Category Archives: Blog Assignment 1

Feb
26
2014

Oral Contraceptives Can Increase the Risk for Glaucoma

Posted by

Do you know what the most common cause of blindness is in the United States? The answer is glaucoma. Glaucoma has had an effect on about two percent of people in the population over forty years old. Glaucoma occurs usually when someone has abnormally high intraocular pressure, which causes the aqueous humor to build up within the inside of the eye cavity, putting pressure on the neurons of the retina. If pressure stays constant, it then leads to damage of the optic nerve and causes blindness. This is painless and a person can have damage long before the condition is found and diagnosed. Because it is more prevalent with aging people, regular checkups with the optometrist is important. The risk factors to glaucoma include race, family history, past injuries, and any type of disorders that you have been diagnosed with (Totora).
Researchers found that females who have consumed any type of oral contraceptives for three or more years are more likely to suffer from glaucoma than anyone else. Gynecologists and ophthalmologists need to be aware that these contraceptives could make this disease worse. Doctors should have their patients eyes screened at least every 2 years. The University of California, Duke University School of Medicine, and Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University (Nanchang China) were the first to conduct this research (AAO). They gathered data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and used a little over three thousand females over forty years old and had been taking contraceptives for three plus years. One of the researchers stated that women who have been taking contraceptives that long should follow up with an ophthalmologist (American).
I feel people should know about glaucoma because it is a serious disease. Before reading this article, I had no idea that oral contraceptives could increase the chances of blindness. I take 2 medicines daily and have taken both of them for more than three years now. It makes me think about how this could be harming my eyes and I not know it. It really makes you think about what you are putting into your body; it could be a good thing, but also harmful.

American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). “Long-term oral contraceptive users twice as likely to have serious eye disease.” ScienceDaily. Science Daily, 18 November 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131118091418.htm>.
Totora, Gerard J., And Derrickson, Bryan. Principals of Anatomy & Physiology. 13th ed. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2014. Print.

Feb
26
2014

New Approaches to Treating Childhood Visual Disorders

Posted by

 

Vision is the act of seeing.   The eye contains over fifty percent of the receptors in the body.  Therefore, vision is an extremely important to our daily lives. The eye has many neurons that are involved in the development and use of the eye (Tortora). The proper development of these neurons is key to proper functioning of the eyes, especially in children.

Scientists at UC Irvine and UCLA have come up with a new approach to correcting visual disorders in children. The two visual disorders that they looked at in children were early cataract development, and amblyopia. Amblyopia is a condition known as lazy eye (University).

The problem was that even after children would have surgery to correct these visual impairments,their  vision was not corrected. They found that vision was not corrected because of improper brain development due to problems with vision during childhood. Assistant professor of anatomy and neurobiology at UC Irvine, Xiangmin Xu and Josh Trachtenberg, associate proffer of neurobiology at UCLA, found that vision not returning after surgery is caused by a specific type of inhibitory neurons that control the “critical period” in development of early vision. This “critical period” is usually before age 7 (University).

They discovered that the cause of the vision defects in these children were due to improper functioning of inhibitory nerons. They did tests on mice in which they used an experimental drug compound that would treat the neuronal defects that were causing vision loss. Their work suggests that the drugs would target the neurons and help correct the vision disorders, in these children (University).

This research is important for children and families who have a child or even children who suffer from these vision disorders. This is hopeful information for these parents, which could prevent vision loss in children or help the children who are affected by these visual impairments. The hope is that more advancements will be made in this field so that even more vision disabilities can be corrected.

 

Tortora G.J. and B. Derrickson. 2012. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. 13th ed., John Wiley and Sons

 

University of California – Irvine. “New approach to remedying childhood visual disorders.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 August 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130826123145.htm>.

 

Feb
26
2014

Stem Cells for Repairing Blood Vessels in the Eye

Posted by

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in over 40,000 American adults. Most patients with this disease are a diabetic, but premature babies can also have this disease. The development of an abnormal vasculature in the eyes is a reaction from ischemia, which is a restriction in blood vessels and insufficient oxygen in tissue that can lead to the forming of extra blood vessels in the back of the eye. Unlike in the heart where extra blood vessels that form can have a benefit, the new vessels that form in the eye can lead to the leaking of fluid and blood that can ultimately lead to vision loss.

A study at Scripps Research Institute used a method of repairing damaged blood vessels in the eye through the use of stem cells that came from bone marrow. They injected the white blood cells into the eyes of a mouse model. They found that when the stem cells moved into the avascular areas of the retina, and the parent cell started to change into microglia that supported vascular repair. This was the first time that microglia has been shown to support vascular repair in any organ.

