Posted by Kathleen Hoffman on Mar 31, 2019 in Blog It doesn’t seem possible that high blood pressure numbers can damage kidneys. But the way kidneys work can give you an understanding of the reason. Below is an infographic explaining the important filtration parts of the kidneys–nephrons. In the kidneys, the delicate structures called nephrons are filtering wonders. The blood moves into...
Post
Dark spots on the skin: Causes and how to treat them
By MaryAnn de PietroReviewed by Cynthia Cobb, APRN Dark spots on the skin, or hyper pigmentation, occur when some areas of the skin produce more melanin than usual. Melanin gives the eyes, skin, and hair their color. Dark spots on the skin are not a cause for concern and do not need treatment, though people may choose to remove them for...
Post
Do minerals play a role in development of multiple sclerosis?
by American Academy of Neurology Some studies have suggested that minerals such as zinc and iron may play a role in how multiple sclerosis (MS) progresses, once people have been diagnosed with it. But little was known about whether zinc, iron and other minerals play a role in the development of the disease. A new study...
Post
No such thing as ‘sugar rush’! Sugar worsens mood rather than improving it
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK Sugar does not improve any aspect of mood and can even worsen it, according to new research published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews Using data collected from 31 studies, the researchers discovered that sugar consumption does not have a beneficial effect on mood Instead, sugar increases tiredness and lowers alertness within an hour...
Post
Inflammatory monocytes play contradictory roles in fungal infections
Immune cells called inflammatory monocytes are often one of the first responders to infections, but they actually facilitate the progression of Cryptococcus neoformans infection in mice, according to a study published March 21 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Lena Heung and Tobias Hohl of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. According to the authors, these disparate results indicate that inflammatory monocytes possess a plasticity of...
Post
What are Exosomes?
By Catherine Shaffer, Ph.D. Reviewed by Chloe Barnett, BSc Exosomes are vesicles, or cellular components, that exist outside of a cell. They are generally understood as having been released from cells upon fusion with an intermediate endocytic compartment, or a multivesicular body (MVB). When the MVB fuses with the plasma membrane surrounding the cell, intraluminal vesicles are released into the extracellular matrix and...
Post
Exosomes are key to SOS signal that the heart muscle sends out after heart attack, study reveals
Reviewed by James Ives, MPsych Human cells shed exosomes. These tiny extracellular, membrane-bound vesicles can carry cargo for cell-to-cell communication, ferrying diverse loads of proteins, lipids or nucleic acids. University of Alabama at Birmingham and Chinese researchers now report that exosomes are key to the SOS signal that the heart muscle sendsout after a heart attack. After the heart attack, the exosomes in the bloodstream carry greatly increased amounts of heart-specific microRNAs — an observation seen in both...
Post
Generic weight-loss drug may be safe and effective for long-term treatment
WAKE FOREST BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – March 22, 2019 – An inexpensive weight-loss drug approved 60 years ago for only short-term use also may be safe and effective for longer-term treatment, according to a study conducted by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Health and the Patient Outcomes Research to Advance Learning (PORTAL) network. The study is published in today’s issue of the journal Obesity. The drug,...
Post
Teen’s Sudden Schizophrenia Turns Out To Be A Bad Case Of Cat Scratch Disease
Puzzled doctors can’t fathom the cause of a teen’s sudden-onset schizophrenia. Numerous tests and assessments later, it turns out that it is a bad case of infection due to cat scratch. Researchers from North Carolina State University investigate on the case of a schizophrenic teen, diagnosed with Bartonella henselae infection. The discovery is said to add to...
Post
A1c test misses many cases of diabetes
THE ENDOCRINE SOCIETY NEW ORLEANS–Using the hemoglobin A1c blood test to diagnose diabetes tends to underestimate the prevalence of the disease, according to a new study to be presented Saturday, March 23 at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in New Orleans, La. “Based on our findings, A1c should not be solely used to determine the prevalence of diabetes,” said lead researcher Maria...