If your bed seems like the ideal spot to munch on your favorite snack, or if a particular booth beckons to you every time you walk into your favorite diner, it’s probably because you already have some tasty memories associated with that location. Whether we like it or not, many of our autonomous “decisions” are […]
How Spatial Mapping in the Brain Incorporates Tastes Read More »
There seem to be warnings everywhere about the short term consequences of a poor collegiate diet. Reminders about the importance of exercise and a healthy diet are plastered on the walls of freshman residence halls. The mere thought of the infamous “Freshman 15” seems to haunt the minds of every student at Stetson East’s dining
Beyond the Freshman 15: The effects of a poor diet during early adulthood Read More »
Imagine a well-oiled machine in a factory that works continuously to produce a product of your choice. Occasionally, one or two parts might become old or worn-out and will need to be replaced to ensure a well-functioning factory. In this scenario, your first instinct might be to effectively remove the faulty components and potentially recycle
Eating yourself to survive: Autophagy in cells Read More »
It’s well known that sugar is addictive and consuming too much of it can be a risk factor for a variety of health problems including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. As a result, many food companies use non-nutritive sweeteners, also known as low calorie or artificial sweeteners, to replace sugar in their products. Artificial sweeteners
Low calorie or low quality? Read More »
What do coal tar, asbestos, mustard gas, and beef jerky have in common? They’re all identified as Group 1 carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Following suit in 2015, the World Health Organization declared red meat as a Group 2A probable carcinogen and has specifically placed processed meat into the known
Lab-Grown Meat: What’s the Beef? Read More »
One of the most hotly contested and wildly misunderstood topics concerning health and the environment is genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. GMOs are crops that have been altered to exhibit certain characteristics; this could mean plants could be infused with genes not innate to them, or they could have them removed. Plants can be altered
GMOs: Making a Splash in the Food Security Crisis Read More »
In 2012, model Lauren Wasser lost one of her legs after contracting Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) when she was 24. In January 2018, the model amputated her other leg because of lingering complications. Back in November, Wasser wrote an op-ed for Instyle.com revealing that the loss of her left leg was inescapable — all because she used
Toxic Shock Syndrome: How shocking is the use of tampons and menstrual cups? Read More »
Heartache is never good, but for individuals with Cardiac Valve Disease, having a broken heart can take on quite a literal meaning. A faulty heart can be the result of birth defects, infection, age, or other factors. There are many manifestations of this debilitating condition such as valvular stenosis, when the heart valve cannot fully
Fixing a Broken Heart: Treatment of Cardiac Valve Disease Read More »
Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen that has caused a global outrage in the world of clinicians. The recent rise in the incidence of infections with these bacteria has resulted in an increase of infectious diseases that are extremely difficult to cure. Research has not been able to conclude much about the possible mechanisms by
An Interview with Dr. Edward Geisinger: Biology Professor Read More »