CMSP Cool Image of the Day Blog

Today's Cool Image comes from the tundra of Alaska.
This female caribou wears a radio collar for scientific research to trach the roaming habits of the caribou.

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CMSP Cool Image of the Day Blog

A pippette in which an open ended tube is filled with or emptied of liquid by compressing or releasing a compressible bulb sealed to one end of the tube. The bulb includes a restrictor that diminishes the air flow into and out of the bulb to limit the maximum rate at which the liquid can be flowed into and out of the tube substantially irrespective of the pressure applied to the bulb.

A pippette is often a glass tube that allows you to control the amount of liquid to place into a holder, usually used in research.

OK, now that we know all about pippettes... now what do we do? How about dance?
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CMSP Cool Image of the Day

R I P TK

Thanks for checking out Today's Cool Image Blog.

CMSP's Cool Image of the Day

Encephalitis Kills 200 in India

At least 200 children have died in an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis in northern India, health officials say. So far, 900 affected children have been admitted to hospitals in Uttar Pradesh state. Some patients have come from neighboring Bihar state and Nepal.

There is no specific cure for the mosquito-borne disease which has killed thousands in India since 1978. Health experts complain that red tape has prevented development of an effective vaccination program. The disease occurs regularly during India's monsoon.

Doctors say children between the age of six months to 15 years are worst affected and most of the victims are poor people from rural areas.

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Hopes Raised for MS Treatment

Scientists in the UK claim results from a research project into multiple sclerosis (MS) could lead to treatment to reduce the severity of the disease. The team carried out tests on mice and then on human brain tissue and found galanin, a protein within brain nerve cells, was resistant to MS.

Professor David Wraith at the University of Bristol said the results were "extremely promising". The team said it could be at least 10 years before a drug is developed.

Professor David Wynick, who works on the function of galanin, set up the project with a group of other scientists working on the development of a vaccine for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

He said: "It has been known for some time that galanin plays a protective role in both the central and peripheral nerve systems - when a nerve is injured levels of galanin increase dramatically in an attempt to limit cell death."

The team discovered that mice with high levels of galanin were completely resistant to the MS-like disease, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Transgenic mice that contained no galanin at all developed a more severe form of the disease.

MS is a neurological condition that affects the transfer of messages from the central nervous system to the rest of the body.

It is the most common neurological disorder among young adults, affecting 85,000 people in the UK with 2,500 newly diagnosed each year. It is estimated 400,000 people in the US have MS.

There is no cure for MS, but drugs can be used to reduce the number and severity of relapses, and to reduce the number of new attacks.

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Smoking is the Cause of Most Lung Cancers

Smoking is responsible for nine out of 10 cases of lung cancer.

The Institute of Cancer Research compared the DNA of 1,900 lung cancer patients and 1,400 healthy individuals. The best thing a smoker can do to reduce their risk of lung cancer, and a range of other life-threatening conditions, is to quit smoking says Dr Lesley Walker of the Cancer Research Institute in the UK.

Information gathered on areas of genetic risk was then tested further in another 2,000 patients with lung cancer and a similar number of healthy volunteers.

Specific differences associated with lung cancer risk were found on chromosomes 5, 6 and 15. Those with certain genetic changes on chromosome 5 were more likely to get a type of cancer called adenocarcinoma and the region highlighted on chromosome 6 seemed to influence whether a patient developed adenocarcinoma or another type called squamous cell carcinoma.

On chromosome 15, they pinpointed two independent sites that have a role in whether or not a smoker develops lung cancer. These areas of the genome contain a family of genes that influence smoking behaviour but also cell growth and cell death.

Current or former smokers who carry one copy of each of these genetic variants increase their risk of lung cancer by 28%. That increases to 80% in smokers who carry two copies.

Those who had the genetic changes but did not smoke had no increased risk of lung cancer.

Quit. Quit. Quit. Go enjoy life.

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Primary Liver Cancers Soaring

Cases of primary liver cancer, an often preventable disease, have tripled in the last 30 years, figures suggest.

While it is not uncommon for cancer to spread to the liver, statistics show incidents where it starts in the organ have risen sharply. Cases of cancer overall have increased over recent decades as people live longer and detection methods improve.

But experts say hepatitis C infections, as well as alcohol and obesity, have helped fuel the spike in liver cases.

Primary tumors frequently develop as a result of cirrhosis, itself associated with these risk factors.

Today's Cool Image shows what a liver with cirrhosis looks like. Put down the bottle and start drinking water!

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Web Addict Beaten at Camp

It has been reported that China has almost 300 million internet users. A teenage boy is in a serious condition after being repeatedly beaten at a boot camp to treat internet addicts in China, state media have reported.

Pu Liang, 14, is said to have been beaten several times by the camp's principal and by other students.

Pu Liang's mother told local reporters that she sent her son to the camp, in the city of Chengdu in Sichuan province, because he was spending too much time playing online games. Physical punishment is an effective way to educate children - as long as it can be controlled.

