Common cents

Good morning Staker! Here’s what’s cookin’ today: America’s ongoing K-shaped diversion; How Costco keeps gas prices low; New research shows loss of estrogen after menopause linked to Alzheimer’s; and what, exactly, makes driving so thrilling?

Let’s get into it!

While gas prices may be elevated due to the conflict in Iran, Costco has continued its magic streak of keeping them well below the average.

It’s been able to do this despite the nearly unprecedented demand its members have had during the last few months, during which there were times a gallon eclipsed $6.

Costco is known for being a loss-leader, which means it sells products at a loss just to drive traffic and purchases of other more profitable goods; ever heard of that $1.50 hot dog?

Gas, however, is not a loss-leader for the big box giant, but that is how it keeps prices so low; whereas most gas stations take a 25-35 cent profit, Costco only takes a few cents.

Still, it’s not necessarily smooth sailing for Costco just because demand goes through the roof when prices rise substantially. The company relies heavily on membership fees for profits, and because its margins on gas are so low, its overall profits get squeezed when prices rise.

It has to spend more money buying the fuel it ultimately sells for just a little bit more than it paid for it, all while keeping prices for its other products and membership fees stable.

A study published in Aging Cell by researchers at Northwestern University suggests there’s a link between the loss of estrogen after menopause and the greater likelihood women have of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

In the United States, two thirds of people with the disease are women, and though some have hypothesized that vulnerability to the illness may be tied to memory loss from depleted estrogen production, the Northwestern study directly investigated it.

“This study tells us that females—but not males—may be uniquely sensitive to loss of brain estrogen at old age, potentially contributing to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” said corresponding author Dr. Hong Zhao, research professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the division of reproductive science in medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

The study investigated what happens to a part of the brain called the extracellular matrix (ECM), which is plentiful in the hippocampus—the region of the brain responsible for memory. Researchers likened the ECM to the mortar that lines bricks on a house, providing a vital support structure cells rely on to remain healthy.

The study was the first of its kind that looked into and found a relationship between declining ECM health and the loss of estrogen. As a result, new therapeutic options could be explored to delay the deterioration of the structure, while extending functional memory capabilities in older women.

If you live in Ontario or the Midwest, you’re probably familiar with the seasonal algae blooms that spawn in Lake Erie—specifically near its western shores.

However, even scientists didn’t realize until recently how toxic the various compounds are that form the algal layer that sweeps over the Great Lake. In fact, it took a pair of special studies to properly investigate, because some of the toxins aren’t even detectable via traditional monitoring methods.

“A lot of people are aware of these algal toxins, but the big picture is that these harmful algal blooms are expanding with climate change,” said Gregory Dick, senior author of both papers and an environmental scientist at the University of Michigan. “What our paper shows for the first time is that in western Lake Erie, there really is a soup of these different compounds.”

Large blooms of the type of algae that forms in western Lake Erie can be devastating to the health of humans and animals. While some may only experience skin rashes, ingestion or heightened/prolonged exposure can be fatal in some cases.

A report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that the four toxins the government already monitors only make up about 10% of algal blooms, prompting it to recommend immediate upgrades to the methods by which the area is monitored.

Driving too fast on an open road with the windows down and nothing but the wind and sun to keep you company is thrilling like few other things. However, it makes some wonder if the enjoyable parts of driving can be expressed scientifically. Among those wondering is a team of researchers at Polestar and Oxford University.

Polestar is attempting to understand the psychological and physiological underpinnings of the thrill of driving in order to inform decisions about how to optimize the experience motorists have when driving a Polestar EV.

One of the most debated points of contention on this topic is whether you need an internal combustion engine to maximize the enjoyability of driving.

You can’t rev an EV engine because it doesn’t have one; is that a problem or just a preference issue?

The company is running a first-of-its-kind study to find out, with executive experts at the company teaming up with academic experts at Oxford University to identify the measurable aspects of the driving experience. The researchers will observe the brain activity of participants, and collect biometric and behavioral data (including EEG, eye-tracking, heart rate, skin conductance, facial expression and emotive self-assessment).

"This project demonstrates how academic research can create real-world impact beyond the university," said Prof Alexander Betts, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Co-Founder of the Oxford University SDG Impact Lab. "Working with Polestar allows us to translate scientific insight into knowledge that can help shape future innovation."

This week in ‘82

From the hits at the box office to the hits on the charts, we’re throwing it back to all things going on this week in 1982 with today’s trivia!