Research
ADB: Clean water shortage by 2025
Monday, December 3rd, 2007An alarming news published in Philippine Daily Inquirer based on a research by Asian Development Bank should make us rethink of conserving water.
The Philippines’ water resources are fast deteriorating with rapid urbanization, with only about 33 percent of river systems still suitable as a supply source and up to 58 percent of groundwater now contaminated. Water availability in the Philippines could be “unsatisfactory” in eight of its 19 major river basins and in most major cities before 2025.
Urbanization has been pointed out as the major cause of this arising problem. Poor environmental management, extensive forest denudation, poor maintenance of sanitary landfills, crowding in urban areas, etc, are few of the effects of urbanization that have subsequently affected the availability of clean water in the Philippines, especially in large cities Cebu and Metro Manila.
The study also pointed out the following:
* 16 rivers are now considered biologically dead during dry months;
* 48 percent of water pollutants arise from domestic waste, 37 percent from agricultural waste, and 15 percent from industrial waste;
* Solid waste generation in Metro Manila, now estimated at 5,345 tons per day, is expected to double by 2010. But, only 65-75 percent of the waste generated is collected, with only 13 percent of that recycled, and the remainder just thrown anywhere, particularly into creeks, threatening health and increasing flooding;
* Some 700 industrial establishments in the Philippines generate about 273,000 tons of hazardous waste annually, but at present there is no integrated treatment facility in the country to deal with it, although there are some 95 small to medium-scale hazardous waste treatment facilities; and
* Approximately 50,000 tons of hazardous waste are stored on or off-site due to lack of proper treatment and landfill facilities.
The study also pointed the insufficient enforcement of existing legislation, and the weak legal and regulatory framework for environmental impact assessments, monitoring and coordination.
Photo source: Bhopal.net
Tags:Consumer Health Watch, Health, Philippine Controversies, Philippine Politics, Philippines, Research
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Menstrual blood as source of stem cells?
Sunday, December 2nd, 2007Stem cells have been considered as promising breakthrough as cancer treatments. Potential sources such as skin cells, bone marrow cells, etc., have been widely researched. It seems that there is addition to these sources as researchers from a biotechnology firm in Arizona discovered the endometrial regenerative cells.
Ethical issues have been raised regarding this new form of medical treatment.
Stem cells come from two main sources: embryos or adult tissues. Embryonic stem cells can give rise to virtually any cell type in the body, but they are controversial because conventional procedures for obtaining them involve the destruction of an embryo. Adult stem cells, such as those found in bone marrow, do not pose the same ethical concerns, but they have limited powers and collecting them can require invasive procedures.
While the new technique of reverting skin cells to an embryonic stem cell-like state promises to overcome the ethical dilemmas, this approach could come with safety concerns that make the cells too risky for use in humans. The technique for converting the skin cells involves using viruses to insert several genes, one of which is known to cause cancer.
Menstrual stem cells could turn out to be a happy medium between embryonic and adult stem cells, providing an ethically acceptable alternative that is readily accessible and appears to give rise to most of the major tissue types in the body.MSNBC
Advantages of the menstrual stem cells include its easy collection and vast availability, not causing any harm or pain to the donor and it can be collected for more than 35 years, from 12 years old to 47.
The researchers are currently conducting animal studies and an approval from the FDA for human studies is still needed to complete their investigation.
Tags:Health, Medicine, New Treatments, Research, Technology
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i’m back!
Sunday, November 18th, 2007I can’t remember when I last posted in my blog. It’s been quite a while. Life has been pretty hectic here in La Salle. I’m now on my second year as probationary faculty and I’ve been given some new responsibilities other than teaching.
Right now, I’m working with a team on a research about the prevailing [...]
Can we bring back life from the dead?
Saturday, September 29th, 2007Philadelphia doctors say “yes!”
A new interesting treatment is being tested by Philadelphia doctors to restore life and bring people back from the dead.
A cardiac arrest patient was saved by the new experimental treatment of chilled saline injection. Cooling pads are then wrapped around a patient. The body temperature is normally 98 degrees, but cooling brings it down to 92 degrees. Doctors keep it there for about 24 hours. This process is called intentional hypothermia. Accordingly, it decreases cellular injury when the cells are deprived of oxygen, so with less injury we are able to do a better job of getting people back.
The cooling therapy needs to be faster, so the doctors are developing a slushy type saline that contains ice particles. It would be injected into the blood stream to quickly reduce body temperature.
The experimental cooling treatment at HUP can only be used on certain patients. But doctors expect it will eventually become a critical standard of care for saving lives.
