The World and The Human Technology Swat Y2K Bug:  The world is celebrating the new millennium with no major Y2K problems. Once again, we proved ourselves that our technology and science is more reliable than what most of us can imagine.  Sit back, relax and enjoy your Y2K!  Happy new year to all of you from the staff of The World of Science.  (01/01/2000)

Use of stem cells:
A battle is shaping up in Congress again over the issue of stem cells.  Stem cells found circulating in the blood and in the bone marrow have the potential to become any kind of cell in the body. Scientists want to use stem cells as tissue transplants, as treatments for diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson's, and perhaps someday as a source of entire organs for transplant.  The main problem is the source of these stem cells.  Scientists have been using embryos left over from fertility treatments.  However, the current law considers the embryos to be potential human beings and forbids federally funded scientists to work with them.  Source:  Reuters (2/13/00)

Dangerous interaction between herbal medicine and prescribed medicine: St. John's wort, an herb commonly used by people for depression and anxiety, can interfere with a key drug used in AIDS cocktails.  What patients eat and drink can affect the way drugs are absorbed and used by the body. For example, grapefruit juice is known to increase the effectiveness of some HIV drugs, some drugs must be taken with food while others must be taken on an empty stomach.  The patients who use alternative or herbal medicine often do not tell their doctors due to the fear of the disapproval of their doctors. In the case of St. John's wort and probably many other herbal medicine it is really important to inform the doctor of their consumption due to the dangerous interactions which take place between these drugs and prescribed drugs.
Source:  Reuters (2/11/00) 

Modern lifestyle and rise of asthma: Asthma is one of the fastest growing diseases in the new world.  The disease which affects 150 million people worldwide, can develop at any age but it often starts in childhood. Asthma occurs when the bronchial tubes swell up and block the passage of air in and out of the lungs. Researchers think modern lifestyle (better food hygiene, fewer stomach infections and a sterile environment) is responsible for the rise of asthma.
It is believed that stomach infections early in childhood may help the immune system build up a resistance to different allergies including asthma.
A balance should be sustained in the modern lifestyle:  we must improve hygiene to reduce the impact of infectious diseases but at the same time, we must learn how to safely train our immune system to prevent allergies.  Source:  Reuters (2/11/00)

Optimistic people live longer:  A recent study has shown that optimistic people live about 19 percent longer than pessimists.  It said that optimists may be less likely to develop depression and helplessness or they might be more
 positive in seeking medical help and taking care of themselves.  This research shows us that
mind and body are linked and that attitude has an impact on the final outcome, death.  So be optimistic and live longer! :)  Source:  Reuters (2/8/00)

Salmonella enteritidis: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that at least 79 people have died and more than 28,000 have become ill from salmonella enteritidis since 1985.  Salmonella enteritidis, a subtype of salmonella infection is associated with eggs.  There was a 39 percent decline in this infection during past year.  Decline in salmonella enteritidis infections is due to on-farm control programs, refrigeration during transport and storage, and education of consumers and food workers.  More than three-fourths of salmonella enteritidis illnesses are caused by eating raw or undercooked eggs.  To kill this bacteria eggs should be cooked at greater than 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius) for at least 15 seconds.  Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to 160 degrees (71 C).   Source:  Reuters (2/4/00)

Elevated risk of cancer in workers exposed to radiation:  A draft report has been made by the Energy Department and the White House on workers who are exposed to radiation.  The report was ordered by president Clinton last year after the Energy Department said some nuclear plant workers who had helped supply beryllium -- a toxic metal -- to the government had been stricken with beryllium disease, an untreatable lung condition.  According to the draft report, workers exposed to radiation and chemicals at 14 U.S. nuclear weapons plants had elevated rates of different cancer categories ranging from leukemia to lung cancer. Government is working on a plan to support sick workers and their families.  Source: Reuters (1/30/00)

