STRESS EXPERIENCED by a woman during pregnancy may affect her unborn baby as early as 17 weeks after conception, with potentially harmful effects on brain and development, according to new research.
The study is the first to show that unborn babies are exposed to their mother's stress hormones at such an early stage in pregnancy
The study's authors said they did not wish to "unduly worry pregnant women", but highlighted the need to lead a "healthy balanced lifestyle" to avoid general stress.
The findings come days after the government changed its advice to pregnant women and those trying to conceive, warning them to abstain from drinking alcohol.
Previous guidelines had said they could drink up to two small glasses of wine a week.
The change in advice, which government health advisers said was made to avoid confusion, rather than in response to new medical evidence, prompt- ed claims from some critics that pregnant women are increasingly becoming targets in an obsessively anti-risk culture.
Researchers in the latest study led by Professor Vivette Glover at Imperial College London and the consultant obstetrician Pampa Sarkar, from Wexham Park hospital, Berkshire, UK, measured levels of the stress hormone cortisol in 267 pregnant women.
Cortiso1, which is pumped into the blood when we become anxious, is good in the short term, as it helps the body to deal with a stressful situation, but long-term stress can cause tiredness, depression and make an individual more prone to illness.
Dr Sarkar said further research was needed into how high levels of stress in a mother affect the unborn baby "We are all a product of our developmental history," she added.
"Our research shows that the foetus is exposed to cortiso1 in the maternal blood, and we also demonstrated that at and above 17 weeks, the cortisol in amniotic fluid had a strong positive relationship with cortiso1 in maternal
Dr Sarkar continued, "We found that the strength of this correlation became stronger with increasing gestational age. We now need to carry out further research to unravel the mechanisms by which maternal stress affects the foetus, both during foetal life and through into childhood."
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Thursday, May 31, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Kids of smoking parents aren’t so healthy
Smoking habits in parents can remotely effect the health of their children who might suffer from respiratory problems later in their life, a study has said.
Children who do not show any signs of respiratory problems may still be experiencing damaging changes in their breathing process that could lead to lung disease later in life, according to a new study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2007 International Conference on Sunday.
Everyone knows that children whose parents smoke have more respiratory problems — more puffing, wheezing, cases of pneumonia — but until now we haven’t known if lung function is impaired in the children who don’t have any respiratory complaints or diagnosed lung problems,” researcher Bert Arets of University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands said.
The study included 244 children from the age of 4 to 12 and without any history of lung or respiratory disease. They were divided into four groups according to the smoking pattern of their parents: persons who have never smoked, smoking after birth but not during pregnancy, during pregnancy but not after birth, and both before and after birth.
The researchers found that children of parents who smoke had significantly reduced lung function similar to that seen in smokers. Smoking after birth appeared to be more harmful than smoking during pregnancy.
The researchers have now expanded their study to include 2,000 healthy children of the parents who smoke. Earlier, a Dutch study pointed that exposure to second hand smoke is harmful for underweight babies.
Full-term babies with a low birth weight (5.5 pounds) have a significantly increased risk of developing respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and pulmonary infections up to age of five. The risk is greater if these children are exposed to second hand smoke.
The association between birth weight and respiratory symptoms decreased after age five and was not significant by age seven, the researchers found.
Analyzing data on more than 3,600 babies, the researchers found that during the first seven years of life, almost 39% of them had at least one wheezing episode, close to 52% had cough at night and more than 37% had a lower respiratory infection.
Apart from that, a Finnish study says persistent smokers may have higher risk of becoming depressed in comparison to non smokers. Smokers who quit have an elevated risk of depressive symptoms in short run. However, in long run this risk declines to the level of never smokers. Both completely smoke-free life style and successful smoking cessation seem to protect from depressive symptoms.
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Children who do not show any signs of respiratory problems may still be experiencing damaging changes in their breathing process that could lead to lung disease later in life, according to a new study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2007 International Conference on Sunday.
Everyone knows that children whose parents smoke have more respiratory problems — more puffing, wheezing, cases of pneumonia — but until now we haven’t known if lung function is impaired in the children who don’t have any respiratory complaints or diagnosed lung problems,” researcher Bert Arets of University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands said.
