Day: 06/24/2014

Heart muscle can regenerate itself.

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Researchers from UCLA’s Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research are the first to directly measure the division of heart muscle cells, proving that while such division is very rare, it does occur.

The study, conducted by assistant professor of cardiology Dr. Reza Ardehali and colleagues, resolves a recent controversy over whether the heart muscle has the power to regenerate itself. The findings are also important for future research that could lead to the regeneration of heart tissue to repair damage caused by disease or heart attack.

The findings were published May 29 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

It was initially believed that heart muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, were unable to replicate themselves and that their total number was firmly set at birth. However, research over the past two decades has indicated that these cardiac cells have limited proliferative activity, though there has been no clear agreement within the scientific community as to why and how much.

In part, the indirect methods used to measure this potential cell division have been difficult, and at times inaccurate, preventing a scientific consensus. Some groups of researchers used carbon dating to detect the age of cardiomyocytes in humans to determine whether they divided after initial fetal development, but the accuracy of this technique was debated. Others published theories that the heart muscle had a very high proliferative ability; recently, many of those papers were retracted because colleagues were unable to replicate the data.

Creating a model for direct measurement

To address the problems of measurement, Ardehali and his colleagues pioneered a novel genetic approach called mosaic analysis with double markers, or MADAM, to directly measure for the first time heart cell division in a mouse model. They found that limited, lifelong symmetric division of cardiomyocytes, while rare, is evident in mice, but it diminishes significantly after the first month of life. No stem cells are involved in this process, the researchers said, and division of cardiomyocytes is limited to less than 1 percent per year.

The daughter cardiomyocytes that are the products of this rare cell division also divide, the researchers said, though very seldomly, which had not been shown before. The scientists found that the rate of cell division did not increase as a reparative response when myocardial infarction was induced in the mice.

“This is one of the most convincing and direct ways of showing that the heart has a very limited regenerative power,” Ardehali said. “This is a very exciting discovery because we hope to use this knowledge to eventually be able to regenerate heart tissue. The goal is to identify the molecular pathways involved in symmetric division of cardiomyocytes and use them to induce regeneration to replenish heart muscle tissue after disease or injury.”

The research was supported by the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state’s stem cell research agency, The American Heart Association, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), the Stanford Medical Scholars program, and the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship.

Hovercraft: Futuristic Aero-X Unveiled .

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A Los Angeles–based company, Aerofex, says it has developed a “tandem-duct” aerial vehicle that hovers above the ground. It’s called Aero-X, and its maker says it is made for flying a few feet above terrain and can travel up to 45 m.p.h. (72 km/h).

Chief technology officer Mark DeRoche told the BBC that while he knows his product is part of a niche market, “There’s really nothing between a ground vehicle and an aircraft.”

The Aero-X is about the size of a small car, can hold up to two people, and looks like a way clunkier version of the speeder bikes used in Star Wars.

While most consumers will want to take the Aero-X for a pure joyride, Aerofex says it has serious purposes and could prove useful to farmers, disaster-relief services, security patrols and anyone who needs to navigate uneven terrain quickly.

But the ride comes in at a whopping $85,000. While buyers can put a $5,000 deposit to reserve a seat, the vehicle will not be delivered until 2017.

No word yet on plans to develop a hoverboard for Back to the Future aficionados. But this is certainly a good start.

 

watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=akA-B64RACU

5 Fixes for Computer Vision Syndrome .

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The eyes have it — strain, that is. As our enthusiasm for using computers, tablets and phones grows, our eyes are paying the price.

Upwards of 90 percent of computer and device users experience a problem so common there’s a name for it: computer vision syndrome (CVS). CVS comes with symptoms such as decreased or blurred vision, burning or stinging eyes, sensitivity to light, headaches, and back and neck pain.

If these symptoms affect you, use these tips from Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute Specialist Rishi Singh, MD to ease the strain and avoid the pain.

