How To Cure A YEAST INFECTION NO MORE

How To Cure A YEAST INFECTION NO MORE - By Linda Allen

Yeast can thrive in it and you need to take caution if you intend to stay away from injuries. As you consider how to treat a yeast infection, you need to keep in mind that prevention is always better than cure. Avoid wearing tight fitting clothes so that will choke your system.

Afternoon Nap Raises to Early Death

Why taking an afternoon nap 'raises risk of an EARLY DEATH by a third'

• Adults who nap are more likely develop deadly respiratory issues
• Scientists say napping can trigger inflammation in the body
• The findings from say dozing could be a symptom of lung disease

By Pat Hagan

Napping, once thought of as a harmless way to recharge one's batteries throughout the day, could now have deadly effects

 

It seems a pretty harmless occupation, but taking an afternoon nap can knock years off your life, say researchers. British adults who sleep for an hour or more in the day increased the chances of premature death by almost a third, scientists found. The biggest risks appear to be associated with lung diseases, such as bronchitis, emphysema and pneumonia. Adults who nap every day are up to  two-and-a-half times more likely to die from respiratory illnesses than those who don’t. Researchers said that this could be  because napping triggers inflammation in the body. 

However, the findings, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, also suggested that dozing during the day could be a signal that the person already has lung disease. Experts at Cambridge tracked more than 16,000 British men and women over 13 years. They studied adults who, in the late nineties, signed up to a major research project investigating the effects of diet and lifestyle on cancer.  As part of the project, volunteers gave details of their sleeping habits – including whether they took a nap in the day. Researchers then followed them up for 13 years and recorded the number of deaths – just over 3,000 – and what caused them.

When they matched mortality rates with sleeping habits, they found the risk of death increased slightly by about 14 per cent in people who dozed less than an hour in the day. But if their naps lasted more than an hour, the risks increased by 32 per cent. When they looked at causes of death, they found the chances of dying from a respiratory illness more than doubled if naps lasted over an hour.

The chance of death of those who napped among 16,000 people increased by around 32 per cent

But the report added: ‘It remains plausible that napping might be an early sign of system disregulation and a marker of future health problems.’ Professor Jim Horne, from the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, said short naps can still be a major help. 

He said: ‘The findings actually show that the great majority – about 85 per cent – of those people who napped less than one hour were at no greater risk.’ He said it is possible that people in the study with serious and incurable lung illnesses might even have benefited from snoozing in the day and that napping ‘may not have hastened death but delayed it’. Last year, a study in China – where taking a post-lunch snooze is very popular – found napping for more than 30 minutes at a time raised the chances of developing type two diabetes.

But scientists could not be sure that it wasn’t hidden diabetes that made people sleep, rather than napping triggering the disease. However, other studies have suggested a quick doze may slash the risk of heart attacks and strokes by more than a third.

Hope for young women born without a vagina

Hope for young women born without a vagina: Scientists successfully implant organs grown in the lab using patients' own cells

• The new organs given to women born with a condition called MRKH
• This is rare condition in which the vagina is underdeveloped or absent
• Treatment could also help patients with vaginal cancer or injuries
• Organ is engineered using muscle and cells from the genital region

By Anna Hodgekiss

Scientists have successfully grown vaginas in a laboratory and implanted them into four teenage patients. The new organs have been given to women born with MRKH - Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a rare genetic condition in which the vagina and uterus are underdeveloped or absent. The treatment could also potentially be applied to patients with vaginal cancer or injuries, according to the U.S. researchers.

Pioneering: Scientists have successfully grown vaginas in a laboratory and implanted them into patients born with a condition called MRKH - where the vagina and uterus are underdeveloped or absent

HOW THEY DID IT

The organ structures were engineered using muscle and epithelial cells (the cells that line the body’s cavities) from a small biopsy of each patient’s external genitals. The cells were extracted from the tissues, expanded and then placed on a biodegradable material that was hand-sewn into a vagina-like shape. These scaffolds (pictued below) were tailor-made to fit each patient.

