Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Stunning details of brain connections revealed
Observed in this manner, the brain's overall complexity is almost
beyond belief, said Smith. "One synapse, by itself, is more like a
microprocessor -- with both memory-storage and information-processing
elements -- than a mere on/off switch. In fact, one synapse may
contain on the order of 1,000 molecular-scale switches. A single human
brain has more switches than all the computers and routers and
Internet connections on Earth," he said.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101117121803.htm
beyond belief, said Smith. "One synapse, by itself, is more like a
microprocessor -- with both memory-storage and information-processing
elements -- than a mere on/off switch. In fact, one synapse may
contain on the order of 1,000 molecular-scale switches. A single human
brain has more switches than all the computers and routers and
Internet connections on Earth," he said.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101117121803.htm
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Fwd: Heat attack
'The long-standing strategy of reducing heart-attack risk by lowering cholesterol to specific targets is being jettisoned under new clinical guidelines unveiled Tuesday that mark the biggest shift in cardiovascular-disease prevention in nearly three decades.
Gone is the familiar and easy-to-understand guidance to keep LDL, or bad cholesterol, below 100 or below 70 for people at high risk—a mainstay of current prevention policy. Instead, doctors are being told to assess a patient's risk more broadly and prescribe cholesterol-lowering statin drugs to those falling within one of four risk categories.
The aim is to more effectively direct statin treatment to patients with the most to gain, and move away from relatively arbitrary treatment targets that are less reliable in predicting risk than is widely believed.'
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Fwd: FDA
From: <larry.r.trout
'The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday ruled for the first time that trans-fats aren't generally considered safe in food, a sharp policy shift that could lead to banning trans-fats in baked goods and other foods.
Trans-fats, or partially hydrogenized fats or oils, are considered a potential prime factor in leading to heart attacks and strokes, and the FDA specifically said it was taking this step to protect the public health.
"While consumption of potentially harmful artificial trans-fat has declined over the last two decades in the United States, current intake remains a significant public-health concern," said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg. "The FDA's action today is an important step toward protecting more Americans from the potential dangers of trans-fat. Further reduction in the amount of trans-fat in the American diet could prevent an additional 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths from heart disease each year—a critical step in the protection of Americans' health."'
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303309504579183652200663132
Bacon will be banned next by the FDA. Think of the 20,000 less heart attacks and 7,000 less deaths if the FDA banned Bacon.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Friday, November 1, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Maryland 20-Year-Old Dies Never Having Aged
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/maryland-20-year-dies-aged/story?id=20712718
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Fwd: Oreo
'Connecticut College students and a professor of neuroscience have found "America's favorite cookie" is just as addictive as cocaine – at least for lab rats. And just like most humans, rats go for the middle first.
In a study designed to shed light on the potential addictiveness of high-fat/ high-sugar foods, Professor Joseph Schroeder and his students found rats formed an equally strong association between the pleasurable effects of eating Oreos and a specific environment as they did between cocaine or morphine and a specific environment. They also found that eating cookies activated more neurons in the brain's "pleasure center" than exposure to drugs of abuse. '
'A recent study was picked up a lot by the media, claiming that "Oreos are as addictive as drugs". Just to get that out of the way as soon as possible, this headline, as flashy and attractive it is, is flawed. I'll explain why in this post…
The question which naturally arises after that is: If you stop eating Oreos, do you experience Oreo withdrawal? This is basically the difference between things you really like and things you're addicted to – the difference between physiological addiction (addiction to a drug) and psychological addiction.'
http://www.zmescience.com/medicine/mind-and-brain/oreo-addictive-drugs-16102013/
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Fwd: Alzheimers
'Alzheimer's breakthrough hailed as 'turning point'
--
Best wishes,
John Coffey
http://www.entertainmentjourney.com
The discovery of the first chemical to prevent the death of brain tissue in a neurodegenerative disease has been hailed as the "turning point" in the fight against Alzheimer's disease.
More work is needed to develop a drug that could be taken by patients.
But scientists say a resulting medicine could treat Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's and other diseases.
In tests on mice, the Medical Research Council showed all brain cell death from prion disease could be prevented.
Prof Roger Morris, from King's College London, said: "This finding, I suspect, will be judged by history as a turning point in the search for medicines to control and prevent Alzheimer's disease."
He told the BBC a cure for Alzheimer's was not imminent but: "I'm very excited, it's the first proof in any living animal that you can delay neurodegeneration.
"The world won't change tomorrow, but this is a landmark study."'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24462699
Best wishes,
John Coffey
http://www.entertainmentjourney.com
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Peanut butter consumption linked to decreased breast cancer risk
http://www.sciencerecorder.com/news/peanut-butter-consumption-linked-to-decreased-breast-cancer-risk/
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