Slug`s Slime – A Super Glue to the Rescue

The researchers have found an innovative way to mend a broken heart. They have done this with the help of slug-inspired glue. The slugs secrete extremely sticky adhesives that work even on rain-wet rocks and mud-slicked trails.

Most of the heart defects are fixed via surgeries that involve staples or stitches. But, in some cases, these stitching procedures can cause damage to the heart`s fragile tissue.

When it comes to mending a broken heart, researchers say they may have found the key and it comes in the form of slug-inspired glue. This glue is non-toxic and can easily stick to a wet beating heart and plays an important role in healing skin wounds for the surgeons.

A team from the Boston Children Hospital have found through laboratory research that the slug`s slime is water and blood proof and dries in seconds when brought in contact with the UV light, even, it is biodegradable.

The researchers applied the glue, which they call “hydrophobic light-activated adhesive” or HLAA, to small biodegradable patches, which they affixed to the holes. They then shone a UV light to activate the adhesive. In less than five seconds, the holes were sealed, and the stretchy sealant held for a 24-hour monitoring period.

Bentham Science Publishers is a remarkable name in the STM Publishing Industry. They have 130 plus online and print journals, 200 plus open access journals and more than 300 e-books to their name. They have various journals based on cardiology. For further details about these journals, please visit:

http://www.benthamscience.com/index.php

Lethal Gas: Carbon Monooxide

Winter season is here, the chilliest the world has seen in a long time. Temperature has been forecasted to go down further in the coming few days. The use of heater is very common during this season, not many of us pay heed to the gas it leaks proving it to be a ‘silent killer’.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is present in our surroundings because of the usage of heaters. CO is odorless as well as colorless, and one might not even be aware of its presence and the dangers it poses. Common symptoms of excess intake of CO are headache and nausea, which the general public confuses it with flu or a viral illness.

Constant exposure may lead to other symptoms such as vomiting, mental confusion, chest pain and serious medical problems at a later stage. Poisoning from CO is especially common during cold weather because of increased use of gas, oil and coal burning appliances.

Non-automobile consumer products may also emit CO. In addition to fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, ranges, water heaters and room heaters, generators, fireplaces and charcoal that is burned in homes and areas nearby.

Bentham Science Publishers is one of the leading STM publishing companies of the industry. It publishes more than 116 online and print journals and more than 300 eBooks. One of the eBooks is “Environmental Issues for the Twenty-First Century and their Impact on Human Health”. This e-book discusses the ecological and health impacts of aquaculture, the Alberta tar sands development, the Gulf Oil disaster of 2010, the hazards of inadequately safeguarding water supplies, and global warming, to name some of the important topics. This e-book will be very useful to students of environmental science, ecology, ecotoxicology and others interested in a broad overview of contemporary environmental issues. It is presented in a highly readable manner that makes it accessible to well-informed members of the public. Complex biochemical and chemical equations are avoided. Nonetheless, current primary sources of scientific information are used and referenced, making it easy for a reader to pursue a topic in greater depth if so desired.

The Silent Killer

This winter is seen to be the chilliest winter the world has seen in a long time. Temperatures in the next few days are also predicted to drop more. The people using heaters need to be very careful in this winter because the heaters give off a gas which is also called as the ‘silent killer’.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is present inside homes and offices because of the use of heaters. CO is a colorless and odorless gas. One might not even be aware of its presence and the dangers it poses. Recurrent symptoms of excess intake of CO are headache and nausea, which the general public misunderstands for flu or a viral illness. 

Sustained exposure can lead to other symptoms such as vomiting, confusion, chest pain, and serious medical problems. Poisonings from carbon monoxide are especially common during cold weather spells, as families increase the use of gas, oil and coal burning appliances. It can also be emitted from non-automobile consumer products, including malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, ranges, water heaters and room heaters; engine-powered equipment such as portable generators; fireplaces; and charcoal that is burned in homes and other enclosed areas.

Bentham Science Publishers is one of the leading STM publishing companies of the industry. It publishes more than 116 online and print journals and more than 300 eBooks. One of the eBooks is “Environmental Issues for the Twenty-First Century and their Impact on Human Health”. This e-book discusses the ecological and health impacts of aquaculture, the Alberta tar sands development, the Gulf Oil disaster of 2010, the hazards of inadequately safeguarding water supplies, and global warming, to name some of the important topics. This e-book will be very useful to students of environmental science, ecology, ecotoxicology and others interested in a broad overview of contemporary environmental issues. It is presented in a highly readable manner that makes it accessible to well-informed members of the public. Complex biochemical and chemical equations are avoided. Nonetheless, current primary sources of scientific information are used and referenced, making it easy for a reader to pursue a topic in greater depth if so desired.

How psychiatry murdered Austin 'Gus' Deeds:

The horrifying tragedy of the family of Virginia State senator, Creigh Deeds, who was also a former Democratic candidate for attorney general in the year 2005 and subsequently for governor in 2009. He was reported to be in serious condition at the time he was stabbed by his 24 year old son; Austin Gus Deeds, several times on his head and shot himself dead. It was the morning of November 19^th, 2013; when the terrible attack took place 13 hours after Gus was released from an emergency detention centre. During the assessment, it was recommended that Austin Gus should get treatment in a psychiatric facility. But the (CSB) Rockbridge Area Community Services Board- a health authority that supervises the state’s psychological health systems – could not provide a place where Gus can get treatment.

