Top 10 Weird Medical Facts of the Week

1. About one third of the human race has 20-20 vision.

2. In a hot climate, you can sweat as much as 3 gallons of water a day.

3. Fingernails are made from the same substance as a bird's beak.

4. A runner consumes about 7 quarts of oxygen while running a 100-yard dash.

5. The enamel in your teeth is the hardest substance in your body.

6. Your teeth start growing 6 months before you are born.

7. Your big toes have two bones each while the rest have three.

8. A pair of human feet contain 250,000 sweat glands.

9. Living brain cells are bright pink.

10. You're ears secrete more earwax when you are afraid than when you aren't.

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Niagara Falls Turns Pink in Breast Cancer Awareness

Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer.

As well as providing a platform for breast cancer charities to raise awareness of their work and of the disease, BCAM is also a prime opportunity to remind women to be breast aware for earlier detection.

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Top 10 Weird Medical Facts of the Week

1. 57% of women would rather go on a shopping spree than have sex.


2. 63% of pet owners sleep with their pets.


3. The average American male laughs 69 times a day where the average woman laughs 55 times a day.


4. 85% of obscene calls are made by males.


5. The average person moves their residence 11 times in their life, about once every 6 years.


6. Fetuses can hiccup.


7. Your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to a boil.


8. If they were laid end to end, the blood vessels in your body would wrap around the equator three times.


9. Blondes have more hair than dark-haired people.


10. Bone is stronger, inch for inch, than the steel in skyscrapers.

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The Human Nervous System - Structure and Function - All Explained

The nervous system is a regulatory system that controls a variety of body functions. The nervous system can detect changes occurring in various organs and take corrective action when needed to maintain the constancy of the internal environment. The nervous system also regulates activities that change almost instantly, such as muscle contractions and perception of danger. The body is made up of many receptors that receive incoming information about what is happening within the body and what is happening in the outside environment. Specifically, these receptors represent our eyes, ears, skin, nose, and stomach. We act on that information via the nervous system.

The basic structural and functional unit of the nervous system is the neuron. These are elongated, highly branched cells. The body contains about 100 billion neurons. Neurons respond to electrical and chemical signals, conduct electrical impulses, and release chemical regulators. Overall, neurons allow us to perceive what is occurring in our environment. They help us engage in learning, store vital information in memory, and control the body's voluntary (and involuntary) actions.

The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system (CNS). The brain stores information, reacts to incoming information, solves problems, and generates thoughts. In addition, the brain plans a course of action based on the other sensory inputs. Responses to the stimuli are carried out mostly through the peripheral nervous system (PNS) to accommodate one's will.

Simply put, the nervous system receives information through stimulation of various receptors, processes this information, and sends out signals for an action that needs to be taken through its various branches. Actual transmission of the signal uti­lizes a change in the sodium and potassium concentration in the neuron. There is an influx of sodium and a loss of potassium as the message is sent. Ion concentrations are then restored to normal amounts in the neuron and it is ready to conduct another message.

When the signal must bridge a gap (synapse) between the branches of different neurons, the message is generally converted to a chemical signal called a neurotransmitter. The neurotransmitter, itself is then released into the gap, thereby passing the signal from one neuron to another. Another type of cell may also be at the receiving end of the neurotransmitter, such as a muscle cell. If the signal is sent to an­other neuron, this allows it to continue on to its final destination. The neurotransmitters used in this process are often made from common nutrients found in foods, such as amino acids. Examples are the amino acid tryptophan being converted to the neurotransmitter serotonin, and the amino acid tyrosine being converted to the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.

Other nutrients also play a role in the nervous system. Calcium is needed for the release of neurotransmitters from neurons. Vitamin B-12 plays a role in the formation of a myelin sheath, which provides a form of insulation around specific parts of most neurons. Finally, a regular supply of carbohydrate in the form of glucose is important for providing for the energy needs of the brain. The brain can use other fuels, but gen­erally relies on glucose.

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Dengue Fever outbreak in Pakistan 2011

Already cursed by floods and suicide bombings, Pakistan now faces a new menace from an unprecedented outbreak of the deadly tropical disease dengue fever.

Earlier this disease was spread in Lahore and Karachi but now cases of Dengue fever are coming from all major cities and towns. The first case of this disease in Pakistan reported in year 1994 in Karachi. After that this disease spread slowly and in 2006 there were large number of patients affected with Dengue fever.

In 2006 World Health Organization for the first time recognized the disease in Pakistan and according to their official statistics more than 4800 persons were affected by disease and almost 50 died till 2006. First case of Dengue fever in Lahore was reported in 2007 and since then the cases and causalities are increasing with rapid pace.

