Category Archives: Physiology

Physiology

AgEye Technologies announces formation of Scientific Advisory Board – hortidaily.com

AgEye Technologies, provider of AI-powered cameras, sensors and predictive analytics for indoor farming, announced the formation of a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to advance its "plant scientist in a box" technology.

"The creation of a SAB is an important step in furthering our research in the real-world application of deep learning artificial intelligence to optimize growth factors of specialty crops," said Nick Genty, CEO, AgEye Technologies. "The external scientific perspective of the Board will greatly aid in the continued development and validation of the AgEye platform."

The SAB will work closely with the AgEye leadership team as the company continues the global commercialization of its technology into indoor farms that grow high-value crops, including cannabis, leafy greens, micro-herbs, strawberries and tomatoes.

The company also announced that Dr. Ricardo Hernndez, Ph.D., has joined as an advisor on the SAB. Dr. Hernndez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at North Carolina State University and a highly recognized expert within controlled environment horticulture. He brings deep knowledge of plant eco-physiology and how it relates to maximizing plant growth rate, development, morphology, physiology and ultimately improvement of crop yield, phytochemical content, and flavor.

"The use of controlled environments to optimize plant growth provides the unique opportunity to deliver the conditions that the crop requires to maximize yield. However, the timing (when?) to deliver those conditions depends on the plant requirements through the growth stage," said Dr. Hernndez. "Monitoring and translating real-time plant feedback continues to be a challenge. Technologies such as AgEye can significantly help to alleviate this pressing issue."

For more information:AgEye Technologieswww.AgEyeTech.com

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AgEye Technologies announces formation of Scientific Advisory Board - hortidaily.com

Physiology

NMSU researcher co-authors article on damaging effects of social isolation due to COVID-19 – New Mexico State University NewsCenter

Date: 09/21/2020Writer: Adriana M. Chavez, 575-646-1957, adchavez@nmsu.edu Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ Pinterest

While scientists and doctors are still working to understand the virus that causes COVID-19, the pandemic has also had many indirect effects on the health of people working remotely while in isolation.

A group of researchers from Australia and the U.S., including New Mexico State University, recently co-authored an article for the International Journal of Sports Science offering tips to increase physical activity, which will not only benefit physical health but mental health as well.

Joseph Berning, interim head of the Department of Kinesiology and Dance in NMSUs College of Education, co-authored COVID-19: Sedentary Isolation A Bad Combination. The article states that before the COVID-19 virus outbreak was declared a pandemic in March by the World Health Organization, people were already living mostly sedentary lifestyles.

While some people have bits and pieces of exercise equipment laying around at home, most do not and find themselves developing cabin fever staying at home, Berning said. The walls may seem to be closing in around you, which can be a source of stress in and of itself. Often times, unfortunately, when boredom or stress works its way into our lives, we tend to binge eat. Before you know it, youve gained five to 10 pounds of fat weight, the exact opposite of the definition of good health.

Berning and the articles co-authors have experience in higher education and research in applied and clinical exercise physiology for almost three decades each. Berning said he and his colleagues have adopted health and wellness as a lifestyle and exercise is a part of their normal daily routines.

When COVID-19 set in, nothing changed for each of us and our training routines, Berning said. In fact, because so many of us are working from home, we found we could actually increase workouts.

However, Berning and his colleagues have had to adapt to more time in front of their computers as online meetings have become the norm.

Online hasnt always made things easier and an argument can be made that online has actually created more meetings and therefore decreased our physical movement, Berning said. I admit, I find myself standing behind a computer from morning to night, and often seven days a week. I know the only way to combat this is to force yourself to get out and move.

According to the article, social isolation has been recognized to have a profound impact on health and longevity. Anxiety, depression, dementia and Alzheimers disease, among other mental health issues, have been shown to be related to social isolation. Major chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, obesity and weakened immune systems are also exacerbated by social isolation.

Our body was designed to work, be active and move, Berning said. We know relative to positive health, people who perform regular daily exercise live longer, experience less damaging health risks, experience fewer sick days per year, sleep better, perform better academically, decrease stress and maintain a higher quality of life.

Berning said that once people adopt physical exercise as a lifestyle, getting up to exercise isnt a forced activity, but a welcome one.

This research is so important because it reminds all of us that we need to keep moving, said Henrietta Pichon, interim dean of the College of Education. Hopefully, this can serve as a reminder to individuals that now is the best time to start or restart an exercise routine.

