Even Ancient Peruvians Had Stress

When individuals are stressed, cortisol is released into every part of their body, and I mean everywhere - in the blood, saliva, urine, and even hair. In a study to be published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, researchers from The University of Western Ontario studied the hair of 10 samples from different archaeological sites throughout Peru. Of course, hair doesn't last throughout a person's entire lifetime, but the study allowed researchers to examine the period of time just before these individuals passed. The study found high levels of cortisol in portions of the hair, meaning high levels of stress just before death. Also, researchers noted that a majority of the samples experienced multiple episodes of stress throughout their final years of life. Although stress wasn't an identified physiological state until the 1930s, the cortisol tests show that stress was much a part of ancient Peruvians everyday lives. In the midst of final exams, it's good to know that even the ancients had problems.

More on the topic: Studying Hair of Ancient Peruvians Answers Questions About Stress

UCLA Takes on Gas

(NOTE: As a proud Trojan, I am a little less than enthused about today's contributor to my blog, but I will suck it up for the sake of science.) With the persistant threat of greenhouse gases that only increases with every passing day, institutions for green technology and alternative fuels have become a thriving industry, praised by the public. There've been many breakthroughs harnessing wind power, solar power, hydrogen fuel cells, etc., and it looks like a little school across town may have found may have come across another.

Researchers at UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have found a new appraoch to reduce greenhouse gases while produce alternative liquid fuel, isobutanol . Scientists have found that by genetically modifying the cyanobacterium Synechoccus elongatus, they create a new strain that metabolizes carbon dioxide, and with the use of solar power, produces isobutanol. (Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas resulting from burning fossil fuels. It is most commonly produced by automobiles and power plants.) The research will be published in this week's Nature Biotechnology journal.

GOOD JOB BRUINS! I mean, something good had to come out of you eventually...

Aussie Aussie Aussie

I was looking for my next story and came across this title:

Many Parents Encourage Underage Drinking, Australian Study Finds

I knew I should've went to Australia for a semester. The first line of the article states that HALF the adults in Australia believe 15- to 17-year-olds should be allowed to drink alcohol - as long as they're at home, under parental supervision. Oh to be 16 again, in Australia.

In my opinion, I think Australia has really got something here. I believe that as long as teenagers are in a safe environment, it's alright to introduce them to alcohol - better at home then the kegger across town. And let's face it, a good number of teenagers are at that kegger, whether parents like it or not. I'm young, so of course I'm bias, but I think I would have rather had my parents given me my first drink then find out about my late-night debacles by hosing off my dinner from the driveway. I think Australian parents are taking the proactive approach of teaching their children about alcohol according to their terms. Teenagers learn by example, and weren't all parents in their shoes at one point? The only problem I foresee is that I don't really know how easy the plan would be to implement. Would they establish a law that allows teenagers to drink under certain conditions? And if so, how would they enforce those conditions?

If you do read the article, it is blatantly obvious that the writer takes the opposing view, stating that drinking at a young age increases the risk of "long-term alcohol related health problems" and can "disturb a wide range of key brain functions." Of course, I completely understand the concern since teenagers are still growing and their bodies are still developing, but has no one learned yet that prohibiting a teenager from doing something makes it that much more alluring to them. They are still children after all.

The article goes on to emphasize alcohol education, which I believe is a very positive step, since most educational programs in school focus on drug use - most people tend to forget that alcohol is a drug due to its prevalence in everyday life. The only problem that I have with the article is that they refuse to acknowledge the fact that thousands of teenagers are already drinking behind closed doors, or have at least tried it, and this will keep happening no matter what the government does. Adults need to just face the facts and try to be more proactive in their children's lives and less reprimanding.

Brain's Balancing Act

A recently published study (gated) performed by scientists at New York University (NYU) Langone Medical Center has found that the ability for humans to learn and adapt to changes in our everyday lives lies in the tiny, miniscule junctions where nerve cells in the brain communicate, neural synapses. Using a powerful imaging technique called two-photon microscopy on the brains of mice, scientists found alterations in the dendritic spines over a period of months. When a mouse learned a new task or was exposed to a new stimulus, scientists observed new spines emerging. Furthermore, as the mice became more improved at specific skills, only a fraction of the new spines would persist. While these spines persisted, scientists noticed that a corresponfing number of older spines that had been formed during the mice's development before the experiment had disappeared. The end result was that only a minute fraction of the mice's spines were gained or lost after exposure to a new experience, while the majority of their existing spines maintained. This study offers insight to how humans, who have at least ten times the amount of dendritic spines on each neuron, are allowed to experience and learn new things everyday without losing existing memories.

