“Cryptosporidium parvum”, a typical protozoa-infection that causes acute, watery, and non-bloody diarrhea in small children in developing countries and immune-compromised patients is becoming a concern for scientists the world over. This infection may also cause anorexia related watery diarrhea in HIV infection. Such an infection will result in to nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Resistivity property of these protozoa to the water chlorination has caused massive epidemic in the United States. Scientists have also expressed that it has attained a status of a ‘prospective bio-terrorism agent’. There are neither vaccines nor effective drugs available to respond to these multiple threats to human health.

A major breakthrough has been achieved as scientists at the ‘Brandeis University’ and the ‘University of Georgia’ has been successful in identifying the lead compounds that can resist the attacks of this protozoa. In the published details of this research in the journal “Chemistry and Biology”, the scientists hope that their findings will pave the way for further development of an effective antibiotic treatment.

…Click here to read more

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)’ is the most common form of dementia among older people. It is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. It is a progressive and fatal brain disease slowly effecting thought, memory and language serious enough to interfere with daily life.

A recent study by researchers at ‘Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University’ finds that people with ‘Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)’ experienced more accidents and performed more poorly on road tests compared to drivers without cognitive impairment. The study is published in the January 23 edition of the journal “Neurology”, the medical journal of the ‘American Academy of Neurology’. This stems out of the fact they show problems with memory, thinking and concentration.

The study included 128 individuals. Out of these individuals, 84 persons were suffering with early AD and 44 age-matched control subjects without cognitive impairments. Drivers with early AD were enrolled in this study and followed every six months over two to three years. While the study does confirm previous reports of potentially hazardous driving in persons with early AD, it also indicates that some individuals with very mild dementia can continue to drive safety for extended periods of time. The study also built the relationship through self-reports, family reports and a standardized road test.

…Click here to read more

Many people around the world want to get rid of the fine lines and wrinkles under their eyes. People also need solutions to sun damage and unrelenting scars without laser resurfacing. “Portrait Plasma Skin Regeneration”, is an incredible new cosmetic dermatological alternative for removing the blemished, baggy, or blotchy skin. This new resurfacing and rejuvenating treatment has provided a non-surgical option to obtain the best results.Among the various aesthetic treatments, reduction of fine lines, wrinkles and skin tightening around the eyes and the removal of excess tissue of the upper eyelid are in vogue. Blepharoplasty, the eyelid surgery, is a no longer only option available to people seeking a more young look and cure sagging, droopy eye lids, wrinkles and puffiness.

Dr. Brian Biesman, Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon of ‘Nashville Centre for Laser and Facial Surgery’ in Nashville, Tennessee offer combination of various cosmetic treatments to reap maximum benefits from their treatment. Such combinations generally include blepharoplasty, Portrait Plasma, a novel plasma skin regeneration technology, and injectables such as Botox and fillers.

…Click here to read more

‘Aspirin’ can be an effective medication for the women as an inexpensive lung cancer chemoprevention though causing few side effects. A recent research study findings give a clear indication with clinical evidences.

This specific case-control study involved almost 581 African-American and Caucasian women with and without’ non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)’. Findings of the study revealed that the regular use of aspirin helps in reducing the risk for the disease by a significant 34% rate among women.

Certain previous specific research studies also indicated that aspirin and other similar ‘non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)’ have potential for decreasing the risk for NSCLC. Some of the other studies however, established that the results of this degree are not quite possible.

…Click here to read more

Scientists have been successful in identifying a particular region in our brain that controls typical decision making process of the brain. It will now be possible to understand how a person decides of halting the midnight exploration of refrigerator and enjoying the leftover chicken legs. The mechanism governing such decisions of the brain leading to malfunction in addiction and mental illness would be immensely helpful in designing the further treatments, say the researchers.

Emmanuel Procyk and his colleague researchers have published the findings of this research in the January 24, 2008, issue of the journal” Neuron”.

