Biotechology and medicine

BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MEDICAL SCIENCE

 

 

 

Biotechnology is a new developing field or I must say a very developed field in the field of science. It has developed many researches which have helped many faculties of science. Medicine is one of the field which it has supported for treating many diseases or if not diseases then for physiotherapy. Here below you will come across many research which biotechnology has contributed to health. Have a wonderful tour down here........

 

 

 

1. Decay-Fighting Microbes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bacteria living on teeth convert sugar into lactic acid, which erodes enamel and causes tooth decay. Florida-based company ONI BioPharma has engineered a new bacterial strain, called SMaRT, that cannot produce lactic acid—plus, it releases an antibiotic that kills the natural decay-causing strain. Dentists will only need to swab SMaRT, now in clinical trials, onto teeth once to keep them healthy for a lifetime.

 

 

 

2. Artificial Lymph Nodes

 

Scientists from Japan's RIKEN Institute have developed artificial versions of lymph nodes, organs that produce immune cells for fighting infections. Though they could one day replace diseased nodes, the artificial ones may initially be used as customized immune boosters. Doctors could fill the nodes with cells specifically geared to treat certain conditions, such as cancer or HIV. I really doubt if this will work……..

 

 

3. Asthma Sensor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asthma accounts for a quarter of all emergency room visits in the U.S., but a sensor developed at the University of Pittsburgh may finally cause that number to plummet. Inside the handheld device, a polymer-coated carbon nanotube—100,000 times thinner than a human hair—analyzes breath for minute amounts of nitric oxide, a gas that lungs produce prior to asthma attacks.

 

4. Cancer Spit Test

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forget biopsies—a device designed by researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles detects oral cancer from a single drop of saliva. Proteins that are associated with cancer cells react with dyes on the sensor, emitting fluorescent light that can be detected with a microscope. Engineer Chih-Ming Ho notes that the same principle could be applied to make saliva-based diagnostic tests for many diseases.

 

5. Biological Pacemaker

 

Electronic pacemakers save lives, but use hardware that eventually wears out. Now, researchers at several universities are developing a battery less alternative: pacemaker genes expressed in stem cells that are injected into damaged regions of the heart. Better suited for physical exertion, biological pacemakers have been shown to bring slow canine hearts back up to speed without complications. That’s really a good move……

 

6. Prosthetic Feedback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One challenge of prosthetic limbs is that they're difficult to monitor. "You and I sense where our limbs are spatially without having to look at them, whereas amputees don't," says Stanford University graduate student Karlin Bark. Skin is sensitive to being stretched—it can detect even small changes in direction and intensity—so Bark is developing a device that stretches an amputee's skin near the prosthesis in ways that provide feedback about the limb's position and movement.

 

7. Smart Contact Lens

 

 

Glaucoma, the second-leading cause of blindness, develops when pressure builds inside the eye and damages retinal cells. Contact lenses developed at the University of California-Davis contain conductive wires that continuously monitor pressure and fluid flow within the eyes of at-risk people. The lenses then relay information to a small device worn by the patient; the device wirelessly transmits it to a computer. This constant data flow will help doctors better understand the causes of the disease. Future lenses may also automatically dispense drugs in response to pressure changes.

 

 

8. Speech Restorer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For people who have lost the ability to talk, a new "phonetic speech engine" from Illinois-based Ambient Corporation provides an audible voice. Developed in conjunction with Texas Instruments, the Audeo uses electrodes to detect neuronal signals traveling from the brain to the vocal cords. Patients imagine slowly sounding out words; then the quarter-size device (located in a neck brace) wirelessly transmits those impulses to a computer or cellphone, which produces speech.

 

9. Absorbable Heart Stent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stents open arteries that have become narrowed or blocked because of coronary artery disease. Drug-eluting stents release medication that keeps the artery from narrowing again. The bio-absorbable version made by Abbott Laboratories in Illinois goes one step further: Unlike metal stents, it does its job and disappears. After six months the stent begins to dissolve, and after two years it's completely gone, leaving behind a healthy artery.

 

 

10. Muscle Stimulator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the time it takes for broken bones to heal, nearby muscles often atrophy from lack of use. Israeli company StimuHeal solves that problem with the MyoSpare, a battery-operated device that uses electrical stimulators—small enough to be worn underneath casts—to exercise muscles and keep them strong during recovery.

 

11. Nerve Regenerator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nerve fibers can't grow along injured spinal cords because scar tissue gets in the way. A nanogel developed at Northwestern University eliminates that impediment. Injected as a liquid, the nanogel self-assembles into a scaffold of nanofibers. Peptides expressed in the fibers instruct stem cells that would normally form scar tissue to produce cells that encourage nerve development. The scaffold, meanwhile, supports the growth of new axons up and down the spinal cord.

