Every day we learn about a new discovery or study that makes us question everything we know about the human body. Now, scientists have managed to develop human heart tissue out of spinach leaves. Apparently, spinach is a superfood.

The spinach leaves have some physical proprieties that helped scientist develop human heart tissue out of them. These leaves have a network of veins. The network of veins is similar to the blood vessels because it goes through the leaves like blood vessels are spread throughout the body.

In order to create human heart tissue, researchers used these leafy veins. Tissue engineers from Massachusetts’s Worcester Polytechnic Institute were the ones that conducted this research. Their study was published in the journal Biomaterials.

They stripped the cells from the leaves. After that, the plant turned translucent. Finally, the researchers seeded human heart tissue in the gaps left behind by the cells. They observed that the human cells were able to beat for almost 3 weeks. Despite the fact that this is not the usual environment for heart tissue, they survived.

It is amazing to see how the human cells are designed to resist so much. Also, it is interesting how plants can help people in other ways than providing food and medicine. The tissue engineers mentioned that their “inspiration” came over lunch. When they studied the spinach leaves, they wanted to see if heart tissue can be developed with their help.

In previous studies, researchers have tried to solve a medical problem: the lack of donor organs. Many have tried to create artificial hearts, but these organs have a problem. The researchers mentioned that it is hard to get blood flow in the cells.

This is when the researchers used the spinach leaves. The scientists “borrowed” the leafy nerves from the spinach instead of creating tiny blood vessels. Cellulose was the material that was left behind after they cleared the cells of the spinach. This plant material is compatible with mammal tissue. Researchers then seeded the cellulose matrix with heart tissue. After only 5 days, the muscle cells started to beat.

Of course, researchers did not create a muscle out of the spinach. Also, they did not put blood in the nerves of the leaves, they put dye. Despite the fact that this is not an actual heart muscle, it could be the begging for a new way of making organs.

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Obesity is a big problem, especially in the US. More and more people are becoming overweight or obese. Being obese increases the risk of developing conditions like heart diseases and diabetes. In order to raise awareness, a new report about the fattest cities in the US was completed.

The report named 2017 Fattest Cities in America was released on Wednesday. This was made with an analysis of 100 most popular cities in the US.  The fattest city in the US is considered to be Jackson, Miss. On the other hand, the city considered to be the least fat one in the US is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington.

The cities were ranked as fat when they scored high based on a number of factors. These factors include Obesity, Weight-related Health problems, and the Healthy environment. The experts that completed this report measured 17 key indicators of weight-related problems.

According to the CDC, more than 40% of US adults are obese. The problem is that more than 70% of the US population has weight problems. They are either obese or overweight. This new report shows that the Southern cities are the fattest ones. Most of them were located in the Southeastern states.

This report was conducted by WalletHub. They did not mention a systematic explanation on how the socioeconomic status plays a role in the regional obesity rates. Poverty, socioeconomic status, and education are important factors when it comes to obesity.

Researchers have demonstrated that the socioeconomic status is the most important factor when taking into consideration weight problems. It is not always about willpower. People who don’t have a steady income can’t afford to lead a healthy life. They have to buy cheap food that is also nutritious. This might affect their diet and cause weight problems.

These factors should have been taken into consideration when making the list if fattest cities in the US. Due to the fact that the rate of obesity in so big in the US, people should start making some changes in their lifestyle. In order to lead a healthy life, obese people need to exercise more and have a healthy low-calorie diet.

What is your opinion about this report? Did you know that Jackson is the fattest city in the US?

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Sepsis is a condition that kills around 300,000 Americans every year. The problem is that there is no treatment for it. Despite the fact that many experts tried to find one, all of them were ineffective or dangerous.

A doctor mentioned that he might have stumbled upon a possible treatment for this problem. This happened in 2015 when Dr. Paul Marik was treating a woman who had a severe case of sepsis. He observed that her kidneys stopped working as well as her lungs.

He mentioned that the case was so severe that he had to think outside the box. This is when he decided to try a treatment that had shown a moderate success. This treatment consists of intravenous vitamin C. In order to make it more effective, the doctor added a low dosage of corticosteroids. He also administrated another vitamin known as thiamine.

