Biology in Action was recently selected as one of the top 100 Excellent Blogs for Science Teachers.
We from the Biology classroom thank you for the nomination and I thank my students for their work that made this possible.
Click here for the article and the links to the other selected blogs.
-Mr. Bird
by Amy Biederman
According to Science News, there is a new way to calculate Body’s “Maximum Weight Limit”. Most of us know the widely used BMI or Body Mass Index. This term refers to an index that calculates a healthy body weight for a particular height. The formula to do so is complicated because the weight in pounds needs to be multiplied by 703 and then divided by the person’s height in inches squared. Besides the formula, one can find their Body Mass Index on a BMI chart that indicates a healthy range. This index has not only proven to be complex to calculate, but also does not include weight due to muscle rather than fat. In fact, the BMI is only accurate for 90% of the population.
George Fernandez, a professor of Applied Statistics and Director of the Center for Research Design and Analysis at the University of Nevada, Reno, made it his mission to give people a simpler way of calculating a healthy weight rather than “range”. His method doesn’t require people to use charts or online calculators. In his opinion, people need a “MWL” or a “Maximum Weight Limit” so we know what weight we can’t go over. Although his method does not differ from the BMI scale, it is simpler.
For men and women, there is a baseline weight and height. For women, the baseline is 5 feet tall and a MWL of 125 lbs. For men, the baseline is 5-feet, 9-inches tall and a MWL of 175 lbs. He considers this male and female baseline the starting point of his MWL scale. From that baseline, you simply calculate how much taller/shorter you are (in inches). Then, if you are a woman, you add/subtract 4.5 lbs for each inch they differ from the baseline. Men, on the other hand, add/subtract 6 lbs for every inch they are shorter/taller than the baseline. In comparison to the widely known BMI, Fernandez’s MWL is 24.5 for women and 25.5 for men. According to the BMI, the healthy range is 18.5-25. Fernandez explains that he chose a slightly lower BMI for women and slightly higher BMI for men because typically women have less muscle mass than men. Besides being simple, the MWL can be used more universally because individuals who do not have access to technology and charts can still find their maximum weight and maintain a healthy weight lower than their calculated MWL.
It seems that both the MWL and BMI are fairly similar in their findings, however the MWL is easier for someone to calculate. I was never a fan of the BMI because I feel that is does not take muscle into consideration. As an athlete, I exercise on a regular basis and am toned, however, I am at the upper end at the “healthy range” according to the BMI. I feel that it is an inaccurate way of measuring. This is especially true for weight lifters such as my boyfriend and brothers. Both are over their “healthy range” and are considered overweight or even obese. It is ironic to find that analysis when you look at them and see what great shape they are in. However, according to this article the BMI is only accurate for 90% and individuals like myself or my brother and boyfriend may be part of the 10% where the BMI may not be truly accurate. Unlike the BMI, the MWL may be more resourceful because it gives you a maximum that partly takes muscle mass into consideration, which leads to the slight alteration from the BMI. Also, it is easier to remember one weight to stay below, and one number can lead to an easier goal or maintenance barrier.
I found this article important because the BMI is widely used weight index. However, with the MWL being a simpler method that leads to a similar finding, I thought it would be resourceful for people to know about. I know that I personally figured out my MWL in a matter of seconds!
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by Amy Biederman
“Today, pets are in more than 60 percent of American homes,” said Charlotte McKenney, assistant director of ReCHAI (Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction). The benefits of a furry friend range from helping health problems such as lowering blood pressure to encouraging exercise and promoting a happy, healthy environment.
During the upcoming month, ReCHAI will be exploring the many ways animals benefit people of all ages during the International Society for Anthrozoology and Human-Animal Interaction Conference in Kansas City. Because this is a relatively new connection, this conference is one of many upcoming research events taking place with a goal of gaining information on human-animal interactions. From the research that has been conducted, it is evident that pet ownership may have multiple health and emotional benefits for both children and adults. Rebecca Johnson, director of ReCHAI, claims that pets are of great importance to us, especially during hard economic times because they provide us with “unconditional love and acceptance and may be a part of answers to societal problems, such as inactivity and obesity.”
ReCHAI sponsors a variety of projects in their attempt to further their knowledge and understanding of human-animal relationships. In a recent study, ReCHAI sponsored the “Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound and Stay Fit for Seniors.” In this program, two groups were divided based on walking partners. One group was matched with shelters dogs, while the other group was paired with a human walking buddy. For a total of 12 weeks, both groups followed a routine that included an outdoor trail for one hour, five times a week. At the end of the program, researchers found that the older adults matched with dogs not only improved their confidence walking, but also their walking capabilities by 28%, as well as, their speed. The older people who were paired with a human partner only had a 4% increase in their walking capabilities and tended to be negative and discourage each other with outside forces such as hot weather.
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by Patty Manhart With the assistance of recent funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, scientists may soon discover a wider range of genetic links for autism and other developmental disorders on the autism spectrum . According to a Bio-Medicine news article from September 30th, 2009, the Children’s Hospital of Boston will be receiving about 4.5 million dollars as part of the federal stimulus package to conduct research that will map the human genomes of autism patients. It is hoped that this research project will make available comparisons of clinical autism patients and their DNA variations in order to better understand and possibly correct the origins of this disorder.
Despite previous research conducted in this field, only 85 percent of the exact genes linked to autism have been discovered. Scientists leading the study have selected 85 Middle Eastern patients with recessive forms of autism to narrow down possible mutations to 1 percent of their genome. More specifically, doctors will be analyzing the “exome,” which codes for proteins. Secondly, all base pairs (A, C, T, G) will be examined to for any mismatches which, as learned in class, can lead to genetic mutations. Additionally, the codons that begin or end gene activity will also be examined for any inconsistencies.
In Sylvia Mader’s Human Biology, the ability to “select your children” is discussed as part of the advances being made in DNA technology. As Mader states, “it may be possible to cure genetic disorders before the child is born by adding a normal gene to any egg that carries a mutant gene” (Mader 457). With the genome sequencing data being developed by this team of Boston scientists, Mader’s prediction is very likely to come true.
Researchers are currently investigating gene therapy to explore ways to treat Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) which is a bone marrow disease that patients mostly sixty years and older suffer from. MDS also can turns into acute myeloid leukemia. Researchers are now able to create a better understanding of what drives the development of this disease.
In the article the author explained “The researchers believe examining RhoB levels in samples from patients with advanced MDS could help direct them to better treatment options.” Researchers are trying to come up with new treatments to help. In the United States 15,000 people a year are affected by MDS. When someone has MDS they do not have enough blood cells and their body creates abnormal blood cells which causes side effects. These side effects include fatigue, bruising, bleeding, a weak immune system, shortness of breath, and fevers. Albert has advanced in his research work. The article stated, “This breakthrough in our knowledge has the potential to provide us with both new avenues of research, as well as new insights to develop improved treatments for MDS, and other disorders.” Explaining the improvements we are making into helping provide for people who are suffering from this disease.
A quote I like from the article is Albert saying, “Our goal is to identify novel therapeutic targets and develop new drugs that affect their activity, but also to find ways to improve upon existing therapeutic strategies that are often associated with deleterious side effects” This is beneficial to the article because it simply states the reasoning for Albert’s research, there is no confusion of his intentions. He used a language that was easy for people to understand rather than using terms her would use when researching or speaking to another colleague. Read More…
