Month: September 2020

Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia is an extremely rare form of anemia affecting only one in eighty thousand individuals. This type of anemia is caused when the red blood cells are destroyed by warm antibodies which are activated by warm temperatures such as the body temperature. Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia can occur in individuals of all ages but typically occurs in people after the age of forty and is seen more commonly in women than in men.

Conditions which can Increase the Risk of Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

The cause of this type of anemia remains unknown in about fifty percent of the cases diagnosed, however, acquiring certain diseases or conditions can increase an individuals risk for warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia. These diseases include viruses and autoimmune diseases such as lupus, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, hepatitis, HIV, and other blood cancers.

Certain medications can also cause this type of anemia-particularly cephalosporin’s and penicillin. The destruction of blood cells may slowly develop or in some cases this condition may happen very suddenly and in some individuals this destruction will stop on its own while in other cases the destruction may increase and become a chronic condition.

Treatments Given for Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

In mild cases of warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia where the blood cell destruction is slowing down naturally, typically no treatment is given. In cases where the destruction of cells is increasing, the first treatment is typically given is a corticosteroid- typically prednisone-initially with high doses then decreasing the amount gradually over a period of weeks or months.

If the corticosteroids are failing to work or the individual is experiencing serious side effects, the spleen may be removed because of its significant roll in the destruction of the red blood cells. In some cases where all of these treatments have failed the individual may receive immunosuppressive drugs or blood transfusions.…

The Burden of Weightlessness

Space scientists and engineers foresee manned flights to Mars taking many months each way – and voyages to the outer planets taking many years. So people may one day spend large parts of their lives on space stations – children may even be born and raised on them. But, before these dreams can become reality, scientists must first solve the physiological problems caused by prolonged weightlessness.

Weight off One’s Shoulders

Before the age of space flight, science fiction writers and visionary scientists thought weightlessness would be an exhilarating experience, humanity’s release from the bonds of gravity. Astronauts have found that this is true – but only for a short while. They have also found associated discomforts and dangers that threaten to limit the prospects for long-distance space travel.

One of the immediate effects of weightlessness is a sudden rush of blood to the head. The body’s main arteries are equipped with organs, called baroreceptors that ensure that the heart pumps the right amount of blood to the head. In conditions of weightlessness, the baroreceptors think there is not enough blood in the upper body, and allow extra blood to move upwards from the legs. This makes the face puff out and causes nasal stuffiness.

Furthermore, the brain thinks the extra blood in the head means there is too much fluid in the body. It therefore releases hormones that tell the kidneys to discharge more urine, causing dehydration, and to lower the number of red cells in the blood, resulting in anemia.

A Feeling in the Bones

At the same time, muscles, freed from the need to combat gravity, become very weak. On long flights, the most important muscle of all, the heart, can shrink by as much as 10 per cent. Bones, too, react to a release from gravity. On Earth, bones regulate their uptake of calcium from the blood according to the stresses of bearing weight.        

In the absence of these habitual stresses, the bones lose calcium, most of which is discharged in the urine. Unless countermeasures are taken, the bones could become dangerously brittle and painful kidney stones could form from the discharged calcium.

Russian cosmonauts, some of whom have remained in orbit for more than a year, perform exercises that simulate the normal effects of gravity on the body. But exercises take up a lot of their time – they devote several hours a day to them – and do not solve all the problems of weightlessness. So the Russians have also experimented with a device that stimulates the muscles with electrical pulses and a special garment, known as a ‘penguin suit’, which demands constant muscular exertion from the wearer, even to stand upright.…

Am I Anemic? How to Increase Iron Intake on a Daily Basis

There are a few ways we may develop anemia. Some diseases have that as a side effect. Childbirth and heavy menstruation are also possible reasons for a low iron count. Believe it or not, some foods will also contribute to the problem by blocking absorption rates. If you notice the symptoms, which include pale skin, pale nail beds and a rundown feeling, it is time for a trip to the doctor.

It is extremely important that you have a doctor diagnose this illness for several reasons. One is that overdosing on iron can be deadly. Starting supplementation on your own is not a good idea.

There’s good news, though. Simple changes in your diet may be able to improve your iron count significantly. Knowing which to eat and which to aren’t helpful may help you avoid having to take supplemental iron.

Vegetables: Many vegetables have a naturally high count. Beans, greens, broccoli and pumpkin are a few that could be useful in this department. Other vegetables may not be so high in the mineral, but can boost absorption rates. Oranges, strawberries, tomatoes and greens are a few of these.

Just as there are vegetables that enhance absorption, there are foods that block it. While spinach is high in iron, it can be a blocker. Tea, coffee, chard and even red wine also fit into this category. Oddly enough, white wine is an enhancer.

Meats: Organ meats, especially the liver, are loaded with this mineral. Some seafood has the highest numbers, especially clams. Beef, pork, chicken and turkey have it to a lesser degree. For the turkey, the dark meat is the best, as it is higher than the white meat.