He mixed all of these vitamins and injected the women with them. When he came back the next morning, he was expecting to see the woman dead. Instead, the woman was alive and on the road to recovery.  After this case, he tried the same treatment for his next cases. When he treated more than 50 patients with this mixture, he wrote the results.

Despite the fact that this is not the usual, standard way of testing a possible treatment, the doctor was able to demonstrate the effectiveness of this mixture. Dr. Marik continued to treat his patients with this mixture. The fact that he discovered a possible treatment for sepsis could save the lives of millions of people.

Health experts have started a trial in order to test the possible treatment. They mentioned that, if the mixture is effective, it is going to have a major impact on public health. Despite the fact that many people are excited about this possible treatment, health experts warn that there were a lot of possible treatments that did not pass the follow-up research.

The fact that this possible treatment is made out of vitamin C makes people even more skeptical. Most health experts can’t believe that this simple vitamines can save so many lives. Let’s hope that it passes all of the trials and it becomes an official treatment for sepsis.

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A large trial in Africa showed the efficiency of a new rotavirus vaccine. Rotavirus is a diarrheal disease that is to blame for 600 deaths a day. This is the main cause of death in kids under 5 years old, in underdeveloped countries. The new vaccine is made by an Indian company.

In order to test this rotavirus vaccine, the company carried out a trial in Niger with the help of Doctors Without Borders. This vaccine is supposed to be even cheaper than the vaccines that are available on the market now. The best thing about this treatment is that it can last many moths without refrigeration.

Before it can be distributed, it must be approved by the World Health Organization. Despite the fact that the process is a long one, experts stated that this vaccine is a leap forward. Although it is not perfect, the vaccine is a great thing for children in Africa.

Every year, more than 215,000 kids under 5 die due to the rotavirus. The most affected countries are Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, and Niger. The problem about this virus is that it can’t be treated with antiparasitic drugs or antibiotics. This new vaccine could be the only chance for these children to prevent the disease.

After it was tested, the experts observed that it was 67% effective in preventing rotavirus-related diarrhea. The vaccine is made by the Serum Institute of India. Another great thing about this rotavirus vaccine is that it doesn’t cause intussusception. This is a rare but lethal bowel obstruction. The first American vaccine for this disease was recalled from the market due to the fact that it could trigger intussusception.

3,500 participants were involved in the trial. All of the kids were from 132 villages. They were supervised by more than 300 medical personnel. Although this trial showed that the vaccine was only 67% effective, it is better than other vaccines that were previously tested.

The leader of the study, Rebecca F. Grais, mentioned that her team is very excited about the results. She said that this rotavirus vaccine could save a lot of lives. The new vaccine can have a big impact on public health. Let’s hope that the new rotavirus vaccine is approved by the WHO.

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Great news for the US. The infant mortality rate has declined by 15% in the last years. Despite the fact that this is good news, doctors mentioned that the US should do much more in this area. This is because the rate is still too big.

Between 2005 and 2014, the infant mortality rate declined by 15%. The rate dropped from 6.89 infant deaths per 1000 births to 5.82. The rate of SIDS also declined by almost 30%. Several racial groups saw declines in infant mortality rates.

The biggest fall was among the US Asian populations. Infant mortality rates among this racial group declined by more than 20%. The only groups that did not experience a fall in the infant mortality rate were the Alaska Natives and American Indians.

The rates of the leading causes of infant deaths also went down. Congenital malformations declined by 11%. This is the primary cause of infant death. The only cause of death that increased was the rate of unintentional injuries which rose by 11%.

Two-thirds of all US states showed a significant decline in infant mortality rates. No state showed a significant increase. The states that had the lowest rates of infant mortality are Delaware, Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, South Caroline, and Mississippi. More than 33 states showed a big decline in the infant mortality rate.

The report that was completed by the CDC did not mention how the rate of infant mortality declined in these states more than in the others. Of course, we need to take into consideration the fact that Mississippi, for instance, had one of the biggest rates in 2005. This might be why the rate declined so much in this state.

The actions that were taken by health officials could be showing their effect now. The baby box program is one of those actions. Across the US, health care clinics and hospitals offer baby boxes filled with all the necessary things needed for taking care of an infant. The box can be used as a crib and it prevents parents from putting toys near the baby. It also makes the infants sleep on their back which can lower the chance of SIDS.

What is your opinion about this report? Did you know that the infant mortality rate was declining?

