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The Not-So-Dystopian Future of Lab-Grown Food on Our Plates

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The Not-So-Dystopian Future of Lab-Grown Food on Our Plates

Many science fiction stories about dystopian societies with climate disasters involve some sort of synthetic meat grown in tanks on a large scale in an attempt to feed a hungry world. But is lab-grown food just a figment of our imagination forever, destined to remain a product of science fiction? Or could it soon be available as a mainstream product? 

As biotechnology advances, the ability to manipulate living organisms like bacteria for benefit grows. Just like the development of synthetic insulin has increased the quality of life of diabetic individuals, the biotech industry has turned its attention towards creating cultured or clean meat to limit the environmental impact of the meat industry [1]. The process begins with isolating stem cells from animal muscles and uses a bioreactor to grow the cell samples into tissue fibers and eventually muscle tissues [2]. According to a biotechnology company that is investigating the culturing of meat, the process could theoretically yield up to 20,000 pounds of meat from a simple muscle biopsy [2]. The process of growing meat in bioreactors has been independently examined by various biotech startups in the United States with some companies venturing out to culture other meat products such as pork and fish [2]. 

Now, let’s address the elephant (or cow?) in the room. How would this cultured meat taste? Reports from biotech companies report that the meat tastes fairly similar to normal meat as the fat and muscle tissue composition is closely monitored in the culturing process to ensure that the synthetic meat is as similar as possible to real meat [3]. 

There are many obstacles that cultured meat producers must overcome before the products will be available for mass consumption, including FDA approval [1]. However, cultured chicken products made their debut for public consumption at restaurant 1880 in Singapore to much fanfare [3].

Although modern biotechnology could support the mass production of cultured meats, there are many legal and social barriers that need to be addressed before we see lab grown meat on our plates. Despite the many obstacles that are in the way of cultured meat production, science continues to advance, and we may be eating cultured meat from the serveries before we know it. 


References

  1. Rogers, K. Lab-grown meat could make strides in 2022 as start-ups push for U.S. approval https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/23/lab-grown-meat-start-ups-hope-to-make-strides-in-2022.html (accessed 2022 -03 -12).

  2. Lab-Grown Meat - Scientific American https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/lab-grown-meat/ (accessed 2022 -03 -12).

  3. Lab-Grown Meat Could Feed the Planet | Time https://time.com/6109450/sustainable-lab-grown-mosa-meat/ (accessed 2022 -03 -12).

  4. Lab-grown meat’s promise for cutting climate warming depends on an… https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/news/cultured-meat-climate-impact/ (accessed 2022 -03 -12).

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Brain Injuries and the Fencing Response

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Brain Injuries and the Fencing Response

Chargers’ Donald Parham on a gurney, following fall in mid-game. Image from [1].


A couple of weeks ago, many die-hard football fans witnessed one of the scariest injuries that can occur on the field. Only in the first quarter, it seemed all but certain that the Chargers would score the first touchdown of the game. However, a dropped pass in the endzone by the team’s tight-end, Donald Parham, suddenly turned into a moment of chaos. Taking an abnormal fall, his arms suddenly locked up in the air as he laid out on the turf unconscious. The cameras zoomed into the scene to display his unmoving body, showing the hundreds of thousands of viewers exactly what a traumatic brain injury looks like. Though Parham was ultimately taken to the nearby medical center and discharged the following day, fencing response — the reflex that Parham exhibited in that Thursday Night Football game — has been a hot topic among football fans and non-football fans alike. Let’s get into the science behind this frightening experience. 

Image from [2].