You may have noticed something about these foods. Many of them are not recommended to people with heart disease. This can be a problem if you are the female spouse of a heart patient. As you are likely eating the same foods he is, your counts will naturally be lower.

The main reason I bring this up is that women who are going through perimenopause often have periods that can last two weeks or more. That amount of blood loss is often a cause by itself. Add the changes to your diet, and you may be in some serious trouble.

This is an issue that you should discuss with your doctor if you see your situation as being similar to that above. You may also want to consult a nutritionist to develop a diet plan that will suit both you and your spouse. That way, you can prevent serious health problems naturally.…

Children’s Sickle Cell Anemia – When Low-Calorie Diets Can Be Deadly

Sickle-cell anemia is a hereditary condition causing red blood cells to be misinformed. Healthy red blood cells have a contour roughly resembling a doughnut. They are flexible and can pass through narrow passageways in the bloodstream. Sickle cells develop an elongated, bent shape like a sickle.

These blood cells are fragile and are easily broken. They fail to deliver adequate amounts of oxygen, and the kidneys are severely strained by the need to clear proteins from broken blood cells out of the bloodstream. Sickle-cell anemia begins before birth and causes numerous health complications throughout life.

Persons of African descent are most likely to have sickle-cell anemia, but it is also relatively common among people of Mediterranean, Arab, and South Asian ancestry, and it is not unknown among Caucasians. Inheriting a gene for sickle-cell anemia from both parents results in full expression of the disease. Inheriting a gene for sickle-cell anemia from only one parent causes changes in hemoglobin that are identifiable by blood tests, but does not cause symptoms.

increase the child’s need for energy by about 50 calories a day, but many children with sickle-cell anemia suffer developmental setbacks because they are not fed enough when they are sick.Medically prescribed hydroxyurea treatment can reduce, but not eliminate, a child’s need for extra calories and encourage growth.

Zinc deficiency is another common cause of delayed development in children with sickle-cell anemia. Without zinc, the immune system cannot activate natural killer cells and macrophages to fight infection, and other immune cells tend to mature and die early.

Reduced resistance to infection diverts nutrients needed for growth. Children who receive supplemental zinc grow taller and have stronger knees and arms. The difference between receiving adequate zinc and zinc deficiency amounts to only a fraction of an inch of growth per year, but the benefits of zinc supplementation throughout childhood and adolescence can be substantial.

Since zinc is critical to the child’s development but it has an unpleasant taste, it is usually best to give this supplement in the form of a fruit-flavored syrup. Cherry-flavored zinc syrups are available from sickle-cell treatment specialists and compounding pharmacies. Be sure the child receives at least 10 milligrams of zinc per day, but do not overdose.

Very little research has been done concerning the nutritional needs of adults with sickle-cell anemia, although a study in the late 1980s found that most people with the disease suffer various antioxidant deficiencies. Moderate amounts of antioxidant supplementation may reduce the severity of some symptoms of sickle-cell anemia.

Some additional tips for dealing with this condition:

Maintaining body fluids is a special problem for people with this condition. Be sure to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day in hot weather, and to avoid heat as much as possible.

People with sickle-cell are more likely to get cavities and gum disease. Regular dental care improves quality of life.

Teenagers with sickle-cell anemia usually need more calories than other teens even when they get less exercise.Although vigorous physical exercise by itself does not aggravate anemia, confounding factors such as heat stress, dehydration, viral illness, and poor physical conditioning can cause serious complications. …

Regenerative Medicine – Treatment With Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

New developments in the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) are appearing every month in the literature. The initial hurdle is to be able to reprogram adult human cells without using agents that might cause cancer. The first reprogramming method used a viral delivery system to introduce the reprogramming genes into cells. But a virus can insert into the cell’s genome, possibly causing severe unanticipated outcomes such as cancer.

Also, refinement of the reprogramming factors is necessary. The initial group was composed of Oct-4, c-Myc, Sox2, and Klf4 genes. c-Myc has potent oncogenic properties – expression of c-Myc can cause a cell to become cancerous. c-Myc was discovered in the late 1970s – expression of c-Myc has a profound role in the development of breast cancer and has a central role in most types of human malignancies.

In order for these cells to be used safely in humans, reprogramming alternatives to c-Myc needed to be identified. An optimal scenario would be to identify alternatives to using any gene for reprogramming. Inserting new genes into a cell could result in mutations, disruption of other normal genetic processes, and additional negative effects. Such deleterious outcomes would increase in number and severity as cells and tissues introduced into a patient continue to divide and replicate.

The field is moving forward quickly. Many research teams have been successfully investigating the use of small molecules as reprogramming factors. Small molecules include very short nucleotide segments (nucleotides comprise the basis of the genetic code), peptides (amino acid sequences), and short-chain sugars. Recently a team led by Dr. Hongyan Zhou at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA, generated induced pluripotent stem cells using direct delivery of a set of reprogramming small molecules. This groundbreaking work provides a new method of creating safer cells for potential uses in treatment and transplantation.

