Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease which is characterised by muscle weakness and increased muscle fatiguibility. In this autoimmune disease antibodies are made against the neuromuscular junctional nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Binding of the antibodies to the receptors cause the formed complexes to taken in by endocytosis and this decreases the number of nicotinic receptors in the motor end plate. The first most typical symptom of the Myasthenia gravis is drooping of the eye lids.
Muscles responsible for speech, chewing and swallowing are also affected. If not treated, the patient may experience respiratory difficulties.
Myasthenia gravis is treated by immunosuppressant drugs and cholinesterase inhibitors.
Myasthenia gravis
Gallstones
Gallstones can occur at any age, but usually occurs after the third decade. Prevalence is 2-5 times higher in women than the men. Gallstones are more common in Scandavia,
and Native North Americans.
There are two types of gall stones,
- Cholesterol stones
- Pigmented stones
Cholesterol stones
Formed by the crystallization of cholesterol in bile. This depends on,
- Cholesterol supersaturation in bile
- Crystallization promoting factors within bile
- Motility of the gallbladder
Bile pigment stones
Major proportion of the bile pigment stones are composed of calcium bilirubinate and/or calcium phosphate.
Bile pigment stones further categorized depending on the color.
1) Black pigment gall stones
2) Brown pigment gall stones
Black pigment gall stones
Stones range from deep black to very dark brown. Composed of calcium bilirubinate and mucin glycoprotein.
Brown pigment gall stones
Have alternating brown and tan layers. These stones are composed of calcium salts of fatty acids and calcium bilirubinate.
Clinical presentation of Gallstones
80% of the gallstones are asymptomatic.
Some gallstones may cause biliary colic.
It is a pain associated with temporary obstruction of the cystic or common bile duct.
Management of gall bladder stones
Cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for all patients with gall bladder stones.
But there are some dissolution and shockwave lithotripsy methods available. But these methods are not very effective.
Home gardens and urban parks in Sri Lanka
In
A public Park is a recreational park open to all members of the public. Public parks are maintained by government personnel and financed by taxes. Urban parks are generally located in urban and sub urban areas and these are areas prepared to serve for people living in urban areas. Facilities and spaces for observation of plants and animals, strolling, sports and resting are all available in a city or urban park. Large lawns and arboreta are features usually included in an urban park.
Distillation of Cinnamon Leaf Oil
Cinnamon leaf oil is regarded mainly as a by product in the processing of cinnamon bark into quills. When harvesting the stem for the peeling of inner bark, the leaves with twigs and tender stems are trimmed and left in the field. After keeping for few days, the leaves are bound into boundles. The leaves should not be left on the field for wilting more than 3 days. If so percentage of volatile oil that could be extracted from leaves will be decreased. The bundles are transferred to the distillation site. A traditional field still consists of a still body generally made of wood with a steel "goose neck" and steel condenser tubes immersed in a static water tank. But modern still is fabricated out of stainless steel. There is pre-cooler to cool the vapour prior to entry into the main cooling unit. The steam is generated in separate copper boiler fired with fire wood and with leaves descarded after distillation. Five florentine vessels are used in series to separate the oil.
A Reader's Toolbox:
The hydroxycut supplements are used to increases metabolism and reduce hunger pangs. The creatine is substance that helps body muscles to contract by releasing a specific energy and available in supplement powder. The glucosamine is a product of glucose and amino acids. Certain herb side effects are noted down in the patients hooked on high dosage of performance enhancing power herbs. The medicare supplement insurance guide is available on the medicare official site for the access of general public on issues of health.
Why are people born with cancer?
Why are people born with cancer ?
Actually this is a difficult question to answer. Rather than people who are born with a cancer I would like to talk about the cancers which develop in first few years of life. As you might already know any cell in the body can become malignant. There are specific cell lines in the body which are existent only in the first few years of the life and are not found in the adults. Hereditary retinoblastoma is an example of this. More genetic mutations the zygote has there is a greater chance of developing a cancer in the early life.
