Thyroid Hormone Controls the Eye‘s Visual Pigments

Thyroid hormone is crucially involved in controlling which visual pigment is produced in the cones. Previously, it was assumed that the colour sensitivity of the cones is fixed in the adult retina.

Children born with a thyroid hormone deficiency have serious defects of physiological and mental development, hence newborns are routinely checked for thyroid hormone deficiency, and hormone substitution therapy is given when indicated.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt/M., together with colleagues at the University of Frankfurt and universities in Vienna, have now been able to show that in mature cones of mice and rats the production of visual pigment is regulated by thyroid hormone. It is assumed that this mechanism exists in all mammals, including humans. If so, the adult-onset of thyroid hormone deficiency would affect colour vision.

Studies in mice have shown that thyroid hormone also plays an important role in the development of the eye and particularly the cone visual cells. In the retina of the eye, the cones are the visual cells responsible for colour vision. Most mammals have two spectral cone types containing either of two visual pigments (opsins), one sensitive to shortwave light (UV/blue opsin), and the other to middle-to-longwave light (green opsin). Cones express a thyroid hormone receptor. Its activation by the hormone suppresses the synthesis of UV/blue opsin and activates the production of green opsin.

6 Nutrients for Veg-Eaters

B12 Complex



A deficiency in B12 can also cause depression, mood issues, vision problems, low blood pressure, and dementia amongst a host of other issues. According to Vegetarian Savvy, besides animal products, many fortified vegan foods and supplements contain this crucial vitamin. Vegetarians can also get their fill from raw cow's milk or organic milk, organic cheese, and organic eggs.


Iron



The daily recommendation is 18 mg of iron a day. Iron intake requirements are 1.8 times higher for vegetarians because nonheme iron is not absorbed as well as heme iron. You can find it in pumpkin seeds, tofu, and sun dried tomatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds.


Iodine



Iodine is necessary for the production of a thyroid hormone. A deficiency in iodine can lead to the enlargement of the thyroid gland as well as mental retardation in unborn babies. Iodine can be found in a number of foods including eggs, milk, some breads, iodine salt, ice cream, nori, soy milk, soy sauce, and yogurt.


Omega 3 Fatty Acids



An imbalance in the body's fats with a shortage of essential fatty acids is linked to cancer, asthma, depression, accelerated aging, diabetes, and ADHD to name a few. An adult needs 1.4 to 4.6 grams of Omega 3 per day. Omega 3 can be found in hemp seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, and algae (spirulina, blue-green algae, and chlorella).


Zinc



Zinc is crucial for growth and immune function. Men require 11 mg/day and women need 8 mg/day). Get zinc from whole grains, beans, yogurt, shiitake mushrooms, and sesame seeds.


Protein

Alzheimer's Prevention in your Pantry

Alzheimer's, the degenerative brain disorder that disrupts memory, thought and behavior, is devastating to both patients and loved ones. According to the Alzheimer's Association, one in eight Americans over the age of 65 suffers from the disease. Now Tel Aviv University has discovered that an everyday spice in your kitchen cupboard could hold the key to Alzheimer's prevention.

An extract found in cinnamon bark, called CEppt, contains properties that can inhibit the development of the disease, according to Prof. Michael Ovadia of the Department of Zoology at Tel Aviv University. After discovering that the cinnamon extract had antiviral properties, Prof. Ovadia empirically tested these properties in both laboratory and animal Alzheimer's models.

The researchers isolated CEppt by grinding cinnamon and extracting the substance into an aqueous buffer solution. They then introduced this solution into the drinking water of mice that had been genetically altered to develop an aggressive form of Alzheimer's disease.

After four months, the researchers discovered that development of the disease had slowed remarkably and the animals' activity levels and longevity were comparable to that of their healthy counterparts.

Vaccine Supports Immune Targeting of Brain Tumors

An experimental vaccine developed by researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute targets overactive antigens in highly aggressive brain tumors and improves length of survival in newly diagnosed patients, according to new data that was presented in a poster session at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and aggressive type of tumor originating in the brain, typically live only 12 to 15 months after diagnosis even with standard treatments: surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

ICT-107 is a product of the biotechnology company ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. Keith L. Certain rights in the dendritic cell vaccine technology and corresponding intellectual property have been exclusively licensed by Cedars-Sinai to ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, including subsequently developed versions of the vaccine investigated in this clinical study.

Foods for Healthy and Glowing Skin

You cannot just imagine keeping your skin healthy and glowing by using expensive lotions, creams, moisturizers or sunscreens, but essentially by eating right. You can found out by making tiny alterations to your diet and adding these foods to keep your skin healthy & glowing.

Berries

Berries like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and plum have antioxidant properties. These antioxidants prevent skin damage and when skin cells are protected from damage and disintegration, they look youthful and younger for longer.

