Does eating red meat lead to health issues?

A lot of people are uncomfortable with eating meat that appears to be too pink or red. The reason being that we all have been told of the possible health issues that can come from eating it. In the past, there has been cases in which people have become sick from the consumption of red meat. For this reason, people tend to either completely cut it out of their diet or reduce the amount of it that they eat. Before reading this article, I too was not comfortable eating it and don’t think that I will after learning about these findings. Personally, I didn’t think it looked nor tasted appetizing. A recent study has shown that we might not need to cut down on eating red meat as a way to prevent health issues.

A group of researchers performed a study of 12 trials that included 54,000 people and it showed that there was not a strong relationship between consuming red meat and the health risks that include heart disease, cancer, etc. Their tests were able to show a variety of statistics to help their claims. From their study which followed millions of people, it showed that there was a very small reduction in health issues for people that have less servings of red meat throughout the week. They also conducted surveys to see how people stand with the idea of eating red meat. Many people confirmed that they see meat as being healthy and are not concerned about changing their diet. Regardless of what they have heard, people tend to continue to eat food in which they believe is healthy & enjoy.

Gordon Guyatt who is a chair of the guideline committee mentions how a panel of 14 members from countries all around the world use a high tech systematic methodology. These methods are then given a certain grade which rates the outcomes of each test which allows for them to create dietary recommendations and guidelines. He mentions how this topic in nutrition will help people make their decision when picking a proper diet. This group believes that the decision from the panel will help prove that their tests are accurate. The group also mentions how their studies were strictly based off of health issues, and did not factor in animal welfare or any environmental concerns. Their main goal as of now is too continue performing tests in order to prove that red meat does not need to be cut out of people’s diets.

This study could be used to help people when making their decisions towards a diet that they want. With more tests to come, there could be more evidence that show that consuming red meat may not increase health issues. A large amount of people was tested and showed no dramatic change in their health. I think a major reason people choose not to consume red meat is because there have been cases in the past in which people became sick from it. With these tests, I’m not sure if will change people’s opinions. Some people may continue to avoid eating it while some people may choose to change their diet and include red meat. I think that if the guideline committee creates dietary recommendations and guidelines that support eating red meat, people won’t see if as much of an issue. After reading this article, my opinion hasn’t changed and I don’t think I would ever be able to incorporate it into my diet.

Posted by Matt Cayer (4)

Are Cougars Actually Extinct in North Carolina?

As someone who grew up in the mountains of North Carolina, few things intrigue me more than the topic of the Eastern Cougar. When I was really young my dad would tell me stories about how he would see 'pumas' in the mountains when he was little. When I was in grade school and high school I would hear occasional tales of cougars being sighted around the area. I grew up with the idea that cougars do in fact live in the Blue Ridge Mountains, despite being deemed 'extinct' by the scientific community. This dichotomy poses an interesting question: Who is right? 
The word "extinct" is deceptively conclusive. The BBC describes looking for extinct species as "complicated and often infuriatingly inconclusive". Scientists and biologists that look for species wild populations have various methods, with varying degrees of success depending on the targeted species. In the case of the eastern cougar what might have been used would be trail cameras and scat. These scientific measures are necessary for estimating wild populations and their density, but do not exactly measure populations. These methods are great for a species with well documented population sizes, but are not great for measuring endangered/possibly extinct species populations. As the BBC states "errors in judgement are far from uncommon. Every few years a species like the Cuban solenodon, thought to be extinct or even officially declared as such, turns up unexpectedly in the wild.". Cougars are notoriously independent and solitary, which could hinder efforts of finding an already extremely scant population.
It is also important to note that these techniques used by scientists are largely effective, and that sightings of cougars could very well be attributed to locals misidentifying one animal for another. North Carolina Wildlife explains that "upon investigation, NCWRC biologists have concluded that many reports of cougar sightings or their tracks are misidentification of both domestic and wild animals. Domestic cats and dogs, coyotes, bobcats, and red foxes infected with mange are the most common animals mistaken for cougars". The solitary nature of cougars makes it exceedingly rare for cougars to be close to humans, especially for them to be close enough that humans notice them.
In conclusion, there is no clear answer. What we can conclude is that eastern cougar in North Carolina are either extinct or close to extinction. 