Emeralds: It was long believed that emeralds used to decorate the crown of an Indian potentate and a Roman earring came from ancient mines in Austria or Egypt.  However, new studies have shown that these emeralds have in fact came from mines in Pakistan and Colombia. The emerald mine in Colombia is considered to be one of the finest in the world.  The Colombian emeralds were traded worldwide almost as soon as they were discovered by Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century.  Today geologists can pinpoint the origin of emeralds by looking at these variations in oxygen, a major constituent of emeralds.  Ion microprobe oxygen isotopic analysis is used.  In this technique the emerald is bombarded with an electron ion beam which dislodges oxygen ions from the crystal lattice of the gem.  These results can be analyzed to determine the origin of the emerald.  This technique causes only microscopic damage to the emeralds.  Source:  Reuters (1/27/00)

Olive Oil can prevent progress of colon cancer:  Studies have shown that presence of olive oil in diet can prevent colon cancer.  In one study, scientists compared the benefits of olive oil, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, with safflower and fish oil on rats to determine if the type, and not just the amount, of fat in the diet has an impact on tumor growth.  This study revealed that those rats which consumed olive oil did not show any progress in tumor growth. Constituents of olive oil such as flavonoids, squalene and polyphenols may help to protect against cancer. Flavonoids and polyphenols are antioxidants which help prevent cell damage from oxygen-containing chemicals called free radicals. Source:  Reuters (1/25/00)

FIRST DOUBLE HAND TRANSPLANT: The first double hand transplant has been performed by an international team of surgeons.   The 17-hour operation was conducted by France's Jean-Michel Dubernard and Australian Earl Owen.  These doctors were also part of the team that conducted the first single hand graft in 1998 which was successful. In this operation, both hands and forearms were transplanted onto a former house painter.   A team of 50 were involved in preparation phases but only some of them took part in the operation on Thursday at the Edouard Herriot hospital in the central city of Lyon. The key to the success of operation is whether the patient's body accepts the transplant or not.  Doctors announced that the early signs showed that drugs to prevent the immune system from rejecting the limbs were working. Source:  Reuters (1/17/00)

LUNAR ECLIPSE: A total lunar eclipse is expected this coming Thursday.    The Earth's
shadow will totally cover the moon from 11:05 p.m. on Thursday to 12:22 a.m. Friday. The moon will turn bright red during this lunar eclipse that should be easy to see throughout the America. When the Earth's shadow passes over the moon, the brightest light visible during lunar eclipse is the reddish- orange light from the sun bending around the Earth. Same physics applies during the sunset.  Due to this fact, the colors of sunset and the colors seen during lunar eclipse are very similar.  So expect to see sunset colors on moon this coming Thursday! Source:  Reuters (1/16/00)

FIRST VISITORS OF MARS: Two bacterium survived the trip to Mars.  These two bacterium Bacillus subtilis (wild) and Deinococcus radiodurans R1 are resistant to high speeds, extreme heat and radiation.  These first visitors of Mars are very peaceful bacterais which do not cause any disease.  The survival of these bacterias may be an evidence that Mars can support life. For the last half-century, scientists believed life on Earth originated from simple inorganic molecules that might have been nurtured in oceans or zapped by lightning. Now survival of these two bacterias suggests another hypothesis: Tiny living things -- such as these two hardy bacteria -- may have traveled between Earth, Mars, Venus and Mercury when the planetary system was young. Source:  Reuters (1/13/00)

HURRY SICKNESS! Are you one of those who fly into a rage at the sight of a traffic jam or
get impatient waiting for e-mails to download?  If yes, you could be suffering from "hurry sickness". People living in the new century are falling prey to a 21st century epidemic called the "hurry sickness".   This sickness is due to constant pressure to find time to fit everything into the busy daily life.  Psychologists blame the sickness on new technology that makes it harder  for people to maintain a sense of control. It is believed that taking a break once in a while from work and all the daily duties is a good way to avoid "hurry sickness". Source:  Reuters (1/10/2000)