Tags:Health, Health Tips, Life, Medicine, Research
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Research proposal
Thursday, September 6th, 2007Later today we will be presenting our research topic to a panel of clinical instructors.Kulbaan ko and at the same time… excited? Hehehe…I don’t know why. Mura man gud og muatubang ka sa korte, kay it’s like you have to present and defend your case…
Ring! It’s Your Plants Calling
Sunday, August 12th, 2007Talking to plants will make them healthier, so the belief says. But what if they can also talk back and say what they need and express their gratitude? I mean not literarily but through a ring in your phone! That would be interesting, and oh.. odd!
Botanicalls.com has merged plant care with telecommunications, through it new system where your plants can call you on the phone when they need water, when they haven’t gotten enough, and to thank you when they’re no longer thirsty.
How does it work?
Each plant on the Botanicalls system is equipped with sensors connected to an Arduino microcontroller which contains code particular to that plant type. When a plant’s microcontroller determines that the plant needs to make a phone call based on current sensor information, it sends data through an Xbee wireless radio to an Xport gateway. This gateway connects to the internet, where it contacts a PHP script with the plant’s ID number and type of need. PHP then packages this information and passes it on to Asterisk, an open-source telephone system, which generates the call. When the call is placed, a prerecorded audio file is played, expressing the particular desire of that plant.
A schematic diagram is provided at their website to understand the mechanics behind this innovative system.
According to the researchers, the project is meant to educate people about the habits and needs of plants so that owners might better understand how to care for them.
Tags:Odd News, Research, Science, Technology
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Laser printers pose health risk
Friday, August 3rd, 2007A study found out that emissions from office laser printers can be as unhealthy as cigarette smoke. Smoking ban in some country are already taking its effects but it seems that people has new reason to worry.
The average printer releases toner particles that can get deep into the lungs and cause respiratory problems and cardiovascular trouble, according to Morawska’s team, part of the International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, and specialists in atmospheric particles. CNET news
The researchers tested 62 laser printer models and found that 17 of them were “high emitters” of toner particles. Although these particles have not had examined for chemical contents but these were considered carcinogens [agents causing cancer].
Among the high emitters include Hewlett-Packard LaserJet models, such as the 1320 and 4250, although eight HP LaserJet 4050 series printers were shown to have no emissions.
Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 1320
Due to this, the researchers are now calling for regulations on printer emissions on which included Canon, HP LaserJet, Ricoh and Toshiba printers.
The HP company announced has redesigned the packaging for its printer cartridges to make it friendlier to the environment in response to their call for regulating the printer emissions. However, the eco-friendly redesigns apply only to ink and toner print cartridges shipped throughout North America.
Tags:Computer, Health, Health Tips, Research
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The Search for the 238th Reason of Having Sex
Wednesday, August 1st, 2007An interesting study (a PDF document) by the psychologists at the University of Texas about the reasons why people have sex was released They asked nearly 2,000 people why they’d had sex, and compiled a total of 237 reasons. This study is considered the “most thorough taxonomy of sexual motivation ever compiled.”
Motivations were basically the same between men and women - it’s more about lust in the body than a love connection in the heart. The foremost reason, which was the same for both men and women, was attraction towards their partners. The rest of the top 10 for each gender were also almost all the same, including “I wanted to express my love for the person,” “I was sexually aroused and wanted the release” and “It’s fun.”
You can also be part of this study by nominating your own 238th reason at TierneyLab. Reasons why you should say “No!” will also be collected through an online survey.
Although the list was considered as the most comprehensive one, reasons may vary also between races and culture. Filipinos, for example, due to their conservative nature, generally believe that sex is an expression of love.
Tags:Blogging, Health, Mens Health, Relationships, Reproductive Health, Research, Sexual Health, Womens Health
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Research
Sunday, July 29th, 2007I attended last Thursday the Regional Research Convention organized by the Philippine Nurses’ Association, Cebu chapter. I must say I found it very interesting. I was even fascinated by the presentations of the different researchers from the different …
5 Web Site Development Tips to Turn the Tide In Your Favor
Tuesday, July 17th, 2007It always pays to be on the qui vive for sage advice from others, and recently I establish something that got me thinking… and now sharing… with you.In a nutshell, state you desire to set together a website of any type - affiliate, shopping, books…
Four ways to lower your blood cholesterol
Wednesday, June 27th, 2007It has been proven that exercise is the best way to lower your blood cholesterol. However, not many of people have ample time to hit the gym. The Harvard HealthBeat Newsletter provided tips on how to lower your blood cholesterol through dietary techniques.
- Cut down on saturated fat in cooking. You can use of liquid cooking oils rather than butter or margarine. Use nonstick pans. Instead of frying, bake, broil, roast, steam, or stew. Discard drippings.
- Avoid trans fats. Because trans fats increase your LDL and decrease your HDL, the Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board says there’s no safe level of trans fat intake, and the National Cholesterol Education Program urges people to eat as little as possible. Avoid or eat only very small quantities of foods that list shortening, partially hydrogenated oil, or hydrogenated oil among their first ingredients.
