Sunday, 12 June 2016

Why am I still fat?


Sustained weight loss is a difficult & complex question, apects of which are addressed in the video below. The most interesting part triggers my, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is,” reflex, but the experimental evidence is in: rats fed a diet equivalent to thickshakes, burgers & fries unsurprisingly, gain weight & develop other symptoms of obesity, such as inflammation, increased blood pressure, insulin insensitivity & reduced heart & liver function. When plant juice, rich in the purple anti-oxidant pigment anthocyanin was added to the diet, all of the harmful effects were reversed!

Starts at 16:50 mark.



Transcript of the video
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4327346.htm

More about anthocyanin & the Queen Garnet Plum
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-14/antioxidant-rich-plum-to-fight-obesity/6094914
/ Associate Professor Amanda Salis University of Sydney clinical weight loss trials finding better ways to lose weight keep it off for long term shape of the human body changing dramatically prevalence of obesity has doubled in the last few decades Professor Stephen Simpson proportion of the population that was considered obese epidemic number of obese children has tripled population is getting fatter nine million adults are overweight explosion of fat-related diseases two out of three Australians overweight obesity is the new normal BMI bodyweight science fight against fat intervene kids at risk before they're born conventional genetics at play Dr Nathan O'Callaghan 50 genetic variants associated with obesity contributes 5% of the variation in body size increase in global obesity can't just be explained by eating too much exercising too little our bodies in our brains environment Why am I still fat? your efforts to lose weight helping you to keep the kilos on in-built survival mechanism controlled by our brain the famine reaction effects famine reaction makes you hungrier increases your drive to eat famine reaction famine reaction broken my diet I gained weight dieted myself fat personal experience motivates her research TEMPO diet trial University of Sydney world-first research three-year study long-term effects weight loss in 100 post-menopausal women compared effects fast versus slow weight loss famine reaction head-to-head two types of diets are being compared very low energy diet of 800 calories a day fast weight loss conventional diet slow weight loss women study keen gardener medical researcher participants controlling weight classic yo-yo dieter yoyo dieting yo-yo dieting eating well cooking slow and steady diet TEMPO trial dieter heart attack lean leaner weighed more diet fast-track diet rapid weight loss diet trial obese don't notice putting weight on like an addiction dieters who lose bodyweight put it back on again within five years why is maintaining weight loss so difficult why do so many dieters hit a wall the longer you carry weight the harder it is to lose it hypothalamus in your brain resets the amount of fat your body defends famine reaction keeps you craving food lose weight feel hungry DEXA scan type of X-ray measures the mass of fat muscle lean tissues mineral density of bone calculate how much fat in the different regions of the body impact of the famine reaction measure body composition famine reaction alters your hormones make your body inclined to hold onto fat midriff region makes your body more inclined lose lean tissues muscle and bone fat mass lean mass calorimetry hood measures metabolic rate how much fat burning famine reaction increases drive to eat makes body more fuel-efficient more fuel efficient relaxed awake measuring resting energy expenditure changes with weight loss affects how many kilojoules you burn over the course of the day affects how much you can eat without putting on weight TEMPO trial testing participants reporting how hungry they feel rapid weight loss should be avoided makes the famine reaction stronger first progress results diets don't work for everybody more drastic intervention to lose weight rapidly making it harder for food to fit in your stomach lap-band operation unfit feel unhealthy never feel well go out for walks food obsessed with food think about food all the time lap-band surgery inability to lose weight type 1 diabetes high blood pressure high BMI lose 30kg bariatric surgeon life-threatening diseases come with obesity lap-band tool lap-band under your skin stomach adjustable keyhole surgery relatively safe nerves that control appetite neurologist Amanda Page nerves allow the stomach communicate with the brain difficult situation once you're obese to actually lose that weight again weight gain resets the sense of feeling full stomach mouse nerves fire when receptors respond to stretching tension-sensitive nerve in the