  • viewing angle

    1. Adjust your viewing angle

    The angle of your gaze plays a key role in CVS. For the best angle, the center of the monitor, tablet or phone should be 20 to 28 inches from your eyes and 4 to 5 inches below eye level. If you’re looking back and forth between a screen and reference materials, keep those materials where you can see them with minimal head movement.

  • Reduce glare

    2. Reduce glare

    Letters on a screen are not as clear as letters on a printed page. Too little contrast between letters and background or glare on the screen makes your eyes work harder. The result: sensitivity to light. Position your screen to avoid glare from overhead lights or windows. Close the blinds on your windows or switch to lower-watt bulbs in your desk lamp. If you cannot change the lighting to minimize glare, buy a glare filter for your screen.

  • Rest your eyes

    3. Rest your eyes

    When using a computer or device for an extended period of time, take regular breaks to prevent eyestrain. Every 20 minutes, look away from your computer and look at a distant object for 20 seconds. This will give your eyes a chance to refocus. After two hours of continual computer use, rest your eyes for 15 minutes.

  • Blink often

    4. Blink often

    People normally blink about 18 times a minute, but computer users tend to blink only one-fourth as often. This increases the chance of developing dry eye. To reduce this risk, remind yourself to blink more often. And refresh your eyes periodically with lubricating eye drops.

  • Get your eyes checked

    5. Get your eyes checked

    Uncorrected vision problems — farsightedness or astigmatism, problems focusing or coordinating the eyes and eye changes associated with aging — can contribute to eyestrain and musculoskeletal pain.

Even if you don’t need glasses or contacts for daily activities, you may need them for computer or device use. If you do wear glasses or contacts and need to tilt your head or lean toward the screen to see it clearly, your lens prescription may need to be adjusted. Get an eye checkup to make sure your prescription is right. Doing so can help prevent pain in the neck, shoulders or back that results from contorting your body to see the screen.

Fish Oil Supplements, Vitamins Won’t Lower Your Cholesterol .

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If you’re taking supplements like fish oil or a multi-vitamin in the hopes of improving your cholesterol counts, save your money. There are better, more effective strategies.

There’s no scientific evidence that fish oil supplements will lower your cholesterol, says Julia Zumpano. Ms. Zumpano is a registered dietitian in Cleveland Clinic’s section of Preventive Cardiology.

Fish oil will not prevent heart disease. It can, however, help to manage some of your risk factors, Zumpano says.

Lowered triglycerides

Some studies have shown that fish oil can lower triglycerides and helps to thin the blood. But it’s unclear how many fish oil supplements you need to take every day to reap the benefits.

Triglycerides are the main constituents of natural fats and oils. If you have high concentrations of triglycerides in the blood, it may indicate an elevated risk of stroke.

“There’s no need to take fish oil from a supplement if you’re just generally trying to focus on heart health,” Zumpano says.

“More important, if you have a history of high triglycerides, that’s something you may want to take fish oil for,” Ms. Zumpano says.

Tempted to try a fish oil supplement to lower your triglycerides? Ms. Zumpano says check with your doctor first to see if it might help.

fish oil supplements in a sardine can

Vitamins and heart disease

A recent survey found that almost half of the respondents think vitamins can help lower cholesterol. But vitamins are less vital to heart disease prevention than most people think.

Taking a multi-vitamin every day will not compensate for eating food that’s high in cholesterol. Nor will a multi-vitamin repair the damage done by a poor diet.

“A daily multi-vitamin is not preventing your risk of heart disease,” Zumpano says. “A diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol can result in an increase in blood cholesterol.”

Besides, you can get all the vitamins you need from your diet, Zumpano says. A heart-healthy diet should include seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

A good diet plus exercise will do more to keep your heart healthy than popping supplements, Zumpano says.

“Eating a healthy diet, exercising and knowing your risk factors are the best ways to prevent heart disease,” Zumpano says. “It doesn’t come in a pill.”