- Reduce dietary cholesterol. Strive to eat less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol a day. Limit eggs to no more than four egg yolks per week; two egg whites can replace a whole egg in most recipes. Limit lean meat, fish, and poultry to no more than 6 ounces per day (a 3-ounce portion is about the size of a deck of playing cards).
- Increase complex carbohydrates and fiber. Emphasize foods with complex carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, whole-grain products, and legumes (dried beans and peas), that are low in calories and high in fiber. Eat more water-soluble fiber, such as that found in oat bran and fruits. This type of fiber can significantly lower your blood cholesterol level when eaten in conjunction with a low-fat diet.
Remember, these tips will be more effective with exercise.
Tags:Diet and Nutrition, Fitness, Health, Health Tips, Healthy Lifestyle, Medicine, Mens Health, Research
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Food supplements that lower blood pressure
Wednesday, June 27th, 2007Lifestyle and diet modifications are vital to management of hypertension, defined as a consistent elevation in blood pressure. Researchers, in an effort to stop and prevent this pandemic, which kills millions of people worldwide, continuously find diets or foods that may lower blood pressure.
Some foods and supplements have been suggested to have beneficial effects on high blood pressure. These include fish oils, olive oils, Vitamin C, and potassium.
Fish Oils: Several studies have shown that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat in the diet can help lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals. Fish oils containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), for example, have been found quite effective in lowering both blood pressure and triglyceride levels.
A University of Cincinnati study found that supplementation with large amounts of fish oil (5-15 grams/day) lowers blood pressure significantly in hypertensive individuals. They concluded that daily supplementation with low doses of fish oil is indeed effective in lowering blood pressure in mildly hypertensive patients. Further, fish oil supplementation reduced diastolic pressure (sitting) by an average of approximately 4.4 mm Hg and systolic pressure by an average of 6.5 mm Hg when compared to values obtained prior to the start of treatment. But these beneficial effects stop once supplementation is discontinued.
An additional study was performed by some Australian researchers. They combined salt restriction with fish oil supplementation and found that the combination is highly effective in lowering both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in elderly people with normal pressures.
Olive Oil: It has similar effects with fish oil supplementation. Olive oil also contains unsaturated fats and is also highly effective in lowering blood pressure.
Vitamin C: Researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine report that daily supplementation with vitamin C (ascorbic acid) can significantly reduce blood pressure in people suffering from hypertension. The study is based on the increasing evidence that free radicals (reactive oxygen species) play a significant role in essential hypertension (high blood pressure). The researchers conclude that oral supplementation with 500 mg/day of ascorbic acid is useful for blood pressure control in patients with high blood pressure.
Potassium: Researchers from the University of Naples in Italy proved that increase intake of potassium significantly lowers blood pressure. 54 subjects were included in the study. Half of the group maintained their regular diet while the diet of the other half was modified to increase the amount of potassium-rich food. The researchers found that the group on the high potassium diet consumed less medication than the other group and 38% of them had discontinued medication altogether. The group on the potassium-rich diet also reported a significant (55%) reduction in symptoms related to their hypertension.
Tags:Diet and Nutrition, Family Nutrition, Fitness, Health, Health Tips, Healthy Lifestyle, Mens Health, Research
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The new ‘plastic’ blood
Sunday, June 24th, 2007Scientists continue to find ways to deliver better health care to patients; one new innovation is the availability of artificial blood, so called because it is made up of plastic molecules that have an iron atom at their core, like hemoglobin, that can carry oxygen through the body. This new discovery could help to substitute for blood, which is not always readily available in cases of emergencies, especially pointed out was its huge advantage in war zones.
Besides its storage advantage; it is light to carry, does not need to be kept cool, it can be sterilized, and can be kept for longer, the new artificial blood has its advantages over human blood as pointed out in this WikiPedia article.
1. Donations are increasing by about 2-3% annually in the United States, but demand is climbing by between 6-8% as an aging population requires more operations that often involve blood transfusion.
2. Although the blood supply in the US is very safe, this is not the case for all regions of the world. Blood transfusion is the second largest source of new HIV infections in Nigeria. In certain regions of South Africa as much as 40% of the population has HIV/AIDS, and thorough testing is not financially feasible. A disease-free source of blood substitutes would be incredibly beneficial in these regions.
3. In battlefield scenarios it is often impossible to administer rapid blood transfusions. Medical care in the armed services would benefit from a safe, easy way to manage blood supply.
4. Great benefit could be derived from the rapid treatment of patients in trauma situations. Because these blood substitutes do not contain any of the antigens that determine blood type, they can be used across all types without immunologic reactions.