Fencing response is often seen in those who are knocked down or violently hit during full-contact sports such as football, rugby, and boxing, to name a few. After one experiences a substantial blow to the head that impacts the brainstem, a possibility is that their arms lift up into the air with their forearms flexed for several seconds [3]. Specifically, rotational forces resulting from a hit can shock the reticular activating system (RAS), which is the region that maintains consciousness in the brainstem. Since concussions are not able to be detected via methods such as MRI or CT scans, this fencing response position is one of the most noticeable indicators for medical professionals to determine the severity of the head injury. In fact, a 2009 study found that after analyzing 35 videos showcasing a hit to the head and an immediate loss of consciousness, roughly 66% showed the fencing response [4]. It’s completely reflexive; the shock of the trauma suddenly activates primitive muscle reflexes that are present in human infants [5]. For example, lifting a five-year-old infant off of a bed will cause them to flex and extend their arms — exactly what these athletes seem to do. As a result, they appear to lie limp and reach out into the air for something that’s not there.

Whenever an athlete falls awkwardly on the field and stretches their arms out for a few seconds, that’s not a unique celebration. As a definite indicator of a traumatic brain injury, there’s a reason that they don’t return for the remainder of the game.



References

  1. ESPN. ​​https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32885083/los-angeles-chargers-te-donald-parham-put-neck-brace-carted-off (accessed Jan 24, 2022)

  2. Semantic Scholar. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Brain-injury-forces-of-moderate-magnitude-elicit-Hosseini-Lifshitz/3e44f46ea098f4f63317fb95070053202c2a79e6 (accessed Jan 24, 2022)

  3. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/fencing-response (accessed Jan 24, 2022)

  4. Hosseini A.H.; Lifshitz J. Brain injury forces of moderate magnitude elicit the fencing response. Med Sci Sports Exerc. [Online] 2009 Sep;41(9):1687-97. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19657303/ (accessed Jan 24, 2022)

  5. Bleacher Report. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1494620-stevan-ridleys-concussion-biomechanics-of-his-injury-fencing-response (accessed Jan 24, 2022)

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The Physiology Behind Mastering the Pull-up

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The Physiology Behind Mastering the Pull-up

We’ve all been here: in front of you hangs a metal bar dauntingly suspended a couple of feet in the air — and you think to yourself, how do I do a pull-up?

Muscles used during a pull-up excercise. Image from [1].

For those who don’t yet know how to do a pull-up, there’s a long road ahead. But just like any other exercise, with proper training, mastery is possible by properly activating the groups of muscles involved through repetition. The muscle groups most involved in the pull-up are the rectus abdominis (one of the many muscles that constitute the core) latissimus dorsi (lats), middle and lower trapezius (traps), and biceps brachii (biceps) [1]. It’s especially important to understand the physiological aspects of each exercise to find the most effective ways to master it in the least amount of trips to your local gym. 

Image from [2].

Pull-up training begins with kneeling lat pulldowns. This variation of a lat pulldown, which is a common workout that targets your shoulder and back for an upper-body workout, activates muscles to a similar magnitude and pattern as pull-ups, more so than other exercises such as assisted pull-ups and seated lat pulldowns [3]. To properly perform a kneeling lat pulldown, you first kneel and use an overhand grip on a lat pulldown attachment. Afterward, set the weight until it is heavy enough to pull your knees above the ground by about an inch. Then, for the actual pulldown part, make sure that your back is aligned straight and pull your shoulder blades together to achieve maximum muscle activation. Make sure to do 3 sets of 5 reps!

Another great exercise is a negative pull-up, which essentially constitutes the downward half of the pull-up. Many studies have shown that this “negative” portion of the exercise (known as eccentric exercise) might be more effective at building muscle than performing the entire rep [4]. The negative pull-up is especially suited for beginners. Even though you might not have the strength for the upward part of the pull-up, many will have the strength to execute the downward motion with the right technique. To properly perform a negative pull-up, you first raise yourself to the top of the pull-up position using a stool or other high platform and simply do 5 sets of 1 rep [1].

With these two exercises, you will begin to see progress in your pull-up attempts. It might take a while, but we all have to start somewhere!