stomach nerve record the nerve activity nerve activity increases signals to the brain full regulating appetite brain wouldn't know when to stop eating compares stomachs of lean mice obese mice response to stretch dramatically humans obese person just stop eating reset the receptors lean condition non-surgical therapy for obesity Bariatric surgeon Stephen Wilkinson install lap-band laparoscopic instruments lap-band abdomen stomach band oesophagus stomach simple operation lose excess weight our society values thinness and health encourages us to overeat and consume more blame obesity on food manufacturers resistance from the industry labelling healthy choice nutritional individual nutrient groups finding best mix in a balanced diet carbohydrate protein fats appetite control automatically priority protein fats carbohydrates taste like protein lipsmacking amino acid umami flavours diluting protein makes food cheaper to make good for business bad for appetite control savoury snack food industry potato chip protein decoy tastes like protein bodies evolved associate flavour cues with protein loaded up fat carbs carbohydrates protein appetite unfulfilled continue snack eat more subversive extra calories why we get fat white fat cells protect us providing a safe home for lipids keep the fats out of our organs overloaded swell and burst leaking lipid into the bloodstream body's defences red alert inflammatory reaction chronic low-grade inflammation causes organ damage cardiovascular fatty liver disease insulin resistance diabetes Professor Lindsay Brown stops obesity stops inflammation Toowoomba University of Southern Queensland medicinal power natural foods counteract obesity reverse inflammatory effects fruit and vegetables color colour color colour purple anthocyanin natural pigment range of compounds in plants keep systems healthy ours too veggie vegetable highest anthocyanin purple carrots are by far the best amazing amount of anthocyanin fruits queen garnet plum ordinary purple plum five or ten times as much of the purple colour in it anthocyanins rats fattened diet similar to thickshakes burgers fries BMI Body Mass Index BMI most of the Australian human population obesity obese rats bodies blood pressure going up quite dramatically heart function is going down liver function going down abdominal fat pad increased hormones go up whole of the body affected characteristic of obesity Professor Lindsay Brown inflammatory response every organ organ immune anthocyanin-rich anthocyanin rich juice food half the rats anthocyanins purple carrots queen garnet plums completely changes changed the diet high-carbohydrate high-fat diet intervention all of those parameters characterise obesity back to normal billion-dollar billion dollar multinational company-type company type product carrot plum rats human clinical trials food driving obesity young children nearly one in four children are overweight or obese obesity leading threat to public health new science emerging research synthetic chemicals act like hormones change the way our bodies react to fat obesogens oestrogen estrogen oestrogen estrogen mimic exposed to these chemicals phthalates bisphenols phthalates bisphenols in their bodies plasticisers plasticisers bisphenols BPA BPA almost impossible common in our food packaging and consumer goods Dr Bridget Maher used as a resin lining of household water supply our drinking water is often contaminated with BPA chemicals exposure in children affect obesity risk rest of their lives measure their chemical load sample short-lived chemicals collect samples urine breast milk house dust child's body study levels of chemical exposure growth rates birth body composition measured babies baby's per cent body fat lean body mass first study short-lived environmental chemicals obesity first six months of life growth rates BMI slow weight gain through diet increase risk of obesity metabolic disease later in life BPA endocrine disrupter interferes with the hormone system could obesogens reshaping our genetic destiny science epigenetics environment changes structure gene function of the gene epigenetics normal human development environmental toxicants things go wrong losing weight slow and steady diet fast-track diet fat lose low-energy diet famine reaction making her want to eat more fast weight loss famine reaction appetite eating crash diets which diet is best study clinical trial participants famine reaction hunger famine reaction lap-band operation weight changed lap-band lap-band medical reasons obesity weight healthy healthy diet more exercise better for everyone losing weight why am I still fat Why am I NOT fat new science improve public health efforts tackle obesity getting fat being lazy lacking willpower the full picture powerful biological and environmental reasons why we put weight on regain manage to lose health /

