One of the many occupation memes floating around facebook lately! For those of us who enjoy writing, it does have some truth to it!
Here is what I am reading today:
“Is weight loss “contagious”? According to a new study published online in the journal Obesity, teammates in a team-based weight loss competition significantly influenced each other’s weight loss, suggesting that shedding pounds can have a ripple effect.”
“That day I saw that climbing Mt. Science would always be hard but that the view from the peak was life changing. Now, years later, I see that while my experience is pretty common somehow we have lost that key connection when teaching science to the next generation.”
“UCLA scientists previously developed a brain-imaging tool to help assess the neurological changes associated with these conditions. The UCLA team now reports in the February issue of the journal Archives of Neurology that the brain-scan technique effectively tracked and predicted cognitive decline over a two-year period.
The team has created a chemical marker called FDDNP that binds to both plaque and tangle deposits — the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease — which can then be viewed using a positron emission tomography (PET) brain scan, providing a “window into the brain.” Using this method, researchers are able to pinpoint where in the brain these abnormal protein deposits are accumulating.”
turmeric is more than a spice, it is a drug
“Curcumin, a substance extracted from turmeric, prolongs life and enhances activity of fruit flies with a nervous disorder similar to Alzheimers, according to new research. The study conducted at Linköping University, indicates that it is the initial stages of fibril formation and fragments of the amyloid fibrils that are most toxic to neurons.”
9 Comments
Samantha_Neher · February 15, 2012 at 5:28 pm
“turmeric is more than a spice, it is a drug”
While the curcumin didn’t work out the way scientists were thinking it would, it still helped in finding out how the curcumin accelerated the formation of fibres by reducing the amount of oligomers. I think that it is great progress to know that oligomers can instigate the disease process, but there needs to be more research done on how exactly oligomers do this. I agree that the encapsulation of oligomers could be a great new treatment strategy.
Samantha_Neher · February 15, 2012 at 5:36 pm
“is weight loss contagious?”
I must say this article doesn’t surprise me. I can relate it to my own life because whenever I have tried to get fit and lose weight on my own, it never works as well as when all my roommates all go to the gym and eat healthy with me. When I go home over summer I definitely have to make my friends back home work out with me and try to be healthy or else I will gain weight without the support of all my roommates. I agree that we are all influenced by the people around us and if we all worked together we could create an environment to encourage more weight loss.
phtran · February 15, 2012 at 7:04 pm
In response to “is weight loss contagious”: it was definitely cool to read that participants in team-based weight-loss competitions significantly influenced each other’s weight loss. It does make sense though, as positive (and sometimes even negative) encouragement can have a significant effect on drive/motivation. This explains why a lot of people seem to enjoy going to the gym with a friend rather than alone–it makes the task seem less daunting: less of a task, and more of an activity that one might find enjoyable.
phtran · February 15, 2012 at 7:16 pm
In response to “turmeric is more than a spice, it is a drug”: I think that any type of pro-health pharmaceutical discovery is a great thing. Curcumin (a plant extract) seems promising as treated flies with Alzheimer’s lived 75% longer (that is a lot longer!) and maintained mobility better. Upon further research, I found that the drug is more commonly used for pain-relief (much like Ibuprofen). I found it very interesting than a known pain-killer can also be effective in combating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. One random thing that stuck out to me too though was the fact that the article (along with other previously posted articles) seem to always use fruit flies in the study of neurodegenerative disease. Is there a reason (some type of correlation with humans and fruit flies?) that this is the case, or are they just easy subjects to test?
N8 · February 15, 2012 at 11:17 pm
“Is weight loss contagious”
We are that which we associate and spend our time with and around, and more often than not we spend a lot of time around our friends. Our friends influence us in making decisions, etc. so it is not really much of a surprise that their health choices (or lack-thereof) influence our own behavior and choices! Its kinda a peer-pressure, conformity-like thing. This brings up the question of where does it start or where does it stop? … how strong is the influence of our peers, and how strong of a will would it take to resist making the same choices as your friends or peers? Also, I wonder what sorts of differences there would be if this study were replicated over here on the West-coast. Would the results be the same, reflect a stronger peer influence, or a weaker peer influence on an individual? I think that the results would likely be similar or possibly reflect a stronger presence of peer influence. After all, we live on the Central Coast where outdoor activities/exercise is a big deal for a lot of people and is something that can be done ear round with our weather!
Katie · February 17, 2012 at 2:38 am
In response to “is weight loss contagious?”:
I have come to believe that weight loss, along with so many other things, has become a “trend” in our society. A few days ago my friend asked me if I wanted to join a social networking website that revolves around publicizing one’s exercise frequency. http://www.fitocracy.com/ “Get addicted to your fitness” is the heading. The intent is to push yourself further in exercising knowing how much other people are exercising.
Just as the article says, people are so incredibly influenced by those around them and thus they pick up trends – with activities, jokes (and memes), and visual appearances. For example, how many more people at Cal Poly wear v-necks and ride road bikes now than a few years ago? And the new gym seems to be so crowded, even though it has been expanded because regular exercise has turned into the popular thing. On the flipside of the topic of positive influences, what does this imply about negative influences affecting our opinions of right and wrong? – i.e. jail mates, cheating on homework if everyone else seems to be doing it, taking weight loss too far to a potential eating disorder if you feel that everyone else is skinnier than you……
astiers · February 20, 2012 at 12:21 pm
In response to “is weight loss contagious?” :
I think the article supports an already popular social trend. TV shows like the biggest loser harness the power of teammates to promote weightloss. Also it is a common trend to have a partner or multiple teammates when training for a marathon. When my stepmom trained for The American Cancer Society marathon, she was encouraged to form a team to support her recovery and training. This article shows that not all peer pressure has negative outcomes.
astiers · February 20, 2012 at 12:28 pm
In response to “turmeric is more than a spice, its a drug” :
The results of this study were surprising to me. Instead of affecting the amount of amyloid tangles, it accelerates the formation, but still extends mobility. This study shows that scientists may not always know exactly how a drug works, but that scientific investigation and prove how drugs benefit society and hopefully this new information can be used to create a drug that will slow the progression of alzheimer’s.
scasey · February 24, 2012 at 10:13 am
In response to “Is weight loss contagious?”:
Weight loss is not contagious in the way we usually think of the word. For example, if the flu is contagious, you can get it without even trying! Weight loss, whether you are surrounded by like-minded people or not, takes hard work and discipline. Many people thrive in a competitive environment, and this further increases our society’s ubiquitous social pressures. Therefore, like those who commented before me, I am not surprised by these findings.
Comments are closed.