Researchers conducted experiments on monkeys and required them to spend time in exploration targeting a ‘juice reward’ with a choice of tough targets on a computer screen. Immediately upon identifying their ‘juice reward’, the monkeys were given a period for touching the reward many times in order to explore the chances of getting more rewards.

…Click here to read more

Various diseases have long been associated with the low blood levels of ‘vitamin-D’. It is general assumption worldwide that the ‘vitamin-D’ is a good supplement and helps preventing many diseases. Scientists however, feel that this existing assumption that hundreds of genes are dependent on vitamin D now must be given a re-consideration in the light of new study.

Dr.Trevor Marshall, Professor at the ‘Murdoch University School of Biological Medicine and Biotechnology’, Australia has explained this requirement at length in his research published in the current issue of the journal “BioEssays“.Dr. Marshall explains that the evidences indicate that “increased vitamin D intake affects much more than just nutrition or bone health”. He further says that the “Vitamin D Nuclear Receptor (VDR)” acts in the repression or transcription of hundreds of genes”. Such a condition includes the genes and they get associated with diseases and disorders of various types including cancers and multiple sclerosis.

…Click here to read more

Wounds can be healed faster and scaring can be reduced substantially if one of the genes is suppressed. This specific gene normally switches on within the wounded cells and cause scars.

This recent study finding of scientists at the ‘University of Bristol’ has several implications for millions of people who are suffering from organ tissue damage problems just because of some illness or abdominal surgery. It would also help many others who are wound victims. Findings of this research study will be published in the “Journal of Experimental Medicine” on 26 January.

Immediately upon damage occurs to the skin there is a formation of blood clot. Cells present below the wound start repairing the damage and this normally results in to scarring.

…Click here to read more

A new study by researchers in the US and Sweden suggests that using a mobile phone could interfere with your quality of sleep.Use of mobile phones interferes with the quality of sleep. A recent research conducted in the US and Sweden confirmed this finding. Researchers at the ‘Wayne State University’ in US and the ‘Karolinska Institutet’ in Sweden published the findings of this study in a peer reviewed online journal “PIERS Online”.

A group of 71 people, 36 women and 35 men took part in this study. Out of these 22 men and 16 women reported strong symptoms attributing to the disturbances in sleep with the use of mobile phones. Researchers collected data for symptoms of headache, mood, cognitive function, and electro-encephalographic recordings.

Participants were exposed to the mobile signals on an 884 MHz GSM wireless communications band and were directed to the left hemisphere of the brain, giving an average exposure of 1.4 Watts/kg including periods of DTX and Non-DTX.

…Click here to read more

“Bionic Eyes” may not be limited to the imaginative reflections in some movies only. Creating virtual visions and displays is very soon going to be a reality. The day is not far off when visual aids will be available to help vision -impaired people. Future lies with the holographic driving control panels and surfing the web midair with no visibility to others.

Scientists have now been successful in developing a microscopic technology for creating an artificial virtual display system or the “bionic Eyes”, as popularly known.

For the first time ever the manufacturing technique was brought to the microscopic level by the engineers of the University of Washington. It was applied for making a combination of a flexible and biologically safe contact lens with an imprinted electronic circuit and lights. The contact lenses produced by the application of this technology create a display that generates superimposed images.

…Click here to read more

Life is not over because you have diabetes. Make the most of what you have, be grateful. - Dale Evans

Diabetes is a chronic syndrome that is characterized by disordered metabolism and inappropriately high blood sugar. Diabetes is caused by inherited and/or acquired deficiency in production of insulin by the pancreas, or by the ineffectiveness of the insulin produced. Such a deficiency results in increased concentrations of glucose in the blood. The characteristic symptoms of diabetes are excessive urine production, excessive thirst and increased fluid intake and sometimes even blurred vision.

Type I or Juvenile diabetes is a type of diabetes that begins during childhood or adolescence. In this type of diabetes, the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Taking daily injections of insulin treats this condition. For this reason, this type of diabetes is also called insulin-dependent diabetes.

…Click here to read more