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In an attempt to look better and meet the social standard of beauty, many women undergo plastic surgery. More and more women have breast implants. Apparently, this procedure is not as safe as it was believed. A new report shows that breast implants can lead to a rare form of cancer.

This type of cancer was first discovered in 2011. Now it is linked to 9 deaths. The FDA stated that since 2011, they received more than 350 reports of cancer cases linked to breast implants.  The biggest problem is that these women did not develop breast cancer after the implants, they developed anaplastic large-cell lymphoma.

This type of rare cancer forms in the capsule of scar tissue around the implant. Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma is a treatable condition and usually, it is not fatal. Despite this fact, until now, 9 women died from this rare cancer.

The condition is more likely to occur when women have textured implants. This is because these implants have a pebbly surface. From those 359 reports, 231 included information about the implant. More than 200 of those were textured implants. The others were smooth implants.

Women start to realize that something is wrong when they develop swelling, lumps, fluid buildup, and pain. The FDA report shows that more than 290,000 women had implants in the US in 2016. From them, 109,000 received the implants after surviving breast cancer.

In most of the cases, when the implant was removed, the cancer was eliminated. Unfortunately, some women have to go through radiation and chemotherapy. Experts mentioned that the body responds differently to textured implants than to smooth ones. This might be why there are more cases of cancer caused by such implants.

The FDA mentioned that doctors should look for this cancer in women who had the implant a long time ago. Since it is so rare, there is little information about it. This means that doctors should be alert and make check-ups once in a while to see that everything is ok.

The agency also said that women should take into consideration this risk before they decide to have breast implants. They should also be aware of the fact that there is an increased risk when it comes to textured implants.

What is your opinion about this report? Did you know that breast implants can cause a rare type of cancer?

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Most of us love the spring. The problem is that, during this period, we are most likely to catch a cold. A sore throat is a normal symptom but if it lasts more than a few days, you should go to the doctor. A sore throat can turn into a strep throat due to the fact that streptococcal bacteria thrive in spring.

Despite the fact that kids are more likely to have a strep throat, adults can have it too. Recent cases showed that streptococcal bacteria can cause a lot of problems. One man in Michigan found out just how dangerous a strep throat can be.

Due to the fact that he left the infection untreated, it spread in his body. His organs started to fail and doctors had to amputate his feet and hands. This is not the only case. Many people almost died after the infection from their throat started to spread in their system.

Despite the fact that this is an extreme case, when left untreated, a strep throat can cause problems. For instance, the most common issue caused by untreated infection is the spread of the infection to the kidney. This can lead to the appearance of blood in the urine, joint pain, and swelling.

If the infection is so far spread you need to stay in the hospital in order for doctors to make sure that the medicine is working. A strep throat infection can spread in other parts of the body too, as well. Major areas like the blood, heart, nervous system, and skin can be affected.

In very rare cases, people can even develop meningitis or go into toxic shock. These too are extreme cases and they can happen only when people don’t treat this infection at all. People need to start treating the strep infection as they observe the first signals.

A strep throat is caused by an infection with contagious bacteria named Streptococcus pyogenes. Worldwide, millions of people experience a mild form of strep throat. More than 10 thousand people have worse cases. The symptoms of this infection include pain when swallowing, sore and swollen lymph nodes, fever, a rash, and prolonged sore throat.

If you observe these symptoms you should go to the doctor. You will receive antibiotics and it is better if you rest for a few days. Avoid going out with friends or spending time with family because a strep infection is contagious.

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The opioid epidemic is a big problem in the US. State officials are taking action to decrease the rate of opioid overdoses, but they are failing. More and more people are dying from opioid overdoses. Another problem is that the opioid exposures among children are increasing.

Reports show that in the last 15 years, there were more than 188,000 calls about opioid exposures among young adults and children. These numbers were reported by poison control centers in the US. This means that there are more than 11,000 calls every year related to opioid exposures in children.

A new study shows the impact opioids have on children and young adults. When it comes to children younger than 5 years old, the opioid exposures were caused by the fact that they tend to explore and maybe they found a pill and ingested it.

Children older than 6 years old are usually victims of medication errors. Parents sometimes forget the correct dosage or they give them a second dose without noticing. The biggest problem is with young adults. The exposures to opioids in young adults were intentional. Teens have a higher risk of having suicidal thoughts and they might try taking opioids.

