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Physiology

3 days ago

Braving the Elements: What Extreme Cold Does to the Human Body

Want to learn how the human body holds up to extreme cold? There’s no better example than one of the most chilling mysteries of the 20th century: the Dyatlov Pass incident. On February 1, 1959, nine hikers died on a skiing expedition through Russia’s Ural Mountains. They fled their tent in the middle of the night, cutting it open from the inside, and staggered outside into minus-30-degree-Fahrenheit temperatures. Weeks later, they were found in various stages of undress and with bizarre injuries. One hiker had bitten off part of his right hand. Why would seasoned mountaineers behave so bizarrely? Grab your warmest detective’s hat. To solve this decades-old mystery, we’ll explore the harmful effects extreme cold has on the human body. The Science Behind Extreme Cold The human body works best at around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit

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Aging

2 weeks ago

The Search for the Cure for Alzheimer’s Disease

With no cure available, Alzheimer’s disease is devastating. Someone living with the disease may not know what month it is, when they last ate or how to articulate their feelings. With shifting levels of confusion and memory problems, those with Alzheimer’s rarely know if they’re going to have a good day or a bad one. This is the reality for the over 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s. By 2050, that number could nearly double. But there is hope. Could one of the over 120 drugs being tested in clinical trials be the one? Could there be more good days on the horizon? To find out, let’s take a closer look at Alzheimer’s and the ongoing effort to find a cure. What Is Alzheimer’s Disease and What Causes It? Alzheimer’s is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that worsens with time

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Physiology

1 month ago

Biotechnology in Cardiovascular Care: How Targeted Drug Delivery Is Saving Lives

Every 1.5 seconds, someone dies of cardiovascular disease. It’s the world’s leading killer, responsible for 38% of premature deaths under 70 and 19.8 million lives lost in 2022. Those aren’t just numbers — they’re parents, siblings and friends. Now, imagine you walk into a hospital bracing for bad news, only to hear your cardiologist say, “We’ll just grow you a new blood vessel. Maybe even an entire heart.” Thanks to biotechnology, this will soon sound less like science fiction. Let’s look at how biotechnology advances are transforming heart care and saving lives. What Is Targeted Therapy for Heart Care? Imagine you could fix a broken heart by simply mending it, one piece at a time. It’s like patching a leaky pipe in a building: You don’t demolish the whole thing right away, right? You try to fix the problem exactly where it is first. This is how targeted therapy for cardiovascular conditions works, too. Right now, scientists can: Grow heart tissue in a lab to patch damaged areas Edit faulty genes that cause disease Send medicine directly to the part of the heart that needs it (while leaving healthy parts alone) Getting Medicine to the Right Place Here’s the tricky part: It’s not just about what to treat the heart with, but how to get it exactly where it’s needed

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Physiology

1 month ago

The Global Dialysis Crisis: Challenges and Pathways to Universal Access

Currently, more than 2 million people worldwide undergo recurring dialysis treatments to address their failing kidneys, in hopes that the treatment will help maintain their overall health and well-being. Despite this seemingly significant number, did you know that there are around 18 million people who require dialysis treatments but face challenges in accessing them? In this article, we’re examining what dialysis is and exploring some possible solutions for the pressing questions posed above, aiming to unravel this underlying healthcare disparity. What Is Dialysis—and Why Do So Many People Need It? Your kidneys are responsible for filtering waste from your blood. When they stop functioning properly due to acute kidney injury or kidney failure, dialysis helps to remove the waste that your kidneys cannot. Dialysis patients typically undergo their treatments at hospitals, dialysis centers or at home. During each session, blood is drawn from the body through an access area connected by a needle. Once withdrawn, the blood is filtered through a dialysis machine to remove harmful substances before being returned to the body. Without these treatments, individuals with kidney failure experience a buildup of toxins and potential fluid retention in the body

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Careers

1 month ago

Spotlight on Career Paths: Biostatistician

Today’s data-driven fields see fewer errors and more reliable outcomes, and biostatistics is no exception. This rapidly growing field focuses on data collected about living things. The implications for human health are huge, including new, more effective treatments.

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Physiology

2 months ago

7 Surprising Effects of Sugar on the Body

If you enjoy a sweet treat after dinner (or even lunch — we don’t judge), you’re in good company. In one study, 61% of U.S. adults reported finding their own little moment of happiness in something sweet on any given day. Whether your favorite treat is gummies, chocolate, ice cream or cookies, chances are it’s packed with sugar.

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Physiology

2 months ago

Depression Symptoms in Men and Women: What Sets Them Apart?

Imagine a dirty bedroom. The bed is unmade, clothes are strewn across the floor and water bottles decorate every surface. You want to clean. You know you should, but you can’t. Where do you start? It’s so overwhelming. Even though you want a clean room more than anything, you can’t bring yourself to do anything.

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Physiology

3 months ago

The Science Behind Blushing from Embarrassment

Can you think of the last time you felt embarrassed in public? Maybe you tripped over a chair during a work meeting or fumbled your words during a presentation. Whatever the reason, did you feel the telltale signs of embarrassment?

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Aging

3 months ago

Understanding the Physiological Effects of Aging: Part Two

Aging is a complex process that affects every part of our body, from the surface of our skin to the intricate systems working underneath. In Part One of this series, we discussed the external and internal changes related to the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. However, many significant changes also occur within our immune, nervous and digestive systems: ones that can profoundly affect our quality of life as we grow older. In Part Two of the series, we’ll explore what these systems do, the changes that occur with age and how they can influence your health.

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Aging

4 months ago

Understanding the Physiological Effects of Aging: Part One

If you finally get around to sorting through those old boxes in your garage, you might stumble upon photos of you and your loved ones over the years. As you sift through them, you’ll likely notice physical changes: graying hair, fine lines, and maybe even a few extra pounds. But what about the changes no photo can capture? While a picture might be worth a thousand words, it can’t tell the full story of how time affects the body on a deeper, physiological level. Let’s take a closer look at some of the body’s systems and the physiological effects of aging to better understand the full impact of getting older. Exterior Changes As we age, changes to our outer appearance are often the most noticeable: Skin At 30, you could probably bump your arm on the sharp edge of the countertop and walk away unscathed. Two decades later, the same accident might result in an unwanted scratch or bruise. This is due to a reduction in collagen production, which makes the skin less elastic and more prone to scrapes and bruises

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