Author Archives: edennis

Jun
17
2014

Mononucleosis Vaccination Possibility

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The Epstein-Barr Virus causes infectious mononucleosis, also commonly known as “mono”. Mono is a contagious disease that is most often found in children and young adults, and it is common to be spread by intimate oral contact, which gives it its name the “kissing disease”. The B cells are the primary host cells for this virus, which are infected by the multiplication of the EBV in lymphatic tissues that then moves into the blood. The B cells appearance changes to the point that they resemble a monocyte. If one was to look at the infected B cells, they would notice that they have become enlarged and abnormal. The virus increases the white blood cell count by a high percentage of lymphocytes. There are many signs and symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, dizziness, sore throat, enlarged and tender lymph nodes, and fever. No cure has been found to cure mono, but there has been research done on young killer cells that protect against the infectious disease.

            According to an article I read about young killer cells protection against mono, it is common for people to be carriers of the Epstein-Barr Virus. However, some people are not carriers, and the age one becomes infected with this virus can determine one’s illness. For instance, the article mentions that, as an adult, getting infected will more likely cause them to become ill, whereas, a child who is infected is less likely to become ill because of his innate immune system. This is because, according to immunologists from the University of Zurich, young natural killer cells fight off the infectious disease, and children’s innate immune system has an abundance of these young natural killer cells. This means that adolescents and adults who do not have these young natural killer cells are more likely to get infected and become ill. However, this group from the University of Zurich is working on finding a vaccination that could protect people from getting infected by this disease.

If they find a vaccination that keeps more people from getting EBV who can’t fight it off because they don’t have the young natural killer cells, it will reduce healthcare costs and work loss for the one at risk of getting ill. If one gets infected, not only do they have to pay for the care given to them by their doctor or whoever they see, but also they lose time at work. This will cause a problem with them being able to not only pay for personal necessities but also their Healthcare. As a whole society, Healthcare costs increases everybody’s insurance costs, and work loss costs everyone involved in productivity and sick time, whether it is short term disability, long term disability, or elderly care if they do become disabled. Therefore, if a vaccination is found, it can tremendously help with the costs of Healthcare and work loss for individuals or society as a whole.

 

 

Tortora, Gerard J and Derrickson, Bryan. Princciples of Anatomy and Physiology 13th     Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2011. 30 Jan. 2014.

University of Zurich. “Young killer cells protect against infectious mononucleosis.”         ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 December 2013.           <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131219130145.htm>.

Mar
18
2014

Prevention of Cataracts

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            Being able to see is an important thing. However, there are several causes for blindness. One in particular, which I am going to discuss, is a very common one where there is a loss of transparency of the lens called cataract. Cataracts occur when the lens crystalline protein structure changes and your vision becomes blurry because the lens has become less transparent. Several things can cause cataracts like aging, long exposure to ultraviolet light, or even a disease such as diabetes. Yes, there are ways to fix this like replacing the old lens with a new artificial one. However, I looked up ways to prevent cataracts, and I came across an article about statins that prevent cataracts.

            Statins are cholesterol– lowering drugs, usually for fighting heart disease; however, researchers have found they help decrease the risk of cataracts as well.  In this article, Dr. Gabriel Chodick explains that these drugs can help prevent inflammation in the eye and stop the process of oxidation on the ocular nerve celss. Dr. Chodick did a study of 180,000 patients from 1998-2007 to observe the effect statins had on cataracts. His study showed a strong association with a large population. Also, what he found was that the daily intake of statins in men from the age 45-54 decreased their risk of developing cataracts by 38%, and although statins were not as effective in women, they still had an 18% decrease in the risk of developing cataracts. The article also states that 10% of people who are prescribed statins rarely take them; however, the doctor says now they have reason to continue taking this drug. This article has also helped me understand the importance of finding a prevention for cataracts for our society.

