Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Just today I found out that my Aunt's father, who is probably in his late 80's has pneumonia.  He has a fever and is in the ICU.  In class we learned that pneumonia occurs when there is an inflammation of the lower airways.  The lungs restrict air to alveoli, which results in a decrease in oxygen exchange.  The alveoli fill with fibrinouse exudate.  Symptoms of pneumonia consist of sputum production, cough and fever.  We have also learned that long hospital or nursing facility stays can result in an acquired pneumonia.  My Aunt's father has been staying at a nursing home but has been freequently in and out of the hospital.  I am aware that a lot of ICU patients receive feeding tubes, ventiliators, or other such artificial means of keeping people alive.  I was curious as to whether or not a pneumonia patient would be put on a ventilator.  The website (provided below) I found stated that ventilators can cause pneumonia in a patient that has been on a ventilator more than 48 hours.  Ventilator-associated pneumonia occurs when the lung parenchyma and the lower respiratory tract get invaded by microorganisms.  Ventilation compromises the ability of the trachea and the oropharynx which allows gastric and oral secretions to block the lower airways. 

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/304836-overview

Can Concussions Cause Dementia?

Recently I found out that the NFL star Alex Karras; who played Mongo in "Blazing Saddles", is suing the NFL for not protecting him from getting concussions which caused his dementia.  After hearing that I wanted to find out if someone can actually get dementia from getting numerous concussions.  In class we learned that dementia can result in intellectual defects, memory changes, behavioral disturbances, and signs of mental deterioration.  We also learned that the causes of dementia were nutritional deficienciess, anemia, medicines, and depression.  When I researched the correlation between concussions and dementia I found out that concussions could potentially cause dementia (link below).  Concussions can damage brain tissue, nerves, and blood vessels in the brain.  Concussions can result in a decline of cognition which leads to dementia. 

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/dementia_in_head_injury/article_em.htm

Alchohol's Affect on Neurotransmitters

This week we learned that there are three different types of neurons in our body.  Sensory neurons carry impulses from the sense organs to the spinal cord and brain.  The motor neurons takes the impulses from the spinal cord and brain to the muscles and glands.  The connector neurons simply carry the impulse message from one neuron to the next.  First our body receives impulses in the sensory neurons.  The sensory neurons carry the impulses to the motor neurons.  From the motor neurons the impulses are carried to the connector neuron.  I found online that alcohol consumption can affect the chemical signals that are transferred in the synaptic cleft.  Alcohol either slows down or entirely stops the neurotransmitter from attaching to the receptor cell. (Website below).

http://www.bloodalcohol.info/how-alcohol-affects-the-brain.php

Pacemakers

This week in class we learned about the circulatory system.  The heart consists of two atria and two ventricles.  The atria receives blood from the veins and sends the blood to the ventricles.  The ventricles receive the blood from the atria and pump the blood out through the arteries.  We also learned as we age there is a decrease in oxygen delivered to the muscles.  Cardiac output and heart rate also decrease as you age.  My Grandfather has had a pacemaker ever since I was little.  I was told that it was to maintain his heart rate.  We also had to tell him if we were using the microwave because the microwave could either stop the pacemaker or adjust the heart rate it was set at.  Supposedly the newer pacemakers are not affected by the use of the microwave.  Recently he had a new pacemaker implanted.  Not only do pacemakers help the heart rate they also help heart arrhythmia's, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure.  The small device itself is placed in the abdomen or the chest.  The device gives out electrical pulses to control the heart rate.  (information on the pacemaker below)

http://www.medicinenet.com/pacemaker/article.htm

Chochlear Implants

In class we learned that the ear catches sounds then converts the sounds into nerve impulses that travel to the brain.  We also learned that the cochlea is in the inner part of the ear.  The cochlea receives the sound vibrations and then transfers it into nerve impulses.  I am a big fan of watching the T.V. show Grey's Anatomy.  During an episode a couple of seasons ago, I remember watching a cute little boy trick or treating for ears on a Halloween episode.  I have yet to find a clip of the boy.  The little boy needed cochlear implants.  After learning about ears this week I wanted to see how these cochlear implants actually worked.  The cochlear implants go around the cochlea and uses its own electrical signals that stimulate the auditory nerve.  The small round device can be seen on the scalp. The device from the scalp also runs through the ear, into the ear lobe and past the cochlea.  There is a picture of a cochlear implant on the website I got the information from.  http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/eyes/cochlear.html

Foods that contain dopamine

This week we learned that Parkinson's disease is caused by a lack of dopamine.  The dopamine provides us with muscle control.  The dopamine producing cells are found in the midbrain known as the substantia nigra.  I looked online and found a couple of foods that contain dopamine (website below).  Beans, sunflower seeds, bananas, and nuts all have dopamine.  Eating these foods may help prevent Parkinson's and slow down the disease once it is diagnosed.  I have heard that walnuts are good for the brain, and coincidentally look like a brain. 




http://www.livestrong.com/article/469252-what-foods-have-dopamine-to-prevent-parkinsons-disease/

