The Medical Thread

Does this help?

As for why humans drink it, that's because Northern Europeans (among other groups) have a mutation that allows them to process lactose after infancy. It wasn't until relatively recently that people wondered why lactose intolerance was seen as a disease in humans when it's merely a matter of couse for other mammals after a certain age.

Got bees? Got vitamin A? Got malaria? Loss of pollinators increases risk of malnutrition, disease: "More than half the people in some developing countries could become newly at risk for malnutrition if crop-pollinating animals — like bees — continue to decline, experts say. Despite popular reports that pollinators are crucial for human nutritional health, no scientific studies have actually tested this claim — until now."

Brain circuit that regulates thirst identified: "Scientists have identified a circuit in the brains of mice that regulates thirst. When a subset of cells in the circuit is switched on, mice immediately begin drinking water, even if they are fully hydrated. A second set of cells suppresses the urge to drink."

Brazil finds coffee protein with morphine effect: "Brazilian scientists have discovered a protein in coffee that has effects similar to pain reliever morphine, researchers at the state University of Brasilia (UnB) and state-owned Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation Embrapa said Saturday.

Embrapa said its genetics and biotech division, teaming up with UnB scientists, had discovered 'previously unknown protein fragments' with morphine-like effects in that they possess 'analgesic and mildly tranquilizing' qualities."

edited 27th Jan '15 1:30:27 AM by rmctagg09

Well, that's interesting. Human milk is a lot less rich in protein and calcium, but quite rich in fat and vitamin C.

What could make an adult human not merely unable to process animal milk, but dependent upon human milk?

edited 27th Jan '15 12:29:13 AM by MarqFJA

I don't know of such a thing.

There is a theory, though, that milk is only suitable food for growing up people and not for adults, since it's essentially a growth factor and presumably designed as such.

So you're saying that even our rather prevalent habit of including cow milk (or any other kind of commercial milk) into our daily diet as adults may very well be unnecessary?

edited 27th Jan '15 12:34:59 AM by MarqFJA

Or actively harmful. I am not certain on whether it's already demonstrated as true, though.

Okay, a story question.

I got a character who can control fire as his power. The cost of the power is that the more he uses the power, the faster his heartbeat becomes.

What do you call when you die because of heart overbeating?

Well, if it beats so quickly that one heartbeat commences before the last has ended and the muscle cells haven't repolarized yet, it could induce a fatal arrhythmia.

Higher dementia risk linked to more use of common drugs: "A large study links a significantly increased risk for developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, to taking commonly used medications with anticholinergic effects at higher doses or for a longer time. Many older people take these medications, which include nonprescription diphenhydramine (Benadryl). JAMA Internal Medicine published the report, called 'Cumulative Use of Strong Anticholinergic Medications and Incident Dementia.'"

Using stem cells to grow new hair: "Researchers have used human pluripotent stem cells to generate new hair. The study represents the first step toward the development of a cell-based treatment for people with hair loss. In the United States alone, more than 40 million men and 21 million women are affected by hair loss."

Brain region vulnerable to aging is larger in those with longevity gene variant: "People who carry a variant of a gene that is associated with longevity also have larger volumes in a front part of the brain involved in planning and decision-making, according to researchers."

Stomach acid-powered micromotors get their first test in a living animal: "Researchers have shown that a micromotor fueled by stomach acid can take a bubble-powered ride inside a mouse. These tiny motors, each about one-fifth the width of a human hair, may someday offer a safer and more efficient way to deliver drugs or diagnose tumors. The experiment is the first to show that these micromotors can operate safely in a living animal."

Interesting is that apparently having two copies of that Klotho genotype is apparently associated with a shorter lifespan.

It's like how having sickle cell trait makes you immune to malaria.

Sugary drinks linked to earlier onset of menstrual periods: "Girls who frequently consume sugary drinks tend to start their menstrual periods earlier than girls who do not, according to new research. The findings are important not only because of the growing problem of childhood obesity in a number of developed countries, but also because starting periods earlier is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer later in life."

