Smileage

First human-pig embryos made, then destroyed

Smileage — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 07:11:35 +0000

To grow human organs within animal bodies has long been the dream of scientists wanting to provide transplantable hearts, lungs, kidneys and other organs for patients in need. A glimpse of possible success in this elusive goal was seen Thursday.
Using stem cell technologies, researchers generated human cells and human tissues in the embryos of pigs and cattle. Their research appeared in the journal Cell.
Despite this milestone, integrating cells from human and animal species is proving difficult, and developing human organs remains at a considerable distance, said Dr. Jun Wu, a staff scientist in the gene expression laboratory at the Salk Institute and first author of the research.
“Species evolve independently, and many factors dictating the developmental programs might have diverged, which makes it difficult to blend cells from one species to a developing embryo from another,” Wu said. “The larger the evolutionary distance, the more difficult for them to mix.”
Or as senior author Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, a professor in Salk’s gene expression laboratory, sees it, “To try to imitate nature is not that easy.”

A medical mystery: Cluster of patients struck with rare amnesia

Smileage — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 07:02:59 +0000

What started with four patients with a puzzling form of amnesia turned into 14, and doctors are searching for others.
Dr. Jed Barash, a neurologist in the Boston area, noticed a pattern between 2012 and 2015. Four patients, mysteriously stricken with a sudden amnesia, had the same rare finding on MRI: A pair of tiny structures deep in their brains, called the hippocampus, was completely knocked out on both sides.
The hippocampus is a seahorse-shaped structure that plays a role in memory and emotion. The patients could remember earlier things, but they couldn’t make new memories, a phenomenon called anterograde amnesia.
Also peculiar, three of the four patients tested positive for opioids. The fourth, who was not tested, was known to have a history of opioid abuse. The patients, ages 22 to 52, came to the hospital between October 2012 and November 2015.
“We couldn’t really address what was causing this,” said Dr. Alfred DeMaria Jr., the state epidemiologist for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. DeMaria was contacted by Barash, who could not be reached for comment, to help investigate the cluster.
Doctors are trying to uncover whether these patients reveal an emerging syndrome related to substance use or whether it’s something else altogether.

Little Girls Doubt That Women Can Be Brilliant, Study Shows

Smileage — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 06:40:34 +0000

A study published Thursday in the journal Science suggests that girls as young as 6 can be led to believe men are inherently smarter and more talented than women, making girls less motivated to pursue novel activities or ambitious careers. That such stereotypes exist is hardly a surprise, but the findings show these biases can affect children at a very young age.

“As a society, we associate a high level of intellectual ability with males more than females, and our research suggests that this association is picked up by children as young 6 and 7,” said Andrei Cimpian, associate professor in the psychology department at New York University. Cimpian coauthored the study, which looked at 400 children ages 5-7.

In the first part of the study, girls and boys were told a story about a person who is “really, really smart,” a child’s idea of brilliance, and then asked to identify that person among the photos of two women and two men. The people in the photos were dressed professionally, looked the same age and appeared equally happy. At 5, both boys and girls tended to associate brilliance with their own gender, meaning that most girls chose women and most boys chose men.

Unique foods to help boost your health

Smileage — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 05:29:50 +0000

When you’re feeling under the weather, it’s common practice to head to a local drug store or reach into the medicine cabinet – but what if the remedy is actually hiding in your pantry? Trisha Williams, a trained chef and owner of New York City-based custom meal delivery service “Food Matters NYC” has ingredients she turns to when her clients are feeling ill.

“If you can find a healing property in a cherry soda or a breakfast pudding or a snack, I think it’s much more important to incorporate these elements into your diet rather than expensive supplements,” Williams told Fox News.

For example, when a client is working a busy schedule and having trouble relaxing, Williams whips up kudzu root pudding, which can help promote sleep and reduce anxiety.

“It’s been used in ancient Chinese medicine dating back to thousands of years,” Williams said. “It just has a really calming effect on the body.”

She said it can also be used to help calm symptoms of acid reflux or menopause. Williams also shared the healing properties of oregano oil, which can help boost your immune system with just a few drops. Likening it to a “healthy tequila,” Williams mixes the oil with a shot of fresh ginger juice, lemon juice and cayenne pepper before giving it to a client.

To keep clients’ gut in check, Williams prepares fermented vegetables like cauliflower, carrots and string beans. She includes a tablespoon of sea salt to every cup of water and lets it sit for about four days before serving.

For those experiencing symptoms of constipation, Williams turns to chia seeds for their fibrous properties. She also recommends adding cherry extract to your grocery list for its anti-inflammatory properties.

“It contains a high amount of quercetin,” Williams said. “We’ve seen it as a very powerful cure for people who suffer with gout.”

Williams said all of these ingredients can be found in your local health store.