The skin is the largest organ in the human body. Severe damage to large areas of skin exposes the human organism to dehydration and infections that can result in death.
Traditional ways of dealing with large losses of skin have been to use skin from other parts of a patient's body (such the thigh) or from a different person/cadaver. The former approach has the disadvantage that there may not be enough skin available, while the latter suffers from the possibility of rejection or infection.
To solve these issues, research is being done on artificial skin. Typically, a collagen scaffold is used (the protein that underlies the structure of skin), which can be additionally seeded with patient's own cells, or with foreskin from newborns that was removed during circumcision. Additional technologies, such as an autologous spray-on skin are being tested in efforts to accelerate healing and minimize scarring.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Children need love to grow smart
When it comes to babies, infants, and pre-school kids – caring, love and attention really can make a chemical difference to the way our brains are formed. The effect will be permanent. Touch also does play a huge role in having a big baby.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Do cows have 4 stomachs
Cows actually have one stomach divided into four compartments. These four compartments are called the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and the abomasum. The rumen is the largest compartment while the reticulum is the smallest.
The grass or digested material passes through each of these four chambers in turn and is slowly digested and the goodness drawn out. Each chamber works in the following ways:
1. The Rumen - This is the largest chamber and can hold up to 150-200 litres of partly digested food. The Rumen is full of good bacteria and this softens and helps digest the food. The bacteria ferments the carbohydrates in the food to allow the cow to produce energy. In doing so gas is produced (approx 500-1500 litres a day), approx 30% of this is methane gas and is expelled during belching. This is also how the foodstuff is passed from one chamber to the next
2. The Reticululum - This softens the food even further and forms it into small lumps of cud. The cud is returned to the cows mouth and chewed approx 40-60 times before being swallowed again. The reticulum also prevents large items from passing through the stomach this includes items which the cow has eaten which are not food, e.g plastic, packaging etc. Its like a safety mechanism for the cow. The material sits here and will not pass through to the next chamber, eventually the items will build up and the cow will vomit it back up.
3. The Omasum - This processes the cud further by pressing and breaking it up. It is then filtered. The omasum also regulates fluid absorbtion in the gut.
4. The Abomasum - This works similar to the human stomach. The food is finally digested by the stomach juices and the useful nutrients are absorbed by the blood. The waste is then pushed out into the intestines and finally out into a big smelly cow pat! Its a long journey for a bit of grass!
So next time you see a cow eating some grass in a field, bear in mind the work its stomach has to do just to digest that one mouthful of grass! Its not quite as simple as us having a quick munch of a snack.
Monday, July 6, 2009
How is litmus paper made?
Litmus paper is made from lichens. Lichens are unique in that they are actually two distinct organisms, a fungus and an alga, living as one. Botanists classify lichens as fungi because it is the fungi that are considered to be responsible for sexual reproduction.
Approximately 15,000 different types of lichens have been identified. Lichens can be found growing on rocks, trees, and walls, in the soil and even under water in virtually all types of climates. Lichens are commonly used as gauge for environmental quality because they are sensitive to various pollutants. Several varieties of lichen are used to produce litmus. In fact, the Netherlands is one of the largest producers of litmus paper products.
The production of litmus paper has many features in common with paper manufacturing. In this process, the wood pulp is converted to paper, the paper is infused with the lichen solution, and the paper is dried and packaged.
Litmus paper is available in both red and blue varieties. The natural color for litmus paper is blue. When put in an acidic solution the blue paper turns red. Red litmus paper is first mixed with an acid when it is made. This causes the paper to appear red. When put in the presence of a base, the paper returns to its natural blue color.
Approximately 15,000 different types of lichens have been identified. Lichens can be found growing on rocks, trees, and walls, in the soil and even under water in virtually all types of climates. Lichens are commonly used as gauge for environmental quality because they are sensitive to various pollutants. Several varieties of lichen are used to produce litmus. In fact, the Netherlands is one of the largest producers of litmus paper products.
The production of litmus paper has many features in common with paper manufacturing. In this process, the wood pulp is converted to paper, the paper is infused with the lichen solution, and the paper is dried and packaged.