About five to six weeks after the biopsy, surgeons created a canal in the patient’s pelvis and attached the scaffold to reproductive structures.

At the same time the scaffolding material is being absorbed by the body, the cells lay down materials to form a permanent support structure – gradually replacing the engineered scaffold with a new organ. The researchers, from the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's Institute for Regenerative Medicine, say four teenage girls have successfully received vaginal organs that were engineered with their own cells.Writing in The Lancet, programme leader by Dr Anthony Atala, said: 'This pilot study is the first to demonstrate that vaginal organs can be constructed in the lab and used successfully in humans.

'This may represent a new option for patients who require vaginal reconstructive surgeries. In addition, this study is one more example of how regenerative medicine strategies can be applied to a variety of tissues and organs.' The girls were between 13 and 18 years old at the time of the surgeries, which were performed between June 2005 and October 2008.  Data from annual follow-up visits show that even up to eight years after the surgeries, the organs had normal function. The vaginas were engineered using muscle and epithelial cells (the cells that line the body's cavities) from a small biopsy of each patient's external genitals. The cells were then extracted from the tissues, expanded and then placed on a biodegradable material that was hand-sewn into a vagina-like shape. These scaffolds were tailor-made to fit each patient.

Yuanyuan Zhang demonstrates the process where four young women born with abnormal or missing vaginas were implanted with lab-grown versions made from their own cells

 

About five to six weeks after the biopsy, surgeons created a canal in the patient's pelvis and sutured the scaffold to reproductive structures. Previous research in Dr Atala's lab has shown that once cell-seeded scaffolds are implanted in the body, nerves and blood vessels form and the cells expand and form tissue. At the same time the scaffolding material is being absorbed by the body, the cells lay down materials to form a permanent support structure – gradually replacing the engineered scaffold with a new organ. Follow-up testing on the lab-engineered vaginas showed the margin between native tissue and the engineered segments was indistinguishable. In addition, the patients' responses to a Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire showed they had normal sexual function after the treatment, including desire and pain-free intercourse.

"Tissue biopsies, MRI scans and internal exams using magnification all showed that the engineered vaginas were similar in makeup and function to native tissue, said Atlantida-Raya Rivera, lead author and director of the HIMFG Tissue Engineering Laboratory in Mexico City, where the surgeries were performed. Current treatments for MRHK syndrome include dilation of existing tissue or reconstructive surgery to create new vaginal tissue. A variety of materials can be used to surgically construct a new vagina – from skin grafts to tissue that lines the abdominal cavity. However, these substitutes often lack a normal muscle layer and some patients can develop a narrowing or contracting of the vagina. The researchers say that with conventional treatments, the overall complication rate is as high as 75 percent in paediatric patients, with the need for vaginal dilation due to narrowing being the most common complication.

WHAT IS MRKH SYNDROME?

• MRKH (Mayer Rokitansky Küster Hauser) is a congenital abnormality which affects one in 5,000 women in the UK. 
• It is characterised by the absence of the vagina, womb  and cervix. 
• Women suffering from the condition will have normally functioning ovaries and so will experience the normal signs of puberty but will not have periods or be able to conceive. 
• The external genatalia are completely normal which is why MRKH isn’t usually discovered until women are in their teenage years. 
• It’s usually discovered when the woman tries to has sex or fails to get her period. 
• Many women are able to create a vaginal canal using dilation treatment, which uses cylinder shaped dilators of different sizes to stretch the muscles. 
• However, if this is unsuccessful then surgery will be used to stretch the vaginal canal. 
• Following treatment women are able to have intercourse and can have their eggs removed and fertilised to be used in surrogacy.

Did JUPITER kickstart life on Earth?