The Science of TV (Major Post 3)

Too much TV? Can there even be such a thing?! As a proud member of the American Couch Potato Association (ACPA), I am a strong advocate for television as more than just a leisure activity and am not ashamed to admit that I have spent entire days lying on the couch, entranced by the tube. As a child, I would watch infomercials and shop-at-home networks in order to put myself to sleep at night. I enjoyed the sound of someone’s voice lulling me to sleep. Unfortunately, my love for television, like all love, was blind and our unhealthy relationship may have hurt me more than I can imagine.

A report that was published in this month’s Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine attempts to link TV exposure at a young age with aggressive behavior in the future. Information collected through surveys given to 3,128 mothers found that direct TV exposure and household TV exposure from 0-3 years of age is significantly associated with childhood aggression. Although this is very telling, researchers admit that a definite link cannot be made because households with higher rates of TV use may have fewer restrictions on the content children are watching.

After finding this article, I felt the urge to look into the matter further and discover if there are any definite biological effects associated with watching too much television. I found that excessive television viewing may not have significant effects on adults, but can be extremely damaging to the health of children – good job, 8-year-old me.

I first came across this article from 2007 written by Catharine Paddock where she discusses how high usage levels of television and its partner in crime, the computer, are damaging to the health and development of children. The article’s main reference is a journal publication written by Dr. Aric Sigman, a well-known figure in England who focuses his work on health promotion and management. In his most recent publication, he details the health effects people face by watching too much television. Through surveying other research materials and conducting research firsthand, Dr. Sigman found that high levels of television viewing can have negative impacts upon a child’s mind, behavior, and physiology.

Firstly, there are issues involving mental health. Dr. Sigman has found that attention and concentration abilities, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease can all be linked to TV. Deficiency in a child’s ability to concentrate is a direct cause of television as a medium and not the specific programming that is being observed. In his article, Dr. Sigman references a study conducted that proved that the stylistic techniques utilized in television programs – like quick cuts, visual pans, zooms, sudden noises, etc. – all elicit a instinctive response from humans. This is due to a built-in safety mechanism making us sensitive to movement and sounds in our surroundings. Because of this involuntary response, humans are highly stimulated to sudden changes in the environment. Therefore, humans are drawn to the stylistic techniques mentioned above that vary the audience’s point of view during a scene. Unfortunately, due to the fact that these techniques are utilized frequently during a single television program to maintain viewer retention, the attention span of developing brains may begin to decrease. Basically, the mind becomes very dependent on continuous stimuli in order to maintain focus. From watching excessive television, a child’s need for constant external stimulation can arise, which may lead to mental problems like Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

In regards to behavioral effects, television viewing has a major effect on sleeping patterns. Through numerous studies, it has been found that children these days are receiving much less sleep than previous generations and are experiencing more sleeping difficulties. A study by E J Paavonen found that overall exposure to television, both active and passive, of 5 to 6-year-olds was linked to shorter sleep duration, increased chances of forming a sleeping disorder, and sleep disturbances.

Equally important are children’s eating habits. When humans are hungry, they normally respond to internal food cues like a growling stomach. But because TV is such a powerful medium, increased exposure to it causes the brain to monitor external non-food cues – fast food commercials, cooking shows, etc. – that tell viewers that they haven’t eaten enough. Our bodies then respond by continually salivating unnaturally as we increase our intake of food, causing us to eat more than we normally would. This even causes some people to eat when they’re not even hungry.