HOW TO MAKE READING EASIER FOR DYSLEXIC CHILDREN: Developmental dyslexia is a disorder in children which can cause mild visual impairments and unstable eye control.  This incident strikes nearly 20 percent of boys and five percent of girls, making it difficult for them to learn to read. Reading is usually difficult for dyslexic children because the two eyes see the prints differently; the letters seem to dance around and change order making the child confused.  Research has shown that dyslexic children stand a greater chance of learning to read if they use just one eye.  Source:  Reuters (1/9/2000)

Rise of Stroke in US: Stroke is known as the third leading cause of death in the United States. More Americans are suffering from strokes than ever before.  In 1999, more than 1.2 million Americans suffered from strokes, including 751,000 ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes and another 500,000 transient ischemic attacks (TIA), or ``mini-strokes''. One of the responsible factors for the rise of strokes is increased survival of medical disorders that would put a person at risk of stroke. In addition, high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, obesity, and lack of exercise are all risk factors for stroke.  Source:  Reuters (2/11/00)

Prediction of Juvenile diabetes:   Studies have shown that antibodies that attack insulin-producing cells can be measured in young children and may be a good test for predicting who will develop juvenile diabetes.  Juvenile diabetes is an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disease is caused when the body's immune system mistakenly kills healthy cells.  In the case of diabetes, the cells that are attacked are the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This early prediction of juvenile diabetes allows more management of the disease in children who are genetically in risk.  Source:  Reuters (2/8/00)

Water craft: The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned parents not to let children younger than 16 operate Jet Ski-type water craft. In 1970s Kawasaki Motors Corp. introduced the first one-person Jet Ski. Since then the variety, speed and number of such craft have increased.  Some of the new models are capable of carrying three people at up to 60 miles (96.5 km) per hour. The injuries associated with the use of this craft have increased dramatically. There were at least 83 U.S. fatalities in 1997; injuries increased fourfold from 1990 to 1995.  Source:  Reuters (2/7/00)

Fossils of a sauropod was discovered in Texas:  Scientists in southwestern Texas discovered the neck bones of one of the biggest dinosaurs of its kind, a sauropod possibly more than 100 feet (30 meters) long. The fossil discovered was remains of a nearly complete neck -- 10 vertebrae measuring a total of 23 feet in length.  Sauropods are dated to the Late Cretaceous period, which ended about 66 million years ago. They were herbivore dinosaurs with long necks and column-like legs.  Source: Reuters (2/1/00)

Bad weather delays the launch of the space shuttle:  Due to the bad weather at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, the scheduled launch of the space shuttle Endeavour's 11-day Earth-mapping mission may be delayed.
NASA will not launch in rain or hail.  Thick clouds can hamper the space agency's ability to visually track the shuttle after liftoff.  There is a possibility for the liftoff to take place on Tuesday.  According to forecasters, there is 80 percent chance for weather to be appropriate for launch on Tuesday.  If Endeavour does not launch on Monday or Tuesday, the next available opportunity would be Feb. 9.  Source:  Reuters (1/30/00)

Suicide and genetic links: According to the World Health Organization, suicide was the 12th leading cause of death in 1998.   948,000 people died of self-inflicted injuries. However, with new research and study there is a hope that cases of suicide and depression will soar over the next 20 years.  Researchers have found a genetic link for suicide.  It has been showed that people with a mutation in the gene encoding for a serotonin 2A receptor -- a message-carrying chemical linked to mood -- were more than twice as likely to commit suicide than those without the mutation.  Source:  Reuters (1/29/00)

Discovery of Nogo Protein may help stroke victims:  Scientists have identified a protein that prevents damaged cells in the brain and spinal cord.  Unlike tissue in many parts of the body that can repair itself, nerve cells survive injury but the axons that connect them and transmit nerve impulses are severed and do not grow back.  Researchers have discovered this is due to an inhibitory protein called NOGO.  Discovery of this protein may open new hope for people paralyzed by stroke or spinal cord injuries. Source:  Reuters (1/26/00)