References

[1] AMM Fitness. https://www.ammfitness.co.uk/information-advice/pull-ups-benefits-muscles-worked (accessed Nov 15, 2021)

[2] Fitness Lane. https://fitnesslane.com/product/kneeling-lat-pulldown/ (accessed Nov 15, 2021)

[3] Hewit J.K.; Jaffe D.A.; Crowder T. A Comparison of Muscle Activation during the Pull-up and Three Alternative Pulling Exercises. J Phy Fit Treatment & Sports [Online] 2018, 5.4, 1-7. https://juniperpublishers.com/jpfmts/JPFMTS.MS.ID.555669.php (accessed Nov 15, 2021).

[4] Hedayatpour N.; Falla D. Physiological and Neural Adaptations to Eccentric Exercise: Mechanisms and Considerations for Training. BioMed Research International [Online], 2015, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/193741 (accessed Nov 15, 2021)

[5] Muscle & Performance. https://www.muscleandperformance.com/training/killer-pull-up-workouts/ (accessed Nov 15, 2021)





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The Paleo Diet: Good or Bad?

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The Paleo Diet: Good or Bad?

In today’s world, everyone seems to be searching for a simple, sustainable, and healthy, yet tasty diet. Often, there are advertisements that claim that they have discovered a “new secret formula” that makes weight loss and good health quick and easy, yet as most people know, these diets are often too good to be true. There is, however, one diet that has been around since the dawn of humanity: the paleo diet. The paleo diet has endured hundreds of thousands of years of testing, yet it has stuck around. What makes the paleo diet so special?

First, let us address what a paleo diet is. It’s based on the foods that early humans most likely would’ve eaten. This includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, and seeds. Some foods to avoid are grains, legumes, dairy products, refined sugar, and processed foods in general [1]. The goal of the paleo diet is to return to a diet that is similar to what our ancestors ate thousands of years ago. The idea behind it is that our bodies are still genetically programmed to match a hunter-gatherer society, so we are mismatched to modern society’s diet [2]. This mismatch arose because of how much more rapidly agriculture evolved in comparison to our genome, leaving no room for our bodies to adapt to the changing conditions. By going back to our ancient diet, we are feeding our bodies the foods that it was meant to eat. 

Short term studies with the paleo diet have found beneficial effects: lower body mass index (BMI), lower blood pressure, lower triglycerides, healthier microbiome, mental clarity, reduced acne, and better appetite management overall [2]. These studies indicate that on a short-term basis, the paleo diet can provide numerous benefits. 

However, on the long-term basis, a couple concerns arise. As the paleo diet restricts intake of certain food groups, vitamin/mineral deficiencies can develop. For example, the diet excludes dairy products, a great source of calcium and Vitamin D, both of which are critical to bone health. In one study, researchers found that participants who followed the paleo diet had an average of 50% of the recommended daily intake of calcium [3]. Furthermore, while meats are a primary source of protein in the paleo diet, they are also high in saturated fats, which can result in elevated cholesterol levels and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke in the long term. 

Although the paleo diet has been around for millions of years, it’s most definitely not the “perfect diet.” While it can provide amazing health benefits, it can also increase the risk of certain diseases over an extended period of time. What’s most important is that your diet is balanced, which can be met through a variety of eating habits. 

References

  1. Paleo diet: Eat like a cave man and lose weight? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/paleo-diet/art-20111182 (accessed Oct 18, 2020).

  2. Health benefits of the Paleo diet https://www.brightwatermedicalcentre.com.au/health-benefits-of-the-paleo-diet.html (accessed Oct 18, 2020).

  3. Lawler, M.; Cdces, L. G. R. Paleo diet short- and long-term effects to expect https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/paleo-diet/potential-short-long-term-effects-paleo-diet/ (accessed Oct 18, 2020).

  4. Paleo diet [Image]. https://static.parade.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/paleo-diet-FTR.jpg (accessed Oct 25, 2020).

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Romance from Afar: Navigating Long Distance Relationships

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Romance from Afar: Navigating Long Distance Relationships

College is a time of great uncertainty. It is a world of new friends, experiences, and challenges. For many students, one of these challenges is navigating a long-distance relationship (LDR). Some have had to move far away from their partner for college. Others start LDRs in their time at college, perhaps with someone they met on the Internet or from traveling abroad. Regardless of the situation, LDRs can be difficult to navigate, but stick around, and you will see that LDRs can be meaningful and rewarding experiences.