The article offers the following tips for physical activity: Move more, sit less. Accumulate at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, such as walking briskly, dancing or general yard work; or 75 minutes a week of vigorous activity such as jogging, energetic dancing or heavy yard work. Perform muscle strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups two to three days a week.

The bottom line: dont make excuses. Berning said. Get up and off the chair or couch several times a day if even for 10 minutes at a time. This isnt about the perfect exercise prescription. This is about being active and the mental and physical health benefits associated with human movement.

Phillip Post, interim associate dean for academics in the College of Education, said the work and recommendations made in the article by Berning and his colleagues are more important than ever.

Currently there is no medication that can do what exercise can do for the body and mind, Post said. We know that exercise enhances the immune system, cognitive functioning, physiological functioning and emotional well-being. Given COVID-19, we could all reap the benefits of moving more and regularly incorporating exercise into our daily routine. I hope our community reads and adopts Dr. Bernings physical activity recommendations.

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NMSU researcher co-authors article on damaging effects of social isolation due to COVID-19 - New Mexico State University NewsCenter

Physiology

The Nation’s Leading Chiropractor Announces First Cutting-Edge Facility in Pennsylvania – The Wellsboro Gazette

ATLANTA, Sept. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Making INC 5000's fastest-growing companies isn't all that the award-winning doctors at Corrective Chiropractic are doing. With the recent announcement of yet another new facility, this time in Pennsylvania, the state-of-the-art King of Prussia office will be the first of its kind. Local residents will be able to get direct access to the most all-natural chiropractic treatments, including specialty care for weekend warriors, children, and pregnant women.

The King of Prussia location will be located at 649 S. Gulph Rd. and will offer a comprehensive suite of chiropractic services from digital posture assessments, thermal scans, and complimentary consultations for new patients. Corrective Chiropractic has become known for their customer service and for the extremely friendly nature of their doctors and medical staff. Dr. Skyler McCormick, the lead chiropractor at the King of Prussia office, is no exception.

Dr. Skyler McCormick

Dr. Skyler brings a host of enthusiasm, passion for helping others, and an unrivaled level of expertise to the King of Prussia facility. He received his doctor of chiropractic degree from Life University in Atlanta, GA, where he graduated magna cum laude. He holds a Bachelor's of Science Health and Exercise Physiology from Ursinus College. Dr. Skyler has dedicated countless hours studying the structural correction of the human spine and has extensive post-doctoral training in chiropractic biophysics, sports chiropractic, specific extremity adjusting protocols as well as injury and regeneration of skeletal muscle.

As a former collegiate athlete, it is Dr. Skyler's goal to help restore the health and wellness of all of his patients, from athletes, to young children, to those who may be suffering with chronic neck and back pain.

For more information about the new King of Prussia, PA location or to schedule an appointment, visit Corrective Chiropractic online here.

Corrective Chiropractic - The Chiropractic Practice With A Community Feel

Created with the mission to lead, empower, and inspire the Atlanta community to lead a proactive life through the principles of chiropractic, Corrective Chiropractic takes a holistic approach to healthcare. Specializing in providing expert chiropractic care to a host of patients from newborns, to athletes, to expectant moms and seniors, the award-winning doctors at Corrective Chiropractic are known for their thorough and friendly approach.

Photos:https://www.prlog.org/12839243

Press release distributed by PRLog

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The Nation's Leading Chiropractor Announces First Cutting-Edge Facility in Pennsylvania - The Wellsboro Gazette

Physiology

Ohio University shares academic programs returning, numbers of students to live in dorms for phase 2 – Athens NEWS

Ohio University recently released a comprehensive list of all undergraduate and graduate programs and courses that were authorized for the second phase of its reopening plan.

All freshmen and sophomores enrolled in any of the dozens of courses included will be permitted to return to campus and live in the dorms, though many are upper-level classes that underclassmen are often ineligible to take. There are, however, a handful of lower-level classes, like introductory courses in the College of Business, and entire degree programs, namely within The College of Fine Arts, that were authorized for in-person instruction.

Unlike in phase 1, there is no definitive option for phase 2 students to take all of their classes online, but many courses included have remote options. A large portion of phase 2 courses will be delivered in a hybrid format, meaning students will attend in-person classes some days and learn online during others. Many classes included can be completed entirely remotely and will not require any in-person attendance.

