GLOBAL WARMING ISSUE

Though the issue of global warming is nothing new to us, we are still not able to curtail it or its harmful effects.

Global warming is negatively affecting life on earth, and things will continue to get worse if we do not control the factors resulting in global warming.

Since the 1950s, the climb in average temperature of the earth’s environment is affecting the natural balance. Global warming is harmfully affecting life on earth, and things will continue to worsen if we do not control the factors leading to global warming.

The extensive burning of fossil fuel began with the industrial revolution, which is in fact is a major source of greenhouse gas releases, especially carbon dioxide. Industrial development, coal mining, gas field leakages and car emissions all contribute to the occurrence of global warming. 

 Agriculture is another major cause of global warming. About 14% of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are released by agriculture and farming. Livestock farming, on the other hand, emits huge amounts of methane, a major contributor to world’s greenhouse gases. Conditions are made worse by deforestation and using the cleared land for farming, thus contributing to a vicious cycle.

Global warming is a serious issue which needs immediate attention of the scientific community, governments, corporate sector and consumers of industrial and agricultural products. We need to learn to curtail our consumption rates and ensure the preservation of the earth’s resources. Above all, we need to respect our planet and the life on it, its natural reserves and its conservation. 

Oxygen and Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries

The spinal cord is the nest most important organ next to the brain. It sends signals from and to the brain. It is a collection of nerves which is bound together for reception and delivery of commands and signals to the rest of the body. When the spinal cord is damaged, these signals get disrupted, failing to reach the brain. This causes back pain, difficulty in walking or paralysis in severe cases. Spinal cord injuries are usually started with a fracture or dislocation of vertebrae, the bone disks which make the spinal cord.  A spinal cord gets injured when pieces of vertebrae, tear into the cord tissue or presses on nerves which carry signals to the brain.

Damaging the spinal cord should be dealt with utmost urgency, only then it can reduce the long-term effects. Medicines, braces or traction to stabilize the spine and surgery are a few of the treatments used for spinal injuries. Rehabilitation therapy for spinal cord injuries is an essential element in the treatment.

A recent study has shown that the treatment of spinal cord can be cured by providing the bpdy with a proper amount of Oxygen. The oxygen treatment releases a brain chemical named serotonin, which transmits messages from one nerve cell to another. Low oxygen levels release growth factors which repair the nerves and improve their plasticity. The study showed positive responses as they were in a position to walk 33 feet before the oxygen treatment and afterwards an increase in the distance in six minutes by 328 feet was observed.

Bentham Science Publishers is a well-known name in the publishing industry. One of its eBook is “Frontiers in Clinical Drug Research – Central Nervous System Volume 1” that presents the latest research and clinical studies on the central nervous system (CNS). It covers a range of topics such as the development and pathophysiology of the brain and spinal cord, physiological sites of drug action in the CNS and clinical findings on drugs used to treat CNS defects due to injury or impaired development. 

Narcolepsy-A Neurological Disorder:

It is a neurological disorder triggered as a result of brain`s failure to regulate sleep-wake cycles. The patients suffering from this medical condition can experience excessive sleep during day time and cataplexy. Hallucinations, sleep-paralysis and Insomnia are some of the major symptoms of this disorder.

The researchers have discovered that the narcolepsy patients have blood T cells which react to a particular hyprocretin protein. T cells are an essential part of immune system which fights against infection. It might be possible to treat narcolepsy with an immune-suppressing therapy.

Bentham Science Publishers is one of the remarkable STM publishers in the world. CNS &Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets aims to cover all the latest and outstanding developments on the medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, molecular biology, genomics and biochemistry of contemporary molecular targets involved in neurological and central nervous system (CNS) disorders. This journal publishes guest edited thematic issues written by leaders in the field covering a range of current topics of CNS & neurological drug targets. For further details, please visit:

http://www.benthamscience.com/cdtcnsnd/index.htm

RECURRENT ANGER AND CHRNOIC INFLAMMATION:

The CNN health clarifies that Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) is a behavioral disorder distinguished by intense expressions of anger. Inflammation is the body`s effort to prevent the body from internal and external pathogens. Whenever the body experiences a danger, it responds by blowing up the specific body organ and starts the healing procedure.