Scientists Uncover the Several Benefits of Fasting .

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“Fasting is the greatest remedy – the physician within.” – Paracelsus, a 15th century Swiss German Renaissance physician, botanist.

Imagine when you stop the overindulgence and rest the digestive system, you allow your body to detoxify, repair cells, tissues and organs – which in turn leads to a better mental and emotional health.

Ancient traditions like Buddhism, Jainism and more follow a practice of fasting as a way of purifying the mind, body, spirit and instilling self discipline and control. Scientists are now discovering the multiple bodily benefits of fasting; from reducing risks of heart disease and diabetes, protecting against brain disease to effectively treating cancer in human cells.

What does the body do in fasting?

Our bodies know how to heal themselves, we just need to give them the time and opportunity to do so. When we fast (be it only water or liquids), the body starts using the stored fat as a source of energy. In the begining, our body will naturally get rid of diseased tissues, excess nutrients, and accumulated waste and toxins. This cleansing process creates an environment for the body to begin its healing – it starts to repair and regenerate different organs.

Like when you are sick, your appetite decreases, or even for animals, they often lie down and don’t eat or drink. Energy goes towards healing our bodies instead of digesting food.

Protects against immune system damage

A recent study by researchers from the University of Southern California showed that prolonged fasting not only protects against immune system damage – a major side effect of chemotherapy – but also induce immune system regeneration. Fasting shifts stem cells from a dormant state to a state of self-renewal.

In a clinical trial involving patients who were receiving chemotherapy, scientists found that when patients did not eat for a long periods of time, it significantly lowered their white blood cell counts. Since it lowers the white blood cell count, this induces changes that trigger stem cell-based regeneration of new immune system cells. Fasting cycles can basically, generate a new immune system.

“Chemotherapy causes significant collateral damage to the immune system. The results of this study suggest that fasting may mitigate some of the harmful effects of chemotherapy.” Co-Author Tanya Dorff, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital.

Helps in treating cancer

A study conducted on the effects of fasting on treating cancer patients have found that the ones who included fasting into their therapy witnessed fewer side effects from chemotherapy. It slowed the growth and spread of tumors and even eliminated the threat of cancer in some patients. Researcher Professor Valter Longo, University of Southern California said, “what we are seeing is that the cancer cell tries to compensate the lack of all these things missing in the blood after fasting. It may be trying to replace them, but it can’t. The cell is, in fact, committing cellular suicide”.

Protects the Brain against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Fasting is a process of restraining from temporary sensory pleasures and channeling your energy to serving a higher purpose. Cutting daily food intake for 1-2 days a week can also help protect the brain against degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other ailments.
drinking-water
Or even cutting down the daily intake to 500 calories for few days in a week boosts the growth of neurons in the brain, a process that would counteract the impact of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Lowers the risk of heart disease and diabetes

Studies show that fasting triggers a significant surge in growth hormone, credited with increasing metabolism and burning off fat. During fasting, our body pulls LDL (bad) cholesterol from the fat cells and uses it as energy. This natural process can help in reducing the risk of developing diabetes. Evidence from clinical trials shows that fasting can limit inflammation, improve levels of sugars and fats in circulation, and reduce blood pressure.

Spiritual Benefits of Fasting

I have been fasting for a long time (not so regularly), only drinking water the whole day, and the next day I’ve felt so rejuvenated, reenergised and a clearer mind. When the mind is clear, its possible attain higher states. I felt more connected with my inner self and with things around me. Even prior to a shamanic rituals, one is advised to follow fasting – liquids or fresh fruits/salads – because the process not only detoxifies your body but purification is essential for an easier healing experience. Enjoy the experience!

(Make sure you do your research before trying anything out. You don’t need to skip all meals, start slow. Eat only salads, drink soups, or fresh fruit juices or a raw food diet also helps. Give your digestive system a break once in a while!)