Why are long-distance relationships so challenging?

Relationships are complicated, and when distance is a factor the consequences can be overwhelming. One such consequence is loneliness: in a study by Firmin, Firmin, and Lorenzen (2014), female college students in LDRs reported that their feelings of loneliness increased at certain points (e.g. after seeing their boyfriends or when seeing other happy couples) and that these feelings contributed to “needy” behaviors like calling their boyfriends often [1]. LDRs also affect other aspects of the college experience: Waterman et al. (2017) found that students going into college in LDRs had more difficulty adjusting to college life and that they participated in university activities less than single students [2]. 

Are long-distance relationships so terrible after all?

There are challenges involved in being in an LDR, but that does not mean that you should avoid them. In fact, they may be comparable to geographically close relationships (GCRs). For instance, in a study by Dargie et al. (2015), researchers compared participants in LDRs and GCRs and found that few differences existed between them in terms of relationship quality [3]. Goldsmith and Byers (2018) found consistent results from comparing people in LDRs and GCRs: those in both types of relationships had similar satisfaction despite observers perceiving those in LDRs to be less satisfied [4]. LDRs can also actually be rewarding in their own ways. From the results of questionnaires about the LDR experiences of a group of college students, Mietzner and Li-Wen (2005) found that participants reported gaining skills from being in an LDR including time management, independence, trust, patience, and better communication [5]. 

How can I navigate being in a long-distance relationship?

Along with the challenges of being in a relationship, the distance means that partners are not able to meet face-to-face, meaning that there are fewer opportunities for physical intimacy. However, this does not mean that there aren’t ways to maintain a healthy LDR. Firstly, it is important to begin the relationship with a strong foundation. Arditti and Kauffman (2004) interviewed participants in LDRs and found that strong foundations of friendship and trust were important aspects of the relationship. It is crucial to keep in touch, such as through the use of technology (phones, e-mail, video chat) [6]. Maintaining healthy relationships with others is also beneficial; having close family and friends to talk to can be helpful in difficult times and can also solidify the trust and commitment in the relationship [1]. Much like in any other relationship, the key is to have a good foundation, to keep in touch, and to also maintain other aspects of your life.

References

  1. Firmin, M. W.; Firmin, R. L.; Lorenzen, K. A Qualitative Analysis of Loneliness Dynamics Involved with College Long-Distance Relationships. Coll. Stud. J. 2014, 48 (1), 57–71.

  2. Waterman, E. A.; Wesche, R.; Leavitt, C. E.; Jones, D. E.; Lefkowitz, E. S. Long-Distance Dating Relationships, Relationship Dissolution, and College Adjustment. Emerg. Adulthood Print 2017, 5 (4), 268–279. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696817704118.

  3. Dargie, E.; Blair, K. L.; Goldfinger, C.; Pukall, C. F. Go Long! Predictors of Positive Relationship Outcomes in Long-Distance Dating Relationships. J. Sex Marital Ther. 2015, 41 (2), 181–202. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2013.864367.

  4. Goldsmith, K. M.; Byers, E. S. Perceived and Reported Romantic and Sexual Outcomes in Long-Distance and Geographically Close Relationships. Can. J. Hum. Sex. 2018, 27 (2), 144–156. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2018-0016.

  5. Mietzner, S.; Li-Wen Lin. Would You Do It Again? Coll. Stud. J. 2005, 39 (1), 192–200.

  6. Arditti, J. A.; Kauffman, M. Staying Close When Apart: Intimacy and Meaning in Long-Distance Dating Relationships. J. Couple Relatsh. Ther. 2004, 3 (1), 27–52. https://doi.org/10.1300/J398v03n01_03.

  7. The Telegraph, 2020. Lonely Hearts. [image] Available at: <https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/university-checklist/can-long-distance-relationships-work/> [Accessed 25 September 2020].

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