Spinach & Carrots

Carrots & spinach are excellent sources of vitamin A, which is a required nutrient for healthy skin. You should eat these vegetables for a healthy body and skin. You can have them raw, in salads or cooked with omelets and other dishes.

Green Tea

This drink contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been proven to reduce the damage of sunburns and overexposure to ultraviolet light, which, in turn, reduces the risk of skin cancer.

Almonds

Essential fatty acids found in nuts and seeds help to keep the skin soft and supple. Almonds are amazingly healthy and full of Vitamin E which gives the skin that glory look. Vitamin E also helps in repairing skin tissues and maintaining skin moisture.

Water

Last, but certainly not the least, is water. Good hydration is our skin’s best friend. Water both hydrates the skin and moves toxins out and nutrients in. Also, if you are properly hydrated, you sweat more which, in turn, helps keep your skin clean and clear.

Babies Perform Sophisticated Analyses of Physical World

Over the past two decades, scientists have shown that babies only a few months old have a solid grasp on basic rules of the physical world. They understand that objects can't wink in and out of existence, and that objects can't "teleport" from one spot to another.

Now, an international team of researchers co-led by MIT's Josh Tenenbaum has found that infants can use that knowledge to form surprisingly sophisticated expectations of how novel situations will unfold.

Furthermore, the scientists developed a computational model of infant cognition that accurately predicts infants' surprise at events that violate their conception of the physical world.

Infant cognition by studying babies at ages 3-, 6- and 12-months (and other key stages through the first two years of life) to map out what they know about the physical and social world.

Elizabeth Spelke, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, demonstrated that infants' level of surprise can be measured by how long they look at something: The more unexpected the event, the longer they watch.

Cancer Benefits in Old Therapy-New Study

Cancer patients who used a 5000-year-old combination of gentle exercise and meditation experienced significantly higher well being levels, improved cognitive functioning and less inflammation compared to a control group, new University of Sydney research has found.

Dr Byeongsang Oh, a clinical senior lecturer at the Sydney Medical School who led the study, said the reduced inflammation in patients who practiced medical Qigong, a form of traditional Chinese medicine, was particularly significant.

"Patients who practiced medical Qigong experienced significant improvements in quality of life, including greater physical, functional, social and emotional well being, and enhanced cognitive functioning, while the control group deteriorated in all of these areas," Dr Oh says.

Hips Take Walking in Stride, Ankles Put Best Foot Forward in Run

In a first-of-its-kind study comparing human walking and running motions -- and whether the hips, knees or ankles are the most important power sources for these motions -- researchers at North Carolina State University show that the hips generate more of the power when people walk, but the ankles generate more of the power when humans run. Knees provide approximately one-fifth or less of walking or running power.

A long history of previous studies has focused on the bio mechanics of human locomotion from a whole-body or individual limbs perspective. The study shows that, overall, hip generate more power when people walk. That is, until humans get to the point at which they're speed walking -- walking so fast that it feels more comfortable to run -- at 2 meters per second. Hips generate 44 percent of the power when people walk at a rate of 2 meters per second, with ankles contributing 39 percent of the power.

Curcumin Compound inhibits Effectiveness of Head and Neck Cancer Treatment

Curcumin, the compound that gives curry powder its yellow/orange color, may inhibit the adverse effects of nicotine in patients with head and neck cancer who continue to smoke.

A primary reason that head and neck cancer treatments fail is the tumor cells become resistant to chemotherapy drugs. Now, researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have found that a compound derived from the Indian spice curcumin can help cells overcome that resistance.

"This work opens the possibility of using lower, less toxic doses of cisplatin to achieve an equivalent or enhanced tumors kill. Typically, when cells become resistant to cisplatin, we have to give increasingly higher doses. But this drug is so toxic that patients who survive treatment often experience long-term side effects from the treatment," says senior study author Thomas Carey, Ph.D., professor of otolaryngology and pharmacology.

Prevent Lower Back Injuries

Most of us have suffered through at least one bout of low back pain in the course of our lifetime. The occurrence is alarmingly quite high, affecting approximately 60-80% of the adult population. In fact, physicians report that low back pain is so prevalent; it is second in medical visits to the common cold. The majority of LBP can be classified as mechanical; including problems affecting the many joints, discs, ligaments and muscles of the spine.

Include a proper warm-up
The benefits of injecting a warm-up prior to engaging in vigorous exercise are numerous. This preparatory exercise or movement helps protect against injury by improving the flexibility of the muscles. In general, the warm-up activity should last approximately 5-15 minutes with the focus on raising the total body temperature and muscles.

Build a strong core
There is an abundance of research to support the incorporation of a core specific programme into a regular training regime in order to prevent lower back injuries. Exercises specifically designed to challenge and activate the local stabilizers as well as the spinal extensors (erector spinae) are critical in preventing episodes of lower back pain.

Stay active
Maintaining a regular fitness regime will help in the prevention of lower back injuries. As exercise will strengthen and balance the muscles that assist in maintaining upright posture, performing them regularly is essential.

