Month: April 2009

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News on Health & Science

Pregnancy Exercise ‘Helps Baby’

Exercise during pregnancy can be good for the developing baby as well as for the mother, research suggests.
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Aerobic exercise during pregnancy ‘can benefit baby’

A team from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences suggest it is linked to better foetal heart health and nervous system development.

The findings from their pilot study of 26 women are being presented to the American Physiological Society’s conference in New York.

A UK expert said pregnant women should discuss exercise levels with their GP.

The researchers wanted to see if maternal exercise had cardiovascular benefits for the foetus.

They also wanted to see if foetuses whose mothers exercised had increased breathing movements compared to non-exercise exposed foetuses.

Foetal breathing is a “practice” movement where a baby developing in the womb gets ready to breathe after it is born.

It is also a sign of how well the respiratory system and central nervous system are developing.

Moderate exercise
The scientists used a non-invasive device to measure the magnetic fields produced by the electrical activity of maternal and foetal heart rates.
“Keep within your comfort zone so that you can still hold a conversation” Says Patrick O’Brien, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
It was also able to pick up foetal movements including breathing, body movements, hiccups and sucking.

The women studied were aged between 20 and 35 and were checked between the 36th and 38th weeks of pregnancy.

They were classed as exercisers if they did moderate intensity aerobic exercise such as moderate to vigorous walking, stationary bicycling and running for at least 30 minutes, three times per week. Most were doing more.

The researchers then compared them with pregnant women who did not exercise regularly.

Dr Linda May, who led the study, said: “Foetal breathing movement and the nervous system were more mature in babies exposed to exercise.”

She said further research was needed, both to look at more pregnancies and to evaluate the health of babies once they had been born.

But she said understanding more about how to improve the development babies’ nervous system could aid understanding of cot death.

“Some researchers think it has to do with something being wrong in the central nervous system, which affects respiration.

“Babies aren’t able to wake up and breath for themselves if they need to.”

She said this study had shown the babies of women who exercised had a more mature respiratory system, suggesting they would fare better after birth.

‘Do not overheat’
Dr May said it was safe for women to exercise while pregnant. But she said the team did not yet have evidence about what the minimum beneficial level of exercise in pregnancy was.

Patrick O’Brien, a consultant obstetrician and spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said the study was interesting and worth following up, although it was small.

He added: “This is an interesting finding and one which should encourage women to keep healthy when pregnant.

“Pregnant women should consult their midwives and doctors on the types of exercise they could do when pregnant and how much.”

Mr O’Brien said excessive exercise during pregnancy could be dangerous for the unborn baby if a woman becomes too hot or lets their heart rate go over 130 beats per minute.

But he said there was is no increased risk of miscarriage or premature labour linked to exercise.

He advised: “Keep within your comfort zone so that you can still hold a conversation.”

Sources: BBC NEWS:April 17,09

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Octopus Venom as Medicine

Octopus venom can treat allergies, cancer

An understanding of the structure and mode of action of venom found in all octopuses, cuttlefish and some squid can help design drugs for  conditions like pain management, allergies and cancer.

“Venoms are toxic proteins with specialised functions such as paralysing the nervous system,” Bryan Fry, biochemist from the University of Melbourne, said.

While many creatures have been examined as a basis for drug development, cephalopods (octopuses, cuttlefish and squid) which are venomous- going back to a common, ancient ancestor- remain an untapped resource and their venom may represent a unique class of compounds.

Fry, who led the study, said that while the blue-ringed octopus species remain the only group that are dangerous to humans, other species have been quietly using their venom for predatory activities.

Fry obtained tissue samples from cephalopods ranging from Hong Kong, the Coral Sea, the Great Barrier Reef and Antarctica.

The team then analysed the genes for venom production from the different species and found that a venomous ancestor produced one set of venom proteins, but over time, additional proteins were added to the species’ chemical arsenal.

The origin of these genes also sheds light on the fundamentals of evolution, presenting a prime example of convergent evolution where species independently develop similar traits, said a Melbourne release.

The team will now work on understanding why very different types of venomous animals seem to consistently settle on the similar venom protein composition, and which physical or chemical properties make them predisposed to be useful as toxin.

These findings were published in the Journal of Molecular Evolution.