5. While it is true that receiving a unit of transfused blood in the US does not carry many risks, with only 10 to 20 deaths per million units, but blood substitutes could eventually improve on this. There is no practical way to test for prion transmitted diseases in donated blood, such as Mad Cow and Cruetzfeld-Jacob disease, and other disease could emerge as problems for the blood supply, including Smallpox and SARS.
6. Transfused blood is currently more cost effective, but there are reasons to believe this may change. For example the cost of blood substitutes may fall as manufacturing becomes refined.
7. Blood substitutes can be stored for much longer than transfused blood, and can be kept at room temperature. Most hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers in trials today carry a shelf life of between 1 and 3 years, compared to 42 days for donated blood, which needs to be kept refrigerated.
8. Blood substitutes allow for immediate full capacity oxygen transport, as opposed to transfused blood which can require about 24 hours to reach full oxygen transport capacity due to 2,3-diphosphoglycerate depletion.
However, these advantages do not guarantee of a problem-free transfusion. This blood replacement products can interfere with blood tests, are more quickly removed from the body, and are less efficient oxygen carriers. Their use, once approved, will probably be limited to emergencies involving severe blood loss caused by serious accidents.
Tags:Fitness, Health, Health Tips, In the News, Medicine, Research
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New Symptoms for Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer
Wednesday, June 20th, 2007Cancer experts have identified a set of health problems that may be symptoms of ovarian cancer, and they are urging women who have the symptoms for more than a few weeks to see their doctors.
These symptoms, which are found more common in women, include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly and feeling a frequent or urgent need to urinate A woman who has any of those problems nearly every day for more than two or three weeks is advised to see a gynecologist, especially if the symptoms are new and quite different from her usual state of health.
Although these symptoms are acknowledged as classic symptoms or urinary problems of patients with bladder infections it still makes sense to consult a doctor because bladder infections should be treated. Urinary trouble that persists despite treatment is a particular cause for concern, researchers say.
Tags:Cancer, Disease Information, Health, Health Tips, Medicine, Research, Tips, Womens Health
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What is Acute Wiiitis?
Sunday, June 10th, 2007The term “wiiitis” was coined by Dr. Julio Bonis, a medical resident, after waking up one Sunday morning with intense pain in the right shoulder. He did not recall any recent injuries or trauma and had not participated in any sports or physical exercise recently. When he consulted a rheumatologist and the Patte’s test was positive, consistent with acute tendonitis isolated to the right infraspinatus.
Then he recalled his activities for the previous 24 hours and remembered that he had bought a new Nintendo Wii (pronounced “wee”) video-game system and had spent several hours playing the tennis video game.
With the Wii system, the player faces a video screen and moves a handheld controller (approximately 14.5 cm by 3.0 cm by 3.0 cm, with a weight of approximately 200 g) containing solid-state accelerometers and gyroscopes that sense three-dimensional spatial movements. In the tennis video game, the player makes the same arm movements as in a real game of tennis. If a player gets too engrossed, he may “play tennis” on the video screen for many hours. Unlike in the real sport, physical strength and endurance are not limiting factors. New England Journal of Medicine
“Wiiitis” (pronounced “wee-eye-tis”) is the latest ailment to develop from the video game era, beginning with Space Invaders’ wrist in 1981, which was caused by the repeated button mashing required by the popular arcade game. It is a variant of Nintendinitis, a disease entity which first recognized last 1990 after a Wisconsin doctor characterized the thumb soreness brought on by pushing the buttons on a controller as “Nintendinitis” after it affected a 35-year-old woman who played a Nintendo game without interruption for five hours.
The treatment consisted of ibuprofen for one week, as well as complete abstinence from playing Wii video games. The patient recovered fully.
But with the current addiction of people to Nintendo game, it is almost always impossible to abstain them from playing. Just use it moderately.
Tags:Computer, Fitness, Health, Health Tips, In the News, Research, Tips
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Your test performance is written in your fingers!
Friday, May 25th, 2007Students’ fingertips may hold a clue to their academic test scores, a British study found out. 75 children aged 6-7 at a British elementary school. The subjects’ hands were photocopied and the length of their fingers measured. They checked the children’s math and verbal scores on a standardized British academic exam, then compared the test scores and finger length data, especially the ratio of the length between the children’s index and ring fingers.
The results say that:
Among boys, a low ratio of index finger length to ring finger length was associated with higher math scores. But that ratio wasn’t associated for better or worse with boys’ verbal test scores.
The opposite was true for girls. Among girls, a low ratio of index finger length to ring finger length was linked to better verbal test scores, but not to any patterns in girls’ math test scores. WebMD.com
Further researches, however, are required to prove these findings.
So if you always flunk on your math exams, blame it to your fingers. 
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