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Ultrasound scanning July 31, 2009

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ULTRASOUND SCANNING

Medical ultrasonography (sonography) is an ultrasound-based diagnostic imaging technique used to visualize muscles and internal organs, their size, structures and possible pathologies or lesions. Obstetric sonography is commonly used during pregnancy and is widely recognized by the public. There are a plethora of diagnostic and therapeutic applications practiced in medicine.

In physics the term “ultrasound” applies to all acoustic energy with a frequency above human hearing (20,000 hertz or 20 kilohertz). Typical diagnostic sonography scanners operate in the frequency range of 2 to 15 megahertz, hundreds of times greater than this limit. The choice of frequency is a trade-off between spatial resolution of the image and imaging depth: lower frequencies produce less resolution but image deeper into the body.

Diagnostic applications

Sonography (ultrasonography) is widely utilized in medicine. It is possible to perform diagnosis or therapeutic procedures with the guidance of sonography (for instance biopsies or drainage of fluid collections). Sonographers are medical professionals who perform scans for diagnostic purposes; they work with specialized doctors called sonologists who provide reports of the images obtained. Sonographers typically use a hand-held probe (called a transducer) that is placed directly on and moved over the patient. A water-based gel is used to couple the ultrasound between the probe and patient.

Ultrasound is effective for imaging soft tissues of the body. Superficial structures such as muscles, tendons, testes, breast and the neonatal brain are imaged at a higher frequency (7-15 MHz), which provides better axial and lateral resolution. Deeper structures such as liver and kidney are imaged at a lower frequency 1-6 MHz with lower axial and lateral resolution but greater penetration.

Medical sonography is used in, for example:

* Cardiology; see echocardiography
* Endocrinology
* Gastroenterology
* Gynaecology; see gynecologic ultrasonography
* Obstetrics; see obstetric ultrasonography
* Ophthalmology; see A-scan ultrasonography, B-scan ultrasonography
* Urology
* Musculoskeletaltendons, muscles nerves
* Vascular, arteries and veins
* Intravascular ultrasound (eg. ultrasound guided fluid aspiration, fine needle aspiration, guided injections)
* Intervenional
* Contrast-enhanced ultrasound

A general-purpose ultrasound machine may be able to be used for most imaging purposes. Usually specialty applications may be served only by use of a specialty transducer. Echocardiography is a major sub-specialty of diagnostic ultrasound that is different. The dynamic nature of cardiac studies generally requires specialized features in an ultrasound machine for it to be effective.

Obstetrical ultrasound is commonly used during pregnancy to check on the development of the foetus.

In a pelvic ultrasound, organs of the pelvic region are imaged. This includes the uterus and ovaries or urinary bladder. Men are sometimes given a pelvic ultrasound to check on the health of their bladder and prostate. There are two methods of performing a pelvic ultrasound - externally or internally. The internal pelvic ultrasound is performed either transvaginally (in a woman) or transrectally (in a man).

In an abdominal ultrasound, the solid organs of the abdomen such as the pancreas, aorta, inferior vena cava, liver, gall bladder, bile ducts, kidneys, and spleen are imaged. Sound waves are blocked by gas in the bowel, therefore there are limited diagnostic capabilities in this area. The appendix can sometimes be seen when inflamed eg: appendicitis.

Therapeutic applications

Therapeutic applications use ultrasound to bring heat or agitation into the body. Therefore much higher energies are used than in diagnostic ultrasound. In many cases the range of frequencies used are also very different.

* Ultrasound may be used to clean teeth in dental hygiene.

* Ultrasound sources may be used to generate regional heating in biological tissue, eg. in occupational therapy, physical therapy and cancer treatment.

* Focused ultrasound may be used to generate highly localized heating to treat cysts and tumours (benign or malignant), This is known as Focused Ultrasound Surgery (FUS) or High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU). These procedures generally use lower frequencies than medical diagnostic ultrasound (from 250 kHz to 2000 kHz), but significantly higher energies. HIFU treatment is often guided by MRI.

* Focused ultrasound may be used to break up kidney stones by lithotripsy.

* Ultrasound may be used for cataract treatment by phacoemulsification.

Source: wikipedia GFDL

http://www.medic8.com/healthguide/articles/ultrasound.html

What you should know about pelvic exams July 30, 2009

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First you need to know just exactly what a pelvic exam is. It is an exam of the vagina, cervix and uterus that is done by a doctor or some other qualified health care professional. Pelvic exams should start to be done at least a few years after a woman begins to have sexual intercourse or at the age of 21. If young women or teenagers are having abnormal symptoms then they should also have a pelvic exam. Pelvic exams should be scheduled yearly.