Saturday, 11 June 2016

Why aren’t there any green stars?


Actually, there are a lot of them, including our own Sun!



Thanks to Peter for this item.
/ star stars astronomer astronomy black body radiator black body radiation spectrum spectra planet brown dwarf black hole visible light radio waves infrared infra-red infra red ultraviolet ultra-violet ultra violet Xrays X-rays X rays peak black hole light black body curve emission spectra spectrum peak peaks temperature higher energy light shorter wavelength gamma rays visible light shine human eye sensitive sensitivity cells retina rods cones color colour red blue green see primary colours Doctor Michelle Thaller Dr. Michelle Thaller Ask an Astronomer Spitzer Space Telescope NASA /

Friday, 10 June 2016

24 tons of towering stone & grace, held together with compression



Vaulted archway at the entrance to the stadium, Olympia, Greece, 200 BC1
Credit: https://baderjournal.wordpress.com/2016/05/30/katakolon-greece-olympia/

Vaults, constructed without mortar, hidden substructure, or other means of support (apart from compression) have been known since antiquity. Viewed in that light, structures such as that shown above are extraordinary.

But the vault below has the same absence of hidden support!


Armadillo Vault, Venice, Italy, 2016
Credit: Iwan Baan/Dezeen Magazine

If the entire structure looks as if it's about to collapse, consider this: “A football team could dance on top of it.” – Philippe Block, ETH, Zurich

“Other means of support”, during construction:


Credit: Anna Maragkoudaki/Dezeen Magazine

More
http://www.wired.com/2016/06/compression-keeps-24-tons-stone-collapsing/?mbid=nl_6816

Wikepedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vault_(architecture)
__________

1 Wikipedia: “Olympia, Greece”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympia,_Greece
/ 24 tons of towering stone grace held together with compression compression nature nature’s glue Armadillo Vault self-supporting pavilion comprising 399 limestone slabs spanning 52 feet curving bending columns 13th-century Venice building this year’s Architecture Biennale no glue no mortar no hidden substructure 24-ton edifice doesn’t collapse really smart architecture architects engineers opposition between compression pushing together tension pulling apart Eiffel Tower stone-clad cathedrals Europe every bridge ever rely on balancing these two forces Armadillo Vault different direction limestone blocks series of conjoined arches classic form turns compression into strength stands minimalist system tension ties helps balance structure at the ground level need a little help imagine this kind of shape computation Philippe Block research group ETH Zurich developed develop development Armadillo Vault Block Research Group software package RhinoVAULT designed let architects manipulate tension compression forces 3D model design Armadillo inside world heritage site Corderie dell’Arsenale redistribute forces on the floor minimal footprint as possible undulating shape software both functional aesthetic build pavilion RhinoVAULT results assign blocks West Texas quarry numbers specific locations built wooden form inside pavilion laid the stones in place remove scaffolding stones support themselves not put a razor blade between the stones pretty tough football team could dance on top of it American football team walking inside visitors see forces acting on the blocks ceiling visual representation physics Armadillo Vault proof flowing sinuous forms buildings architects don’t need complex steel substructures design tools RhinoVAULT build same elaborate structures with far less material more honest representation of a geometry materials beautiful /

Wednesday, 8 June 2016

This umbrella tells you if you need to take it with you


Where is your umbrella when you need it? Often at home.

TARAbrella aims to solve this & other problems people have with umbrellas.

Not sure if you’ll need your umbrella? TARAbrella has a system of lights in the handle to warn of rain before you leave the house.



Solutions to other umbrella problems:

● Left it in the bus/train/taxi/coffee shop – Bluetooth tracker will remind you as you move out of range (~10 metres (30 feet))

● Adds weight to an already heavy bag/backpack – carbon fibre runner & framework for a weight of only 198 grams (7 ounces)

● Not specifically an umbrella problem, but a light in the crown lights the way & warns of your presence to motorists


Gizmag
http://www.gizmag.com/tarabrella-rain-predicting-umbrella/43678/

Cnet
http://www.cnet.com/au/news/is-a-smart-umbrella-a-dumb-idea/

Indiegogo project
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tarabrella-the-world-s-first-super-umbrella/x/9010251#/
/ TARAbrell lightweight smart umbrella features integrated advanced weather detection system anti-lost tracker anti loss glowing LED tip carbon-fiber material construction five times stronger than steel TARA company behind new umbrella launched Indiegogo Campaign early-bird backers umbrella wall mount charging stand device color-changing LED display handle alerts you when it's umbrella weather umbrella's key features TARA feather weight 198 grams TARAbrella lighter than iPhone weather forecast system built-in pressure-sensing hardware provides accurate weather forecast 6 hours patented safety runner durability ease of use combine locked release with a simple click super LED light TARAbrella super LED light brighten up dark foggy places ensure the user's safety in hazardous conditions anti-lost loss tracker detachable clip alert wearer move more than a set amount of feet from the TARAbrella Bluetooth ergonomic design handle handle TARAbrella ergonomically fit in your hand comfortable hold for extended periods smooth texture crowdfunding campaign project crowdfunded project risk contributing campaign crowdfunding site policies Indiegogo refund policies campaign project /