 

12. Stabilizing Insoles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Erez Lieberman's grandmother suffered a dangerous fall, he wanted to ensure it never happened again. "But it wasn't till a few years later at NASA that I found a way to channel that into something tangible," says the MIT graduate student. Using technology developed to monitor the balance of astronauts who have just returned from space, Lieberman's iShoe analyzes the pressure distribution of the feet. Doctors can use the insole to diagnose balance problems in elderly patients before falls occur.

 

 

13. Smart Pill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

California-based Proteus Biomedical has engineered sensors that track medication use by recording the exact time drugs are ingested. Sand-grain-size microchips emit high-frequency electrical currents that are logged by Band-Aid-like receivers on the skin. The receivers also monitor heart rate and respiration and wirelessly transmit the data to a computer. "To really improve pharmaceuticals, we need to do what is now common in every other industry—embed digital technology into existing products and network them," says David O'Reilly, senior vice president of corporate development.

 

 

14. Autonomous Wheelchair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MIT researchers have developed an autonomous wheelchair that can take people where they ask to go. The chair learns about its environment by listening as a patient identifies locations—such as "this is my room" or "we're in the kitchen"—and builds maps using Wi-Fi, which works well indoors (unlike GPS). The current model, which is now being tested, may one day be equipped with cameras, laser rangefinders and a collision- avoidance system

 

 

15. Gastrointestinal Liner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obesity is associated with type II diabetes, which over time wears out the pancreas. A gastrointestinal liner developed by Massachusetts-based GI Dynamics may restore the obese to a healthy weight by preventing food from contacting the intestinal wall. The Endobarrier is routed endoscopically through the mouth—unlike a gastric bypass, no surgery is necessary—and lines the first 2 ft of the small intestine, where the most calories are absorbed (nutrients are still absorbed farther down the intestine).

 

 

16. Liver Scanner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How healthy is your liver? Until recently, answering that question often required a painful biopsy. French company EchoSens has developed a machine that scans the organ for damage in just 5 minutes. Studies have shown that damaged livers become stiffer and less elastic, so the scanner, called the Fibroscan, measures the organ's elasticity using ultrasound.

 

 

17. Nanoscale Adhesive

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gecko feet are covered with nano-size hairs that exploit intermolecular forces, allowing the lizards to stick firmly to surfaces. By replicating this nanoscale topography, MIT scientists have developed an adhesive that can seal wounds or patch a hole caused by a stomach ulcer. The adhesive is elastic, waterproof and made of material that breaks down as the injury heals.

 

 

18. Portable Dialysis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More than 15 million adult Americans suffer from diseases of the kidneys, which often impair the ability of the organs to remove toxins from the blood. Standard dialysis involves three long sessions at a hospital per week. But an artificial kidney developed by Los Angeles-based Xcorporeal can clean blood around the clock. The machine is fully automated, battery-operated, waterproof and, at less than 5 pounds, portable.

 

19. Walking Simulator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stroke victims are being tricked into recovering more quickly with a virtual-reality rehabilitation program developed at the University of Portsmouth in Britain. As patients walk on a treadmill, they see moving images that fool their brains into thinking they are walking slower than they are. As a result, patients not only walk faster and farther, but experience less pain while doing so.

 

 

20. Rocket-Powered Arm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adding strength to prosthetic limbs has typically required bulky battery packs. Vanderbilt University scientist Michael Goldfarb came up with an alternative power source: rocket propellant. Goldfarb's prosthetic arm can lift 20 pounds—three to four times more than current prosthetics—thanks to a pencil-size version of the mono-propellant rocket-motor system used to maneuver the space shuttle in orbit. Hydrogen peroxide powers the arm for 18 hours of normal activity.

 

THANK YOU.......

 

 



Funny medical jokes

FUNNY MEDICAL JOKES

THE  FACT.....................!!!!

                                     



And thats a molar solution,isnt it.....???

                                   

    

What a dentist thinks about a BLUETOOTH......!!!! 

 

 

    Is your child fit to handle a FACEBOOK........?????

 

When a unspoken communication happens between GIRLS......!!!

 

When an unspoken communcation happens between GUYS....!!!

 

 

                               The chemistry of neurotransmitters in your brain in different situations

 

 

OBESITY AND ITS MANAGEMENT

OBESITY AND BARIATRIC SURGERY

   

You might have seen fig fat peoples around you once in a life time. Frequently we see these obese individuals in movies or documentries.  When we se them we get only one question in our mind that why therse peoples the way they are. For most of the viewers it becomes a matter of laughing after seeing these individuals. But its a matter of concern as obesity has been classified as a disease. obesity could be due to many reasons. for some it may be due to some emnzyme deficiency while for most it is familial or hereditary. some have its relation with mutation in the ob gene which gives rise to the familial type of obesity. It is necessary to take treatment, medical or surgical as soon as possible as it is related to many ill health effects.