Certain malignancies can develop in the intra uterine life and can ultimately lead to spontaneous abortions. Actually most of the genetic mutations lead to spontaneous abortions.
EXERCISE AND HEALTH
Why do we need to exercise????
To maintain a good health
To increase adaptability
To control obesity
To maintain good body frame
To prevent diseases such as
Atherosclerosis
Hypertension
Diabetes mellitus
But are you sure all these are true? Yes, but not complete.
In a scientific point of view exercise has much broader benefits
Exercise increases the muscle strength by increasing the muscle size (This is mainly due to the hypertrophy of the muscle fibers) and prevents muscle wasting which occurs in prolonged periods of muscle inactivity.
In resistance training deposition of the bone is enhanced and the tensile strength of the bone is increased. This prevents fractures. So exercising from very young age helps to p0revent osteoporosis.
Energy burning effect of exercise oxidizes body fat stores. This prevents obesity and reduces circulating cholesterol levels. Lowered circulating cholesterol levels reduce the risk of is related atherosclerosis.
Effects on the cardiovascular system.
Increases the contractility of the heart. This provides the heart an ability to increase cardiac output without increasing the heart rate. Age related stiffening of the blood vessels are decreased and reduced risk of atherosclerosis significantly reduces the incidents of heart attack.
Effects on respiratory system
Exercise increases the volume of body oxygen reserves. This is particularly important in disease conditions associated with old age such as pneumonia.
Effects on the mental health.
Exercise changes the neurotransmitter levels in the brain and circulating hormone levels. This reduces the mental stress and consequently diseases associated with stress.
CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS
An internal mechanism which operates in an approximately 24 hour cycle is called a circadian rhythm.
All animals produce endogenous circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are responsible for the maintenance of the internal body mechanisms synchronized with the external environment.
Some of the mechanisms which show circadian rhythms are,
Hormones- GH, Cortisol, Prolactin
Kidney- Blood filtration
Immune system
Temperature regulation
There are number of oscillators in the organs of our body which control the circadian rhythms of the each organ. But the main oscillator in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus controls all these slave oscillators and synchronizes to work with the internal environment.
Suprachiasmatic nucleus (anterolateral and dosomedial parts) generates circadian rhythms by light sensitive gene expression. Information about the light travels from the retina to the Suprachiasmatic nucleus by the retinohypothalamic pathway.
Suprachiasmatic nucleus also controls the pineal gland. Pineal gland secretes melatonin, which is a hormone responsible for increasing sleepiness. Melatonin taken in the afternoon works as a sleep aid and can phase advance the circadian rhythm. Melatonin is a very powerful antioxidant known. Also it has an up regulatory effect on cellular immunity. Treatment methods like acupuncture may be associated with re-setting the slave oscillators throughout our body.OSTEOPOROSIS
Osteoporosis is a disease which is characterized by the involution of the bone matrix. This is mainly due to the excessive activity of the osteoclasts (responsible for the bone resorption). Decreased density of bone tissue causes increased incidents of fractures. Fractures are most prominent in distal forearm (colles’ fracture), vertebral bodies and hip.
Osteoporosis can be divided into two categories,
1) type 1 (postmenopausal)
2) type 2 (age related)
Type 1- Occurs mainly in the post menopausal women. After the menopause, blood estrogen levels decrease. This fosters the development of osteoclasts and causes rapid decrease in the bone density.
Type 2- This occurs due to the age related decrease in the peak bone mass and associated with,
Impaired function of the senescent osteoblasts (associated with the deposition of the bone)
Increased PTH levels
Treatment
In postmenopausal women activity of the osteoclasts can be decreased by the estrogen replacement therapy. (But this has questionable results and should be started only after a careful risk and benefit assessment.)
Prevention
Increased intake of calcium and moderate exercise from the very young age may help to prevent osteoporosis.
Patients who are immobile and under glucocorticoid treatment are predisposed to osteoporosis. Patients with high circulating levels PTH due to primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism is also at risk.
