Cotton Candy Used to Grow Tissue

It is found that the sweet treat cotton candy can be used to help scientists grow replacement tissues for people who need it. It can also be used in creating networks of blood vessels in laboratory-grown bone, skin, muscles, or fat for breast reconstruction.

The process would work by first putting a thick liquid chemical over a wad of cotton candy. The liquid would then solidify into a chunk. The chunk would be placed into warm water to dissolve the candy. Tiny channels will then be left where the strands of candy used to be. These channels would be lined with cells to make artificial blood vessels. The solid chunk would be seeded with immature cells of whatever tissue that is meant to be made. The block would be biodegradable and would eventually be replaced by growing tissue as it disappears. In the end you would get a piece of tissue permeated with tiny blood vessels.

Researchers are testing this method and have used rat blood to run through the channels to test it. Eventually, they plan to use something other than cotton candy as the research progresses.

First Face Transplant Done in America

In Cleveland, reconstructive surgeon Dr. Maria Siemionow and a team of specialists performed the first face face transplant done in America by replacing 80 percent of a disfigured woman's face by using the face of a female cadaver. Many details of the surgery have not been released but surgeons that do this usually transplant skin, facial nerves, muscles, and other deep tissue.

Skin is considered an organ and it still runs the risk of the body rejecting it, as with other organ transplants. Recipients of transplants have the risk of deadly complications, such as the new facial tissue attacking the recipient's body and the recipient's body attacking the bone marrow or the transplanted face to cause inflammation at the area of the new tissue. They also have to take immune-suppressing drugs for the rest of their lives to prevent the body rejecting the organ. This raises the risk of cancer and other diseases.

This is the fourth one done worldwide. Two have been done in France and one was done in China. The first one was a partial face transplant done in France in 2005 on a woman who had been mauled by her dog and received a new nose, chin, and lips from a brain-dead donor. Another was done in France on man disfigured by a genetic disease. One was done in China on a farmer that had been disfigured by being mauled by a bear.

The Damaging Effects of Cola Sodas

Drinking cola type sodas is very unhealthy. Just drinking 16 ounces or more of cola sodas each day can double the risk of developing chronic kidney disease. They can also contribute to hypertension, diabetes, and kidney stones. The phosphoric acid that they contain are commonly linked to kidney stones. They can also cause lower bone density, which increases the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures. Noncola sodas don't have the same impact on the kidneys but they are still unhealthy. It is a healthy idea to skip sodas altogether.

Good Reasons to Have Good Posture

There are many reasons to practice good posture and to stand up and sit up straight. Good posture can reduce back pains, increase energy levels, reduce bone and joint aches, and encourage better digestion.

Good posture is good for reducing back pains because sitting in a hunched or slouched position can increase pressure on spinal disks and can cause supporting muscles and ligaments to degenerate quicker. Bad posture can cause back pains and can worsen the condition of a herniated disk and pinched nerves.

Bad posture is bad on the body’s energy levels because slumping can tighten the chest and compress the lungs, so less oxygen gets into the bloodstream. This can cause for a person to become mentally tired and stressed. Strain in any part of the body decreases energy levels.

Bad posture can cause bone and joint problems and cause muscles to shorten overtime. Slouching while a person is sitting can cause hip flexors to shorten and become less flexible, causing joint pain. Sitting with rounded shoulders can cause rotator-cuff pains. Over a period of time, arthritis can set in due to wear and tear on joints.

Better posture leads to better digestion. Slouching after eating can cause the stomach muscles to tighten and may push stomach acid into the esophagus and cause heart burn. Standing or sitting up straight effectively helps the digestive system to work better.

Vitamin C Helps Prevent Arthritis

Scientists have recently found that the antioxidant found in produce, such as bell peppers, kiwi fruit, tomatoes, and oranges, can help your knees against arthritis. People eating a lot of Vitamin C are less likely to have bone degeneration that would cause knee osteoarthritis.