Obesity means having too much body fat. It is different from being overweight, which means weighing too much. The weight may come from muscle, bone, fat and/or body water. Both terms mean that a person's weight is greater than what's considered healthy for his or her height.
Obesity occurs over time when you eat more calories than you use. The balance between calories-in and calories-out differs for each person. Factors that might tip the balance include your genetic makeup, overeating, eating high-fat foods and not being physically active.
Being obese increases your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and some cancers. If you are obese, losing even 5 to 10 percent of your weight can delay or prevent some of these diseases. Here we will discuss about the Surgical management for obesity which is known as bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery (weight-loss surgery) includes a variety of procedures performed on people who are obese. Weight loss is achieved by reducing the size of the stomach with a gastric band or through removal of a portion of the stomach  or by resecting and re-routing the small intestines to a small stomach pouch (gastric bypass surgery).The U.S. National Institutes of Health recommends bariatric surgery for obese people with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40, and for people with BMI 35 and serious coexisting medical conditions such as diabetes.

Indications

Surgery should be considered as a treatment option for patients with a BMI of 40 kg/m² or greater who instituted but failed an adequate exercise and diet program (with or without adjunctive drug therapy) and who present with obesity-related comorbid conditions, such as hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and obstructive sleep apnea. A doctor–patient discussion of surgical options should include the long-term side effects, such as possible need for reoperation, gallbladder disease, and malabsorption.Patients should be referred to high-volume centers with surgeons experienced in bariatric surgery.

Classification of surgical procedures

Procedures can be grouped in three main categories

Predominantly malabsorptive procedures

Predominantly malabsorptive procedures, although they also reduce stomach size, these operations are based mainly on creating malabsorption.

Biliopancreatic diversion

This complex operation is termed biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) or the Scopinaro procedure. The original form of this procedure is now rarely performed because of problems with malnourishment. It has been replaced with a modification known as duodenal switch (BPD/DS). Part of the stomach is resected, creating a smaller stomach (however the patient can eat a free diet as there is no restrictive component). The distal part of the small intestine is then connected to the pouch, bypassing the duodenum and jejunum.

In around 2% of patients there is severe malabsorption and nutritional deficiency that requires restoration of the normal absorption. The malabsorptive effect of BPD is so potent that those who undergo the procedure must take vitamin and dietary minerals above and beyond that of the normal population. Without these supplements, there is risk of serious deficiency diseases such as anemia and osteoporosis.

Jejunoileal bypass

This procedure is no longer performed.

Predominantly restrictive procedures

Procedures that are solely restrictive, act to reduce oral intake by limiting gastric volume, produces early satiety, and leave the alimentary canal in continuity, minimizing the risks of metabolic complications.

Vertical banded gastroplasty

In the vertical banded gastroplasty, also called the Mason procedure or stomach stapling, a part of the stomach is permanently stapled to create a smaller pre-stomach pouch, which serves as the new stomach.

Adjustable gastric band 

The restriction of the stomach also can be created using a silicone band, which can be adjusted by addition or removal of saline through a port placed just under the skin. This operation can be performed laparoscopically, and is commonly referred to as a "lap band". Weight loss is predominantly due to the restriction of nutrient intake that is created by the small gastric pouch and the narrow outlet.

Sleeve gastrectomy

Sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric sleeve, is a surgical weight-loss procedure in which the stomach is reduced to about 15% of its original size, by surgical removal of a large portion of the stomach, following the major curve. The open edges are then attached together (typically with surgical staples, sutures, or both) to leave the stomach shaped more like a tube, or a sleeve, with a banana shape. The procedure permanently reduces the size of the stomach. The procedure is performed laparoscopically and is not reversible.

Stomach volume is reduced, but it tends to function normally so most food items can be consumed in small amounts.

Removes the portion of the stomach that produces the hormones that stimulates hunger (Ghrelin), although the durability of this removal has yet to be confirmed^.

Dumping syndrome is less likely due to the preservation of the pylorus (although dumping can occur anytime stomach surgery takes place).

Minimizes the chance of an ulcer occurring.

By avoiding the intestinal bypass, the chance of intestinal obstruction (blockage), anemia, osteoporosis, protein deficiency and vitamin deficiency are significantly reduced.

Very effective as a first stage procedure for high BMI patients (BMI >55 kg/m²).

Limited results appear promising as a single stage procedure for low BMI patients (BMI 35–45 kg/m²).

Appealing option for people with existing anemia, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and numerous other conditions that make them too high risk for intestinal bypass procedures.