All graduate students were authorized to return to campus in phase 2. Their access to on-campus facilities will vary based on their area of study. All students in The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine were invited to campus in phase 1 for hybrid learning, though some may have the option to remain fully online in phase 2. (Scroll down to view a complete list of all courses included in both phase 1 and 2.)

Housing and Residence Life is anticipating about 1,500 students to be living in on-campus residence halls by Sept. 28, the first day of phase 2, a university spokesperson said. The total number of students expected to live in residence halls is subject to change as many continue to decide whether they plan to return at the end of the month or not.

As of Monday, there are just over 300 students living in residence halls, according to OUs COVID-19 dashboard, with 105 more expected to move in this week.

Its not clear exactly how many students currently living either in dorms or off-campus have tested positive for COVID-19, largely because OUs dashboard to track cases is both disjointed and inaccurate.

According to the universitys dashboard as of last Friday, at least 162 Athens campus students have reported theyve received tests to the OU COVID-19 hotline, which is managed by OhioHealth in partnership with the university; while at least 53 have reported positive test results and at least 38 have pending tests.

At least 12 Athens campus staff members have reported to the hotline that theyve been tested, but none have come back positive and one remains pending.

Since Aug. 24, at least one staffer, one faculty member and at least 31 students at the Athens campus have reported positive test results through voluntarily submitted COVID-19 incident report forms, which the university verifies by contacting any individuals named and asking them to provide official documentation.

This data may not be a comprehensive reflection of all positive cases within our Ohio University community, OU Spokesperson Jim Sabin previously said in a statement about the universitys dashboard.

While the vast majority of confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases in the county are among young people ages 20-29, its unclear exactly how many of those are OU students.

Winfried Just, an OU professor who studies the transmission of infectious diseases, and a colleague were tasked in August by an OU official with modeling how many virus cases are likely to arise once students returned to campus.

He said last week that the model has generally been accurate in predicting the numbers of reported student cases in Athens.

Once phase 2 arrives, Just said he believes the numbers of reported cases among students should stay below the point where quarantine space and testing could become even more scarce.

[Phase 2] may just work. Were taking a risk, I mean, there is no doubt about it, he said on Friday.

The worst case scenario, Just said, would involve Athens County becoming designated by the state as a purple level 4 county, the most severe public health advisory within its COVID-19 alert system, with students being sent home a few weeks before the already-adjusted end date for on-campus activities.

For a period in July when virus cases surged, Athens was the only county in the state nearing a level 4 designation. To date, no counties in the sate have turned purple. As of Monday, virus cases in Athens County are, on average, soaring to heights not seen since the July surge. And there is a clear correlation between the rise in cases and the start of phase 1.

Below are lists provided by the Office of the University Registrar of all the undergraduate and graduate courses authorized for both phase 1 and phase 2:

College of Arts and Sciences

Human Anatomy Lab, Cell & Microbiology Techniques, Principles of Physiology Lab, Human Physiology Laboratory, Field Ecology, Teaching Vertebrate Anatomy, Aquatic Biology, Physiology of Exercise Lab, Ichthyology, Ornithology, Organic Chemistry Laboratory I, Physical Chemistry I Lab, Advanced Inorganic Laboratory, Advanced Organic Synthesis, Forensic Chemistry I Lab, Sustainable Agriculture, Plant Breeding, Restoration Ecology, Intermediate Laboratory Electrons and Protons (Physics), Social Welfare Overview and Trends (Social Work), and Field Practicum I (Social Work).

Introduction to the College of Business, Introduction to Business, Intro to Business Communications, and Strategic Business Communications, Intro to Management & Organization, Business Information Systems, and Intro to Marketing Management.

Studio Art BFA Exhibit, Intro to Modern Dance, Intro to Dance Ballet, Intro to Dance Jazz I, Modern Dance Technique I, Ballet Technique I, Beginning Dance Composition I, Beginning Dance Composition I, Dance Production I, Modern Dance Technique III, Ballet Technique III, Intermediate Dance Composition I, Jazz Dance Technique II, Lighting for Dance, Modern Dance Technique V, Ballet Technique V, Advanced Dance Composition I, Dance Pedagogy, Dance Production II, Modern Dance Technique VII, Ballet Technique VII, Dance Senior Capstone, Dance Internship, Practicum in Teaching Dance, Technical Toolbox I (Film), Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra Symphony Orchestra, University Singers, Choral Union, Play Analysis and Playwriting, Acting I, Acting Fundamentals II, Introduction to Playwriting, Acting III, Practicum in Production Design, Playwriting Revision Technique, Stage Management 1, Stage Management Seminar, Acting Studio I, and Advanced Playwriting.