A final behavioral impact of television is on a child’s social conduct. If a child chooses to sit in front of a television all day, their social interactions with other children decrease dramatically and a state of isolation begins to develop. The severity of “loneliness” is subjective in every child, but high levels of isolation can take an emotional toll. Furthermore, a study has been conducted comparing the DNA of people considered to be highly socially isolated versus those who were lower. Through this study, researched identified 209 genes that were expressed differently in leukocytes between samples. Leukocytes are white blood cells that work with the immune system to prevent disease. The gene expression of highly isolated participants included impairment in the transcription of glucocorticoid, a gene with anti-inflammatory elements, and an increase in the transcription of a pro-inflammatory gene. These combined effects present that social isolation, which can occur through excessive television viewing, can elevate a child’s risk of attaining an inflammatory disease.

The physiological effects of too much television begin with the well-known effects on eyesight and metabolism. The harsh light associated with television screens, has been increasingly proven to be more of a factor in a child’s development of myopia, or near-sightedness. Myopia occurs when light doesn’t hit the retina correctly, causing distant objects to appear blurred. It's said that the continuous light from screens can desensitize a person’s retinas to light, which may lead to permanent damage. In addition, watching television is a sedentary activity, meaning it requires little movement and no exertion of energy to perform. Lifestyles based on sedentary activity are known to lower a person’s basal metabolic rate. This means that it would take a lot more energy to burn calories than before and it becomes easier to gain weight.

Furthermore, studies have shown that excessive exposure to light from televisions may also affect a child’s melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It is known as the “hormone of darkness” because its production is inhibited by light and the highest levels of its production occur while humans are asleep. The primary function of melatonin is to regulate a person’s biological clock. It also serves as a powerful antioxidant. The excessive light from screens inhibits melatonin production in children. Low levels of melatonin are known to increase the chances of premature puberty, which prevents a child from growing to their maximum potential height because bone maturation is completed sooner. Reduced amounts of melatonin may also result in a greater chance of cell DNA producing cancer-causing mutations. It was found that when children ages 6-12 were deprived of television and computers, their melatonin levels increased by 30%.

Lastly, excessive television viewing can also lead to heart trouble and diabetes. These are most attributed to the sedentary lifestyle that comes with watching too much TV. A decreased metabolism and an increased food intake at a young age will shape a child’s behavior in the future. These dietary habits are hard to break and can lead to high cholesterol and an increased potential for heart disease. Moreover, abnormal glucose metabolic rates are also associated with a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet. Abnormal levels of glucose are a strong trigger for Type II diabetes.

From the information of the article, as well as the background information provided by Dr. Sigman and numerous other sources, it can be seen that too much television is a growing epidemic for children. Although some of the effects discussed above are not directly linked with the action of watching television, the overall habit obviously can affect the entire body in a negative way. The obvious solution would be to limit a child's TV time, but these days, that's a lot easier said than done. I recommend promoting children involvement in activities that get them up and away from the TV, like sports, school clubs, and maybe even adding a few more chores to their list. Just remember, the next time your kids want to “flip on the tube” in order to watch the latest episode of Spongebob or Hannah Montana, dim the screen, don't get too comfortable, and please, eat before you start watching.

Flu-gle Earth

Sitting in class with nothing better to do? Well, get off of Facebook and check this out. Not only does it let you look into the windows of your girlfriend's roommate's brother's best friend's mom's house online, but now, Google Earth lets you track avian flu as it travels/infects the world. Oh, what will they think of next?! (Read more)

Find it here: http://routemap.osu.edu/

Snap, Crackle & Swine Flu?

So, we've all heard about the H1N1 virus screwing up college drinking games, but now its taking down an even more important matter: BREAKFAST. Kellogg's released a statement last week saying that they will be removing the claim that their Rice Krispies cereal "helps support your child's immunity" from its packaging. Why? Because of the swine flu epidemic of course! It's a low blow since the campaign only started this past July, but with parents being extra careful with what goes into the diet of their high-risk kids, consumers are questioning Kellogg's claim.

A blogger from the Wall Street Journal states that a San Francisco attorney wrote the company a letter asking for a substantiation to their claim. The letter included:

I am concerned that the prominent use of the Immunity Claims to advertise a sugar-laden, chocolate cereal like Cocoa Krispies may mislead and deceive parents of young children. … At a time when parents are increasingly worried about the spread of the H1N1 virus (”swine flu”), it is vitally important that parents receive accurate information about what they can do to protect their children’s health.

All I have to say is that if people honestly think that a box of Rice Krispies was going to save their children from swine flu, we may have a bigger problem on our hands.