Pheromoans.. i mean mones.

A pheromone is a secreted substance that triggers a response, specifically a social response. In Greek the word is translated into 'transfer' and 'excite'.. transferring excitement? The word sounds an awful lot like the word hormone because hormones do the same thing but on a cellular level. A hormone is released into the blood stream or cytosol (goo outside the cell) so the other neighboring cells are aware of the environmental presence/threat. So basically one cell is like.. 'Yo, other cell.. shit is going downnnnn!' Then cells 2 passes it along like a game of telephone and the organism is then more able to cope with what is coming. So, a pheromone is an kind of like hormone but it is between two different organisms, like say two people.

So there are many kinds of pheromones, but let's talk about sex (baby.. let's talk about you and me). Humans secret an airborne chemical (found in all humans, insects and animals) and a signal is sent from one person to another of the opposite sex. If two members of the opposite sex are secreting pheromones at the same time.. oh, it's on. Many perfumes and colognes are designed to enhance this affect, but interestingly most pheromones are secreted through the skin as sweat and other bodily fluids (ew). These chemicals come into our nose and signals of sexual desire, attraction and control of impulse are sent to the brain. These are the basic instincts of sexual attraction. Of course, as humans, we have other things like body language and verbal cues, but this is the bare bones of what makes us want to get busy.

Sexual pheromones not only affect sexual desire, but people with higher secretions of pheromones seem to get more attention in general and give off better impressions. Research is ongoing, but here is some food for thought: As we get older, our sense of smell decreases.. could this cause the decrease in sex drive people talk about as we get into our old age?

Sources:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/69762/pheromones_and_sexual_chemistry.html

www.askdeb.com/beauty/pheromones

Why Do You Sneeze When You Look into the Sun?

Nothing is worse then when you are on the brink of a sneeze, but you can't get it out! My solution has always been to look up into the sun to force a sneeze.. but why does that work?! This has been wondered about for centuries, but modern neurobiology might have the answer.

Aristotle was one of the first to try and answer this question. He surmised that it must be the heat of the sun responsible for the phenomena in "Book of Problems." About 2,000 years later, Francis Bacon tested this theory with the observation that when you look at the sun with your eyes closed.. the heat remains but there is no sneeze. This led him to conclude that the sun in your eyes made them water.. causing moisture to seep into your nasal cavity.

These theories were educated and rational for the understanding of science during those time periods, but as we learned more about neurobiology/ human physiology it was deemed that Bacon's theory was disregarded due to the speed of the sneeze following the sun exposure and a new theory was born. This new theory was deemed as a result of 'crossed wires' in the facial neural networks (cranial nerves).

The cranial nerves are a complicated part of the nervous system that comes out of the brain stem (connects spinal chord to the brain and contains the medulla oblongata, pons and midbrain). There are twelve cranial nerves and they control a variety of functions from blinking to hearing to smelling (etc). These nerve tracts run very close to each other and it is theorized that when the signal of excessive light enters your pupils the sudden increase in electrical current traveling from the optic nerve (signaling to constrict the eyes pupil) accidently triggers the trigeminal nerve confusing the brain into thinking there is a irritant in the nose- causing a sneeze.

This has come to be called the photic sneeze reflex, but does not seem to be linked with any further medical problems. It also seems that this doesn't happen to every person. Further research into a genetic element of this reaction has began due to it's potential to shed light into other neurological conditions. (Shining light into the eyes of someone with epilepsy can trigger a seisure, and it could be related to the cross wiring of the cranial nerves) So when you can't seem to sneeze, look into the sun and see if you are part of the population that undergoes the photic sneeze reflex.

FACTS ABOUT FARTS

Source: Online Education

Breaking the seal...

My roommate asked me a question over a tower (yes.. tower) of blue moon and she wondered why alcohol makes you pee and what does breaking the seal mean.. So.. let's do this.

We have a few variables here.. the affect of alcohol on the body, the signal to the brain telling you that you have to pee (or void is what science nerds would say) and the formation of urine from the kidneys. Which is to blame? The answer is they aren't sure.