The study included 244 children from the age of 4 to 12 and without any history of lung or respiratory disease. They were divided into four groups according to the smoking pattern of their parents: persons who have never smoked, smoking after birth but not during pregnancy, during pregnancy but not after birth, and both before and after birth.
The researchers found that children of parents who smoke had significantly reduced lung function similar to that seen in smokers. Smoking after birth appeared to be more harmful than smoking during pregnancy.
The researchers have now expanded their study to include 2,000 healthy children of the parents who smoke. Earlier, a Dutch study pointed that exposure to second hand smoke is harmful for underweight babies.
Full-term babies with a low birth weight (5.5 pounds) have a significantly increased risk of developing respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and pulmonary infections up to age of five. The risk is greater if these children are exposed to second hand smoke.
The association between birth weight and respiratory symptoms decreased after age five and was not significant by age seven, the researchers found.
Analyzing data on more than 3,600 babies, the researchers found that during the first seven years of life, almost 39% of them had at least one wheezing episode, close to 52% had cough at night and more than 37% had a lower respiratory infection.
Apart from that, a Finnish study says persistent smokers may have higher risk of becoming depressed in comparison to non smokers. Smokers who quit have an elevated risk of depressive symptoms in short run. However, in long run this risk declines to the level of never smokers. Both completely smoke-free life style and successful smoking cessation seem to protect from depressive symptoms.
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Sunday, May 27, 2007
Skimmed milk, straight from cow
Scientists have bred cows that produce skimmed milk and hope to establish herds of the cattle in order to meet the demands of health-conscious consumers.
The milk is also high in omega-3 oils, claimed to improve brain power, and contains polyunsaturated fat. The saturated fats found in normal milk are linked to increased risk of heart disease. The cows, which have a particular genetic mutation, were bred from a single female discovered by researchers when they screened milk from millions of cattle in New Zealand.
Butter from these cows has the extra advantage of being spreadable straight from the fridge, like margarine.
Scientists at ViaLactia, the Auckland-based biotech firm behind the £55 million research, have named the cow Marge. Russell Snell, ViaLactia’s chief scientist, said: “Marge looks like an ordinary Friesian cow but has three key differences. She produces a normal level of protein in her milk but substantially less fat, and the fat she does produce has much more unsaturated fat. She also produces milk with very high levels of omega-3 oils.” Marge was discovered in 2001 when ViaLactia’s researchers bought her from her owner for £120 and moved her to a secret location. read more....
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The milk is also high in omega-3 oils, claimed to improve brain power, and contains polyunsaturated fat. The saturated fats found in normal milk are linked to increased risk of heart disease. The cows, which have a particular genetic mutation, were bred from a single female discovered by researchers when they screened milk from millions of cattle in New Zealand.
Butter from these cows has the extra advantage of being spreadable straight from the fridge, like margarine.
Scientists at ViaLactia, the Auckland-based biotech firm behind the £55 million research, have named the cow Marge. Russell Snell, ViaLactia’s chief scientist, said: “Marge looks like an ordinary Friesian cow but has three key differences. She produces a normal level of protein in her milk but substantially less fat, and the fat she does produce has much more unsaturated fat. She also produces milk with very high levels of omega-3 oils.” Marge was discovered in 2001 when ViaLactia’s researchers bought her from her owner for £120 and moved her to a secret location. read more....
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Thursday, May 24, 2007
Virtual human puts docs inside patients
CANADIAN RESEARCHERS have developed the most detailed model of a human yet, a movable 4-D image that doctors can use to plan complex surgery or show patients what ailments look like inside their bodies.
Called CAVEman, the largerthan-life computer image encompasses more than 3,000 distinct body parts, all viewed in a booth that gives the image height, width and depth.
CAVEman also plots the passage of time - the fourth D.
Scientists can layer on the unique visuals of patients, such as magnetic resonance images, CAT scans and X-Rays, giving physicians high-resolution views of the inner workings of the body while it appears to float within arm's reach.
It will help researchers study the genetics of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, muscular sclerosis and Alzheimer's, said officials at the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine, which has worked on the system for six years.
CAVEman is an offshoot of a 3-D virtual reality ‘Cave', a $5.5 million lab the Sun Center opened in 2002 in conjunction with Sun Microsystems Inc.