Psychopathic Violent Offenders’ Brains Can’t Understand Punishment: "Psychopathic violent offenders have abnormalities in the parts of the brain related to learning from punishment, according to an MRI study."

Did genetic links to modern maladies provide ancient benefits?: "Genetic variations associated with some modern maladies are extremely old, scientists have discovered, predating the evolution of Neanderthals, Denisovans (another ancient hominin) and contemporary humans."

Childhood neglect erodes the brain: "In perhaps the most famous study of childhood neglect, researchers have closely tracked the progress, or lack of it, in children who lived as infants in Romania’s bleak orphanages and are now teenagers. A new analysis now shows that these children, who display a variety of behavioral and cognitive problems, have less white matter in their brains than do a group of comparable children in local families. The affected brain regions include nerve bundles that support attention, general cognition, and emotion processing. The work suggests that sensory deprivation early in life can have dramatic anatomical impacts on the brain and may help explain the previously documented long-term negative affects on behavior. But there’s some potential good news: A small group of children who were taken out of orphanages and moved into foster homes at age 2 appeared to bounce back, at least in brain structure."

Here's where female ejaculation comes from, and what it's made of: "Okay everyone, it’s time to talk about female ejaculation. And not because the British government has just banned it from appearing in porn. For the first time, researchers in France have observed the mysterious phenomenon using ultrasound scans, to discover that the ejaculate originates in a woman’s bladder - and is made up mostly of urine.

The team, led by Samuel Salama, a gynaecologist at the Parly II private hospital in Le Chesnay, worked with a small sample of seven healthy women who reported “recurrent and massive fluid emission” when they were sexually stimulated. It’s not uncommon for women to experience a little bit of milky white fluid leaking from their urethra at the point of climax, but the practice of ‘squirting’ enough liquid to fill a drinking glass is relatively rare."

Walking on ice takes more than brains: 'Mini-brain' in spinal cord aids in balance: "Scientists have discovered how a 'mini-brain' in the spinal cord aids in balance. Much of the balancing act that our bodies perform when faced with a task such as walking on an icy surface happens unconsciously, thanks to a cluster of neurons in our spinal cord that function as a "mini-brain" to integrate sensory information and make the necessary adjustments to our muscles so that we don't slip and fall, researchers report."

Functioning brain tissue grown in 3-D structure: Researchers have induced human embryonic stem cells to self-organize into a three-dimensional structure similar to the cerebellum, providing tantalizing clues in the quest to recreate neural structures in the laboratory. One of the primary goals of stem-cell research is to be able to replace damaged body parts with tissues grown from undifferentiated stem cells. For the nervous system, this is a particular challenge because not only do specific neurons need to be generated, but they must also be coaxed into connecting to each other in very specific ways."

Added fructose is a principal driver of type 2 diabetes, experts argue: "Recent studies have shown that added sugars, particularly those containing fructose, are a principal driver of diabetes and pre-diabetes, even more so than other carbohydrates. Clinical experts challenge current dietary guidelines that allow up to 25 percent of total daily calories as added sugars, and propose drastic reductions in the amount of added sugar, and especially added fructose, people consume."

Infants create new knowledge while sleeping: "There is no rest for a baby's brain — not even in sleep. While infants sleep they are reprocessing what they have learned. Researchers have discovered that babies of the age from nine to 16 months remember the names of objects better if they had a short nap."

That's weird, I definitely am consciously changing my walking technique on ice.

Damn it secondary brain, you're letting me down again. - shakes fist -

As much as something inside Godzilla can make sense.

The idea is based upon findings in stegosaurian dinosaurs, which suggested the presence of an extra brain (or somesuch) in the lumbar (?) area of the spine.

... Which is pretty much the same area where Gojira's second brain resides. And his dorsal spines make him look vaguely stegosaurian.

edited 30th Jan '15 7:36:45 AM by MarqFJA

Study shows even newly hatched chicks have a left to right number space map (w/ Video): "A team of researchers working at the University of Padova in Italy has found, that like humans, baby chickens appear to have a left to right number space map in their brains. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team describes experiments they conducted that revealed the number space mapping and describe what they believe it represents.

