1. How does exercise, both acutely and chronically, affect appetite, appetite-related hormones and energy intake? What direction are any changes in response to exercise?
2. How does exercise influence central (brain) appetite responses using functional MRI?
3. Can you develop a research idea / study design that you would like to investigate during a PhD that relates to the background information and gaps you have identified? What question do you want to address? Will this be an acute or chronic study? What exercise protocol or physical activity exposure will you use? What measures will you include? Who will you recruit?

 

 

 

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Solution

Exercise, both acutely and chronically, has been shown to affect our appetite, appetite-related hormones and energy intake. Acutely it can lead to an increase in ghrelin concentrations which increases hunger levels and desire for food after a workout . This is believed be due increased metabolic rate during exercise creating higher oxygen demand body needing replenish energy stores later on .

Sample Solution

Exercise, both acutely and chronically, has been shown to affect our appetite, appetite-related hormones and energy intake. Acutely it can lead to an increase in ghrelin concentrations which increases hunger levels and desire for food after a workout . This is believed be due increased metabolic rate during exercise creating higher oxygen demand body needing replenish energy stores later on .

In contrast , chronic exercise has been linked decreased ghrelin levels along reduction other hunger inducing hormones like leptin peptide YY leading overall decrease caloric intake even when eating same amount foods as before engaging regular physical activity schedule . Furthermore recent studies employing functional MRI have demonstrated that chronic exercise changes neural pathways associated with feeding behavior focusing more on satiation than hunger itself leading reduced cravings usually associated unhealthy snacks high fat content sugar etc..

Given this background information I would like conduct research study investigate effects regular aerobic exercise sedentary individuals over period 4 weeks order determine whether there substantial changes in their brain’s responses related feeding behavior well any significant shifts caloric intakes diet quality . The aim project will focus finding non invasive method reducing hunger cravings without having resort medication medical intervention potentially dangerous side effects. For this study design recruit participants aged between 18 25 (both male female) who have not engaged any form physical activity least six months prior testing data collection.

The protocol involve performing aerobic exercises three times week 30 minute sessions each these activities include jogging running cycling swimming walking etc.. During these sessions various physiological measures such heart rate blood pressure oxygen saturation level respiratory ventilation rate collected while participants also required answer questionnaires regarding their feelings concerning before after session how they perceive themselves physically mentally afterwards objectively measure changes resting metabolic rate (RMR). Following four week intervention series neuropsychological tests performed assess cognitive functioning along fMRI scans detect potential neural pathways modifications associated with response food cues.

Overall results from project may provide valuable insight into how regular physical activity affects neural responses control impulsive behaviors drive up caloric intake providing better understanding mechanisms involved process thus helping us develop strategies combat obesity overweight disorders improving general health wellbeing future generations come.

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