Biology in Action

by Edward Michalak

On CNN.com, under the Health section, there is a Q&A section where people from around the world can ask questions concerning current topics in the scientific world, and CNN’s medical unit of experts answers the question on a publicly viewed blog in CNN’s health section. On September 18^th, 2009, a man from Massachusetts asks if DNA analysis can help identify the best weight loss method. One of the scientists named Dr. Melina Jampolis, a physician nutrition specialist answers the question and discusses the relationships between DNA, genes, and, surprisingly, weight loss.

The physician nutrition specialist begins her answer with the an examination of the genetic aspects of obesity and finishes with the importance of exercise along with a healthy diet. She states that obesity has a genetic component without a doubt, which varies from 40 to 70 percent. There are several hundred genetic regions that are associated with weight loss but there is no observed evidence that directly links the analysis of DNA to formulating an effective weight loss program. Dr. Melina Jampolis also talks about a new field in the world of science called nutra-genomics which studies the interaction of nutrition and genetics.

Later in the post, she states that genes have been identified that are linked to a person’s responsiveness to exercise. She mentions an Obesity Society meeting that found that regular exercise in some people actually switches off obesity causing genes. No other information on this topic was given, but Dr. Jampolis ends the article with recommendations for people who are looking to lose weight the healthy way and urges regular exercise and healthy habits.

The question relates to what my Biology class has been studying over the past few weeks. We have discussed DNA, genes, RNA, and the four organic compounds which were all touched on in Dr. Melina Jampolis’ explanation of the relationship between DNA and weight loss. DNA, also known as deoxyribonucleic acid contains the blueprints for each human being, and genes are parts of DNA that code with proteins. The four organic compounds are carbohydrates, proetins, lipids and nucleic acids. Each can be found in various foods that we consume each day and each compound affects our bodily functions as we move throughout the day.

The article also touches on an ongoing dilemma for many countries, including the United States. Obesity is growing in young children and adults due to a variety of factors. Many programs have been set in place to combat this growing problem and educate children, parents, and adults about the importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise. If further testing and analysis of DNA can show a way to formulate a personalized diet and exercise plan based entirely upon someone’s genetic code, then the levels of obesity in America and other areas all over the world will certainly fall.

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USA Today reported 15 schools in 8 states elevated levels of a substance used for weapons during World War II. “The chemical that once was weaponized, acrolein, can exacerbate asthma and irritate the eyes and throat. It is a byproduct of burning gasoline, wood and cigarettes, but the EPA has not yet determined the specific sources for the elevated levels it found at each school.” This was discovered because of a $2.25 million program in response to a report by USA Today considering all the possible chemicals found near schools and their effects on students.

“At the 15 schools — in Alabama, California, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio and South Carolina — regulators found average acrolein levels at least 100 times higher than what the government considers safe for long-term exposure.”

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by Jennifer Malise

On September 30, 2009, a study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society indicated that there is a link between the size of the brain and socialization. It is interesting to see that our ability to socialize has to do with the size of our brain and its complexity. Researchers from the University of Oxford and Roehampton University explored this theory among a group of monkeys; the result being that the size of the brain correlates to the size and number of grooming clusters that monkeys belong to. The part of the brain in question is the neocortex, which is responsible for higher-level thinking. The difference is that bigger brained monkeys spend more time grooming a smaller, more intimate group of monkeys within a larger group of monkeys. Monkeys with smaller neocortices, however, tend to live in smaller groups with a less complicated social structure.

The bigger the neocortices, the bigger the community of monkeys whereas monkeys with smaller neocortices belong to smaller groups. Species with larger neocortices can live in larger communities because they can create intimate friendships with a few members of the group and have less close acquaintances. However, species with smaller neocortices cannot manage intimate friendships and therefore tend to separate easily. The social ability has to do directly with the size of the neocortex since it is connected with cognitive functions like learning, memory, and more complex thought. In comparison to monkeys, humans are able of managing far more complex social structures. Since our neocortex is three times larger than that of monkeys, we can manage even larger, more complex social groups than the monkeys with large neocortices.

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