Kennadee-Three open-heart surgeries free from bleak prognosis

When Shawna Albright was pregnant with her daughter Kennadee, doctors told her and her husband Don that the baby would not survive because of her complex heart defects. Two referrals and two echocardiograms later, doctors said there was no way the baby would survive her complex heart defects.

A referral to pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon Frank Hanley, MD, at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, where Hanley repairs congenital heart defects that other doctors won’t touch.

In May 2010, Shawna delivered baby Kennadee, Hanley soon realized the tiny girl was one of the most complex patients he had ever seen. Some infants have serious defects inside the heart; others have a hard-to-repair malformation of the artery leading to the lungs. Kennadee’s case was even worse. “Kennadee had the ‘10 out of 10’ pulmonary artery problem, but inside her heart she also had a complex defect that is a 9 or 10 out of 10 on the cardiac side of things,” Hanley said. “It would take three open-heart surgeries to achieve a complete repair,” he said.

Kennadee’s first two operations repaired her blood vessel problem. Her first surgery, a four-hour operation at age 2 weeks, allowed more blood to be pushed through these little vessels, prompting them to grow. It was a key step to prepare her for surgery number two.

The second operation, in September 2010 when Kennadee was 4 months old, was a marathon repair that Hanley, its pioneering inventor, has performed more than 500 times. The long, arduous procedure takes such stamina, focus and experience that very few surgeons attempt it.

So, in her third surgery in March 2011, in a re-plumbing of Kennadee’s heart, Hanley performed an eight-hour “double switch” procedure on the then-10-month-old.

“Without these surgeries, the prognosis for her long-term survival would be close to zero,” Hanley said. “Now, all of her cardiac and lung physiology is completely normal.” And now, Kennadee is looking good, feeling good, playing peek-a-boo and planning to celebrate her first birthday on May 21, an event that once seemed unimaginable.

Soft Drinks Increases Stroke Risk

In a study of 2564 people of varying ethnic backgrounds, researchers at Columbia University in New York and the Miller School of Medicine in Miami found a significant correlation between diet soda consumption and the risk of stroke.

Started in 1993, Researchers divided people into seven groups: those who drank less than one soda of any type per month, those with moderate soda consumption (up to six per week), daily regular soda consumption (one or more daily), moderate diet soda only, daily diet soda only, moderate diet soda and sometimes regular soda, and daily diet soda with any regular soda consumption.

After considering all the other factors studied, researchers concluded that regular diet soda drinkers had a 48% increased chance of having a stroke, while those who drank diet soda every day had a 61% increased risk of stroke over those who drank other types of soda.

Holiday Hidden Eggs

Easter Sunday is quickly approaching, and children from all over are anticipating belly-filling festivities staged just about everywhere, from egg hunts in Grandma's backyard to an egg roll on the White House lawn.

According to the National Confectioners Association, Easter is second only to Halloween in holiday confectionery sales, estimating that U.S. Candy might come in small packages covered in spring pastels, but a glance at the nutritional information reveals the potential danger. A 17-gram Reese's Peanut Butter Egg is 90 calories, a 42-gram package of marshmallow Peeps totals 140 calories, and one-quarter of a 5-ounce Palmer hollow milk chocolate bunny contains 180 calories.

Doctors, dietitians and exercise gurus agree that little kids -- and some big ones, too -- can indulge their cravings if they follow basic limitations.

Your Babies Development

If you are a mother to a newborn baby, or soon to be a mother, you probably have many questions about the benefits of breastfeeding and how to do so. Learn some useful tips here on breastfeeding that will help you through in providing this most important and best nutrition for your baby.

Smoking during pregnancy can cause serious problems including miscarriage, complications during labor, premature birth and stillbirth. Pregnant women who smoke are strongly advised to stop smoking for the health of both mother and baby. Many women who quit smoking during pregnancy go on to stay smoke-free after their baby is born. Seek help from your health care professional if you find it difficult to quit smoking.

The first year of your child’s development is one of the most dynamic and interesting periods. The magnitude of changes that occur is huge and intense. However, each baby has his own pace so it is important to recognize your baby’s development so you can encourage him and help where you can. Every stage of your child’s development should be supported and encouraged to enhance his mental capacity.

Garden your way to be Energetic

Tending your garden can make you feel energetic and happier, say experts.

Besides feeling younger, energetic and happier, gardeners are also more likely to be organized and optimistic than non-gardeners, say experts.

A regular spot of gardening gives the over-50s more of a "zest for life" than those who don't have an inclination for it, reported citing researchers.

Researchers from two universities in Texas analyzed about 300 people over 50, dividing them into gardeners and non- gardeners. They found that 71 per cent of gardeners said they did not "feel old" compared with 57 per cent of non-gardeners.

The gardeners also felt more energetic, got more exercise and were shown to be more mentally active. There were also higher scores for "life satisfaction" among gardeners while they were also more likely to eat fresh fruit and vegetables.