Study finds a way to create platelets from stem cells

Source: Saha

Soon there will be no shortage of platelets when needed. People with anemia and those undergoing chemotherapy will no longer need to wait for blood donations. And, by soon I mean after possibly many more years of testing and experimenting on the results of this new study.

The researchers in Japan found a way to create platelets directly from our stem cells. Earlier this couldn’t be done because they couldn’t create only platelets without the other components of blood. But, now they have found a way to do so successfully in mice.

However, these stem cells

Pregnant women put children at risk with alcohol consumption

Oral Cleft; Source: Devos Children's Hospital

It is not breaking news that alcohol consumed during pregnancy can cause disorders in the unborn fetus. But, there are still women that don’t know and understand the risk they put their child in when they consume alcohol. According to a recent large-scale study conducted within a population in Norway, they found that alcohol binges by pregnant women can cause oral clefts in their children.

An oral cleft is basically when the lip and palate tissues don’t grow together during pregancy. The result

Tomatoes prevent infection from Salmonella?!

I read something in Eureka! today that I thought was pretty ironic. The past few months have been all about the Salmonella-on-tomatoes outbreak - which was concluded to be a Salmonella-on-jalapeno outbreak few weeks ago. But research shows that tomato is one of the vegetables that can provide protection against gastrointestinal infection caused by Salmonella and E.Coli!

The research mainly focused on studying the use of sesame seed extract and konjac gum to prevent Salmonella and E. Coli infection. According to the results these bacteria attach to the seed extracts and gums and prevent the bacteria from infecting our gut and causing a disease. Tomatoes were mentioned as

Tooth Tattoo: Sunshine in your smile?

Apparently skin is not the only place that can be decorated with a tattoo. Tooth tattoo’s form the latest trend in India. How could I ever think - whiter the teeth, better they look?! I still don’t see the attraction to have designs on your teeth…it would just look like someone hasn’t brushed their teeth or have food stuck in their teeth to me… . But, many others do seem to like it.

Tooth Tattoo: Sunshine in your smile! (Credit for image: Westbrook Dental)

Getting back to the article - The teeth tattoo is as easily put on as it can be erased. Very cool, huh?

Those who perceive having white teeth as “decent’ ‘ and anything else as “awkward’ ‘ would be amused to know that people spend Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 on teethtattooing . According to maxillofacial surgeon Dr Pooya, these tattoos can be retained as long as one wants and removed using special bur and polishing agent within two minutes.

A potential treatment for Cancer - Vitamin C!

Can you believe it? An apple a day keeps the doctor away - but who knew the apple had the secret key to cure cancer?

Okay, so I might be exaggerating it a little. We are not quite there … yet. One little piece of apple or an orange might not save you but a whole lot of orange or just a concentrated shot of Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, just might. It is still being tested, but here is what this research study found so far. They tested it on mice that were injected with cancer cells and grew tumors. Those that were given a concentrated shot of ascorbic acid grew the tumors at about half the rate than regular tumors.

When people were given high doses of concentrated forms of ascorbic acid

Smart bacteria survive in our gums

The bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis are the cause of several periodontal diseases including periodontitis or gum inflammation. They can survive in our mouth by establishing their place in our gums and preventing infected cells from undergoing programmed cell death (apoptosis). According to a research study published in 2001 by Simin F. Nakhjiri et al., this happens because P. gingivalis alters the signals in the pathway that the cell follows for apoptosis (or, put simply, it blocks the cell’s instruction to kill itself). This, prevention of our cell death may sound like a good deal but it really isn’t.

In a world with no fast food…

…I don’t think I’d be able to exist! But, thankfully the world is not being deprived of the fatty fries and the cheesy burger. Only one part of LA, however, is going to be forced to eat healthy.

This year the LA City Council has decided to ban NEW fast food chains and companies to open in one of the poorest areas of the city. According to them there are greater percentage of children obese in this area as compared to rest of the city. This effort is to help reduce the obesity percentage. This is great for improving their health - although if the fast food is not banned from other areas of the city or the places that already exist in the area, it doesn’t seem like a hard feat to get into those areas if you ever crave for some fattening treats - but what does it do to the economy?

FDA found the culprit for Salmonella outbreak

FDA finally found the source for the Salmonella infection. As mentioned last week, they removed tomatoes from the list of possible “suspects” for spread salmonella infection. They were considering jalapenos and cilanthro.

Now they say that the irrigation water and serena pepper in a Mexican farm were the main culprit for this event. They also mentioned that since irrigation water is a cause, tomatoes cannot

Potential polio vaccines!

A recent research study found a way to create better polio vaccines through genetic research. I doubt anyone reading this will be unaware of what a vaccine is. But, it’s okay if you don’t know. Here is your chance to understand what a vaccine is, how it works, how it is created, etc. I have simplified the explanations so that it is easier to understand. If you want to skip the basics go to #4.

1. What is a vaccine?
   It is a dose of medicine that makes you immune towards a certain disease or infection. Normally the dose contains dead parasite cells. They are used to create an immune response that would be created in the presence of a real parasite. Our body does not have immunity for all kinds of parasites or foreign bodies that are harmful to the body. It builds it’s defense molecules  or antibodies through experience in fighting these foreign bodies.    

Gummy bears used to fight plaque!

Read something very interesting today. Eureka! reported about a research study that showed the use of Gummy bears to fight plaque. Children were given four gummy bears three times a day. They added a tooth protecting substance called xylithol in these gummy bears in order to protect the child’s teeth and prevent tooth decay.

What is xylithol?