Positive Thinking
Fifty five years ago, Norman Vincent Peale wrote his bestselling book, The Power of Positive Thinking. Since then, many have touted the benefits of positive thinking and made it their life motto. Others have criticized the whole idea as a useless exercise. "Things are what they are," they say, "and changing how you feel about something doesn't make it any different." Or does it?
After all, positive thinking is nothing more than believing that something can be accomplished and then devoting our thoughts, ideas, talents and hard work to making it happen. Negative thinking is simply believing that something cannot or will not be done, then focusing our thoughts, abilities, and work to proving that. so. Over the years, I have learned that there is no middle ground. If you are not thinking positively about an idea, a project, or even a person that you are involved with, then you are, by default, thinking negatively about it. There is no such thing as neutral thinking about something that is important to us.
Another way to look at it is through the lens of mathematics. The plus or positive symbol (+) means to add to, to increase, to make favorable, or to expand. The negative symbol (-) means to take away, subtract, deny, or reduce. Let's say we pick the number 25. This number is either positive (+25) or negative (-25). It cannot be a little of both, and it cannot be neutral. You might say, "the positive or negative sign doesn't make much difference; it's still 25." But look at what happens when we combine it with another number, say 7. Combine 7 and the positive 25, and you get 32. But, combine it with the negative 25, and you get a negative (-18). What a difference! In math, you can predict the outcome because the formulas always work the same-you always get the identical answer. Life is not always so cut and dry. But I have learned this: when it comes to our attitude and thinking, the results are almost as clear cut as in mathematics. Those who consistently carry an attitude of positive belief will always outperform the negative thinker.
But, how does it work? How does changing our thinking, our attitude, effect such a dramatic change? Why is there such POWER in positive thinking?
The answer is that when we have a positive belief that something CAN be achieved,
we unleash all of our creative ability and energy towards discovering solutions to make it happen. If setbacks, challenges or discouragement come our way, as they always do, our positive belief keeps us on track and encourages us to put forth maximum effort. After all, success seldom comes on the first or second try. It is those who keep going, who keep trying, who dream and create and work and believe, who eventually achieve greatness.
If you are not achieving all that you would like to accomplish, I encourage you to get a "check up" from the "neck up." In other words, check your attitude and see if, perhaps, some of your thinking needs to be examined. It makes a big difference! - MindPerk
MEDICINAL PLANTS
Medicinal plants are involved in very rich and ancient heritage of traditional systems of medicine. Medicinal plants are potent and effective today as they were thousands of years ago. They are considered as one of nature's wonderful gift to mankind. There has been an increasing awareness of the utility of medicinal plants in the health care management. It is recognized that the medicinal plants provide a safer approach in solving the problems of health and diseases, in a manner that will help the eco interdependence of man, plant and animal kingdom. Therefore there is an increasing demand for plant based drugs and pharmaceuticals in the world market.
The World Health organization has estimated that perhaps 80% of the earth's inhabitants rely upon traditional medicine for their primary health care needs. Major part of the therapy involves the use of plant extracts or their active ingredients. (Bulletin of world Health Organization 1985). Scientists in many parts of the world have carried out extensive research and have proven to humanity the effective use of herbal medicines. Approximately 28% of the plant species of the world are being used as medicine in traditional systems of health care. There were about 3500 active chemical components extracted from natural resources among which 2618 are plant derivatives. 119 most successful western pharmaceuticals contain active ingredients derived from 90 plant species. (Farnsworth 1984). International trade of medicinal plants is estimated about 60 billion dollars and increasing at the rate of 5% to 15% annually.
Apoptosis – Programmed cell death
Apoptosis is a pathway of cellular suicide. Occurs without an inflammatory response. Responsible for programmed cell death in important physiological and pathological processes.
E.g.;
Programmed death of the cells in embryogenesis
Hormone dependent physiological involution
Cell deletion in proliferating populations
Irreparable DNA damage
Apoptosis can be triggered by internal and external stimuli.
Internal - p53 activation
Internal embryogenic signals
External – Release of granzyme B by cytotoxic T cells.