Tuesday, 7 June 2016

Wild storms lash the coast of Eastern Australia



Sydney beachfront homes may need to be dismantled – engineer
Credit: ABC – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

No one weather event proves that climate change is happening. However, the series of unusual weather events, world wide, that have been on-going for a number of years, together, form a substantial body of evidence. Just one such event is the extraordinary storm that, at the moment, is battering the east coast of Australia.

NSW weather: Sydney's beachfront homes may need to be partially dismantled, engineer says
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-07/sydney-weather-storm-damaged-beachfront-homes-likely-dismantled/7487056

In the face of this & other events world wide, many see the firing of up to 350 climate scientists from Australia's CSIRO, (Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation) as extraordinarily ill advised.

East coast erosion should stop CSIRO from cutting climate jobs: planning expert
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-07/east-coast-erosion-should-stop-csiro-from-cutting/7485650

Other signs of climate change

11 record hot months in a row
http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2016/04/11-record-hot-months-in-row.html

Recent unusual weather worldwide calls for urgent preventive action, UN official warns
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=52915#.V1aGwZOGORs

Why We’ll Keep Having Weird Weather in 2016
http://time.com/4164945/weird-weather-2016/
/ East coast erosion stop CSIRO cutting climate jobs planning expert expert coastal planning massive erosion along the east coast wake up call for all political parties CSIRO good reason to halt plans cut climate scientists jobs Professor Barbara Norman chair of urban and regional planning University of Canberra The World Today protecting coastal properties responsibility of State Government planning legislation coastal planning expert massive erosion along the east coast of Australia wakeup call wake up call wake-up call all political parties reason CSIRO halt plans cut the jobs climate scientists fire Professor Barbara Norman chair or urban and regional planning University of Canberra State Government local councils responsible protecting coastal properties State Government responsibility planning legislation planning acts implementing state policy State Government risks and liabilities for coastal planning dumping it on local councils we were starting to get some good coastal planning around Australia national coordination floods on the weekend coastal planning controls Queensland New South Wales New South Wales and Queensland Governments Australian Federal Government review coastal controls New South Wales proposed set of reforms Queensland develop a new state coastal plan population is growing most of that growth is expected to be along the coast particularly the east coast consequences big challenge national challenge National Government projections this country growth coastal Australia primarily on the eastern sea board seaboard sea-board expansion continuing urban pressures risks of climate change very very significant public policy issue other countries United States well funded National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration NOAA other examples in other countries national coastal plan national coastal strategy national framework ministers work together support State Governments local governments election campaign urging all sides of politics national plan 25 reports nationally inquiries last 30 years all with the same message we need a national coastal strategy ask all political leaders major political parties conservatives liberals Labor Greens commit to a national coastal strategy coastal development climate change global warming Great Barrier Reef resolved at the local level Governments at a national level money risk liabilities what's happening in the northern beaches in New South Wales who will pay for the costs of rehabilitation who will pay for the cost of repair National Government responsibility State Governments balanced approach development responsibility falls to local councils resources means deal with it political issue CSIRO scientists providing the data to local councils data disappears scientists disappearing councils Australia's east coast Sydney northern beaches a lot of erosion in northern New South Wales Queensland's Gold Coast for example wake-up call wake up wakeup call CSIRO sackings of the climate scientists should be a wake-up call we need science need clear data accessible data members of the public decision-makers transparency and accountability risks absolutely fundamental to solving these problems Australia CSIRO's future Asia-Pacific information serious work collaboration in our region /

Monday, 6 June 2016

Anniversary of the Battle of Midway 4-7 June 1942



Credit: heeve.com/

Although the Battle of Midway had been in preparation since the Battle of the Coral Sea one month earlier, & the battle itself continued for 4 days, it was substantially won & lost in the space of 5 minutes – at 10:201 on 04 June, attacks began which destroyed 3 Japanese aircraft carriers:

10:201 aircraft carrier Kaga
Akagi
10:25 Soryu

At 17:05 the same day, Japanese carrier Hiryu was also destroyed.

