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Showing posts from July, 2009

Chronobiology

Chronobiology is a field of science that examines periodic (cyclic) phenomena in living organisms and their adaptation to solar and lunar related rhythms. These cycles are known as biological rhythms. "Chrono" pertains to time and "biology" pertains to the study, or science, of life. The related terms chronomics and chronome have been used in some cases to describe either the molecular mechanisms involved in chronobiological phenomena or the more quantitative aspects of chronobiology, particularly where comparison of cycles between organisms is required. The variations of the timing and duration of biological activity in living organisms occur for many essential biological processes. These occur (a) in animals (eating, sleeping, mating, hibernating, migration, cellular regeneration, etc.), (b) in plants (leaf movements, photosynthetic reactions, etc.), and in microbial organisms such as fungi and protozoa. They have even been found in bacteria, especially among the ...

The importance of stem cell in therapy

Source : http://www.lifecellinternational.com/power-of-stem-cells-and-cord-blood/importance-of-stem-cells Stem cells are a breakthrough in modern regenerative medicine. Their main potential lies in the ability to generate cells and tissues. Stem cells can also be directed to differentiate into specific cell types, thereby offering the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues - to treat diseases such as Parkinson's & Alzheimer's diseases, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Recent studies have indicated the possibility to direct differentiation of stem cells into heart muscle cells or insulin-producing pancreatic cells. For example, it is now possible to generate healthy heart muscle cells from stem cells in the laboratory and transplant those cells into patients with chronic heart disease. In type I diabetes, the cells of the pancreas that normally produce insulin are destroyed by the...

Histoplasma Capsulatum

source : http://image-challenge.nejm.org/?ci=07092009#07092009 The peripheral-blood smear shows a monocyte with a grossly distorted nucleus and numerous intracellular yeast-like organisms 2 to 4 micrometers in diameter with eccentric chromatin. The organisms were surrounded by an artifactual pseudocapsule caused by cytoplasmic shrinkage. These features are diagnostic of Histoplasma capsulatum. H. capsulatum is acquired by the inhalation of conidia or mycelial fragments.

Hippocratic Oath

Hippocrates By Dr Daniel Sokol Medical ethicist http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7654432.stm Written nearly 2,500 years ago, the Oath is the most famous text in Western medicine The Oath starts: "I swear by Apollo the physician and by Asclepius and Hygieia and Panacea... to bring the following oath to fulfilment." Apollo, the god of healing, fell in love with a human, Coronis. I will use treatments for the benefit of the ill in accordance with my ability and my judgment, but from what is to their harm and injustice I will keep them Hippocratic Oath In his absence, Apollo sent a white crow to look after her. When the crow informed Apollo that Coronis loved another man, Apollo's rage turned the crow black. To avenge her brother, Apollo's sister shot Coronis with an arrow and, as she lay dying, Coronis told Apollo that she was bearing his child. Although Ap...