Every time when the anger is triggered, the patients affecting with the Intermittent Explosive Disorder completely lose control on minor issues, hurt people and throw belongings.

Through research analysis, it is concluded that the elevated level of interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein which indicates inflammation in blood, are said to be interconnected with the aggressive and impulsive behavior in people.

The affected patients can be treated with the help of behavioral therapy and medication, even though these procedures are less efficient. Other medical complications are also associated with the people suffering from this disorder such as stroke, arthritis and heart attack.

Bentham Science Publishers is one of the remarkable STM publishing companies. One of their latest journals is “Inflammation & Allergy - Drug Targets”. This journal has become essential reading for all pharmaceutical scientists involved in drug discovery and development.

Schizophrenia And Smoking!! What’s The Connection?

One of the most complex mental disorders – Schizophrenia, involves chronic and severe disabling in the brain. The cause for this illness is still unknown, though researchers believe that this chemical imbalance is multifactorially inherited, which means that there are many factors involved for its cause.  A combination of genes from parents and other factors that contribute to its development are genetic, behavioral and environmental.

According to WHO, Schizophrenia affects about 24 million people worldwide. Men and women are equally affected; however its symptoms appear earlier in men than in women.  Usually men are affected in early teens or 20s, whereas women suffer from it during 20s or early 30s. Children suffer from the same symptoms as adults, although they only experience auditory hallucinations early on. Other symptoms appear later in their mid-adolescence or older.

According to a new research, 75 % of the people suffering from schizophrenia smoke. This is a rate thrice as much as the smokers in the general population. Moreover, Schizophrenics inhale more deeply and smoke more frequently than the smokers in general.

Scientists think that nicotine in tobacco may contribute in reducing the symptoms of schizophrenia temporarily. People with this condition are not consciously aware of this addiction, that by smoking they are actually self-medicating. The bad luck however is, that it increases other risk factors like cancer, lung cancer, heart disease, stroke and early death.

Consulting a doctor is important before concluding the symptoms to be schizophrenic, as they may look similar to conditions in other mental disorders.  A psychiatrics then participate in a comprehensive set of mental health evaluation to determine the best treatment for the patient.

CANCER, A DIFFICULT BATTLE TO WIN!

Cancer, a disease the makes the patient weak and tired and eventually causing a painful death. The treatment itself is a process extremely agonizing for the patient. Cancer patients fight a battle that usually causes them to lose. In this hour of depression, cancer patients need a lot of support and empathy, along with proper care from the family and friends as according to Elisabeth Kubler Ross:

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” (Elisabeth Kubler-Ross)

There are maximum chances of survival for the cancer patients as soon as the disease is detected and proper medications and treatment should be given at priority. There are various types of cancer such as breast cancer, thyroid cancer, blood cancer, lungs cancer etc. For details about breast cancer-its causes and precautionary measures please visit:

http://thereviewscience.wordpress.com/2013/11/26/breast-cancer-causes-and-precautionery-measures/

The signs and symptoms of the person reaching the final weeks of life include progressive weakness and fatigue, weight loss, dryness of the person`s lips and mouth, loss of interest in all the activities, reduced ability to talk and focus. These symptoms vary from person to person as the person has different metabolism level.

Severe pain often makes it difficult for an affected pserson to feel comfortable as he or she dies. When death occurs, the person's muscles will relax, breathing will stop, the heart will stop beating, and there will be no pulse.

Bentham science has published a number of open access journals online, dedicated to the cause of educating women about this disease.

Formation of Kidney via Stem Cells:

Researchers have designed a procedure that prompts stem cell to organize itself into a mini-kidney which is expected to be a breakthrough development for the patients suffering from kidney diseases.

Kidneys are bean-shaped organs, and a reprocessing machine in our bodies. They are located in the middle and back, below the low rib cage and one on each side of the spine. Every day, a person’s kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood and purify them from waste products and additional water, which eventually become urine. The bladder stores urine until releasing it through urination.