The camp claimed it could cure the "problem" for 5,000 yuan ($730; £450).

The camp is now closed and its principal has been arrested, according to Chinese media reports. It is not true that I have invited the principal to come and live in my house for a couple of months. But if you know him, send me his cell number.

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Three in four parents are risking their child's eyesight by exposing them to bright sun without appropriate protection, experts warn. Nearly a third of parents in Britain do not buy their children sunglasses, a poll of 2,000 people for the College of Optometrists revealed.

Of those who do, nearly half put price before protection and only a quarter buy sunglasses from a trusted brand. Sunglasses don't need to be expensive to offer good protection.

People with light colored eyes are most at risk from sun damage and those with blue eyes should always wear sunglasses, the experts advise.

UV rays from sunlight can damage the retina and the lens of the eye and can lead to long-term damage. Too much exposure is linked to conditions like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

Wearing cheap sunglasses with no UV filters poses an even greater danger than wearing none at all because the pupils will dilate allowing more harmful rays into the eye. Buy good quality dark sunglasses from a reputable seller.

And the risk is cumulative, meaning the more UV exposure a person has the higher their risk will be.

Very young children should not be exposed to bright sunshine at all, says experts.

Que the turntable. I have ZZ Top ready to go.

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Could this be the End to Lunchbox Ham?

Parents have been urged not to put ham and other smoked, salted or cured meat into their children's lunchboxes to help them reduce the risk of cancer.
The World Cancer Research Fund said parents should act now to stop their children developing a taste for processed meat. Eating too much over decades can raise the risk of bowel cancer, they said.
It is only in recent years that the link between processed meats and bowel cancer in adults has been made, with some estimates suggesting that thousands of cases could be prevented if everyone limited intake to 70g a week - equivalent to three rations of bacon.

So what is the next step? Eating only one BLT, bologna sandwich and salami & cheeses sandwich per week? What do you eat the other two days? How about some fruit and cottage cheese and yogurt. Bon appetite.

Today's Cool Image comes from the CMSP.com database library. It was created by Todd Bannor.

Custom Medical Stock Photo has over 100,000 on the CMSP.com website available for download and license.

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Today’s Cool Image comes all the way from Braunschweig, Germany. It is a picture of people attending the opening of the exhibition Images of Science at the new "Haus der Wissenschaft" which translates to the "House of Science.” It is located on the campus of Braunschweig Technical University.

Mr. Danzebrink shot the picture of opening night attendees as they enjoy the colorized chest x-ray created by yours truly.

The Colorized Chest X-Ray is included in the exhibition as part of Images of Science 2, the second traveling exhibit organized by the Rochester Institute of Technology School of Photographic Arts and Sciences. Over 60 images are featured.

The collection is available for temporary shows as it travels around the world. Contact Mike Peres from RIT for more info at http://www.rit.edu/cias/ritphoto/ifs-2008/index.html

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Cannabis Cures Osteoporosis

Researchers looking at the effects of cannabis on bones have found its impact varies dramatically with age. The study found that while the drug may reduce bone strength in the young, it could protect against osteoporosis, a weakening of the bones, in later life.

The results were uncovered by a team at the University of Edinburgh who compared the drug's effects on mice. Osteoporosis affects up to 30% of women and about 12% of men at some point in their lives. The group found that cannabis can activate a molecule found naturally in the body that is key to the development of osteoporosis.

When the type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) comes into contact with cannabis, it has an impact on bone regeneration. However, until now, it was not clear whether the drug had a positive or negative effect.

"We plan to conduct further trials soon and hope the results will help to deliver new treatments that will be of value in the fight against osteoporosis." The results are published in Cell Metabolism.

"Our results would have been published a year ago, but we forgot where we put our notebook" the researchers didn't say. That's just the humor of this blog.
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Optimistic Women Live Longer

Women who are optimistic have a lower risk of heart disease and death, an American study shows. The latest study by US investigators mirrors the findings of earlier work by a Dutch team showing optimism reduces heart risk in men.

The research on nearly 100,000 women, published in the journal Circulation, found pessimists had higher blood pressure and cholesterol. Even taking these risk factors into account, attitude alone altered risks.

Optimistic women had a 9% lower risk of developing heart disease and a 14% lower risk of dying from any cause after more than eight years of follow-up. Making healthy choices such as not smoking and eating well, will have much more of an impact on your heart health than your outlook.

In comparison, cynical women who harbored hostile thoughts about others or were generally mistrusting of others were 16% more likely to die over the same time-scale.

One possibility is that optimists are better at coping with adversity, and might, for example take better care of themselves when they do fall ill. In the study, the optimistic women exercised more and were leaner than pessimistic peers.

All you naysayers should go smoke a cigarette. And all you happy people should take a walk with your dog.

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Don't Drink So Much, So Often

Alcohol is largely to blame for an "alarming" rise in the rate of oral cancers among men and women in their forties, say experts. Numbers of cancers of the lip, mouth, tongue and throat in this age group have risen by 26% in the past decade.