Creigh Deeds survived the stabbing and told a local Virginia newspaper to bring reform in the local state mental health system in these words: “I am alive for a reason, and I will work for change, I owe that to my precious son, I have very strong opinions about the CSB, and feel like they are responsible.”

Creigh Deeds is recovering from the tragedy he had gone through but may never recuperate from the inestimable grief for his son.

A journal from the shelves of Bentham Science Publishers talks about the latest advances in clinical Psychiatry in the Journal; ‘Current Psychiatry Reviews’ that publishes  frontier review articles and guest edited issues dedicated to clinical research on all the latest advances on clinical psychiatry and its related areas e.g. pharmacology, epidemiology, clinical care and therapy. The journal is an essential reading for all clinicians, psychiatrists and researchers in psychiatry. 

What Happens When You Sleep?

A recent study suggests that, the brain cells get smaller in size up to 60% while you are asleep. The purpose of this decrease is to clean the cellular waste more proficiently. When the brain undergoes this cleaning process, it consumes more energy.

According to this new study, when an individual sleeps, the glymphatic system becomes more active in comparison to the time when the brain is awake. When a person sleeps, the activities of brain increases and helps the fluid to clean the brain passage. Moreover, the proteins that are responsible for Alzheimer’s and other neurological disorders are kept aside of the system effectively when we sleep.

Bentham Science Publishers is one renowned STM publishers around the globe. It has online journals and eBooks in the fields of pharmaceutical, medical, social sciences, computer sciences, biomedical, and engineering, technology.“The Open Sleep Journal” is one of Bentham Science open access journals available. To read more articles and reviews on sleep, please visit the following link: http://www.benthamscience.com/open/toslpj/openaccess2.htm

Tuberculosis- Treatment And Prevention

Tuberculosis- often known as TB is a contagious infection which is caused by a pathogen called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis mostly affects the lungs of human body, but it can also affect various other organs in the lymphatic system, circulatory system and central nervous system.

When the person gets infected with tuberculosis, the bacteria within the lungs grow faster and cause Pneumonia along with prolonged cough, chest pain and coughing with blood. According to the medical dictionary of MediLexicon, TB is "A specific disease caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the tubercle bacillus, which can affect almost any tissue or organ of the body, the most common site of the disease being the lungs."

Medications are the keystone of Tuberculosis (TB) treatment. But the treatment for tuberculosis takes much longer time than any other bacterial virus. The patients of tuberculosis can take medications and antibiotics for at least a period of seven to nine months. The duration of treatment and drugs may vary depending on your overall health, drug resistance, age and the form of infection (active or latent TB).

The recent studies propose that a three months treatment schedule along with other medications can be effective instead of nine months treatment. With a shorter treatment course, people will possibly take all their prescribed medicines thus chances of getting side effects would automatically decrease. The most common drugs for TB include; Pyrazinamide, isoniazid and Ethambutol.

Bentham Science eBook, ‘Tuberculosis Treatment: The search for new drugs’ covers a wide range of topics that are related to TB drug discovery. The e-book begins with historical information about Tuberculosis discovery and treatment and explores modern treatment strategies, formulations (synthetic and natural) and class of compounds. The extraction of important drugs from various sources is also covered in separate chapters along with information about promising drugs undergoing clinical testing. For further Details, you can visit: http://www.benthamscience.com/ebooks/9781608057887/index.htm.

ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CELL PHONE USAGE:

It was announced by the World Health Organization on May 31, 2011 that cell phones can be a probable cause of cancer. They have marked cell phones as a “carcinogenic hazard.” Through thorough research and peer-review analysis, the scientists from different countries came to the conclusion that the mobile phones can lead to some brain cancers (glioma and acoustic neuronal). These types of cancers can take a little bit of time to develop and the long term usage of this electronic device could result into several severe complications.

The microwave spectrum technology has been used by the cell phones for communication. When the device is held close, the invisible stream of radio frequency signals penetrate our bodies which can be a potential cause of cancer and several issues related to memory loss, dizziness and disorientation.

Several safety measures should be taken in this case to minimize the hazards of these radio frequency radiations. You should limit the duration of your calls on the cell phone, use blue tooth devices or hands free devices or speaker phone to increase the distance between the phone and your head. Try to stay still while using the cell phone because more radiation is emitted while you are in motion as the cell phone needs to keep track of you with respect to the changes in position. Switch off mobile phones when not in use as the cell phone is still emitting radiation when not in use. Try to keep the cell phone in your bag rather than taking it with you close to your body. Use cell phone covers or protectors which act as a shield in this case.

Bentham Science Publishers’ journal “Recent Advances in Communications and Networking Technology” publishes review and research articles, and guest edited thematic issues on new advances in communications and networking technology. This Bentham Journal is a useful guide for all researchers involved in telecommunication and networking science and technology. For more information, you can check http://www.benthamscience.com/rptelc/index.htm