Dauntless dive bombers2 accounted for all Japanese shipping losses.

Losses3

Japan

4 carriers sunk
1 heavy cruiser sunk
1 heavy cruiser damaged
248 aircraft destroyed
3,057 killed
37 captured


USA

1 carrier sunk
1 destroyer sunk
~150 aircraft destroyed
307 killed


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midway

http://www.heeve.com/modern-history/the-battle-of-midway.html
__________

1 “Battlefield S1/E3 - The Battle of Midway”, PolyGram Video International

2 Wikipedia: “Douglas SBD Dauntless”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_SBD_Dauntless#Specifications_(SBD-5)

3 Wikipedia: “Battle of Midway”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midway
/ Battle of Midway decisive naval battle Pacific Theater of World War II World War 2 World War Two between 4 and 7 June 1942 six months after Japan attack on Pearl Harbor one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea United States of America USA US Navy Admirals Admiral Chester Nimitz Frank Jack Fletcher Raymond A. Spruance decisively defeated attack attacking fleet Imperial Japanese Navy Admirals Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto Chuichi Nagumo Nobutake Kondo Midway Atoll inflicting devastating damage Japanese fleet irreparable military historian John Keegan most stunning and decisive blow in the history of naval warfare operation earlier attack on Pearl Harbor eliminate the United States as a strategic power in the Pacific Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere Japanese demoralizing defeat force U.S.A. capitulate Pacific War ensure Japanese dominance in the Pacific luring American aircraft carriers trap occupying Midway overall barrier strategy extend Japan's defensive perimeter response Doolittle air raid on Tokyo operation preparatory preparation further attacks Fiji Samoa Hawaii plan handicapped faulty Japanese assumptions American reaction poor initial dispositions American codebreakers determine date location planned attack forewarned U.S. U.S.A. US USA Navy prepare ambush four Japan's large aircraft carriers Akagi Kaga Soryu Hiryu six-carrier force that had attacked Pearl Harbor six months earlier heavy cruiser sunk U.S. lost aircraft carrier Yorktown destroyer Battle of Midway exhausting attrition Solomon Islands campaign Japan's capacity replace losses materiel particularly aircraft carriers men well-trained pilots maintenance crewmen mounting casualties United States massive industrial training capabilities losses easier to replace Battle of Midway considered turning point in the Pacific War /

Sunday, 5 June 2016

Looks like a burger, tastes like a burger ...



Credit: Nellie Bowles/The Guardian

Rule of thumb is that it takes 10 plant calories to make 1 meat calorie. It follows that, in general, 10 times as many calories are available by eating plant based foods, rather than animals. Environmental impact of plant based foods has a similar advantage. Cattle in particular, have a large carbon footprint due to the amount of methane produced in their digestive tract, & release mainly orally.1

With this in mind, a start up called Impossible Foods, is attempting to create a plant-based burger which is indistinguishable from one made from meat.

Guests at a burger-tasting on Wednesday involving hundreds of burgers (see image above) were generally impressed.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jun/02/impossible-foods-plant-burger-taste-test

http://www.techinsider.io/impossible-foods-burger-2016-5
__________

1 Dr Karl Kruszelnicki: “Cow burps bump up methane”, http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/10/05/3029973.htm
/ Raj Aggarwal took a bite burger chewed chew taste texture tastes like a burger very tasty founder startup Localytics not quite bloody enough though bloody burger made of plants fake meat startup Impossible Foods bloody Impossible Foods burgers realistic uncompromising meat eater won’t be able to tell the difference offset environmental damage cows cattle beef satiate beef-hungry American population consumes 10bn 10 billion pounds of ground beef every year appeals to a hardcore meat lover vegetables Impossible Foods founder CEO Pat Brown Code Conference California deep molecular investigation desirable properties texture juiciness the aromas how it cooks faux burgers New York City restaurant restaurant Impossible Foods employee veggie burger makers Silicon Valley startup in heavy secrecy Code Conference tech-focused event Impossible Foods mass–tasting hundreds of burgers all food manufacturing relies on technology to some extent history food nature combined with human ingenuity Bread plant meat professor Department of Biochemistry biggest threat to the global environment use of animals for food replace meat marketplace market place approach creating food outperforms this market /