" Top 10 medical breakthrough in 2008 "

1. First Neurons Created from ALS Patients



Researchers at Harvard and Columbia reported a milestone experiment in July, using a new method — one that doesn't require embryos at all — to generate the first motor neurons from stem cells in two elderly women with Lou Gehrig's disease, or ALS. The technique, developed by Kyoto University scientist Shinya Yamanaka in 2006, involves reprogramming a patient's ordinary skin cells to behave like stem cells, then coaxing them into the desired tissue-specific cells.


2. Inflammation vs. Cholesterol Half of all heart attacks in the U.S. occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. Baffled? So were doctors. Smaller studies had hinted at the link in the past, but Ridker's recent research, showed that when people with normal cholesterol and high levels of CRP — a protein marker for inflammation in the blood — took statins, their CRP levels plummeted and their heart attack risk fell 54%. Compare that to the 20% reduced risk in people who take statins to lower cholesterol alone. Doctors say cholesterol and fatty plaques are still the main indicators of heart disease, but inflammation may be just as important, playing a key role as a trigger: It increases the instability of plaques, making them more likely to rupture, block heart vessels and cause a heart attack. ( inflammation is more dangerous..scary!! )


3. Scarless Surgery



A team at the University of California at San Diego performed the first such appendectomy in the U.S. in March, using camera-fitted scopes to guide the removal of a woman's appendix through her vagina. The technique is also helping some gastric bypass patients whose stomach tissue has stretched out post-surgery; doctors insert a scope through the mouth and gather up the stretched folds to shrink the stomach back to a smaller size. The technique isn't completely incision-free — surgeons make small cuts through tissue inside the body — but by reducing incisions through the skin, it could reduce pain and infection and promote faster recovery for some common surgical procedures.



4. Genomes for the Masses

Now you can map your entire genome and reveal some of its many secrets — for just $399 and a little spit. Right now, there's no way to know whether you'll get cancer just because you have the gene, but once the science has advanced, the hope is that such genetic mining will predict disease, giving people the option of seeking treatment before they get sick. ( Isn't $399 is little?? I mean for the American. I thought it would be more expensive. )


5. New Genes for Alzheimer's

There is no cure, no vaccine and no way to diagnose Alzheimer's disease without an autopsy. But there may be hope in the discovery of 4 new genes that contribute to the most common form of the disease. The newly identified genes may shed light on how to keep those nerves alive, which may be a therapy for the Alzheimer's patient in the future. Even more exciting, one of the genes produces a protein that nerve cells use to communicate, another function that declines when Alzheimer's sets in.

6. A Five-in-One Vaccine


Any parent can appreciate how much babies hate shots. So, welcome Pentacel, the first vaccine to immunize against five diseases at once — diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and haemophilus influenzae type B. The vaccine was studied in more 5,000 infants, who showed only minor side effects, including fever, redness and swelling at the injection site. Pentacel still has to be administered in four separate doses, three times between the ages of 2 and 6 months, then again between 15 and 18 months — but it cuts down by 30% on the 23 injections toddlers under 18 months normally receive. ( These days, children are so lucky. )

7. Gene Screens for Breast Cancer

Gene screens are fast becoming a powerful tool, not just for diagnosing cancer but for treating it as well. Breast cancer patients are also increasingly relying o n another gene test, OncotypeDx, which can determine the risk of breast cancer recurrence and which chemotherapy agents will work best against a particular tumor. So that chemotherapy will not have lot s of side effects to the patient.

8. Blood Test for Down Syndrome

One of the best ways to confirm Down syndrome before birth is by amniocentesis, which uses a needle to remove a sample of the amniotic fluid surrounding a fetus. However, there is a risk of miscarriage in this test. Now, a new genetic test may be able to pick up the disease with a simple blood sample from the mom-to-be. Because small amounts of fetal DNA enter the mother's bloodstream, the test is designed to detect abnormally elevated levels of chromosome 21 (an extra copy of it causes Down) in the mother's blood, which would indicate a baby with the disease. However it is still in the development stages.


9. Seasick Patch for Cancer Patients

Those motion-sickness patches can really help calm a churning stomach on a boat. So, someone decided to apply the same idea to deliver anti-nausea drugs to cancer patients after chemotherapy. One smalll thing can give benefits to two different disease.