It is tropical disease and the mosquito responsible for that disease can not fly long distance. Some years before when there was attack of Dengue Disease in USA they investigated the matter and found that the disease was caused by some recycled imported tyres hence it is evident that this disease was also came in Pakistan through that way and Karachi is the main Sea Port city and worst affected by this disease. All imported material is delivered from Karachi to the all parts of Pakistan and this way the disease is now reached in all corners of Pakistan.

The mosquito with Dengue virus is found in clean water such as in grounds or gardens and hence one cannot avoid it only by keeping neighbourhood clean. Now government is taking preventive measures by using chemical sprays against mosquitoes but more efforts are required to control this epidemic disease.

In less than a month, 126 people have died and more than 12,000 have been diagnosed with the virus, which has spread rapidly among both rich and poor in Pakistan's cultural capital Lahore.

Pakistan authorities have blamed the crisis on prolonged monsoon rains and unusually high seasonal temperatures.But furious locals say the outbreak is yet another example of government inefficiency, citing a failure to take preventive measures to kill off the mosquitos and lengthy power cuts.

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Dengue fever, A Comprehensive Disease Information

If there's one insect that can truly be called a pest, it's the mosquito. Incredible as it sounds, this tiny insect can cause a host of diseases ranging from malaria, filariasis, yellow fever, and encephalitis (the inflammation of the brain).

One of the most common diseases transmitted by mosquitoes is dengue and it's found in over 40 countries. Since it first appeared in Southeast Asia in the 1950s, dengue outbreaks have increased and have been reported in Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Burma, and Thailand.

Over 2.5 million people are at risk, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Millions of infections occur yearly and about 500,000 people are hospitalized because of dengue. Ninety-five percent of those affected are children.

Not all mosquitoes transmit the dengue virus. There are over 160 different species but only two cause trouble: the Aedes albopictus and more commonly, the Aedes aegypti. Only female mosquitoes bite and they're active two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset.

Mosquitoes normally feast on nectar and plant juices. The female needs blood to nourish its eggs. It becomes infected with the dengue virus when it bites a person suffering from the disease. The infected mosquito then spreads the disease when it bites others.

"There is no way to tell if a mosquito is carrying the dengue virus, therefore people must protect themselves from all mosquito bites," warned WHO.

Dengue mosquitoes like to hide in closets and other dark places. Outside, they prefer cool and shaded areas such as school grounds, park, and malls. The female breeds in anything that holds stagnant water like barrels, drums, old tires, pots, flower vases, bottles, roof gutters, refrigerator drip pans, and other places that collect rainwater.

Many factors contribute to the spread of dengue. These include climate changes brought about by the El Nino phenomenon, increasing urban populations, and poverty. Mosquito breeding sites have also increased due to poor water storage and sewage systems, uncollected garbage, and infrastructure projects with stagnant pools. Mass transportation has made it easier for mosquitoes to reach other areas and move infected humans.

There are two forms of dengue. Dengue fever is a severe flu-like illness that affects older children and adults but is rarely fatal. It's characterized by sudden high fever, headache, pain behind the eyes that worsens with movement, and muscle and joint pains. Later, a measles-like rash appears on the chest and upper limbs and there is nausea and vomiting.

The more severe form of the disease is dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) which is fatal in children. Its symptoms are similar to dengue fever but it causes bleeding from the nose, mouth, and gums and shock leading to death. Other signs of DHF are severe stomach pain, pale, cold or clammy skin, frequent vomiting, sleepiness, excessive thirst, rapid weak pulse, and difficulty in breathing.

If you suspect you have dengue or DHF, see a doctor immediately. Up to 20 percent of people with severe dengue or DHF may die if not properly diagnosed and treated. To keep your body strong and healthy, eat right and follow a regular exercise program. To help you lose weight, take Phenocal, a safe, natural, and effective weight loss supplement that boosts your metabolism, suppresses your appetite, reduces food cravings, and increases energy levels to keep you in shape.

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Top 10 Weird Medical Facts of the Week

1. If a surgeon in Ancient Egypt lost a patient while performing an operation, his hands were cut off.
2. Alfred Hitchcock didn't have a belly button. It was eliminated when he was sewn up after surgery.
3. Ancient Egyptians shaved off their eyebrows to mourn the deaths of their cats.
4. Apples are more efficient than caffeine in keeping people awake in the mornings!
5. Boys who have unusual first names are more likely to have mental problems than boys with conventional names. Girls don't seem to have this problem.
6. Cat urine glows under a black light.
7. Due to gravitational effects, you weigh slightly less when the moon is directly overhead.
8. Every episode of "Seinfeld" contains at least one Superman.
9. George Washington grew marijuana in his garden.
10. Hindu men believe(d) it to be unluckily to marry a third time. They could avoid misfortune by marrying a tree first. The tree ( his third wife ) was then burnt, freeing him to marry again.

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