Intragastric balloon (gastric balloon)

Intragastric balloon involves placing a deflated balloon into the stomach, and then filling it to decrease the amount of gastric space. The balloon can be left in the stomach for a maximum of 6 months. The intragastric balloon may be used prior to another bariatric surgery in order to assist the patient to reach a weight which is suitable for surgery, further it can also be used on several occasions if necessary.

Gastric Plication

Basically, the procedure can best be understood as a version of the more popular gastric sleeve or gastrectomy surgery where a sleeve is created by suturing rather than removing stomach tissue thus preserving its natural nutrient absorption capabilities. Gastric Plication significantly reduces the volume of the patient's stomach, so smaller amounts of food provide a feeling of satiety. The study describes gastric sleeve plication (also referred to as gastric imbrication or laparoscopic greater curvature plication) as a restrictive technique that eliminates the complications associated with adjustable gastric banding and vertical sleeve gastrectomy—it does this by creating restriction without the use of implants and without gastric resection (cutting) and staples.

Mixed procedures

Mixed procedures apply both techniques simultaneously.

Gastric bypass surgery

A common form of gastric bypass surgery is the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Here, a small stomach pouch is created with a stapler device, and connected to the distal small intestine. The upper part of the small intestine is then reattached in a Y-shaped configuration.A factor in the success of any bariatric surgery is strict post-surgical adherence to a healthier pattern of eating.

Sleeve gastrectomy with duodenal switch

A variation of the biliopancreatic diversion includes a duodenal switch. The part of the stomach along its greater curve is resected. The stomach is "tubulized" with a residual volume of about 150 ml. This volume reduction provides the food intake restriction component of this operation. This type of gastric resection is anatomically and functionally irreversible. The stomach is then disconnected from the duodenum and connected to the distal part of the small intestine. The duodenum and the upper part of the small intestine are reattached to the rest at about 75–100 cm from the colon.

Implantable gastric stimulation

This procedure where a device similar to a heart pacemaker is implanted by a surgeon, with the electrical leads stimulating the external surface of the stomach, is being studied in the USA. Electrical stimulation is thought to modify the activity of the enteric nervous system of the stomach, which is interpreted by the brain to give a sense of satiety, or fullness. Early evidence suggests that it is less effective than other forms of bariatric surgery.

Eating after bariatric surgery

Post-surgery, overeating is curbed because exceeding the capacity of the stomach causes nausea and vomiting. Diet restrictions after recovery from surgery depend in part on the type of surgery. Many patients will need to take a daily multivitamin pill for life to compensate for reduced absorption of essential nutrients. Because patients cannot eat a large quantity of food, physicians typically recommend a diet that is relatively high in protein and low in fats and alcohol.

Fluid recommendations

It is very common, within the first month post-surgery, for a patient to undergo volume depletion and dehydration. Patients have difficulty drinking the appropriate amount of fluids as they adapt to their new gastric volume. Limitations on oral fluid intake, reduced calorie intake, and a higher incidence of vomiting and diarrhea are all factors that have a significant contribution to dehydration.

Effectiveness of surgery

Weight loss

Biliopancreatic diversion — 117 Lbs / 53 kg

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) — 90 Lbs / 41 kg

Open — 95 Lbs/ 43 kg

Laparoscopic — 84 Lbs / 38 kg

Vertical banded gastroplasty — 71 Lbs / 32 kg

Laparoscopic bariatric surgery requires a hospital stay of only one or two days. Short-term complications from laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding are reported to be lower than laparoscopic Roux-en-Y surgery, and complications from laparoscopic Roux-en-Y surgery are lower than conventional (open) Roux-en-Y surgery.

Adverse effects

Complications from weight loss surgery are frequent. Common problems were gastric dumping syndrome in about 20% (bloating and diarrhea after eating, necessitating small meals or medication), leaks at the surgical site (12%), incisional hernia (7%), infections (6%) and pneumonia (4%). Mortality was 0.2%. As the rate of complications appears to be reduced when the procedure is performed by an experienced surgeon, guidelines recommend that surgery be performed in dedicated or experienced units.

Metabolic bone disease manifesting as osteopenia and secondary hyperparathyroidism have been reported after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery due to reduced calcium absorption. The highest concentration of calcium transporters is in the duodenum. Since the ingested food will not pass through the duodenum after a bypass procedure, calcium levels in the blood may decrease, causing secondary hyperparathyroidism, increase in bone turnover, and a decrease in bone mass. Increased risk of fracture has also been linked to bariatric surgery.

Rapid weight loss after obesity surgery can contribute to the development of gallstones as well by increasing the lithogenicity of bile Nutritional derangements due to deficiencies of micronutrients like iron, vitamin B12, fat soluble vitamins, thiamine, and folate are especially common after malabsorptive bariatric procedures. Seizures due to hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia have been reported. Inappropriate insulin secretion secondary to islet cell hyperplasia, called pancreatic nesidioblastosis, might explain this syndrome.