Students enrolled in the following degree programs within the College of Fine Arts are included in phase 2 because they require in-person instruction for accreditation:

Dance, Dance Performance and Choreography, Playwriting, Production Design, Stage Management, Theater Performance, Theater Performance Musical, Film (first-year and second-year students only), Composition, Instrumental Performance, Music Education, Choral and Instrumental emphases, Music Therapy, Piano Performance, Piano Performance and Pedagogy, and Voice.

College of Health Sciences and Professions

Nursing (second-year and fourth-year students; third-year students were included in phase 1 and continue in phase 2; in-person learning is required for accreditation for many nursing students), Health Assessment (Nursing), Nursing Care of Adults I, Nursing Care Child & Families, Physiology of Exercise Lab, Cardiovascular Assessments, Principles of Food Science, Intro Food Production, and Experimental Foods.

Its not clear specifically which tutorial programs will require in-person learning, but the classes are required to be face-to-face for accreditation.

Patton College of Education

No undergraduate courses within the Patton College of Education have been authorized for phase 2.

Russ College of Engineering and Technology

Introduction to Aviation, Private Pilot Ground, Aviation Laws and Regulations, Instrument Pilot Ground, Commercial Pilot Ground, Aircraft Systems & Powerplants, Flight Instructor Ground, Adv Aircraft and Flight Crew Ops, Transition to AVN Industry, Elements of Land Surveying 1, Experimental Methods in Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering Unit Operations Lab I, Chemical Process Control, Chmical Engineering Process Design I, Electrical Engineering Instrumentation Laboratory, Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Production Tooling, Automation, Robotics & Control, Operations Management Capstone II, Mechatronics I, Mechanical Engineering Capstone Design I, and Experimental Design Lab.

Scripps College of Communication

Understanding Virtual Reality, Virtual Reality Lab, Virtual Reality Production, VR Production Lab, Communications Foundations (Information and Telecommunications Systems), Business Reporting, Music Production and Technology I, Music Production & Technology II, Video & Audio Field Production, Production for the Community, Sound for Moving Image, Music Production: Mixing & Delivery, Music Production/Recording Industry Capstone, Special Topics in Media Arts and Studies, Commercial Photography I, Commercial Photogaphy II, Commercial Photography IV, and Photojournalism Capstone.

Intro to U.S. Air Force, History of Air Power, Mgt Concepts and Practices I, Fundamental Military Leadership Concepts, Military Leadership Laboratory, Tactics and Leadership, Small Unit Leadership & Operations I, Leadership, and Management & Ethics.

Center for International Studies

College of Arts and Sciences

Principles of Physiology Lab, Advanced Organic Synthesis, Restoration Ecology, Special Topics in Spanish, Foundation Field I (Social Work), and Advanced Field Practicum I (Social Work).

Advanced Managerial Accounting, Advanced Auditing, Forensics/Fraud Investigation, Law of Sports, Accounting for Executives, Descriptive Analytics, Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Management, Strategic Marketing, Predictive Analytics, Ethics in Leadership, Sport Marketing, and Revenue Generation.

Filmmaking I, Sound Techniques, Piano, 1 Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra, University Singers, Practicum in Design and Tech (Theater), Writing for Production I, Practicum Design Tech, Writing for Production III, Voice and Movement, Practicum in Design/Tech, and Writing for Production V.

Tools for Translational Research (Translational Biomedical Sciences).

Patton College of Education

Skill Acquisition (Coaching Education), Issues in Athletic Coaching, and Foundations of Coaching I.

Scripps College of Communication

Advanced Photo Reportage.

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Ohio University shares academic programs returning, numbers of students to live in dorms for phase 2 - Athens NEWS

Physiology

New UCLA Research Reveals Why Sleeping is So Important – NBC Southern California

A dramatic change in the purpose of sleep occurs when children are about 2 1/2 years old -- a time when sleep's primary purpose changes from brain-building to brain maintenance and repair, according to a study released Friday by researchers at UCLA.

Don't wake babies up during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Important work is being done in their brains as they sleep," said Gina Poe, the senior study author and a UCLA professor of integrative biology and physiology who has conducted sleep research for more than three decades.