One theory is that alcohol inhibits the release of an important antidiruetic (limits urine formation) vasopressin. The kidney's job is to filter toxins from the blood, excrete it through urine and to maintain the the body's water and solutes (ions like chloride, sodium and potassium- these ratios are a VERY big deal.. directs all neurological functions and metabolism.. more or less, but more on that later). The kidneys filter at least 200 quarts a day of blood when healthy (that's 800 cups). Now, when the body needs to conserve water (not getting enough water- dehydrated) the body releases a hormone (can you guess?) vasopressin (as mentioned previously) or so called ADH (antidireutic hormone). Now, how does alcohol affect this? The physiology is not defined, but it has been studied that when you consume alcohol your water to salt ratios are not the same.. changing your urination patterns. The body is unable to filter the same way and more liquid leaves the body as waste (which can actually be very damaging). Also, the body's ability to adjust your urine (with the release of ADH) is gone and so you are just letting the kidneys go nuts with the filtering. Thus, when you drink.. you are going to be peeing... often.

Another theory involved the muscles involved when you relieve yourself. One person suggested that alcohol reduces inhibitions psychologically, which is necessary to keep your muscles contracted. In a related theory, one person suggests that you need more alcohol to stay hydrated then water so your bladder fills up stretching the muscles in the bladder that sends a message to the brain saying 'Hey, I have to pee.'

Now.. breaking the seal is thought to be the dilation of your internal sphincter (asssphinctersays what?) which is part of a muscle group designed to hold in pee (involuntarily controlled- autonomic nervous system) and once it is open it is harder to close it especially if something like alcohol is causing an increased rate of urine formation.

Well.. that is all I have. I didn't find any real studies confirming any of this information, but they are educated guesses from various sources on the web. Let me know if you want some of the articles. Until next time, (as Sara's dad always says) You don't buy alcohol.. you rent it.

Baby Got Back

Junk in the Trunk can be good for you!

Ladies.. we love our butts, and apparently they love us too! Studies have shown that with some healthy butt fat you are less likely to develop diabetes and heart disease! YAY BUTTS!

Why does this happen I wonder? It is all about hormones. The article notes that the minute women hit menopause, they gain belly fat and their risk of diabetes and cardiovascular decline increase. So I am glad I have a period once a month! There is also a genetic factor but scientists haven't discovered which genes direct fat deposit location, but it seems women tend to have healthier lower body fat.

Lower body fat (butt and thighs) is more beneficial then belly fat because belly fat can be subcutaneous or visceral. See a photo here. Visceral fat is metabolically active and dangerous even in small amounts. If someone has abs and also a belly, they should be sure to get on a diet that reduces the visceral body fat because it is dangerous and unhealthy. (Visceral fat is also known as organ fat and it secretes many hormones one causes inflammation; others are more dangerous)

So women, love your butt! Sorry I am the lazy blogger of the bunch!

"More than 1,000 Catfish species are venomous"

Watch out, sucka!!

We can now add catfish to the lust of animals can kill us.

Like most animals, the catfish uses its venom as a defense mechanism. The effects can range from a slight sting to...well, dying.

"Catfish venom glands are found alongside sharp, bony spines on the edges of the dorsal and pectoral fins, and these spines can be locked into place when the catfish is threatened. When a spine jabs a potential predator, the membrane surrounding the venom gland cells is torn, releasing venom into the wound.

Catfish venom poisons a victim's nerves and breaks down red blood cells, producing such effects as severe pain, reduced blood flow, muscle spasms and respiratory distress.

The main dangers to humans from North American catfish, however, come not from the initial sting and inflammation, but from secondary bacterial and fungal infections that can be introduced through the puncture wound or when pieces of the spine and other tissue break off in the wound, said University of Michigan graduate student Jeremy Wright, who led the research."

The Science Behind Lotions

http://admin.moguling.com/Upload/haircareskincreams.com/SkinCreams.jpg

As a girl, I can't live without lotion. I have my day moisturizer, my night cream, my general body lotion then I have things like body cream and body butter. I'm sure boys think I'm speaking greek right now (I've never known a boy to use lotion), but I hate the feeling of tight, dry skin.

We know lotion is needed to add and keep moisture in our skin, but how does it work?

If you've ever had different types and brands of lotions (women, I'm looking at you), you know that some feel oily, greasy, creamy, etc. Well it seems the way it feels is dependent on temperature, the cream's friction and how fast we rub it into our skin. Currently, manufacturers decide how the lotions feel by focus groups that try them out.

Mechanical engineers at Ohio State University have been able to use science to collect qualitative data on how a cream feels on our skin. They use something called a atomic force microscope. Basically this instrument has a sharp point that rubs against the lotion sample and measures its friction. In the overall sense, this sharp point is suppose to represent one point on your skin. The resulting data gives researchers an idea of how the creams work with your skin. Unsurprisingly, they found thicker creams produce more friction, which in turn feels less smooth on your skin.

Companies are now using this information to create better products. Eventually Ohio U. scientists hope to find the exact mechanism in which creams work on our skin.