Sources: The Times Of India

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Herbs & Plants

American False-Hellebore (Veratrum viride Ait)

 

Veratrum veride
Image via Wikipedia

Botanical Name:Veratrum viride Ait
Family: Melanthiaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Liliales
Genus: Veratrum
Species: V. viride
Other common names.—True veratrum, green veratrum American veratrum green hellebore, swamp hellebore, big hellebore, false hellebore, bear corn, bugbane, bugwort, devil’s-bite, earth gall, Indian poke, itchweed, tickleweed, duck-retter.
Indian Poke, Indian Hellebore, False Hellebore, Green False Hellebore)
Part used.—The rootstock, dug in autumn when the leaves have died down.

Habitat and range.—American false-hellebore is native in rich wet woods, swamps and wet meadows, its range extending from Canada, Alaska, and Minnesota south to Georgia and Tennessee.

In eastern North America, var. viride occurs from southwestern Labrador and southern Quebec south to northern Georgia. In the west, var. eschscholzianum occurs from Alaska and Northwest Territory south through Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon to northern California.

It is found in wet soils in meadows, sunny streambanks, and open forests, from sea level in the north of the range, up to 1,600 m in the southeast and 2,500 m in the southwest

Description.—The large bright-green leaves of this plant make their way through the ground early in spring, followed later in the season by a stout, erect leafy stem, sometimes growing as tall as 6 feet. It is round and solid, pale green, closely surrounded by the sheathing bases of the leaves and unbranched except in the flowering head. The large leaves, the lower ones of which are from 6 to 12 inches in length and 3 to 6 inches in width, are hairy and pleated like a fan. The numerous greenish-yellow flowers are produced from May to July in rather open clusters. The plant is very poisonous……...CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

It is extremely toxic, and is considered a pest plant by farmers with livestock. The species has acquired a large number of common names within its native range, including American False Hellebore, American White Hellebore, Bear Corn, Big Hellebore, Corn Lily, Devils Bite, Duck Retten, Indian Hellebore, Itch-weed, Itchweed, Poor Annie, Blue Hellebore, and Tickleweed.

It is a herbaceous perennial plant reaching 0.7–2 m tall, with a solid green stem. The leaves are spirally arranged, 10–35 cm long and 5–20 cm broad, elliptic to broad lanceolate ending in a short point, heavily ribbed and hairy on the underside. The flowers are numerous, produced in a large branched inflorescence 30–70 cm tall; each flower is 5–12 mm long, with six green to yellow-green tepals. The fruit is a capsule 1.5–3 cm long, which splits into three sections at maturity to release the numerous flat 8–10 mm diameter seeds. The plant reproduces through rhizome growth as well as seeds.

There are two varieties:
Veratrum viride var. viride. Eastern North America. Side branches of inflorescence erect or spreading.
Veratrum viride var. eschscholzianum (Roemer & Schultes) Breitung. Western North America. Side branches of inflorescence drooping.

The related western North American Veratrum californicum (White False Hellebore, Corn Lily) can be distinguished from sympatric var. eschscholzianum by its whiter flowers, with erect side branches of the inflorescence

Medicinal uses:
The plant is highly toxic, causing nausea and vomiting. If the poison is not evacuated, cold sweat and vertigo appears. Respiration slows, cardiac rhythm and blood pressure falls, eventually leading to death.

It is used externally by several Native American nations. Although is rarely ever used in modern herbalism due to its concentration of various alkaloids, it has been used in the past against high blood pressure and rapid heartbeat; a standardized extract of V. viride alkaloids known as alkavervir was used in the 1950s and 1960s as an antihypertensive.  The root contains even higher concentrations than the aerial parts.

Any use of this plant, especially internal use, should be carried out with great care and preferably only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.  A decoction of the root has been used in the treatment of venereal disease. The roots have been grated then chewed and the juice swallowed as a treatment for colds. A poultice of the mashed raw root has been used as a treatment for rheumatism, boils, sores, cuts, swellings and burns. The dried and ground up root has been used as a dressing on bruises and sores. A poultice of the chewed root has been applied to rattlesnake bites to draw out the poison. The powdered root has been rubbed on the face to allay the pain of toothache.  A decoction of the root has been taken orally by both men and women as a contraceptive. A dose of one teaspoon of this decoction three times a day for three weeks is said to ensure permanent sterility in women.