Rotator cuff injury

In high school my close friend who I played softball with tore one of her rotator cuff tendons.  She recieved injections of cortisone into the tendon.  I would make fun of her for taking steroids because cortisone is a type of steroid.  The cortisone provided her with some relief from the pain but it did not heal it.  Our rotator cuff is made up of muscles and tendons that give our arms a wide range of motion.  The muscles connect to the tendons which then connect your shoulder blade to the upper arm(see link below).  In class we learned how muscles do not touch the bone directly and they touch the bones through the tendons.  A tendon is formed out of three different types of collagen fibers coming together at the ends of muscles.  The epimysium fiber surrounds the whole muscle.  The perimysium surrounds the groups of muscle fibers known as a fascicle.  The endomysium surrounds the individual muscle fibers.  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rotator-cuff-injury/DS00192

Bone Marrow Transplant

This week in class we learned names of two types of bones that are in our bodies.  The first type of bone is known as the trabecular or spongy bone.  The trabecular bone is not found throughout the whole bone.  The trabecular bone is found at the ends of the bone.  It also provides us with weight-bearing support.  The cortical or compact bone is on the outsides of the shaft of the long bone.  I am aware that stem cells can be taken from our bone marrow.  I was not previously aware that the bone marrow comes from the spongy bone instead of the compact bone(link below).  The bone marrow donor must have cells that mach that of the recipient's.  This type of transplant is called an allogenic transplant.  For those who have cancer, new healthy cells can help kill cancer cells.  Allogenic transplants are commonly used for bone marrow cancer and other bone diseases. 

http://www.drugs.com/cg/bone-marrow-or-stem-cell-transplantation.html

Melanoma Scanner

In class we learned that there are two types of skin cancer: melanoma and nonmelanoma.  Melanoma skin cancer appears to be darker colored.  The nonmelanoma skin cancer contains white-ish or pink cells.  There are two types of nonmelanoma squamous cell carcinoma in the epidermis layer and basal cell carcinoma in the basal layer. A Pop Sci news article(link to the article provided below) stated that there is a handheld device that can detect melanoma.  The laser device uses Raman spectroscopy in order to identify the types of molecular bonds that are in the skin growth.  The device relates the laser scan to a database of melanoma cases.  If the laser detects melanoma the device lights up green.  If no melanoma is detected then it lights up red.  This device only helps Physicians who are taking an educated guess on whether the skin growth is melanoma or not without getting a diagnosis through a biopsy.  For a person who may be anxious about a possible case of melanoma skin cancer this device could provide some relief.  Biopsy results would take days and maybe weeks to get any information back.  For the physician it would be another expense for their practice. Also the physician may be hesistant to entirely rely on a technology for a skin cancer diagnosis.   

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-01/new-handheld-melanoma-scanner-instantly-identifies-skin-cancers-laser-light

Can too much calcium for women actually be a bad thing?

In class we learned that our fingernail and toenail growth begins to slow down as we age.  We also learned that the elderly are more likely to have a thicker calcium deposition in their nails.  I am aware of the fact that if we do not have enough calcium we can start to develop osteoporosis.  Although I found online (website provided below) more specifically for women over the age of forty, they can may actually have toxic levels of calcium.  This is due to the fact that some women may have a metabolic problem where it places the calcium in their soft tissues instead of their bones.  Excess calcium deposits in the fingernail and toenails make them tear more easily.

 http://www.cybernation.com/livingston/meltdown/calcium.php

Get rid of age spots!

Recently I have begun to drink lemon ginger tea with honey and apple cider vinegar to clear my sinuses.  I have heard that apple cider vinegar can cure a lot of things.  Out of curiosity I searched online to see if apple cider vinegar has an effect on aging of the skin.  The website(shown below) stated that age spots are a result of oxidation due to a lack of antioxidants in the body.  In order to help rid your skin of the age spots, first you chop up an onion and take it’s juice.  Then you mix part of the onion juice with part of the apple cider vinegar and take a cotton ball and dab the solution onto the age spots.  The solution can be left on your skin for at least half an hour.  The website also indicated that after six weeks your age spots should start to fade.

  http://www.homeremediesweb.com/age_spots_home_remedy.php

In order to prevent Alzheimer's disease it has been said that people who further their education have a smaller likelihood of getting the disease.  In the article "We Must 'Find a Cure' to Save Memories"(link to the article below), Bob Blackwell a former C.I.A. analyst for the Soviet Union and Europe is among those with Alzheimer’s disease.  Bob Blackwell must have been a highly educated and extremely intelligent man in order to attain such a job with the C.I.A.  Scientific researchers are looking for federal funding to create a drug to help prevent the plaques and tangles that grow in the brain and destroy the nerve cells in the brain. 

https://sn2prd0202.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=28HxhDt2gkmZUUcMlltDkX1zvH3vq84IXcGpsesiVtSn237uIcmLmo3df1fGfGjyHYgJT1IfZCs.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.usatoday.com%2fNEWS%2fusaedition%2f2012-01-17-Alzheimers-cover_CV_U.htm