10. Stem-Cell Trachea Transplant

In a transplant first, doctors in Spain gave Claudia Lorena Castillo Sanchez, 30, a new windpipe, constructed from a donor trachea lined with Sanchez's own stem cells. It's the first time a patient's adult stem cells, extracted from bone marrow, have been used to seed a new tissue or organ for transplant. Because the donor trachea was stripped of cells that could cause rejection, Sanchez, who suffered from tuberculosis and lost function of one branch of her trachea, avoided having to take the powerful immunosuppressant drugs that transplant patients normally require. Doctors expect that this type of transplant, which is still experimental, will need several more years of study before it becomes widely used. But Sanchez, for one, is happy she didn't have to wait that long; the mother of two is already back to work and enjoying dancing six months after her operation. ( A happy ending story.)

Hey, BIG spender!!

Salam and good day

Sale at Jusco Ipoh exclusive for J card member. All the goodies had 30% - 70%. To tell you, I dont have Jusco card, u know. I immediately make one at the counter. Haha, kind of funny to think coz I make that card just to have the special price. I rarely go to Jusco so I will give it to my mom since Jusco is a stone throw away from my house.




I went to Jusco at about 10.00 am. I was a little bit weird coz the parking slots were all full except for the roof top.It was 10.00 am, u know! The mall was just opened yet the parking's lots were full. How can I not feel weird. Na, as soon as I entered the mall I knew it right away why there were soooo many buyers. And 70% of the buyers were Chinese. Seems like no Malays were there. hehe, of course it's not rite la.. There were too many buyers that all the promoters were kind of very busy. "Org kata tak menang tangan dibuatnya." All the cashier counters were having a super long queue. Even to move around also was very hard. But of course I can say that majority were Chinese (again!). They are really BIG spender. I think almost every single chinese person hold a trolley full of new goodies. Yes, the prices were very cheap that they didnt have to spent much on the items. A 128 ringgit item can be reduced to 38 ringgit only!! Who doesnt want that?? This is the time if you want to buy branded stuffs with low prize

From my point of view, the Chinese are good at grabbing opportunity. Just look at this situation, they really knew how to spend money economically. Same goes in business, they knew how to grab the chances. That's why they can be a successful businessman.Then, I also wonder how they knew about the sales coz even me myself didnt know bout this. So I'm guessing that maybe someone had been spreading the news to his friends. The "same religous' friends" of course. Same goes in business to. How many companies own by Chinese had more malay workers then their workers?? plezzz tell me, i really want to know.

That's all I can say today. I realized today, since I started to write this blog, I became more aware of every situation that occurs around me. If possible I want to take pictures every second of my life. And I valued my life even more. I guess it's a good thing for me.

New ItEm

Salam and good day!

I just bought this new mobile broadband modem. Small and useful. It's cute rite? *Lily, jgn jelous ngan aku..hihi* I bought this 'new item' under the student price. The modem is RM299 and the monthly fee is RM50. Affordable, rite? But this price lasts until i turn into 25 years old. After that, the monthly fee will be automatically raise up to RM68.

Actually, I didnt know a thing about this stuff. And she also asked where I studied..

Worker 1: U study mana?
Me: Uitm Shah Alam
Worker 1: Oh, kat sana ade 3G so tak payah ambik yg mahal punya
Me: Urm, 3G tu ape?
Worker 1: 3G tu macam..errr apa ha?
Worker 2: 3rd Generation
Me: Owh, ape tu????
Worker 2: macam ni a, dulu ade 1G untuk sms and kol shj then upgrade ke 2G yg boleh mms lepas tu GPRS and skang ni 3G yang boleh connect2 ni..
Me: Oo, camtu ek.. haha, i tataw langsg pasal 3G ni. Sebut je pndai.. Kire macam network la?
Worker 2: ha.. mcm tu la.. ala, u tak payah taw sgt.. janji boleh guna pun dah cukup

That's it.. So, for those who don't know what is 3G there, I told you. To know more, you can just google la.. rite?

BELL'S PALSY

Salam and good day.
I wanna share with you my experience that will happen to only 1 of 5000 people in the world.

When I was in form 1. I had this neuro disease. When talking about disease, especially that is connected to the brain, people will get terrified. I had the idiopathic disease called Bell's Palsy. Actually, scientists believe that it is caused by viral infection. Luckily, I did the treatment early that I can recover fast.