Liz Clark week 4

Peanut Oil: A Caveat to the Peanut Allergy

Growing up, I had an extreme dislike for peanuts, to the point that I would cry when fed them as a baby. My parents had told me at one point that if I tried something many times I would eventually like the taste. I had changed my opinion on many things over the years, such as chicken breast, beans, but never peanuts. When I was 14 years old, my parents wanted to get to the bottom of why I disliked peanuts so much, so I had a scratch test done for allergies and no surprise, peanuts was at the top of the list for what I was allergic to the most. What confused my parents and caused them to think I was not allergic was the fact that I would eat Kettle Brand potato chips on the regular which were cooked in peanut oil with no affects whatsoever. So what is the science behind having an allergic reaction to peanuts, but not peanut oil?

According to this article, there is one big reason why peanut oil would cause no reaction: it is an oil. When antibodies are used to fight off pathogens, they seek out surface proteins to attach to in order to attenuate any pathogen. This is because all living things, including viruses, contain proteins in order to carry out basic biological functions. Therefore any possible threat that can multiply within the body can be targeted. When peanuts are consumed, antibodies are able to attack the available proteins. According to this source, on average, a single peanut can have around 200 milligrams of protein, however a reaction can be caused by as little as 100 micrograms of protein, resulting in a large reaction from small amounts of peanuts. Peanut oil differs from peanuts because an oil only consists of fatty acids. So long as the oil is well refined (usually industrial grade), there is a very unlikely chance that your body can elicit a reaction.

To summarize, while peanuts are known by many to create an intense reaction, the reality is that not everything that is derived from peanuts can cause a reaction. If you do have a peanut allergy and want to try peanut oil, be prepared with an epinephrine auto-injector.

Posted by: Isaac Collibee  (4)

The Clownfish is No Clown at All

Most commonly recognized for being featured in the movie "Finding Nemo”, the clownfish is a marvel anemone species. We tend to generalize that clownfish are always orange with white stripes, however, of the 28 species of anemone fish, colors vary from red, black, pink, and yellow. Anemone fish are tropical, and commonly found in parts of Asia and Australia. 

Anemone fish are unique in the fact that they have evolutionarily developed a symbiotic mutualistic relationship with sea anemone species. Sea anemones have modified cells that contain neurotoxins in specialized nematocyst cells; these cells, when touched upon the slightest contact, inject their venom into a host in response to self-defense or to capture food.  However, the clownfish has mutually evolved with the sea anemone to avoid the sea anemone’s poisonous touch. How? According to this article, clownfish are understood to generate a protective mucous that acts as "chemical camouflage" preventing "not self" recognition by the sea anemone, thus inhibiting toxic nematocyst discharge into the fish. The symbiosis between these two organisms is unique. The sea anemone provides an array or resources for clownfish; clownfish utilize these organisms for shelter against predators, for egg protection, and as breeding and spawning grounds. When the sea anemone makes a kill, the clownfish also gains from this, as it feeds on floating food particles. In return, the sea anemone gains from clownfish activity; the sea anemone is vigorously defended by the inhabited clownfish, and also derives indirect/direct nutrients from its clownfish resident. The clownfish's swimming activity and excretions help circulate crucial marine nutrients to the anemone such as oxygen, ammonia, and phosphorous. Lastly, due to their bright colors, clownfish help attract larger fish to the anemone, which helps trigger the anemone to paralyze a potential food source. 