Initial work is being done to use iPS cells for the treatment of many serious and life-threatening diseases. Important preliminary work has been done with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease, sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, muscular dystrophy, and diabetes.

For example, researchers have been able to generate large numbers of iPS cells from skin cells taken from an 82-year-old woman diagnosed with ALS. These cells could be directed to become motor neurons, which could be used to replace diseased nerve cells in a patient’s spinal cord. This research proves that sufficient induced pluripotent cells can be produced from cells taken from an elderly patient. iPS cells might be used to develop treatments for other diseases which specifically affect the aged.

Sickle cell anemia has been reversed in mice using induced pluripotent stem cells derived from their own cells. Somatic cells were obtained from humanized sickle cell anemia mouse models. The cells were reprogrammed to iPS cells. The genetic defect was corrected in the pluripotent cells which were then differentiated into blood cell precursors. These normal blood-forming cells were then transplanted into the original mice, who subsequently recovered from sickle cell anemia.

This successful proof-of-concept in humanized sickle cell anemia mice points the way toward using iPS cells in the treatment of a wide variety of deadly diseases.…

The Role of Vitamin C in Your Diet

That’s right, unless you are a marathon runner or tend to hang out in the Arctic, Vitamin C does not prevent colds or the flu. It also doesn’t make these illnesses shorter. About the only thing that orange juice does for you is provide plenty of fluids.

While it doesn’t do the above, it is still a vital nutrient. It helps manufacture cholesterol, but more importantly it helps turn the cholesterol into bile, which is necessary to digestion. Changing cholesterol is also beneficial to your heart, as it keeps the cholesterol from attaching to your arteries.

If you have a tendency towards anemia, you may want to be sure to get your full RDA of C. While it doesn’t contain iron, it is considered useful in helping your body absorb the iron in other foods.

Urinary tract infections in pregnant women are a problem for both mother and child. These infections can be passed on to the child especially during childbirth. However, studies indicate that this vitamin may help prevent them. More research needs to be done to find out how much added benefit is there and what the mechanism is.

The news about C and cancer is somewhat mixed. The good news is that it is an antioxidant and therefore may be able to prevent certain cancers. However, studies were mixed as to the effects of supplemental levels given during chemotherapy. For the most part, it shouldn’t be harmful but it may not help everyone.

Another benefit of the antioxidants in C is reducing your risk of macular degeneration. This is an age related eye problem that can lead to blindness.

One point that you should be aware of; Vitamin C is water soluble and your body cannot store it. If you take more than the recommended daily allowance, you will literally flush your hard earned money down the toilet. Also, do not take C with caffeine, as it will block up to sixty percent of it from being absorbed.

You should always check with your doctor before beginning a supplement program. Make sure the doctor knows about any medical conditions as well as any medications/supplements you are already using. This will help protect you from harmful side effects and drug/herb interactions.…

Pernicious Anemia – A Condition Caused by a Lack of Vitamin B12

Pernicious anemia is an anemic condition which occurs or happens when an individual’s body or the sufferer is not able to absorb enough of the B12 vitamin from their gastrointestinal tract. The human body requires the B12 to produce red blood cells as well as to maintain the nervous system.

When the vitamin B12 in the body becomes insufficient, the bone marrow is unable to produce red blood cells which divide normally. These cells are then too large and many can not pass through the bone marrow to the body and this creates a shortage of these cells which are needed to carry oxygen throughout the body.

The Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency as well as Pernicious Anemia

In many cases of pernicious anemia, the condition itself is not diagnosed until after signs of a neurological problem appear. There are many symptoms associated with this type of anemia including those which are typical of all types of anemia and include tiredness and fatigue. Other symptoms include bleeding gums, sore mouth, tongue problems, impaired sense of smell, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and a pale skin color.

Other symptoms which may occur and are due to the lack of vitamin B12 can include numbness or tingling in the hands as well as feet, loss of balance, and muscle weakness. In severe cases of a vitamin B12 deficiency it is possible for an individual to experience memory loss, dementia, confusion, and depression.

The Most Common Treatments for Pernicious Anemia

Pernicious anemia was actually given its name due to the fact that “pernicious” is defined as “deadly”. The reason for this was because at one time vitamin B12 treatments were not available; however, at these days pernicious anemia is treated fairly easy by building up the vitamin B12 in the body.

This can be done easily through vitamin B12 shots which are given in the more severe cases of pernicious anemia as well as may be on a daily or weekly basis until the B12 reaches sufficient levels in the body. In less severe cases vitamin B12 pills are usually taken in very large doses. Vitamin B12 is also made available in a nose spray as well as gel which is sometimes beneficial for individuals who have problems with swallowing pills. Prescription medications may also be given to treat this kind of condition which is causing the body’s inability to absorb the B12.…