Did JUPITER kickstart life on Earth? Gas giant may have altered climate billions of years ago

• Jupiter’s gravity is capable of pulling on other planets in the solar system
• Computer simulations looked at how Jupiter's orbit would affect Earth's
• Position in relation to the sun, and therefore our planet's early climate
• It found it had no affect on tilt and orbit, but affect on climate was unclear
• Findings from study could help astronomers better narrow the search for habitable planets outside the solar system

By Ellie Zolfagharifard

The alien world of Jupiter is more than 365 million miles (588 million km) away from what we experience on Earth.  But despite this huge distance, astronomers have long believed the gas giant’s gravity is so strong it deflects comets and asteroids that would otherwise hit our planet.  Now a new study has shed light on how this strong gravitational pull may have influenced Earth's climate and, in turn, created the conditions needed for life to thrive on our planet billions of years ago. 

Astronomers have long believed Jupiter’s gravity helps deflect comet and asteroids that would otherwise hit our planet.  Now a new study has shed light on how Jupiter may have helped create the conditions for life to thrive on Earth billions of years agoJupiter’s gravity, which is 2.5 times stronger than that of Earth's, is capable of pulling on other planets in the solar system - including our own.  This means that, depending on how Jupiter interacts with Earth, our planet's orbit - and therefore its climate - could vary significantly. For example, if our planet is pulled closer to the sun, our climate would change as a result. Equally, if Jupiter's orbit caused Earth to move further away.

 

The study, by the University of New South Wales and Royal Holloway University of London, ran various computer models of our solar system, according to a report by Elizabeth Howell in Astrobiology Magazine.  With each iteration, the planets in the solar system remained in their place while Jupiter moved around in different obits, ranging from circular to elliptical.  

Jupiter’s gravity, which is 2.4 times stronger than that of Earth, is capable of pulling on other planets in the solar system - including our own.  This means that, depending on how Jupiter interacts with Earth, our planet's orbit could vary significantly, changing how close it is to the sun

JUPITER'S INTENSE GRAVITY

• The gravity of Jupiter is 2.5 times greater than Earth's. 
• In the 1990s, its force tore apart Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 and pulled the broken pieces into the planet. 
• The gravity of Jupiter affects every planet to some degree. 
• It is strong enough to tear asteroids apart and capture 64 moons.

Some scientist think Jupiter destroyed many celestial objects in the ancient past as well as prevented other planets from forming. Astronomers have long believed that the gas giant’s gravity helps deflect comets and asteroids that would otherwise hit our planet.The scientists also moved the entire orbit of Jupiter inwards and outwards to test what would have happened if the planet had formed closer to the sun, or further away.  

Each simulation was taken through a million year time frame, recording where Earth would have been every 100 years as a result of Jupiter’s position. ‘The default assumption is this is something that is important,’ said Jonti Horner, an astronomer and astrobiologist at the University of Southern Queensland. ‘There's a lot of flexibility where Jupiter will be, and you would assume that you'd have a very smooth, very gentle variation in how the Earth's orbit behaves over time.’ While Jupiter's locations resulted in little change in Earth's orbit and tilt, the effect on Earth's climate remained unclear. However, a previous study by the same research group found that Jupiter's position has a striking influence on Earth's climate.  

The team now hope to go back to the earlier work to resolve the discrepancy.  By understanding how gas giants affect the climate on other worlds, researchers hope they can better narrow the search for other habitable planets outside the solar system. 

New fears over E-cigarettes

New fears over e-cigarettes after study finds they affect the lungs in a similar way to tobacco

• Electronic cigarettes may not be as safe as first thought
• Scientists grew bronchial cells exposed to vapour and tobacco smoke
• Lung cells develop similar mutations when exposed to e-cig vapor
• This means they might be 'safer' than cigarettes, but not harmless
• Sales of e-cigarettes increased by 340 per cent in Britain alone last year

By Sara Malm

E-cigarettes have been touted as a ‘safer’ alternative for smokers, but a new study indicates that this may not be the case. Sales of e-cigarettes have soared by 340 per cent in the past year as Britons turn to the electronic smoking devices in a bid to quit traditional cigarettes. Now, a study examining the biological effects of e-cigarettes found ‘strikingly similar’ gene mutations in lung cells exposed to e-cig vapour as those found in smokers.

