Can you live without a pancreas? – Overview The pancreas is both a digestive organ and an endocrine gland. As a digestive organ, it produces enzymes that break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the small intestine. As an endocrine gland, it produces the hormones insulin and glucagon, which help Read more…
It’s a common and persistent myth that static stretching improves running performance and decreases the risk of injuries, researchers say. Instead, an active warm-up can help with running performance, and progressive training can reduce injury risk, they write in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. There’s evidence stretching can help Read more…
Types of Surgical Sutures Surgical sutures are medical devices used to hold body tissues together after an injury or surgery. There are various types of surgical sutures and they are classified based on several factors such as absorbability, origin and structure of the surgical suture. Sometimes, “sutures” are used interchangeably Read more…
Can You Live Without a Brain? – Overview The human brain is the command center for the human nervous system. It receives signals from the body’s sensory organs and outputs information to the muscles. The brain consists of the cerebrum, the brainstem and the cerebellum. It controls most of the Read more…
Humility is not the boldest of personality traits, but it’s an important one, studies find. And it’s hard to fake. In their day jobs, research psychologists don’t typically need safety goggles, much less pith helmets or Indiana Jones bullwhips. There’s no rappelling into caves to uncover buried scrolls, no prowling Read more…
Singapore will ban advertisements of certain fizzy drinks and juices, its health ministry said on Thursday, part of a raft of measures to curb consumption of sugar in the city-state, which has some of the world’s highest diabetes rates. Under the measures, further details of which will be released next Read more…
Epilepsy is a disorder in which nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed, causing seizures. Epileptic seizures are episodes that can vary from brief periods to long periods of vigorous shaking which can result in physical injuries. If you are asking the question, “can surgery fix epilepsy”, you must Read more…
Periacetabular Osteotomy – Overview Periacetabular osteotomy is a surgery carried out to treat a condition called hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is an abnormality of the hip joint where the acetabulum (socket) does not fully cover the femoral head (ball), resulting in an increased risk for joint dislocation and osteoarthritis. Symptoms Read more…
People who get even a small amount of exercise may be less likely to die prematurely than their more sedentary counterparts, a research review suggests. Researchers examined data from 10 previously published studies that used accelerometers that track movement to measure the exact amount of active and sedentary time spent Read more…
Nigeria marked three years free of endemic wild polio on Wednesday, with health officials saying the nation’s progress in fighting the crippling viral disease could result in the whole of Africa being declared polio-free early next year. The three-year milestone sets in motion a continent-wide process to ensure that all Read more…
Peroneal Tendon Subluxation Surgery The peroneal tendons are anatomical structures that attach the peroneal muscles to the outer part of the foot. One peroneal tendon attaches to the outer part of the midfoot, while the other tendon runs under the foot and attaches near the inside of the arch. The Read more…
Oophorectomy is the surgical removal of the ovaries. It is often performed to treat diseases such as ovarian cysts, ovarian cancer and to prevent ovarian cancer in high-risk patients. While oophorectomy can be done alone, it is often performed in conjunction with other surgical procedures such as hysterectomy. Types of Read more…
Femoral endarterectomy is a surgical procedure carried out to treat blockage of blood flow in the femoral artery. The femoral arteries are blood vessels in the groin area that carry blood to the legs. The femoral arteries may become blocked by fatty tissues thereby leading to difficulty in walking and Read more…
Botulinum toxin (Botox) is a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It is one of the most potent poisons known and as little as 1 gram of botulinum toxin could kill over 1 million people. Two kilograms could kill the entire human population of Earth. However, targeted and controlled Read more…