            The article also explains that in the U.S., cataracts affect about 60%- of  men and women over the age of 60. The use of statin drugs could help to lower the number of men and women in society who have blindness due to cataracts. Also, blindness doesn’t only affect the person with the loss of sight but also the people close to the person. Preventing blindness is not just helping someone to see, but also it is helping someone keep contact with the environment around them. As well as contact with the environment around them, people who are affected with blindness tend to have a low self-esteem due to the need for help and emptiness because the sight is a major sense to any human. However, the prevention of cataracts by this drug will benefit someone as well. For instance, the person would have an increased ability to work, a decreased disability cost, longer independence for individuals, and prolonged vision. Blindness affects ones everyday life. Therefore, this drug, known as statin, could help individuals with his or her life in general.

 

 

 

 

 

Tel Aviv University. “Common cholesterol drugs, statins, fight cataracts, too.”       ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 11 February 2010.

Tortora, Gerard J and Derrickson, Bryan. Princciples of Anatomy and Physiology 13th       Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2011. 30 Jan. 2014.

 

Dec
06
2013

DNA Defects

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                The basic double helix model for DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, contains the four nitrogenous bases such as adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine. These four base pairs that come together, A only with T and C only with G, contain the genetic code in all living organisms.  As it says in my Anatomy and Physiology textbook, DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, is what forms the genetic material for every human being. Not only do these genes determine our traits, but also they pass on hereditary information when a cell divides.

            According to the March 19th 2013, article How Proteins Read Meta DNA Code, scientists have developed more information about how to read DNA code. Scientists have found an actual second layer of code to read in the DNA. This second layer is found to be a mechanical code written down in the base pair sequence. They have created a computerized model of the nucleosome, and they introduced binding sites to the protein core. This model helped scientist when understanding of the sliding mechanism along the base pairs and the consequences of missing or extra pairs found within the DNA. The hereditary information passed along in DNA is complex and new developments in reading the code are helpful in learning how to evaluate and treat consequences of altered hereditary information in cell division.

            More and more knowledge and information has been obtained about the make-up of DNA and how it affects each person’s hereditary traits. Missing or extra pieces of the code alter the traits of individuals causing hereditary and congenital defects in varying degrees of severity. Increased knowledge of these little morsels of genetic material and the mechanisms by which they work can lead to discoveries of treatments or corrections of a multitude of defects such as Down Syndrome. Many families are impacted with a variety of DNA related defects from either extra, missing, or moved or altered genes in the DNA received from their parents. More understanding can lead to more testing and possibly more treatments for these individuals with altered traits during cell division.

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130319091256.htm

Springer Science+Business Media. “How proteins read meta DNA code.” ScienceDaily, 19 Mar. 2013. Web. 13 Sep. 2013.

Tortora, Gerard J and Derrickson, Bryan. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology 13th Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2011. 13 Sep. 2013.

Dec
06
2013

The Aging of Skin

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Aging of skin is a consideration for many reasons. The aging process makes skin less elastic with decreased ability to heal. The skin is the body’s first line of defense and is vitally important to good health. Damage to the skin over the years is irreversible for the most part. Good skin care and damage prevention is the best defense against skin loss. Sun exposure is one of the main culprits in skin damage. It also is the main cause of melanoma skin cancer. Wrinkles can be lessened by the use of injectable botulinum toxin. This is only one of many aesthetic processes to try to hide aging. Damaged skin with actual loss of skin tissue and wound formation can be treated with a process called platelet gel.

According to the French Cancer and Aging Research Institute a gene possibly responsible for the changes in aging skin may be removable, thus halting the aging damage to skin. Damaged skin is more likely to develop wounds from a variety of injuries, surgeries, or trauma. Skin wounds provide a source for bacteria to grow. A procedure using a patient’s platelets in a gel form is one procedure that can promote wound healing and advance the production of new skin over wounds.  Another step to reducing the aging of skin is to avoid the sun. Protective clothing and diligent use of sunscreen are two methods to prevent sun damage and reduce the risk of malignant melanoma. Dermatologists recommend education of society about the warning signs of melanoma for early recognition and diagnosis. They suggest regular skin inspection for any visible changes to the skin. Malignant melanoma is a deadly form of cancer, and knowledge with proactive inspections can increase survival by rapid intervention and treatment.

