Author Archives: rsmith33

Feb
26
2014

Better Eyes Due to Vitamin D Intake

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For many years vitamin D has been know as a bone builder.  It also helps prevent, osteoporosis and rickets in children.  All over the world, research is constantly being implemented to study the effects of Vitamin D but here recently research is being conducted to show how it help the eyes stay young even when your age.  These new studies have shown that Vitamin D is centered on fighting the effects of vision loss   as your eyes age.

The newest report from Neurobiology of Aging states that through a study at the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London, they have found a favorable outcome to their research. Even though, the University is still in the process of working with animals they have created some encouraging results. They have found that vitamin D helps the aging process in your eyes in two main ways. The first area helps to reduce inflammation by lowering the amount of macrophages.  The second area helps to decrease the deposits of deadly molecules that would gather in your system as you age. This study was conducted on individuals around the age of fifty.

The findings from the university were encouraging because when the macrophages and toxic molecules mix they produce age related macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness for individuals over fifty years of age. Vitamin D can be absorbed in many ways but your daily diet is a good way to start.  Such foods could include but are not limited to liver, salmon, tuna fish, and fortified milk. The main source of vitamin D we receive is by UV radiations from the sun.  These examples are ways of fighting the effects of aging eyes.

 

Green, Robert. “Vitamin D and the Effects on your Eyes.” Eye Specialists. 31, Jan. 2012.  30 Jan. 2014

< http://eyesfl.com/blog/vitamin-d-and-the-effects-on-your-eyes/ >

 

Pelino, J. Carlo, and Joseph J. Pizzimenti. “Vitamin D Comes to light.” Review of Optometry 15 Nov. 2013: 76-79

 

 

Dec
06
2013

New Surgical Technique for Bell’s Palsy Facial Paralysis

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Bell’s palsy is a condition that triggers paralysis on one side of the patient’s face.  In this article a surgeon at A Loyola University Medical Center is trying a new surgical technique to treat Bell’s palsy.  It uses electrical stimulations to regain most of the damaged nerve. Many symptoms are not visible such as loss of ability to taste, pain behind the ear, numbness, increased sensitivity to sounds; while drooling  and the inability to close ones eye are clearly visible.

Leonetti said that most cases can be treated with oral steroids, but if the symptoms persist, he would recommend having surgery. This new technique is called microscopic decompression of the facial nerve. In this surgery the nerve covering is removed so it can swell and an electrical stimulator is used to send a current through the nerve. This in turn jump-starts the nerve to a rapid recovery.

Before the treatment can be administered a doctor must first understand why this condition has affected the patient. Due to modern technology blood tests, MRI’s, or a CT scans are done if the symptoms are not clear. Some potential causes include inflammation of facial nerves due to ear infections or ear surgeries. This new treatment’s results occur much quicker than the traditional way of treating Bell’s palsy.

“New Surgical Technique for Bell’s Palsy Facial Paralysis.” ScienceDaily. 1 Nov. 2013. 1 Nov. 2013 <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130611204432.htm>.

Tortora, Gerard J. Bryan Derrickson. A&P; principles of anatomy & physiology 13th edition. John Wiley & sons, inc 2011. Chapter 11.A Muscles of the Head That Produce Facial Expressions.

Oct
22
2013

Bone Marrow Transplants

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Bone Marrow Transplants

A bone marrow transplant is a way of transplanting bone marrow by using a high dose of chemotherapy.  The process from the donor to the patient is referred to as a bone marrow harvest.  Through much research doctors have said it helps cure cancer such as leukemia, myeloma, and lymphoma. At the Johns Hopkins Research Center doctors researched different ways that were effective to treat bone marrow failure disorders.

In this article doctors became interested in using radiation to kill off bad bone marrow.  Their research was in a controlled setting but lung problems began to arise as a result of the radiation exposure.  George Santos, a researcher under the Johns Hopkins Center, studied a different approach to treat diseased bone marrow. The treatment he researched was a chemotherapeutic cocktail drug; unlike the radiation treatment it did not result in any other medical complications.

His approach became widely accepted.  Santos’s research helped pave the way for modern bone marrow transplants.  Improvements in the marrow transplants would in turn save many lives for future patients. I believe this study from Johns Hopkins has revolutionized the former attempts to treat bone marrow failures.

Rachel Smith

Gupta, Sujata. “Human Stem Cells at Johns Hopkins: A forty Year History.” Johns Hopkins Medicine. 6 Oct. 2013. 6 Oct. 2013 <http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/stem_cell_research/cell_therapy/human_stem_cells_johns_hopkins.html>.

“Bone marrow transplants.” Cancer Research UK. 6 Oct. 2013. 6 Oct. 2013

<http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-help/about-cancer/treatment/transplant/bone-marrow-transplants>.

Oct
11
2013

Organ Shortage and Proposed Solutions

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Organ Shortage and Proposed Solutions

A whole or partial transplantation of an organ from a person, donor, to another person, recipient, is known as an organ transplant.  Kidney, liver, skin grafting, bone marrow, face, and heart are just some organs being transplanted today.  Statistics show that in 2000 there were 22,854 organs transplanted successfully. However, more than fifty-eight hundred patients died while waiting for a transplant.  This is equivalent to more than fifteen a day. This waiting list has increased drastically since then.

There are different factors causing organ shortage. One factor is that doctors are more willing to recommend transplants since the success rate is so good, therefore placing more people on the donor waiting list.  According to statistics in 1998, the successfulness of organ transplants was seventy to ninety-five percent. This success rate is due to the drug, cyclosporine, which helps the patient’s body to not reject the new organ.  Another factor is many organs have to be removed surgically quickly after the donor’s death. This sometimes isn’t possible due to the circumstances of the death. The last factor is people are not willing to become donors.

Different proposals are being suggested, but most all are controversial.  Changing the policy to “presumed consent” instead of having to receive consent from the patient or a family member is one proposal.  Another proposal is “mandated choice” where people have to state their preference when getting their driver’s licenses or maybe when filing their tax returns.  Getting paid for organ donation is another proposal. Xenotransplantation, the transplant of an animal’s organ into a human’s body, is yet another proposal. Two final proposals are creating artificial organs and growing human organs.  For now, willing organ donors is the main source for organ transplants, but in the future artificial organs, lab grown organs, and animal transplants are a possibility.

Rachel Smith

“Organ Transplants,” eNotes. 2003. 1 Oct. 2013 <http://www.enotes.com/topics/organ-transplant-article>.

“Organ transplant,” ScienceDaily. 2013. 1 Oct. 2013 <http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/o/organ_transplant.htm>.