Another amazing attribute that clownfish have involves their reproductive system. According to this additional article, clownfish are protandrous, and have the ability to change sex based on social factors. Essentially clownfish are hermaphrodites and are all born males. However based on colony social factors, a male will not change sex when attaining a certain size, but rather change after female disappearance. Essentially, when a female dies, the next in age, the dominant male, has the ability to change reproductive strategies of that found in female clown fish. Commonly referred to as "sequential hermaphroditism", this sex change is based off social factors within the colony, which is very unique to this specific taxa. 

Who knew Marlin and Nemo were such incredible marine organisms? I think that species like these would be an absolute thrill to study. It would be very interesting to see the underlying molecular pathways involved in such advanced reproductive processes. Because clownfish have reached evolutionary extremes with both sex determination and symbiosis, it would be highly interesting to research their evolution, to see what kinds of enviromental pressures selected for these specific types of interactions and reproductive strategies.

-Elise Babula (1).

                                  Four Reasons Why I forgot Your Birthday!

Memory is an imperative attribute in all humans. It is described as the ability to retain information and acquire knowledge to be recalled at a later time. Memories can be long term or short term however, despite one’s ability to remember information from years or days prior it is possible to forget information. Inability to recall information compelled science to look further into why sometimes memory fails and also how it can be improved. The article How Memory Works  explain that there are three types of memory. First, sensory memory; it is our ability to hold our 5 senses after the original stimuli have ended. Second, is short term memory or “working memory which allows a person to hold key information in their mind. Lastly, there is long term memory (semantic memory) which is where we store past events and patterns. 

For many years, despite our understanding of the “mapping” of memory it had been difficult to fully grasp why people forget things, or remember things much more efficient than others. We’ve explored genetic factors, old age and overall health of a human to explain this lack of efficiency in memory. According to this article "Very well Mind"  a renowned memory researcher, Elizabeth locus most recent research may have narrowed down an explanation to why we forget into four major categories; retrieval failure, interference, failure to store, and motivated forgetting.

Ever feel like the information is “floating” in your mind but you cannot quite put it together; this is known as retrieval failure the most common cause of forgetting. This phenomenon is known as “decay theory” which means as we retain new information, old ones begin to disappear, and if the information is not rehearsed it is eventually lost. The theory of interference suggest that memories will “compete” and interfere with information that are similar that were previously stored. Another reason we forget is “failure to store” which suggest that losing information is sometimes a result of failure to make it to long term memory. This is most common among students; it is very easy to remember the overall topic but it is very likely to forget minor details. The last category is “motivated forgetting” which is an unconscious form of forgetting better known as suppression of memory. Motivated forgetting mostly relates to traumatic memories that we actively work to forget.

Unfortunately, forgetting is inevitable but we can put memory improvement strategies into practice. Healthline  suggest eating less added sugar can help improve memory because it’s been linked to diseases including cognitive declined. Meditation is widely known to reduce stress and blood pressure which contributes an overall brain function improvement. Lastly, the golden rule we all are most familiar with; getting enough sleep. So, the next time you forget a friend’s birthday be sure to refer them to this article.

 Posted by "Fredjah Desmezeaux" (4) 

Can Octopuses Dream?

Have you ever wondered if other species can dream the way that humans do? You might’ve seen your dog dreaming before as if it was chasing a chipmunk around. Humans have different stages of sleep, including rapid eye movement, or REM. Dreaming can occur in all stages of sleep but dreaming appears most vivid during REM stage according to this article. It cannot be assumed that other species experience sleep in the same way that humans do until their brain is fully understood. This means that a species dreaming cannot be determined until it is provided with factual evidence.