Newborns spend about 50% of their sleep time in REM sleep, with that number falling to about 25% by the age of 10 and continuing to decrease with age. Adults who are older than 50 spend about 15% of their time asleep in REM, according to researchers.

Local news from across Southern California

The study, published in the journal Science Advances, noted that the sharp transition in sleep function is ``remarkable given that this shift likely signals a profound shift in the function of sleep and the behavior of sleep processes.

Researchers, who used data from more than 60 sleep studies involving humans and other mammals, found that all species experienced a dramatic decline in REM sleep when they reached the human developmental equivalent of about 2 1/2 years of age.

The transition at about age 2 1/2 corresponds to changes in brain development, according to researchers, who say that sleep then helps repair a certain amount of neurological damage suffered during waking hours, and essentially declutter the brain.

Sleep is as important as food, Poe said. And it's miraculous how well sleep matches the needs of our nervous system. From jellyfish to birds to whales, everyone sleeps. While we sleep, our brains are not resting.

Poe noted that a chronic lack of sleep likely contributes to long-term health problems such as dementia and other cognitive disorders, and urged people to go to bed when they start to feel tired.

Nearly all of the brain repair occurs during sleep, according to the study's senior author, Van Savage, a UCLA professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and of computational medicine.

I was shocked how huge a change this is over a short period of time, and that this switch occurs when we're so young, Savage said. It's a transition that is analogous to when water freezes to ice.

The study was co-authored by Junyu Cao, who conducted research in Savage's laboratory and is now an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin; Alexander Herman, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; and Geoffrey West, a physicist who is the Shannan Distinguished Professor at the Santa Fe Institute.

The National Science Foundation and the Eugene and Clare Thaw Charitable Trust helped to fund the study.

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New UCLA Research Reveals Why Sleeping is So Important - NBC Southern California

Physiology

UCLA-led team of scientists discovers why we need sleep | UCLA – UCLA Newsroom

Prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to severe health problems in humans and other animals. But why is sleep so vital to our health? A UCLA-led team of scientists has made a major advance in answeringthis question and has shown for the first time that a dramatic change in the purpose of sleep occurs at the age of about 2-and-a-half.

Before that age, the brain grows very rapidly. During REM sleep, when vivid dreams occur, the young brain is busy building and strengthening synapses the structures that connect neurons to one another and allow them to communicate.

Dont wake babies up during REM sleep important work is being done in their brains as they sleep, said senior study author Gina Poe, a UCLA professor of integrative biology and physiology who has conducted sleep research for more than 30 years.

After 2-and-a-half years, however, sleeps primary purpose switches from brain building to brain maintenance and repair, a role it maintains for the rest of our lives, the scientists report Sept. 18 in the journal Science Advances. This transition, the researchers say, corresponds to changes in brain development.

All animals naturally experience a certain amount of neurological damage during waking hours, and the resulting debris, including damaged genes and proteins within neurons, can build up and cause brain disease. Sleep helps repair this damage and clear the debris essentially decluttering the brain and taking out the trash that can lead to serious illness.

Nearly all of this brain repair occurs during sleep, according to senior author Van Savage, a UCLA professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and of computational medicine, and his colleagues.

I was shocked how huge a change this is over a short period of time, and that this switch occurs when were so young, Savage said. Its a transition that is analogous to when water freezes to ice.

The research team, which included scientists with expertise in neuroscience, biology, statisticsand physics, conductedthe most comprehensive statistical analysis of sleep to date, using data from more than 60 sleep studies involving humans and other mammals. They examined data on sleep throughout development including total sleep time, REM sleep time, brain size and body size and built and tested a mathematical model to explain how sleep changes with brain and body size.

The data were remarkably consistent: All species experienced a dramatic decline in REM sleep when they reached the human developmental equivalent of about 2-and-half years of age. The fraction of time spent in REM sleep before and after that point was roughly the same, whether the researchers studied rabbits, rats, pigs or humans.

REM sleep decreases with the growth in brain size throughout development, the scientists found. While newborns spend about 50% of their sleep time in REM sleep, that falls to about 25% by the age of 10 and continues to decrease with age. Adults older than 50 spend approximately 15% of their time asleep in REM. The significant dropoff in REM sleep at about 2-and-a-half happens just as the major change in the function of sleep occurs, Poe said.

Sleep is as important as food, Poe said. And its miraculous how well sleep matches the needs of our nervous system. From jellyfish to birds to whales, everyone sleeps. While we sleep, our brains are not resting.