BEST DIET: Studies have shown that a low-fat diet is not very successful.  The best way to loose weight is a Mediterranean diet based on fruit, vegetables, grains, olive oil and moderate fat. The traditional diet of less carbohydrates and more balance with fats leads to better health and much less obesity and coronary disease.  Studies show that the total fat content does not need to be restricted as long as there is not an excess of calories in the diet. Doctors recommend foods low in saturated fatty acids, rich in carbohydrates and fiber and with a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, mainly from olive oil. Source:  Reuters (1/17/00)

What is ALS? About 4,600 people are diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) each year in the United States.  ALS is a deadly paralyzing disease also known as motor neuron disease or Lou Gehrig's disease after the baseball player who died of it. The disease starts by affecting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord; weakening muscles in the body and eventually causing paralysis. Patient's brains are spared, leaving them trapped in a deteriorating body.  Up to present, there was no real known or cure for this disease.  However, recent studies shows that this disease is caused by a virus very similar to Echovirus-7.  This new finding, may open a new window in the cure of this disease. Source:  Reuters  (1/11/00)

SEIZURES AND FEAR OF LOOSING DRIVING LICENSE: Epilepsy is Britain's most common significant neurological problem, with around 4.5 epileptics per thousand inhabitants.   Most of these epileptic patients do get seizures.  However, study has shown that only 40% of them admit this fact.  One of the main reasons for hiding seizures is the fear of loosing the driving license or employment.  According to law, those who have seizures are not allowed to hold a driving license.  Due to this law, many patients do not admit to their doctors that they get these seizures.  But is it right for these people to hide their seizures? Should there be a change in law? Source:  Reuters  (1/8/2000)

1999 EARTHQUAKES: The world experienced more than the usual number of major earthquakes in 1999 according to the US Geological Survey.   Also, the deaths due to these earthquakes were double the annual average.   An average of 10,000 deaths occur worldwide from earthquakes annually.  Last year, more than 22,000 people were killed by earthquakes. Turkey was shook with two major quakes:  the Aug. 17 quake with magnitude of 7.4 which killed 17,000 in Izmit, and the Nov. 12 quake with magnitude of 7.1. Colombia was hit early in 1999 when a magnitude 6.3 killed nearly 1,200 people on Jan. 25.  Taiwan suffered a magnitude 7.6 on Sept. 20, the largest quake in 1999, killing more than 2,400 people. The deadliest year in this century was 1976 when at least 255,000 people, were killed after one quake hit Tianjin (formerly Tangshan), China. Source:  Reuters (1/7/2000)

OUR TWO NOSTRILS SMELL DIFFERENTLY:
Researchers have discovered that right and left nostrils interpret smells differently.  In most people, the right nostril finds the smell more pleasant, while the left nostril sniffs more accurately. It has been established that the left side of the brain is the logical and calculating side, while the right is the more creative and lateral- thinking side, controlling emotional processing.  The brain functions the same when it comes to sniffs from two nostrils.  The smell from right nostril which is interpreted by the right hemisphere is more pleasant because this hemisphere controls emotions.  However, the smell from left nostril is more accurate because the left hemisphere is the logical side. Source:  Reuters (1/5/2000)

FUTURE OF CANCER: Currently, every one out of three in population suffer from cancer.  One of the reasons for increase in cancer rates is the increased life expectancy.  Another reason, is public awareness and more accurate detection of cancer.  It is believed that in less than 50 years, cancer will be completely controllable like any other disease.  The only obstacles on this way are:  shortage of oncologists, and shortage of finances.  Lets all hope that government will dedicate more money for cancer research and treatment. Source:  Reuters (1/4/2000)

What Happened to Mars Polar Lander?  Lockheed Martin Astronautics, the builder of the spacecraft, and NASA are finger pointing on the cause of the failure of the mission.  Lockheed has announced that the Lander probably crashed in steep slopes of a huge canyon located north of the landing site.  NASA has refused the existence of such canyon and the possibility of such crash.  We may never find out what really happened to the Lander!  (1/6/2000)

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