University of Queensland researchers announced on December 13, 2013 that they have created a kidney using stem cells. They are calling it a breakthrough treatment for patients suffering from acute kidney diseases. The field of bioengineering will also have a broader future research prospect with the emergence of these stem cells kidneys.  Her team designed a protocol that prompts stem cells to form all the required cell types to self-organize into a mini-kidney in a dish.

This research could cater some of the demands for transplant organs and improvisation for medical testing of new drugs for kidney related diseases.

Bentham Science Publishers is one of the leading journals in the STM industry. It has journals and eBooks pertaining to topics from science, medicine, technology and the like. One of its high impact factor journals is “Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy”  having articles on the current development. 

Gene Therapy: The Curative Treatment:

Bentham Science Publishers, a renowned publisher that publishes 116 print and online journals, associated print/online book series and 150 plus open access journals. Bentham Science Publishers serves the needs of scientists, doctors, scholars and researchers in the fields of engineering, pharmaceutical, medical, biomedical, medical, technology, social sciences and computers. One of its leading journals include Current Gene Therapy (Impact Factor 5.318), which is indexed in Biotechnology Citation Index^®, Science Citation Index Expanded™, and Index to Scientific Reviews®, Current Contents® /Life Sciences, Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition and many more. In this Journal, the recent gene therapy trends are discussed.

The drug developers and researchers are working hard to find out new ways of eliminating infection and illnesses. The most recent discovery for the treatment of various conditions is gene therapy. This is a sort of treatment in which a healthy gene is introduced into the patient’s tissues and cell, and replaces it with the lethal mutant allele. The outcome of this therapy is promising; however there is always a room for expansion and improvement.

A recent study of the researcher in Italy suggests that if a mutated gene is transmitted into a children body, who is suffering from Wiskott - Aldrich syndrome, Metachromatic Leukodystrophy can be cured effectively by replacing the effected gene from healthy gene. The development of a child is affected if he is suffering from Metachromatic Leukodystrophy. However, Wiskott - Aldrich syndrome leads to a weaker immune system in kids.

The success of the gene therapy, assures that the other diseases can be treated in the same manner to achieve better results.

Bad Food Habits and Depression:

Science has observed and researched on the fact that people tend to eat more than regular when they depressed. Women usually indulge in eating sweet items and men in fast food items. It is a norm but it cannot be classified specifically for either men or women.

A thorough and detailed research was carried out, regarding depression. According to the researches, depression and diet may be related, as a bad diet can actually make you depressed. Researchers looked at the relationship between depression and food, by observing the eating habits of more than 40,000 middle-aged working men and women, during the last five years.

The people who were not suffering from depression had better eating habits than their counterparts i.e. the people with depression. It was observed that , people who ate fruits, green vegetables and fish were reported less likely to be depressed. Researchers believe that people following a particular diet can help protect them from various diseases. For instance, Mediterranean diet includes fruits, fish and vegetables limiting meat and dairy products, have decreased the chances of suffering from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. When people start ingesting high-fat dairy products, fried fast food, processed meat, desserts, chocolates, they became more vulnerable to depression by the end of the study. Hence, regular intake of junk food caused depression in majority of the participants.

Research indicates that 51 % of the people, vulnerable to depression eat junk food like pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs etc. Fizzy drinks, white rice, pasta and bagels are some of the other foods are considered to show symptoms of depression in men and women.

Bentham Science Publishers is one of the most reputable names present in the STM industry. They have a variety of resources available including subscription-based journals and eBooks on topics varying from science, medical, drug discovery to natural science, technology and the like. One of its journals is “Current Nutrition & Food Science”.

The New Age of Drug Designing

Drug design is the term which refers to the ingenious process of finding new drug to help the field of medicine. This drug is usually an organic molecule, which attaches itself to a biomolecule. It can either obstruct or initiate the biomolecule, resulting in therapeutic benefit to the patient.