CAVEman, seen through 3-D glasses in a booth, appears to stand in front of the viewer. As in a video game, the controller can manipulate it and focus on body parts - skin, bones, muscles, organs and veins.
The closer the image gets, the further into the body the viewer appears to travel. It is difficult to resist trying to touch it. The image can also be loaded on to regular computers, to be viewed off site.
The medical community will benefit by being able to merge patients' diagnostic results in one place, allowing specialists to work together more closely.
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Called CAVEman, the largerthan-life computer image encompasses more than 3,000 distinct body parts, all viewed in a booth that gives the image height, width and depth.
CAVEman also plots the passage of time - the fourth D.
Scientists can layer on the unique visuals of patients, such as magnetic resonance images, CAT scans and X-Rays, giving physicians high-resolution views of the inner workings of the body while it appears to float within arm's reach.
It will help researchers study the genetics of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, muscular sclerosis and Alzheimer's, said officials at the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine, which has worked on the system for six years.
CAVEman is an offshoot of a 3-D virtual reality ‘Cave', a $5.5 million lab the Sun Center opened in 2002 in conjunction with Sun Microsystems Inc.
CAVEman, seen through 3-D glasses in a booth, appears to stand in front of the viewer. As in a video game, the controller can manipulate it and focus on body parts - skin, bones, muscles, organs and veins.
The closer the image gets, the further into the body the viewer appears to travel. It is difficult to resist trying to touch it. The image can also be loaded on to regular computers, to be viewed off site.
The medical community will benefit by being able to merge patients' diagnostic results in one place, allowing specialists to work together more closely.
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Friday, May 18, 2007
The knowledge of Genetics
Genetics is the science of heredity and variation in living organisms. Knowledge that desired characteristics were inherited has been implicitly used since prehistoric times for improving crop plants and animals through selective breeding. However, the modern science of genetics, which seeks to understand the mechanisms of inheritance, only began with the work of Gregor Mendel in the mid-1800s.
The genetic information of cellular organisms is contained within the chemical structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules. Individually inherited traits, corresponding to regions in the DNA sequence, are called genes. Genes encode the information necessary for synthesizing proteins — complex molecules generally responsible for enzymatic reactions, synthesis, communication and structure within a cell. DNA sequence is transcribed into an intermediate RNA (ribonucleic acid) molecule, "messenger RNA", and ribosomes translate this sequence to form a chain of amino acids, thereby creating a protein molecule. It is through their proteins that most genes have a biological effect.
Genetic technologies
A variety of techniques exist for manipulating DNA in the laboratory. Restriction enzymes are a commonly used enzyme that cuts DNA at specific sequences, producing predictable fragments of DNA. The use of ligation enzymes allows these fragments to be stitched back together, and by ligating fragments of DNA together from different sources, researchers can recombinant DNA. Often associated with genetically modified organisms, recombinant DNA is commonly used in the context of plasmids — short circular DNA fragments with a few genes on them. By inserting plasmids into bacteria and growing those bacteria on plates of agar (to isolate clones of bacteria cells), researchers can clonally amplify the inserted fragment of DNA. read more…..
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The genetic information of cellular organisms is contained within the chemical structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules. Individually inherited traits, corresponding to regions in the DNA sequence, are called genes. Genes encode the information necessary for synthesizing proteins — complex molecules generally responsible for enzymatic reactions, synthesis, communication and structure within a cell. DNA sequence is transcribed into an intermediate RNA (ribonucleic acid) molecule, "messenger RNA", and ribosomes translate this sequence to form a chain of amino acids, thereby creating a protein molecule. It is through their proteins that most genes have a biological effect.
Genetic technologies
A variety of techniques exist for manipulating DNA in the laboratory. Restriction enzymes are a commonly used enzyme that cuts DNA at specific sequences, producing predictable fragments of DNA. The use of ligation enzymes allows these fragments to be stitched back together, and by ligating fragments of DNA together from different sources, researchers can recombinant DNA. Often associated with genetically modified organisms, recombinant DNA is commonly used in the context of plasmids — short circular DNA fragments with a few genes on them. By inserting plasmids into bacteria and growing those bacteria on plates of agar (to isolate clones of bacteria cells), researchers can clonally amplify the inserted fragment of DNA. read more…..