Risky puff: Scientists at Boston University, U.S. found 'strikingly similar' gene mutations in lung cells exposed to e-cig vapour as in those exposed to tobacco smoke

Scientists grew bronchial cells in mediums exposed to e-cig vapour and compared them to bronchial cells grown in a medium exposed to tobacco smoke. They found that the gene mutations in both sets of cells, although not identical, showed ‘striking similarities’.

‘[E-cigarettes] may be safer, but our preliminary studies suggest that they may not be benign,’ said study author Avrum Spira, a genomics and lung cancer researcher at Boston University. This means that although e-cigarette vapour is tobacco and tar-free and that the device does not require combustion, it could potentially increase a user’s risk of cancer. Mr Spria, who presented the study’s findings at the American Association of Cancer Research’s annual meeting this week, said he could not confirm or deny that e-cigarettes cause cancer, as the research is in its early stages. Further experiments are planned.

Still unknown: The new research means e-cigarettes may be safer than normal tobacco cigarettes, but not as harmless as we first thought

E-cigarettes have soared in popularity in recent years as consumers look for ‘healthier’ ways to continue smoking, rather than use gum or patches to quit the habit. Figures released last month found that while sales of smoking quitting aids have slowed, the market for e-cigarettes is booming. Sales have increased by 340 per cent over the past year, from £44 million in 2012 to reach an estimated £193 million in 2013. The report says that while the smoking cessation market has seen strong growth historically, with annual increases of around 6-10 per cent between 2009-12, sales of products such as gum, tablets and patches have slowed. In 2013 the market for smoking cessation aids grew just 1.7 per cent to reach a value of £131 million.

The Victorian Joy of Sex

The Victorian Joy of Sex: Prudish? Far from it. A racy new book reveals our ancestors could teach today's lovers a thing or two about, ahem, 'courtship'

By Lucy Pearce

‘The natural state of reproduction requires a state of utter and complete frankness that must be observed between the married pair,’ suggested one contemporary writer.‘There must be no private reserves on the wedding night, and each one must allow their soul to be as open as their arms.’Other relationship-enhancing tips included the advice that passion is increased by time spent apart, and that even decent women should use a little rouge, enamel or powder, plus some ‘pencilling of the eyebrows and darkening stuff for the lids’.

German vintage postcard from 1909, showing a loving couple kissing at piano - people of the Victorian era might have been a lot more 'sexually minded' than we previously thought

 

Those with small breasts were advised that a little judicious padding might not go amiss — with the proviso that if they began this deception with a suitor before marriage, they should be prepared for him to be disappointed on the wedding night. Like their 21st-century counterparts, Victorian commentators worried about the legalisation of the sex industry, the ethics and availability of contraception and the horrors of human trafficking and child prostitution.

But, writes Riddell, if the 19th century abounded with attitudes that we can readily identify with, our forebears also espoused many ideas that now seem utterly alien. Among the most significant of these, she suggests, is the Victorian fear of the dangers involved with what they euphemistically called the practice of ‘the solitary vice’.The Swiss neurologist Samuel-Auguste Tissot had published his influential L’Onanisme in 1760, in which he suggested that the consequences of masturbation included insanity or even death.

A commonly held belief during the Victorian era was that a woman could become pregnant only if she experienced an orgasm at the same time as her lover

More than 100 years later, Tissot’s theories were still widely believed, with the fear of ‘the solitary vice’ dominating Victorian marriage guides and advice on morals and manners. One well-known author on the subject was J. H. Kellogg, creator of the cornflake. Those tempted to indulge, it was suggested, should avoid mustard, pepper, rich gravy, beer, wine, cider and tobacco, all of which created a craving for sensual gratification. Rather than risk the consequences of ‘the solitary vice’, those in possession of 100 guineas could purchase a ‘femme de voyage’ or inflatable sex aid, for the ‘special use of gentlemen on their travels’.

These ingenious contraptions could be packed up and stored under a gentleman’s hat, and were also ‘a highly successful alternative to those who fear contamination or pollution from illicit acts with questionable lovers’. Another commonly held and erroneous belief was the notion that a woman could become pregnant only if she experienced an orgasm at the same time as her lover.Without this, the female seed could not be released and no child would be formed in her womb. Furthermore, at the conclusion of the sexual act, the wife must not talk, cough or sneeze, lest this impede conception.