A recent video of an octopus sleeping was captured on film. In this video, it can be seen that the octopus, Heidi, wraps all eight of her legs underneath her and begins to change colors. In the video, Heidi changes between white, yellow, dark, and camouflage. This color change indicates some sort of behavior for the octopus. Octopuses typically change their color pattern in relation to their activities and surroundings. For example, a camouflaged color could represent that the octopus has captured a crab and is camouflaging itself to the ocean floor to be able to eat the crab in peace without being disturbed. If the octopus was actually dreaming these color changes could explain a dream-like scenario where the octopus is catching a crab, as explained in the video. Another sign that the octopus could be dreaming is the fact that Heidi’s eyes are moving back and forth like how humans do during the REM stage of sleep. Even though this is a good reason to assume that she is dreaming, nothing in science can be assumed. Octopuses have a complex brain and are nowhere near humans on the evolutionary tree but dreaming could be a similarity shared among the two species.

An article in the New York Times, suggests that there are other species that show characteristics of dreaming. For example birds, specifically song birds, have activity patterns in their brains while sleeping that matches the activity patterns they present during the day while singing. This activity pattern indicates that the birds may be dreaming of singing. Cuttlefish are another species that exhibit signs of dreaming. Their eyes exhibit rapid movement and their color patterns change according to this study. This study proves that cuttlefish exhibit a sleep-like state that resembles the REM sleep stage of vertebrates but states that the mechanism and nature between the fish and humans may differ. 

The article in the New York Times states that while the assumptions of a dreaming octopus are present, it cannot be concluded without further understanding of their brains. Octopuses are highly intelligent and have large complex brains that need to be understood before an assumption of dreaming can be confirmed.  This is definitely something that will be looked into more and hopefully a study can be done soon to confirm this theory of a dreaming octopus. 

Watch the video linked above to see a potentially dreaming octopus and all of the beautiful color patterns it exhibits in this process.

-Posted by "Sophie DeRepentigny" (4)

Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis: The Real World Zombie Parasite

Have you ever wondered whether it was possible for zombies to exist in real life? If so, have you ever wondered about which mode zombies might operate under? In science fiction novels, there are many proposed versions of the undead; some brought about by bacterial infections, others by plant or even alien parasites. It may come as a surprise that the closest zombie condition that we observe in nature is caused by a fungus; Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis. 

This tropical fungus, found in both Thailand and Brazil, is a parasite that uses ants as its host. The one deviant behavior it instills in ants is simple yet striking in terms of biological adaptation. This article in The Atlantic, depicts the behavior of an ant shortly after infection. An infected ant will leave its colony behind once there has been enough accumulation of fungal cells in its hemolymph (it is at this point that fungal cells can combine to form a super-organism that takes over the nervous system). This behavior in itself is remarkable in the context that ants are such hive-minded creatures that in general, they would never leave their colony behind. Distanced from the colony, the infected ant will crawl up the stalk of a plant to the underside of a leaf not even a foot off the ground. The parasite finishes off the use of its host when the ant clamps its mandibles on the central vein of the leaf (this is equivalent to you or I biting into something to suspend ourselves before entering rigor mortis). From that point, fungus spores emerge from the ant carcass’ head and rain down on passing ant lines below to restart the parasitic cycle. What makes the deviant behavior of the infected ant so remarkable is that it is essential for the survival of the fungal parasite. 

What is also intriguing about Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis is the mechanism in which it takes control over its ant host. One might expect the parasite to completely degrade the host brain, however, it is the opposite that is true. The fungus spreads throughout nearly every part of the Formicidae body except the brain, which is untouched. Current researchers theorize that the fungus has control over the ant’s muscles and body and that if it affects the brain in any way, then it does so chemically from elsewhere in the body. This described mechanism is a very close match to what our culture describes as mind control. 

Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis is a fascinating biological specimen and has been more commonly studied over the last few decades. This NCBI article gives a detailed account of why there might be many other fungal species related to Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis that have similar parasitic effects on their hosts. This hypothesis causes one to wonder if there may be some fungal parasite out there that induces a zombie-like state in humans. If this is the case, it may be time to consider mold-free safe zones in your zombie-apocalypse survival plans!

-David Frykenberg (Week 4)