Specific ligand receptor interaction
The conversion of these signals to death signal is done by the execution of the caspases. BCL-2 class proteins of the mitochondria regulate the process of apoptosis.
After the execution DNA is fragmented into nucleosome size pieces. Cytoskeleton is broken down and finally karyorrhexis occurs.
Barleria prionitis L
Family: Acanthaceae
Botanical name: Barleria prionitis L
Common name: Katukarandu
Botanical description
A small shrub with sharp thorns.1.75 meters in height. Much branched. Branches cylindrical, swollen above nodes glabrous with slender very sharp spines in leaf axils, each with 3 -5 divaricate branches;
Leaves;
Simple, opposite, passing in to bracts above, 5 -13.5 cm long 1.5 -6.5 cm broad, ovate, tapering below, acute,mucronate, glabrous above, slightly pubescent on veins beneath withwith 2-6 pairs of arching lateral veins, prominent beneath;
Flowers;
Zygomorphic, bisexual, rather large 2.5- 3 cm across, orange, solitary, opposite, sessile becoming spicate above; bractlets 2 opposite, linear, 0.6 -1 cm long, mucronate, stiff almost spinous and spreading; sepals 4 in pairs outer pair much larger, ovate, 1.2 cm long, 4.5 -5 mm broad acuminate micronate, inner pair linear lanceolate, aristate, 1.2 cm long, 2 mm broad, glandular on both sides and hairy outside;
petals 5 fused in to a cylindrical tubular corolla tube 1.5 cm long hairy outside ,corolla lobes strongly imbricate, recurved, 3 outer lobes oval 1.5 cm long 0.9 -1 cm broad, hairy outside, 2 inner lobes smaller , oblong, 1.3 cm long, 0.7 cm broad obtuse;
Stamens 4, epipetalous , 2 reduced to staminoides, the fertile stamens exserted, filaments 2.5 cm long and hairy , anther 2 celled not spurred ; Ovary superior 3 mm long glabrous, 2 Jocular with 2 ovules in each loculus. Style 3.3 mm long, stigma slightly bifid;
Fruit; A capsule 1.4 cm long, ovoid with a long tapering solid beak;
Seeds; 2 with silky adpressed hair. (Dassanayake et al 1995)
Composition
Plants contain iridoid glycosides,(6 o-trans -p -coumaroyl-8- o-acetylshanzhiside Me ester), barlerin, verbascocide and beta sterol. (Ramanayake et al 2002)
Uses
The plant is a cholagogue and diuretic, and useful in acute and chronic congestion of the liver, jaundice, urinary and paralytic affections and in cardiac, renal and hepatic dropsy. It has anti rheumatic properties and gives excellent results in both acute and chronic rheumatism. The root is given in decoction form for enlargement of scrotum and rat bite poisoning. The plant is used as a snake bite remedy in Thailand.
Agronomic description
Propagation can be done by seeds and stem cuttings 2 to 3 node cuttings of 15 cm in length are most suitable for planting. Stem cuttings can be planted directly in the beds or Cuttings raised in poly bags can be used for planting.
Spacing 90 cm x 90cm.
Potential in landscaping
Produces attractive flowers. There are many varieties that produce white, purple, red or yellow flowers. This plant also can be used as hedges to prevent encroaching due to sharp thorns.
Simple way to reduce oiliness of your skin / Simple way to reduce skin Oiliness
Herbal products are becoming more popular in the cosmetic field. Yet many products that come to the market as herbal products contain chemical ingredients that can be harmful to your body.
There are many natural things that can be used to improve your complexion. Oiliness of the skin can cause many problems such as pimples, acne and etc. I can recommend a simple method to reduce the oiliness of your skin.
Soak a handful of chick peas overnight. Wash few times with water. Then blend it into a smooth paste by using a blender or a grinder. Clean the face with water and apply the paste on your skin. Leave it for 10 minutes and wash with water. Repeat once a week and you will find that it will significantly reduce the oiliness of your skin. But make sure not to apply this on dry areas because it will increase the dryness of the skin.
I tried this and found it very effective. It also reduces pimples. Try it out and please send comments.
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