Brain-limb connection

By- Shivang Tripathi

              Currently, researchers are working on linking the brain of an amputee to a robotic limb. Prior to this research, brain implants were used to help move these artificial limbs but this had limited success because the person had to think about each limited action. But now researchers are putting the implants in the brain areas that control the intention to move, and not just the physical movements themselves. This information is important to us because it allows to understand that amputee patients will soon enough be able to fluidly guide a robotic limb.


                                                           References 

http://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2015/top-medical-breakthroughs.html

Wearable medical device market reaches $13 billion

By- Shivang Tripathi

         The global wearable medical device market is valued at just more than $13.2 billion in 2016. This market is expanding rapidly due to the overwhelming need to monitor diseases and aging populations. These wearable devices are no longer only focused on one measurement- such as how many steps taken in a day- but are focusing on many different bodily measures such as heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and many others. It is important that people within the medical industry study the development of these devices because they will revolutionize the way we live. People currently focusing on the medical field should look into ways we can better and evolve the use of these products.


                                                          References

http://www.todaysmedicaldevelopments.com/article/wearable-medical-device-market-growth-11916/

20 Medical Technology Advances: New Diseases

By- Shivang Tripathi

             According to MedicalFuturist, it is stated that new diseases will develop overtime due to the excess use of virtual reality solutions in gaming and other industries. Examples include virtual post traumatic stress disorder from intense video games in the future such as virtual Call of Duty. It is said that these gamers may experience similar symptoms to soldiers who fought in real wars. This information is very important to the future of the medical industry because it gives us an idea on what kind of issues and health problems we should prepare for in the future.

                                                              References 

https://medicalfuturist.com/20-potential-technological-advances-in-the-future-of-medicine-part-i/

Prompt #4- Delivery and Style

(Image Credit:http://libguides.tmcc.edu/education/peer_reviewed, http://comicvine.gamespot.com/forums/battles-7/cw-reverse-flash-vs-raiden-mgs4-1778590/, http://www.dailyblogtips.com/how-to-start-a-blog-in-4-easy-steps/)
 
      If you ever wanted to obtain information about the medical field this is what you should be reading! In the medical field there are different types of resources that are meant for different audiences. In a scholarly article I read about stem cells, it discussed some of the controversial topics against stem cells and how stem cells work for different diseases ( Li, Ming para 6). The delivery of  the information was written for people who have the intellect about stem cells, the research, and the scientific terms. It is also written by multiple authors that either have a profession in the medical field or have done research about stem cells. However, more formal resources like blogs provide the same information but are intended for the common people who may not have the professional understanding of scholarly articles.
    Reading a blog versus reading a scholarly article, there are noticeable differences between the two. Reading the scholarly article, there was little to none information written on the basics of what stem cells are. That is because the intended audience is for people have the understanding of stem cells. However, in a scholarly article there are graphs and charts used to justify results found from the research. As opposed to blogs, where the intended audience is for the everyday common person, it starts off with a more informative approach about stem cell that transition into bringing awareness about the topic then relate it to the everyday world (International Society para. 1) On the other hand blogs can be written by anyone therefore it lacks the concrete facts to support the claims in the article.
     From this comparison it is shown scholarly articles would be more credible. It has pictures and graphs to explain and prove the information posted in the article. Also because of the location that it is posted from we know that it is more credible. The blog was posted on a websites where anyone can state things that may or may not be true. However, the scholarly article was posted through a library data base where the information is extensively checked for accuracy. From the blog we get more informal information about stem cells and how they relate to the average person and from the scholarly article we get facts about stem cells and research that pertains to it. This shows how there are many different ways to obtain information about the medical field and how you should first recognize what type of information you are looking so that you will go to the right place for it.

Reference

Li, Ming, Kequan Guo, and Susumu Ikehara. "Stem Cell Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 15.10 (2014): 19226-38. ProQuest. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.