A chronic lack of sleep likely contributes to long-term health problems such as dementia and other cognitive disorders, diabetes, and obesity, to name a few, Poe said. When you start to feel tired, she said, dont fight it go to bed.

I fought sleep and pulled all-nighters when I was in college, and now think that was a mistake, Savage said. I would have been better off with a good nights sleep. Now when I feel tired, I dont have any guilt about sleeping.

For most adults, a regular seven-and-a-half hours of sleep a night is normal and time lying awake doesnt count, Poe says. While children need more sleep, babies need much more, roughly twice as much as adults. The large percentage of REM sleep in babies is in stark contrast to the amount of REM sleep observed in adult mammals across an enormous range of brain sizes and body sizes. Adult humans have five REM cycles during a full night of sleep and can have a few dreams in each cycle.

A good nights sleep is excellent medicine, Poe says. And its free.

Co-authors of the study are Junyu Cao, who conducted research in Savages laboratory and is now an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin; Alexander Herman, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; and Geoffrey West, a physicist who is the Shannan Distinguished Professor at the Santa Fe Institute.

Funding sources included the National Science Foundation and the Eugene and Clare Thaw Charitable Trust.

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UCLA-led team of scientists discovers why we need sleep | UCLA - UCLA Newsroom

Physiology

Linking physiology to ecological function: environmental conditions affect performance and size of the intertidal kelp hedophyllum sessile…

This article was originally published here

J Phycol. 2020 Sep 15. doi: 10.1111/jpy.13071. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

For autogenic ecosystem engineers, body size is an aspect of individual performance that has direct connections to community structure; yet the complex morphology of these species can make it difficult to draw clear connections between the environment and performance. We combined laboratory experiments and field surveys to test the hypothesis that individual body size was determined by disparate localized physiological responses to environmental conditions across the complex thallus of the intertidal kelp Hedophyllum sessile, a canopy-forming physical ecosystem engineer. We documented substantial (> 40%) declines in whole-thallus photosynthetic potential (as Maximum Quantum Yield, MQY) as a consequence of emersion, which were related to greater than 10-fold increases in intra-thallus MQY variability (as Coefficient of Variation). In laboratory experiments, desiccation and high light levels during emersion led to lasting impairment of photosynthetic potential and an immediate > 25% reduction in area due to tissue contraction which was followed by complete loss of structural integrity after three days of submersion. Tissue exposed to desiccation and high light during emersion had higher nitrogen concentrations and lower phlorotannin concentrations than tissue in control treatments (on average 1.36 and 0.1x controls, respectively), suggesting that conditions during emersion have the potential to affect food quality for consumers. Our data indicate that the complex thallus morphology of H. sessile may be critical to this kelps ability to persist in the intertidal zone despite the physiological challenges of emersion, and encourage a more nuanced view of the concept of sub-lethal stress on the scale of the whole individual.

PMID:32931614 | DOI:10.1111/jpy.13071

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Linking physiology to ecological function: environmental conditions affect performance and size of the intertidal kelp hedophyllum sessile...

Physiology

Ig Nobel Prizes reward research on helium-huffing alligators and knives made of feces – Science Magazine

A study that placed Chinese alligators (Alligator sinensis) in helium chambers revealed mechanisms of their vocalizations and earned the authors a 2020 Ig Nobel Prize.

By Rasha AridiSep. 18, 2020 , 10:25 AM

The Ig Nobel Prizes, an annual event celebrating quirky, comical discoveries, carried on despite the pandemic in a virtual ceremony riddled with bugsand bug jokes. The Annals of Improbable Research, the science humor magazine that hosts the event, selected bugs as the theme for the 30th annual event, although the winning studies spanned an array of icky, wondrous, and unconventional research. The ceremony took place entirely online for the first time with a series of prerecorded speeches, musical numbers, and lightning-speed lectures.

This years prize in entomology went to an investigation of why so many insect researchers are themselves fearful of spiders. The survey of arachnophobic entomologists, published in 2013 in American Entomologist, explored why people who devoted their careers to critters such as cockroaches and maggots still found spiders unnerving. Among spidersmost disliked traits were their fast, unpredictable movements and their many legs.

The acoustics prize went to researchers who recreated in reptiles the party trick of inhaling helium from balloons. To study crocodilian vocalizations, the team placed alligators in an airtight, helium-filled chamber and found that the high-energy frequency bands of their bellows got even higher. The results, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology in 2015, are the first evidence that nonavian reptiles produce sound from vibrations in the vocal tract, known as formants.