During the exam the doctor will insert a speculum that will allow them to see into the vagina better. The doctor may also take samples of discharge or secretions with a cotton swab so that they can run tests for infections or disease which can help in the diagnoses of ovarian cancer.

During the process the doctor will insert two gloved and lubricated fingers into the vagina so they can feel the abdomen externally with the other hand. The doctor does this so they can check for any growth or sensitivity. If you feel any pain during this process you should let the doctor know.

Many wonder if a pelvic exam in painful and while the exam can be a little uncomfortable they are often not painful. Therefore, if you feel pain at any time during the exam you should tell your doctor immediately.

Another common question is how long a pelvic exam usually takes. Many normal pelvic exams are usually quick and will only take five to ten minutes. Pelvic exams are very important to help detect ovarian cancer.

Source: http://www.healthguidance.org/authors/504/Jeanette-Pollock
http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/7050/1/What-You-Should-Know-About-Pelvic-Exams.html

What to do about painful intercourse during menopause July 29, 2009

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The second most common sexual complaint during menopause is painful intercourse. Painful intercourse can be sharp pain when having sex, burning, itching, or dull pain. Any of these symptoms are completely common during menopause. It can lead to a lack of desire to have sex. It may be frustrating to even think about sex. If you are experiencing painful intercourse during menopause, check out this information on what to do.

Why It Happens?
When you are going through menopause, your body is producing less and less estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone that is important in a lot of ways to your body. It helps your bladder as well as your vaginal area. You will likely be experiencing vaginal dryness, itching, burning, or other irritation at some point during menopause. These symptoms can be uncomfortable as well as difficult to deal with during sex. Your vaginal lining is also thinning, which can make the act downright painful at times. Sometimes you will also have an infection, which are common during menopause, which will cause painful intercourse.

What Should You Do About It?
The first thing you should do is see your doctor about this issue. You will want to do this to rule out the possibility of a vaginal infection. If you do have an infection you will need an antibiotic to take care of it. Some infections are commonly spread to your sexual partner as well, so be sure to ask your doctor about that as well. If your doctor has cleared you of infection, you have to learn how to cope with the irritation.

What Helps?
Some doctors will prescribe estrogen creams for patients with exterior irritation. These often help with itching and burning that can be so bothersome during sex. If you are choosing not to take hormone replacement therapy, then you will need to be patient with yourself when it comes to sex. Talk with your partner about your needs. Explain that sometimes you will feel like having sex and sometimes you will not be able to have sex. Being open and honest with your partner will ensure that your lines of communication are open and that he will not assume you are simply disinterested. If you choose not to talk about it, it is likely that you will end up dreading the act and he will pick up on it sooner or later. Be sure to take things slow and easy when you do have sex. Try using water based lubricants to help you feel more comfortable as well.

Overall, painful intercourse is a part of menopause many women experience. Although it is bothersome, most women report that it does not last forever. Remember back to right after you had your children. You likely experienced many of these same symptoms. The good news was that they didn’t last forever, and neither should these. So be patient and honest with yourself and your partner and you both will be able to get through this time without a problem. Talk with your doctor for any further suggestions to help you cope as well.

http://www.thehealthguide.org/menopause/what-to-do-about-painful-intercourse-during-menopause/

Improved rna interference kits launched by imgenex July 21, 2009

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Improved RNA interference kits launched by Imgenex