Brain researchers have wondered for years about the nature of number space mapping in humans—why do we think of smaller numbers on the left and bigger numbers on the right? Some have suggested it is in our genes, while others have insisted it is learned, noting that the trait seems to be reversed in people who have been raised with a language that is based on reading and writing right to left, such as Arabic. Prior research has shown that humans are not alone in the way they arrange quantity ideas in their heads, others animals such as some species of monkeys and birds have been found to do so as well, but once again, such studies have not shown whether the trait is inborn or learned. In this new study, the researchers turned to chicks to find the answer because they had not lived long enough to be exposed to number space mapping by others."

Genetically engineered antibody-based molecules show enhanced HIV-fighting abilities: "Capitalizing on a new insight into HIV's strategy for evading antibodies—proteins produced by the immune system to identify and wipe out invading objects such as viruses—Caltech researchers have developed antibody-based molecules that are more than 100 times better than our bodies' own defenses at binding to and neutralizing HIV, when tested in vitro. The work suggests a novel approach that could be used to engineer more effective HIV-fighting drugs.

'Based on the work that we have done, we now think we know how to make a really potent therapeutic that would not only work at relatively low concentrations but would also force the virus to mutate along pathways that would make it less fit and therefore more susceptible to elimination,' says Pamela Bjorkman, the Max Delbrück Professor of Biology and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. 'If you were able to give this to someone who already had HIV, you might even be able to clear the infection.'"

Your internal clock may determine how good you are at sports: "Not good at sports? Maybe you’re just playing during the wrong time of day. In a new study, researchers analyzed the lifestyles of field hockey and squash players using detailed surveys and diary entries. Based on the athletes’ natural circadian rhythms—or internal clocks—the researchers classified those who naturally rise and sleep early as the 'larks,' those who do the opposite as the 'owls,' and the rest as intermediates. The scientists then conducted a cardiovascular fitness test six times a day on the players, who had to run between two lines 20 meters apart with increasing speed. As expected, the larks performed best around noon, the intermediates in late afternoon, and the owls in the evening. More intriguingly, when the scientists tracked the players’ performances according to their internal biological time instead of real clock time, they found that the larks and the intermediates shared the same pattern: Both peaked about 6 hours after they woke up."

edited 30th Jan '15 2:47:03 PM by rmctagg09

What would happen if all the parasites disappeared?: "Surely we would be better off without such a good-for-nothing drain on resources? Suppose all the world's parasites disappeared overnight. Wouldn't all the other animals be healthier, and wouldn't there be less suffering? Surprisingly, a world without parasites might not be a nicer one. There might be just as much sickness and pain, but much of the beauty of the natural world would be obliterated. Perhaps worst of all, we might all stop having sex."

Potential peanut allergy cure lets 80% of children eat nuts: "A small Australian study has shown that giving children an oral dose of peanut protein alongside a probiotic could help alleviate peanut allergies in as little as 18 months.

The trial, run by researchers from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute in Melbourne, involved 60 children with peanut allergies.

A group of 28 of the children was given a daily dose of peanut protein combined with a probiotic, Lactobacillus rhamnosu. Over 18 months, the dose of peanut protein was gradually increased every two weeks until it reached a maintenance dose of 2 grams of peanut protein - the dose of probiotic was equivalent to eating 20 kg of yoghurt. The other participants were given a placebo.

Incredibly, at the end of the 18-month trial, 80 percent of the children could eat peanuts without any reaction. Only 4 percent of the placebo group could tolerate proteins."

Love and intimacy in later life: Active sex lives common in the over 70s: "Older people are continuing to enjoy active sex lives well into their seventies and eighties, according to new research. More than half (54%) of men and almost a third (31%) of women over the age of 70 reported they were still sexually active, with a third of these men and women having frequent sex."

Molecular alterations in head and neck cancers uncovered by study: "A new study shows genomic differences in head and neck cancers caused by infection with the human papillomavirus. In addition, researchers have uncovered new smoking-related cancer subtypes and potential new drug targets, and found numerous genomic similarities with other cancer types. Together, this study's findings may provide detailed explanations of how HPV infection and smoking play roles in head and neck cancer risk and disease development, and offer potential diagnostic and treatment directions."