The plant was used by some tribes to elect a new leader. All the candidates would eat the root, and the last to start vomiting would become the new leader.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/herbhunters/falsehellebore.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veratrum_viride

http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_C.htm

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Featured

What Makes Our Teeth Resilient to Wear and Tear

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Despite all the crunching and munching at every meal, our teeth remain stronger to go under some more tests each day, and now   researchers have attributed this resilience to the microscopic “basket-weave” structure of human tooth enamel.

Tooth enamel, which forms the outer coating of teeth, is a strong but brittle substance.

Although the brittleness of teeth is comparable to that of glass, they can last a lifetime without cracking to pieces.

“It’s a bit of a mystery as to why they don’t just fall apart,” Live Science quoted co-author of the new study Brian Lawn, of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, as saying.

For the study, the researchers extracted teeth from humans, sea otters and a few other animals, and subjected them to loading from a metal rod, sort of a worst-case scenario bite.

Lawn explained that the study was aimed to “see how much force [the teeth] could withstand before they break.”

The team found that the basket-weave-like microstructure of the enamel kept any cracks that did form from propagating through the enamel and breaking apart the tooth.

This finding explains why dentists can examine the teeth of older people and find that “the teeth are full of cracks, and yet the teeth remain intact,” said Lawn.

Enamel thickness and the size of teeth can also affect how resilient they are to a lifetime of chomping.
Anthropologists could use the above information about enamel to piece together dental evolution in primates and animals in general.

They can even use it to speculate what early humans might have chowed down on.

The structure of enamel could also be used to develop similarly resilient substances, including better replacement teeth.

Click to see:->Prevention of Tooth Dekay

Sources: The Times Of India

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Birthing Chair to Give Relief to Mothers

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The problem of excruciating delivery pain experienced by women during childbirth seems to have found an answer in birthing chairs, now  popular in the west.

A private hospital in Kolkata is all set to introduce birthing chairs for would-be-mothers to reduce the painful process to some extent.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

“Birthing chair helps women deliver much easily in shorter time. We will soon have one such chair in our hospital to begin with,” said Kamal K. Dutta, diplomate of American Board of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and chairman and managing director of Ruby General Hospital.

In India delivery takes place in lying posture. But he said, “During earlier days, around 100 years back, people used to give birth in sitting postures. They used to sit and push and the gravity helped the baby come out. Let us help the mother to deliver.”

Describing the utility of the chair, being introduced for the first time in eastern India, he said it is more comfortable and hoped women here would slowly start accepting this new technique.

“At first we will import one chair from the US. And display it in the maternity unit and show it to the pregnant women and make them aware of its utility,” Dutta, a non-resident Indian, said.

Each chair costs around $20,000.

“In the first stage the mother is lying on the bed, then she has the urge to push the baby out and the whole process becomes convenient in sitting posture. It is difficult to do this while lying on the bed,” he said.

Dutta laid stress on increasing the number of normal delivery in India compared to caesarean.

“We are keen to increase the number of normal deliveries in India. Normal deliveries are safer and reduce the chances of infection and bleeding after delivery,” he said.

In the US, 70% of deliveries are done on the birthing chair.

To increase awareness among people, Dutta is planning to start pre-natal classes to educate pregnant women. “We will show them the video of normal and caesarean delivery, the birthing chair and let them decide which one they want to opt for.”

In his bid to popularise normal delivery, he said, “We will guarantee that there will be no pain. We will use epidural anaesthesia to continuously decrease the labour pain.”

Epidural anaesthesia is a local anaesthesia to reduce to pain.

Dutta, who left India in 1976 for the US, practises at New Jersey and is a Fellow of American College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, says he wants to break the ‘myth of pregnancy’.

“Here people are scared of the pain, that’s why they opt for caesarean delivery. Let’s see whether we can break the myth,” he said.

Leelavathi Hospital in Mumbai already has a birthing chair.

Noted gynaecologist S Dawn expressed happiness at the birthing chair becoming available in eastern India, but said the cost could be prohibitive.

“This is a good drive that someone is bringing the chair into this region. It will give some comfort to the patients. But one should have proper infrastructure and this is an expensive way,” said Dawn, also secretary general of Narchi, an NGO of doctors.

Sources: The Times Of India

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