A duo of researchers earned the prize in psychology for discovering thatdistinctive eyebrows are perceived as a cue of grandiose narcissism.By showing people photos of faces with different areas concealed, the researchers found eyebrows were an especially important nonverbal cue for gauging narcissistic personality traits, they reported in theJournal of Personalityin 2018. Study participants judged eyebrow distinctivenessthe eyebrows thickness and densityto be the most telling sign of narcissism.

Other winning research included a study revealingnew diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric disorder called misophonia, which makes people averse to certain breathing and eating sounds; evidence thatromantic partners in countries with higher levels of economic inequality kiss more often;and the finding thatknives cannot be crafted from frozen human feces, despite a previous account of an Inuit man doing so.

Winners received a $10 trillion Zimbabwean bill, equivalent to a few U.S. cents, and were emailed a six-page PDF to print and assemble into a cube-shaped trophy. The awards were presented by past Nobel laureatesEric Maskin (Economics, 2007),Frances Arnold (Chemistry, 2018),Richard Roberts (Physiology or Medicine, 1993),Martin Chalfie (Chemistry, 2008),Jerome Friedman (Physics, 1990), andAndre Geim (Physics, 2010).

The ceremony also featured the debut performance of Dream, Little Cockroach,a miniopera performed by the Nobel laureates alongside professional singers and other musically inclined scientists. In past years, the live audience has folded pages from the program into airplanes to toss onto the stage; this year, viewers were encouraged to make and toss their own planes at home. Host Marc Abrahams closed the ceremony with a classic Ig Nobel line: If you didnt win an Ig Nobel Prize tonightand especially if you didbetter luck next year.

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Ig Nobel Prizes reward research on helium-huffing alligators and knives made of feces - Science Magazine

Physiology

COVID-19 the tip of the iceberg of vulnerability for Hispanics – Abilene Reporter-News

Jacqueline Angel and Juan Fernando Torres-Gil Published 5:15 a.m. CT Sept. 20, 2020

When it rains, it pours.

This well-known phrase summarizes the experiences of the Hispanic population during our current coronavirus pandemic. There is nothing inherent about Hispanic physiology, but accumulated lifelong disadvantages increase exposure to the disease. In fact, it is well known that Hispanics are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to experience health conditions tied to poverty, low levels of educational attainmentand inadequate retirement income.

In other words, Hispanics in our country are getting a one-two punch. But it doesnt have to be this way.

Solutions are not simple though. COVID-19 is the tip of the iceberg of vulnerability for Hispanics.

A vaccination is a solution to one small part of the package of health vulnerabilities, but that will not address the underlying sources of vulnerability of a population that faces disadvantages at multiple levels. What it will take is a social movement to make this issue and many others facing Hispanic families a national priority.

Juan Fernando Torres-Gil, UCLA(Photo: Provided photo)

One of the consequences of COVID-19 and a key issue facing states nationwide are significant economic and educational disparities as the Hispanic population continues to grow and evolve.

Research clearly demonstrates that societal factors, not just clinical care, are key for Hispanics to achieve healthy aging. Those factors that place Hispanics at higher risk of diabetes, obesity and hypertension are linked to social factors and experiences that increase income and wealth inequality.

For older Hispanics and especially Mexican Americans, this leads to increased levels of dependency on their family members for care and support.

What we have also learned is that better education has a protective health effect by giving the brain more capacity, creating a cognitive reserve to postpone dementia. Understanding how the timing of exposure to early life risk factors, such as interrupted education, influences brain health may illuminate mechanisms driving adult Hispanic health inequalities and identify possible points for effective interventions.

Recognizing cognitive aging as developing across the life course also has implications for public health behavioral change programs.

COVID-19 has accentuated the disparities in access for Hispanics.

Although education levels have improved over the years, the pandemic has shifted this responsibility to families. A lack of access to technology and achievement gaps contribute to Hispanic students struggling to engage in online learning.

In fact, according to a Los Angeles Times survey, 33 percent of middle school students and 27 percent of high school lacked computers and internet access. Such homework gaps could be devastating to generations of students to come and for our labor force.

Ultimately, what can help Hispanics and their families are the very solutions that can benefit all Americans and their families: a robust social safety net that addresses the social determinants of health.

