discovery.com/human/psychology/exercise-overpowers-influence-of-fat-genes-121811.htm

1 Comment

Posted in Biological sciences, Science in the news

Tagged abdominal fat, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, medicine, pharmacology

Category Archives: Science in the news

Animals Can Be a Benefit to Your Health!

Communicating with Our Dogs!

Catch-and-Release rather than Catch-and-Kill!

Grey Holes?

Dangers of synthetic pesticides and why we should ‘bee’ careful

Electric Cars: Too Little, Too Late?

Pressure Cooking to Sustainability

Naked Mole Rats And Cancer

The Power of Jenny McCarthy – A Discussion on the Spread of Anti-Vaccination Campaigns in the Media

Genetics Is To Blame For Your Muffin Top!?

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