Down Syndrome In A Dish

stemHarvard scientists have created stems cells for 10 genetic disorders. These stems cells will allow these researchers to watch the diseases develop in a lab. This new technique could help to find treatments for some of the genetic diseases. Dr. George Daley and his colleagues at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute produced these stem cells by using skin cells and bone marrow from people with diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Down syndrome. The new technique of re-programing cells gives these cells the qualities like embryonic stem cells, which can morph into all kinds of tissue, such as heart, nerve and brain. So researchers can see progression of each diseases in a dish. This technique can help to find a cure by knowing what goes right or wrong in a dish.

Photo Source: www.wellcome.ac.uk

Athletes Have Better Brain

athletesAthletes not only get better and healthy body, they also have better brains. It has been found that a balanced diet and regular exercise can protect the brain and help prevent mental disorders. A person who does exercise regularly learn faster, remember more, think clearer and when brain injuries such as a stroke occurs they can bounce back more easily. They are also less affected by depression or any other age-related cognitive decline problems. When we exercise more, electric messages will be sent more often to the brain and eventually triggers a release of chemicals called growth factors. These growth factors make neurons stronger, healthier and improve one’s ability to learn.

Beware Of The Summer: 5 Things About Skin Cancer

John MccainThe presidential candidate John McCain had a skin spot, and removed from his face on July 28th, 2008. He wanted to share different message to Americans. Here are few important information that you need about skin cancer. Melanoma is deadly and more than 1 million people are diagnosed for skin cancer each year, and 8,000 U.S. residents die each year. But Melanoma is preventable. Exposure to the sun causes 90% of all skin cancers. Limiting mid-day exposure or covering up is the best way to avoid it.

Sunscreen is not a cure, since it only protects against UVB not against UVA. Men are more likely to work outside and have the highest exposure to the sun’s harmful rays than women. Tanning is not healthy, because UV rays fry inner layers of the skin, which causes the body to release melanin pigment to darken the outer layers as a protective measure.

Photo Source: www.funstuffonly.com

Human Blood Vessels In Mice

RatHuman blood vessels are grown in a mouse for the first time.This could help patients with heart disease. Scientists said that the research was promising, but it could help them to make lab-grown organs, and it can be implanted successfully. The ability to develop capillaries ( network of tiny blood vessels) would be a prize for scientists.

Birth Weight Can Predict Future Health

Smart KidBoys born small develop poor health later in life, say scientists. But no such problem was seen in low birth weight girls. When they tested child’s response to stress, problem in vascular resistance was observed. Vascular resistance is a property of blood vessels which makes it harder for the blood to be pumped through. This can lead to blood pressure problems in adulthood. After going through public speaking and mental arithmetic test designed to make them nervous, and increase heart-rate, boys who born smaller were more likely to have higher vascular resistance than those born bigger.

Risk Of Osteoporosis

osteroporosisOsteoporosis occurs when the body cannot replace bone calcium as fast as it is lost and it is very common among women.
Common risk factors for osteoporosis are:
* Getting older.
* Less weight-bearing exercises.
* Low estrogen levels especially after menopause.
* Low calcium or vitamin D in diet.
* hormonal imbalances.
*Heredity(white or Asian).
*Alcohol consumption and smoking.
Photo Source: http://static.howstuffworks.com

Green Or Blue Scrubs Over White

scrubWhy do health care professionals wear blue or green scrubs rather than any other colours? Although white is the color of cleanliness, in the early 20th century doctors switched their scrub’s colour from white to green. It’s been known that green or blue colours are easier on a surgeon’s eyes and help doctors to see better in the operating room due the opposite of red on the color wheel.

Looking at blue or green can refresh a one’s vision of red things, especially during surgery. If a surgeon looks at something red, he becomes desensitized to it. The red colour signal in the brain actually fades, and this could make the surgery difficult. Looking at something green will make the eyes more sensitive to red. By wearing a green scrub, doctors can also eliminate a green illusion of the blood (“after effect” illusion due to red).

Photo Source: www.spmh.org

Keep Your Teeth Clean

myteethDaily brushing and flossing are very important to keep your teeth pearl white. Here are few steps that might be useful to you.

  1. Don’t brush too hard ( it can damage sensitive gums)
  2. Brush from gumline to the top of each tooth (short and gentle strokes)
  3. Thoroughly brush the entire height of your teeth
  4. Brush the insides of your teeth
  5. Always brush the tongue and the roof of the mouth
  6. Brushing should be two to three minutes at a time.
  7. Floss between the teeth (first back and forth, and then gently down to the gumline)
  8. Floss around each tooth (including the backs of teeth)

Tomato Can Cure Alzheimer’s Disease

tomatoAccording to HyunSoon Kim from the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), the tomato could be  an oral vaccine against Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease progresses over a long period of time, and it is caused by the accumulation of human beta-amyloid. Beta-amyloid is a toxic insoluble fibrous protein in the brain that leads to the death of neurons. Reducing the accumulation of this compound can inhibit the degeneration of the nervous system. Although this research is still in the early stages, it is very useful information for further findings  involved in the vaccines against the neurodegenerative disease.

Obesity And Abnormal Sperm

obesemenIn the 24th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, Dr. A Ghiyath Shayeb said that men with a higher body mass index (BMI) have lower volumes of seminal fluid and a higher proportion of abnormal sperm. If you want to be fertile and have babies, you should consider losing some weight, and maintain your body weight to normal BMI. Living a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, regular exercise are needed to be in the normal BMI range.

Gender Affects Kidney Transplant

kidneyAccording to a analysis of the “Collaborative Transplant Study”, female donor kidneys do not function as well in men, because to their smaller size. Women are at higher risk of rejecting a male donor kidney. Therefore, gender will be considered more in the allocation of donor kidneys in future. Data collected from almost 200,000  kidney recipients from 1985 to 2004 analyzed, and transplanting a female kidney was less successful than a male kidney. This is because of female kidneys have fewer nephrons. Immunological rejection problems occurred most frequently when women received a male kidney as well.

Photo Source: http://galileo.phys.virginia.edu

Reason For Teenage Obesity

obeseDr. Catherine Berkey and colleagues from Harvard Medical School,  Growing Up Today Study (GUTS), surveyed more than 5000 girls, 14 - 21 years from all 50 states, and  their weekly habits were recorded. The researchers found that more Internet time, more alcohol consumption, and less sleep resulted in extra weight gain. Girls who consumed 2 or more alcoholic beverages a week or slept less than 6 hours at night gained more weight.  Girls who use Internet in addition to alcohol and sleep gain 4 extra pounds a year. Researchers are encouraging adolescent girls to replace recreational Internet time with more sleep, and avoid alcoholic beverage consumption to lose their weight.