By: Stephen Jones

RNA interference (RNAi) is the process of mRNA degradation that is induced by double-stranded RNA in a sequence-specific manner. RNAi has been observed in all eukaryotes, from yeast to mammals. The RNAi pathway is thought to be an ancient mechanism for protecting the host and its genome against viruses and rogue genetic elements that use double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in their life cycles. They have also been shown to play a role not only in mRNA and dsRNA stability/degradation, but also in regulation of translation, transcription, chromatin structure, and genome integrity. In plants and animals, RNA silencing has been adapted to play a critical role in regulation of cell growth and differentiation using a class of small RNAs. In the RNA interference process, the dsRNAs get processed into 20-25 nucleotide (nt) small RNAs by an RNase III-like enzyme called Dicer. Then, the small RNAs assemble into endoribonuclease-containing complexes known as RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs), unwinding in the process. The small RNA strands subsequently guide the RISCs to complementary RNA molecules, where they cleave and destroy the cognate RNA (effecter step). Cleavage of cognate RNA takes place near the middle of the region bound by the siRNA strand. The small RNAs that provide target specificity to the silencing machinery includes short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), repeat-associated siRNAs (rasiRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs) and is distinguished by their origin. siRNAs are processed from dsRNA precursors made up of two distinct strands of perfectly base-paired RNA, while miRNAs originate from a single, long transcript that forms imperfectly base-paired hairpin structures. siRNAs were originally identified as intermediates in the RNAi pathway after induction by exogenous dsRNA; however, endogenous sources of siRNAs have now been recognized. The endogenous siRNAs are derived from repetitive sequences within the genome, and are termed repeat-associated siRNAs, or rasiRNAs. miRNAs were discovered through their critical roles in development and cellular regulation, and represent a large class of evolutionarily conserved RNAs. miRNAs have always been recognized as being of endogenous origin. RNA interference has emerged as a natural mechanism for silencing gene expression over the past decade. This ancient cellular antiviral response can be harnessed to allow specific inhibition of the function of any chosen target genes, including those involved in causing diseases such as cancer, AIDS, and hepatitis. It is already proving to be an invaluable research tool, allowing much more rapid characterization of the function of known genes. More importantly, the technology considerably bolsters functional genomics to aid in the identification of novel genes involved in disease processes. Last but not the least the technology can be harnessed as a novel therapeutic agent and is suitable for combating viral diseases, cancers and inflammatory diseases.
Imgenex (San Diego) recently launched the pSuppressorAdeno construction kit for adenovirus mediated gene knockdown. The kit provides the ability to infect a broad range of cell types, including many primary cell lines as well as dividing and nondividing cells, according to a company official. The kit also offers the flexibility to validate sequences using the nonviral expression plasmid prior to construction of adenoviruses, notes Sujay K. Singh, Ph.D., president and CEO of Imgenex, which markets plasmid-based RNA interference (RNAi) products. ?One of the greatest advantages is the ability of recombinant adenovirus vectors to reduce gene expression both in vitro and in vivo,? he adds. RNAi, initially considered a bizarre attribute of petunias and later a gene-silencing mechanism in worms, is creating a stir as one of the hottest new technologies in molecular biology. It is revolutionizing the field of functional genomics.


Author Resource:->IMGENEX India Pvt Ltd. the only biotech company in Orissa and one of its kinds in Eastern India. IMGENEX India started in Oct as an outsourcing branch of IMGENEX Corporation, San Diego, USA. Find out more information about .

Article From Article Health And Fitness
http://www.articlehealthandfitness.com/articledetail.php?artid=3668&catid=371&title=-Improved-RNA-interference-kits-launched-by-Imgenex

Doing microdermabrasion acne treatment at home July 19, 2009

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If you are plagued with persistent and difficult to deal with acne then no doubt you have considered microdermabrasion acne treatment. The problem is that microdermabrasion acne treatment is very expensive and for most people it is completely unaffordable. There is a solution however. If you shop around you can find products like the Neutrogena microdermabrasion acne kit. This product, while not as effective as many of the spa microdermabrasion acne treatments, is a fraction of the cost. In addition, because you can continue treatments over time the home microdermabrasion acne treatments will become more effective over time.

Why A Home Microdermabrasion Acne Treatment Is A Great Thing To Try

If you are trying to clear up your acne and can not afford the spa treatment giving a home microdermabrasion acne treatment kit a try is a great way to see if you like the treatment and if it is going to be effective for you. Most of these kits run in the $30 - $100 range. This is for the full kit and treatment. Spa session cost far more then that for one treatment. Many of the microdermabrasion acne treatment kits you can use at home will last for several months if not a year depending on what you buy. The cost in spa treatments over that same time period would dwarf what you are going to pay for the home kits.

In addition by doing microdermabrasion at home you can do it much more frequently then you would if you were having to go to a spa. It is much easier to schedule then a spa treatment and much easier to keep that appointment. In addition if you need to do it at a later time it is much easier to do then if you are having to work around the schedule of the spa. In addition, if you need to cancel the appointment there is not a fee or anyone to notify, just skip a week.

Home microdermabrasion acne treatment will not have the immediate effects that you would see going to a spa. Many times those are quite dramatic and and profound. However, you will eventually see the same results if you give the treatments time. These treatments take time to get to the same level as the spa treatments, but once you are there they are much easier to maintain. The problem with the spa treatments that unless you continually keep doing them your skin will slip back to the way it was. With the home treatments, this slipping does not happen and you can keep your skin looking like the best spa treatments money can buy for pennies on the dollar.

http://www.thehealthguide.org/microdermabrasion/doing-microdermabrasion-acne-treatment-at-home/