Current treatments for these eye diseases—such as thermal lasers and anti-antigenic drugs—are designed to prevent the growth of new vessels or to close, ablate, or remove abnormal vessels. Using preventative measures such as having yearly eye exams, can help slow the place of complete vision loss. Also having better control of your blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol levels can slow the onset and the progression of retinopathy and protect your vision. Also in the 1st three stages of diabetic retinopathy there is no treatment needed. If the disease escalates into proliferative retinopathy, it is usually treated with a laser treatment.

Heather Mundlin

http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy.asp#4a

http://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e_20061120/friedlander.html

Feb
26
2014

Chances of Blindness from Glaucoma Nearly Halved

Posted by

Glaucoma is a disorder that causes blindness. It is caused from unusually high pressure from aqueous humor accumulation in the anterior cavity of the eyeball. According to Gerard Tortora and Bryan Derrickson, “the aqueous fluid compresses the lens of the eye into the vitreous body and applies pressure to the neurons of the retina” (Tortora and Derrickson 674). The disorder itself is painless and tends to be more prominent in the older generation.

Glaucoma has affected more than 2.7 million people in the U.S. alone that are aged 40 years or older. Researchers believe that advances in technology uses for diagnosis and therapy have caused the number of blindness from glaucoma to half since 1980. The study was conducted by a team from the MayoClinic where the researched reviewed 857 cases of open-angle glaucoma from 1965-2009 in Olmsted County, Minnisota. They found that the population of blindness in people within 10 years of diagnosis decreased from 8.7 per 100,000 to 5.5 per 100,000 [American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)]

Arthur J. Sit,M.D. said that these results are promising to those suffering from glaucoma and their doctors. I have to agree with him on the outcome of the research conducted. I can’t imagine being blind and not being able to see what is going on in my everyday life. I feel that this could possibly lead to even a cure for the disease since they have found a way to decrease the number of cases by half.

 

American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). “Probability of blindness from glaucoma has nearly halved.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 January 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140121104107.htm>.

Tortora, Gerard J., and Derrickson, Bryan. Principles of Anatomy & Phisiology .13th ed.  Hoboken: John  Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011. Print.

Feb
26
2014

Better Eyes Due to Vitamin D Intake

Posted by

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

DNA Defects

Posted by

                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.

Oct
21
2013

Great Habits for a Faster Metabolism!

Posted by

Metabolism is process involving a set of chemical reaction that modifies a molecule into another for storage, basically for immediate use in another reaction or as a by product. Our metabolism works around the clock, by the use of our calories and by shedding fat. Basically metabolism sums up everything that your body does for you. However, many people suffer from slow, sluggish metabolisms and blame other things such as genetics. Genetics do play a key role in the efficiency of your metabolism; there are several different options that you yourself can control that can boost your metabolic rate and give you more energy.

First, you have to always eat a healthy breakfast; it is the most important meal of the day. You sleep usually close to 8 hours a night. That means that you go at least 8 hours without a meal. When you wake up your body is in starvation mode, so that means that your metabolism level is not working very fast. Eating breakfast revs up your body for that day. Your body has to receive food in the morning; it tells your brain that you’re going to need to start working to digest it. When this happens it wakes up the system, which warms up the metabolism, so that makes it ready for the long day ahead. Not eating breakfast in the mornings, your body thinks that it needs to conserve the energy it has because it is not getting new nutrition.

Secondly, your body needs plenty of sleep to maintain a healthy metabolism. The University of Colorado sleep researchers did a study with 16 different healthy students for a two-week experiment tracking sleep, metabolism and eating habits. Kenneth Wrightdirector of the University of Colorado University’s sleep and chronobiology laboratory, said part of the change was behavioral. Staying up late and skimping on sleep led to not only more eating, but also a shift in the type of foods a person consumed. So we see that sleep is needed to maintain the better metabolism.

Our Metabolism is very important for our everyday living. Having a great metabolism is not only genetic; you can control this by many of your own actions everyday.  As college students, we must get plenty of sleep and we always need to eat a healthy breakfast, so we can get our bodies digesting and working early in the mornings. Remember it is the MOST important meal of the day.

Citations : (URLS)

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/lost-sleep-can-lead-to-weight-gain/?_r=0

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/08/26/habits-for-faster-metabolism/

“Metabolism .” Fox news. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2010. <www.foxnews.com/health/2013/08/26/habits-for-faster-metabolism/ >.

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/fact-or-fiction-breakfast-is-the-most-important-meal-of-the-day.html#b

 

Oct
11
2013

Down Syndrome

Posted by

James Ganier

September 13, 2013

Down Syndrome

 

Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder that has three,  instead of two, copies of chromosome 21. Down Syndrome is categorized by cognitive impairment. One in nine hundred infants are born with Down Syndrome. Older women are more prone to having a Down Syndrome baby than younger women.  Down Syndrome is characterized my mental retardation, abnormal physical development and abnormal facial structures. However scientists at UMass Medical School have discovered that the extra chromosome can be neutralized or silenced. This extra chromosome is responsible for trisomy 21, also referred to as Down Syndrome.