International Society For Stem Cell Research. "Stem Cells in Focus." Blog. N.p., 19 Oct. 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016. http://www.isscr.org/visitor-types/public/stem-cells-in-focus/stem-cells-in-focus/2016/10/19/stem-cell-soup-the-importance-of-knowing-what-is-in-it

Simple Food Additive Slows E Coli. Poisoning

By: Shivang Tripathi
                                                         

          Polysorbate, a safe additive found in everything from ice cream to cosmetics, has been proven to slow the effects of E. coli poisoning. The findings show that polysorbates attack the protective biolfilm in which e coli lives, said Chris Waters, Michigan State University associate professor of microbiology and molecular genetics whose laboratory led the research. Waters, along with his team, conducted an experiment on mice to determine if the compound was effective. 80 mice infected with e coli were administered polysorbate 80. The results of the experiment showed that polysorbate blocked all toxicity, even though it didn't reduce the amount of bacteria. Analysis of this experiment showed that polysorbate 80 strips E. coli of its ability to cause disease allowing the bacteria to pass through the body’s intestinal tract without causing damage. “Antibiotic use can often cause more harm than good with these types of E. coli infections because it causes the bacteria to release more toxin and it drives antimicrobial resistance,” Waters said. “Our results indicate that polysorbate 80 makes this strain of E. coli harmless, without these negative side effects. More tests are currently being done on the effects of Polysorbate. This information is very important to the general public because it shows us that their is a possible, safe replacement for harmful antibiotics.

   References 

         http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2016/simple-food-additive-slows-e-coli-poisoning

Marijuana and the Brain

By: Amanda Ziminski



Researchers have long suggested marijuana can cause memory loss. Now, a new study by Dr. Giovanni Marsicano, of the University of Bordeaux in France, her and team which was published in the journal Nature, provides insight on this association, revealing how cannabinoids in the drug activate receptors in the mitochondria of the brain's memory center to cause amnesia.

 

Cannabinoids are chemicals present in marijuana, as well as synthetic forms of the drug. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there are more than 100 cannabinoids in marijuana, including the main psychoactive compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). These cannabinoids are similar in structure to cannabinoids that occur in the body naturally. Naturally occurring cannabinoids function as neurotransmitters. They send signals between neurons, which are nerve cells and affect various brain regions, including those responsible for emotion, movement, coordination, sensory perception, and memory and thinking.

 

Because THC and other cannabinoids in marijuana are similar to naturally occurring cannabinoids, they are able to bind to cannabinoid receptors situated on neurons and activate certain brain regions. This can lead to cannabinoids messing up normal brain functioning, by causing a lot of negative mental and physical effects. One effect may be memory loss. Researchers have shown that THC can affect the function of the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for forming memories.

 

Works Cited:

Whiteman, Honnor. "How Marijuana Causes Memory Loss." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 12 Nov. 2016. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.

Image Credit:

http://gnosticwarrior.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Secrets-of-the-Pyramid-Hippocampus-Drawing-www.macalester.edu_.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/THC-3D-%28with-cannabis-leaf-bkg%29.jpg


 

 

 

 

prompt #10 Recognizing Truth

By: Lesly Morales

                                                                               Image Credit (http://www.deraileddouchebaggery.com/wpcontent/uploads/2015/06/house.jpg)

      The show House M.D. is about a pain killer addict, arrogant, rude, and a genius doctor who diagnoses and treat patients with the help of his diagnosticians. The show is about his relationship with his colleagues, the way he deals with patients, and how he solves/discovers what is wrong and how to treats them.  Although the show is very entertaining, the medical side is not entirely accurate.

     To start off, if a doctor were addicted to pain killers then he would lose his job. There is no tolerance for drug abuse in the medical field. The show portrays only the doctor and his team doing everything themselves, when in reality there are several others involved in administering tests, getting the tools ready, and an actual surgeon for surgery. In the medical field there are numerous people involved when it comes to the patient and their treatment.

    In some episodes the actual practice of medicine is wrong. The symptoms the doctor diagnosed the patient do not match with the sickness. In real life a doctor does not devote as much time as the doctors in the show do. Season 2 episode 13 is probably the most accurate episode in terms of medicine. On the other hand season 6 episode 6 was the least accurate.

Citations

1. http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2012/05/21/the-most-and-least-medically-accurate-episodes-of-house-m-d/2/#57699a96e15f
2. https://www.quora.com/How-reflective-is-the-TV-show-House-MD-to-the-real-medical-world
3. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412142/plotsummary