The reports show that the opioid exposures increased between 2000 and 2009. Researchers observed that over that period the cases of children’s exposure to opioids increased by 86%. Opioid exposures declined after 2009, but the decrease was minor.

Experts mentioned that this decline is because doctors started to limit the number of opioid prescriptions. Also, parents started to get better at locking away pills from their children. Improved technologies also help prevent people from purchasing large amounts of opioids.

The downside of the improved technology is that people are now replacing opioids with street drugs such as heroin. Despite the fact that the opioid exposures among children decreased, they are still bigger now than they were in 2000.

This report also shows that teens who abuse opioids received a prescription for them before they started abusing them. The rate of teens using these drugs for non-medical and medical use is slowly declining. Despite this fact, the rate is still too high. Researchers mentioned that these findings don’t apply to all the US. This is because opioid exposures affect some areas more than others.

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More and more people are suffering from heart conditions nowadays. These heart problems are usually caused by an unhealthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle. People are too busy to work out and they barely have time to prepare meals for the entire day.

These are some of the reasons why the rate of heart diseases is increasing. In order to find out more about how to prevent heart problems, a new study involved an Amazon tribe. The researchers that conducted it discovered that people from this tribe have the healthiest hearts.

This study was conducted by researchers from the Long Beach Memorial center. The research unveiled the fact that primitive-living people in an Amazon tribe have healthier hearts when compared to other individuals. They maintain the health of their hearts with the help of their diet and an active lifestyle.

The Tsimane is the analyzed Amazon tribe.  Researchers were amazed to find that 90% of these primitive people have clear arteries. It means that they have a very low risk of developing heart problems.

When the Tsimane tribe was compared to Americans, it was observed that there is a great difference between these two. First of all, primitive people had a healthier diet and a more active lifestyle. Also, it was observed that a 50-year-old American has the arteries of an 80-year-old Amazonian tribe person. This shows that the risk for heart disease in the US is a lot bigger when compared to the one in Tsimane tribe.

Researchers believe that the reason for which these primitive people have a low rate of heart disease is because of the pre-modern life they have. These people have a primitive life. People from the Tsimane tribe need to hunt for their food. They only eat fresh, unprocessed foods. Scientists also believe that this Amazon tribe could have great genetics that helps them stay away from diseases.

The study managed to show that the modern life is the one that is hurting us. Processed foods, fat, sugar, and a sedentary lifestyle are the reason for which people in developed countries have higher rates of heart issues and health conditions in general.

What is your opinion about this study?

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The changes our planet is experiencing have an effect on all of us. Animals are the ones that suffer the most. Many species are on the verge of extinction due to human activity that has caused global warming and climate change. In order to save the species that are endangered or threatened, some companies are taking action.

Great Initiative For The Bee Population

One of the species that has experienced a decline in population numbers is the bumble bee. Bees, in general, are affected by human activity. Despite the fact that they are doing a great thing for our economy, people don’t protect these insects enough.

The bee population is declining more and more every year. This is why a cereal company decided to take action. Cheerios is that company. In order to raise awareness about the bee population decline, they decided to remove their mascot from the cereal box. Their Honey Nut Cheerios product no longer has no mascot.

Until this change, every box of Honey Nut Cheerios had a bee as a mascot. The bee is now removed and instead, there is only the shape of it. The campaign made by Cheerios is running in Canada and the US. Their main goal is to boost the global bee population.

In order to save these insects from going extinct, the company wants to distribute free packets of wildflower seeds. They are also encouraging their customers to plant the wildflower seeds so that the bee population starts to increase.

After people get the seeds and plant them, they can also post pictures of the resulting wildflowers. This initiative was launched last year, in Canada. Now it’s spreading all across the US. The hashtag of the campaign is #BringBacktheBees.

In order to distribute the seeds, the company is organizing events in the US. One of those events took place at FLEUROTICA.  This is an innovative floral fashion show. Today, they are also organizing another event. Cheerios is going to transform the Pioneer Plaza in Chicago into a flower garden.

They are running their campaign on Twitter too. Cheerios is posting updates about it and the event’s outcomes on its respective social media page. The company wants to show, once again, what the bee population does for us. These insects are pollinating more than 35% of the food supply worldwide.

Image source: Flickr