Skin aging prevention, if possible, will assist people in maintaining healthy skin to protect the body. Aesthetic procedures, including the injection of bacteria into the skin to look less wrinkled, are popular among those trying to remain more youthful in appearance. Ultimately, the goal should be healthy skin.  Healthier skin is less apt to develop wounds that create routes for infection into the body. Platelet gel is one method of treating wounds in patients. Healing is altered by many factors including disease processes and mobility. Any enhancement to wound healing is beneficial to society in shorter healing time and complications including costs. Early melanoma detection is vital in reducing deaths in society. This step of skin inspection and knowledge of signs to discuss with one’s doctor will make a major contribution to the health of society.

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130122101909.ht

http://www.prp.net.br/adm/pdf/Crovetti%202004%20Platelet%20Gel%20for%20chronic%20wounds.pdf

http://www.aad.org/dermatology-a-to-z/diseases-and-treatments/m—p/melanoma

“Keeping skin youthful: Skin aging regulator identified.” ScienceDaily, 22 Jan. 2013. Web. 6 Oct. 2013.

Tortora, Gerard J and Derrickson, Bryan. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology 13th Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2011. 13 Sep. 2013.

Dec
06
2013

Effects of Steroids

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The use of anabolic steroids in our society has widely grown. According to my anatomy book, these steroids produce an increase in muscle size, which gives advantages to athletes. This increase in muscle can help the athlete overcome certain tasks asked to be done when in contest with other athletes. However, as I know myself, these “roids”, which they are sometimes referred to as, are being taken in stronger doses by these athletes. For example, I know a guy who got distinctively strong in a very short amount of time as a result of this large dose. My concern, however, is not for the strength of the athlete but is for the athlete’s health in the long run. As my book says, these “roids” can cause many side effects, such as liver cancer, increased aggression, and increased risk of heart disease. Therefore, I have researched and found information about one in particular, the Anabolic- Androgenic Steroid (AAS).

            According to the McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School investigators, this long-term use and large dose of AAS could affect a person’s ability to recognize relationships between objects. A research psychiatrist, Harrison Pope, conducted a study consisting of 5 cognitive tests that examined brain functions. These 5 cognitive tests included maintaining attention, speed of processing information, remembering a list of words, and the location of shapes and objects. The results were that many of the long- term users ended up doing worse on the pattern recognition part of the test. Pope and his colleagues have found that this long-term use and large dosage is causing this visuospatial memory. He also says that there has been an increase in this use, which is unfortunate considering the result of visuospatial deficits. With this being said, this is only one steroid. If only one can do this to you, what can the others do?

            In conclusion, athletes taking steroids need to pay attention to the side effects, length of time using the steroid, and the dosage amount of taking the steroid. Steroids were developed for the increase of muscle production, not to constantly destroy your health. If the athletes of our society begin taking these steroids at a younger age, they could lose success at an earlier age as well due to these effects. If our society, such as the guy I know, keeps taking these steroids as if it is not harmful, our athletes or anyone competing could become harmful to not only themselves, but others as well. According to the search I found on AAS, if athletes don’t pay attention to the effects, not only could they harm their health, but also they could harm their memory. AAS is only one of the many steroids in this world, and if this one steroid could cause this much damage, can you imagine what some of the others could do?

 

 

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130319091256.htm

McLean Hospital. “Long-term anabolic-androgenic steroid use may impact visuospatial memory.” ScienceDaily, 14 Dec. 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2013.

Tortora, Gerard J and Derrickson, Bryan. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology 13th Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2011. 13 Sep. 2013.