The drug design of the 21^st century is using the computer as helping in making the drug. The essential goal of Computer Aided Drug Design is to predict whether a particular molecule will bind itself to the host (and start the process) and if yes, then how strong will be the bond.

In the field of drug design, molecular dynamics (MD) is used to study various macromolecules as well as macro-molecule small molecule interactions. This technique provides dynamic information of macromolecular processes. Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSAR) establishes a mathematical correlation between the chemical structures of a set of compounds as well as biological activities.

Bentham Science Journal “Current Computer-Aided Drug Design” aims to publish all the latest developments in drug design based on computational techniques. The field of computer-aided drug design has had extensive impact in the area of drug design. Current Computer-Aided Drug Design is an essential journal for all medicinal chemists who wish to be kept informed and up-to-date with all the latest and important developments in computer-aided methodologies and their applications in drug discovery. This journal has an impact factor of 1.54 and is indexed in agencies like MEDLINE, Pub Med, EMBASE and SCOPUS.

10) A Possible Cure for Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) or Sickle Cell Anemia (SCA) is a hereditary blood disorder, in which the red blood cells transform into a ‘sickle’ shape. It disrupts the natural circulation of blood. This mutation of the red blood cells can be extremely dangerous for the patients. Not only it can make the patient anemic, it can also reduce the life expectancy. SCD is hereditary. In simpler words, the cell change their shape from ‘disc like’ to ‘sickle’ shape when the DNA of a new born baby send signal to transform the hemoglobin (the Oxygen carrying component of the red blood cells) from ‘fetal’ to ‘adult’.

Recent studies in the discipline of Hematology (the study of blood), have proved that the chances of an individual getting SCD can be reduced. According to the research, the researchers used a specialized tool, a genetically engineered zinc finger (ZF) protein, which they custom-designed to latch onto a specific DNA site carrying the code for fetal hemoglobin. They attached the ZF to another protein that forced a chromatin loop to form. The loop then activated gene expression that produced embryonic hemoglobin in blood-forming cells from adult mice.

The researchers had the same result when they experimented on human blood. Now the team of researchers will continue investigations aimed at moving their research toward clinical application.

Bentham Science Publishers is one of the leading STM publishers in the industry. It has more than 116 online and print journals, 150 plus Open Access journals, and related print/online book series. One of the numerous eBooks is, Immunology of Pregnancy 2013, which is a complete compendium of gynecological immunology, spanning from fecundation to delivery.

[This article is based on the news: ‘Flipping a Gene Switch Reactivates Fetal Hemoglobin, May Reverse Sickle Cell Disease’ by ScienceDaily.com] 

Sleep is a Blessing in More Than One Ways!

Sleeping is known to perform many significant functions like fusion of memories and recharging cells, but it has been associated with cerebral rubbish removal for the first time.

A new research study advocates that sleep is crucial to relax your brain cells, which shrinks approximately 60% and clean cellular garbage more efficiently. Researchers believe that sleep actually consumes more energy than that utilized by us when we are awake. This is proof of the fact that brain is not idle during the sleep, but is rather involved in performing critical brain functions. While the body is powered down, the glymphatic system activates up to 10 times more than when the brain is awake. It becomes easier for the fluid to clean the brain passages. When we are sleeping, proteins that are responsible for diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders are also flushed out of the system more effectively.

There are two crucial systems, which are needed to be mentioned here; the lymphatic system and the glymphatic system. The Lymphatic system is responsible for sanitizing our bodies, which is not sufficient to clean our brains due to brain’s blood barrier. In contrast, glymphatic system comprises of a cerebrospinal fluid that makes it easier to reach the brain, and extract the waste products and other toxins during our sleep.

I would highly recommend “The Open Sleep Journal” from Bentham Science Publishers. Bentham Science is a major STM publisher with more than 200 extensively peer-reviewed Open Access Journals. For a full list of Bentham Open, you can log on to http://benthamscience.com/open/a-z.htm. 

Tuberculosis (TB)

Tuberculosis is also known as TB. A pathogen known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the exact cause of this contagious infection. In this disease, the lungs of the human body are mostly affected, but it can also spread to numerous other organs of the body such as circulatory system, lymphatic system and central nervous system.