Google eyes nanoparticle platform as part of health rethink: "In brief, Google is designing a system where tiny magnetic particles patrol the human body for signs of cancer and other diseases. UPI's Brooks Hays said that 'the pill would release nanoparticles into a patient's bloodstream; the magnetized particles would tour the body seeking out cancer cells to bind to. A wearable monitor would attract and count the particles, pulling information as to what the particles had detected.' Cancer cells, for example, would light up. How does light pass through skin? To understand that, Google started to make synthetic skin. For their arm model, they had to use materials that behave like skin with biocomponents of real arms. Also, Google is monitoring 175 healthy volunteers, collecting physiological data frequently,. The goal is to understand what defines a 'healthy' person, to know what 'normal' is. They need to understand the baseline. In the video, Conrad, had a memorable reply when his interviewer asked if some people would feel weird having nanoparticles floating through their body as trackers. 'It's way weirder,' said Conrad, 'to have cancer cells floating through your body that are constantly trying to kill you.'"

Mental health monitoring through 'selfie' videos and social media tracking: "Researchers at the University of Rochester have developed an innovative approach to turn any computer or smartphone with a camera into a personal mental health monitoring device.

In a paper to be presented this week at the American Association for Artificial Intelligence conference in Austin, Texas, Professor of Computer Science Jiebo Luo and his colleagues describe a computer program that can analyze 'selfie' videos recorded by a webcam as the person engages with social media.

Apps to monitor people's health are widely used, from monitoring the spread of the flu to providing guidance on nutrition and managing mental health issues. Luo explains that his team's approach is to 'quietly observe your behavior' while you use the computer or phone as usual. He adds that their program is 'unobtrusive; it does not require the user to explicitly state what he or she is feeling, input any extra information, or wear any special gear.' For example, the team was able to measure a user's heart rate simply by monitoring very small, subtle changes in the user's forehead color. The system does not grab other data that might be available through the phone - such as the user's location."

New Study Finds Daily Marijuana Use Is Not Associated With Brain Abnormalities: "Several recent studies have suggested that smoking marijuana is associated with physical changes in certain regions of the brain, both in terms of shape and volume, although they could not establish cause and effect. Now, new research which set out to replicate these investigations using a more robust experimental design has produced conflicting results. According to the study, daily marijuana use, in both adults and adolescents, is not associated with any significant differences in either the shape or volume of the regions investigated. The work has been published in The Journal of Neuroscience."

So I just heard that Monty Oum had passed away. Cause of death being allergy-induced coma.

How can allergy cause a coma? Apparently it happened during a treatment.

To my knowledge, Anaphylaxis can cause coma/brain damage if left untreated long enough to cause respiratory failure, due to the oxygen deprivation.

Yeah, pretty much.

DNA clock helps to get measure of people's lifespans: "A biological clock that provides vital clues about how long a person is likely to live has been discovered by researchers. Researchers studied chemical changes to DNA that take place over a lifetime, and can help them predict an individual's age. By comparing individuals' actual ages with their predicted biological clock age, scientists saw a pattern emerging."

Brain circuit that controls compulsive overeating and sugar addiction discovered: "Compulsive overeating and sugar addiction are major threats to human health, but potential treatments face the risk of impairing normal feeding behaviors that are crucial for survival. A new study reveals a reward-related neural circuit that specifically controls compulsive sugar consumption in mice without preventing feeding necessary for survival, providing a novel target for the safe and effective treatment of compulsive overeating in humans."

Scientists view effect of whisker tickling on mouse brains: "Researchers at The Johns Hopkins University have succeeded in peering into the brains of live mice with such precision that they were able to see how the position of specific proteins changed as memories were forged. The technique has broad applications for future studies on learning and on what goes wrong in disorders like autism, Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia."

Baby's genes, not mom's, may trigger some preterm births: "Changes in genetic regions in infants linked with an increased risk of premature birth — and the data change the preterm paradigm."