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Thursday, May 10, 2007
How to care Oily skin
Oily skin is caused by over-active glands, which produce a substance called Asebum, a naturally healthy skin lubricant. When the skin produces too much sebum, it becomes thick and heavy in texture. Oily skin is characterized by shininess, pimples and blemishes.
Causes of Oily Skin
Heredity
Diet
Hormone levels
Pregnancy
Birth control pills
Cosmetics you use
Humidity and hot weather
The successful treatment of oily skin requires patience, since excessive oil production is a symptom of an internal problem. Therefore, a holistic approach is necessary. Results may be slow, and in extreme cases the client should be referred to a health professional. Although oiliness may not be completely eliminated, the condition can be improved and acne lesions avoided. This goal, together with making the skin look more attractive, should be the esthetician's objective. read more…
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Causes of Oily Skin
Heredity
Diet
Hormone levels
Pregnancy
Birth control pills
Cosmetics you use
Humidity and hot weather
The successful treatment of oily skin requires patience, since excessive oil production is a symptom of an internal problem. Therefore, a holistic approach is necessary. Results may be slow, and in extreme cases the client should be referred to a health professional. Although oiliness may not be completely eliminated, the condition can be improved and acne lesions avoided. This goal, together with making the skin look more attractive, should be the esthetician's objective. read more…
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Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Yoga boosts immunity against cancer
IN BREAST cancer survivors, the Iyengar method of yoga not only promotes psychological well-being, but seems to offer immune system benefits as well, according to research reported at the American Physiological Society meeting in Washington, DC. The Iyengar method, created by B K S Iyengar, “is considered to be one of the more active forms of yoga,” lead researcher and presenter Pamela E. Schultz from Washington State University, Spokane, said on Monday .
“It still has the meditative component, but it’s been shown to have a physical output equivalent to a moderate-intensity exercise,” she explained.
Schultz and colleagues randomly assigned 10 breast cancer survivors to eight weeks of Iyengar yoga (two classes and a solo session at home per week) and nine to a wait-list control group. The women had an average age of 61 years, were about four years out from initial cancer diagnosis and were being treated with hormone therapy None of the women had any prior experience with Iyengar yoga.
Psychosocial tests showed that the “demands of illness,” which reflects the burden of hardship of being a breast cancer survivor, fell in the yoga participants.
“Psychosocial variables indicated improved quality of life with Iyengar yoga,” Schultz said.
Importantly, these improvements correlated with decreased activation of an important immune system protein called NF-kB, which is a marker of stress in the body.
“So it’s possible,” Schultz said, “that decreased activation of NF-kB indicates decreased stress in the body, which would be a positive thing. NF-kB can be activated by any type of stress in the body, like physical stress and mental stress.” Schultz plans to continue her research by looking at different immune system proteins to see if they too show changes for the better, “which would confirm immune and psychosocial benefits of Iyen gar yoga”.
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“It still has the meditative component, but it’s been shown to have a physical output equivalent to a moderate-intensity exercise,” she explained.
Schultz and colleagues randomly assigned 10 breast cancer survivors to eight weeks of Iyengar yoga (two classes and a solo session at home per week) and nine to a wait-list control group. The women had an average age of 61 years, were about four years out from initial cancer diagnosis and were being treated with hormone therapy None of the women had any prior experience with Iyengar yoga.
Psychosocial tests showed that the “demands of illness,” which reflects the burden of hardship of being a breast cancer survivor, fell in the yoga participants.
“Psychosocial variables indicated improved quality of life with Iyengar yoga,” Schultz said.
Importantly, these improvements correlated with decreased activation of an important immune system protein called NF-kB, which is a marker of stress in the body.
“So it’s possible,” Schultz said, “that decreased activation of NF-kB indicates decreased stress in the body, which would be a positive thing. NF-kB can be activated by any type of stress in the body, like physical stress and mental stress.” Schultz plans to continue her research by looking at different immune system proteins to see if they too show changes for the better, “which would confirm immune and psychosocial benefits of Iyen gar yoga”.
Find more about Yoga boosts immunity against cancer visit www.halfvalue.com and www.halfvalue.co.uk
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