Alcohol consumption has doubled since the 1950s and is the most likely culprit alongside smoking, says cancer researchers. Other risk factors that may be involved include a diet low in fruit and vegetables, and the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV), which also causes cervical cancer.

Smoking and drinking are bad for you? Whats next? How do you have fun these days?

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Brain Radiotherapy Affects Mind

Radiotherapy used to treat brain tumors may lead to a decline in mental function many years down the line, say Dutch researchers. A study of 65 patients, 12 years after they were treated, found those who had radiotherapy were more likely to have problems with memory and attention.

Patients in the study all had a form of brain tumor called a low-grade glioma - one of the most common types of brain tumor. This is the same type of tumor Senator Ted Kennedy was diagnosed with last year.

It is known that radiation treatment in the brain causes some damage to normal tissue and the study's researchers suspected it could lead to decline in mental function. A previous study in the same patients done six years after treatment found no difference in aspects like memory, attention and the speed at which people could process information, in those who had received radiotherapy.

But the latest research, carried out more than a decade after original treatment, did find significant variation in the results of several mental tests between those who had had radiotherapy and those who had not. In all, 53% of patients who had radiotherapy showed decline in brain function compared with 27% of patients who only had surgery.

The most profound differences were in tests to measure attention.

Now lest see, what was I writing about? Oh well, have a great week and enjoy what is left of the summer!!!

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Men with Angina at Greater Risk

Men with angina are much more likely than women to develop further serious heart problems, a study suggests. Researchers found male patients were twice as likely to have a heart attack and almost three times as likely to suffer a heart disease related death.

Angina, a type of chest pain, is common and can be the first sign of heart disease - but the risks are unclear. The study of UK patients, led by the National University of Ireland, Galway, appears in the British Medical Journal.

Angina is caused by insufficient supply of blood to the heart muscle. Recent estimates suggest that 4.8% of men and 3.4% of women aged over 16 in England have angina. In Scotland, the figures are higher: 6.6% of men and 5.6% of women.

Being male, older and a smoker was associated with an increased risk of having a heart attack. The same factors - along with obesity - were also associated with a higher risk of dying from heart disease.

Men were also more likely than women to undergo angioplasty to open up blocked arteries, or to have coronary artery bypass surgery.

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Eye Drops May Reverse Glaucoma

A new type of medicated eye drop may be able to reverse symptoms of glaucoma, an Italian study has suggested. Glaucoma, the world's leading cause of blindness, is caused by pressure inside the eye - intraocular pressure - which damages cells in the optic nerve.

The study of rats and human patients found drops containing a nerve growth factor may stop these cells dying, and actually improve vision. It is reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

It is estimated that 77m people have glaucoma around the world.

The build up of intraocular pressure can sometimes be controlled through other techniques. But once pressure has started to damage optic nerve cells, called retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), it has proved impossible to recover that lost function. And often people with glaucoma do not seek expert help until the condition is already relatively advanced.

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Deet Bug Repellent May be Toxic to Worry About

Scientists have expressed safety concerns about insect repellents that contain Deet after observing the chemical's toxic effects in mammals. Deet has been in use for decades and is found in most of the commonly used repellents to ward off mosquitoes.

Deet (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) was developed by the US Army in 1946 following its experience of jungle warfare during the second world war, then registered for use by the general public in 1957. About 200 million people use deet-based repellents every year and over 8 billion doses have been applied over the past 50 years.

Products containing deet are available in a variety of liquids, lotions and sprays that are applied to the skin to repel insects rather than kill them.

As a precaution, experts advise people to only use enough repellent to cover exposed skin or clothing and caution that repellent should not be applied to cuts, wounds or irritated skin.

SO enjoy the great outdoors with long pants and long sleeve shirts.

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Daily Alcohol Limit Unhelpful

Daily limits on alcohol consumption are meaningless and potentially harmful, experts have warned. Liver specialist Dr Nick Sheron, of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK, says limits devised by civil servants with "no good evidence" for doing so runs the risk of people taking it to mean that it is safe to drink alcohol every day.

Dr Sheron says we should go back to using the old weekly limits, which are based on sound research. The 1987 sensible drinking limits, which set the bar at 21 drinks per week for men and 14 drinks per week for women, remained in place until 1995.

21 drinks per week! Hey bartender, bring me 18 more drinks!

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Scientists find new strain of HIV

Gorillas have been found, for the first time, to be a source of HIV. Previous research had shown the HIV-1 strain, the main source of human infections, with 33 million cases worldwide, originated from a virus in chimpanzees.

But researchers have now discovered an HIV infection in a Cameroonian woman which is clearly linked to a gorilla strain, Nature Medicine reports. HIV originated from a similar virus in chimpanzees called Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV).

Although HIV/Aids was first recognized by scientists in the 1980s, it is thought to have first entered the human population early in the 20th Century in the region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The virus probably originally jumped into humans after people came into contact with infected bush meat.

I'll take a cheese burger without the bush meat please.

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