Litmus paper is available in both red and blue varieties. The natural color for litmus paper is blue. When put in an acidic solution the blue paper turns red. Red litmus paper is first mixed with an acid when it is made. This causes the paper to appear red. When put in the presence of a base, the paper returns to its natural blue color.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Selecting the sex of the baby
MicroSort®: The MicroSort® process sorts sperm by male and female by a process that measures differences in the DNA. Then using an intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) the enriched sample of sperm is used to help you conceive. About 92% of those attempting for a girl do conceive a girl, while the success rates for sex selection and boys using MicroSort® is lower at 81%. The pregnancy rate for using an IUI cycle is 15.6% and the overall IVF/ICSI clinical pregnancy rate is 32%.
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD): This is the most effective technique in sex selection. With nearly 100% accuracy and the ability to select not only sex but a healthy embryo makes it very popular. Though this is a costly and intensive method of sex selection that uses in vitro fertilization and does biopsies on the embryos before they are returned to the uterus.
Shettles Method: The Shettles Method is based on the fact that male and female sperm travel and survive in the reproductive tract for varying amounts of time. So you time intercourse about 12 hours prior to ovulation for a boy and several days before ovulation for a girl. This is a very simplified explanation of Shettles.
Ericsson Albumin Method: With Ericsson, the sperm is filtered through albumin and then an intrauterine insemination (IUI) is done with the sample. While the sample doesn't provide you with more of one particular sex, like a MicroSort® sample, it does help select the sex of the baby. For a girl, Clomid® is used since it has been shown to increase the number of girls.
Other Methods of Sex Selection: There are other methods of sex selection, including prepregnancy diets to alter the pH balance of your body, timing methods that differ from Shettles, O+12, supplements, and positioning. These low tech methods are not as accurate as MicroSort® and PGD and are sometimes dangerous.
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD): This is the most effective technique in sex selection. With nearly 100% accuracy and the ability to select not only sex but a healthy embryo makes it very popular. Though this is a costly and intensive method of sex selection that uses in vitro fertilization and does biopsies on the embryos before they are returned to the uterus.
Shettles Method: The Shettles Method is based on the fact that male and female sperm travel and survive in the reproductive tract for varying amounts of time. So you time intercourse about 12 hours prior to ovulation for a boy and several days before ovulation for a girl. This is a very simplified explanation of Shettles.
Ericsson Albumin Method: With Ericsson, the sperm is filtered through albumin and then an intrauterine insemination (IUI) is done with the sample. While the sample doesn't provide you with more of one particular sex, like a MicroSort® sample, it does help select the sex of the baby. For a girl, Clomid® is used since it has been shown to increase the number of girls.
Other Methods of Sex Selection: There are other methods of sex selection, including prepregnancy diets to alter the pH balance of your body, timing methods that differ from Shettles, O+12, supplements, and positioning. These low tech methods are not as accurate as MicroSort® and PGD and are sometimes dangerous.
Monday, November 10, 2008
NO ARMS AND LEGS
Have you seen or heard of Nick Vujicic who lives without limbs ? Go check it out at http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/
mbs.org/ on his touching stories and purposeful living.
Here is a little funny story shared by Nick:
My cousin is studying Nursing. They were learning about blood pressure etc. he puts his hand up and asks, "how would you take the blood pressure of a person who has no arms?" The lecturer thought he was being a bit "smart" with her, and replied that they'd simply then check it on the legs. And then guess what my cousin asks, "What if they have no legs either?" The lecturer feels threatened and furious and my cousin is sent out and told not to come back. We later find out that in an emergency, they'd have to stick a rod straight into my heart if I really needed it measured. So I'm in no hurry to measure my blood pressure.
mbs.org/ on his touching stories and purposeful living.Here is a little funny story shared by Nick:
My cousin is studying Nursing. They were learning about blood pressure etc. he puts his hand up and asks, "how would you take the blood pressure of a person who has no arms?" The lecturer thought he was being a bit "smart" with her, and replied that they'd simply then check it on the legs. And then guess what my cousin asks, "What if they have no legs either?" The lecturer feels threatened and furious and my cousin is sent out and told not to come back. We later find out that in an emergency, they'd have to stick a rod straight into my heart if I really needed it measured. So I'm in no hurry to measure my blood pressure.
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