First, and foremost, what we need is a commitment from Congress to invest in the nations health. We need to create a universal system of health care coverage, closing the coverage gap for almost 28 million uninsured Americans, 10.6 million Hispanic working-age adults, and 4.1 million uninsured children, 1.6 million of whom are of Hispanic origin.

Jacqueline Angel, University of Texas at Austin(Photo: Provided photo)

We need legislation aimed to reduce disparities in housing, especially since home ownership is the major source of wealth for most low- and middle-income minority and immigrant families. Federal funding could expand down-payment assistance for mortgages, tax credits, and vouchers for rental assistance to foster homebuying and financial security.

Such housing policies also would strengthen low-opportunity neighborhoods and school districts. State and local governments can create new and innovative community assets like affordable adult day and child care services that are critical resources to improve intergenerational relations, health and well-being, as well as the academic success of generations to come.

Undeniably, once the pandemic passes, the economy will need the essential workers who were most disadvantaged low-income African Americans and Hispanics and with the nation slated to be a majority-minority society, we must assure all Americans that regardless of the vagaries of pandemics, unemployment, poverty and natural disasters, they will not face the dilemmas that we have seen with older Hispanics and their families.

Jacqueline L. Angel is a professor of sociology and public affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. Juan Fernando M. Torres-Gil is a professor and director of the Center for Policy Research on Aging at the University of California, Los Angeles.

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COVID-19 the tip of the iceberg of vulnerability for Hispanics - Abilene Reporter-News

Physiology

HEALTH AND FITNESS: Sports physiology in the Tour de France – Charleston Post Courier

The 2020 Tour de France, postponed from the traditional July start due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is underway. This year the race covers over 2,100 miles in 21 days of racing, comprised of team and individual time trials as well as stages through the cities, countryside and mountains of France. The Tour de France is especially interesting to me because it provides an excellent opportunity for a short lesson in sports physiology.

All the riders in the Tour are exceptionally fit since their bodies have adapted to years of dedicated, intense training. Endurance sports like cycling are dependent on the delivery of oxygenated blood to the muscle to produce ATP, the energy needed to sustain exercise.

The riders have large, strong hearts, allowing them to pump more blood to the muscle. Within the muscle there is an increase in the number of capillaries, the small blood vessels that deliver blood to the muscle, and mitochondria, the part of the cell that produces most of the ATP. Together, these adaptations allow the muscle to produce more ATP without fatigue, allowing the athlete to exercise at a higher intensity for a longer time.

But training isnt the only reason these athletes can sustain such intense exercise for so long. Proper nutrition, especially what the athletes eat and drink before, during and after each stage, also plays an important role. Intense endurance exercise like cycling relies on carbohydrates in particular, muscle glycogen as a fuel. Muscle glycogen is a storage form of glucose, sugar that the muscle converts into energy. During prolonged exercise that lasts several hours, muscle glycogen levels can be severely depleted.

Eating carbohydrates before exercise can boost muscle glycogen levels, so cyclists eat carbohydrate-rich foods before each day of racing. They also consume carbohydrates in the form of sports drinks (think Gatorade) and energy bars prior to starting. In fact, they start replenishing their muscle glycogen immediately after finishing the previous days ride. This usually begins with a recovery beverage, which may contain some protein for more rapid muscle glycogen synthesis, and extends through carbohydrate-rich meals and snacks that afternoon and evening.

During exercise it is crucial to maintain adequate blood glucose levels, which tend to drop since the muscle is using so much as a fuel. Failure to replenish blood glucose results in what cyclists call hitting the wall or bonking, which is like your car running out of gas. To prevent this, glucose must be replenished, typically with sports drinks, energy bars or a sugary mixture called goo.

Prolonged, intense exercise, especially in the heat, results in a high sweat rate which can lead to dehydration. Sweat loss of several liters per hour is not uncommon during cycling, so fluid intake is essential. This means that cyclists spend a lot of time drinking water while they ride. Sports drinks are also commonly used since they contain carbohydrates and electrolytes in addition to water.

Endurance events like cycling, especially multi-stage events like the Tour de France, highlight important concepts of sports physiology. Even though you may never compete at that level, understanding how training can improve your endurance is relevant if you cycle or run, walk or swim for exercise. Knowing how proper nutrition before, during and after exercise can improve performance can help you make better decision about what to eat. Hopefully it also gives you a greater appreciation for the sports science that goes into a performance like the Tour de France.

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HEALTH AND FITNESS: Sports physiology in the Tour de France - Charleston Post Courier