WHAT IS BELL'S PALSY?
Bells palsy is a condition that causes the facial muscles to weaken or become paralyzed. It's caused by trauma to the 7th cranial nerve, and is not permanent.

WHY IS IT CALLED BELL'S PALSY?
The condition is named for Sir Charles Bell, a Scottish surgeon who studied the nerve and its innervation of the facial muscles 200 years ago.

HOW COMMON IS BELL'S PALSY?
Bells palsy is not as uncommon as is generally believed. Worldwide statistics set the frequency at approximately .02% of the population (with geographical variations). In human terms this is 1 of every 5000 people, and 40,000 Americans every year.

IS BELL'S PALSY ALWAYS ON THE SAME SIDE?
The percentage of left or right side cases is approximately equal, and remains equal for recurrences. ( I was on the left side.)

IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE BECAUSE OF GENDER OR RACE?
The incidence of Bells palsy in males and females, as well as in the various races is also approximately equal. The chances of the condition being mild or severe, and the rate of recovery is also equal.

WHAT CONDITIONS CAN INCREASE THE CHANCE OF HAVING BELL'S PALSY?
Older people are more likely to be afflicted, but children are not immune to it. Children tend to recover well. Diabetics are more than 4 times more likely to develop Bells palsy than the general population. The last trimester of pregnancy is considered to be a time of increased risk for Bell's palsy. Conditions that compromise the immune system such as HIV or sarcoidosis increase the odds of facial paralysis occurring and recurring.

HOW DO THE SYMPTOMS OF BELL'S PALSY PROGRESS?
Very quickly. Most people either wake up to find they have Bells palsy, or have symptoms such as a dry eye or tingling around their lips that progress to classic Bell's palsy during that same day. Occasionally symptoms may take a few days to be recognizable as Bells palsy. The degree of paralysis should peak within several days of onset - never in longer than 2 weeks (3 weeks maximum for Ramsey Hunt syndrome). A warning sign may be neck pain, or pain in or behind the ear prior to palsy, but it is not usually recognized in first-time cases. ( my warning sign is pain behind my left ear and it only takes two days to be recognizable after the onset for me)

IS BELL'S PALSY CONTAGIOUS?
No, it is not contagious. People with Bells palsy can return to work and resume normal activity as soon as they feel up to it.

WHAT ABOUT RECOVERY FROM BELL'S PALSY?
Approximately 50% of Bells palsy patients will have essentially complete recoveries in a short time. Another 35% will have good recoveries in less than a year. ( I was in the 50% category. Thank GOD)


IS BELL'S PALSY LIKELY TO HAPPEN AGAIN?
The possibility of recurrence had been thought to be as high as 10 - 20%. These figures have been lowered as more has been learned about conditions that are now diagnosed as other types of facial palsies. Estimates of the rate of recurrence still vary widely, from around 4 - 14%. Most recent reports hover at 5 - 9%. The average timespan between recurrences is 10 years. (Hopefully, I will not)


Bells Palsy is caused by an inflammation within a small bony tube called the fallopian canal. The canal is an extremely narrow area. An inflammation within it is likely to exert pressure on the nerve, compressing it. Likewise, if the nerve itself becomes inflamed within this small canal, it can encounter pressure, with the same result of compression. The nerve has not yet exited the skull and divided into its several branches, resulting in impairment of all functions controlled by the 7th nerve. If only part of the face is affected, the condition is not Bell's palsy. If, for example, the mouth area is weak but the forehead moves, Bells palsy is ruled out.

SYMPTOMS

GENERAL	EYE RELATED
Muscle weakness or paralysis Forehead wrinkles disappear Overall droopy appearance Impossible or difficult to blink Nose runs Nose is constantly stuffed Difficulty speaking Difficulty eating and drinking Sensitivity to sound (hyperacusis) Excess or reduced salivation Facial swelling Diminished or distorted taste Pain in or near the ear Drooling	Eye closure difficult Lack of tears Excessive tearing Brow droop Tears fail to coat cornea Lower eyelid droop Sensitivity to light
RESIDUAL EFFECTS Eye appears smaller Blink remains incomplete or infrequent Tearing abnormalities Asymmetrical smile Mouth pulls up and outward Sinus problems Nose runs during physical exertion Post paralytic hemifacial spasm Hypertonic muscles Co-contracting muscles Synkinesis (oral/ocular well known, but can affect any muscle group) Sweating while eating or during physical exertion Muscles become more flaccid when tired, or during minor illness Muscles stiffen when exposed to cold, when tired, or during illnes

That's it. The blue bold ones are the symptoms that I had experiences since it differs among people.