Scientists have begun a research project in an induced pluripotent stem cells originated from fibroblasts cells given by a down syndrome patient. The scientists are inserting the XIST RNA gene at a specified location in the chromosome using Zinc finger nuclease technology.  RNA, derived from the XIST gene, was effectual in repressing genes across the extra chromosome. This allowed gene expression to normal levels and successfully neutralizing or silencing the chromosome.

Neutralizing or silencing the extra chromosome, which is responsible for Down Syndrome, will allow researchers to study cell pathologies. It will also allow researchers to find genome-wide pathways involved in the disorders. The scientists will be able to focus on abnormal gene expression in cells that entail an unusual number  of chromosomes. Scientists will be better able to comprehend the basic biology of Down Syndrome and will help develop new therapies for Down Syndrome.

 

 

Works Cited:

University of Massachusetts Medical School. “ Scientists show proof-of-principle for silencing extra chromosome responsible for Down Syndrome.” Science Daily, 17. Jul. 2013. Web 13 Sep 2013.

 

Tortora, Gerald J and Bryan Derrickson.  Principles of Anatomy and Physiology.  Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc 2012. Print.

Oct
11
2013

Proteins putting up a fight!

Posted by

 

Proteins putting up a fight!

  Cancer has become more than a disease in today’s world.  It has become the life taker of innocent people all over the world.  Something has been thrown in that may be a sudden game changer for this life taker.  Researchers have been looking at a group of proteins used in the process of mitosis that can possibly kill cancerous cells; the only predicament is learning how exactly to control them!

  The Journal of Cell Biology published an article explaining this group of proteins and what exactly happens in the process.  This protein, TACC3, forms inter-microtubule links that stabilize the K-fibers used in mitosis.  In mitosis if cells don’t divide equally it can lead to far too many cells and it puts a higher risk in place for more cancerous cells.  When other proteins work with TACC3 it makes this worse, but researches have found that when TACC3 is removed it kills these bad cells.  This killing of a cell isn’t bad because it shuts down mitosis in cells that are no longer dividing.  They have found this to be an important step in getting rid of cancerous cells.

Although this method isn’t a guarantee treatment for cancer, neither are most of the current treatments.  By finding ways to quickly remove these proteins, it is a step in the right direction to finding a cure.  This is important to almost everyone.  Further research will show the overflow of benefits for getting rid of TACC3, which will ultimately result in proteins being the hero of killing the destroyer!

Works Cited

“TACC3 Gene.” – GeneCards. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2013.

University of Warwick. “Team of proteins could have implications for fight against cancer.”ScienceDaily, 7 Aug. 2013. Web. 13 Sep. 2013.

Oct
11
2013

How HIV Utilizes the DNA of Cells

Posted by

Blog 1:  HIV and the Immune system.

 

Through the process of Mitosis, cells divide.  During this process, the cell replicates its DNA and forms new cells.  This process is the cell’s way of reproducing itself and ensuring that it can continue to carry out the function it is specified for.  What could happen when a virus interferes with this vital life process?  That virus could have devastating effects on the cell and every other process dependent upon it.  A prime example of this is the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Research has shown that HIV invades and hosts itself in the cells of our immune system.  For some reason, unknown until now, the human immune system is powerless to stop the virus from spreading and taking over.  Recent research has shown that HIV is able to gain control over the cells during their time of mitosis.  When the cell is attempting to replicate its DNA, the HIV virus is blocking the cell’s information from being transcribed and coding itself into the cell’s DNA.  With itself coded into the cell’s DNA, the virus can simply initiate an order and instantly terminate the immune cell.

With this research and insight into the cellular level of infection, new treatments can now be developed.  It has been theorized that early medication for HIV can decrease or even stop the virus taking over the cell’s DNA.  By stopping this, it is hoped that it will allow for a higher immune system of HIV infected individuals.  This research will likely provide a much deeper understanding of how the virus functions and how it rapidly progresses.  Ultimately, it may be possible to vaccinate or even cure HIV in the future.

 

Sources:

Tortora, Gerard J.  Bryan Derrickson.  A&P; principles of anatomy & physiology 13th edition.  John Wiley & Sons, inc.  2011.  Chapter 3.7 Cell Division.

NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.  “Scientists discover how HIV kills immune cells; findings have implications for HIV treatment.”  ScienceDaily, 5 Jun. 2013. Web. 12 Sep. 2013.