The bacteria within the lungs of the tuberculosis affected patients grow faster and lead to pneumonia along with prolonged cough, chest pain and coughing with blood.

Tuberculosis can be treated with the help of medicines but the time span of treatment takes much longer time (seven to nine months) than any other bacterial virus.

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. For further Details, you can visit: http://www.benthamscience.com/ebooks/9781608057887/index.htm

Dangers of Dengue Fever:

Dengue Fever afflicts thousands of people and is a leading cause of disease and death worldwide. Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, is a viral infectious disease which is transmitted by a special type of mosquito known as “Aedes Aegypti”. It attacks the blood cells, spleen and liver and causes the white blood cells to reduce and disturbs the blood clotting components known as Platelets.

The most common symptoms of dengue fever include body ache, fatigue, high fever with headache, abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting and dry cough. The fever usually persists for about two weeks and leaves the patient in a fragile state of health.

The most important thing in dengue is to control the high fever. Paracetamol is usually administered in this case, while the use of antibiotic should be avoided because it further decreases the platelets and blood cell count.

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, we must take certain safety measures in order to avoid catching dengue or to prevent it from spreading. To prevent mosquito bites, wear long pants and long sleeves. Mosquito Repellant Sprays should be used in areas where dengue is prevalent. Regular blood tests should be conducted to monitor the platelet and blood cell count.

Bentham Science Publishers’ journal “Anti-Infective Agents” publishes original research, expert reviews, drug clinical trial studies and guest edited issues on all the latest and outstanding developments on the medicinal chemistry, biology, pharmacology and use of anti-infective and anti-parasitic agents. You can log on to http://www.benthamscience.com/rptelc/index.htm for further details.  

Inflammation; A Warning sign for The Immune System:

Inflammation is a process which involves body’s way of fighting against external and internal pathogen. When the body is under a threat, it reacts by inflating a particular body part. Inflating serves as a red alert and healing process starts.

This healing process is body’s inborn way to protect our immune system. For instance, if your ankle gets strained, the body’s response would be to inflate that particular area, so that healing could start. It not only heals wounds speedily, but effectively. When an inflammation is felt in the body, our instance, response is to soothe it by resting.  The basic reason aim of inflammation is to heal anything which is harming our bodies.

Inflammation is of two kinds; acute and chronic. In acute inflammation, the body reacts once it gets septic with infections. It shows symptoms of redness, pain and heat swelling on the injury. At this point, the acute inflammation treats the injured tissues and reverts back, but if acute inflammation gets prolonged it becomes chronic. Chronic inflammation stays on the infected tissue for many years. 

Bentham Science Publishers is one of the leading STM publishing companies. It publishes 116 online and print journals, 150 plus open access journals, and related print/online book series. One of the eBooks is “Surgical Inflammation”. Readers of this book will have the chance of gaining a unique perspective about of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the multiple inflammatory conditions.

AN IMPORTANT HEALTH ISSUE: CHOLESTROL

Cholesterol is an important health concern and proper safety measures should be taken in order to keep the cholesterol level under control. Those patients with fluctuating cholesterol level are at an acute risk of developing a heart disease.

The research analysis has shown that the researchers in India have developed a non-invasive way for the testing of cholesterol. A digital camera is used by them to execute the total cholesterol test. The pictures of the back of the patient`s hand are taken by using this camera.

The captured images of the new patients are then cropped and compared with the already existing captured photos within the database of known cholesterol levels.

However, the total cholesterol test is a very useful indicator but further detailed analysis has been required in order to distinguish between the two types of cholesterol, classified as HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) and LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein).

Bentham Science Publishers’ Journal “Recent Patents on Cardiovascular Drug Discovery” publishes various articles on clinical drug trial studies and guest edited thematic issues on recent patents in the field of cardiovascular drug discovery. This Bentham Journal is a helpful guide for all researchers involved in the cardiovascular drug design and discovery. For more information, you can check http://www.benthamscience.com/prc/index.htm