DaRaH & KiTa

Adakah jenis darah yang mengalir dalam tubuh kamu mampu menggambarkan personaliti sebenar diri kamu sendiri? Menurut salah sebuah institut di Jepun, kajian yang dilakukan ke atas jenis-jenis darah yang mengalir di dalam tubuh manusia ternyata mampu memberi gambaran terdekat mengenai keperibadian individu itu sendiri. Ingin berkongsi rahsia mengenainya?

"DARAH O "

Individu yang memiliki jenis darah dari kategori ini disifatkan sebagai individu yang setia, sabar dan sentiasa yakin terhadap keupayaan dan kebolehan diri sendiri. Selain itu individu dari kategori ini juga sering bersifat ingin menjadi ketua walau dalam apa jua perkara yang ingin dilakukan khususnya yang melibatkan kerja-kerja berkumpulan. Sekiranya menginginkan sesuatu, kamu akan berusaha untuk mencapai matlamat tersebut walau dalam apa cara sekalipun. Ada kalanya kamu dikatakan memiliki sifat cemburu yang agak kuat. Selain itu kamu juga terlalu serius dalam persaingan sehinggakan ia mampu memberikan tekanan kepada diri kamu sendiri. Oleh yang demikian kamu harus lebih bijak mengawal emosi diri mu agar tidak dikuasai dengan tekanan.

"DARAH A"

Keharmonian dan keamanan adalah matlamat utama dalam hidup kamu. Kamu gemar melakukan kerja-kerja secara berkumpulan dan kamu juga gemar melibatkan diri dengan berpersatuan. Kamu bijak bergaul dengan individu di sekeliling mu dan ternyata mereka juga sentiasa berasa senang untuk bekerjasama dengan mu. Sikap sensitif, sabar, dan bertimbang rasa yang ada dalam diri kamu itu melambangkan bahawa kamu tergolong dalam kategori individu yang memiliki keperibadian penyayang. Walau bagaimanapun ada kalanya kamu agak degil dan terlalu kuat bekerja sehinggakan tidak mengendahkan langsung waktu untuk berehat. Kamu harus ingat, kesihatan juga perlu diutamakan. Jangan kerana terlalu leka dengan kerja-kerja kamu itu, kesihatan diri pula yang terabai.

"DARAH B"

Sempoi! Itulah ungkapan yang paling rapat dengan mu. Kamu lebih selesa dengan kesederhanaan. Dalam perhubungan pula kamu adalah individu yang terlalu jujur dan lebih gemar berterus terang dalam apa jua perkara. Dalam melaksanakan sesuatu tugasan yang diberikan, kamu lebih gemar melaksanakannya dengan cara kamu sendiri. Kamu adalah individu yang kreatif dan fleksibel, mudah bagi diri kamu untuk meletakkan diri sendiri dalam apa jua situasi mahupun kelompok golongan tertentu. Kamu adalah individu yang bijak bersosial. Namun ada kalanya sikap kamu yang gemar berdikari dan tidak gemar meminta bantuan orang lain itu, mampu mendatangkan masalah buat diri mu dan sekali gus memperlihatkan kelemahan pada diri sendiri. Kamu harus ingat bahawa, tidak semua perkara kita boleh menyelesaikannya secara bersendirian.

"DARAH AB"

Tenang dan bijak mengawal emosi, itulah keperibadian yang jelas terpancar dalam diri individu yang tergolong dalam kategori darah berjenis AB ini. Kamu juga sentiasa menghormati orang lain dan ini menjadikan individu yang berada di sekeliling mu berasa selesa untuk berdampingan dengan mu. Kamu juga memiliki sikap humor semula jadi dalam diri dan sentiasa bersikap menghiburkan dan ceria. Namun ada satu perkara yang harus kamu perbaiki dalam diri kamu itu. Kamu perlu lebih bijak dan berani untuk membuat keputusan sendiri. Jangan biarkan orang lain membuat keputusan untuk diri kamu sendiri.

* I'm O-type person.. What about u?