Old texts said that those looking to have children should remember that 'sex must not be faintly or drowsily performed'

In 1845, the French physician Eugene Becklard, in his book Physiological Mysteries And Revelations In Love, Courtship And Marriage: An Infallible Guide-book For Married And Single Persons, In Matters Of The Utmost Importance To The Human Race, took this argument to its supposed logical conclusion and argued that since the ‘fecundating principle’ would not enter the womb unless a woman craved it do so, ‘a rape can never be productive of real offspring’. He also propounded the view that ‘the party, whose temperament predominates in the child, was in the highest state of orgasm at the period of intercourse’. Crucially, any union without true love, according to the manuals of the day, would bring forth ‘ill-looking, sour and spiritless offspring’, while those hoping for good-looking children should remember that sex must not be ‘faintly or drowsily performed’. Intriguingly, though, babies conceived during the daytime often turned out both ‘fine and handsome’. Conversely, women were cautioned that ‘a child that was begat upon a set of stair is most likely to be born with a crooked back and given in no small way to the fault of staring’. And if the husband was unfaithful, children he sired were likely to be ‘weak and wretched’ and grow up unhappy. As if all this weren’t enough for the beleaguered Victorian matron to take in, further gems of advice unearthed by Riddell’s researches include the suggestion that children who were conceived in spring and summer could be expected to have darker complexions than those conceived in autumn and winter. Similarly, children ‘begat when the wind is blowing from the north’ would tend to be stronger than those conceived during an easterly wind. An illegitimate child, on the other hand, would be full of ‘fire and energy’.

Despite popular depictions of 'subservient' women in the Victorian era, the century was full of strong, energetic women excelling in the fields of literary and scientific endeavour, or campaigning to improve conditions for their sex

This was evidence (albeit hypocritical in view of the Victorians’ moral code) of the passions which engulfed its parents at the time of conception. On the subject of choosing a partner, a wealth of advice — some of it downright bizarre — was available to young men and women of the period. No man, for example, should marry a woman with a nose similar to his own. Women with Roman, or hooked, noses should not marry at all — or else find a small-nosed husband.  Not only this, but potential suitors should remember to check skin tone, body shape, chin, height and size of feet. A broad and square chin was thought to be indicative of a jealous nature, while a long chin proved grace and humility. Big-footed men and women, although awkward on first meeting, made the most reliable partners, while small-footed people were deemed prone to reckless gaiety. The plump were renowned for their affable and easy nature. Those with sharp and angular forms were energetic and earnest and prone to find fault with the indolence of others. Tall people were thought to have the most self-control, while short people were the opposite, hence their frequent appearance in riotous mobs.

Gentlemen were advised that the easiest way to choose their future intended was to be guided by the shape of her legs. Sturdy legs with a neat ankle were thought the most suitable for a man who wanted an intellectual companion. Heavy legs and coarse shoes were regarded as indicative of a coarse nature, while thin yet muscular pins were best for a gentleman who wanted his home run with military precision.

Once marriage was finally in prospect, couples were counselled to bear in mind that a warm climate made people feel sexier — an important factor when planning the honeymoon, or wedding tour. Later, however, when the stresses and strains of family life began to show, gentlemen were reminded by one author that ‘hysterical wives or children should be laid on a waterproof sheet on the floor and doused with a jug of cold water.’ The idea of such dominant men and submissive wives is, on the whole, suggests Riddell, not a representative one. In reality, she says, the century was full of strong, energetic women excelling in the fields of literary and scientific endeavour, or campaigning to improve conditions for their sex. While much of the advice given out at the time was misguided and inaccurate, the 19th-century tenets of true love, respect and mutual physical pleasure are, she believes, as relevant today as they were 150 years ago. And for their timeless and illuminating advice on how to conduct a successful sexual relationship — along with a wealth of architecture, engineering, art and literature — we have a lot to thank the Victorians for.