Category: Health

A bionic arm controlled by the patient’s own nerves

On By A.P.In Engineering, Health, Medicine, Science, Technology, The Future, The SingularityLeave a comment

 

After an amputation, the nerves are left like programmed data cables floating in space.  Dr. Todd Kuiken, director of the Center for Bionic Medicine and director of Amputee Services at The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, has led a team that has made prosthetic limbs that utilize the body’s own remaining limb-controlling nerves after an amputation to allow them to control prosthetics just by thinking.  The person thinks about what they want to move, which send impulses to the salvaged nerves that have been implanted into chest muscle.  The resulting tiny changes in chest muscle activity are then translated into electical impulses that move the limb in the same manner that the person was thinking to move it.

http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/17/bionic-arm-gives-hope-for-amputees/?hpt=C1

What’s Happening to the Scientific Method?

On By A.P.In Alzheimer's disease, Depression, Health, Medicine, Neuropsychiatric Disease, schizophrenia, ScienceLeave a comment

All sorts of well-established, repeatedly-confirmed findings have started to look increasingly uncertain in a wide range of scientific fields, from psychology to ecology.  This phenomenon is particularly widespread in the field of medicine. 
To read more about this, click on this article by Jonathan Lehrer in the The New Yorker:

Mental Illness and the Sun

On By A.P.In Depression, Health, Neuropsychiatric Disease, schizophrenia, Science, seasonal affective disorder, The Brain1 Comment

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It’s been known for a long time that winter-born babies are more likely to develop severe mental illness, including schizophrenia, depression and seasonal affective disorder.  Researchers at Vanderbilt and the University of Alabama may have identified clues as to how seasonal sunlight exposure could affect expression of clock genes that control our normal biological rhythms.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=blame-it-on-winter

Pizza 4 Patriots

On By A.P.In Food, Football, Popular Culture, Sports1 Comment

Uno Chicago Grill has teamed up with DHL and Pizzas 4 Patriots to dish out 7,000 pizzas to United States servicemen and women on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 6; the largest pizza delivery day of the year.

Operation Pizza Bowl was conceived by Retired Air Force Master Sergeant Mark Evans and his son Kent (of Elk Grove, Ill.), with the objective of providing enough deep-dish pizza to feed around 28,000 servicemen and women at several bases throughout Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea and the Philippines in time for Super Bowl Sunday.

The pizzas will leave the DHL New York Gateway and arrive at several bases throughout Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea and the Philippines in time for the game.

The pizzas, along with letters of support to the troops, are transported from New York through the DHL hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport where they move onward to regional DHL hubs in the Middle East and Asia.

DHL, which donates its global shipping network for the event, provides door-to-door, final mile delivery for the entire distribution, working closely with the U.S. military to ensure the pizzas are delivered fresh and ready to heat and serve at various military bases.

A special ceremonial send-off will take place on Feb. 1 from UNO’s restaurant at 432 Columbus Ave. in New York City.

“UNO is delighted to once again partner with Pizzas 4 Patriots to ensure our troops can enjoy a slice of home during this year’s Super Bowl,” said UNO’s CEO Frank Guidara.

Vets, active duty also treated

Meanwhile, troops — both active duty and veteran status — who are not currently deployed will also be treated to a meal by the company for its Operation Pizza Bowl promotion.

To celebrate the “deployment” of the pizzas to service members in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea and the Philippines, UNO is inviting all members of the military, both veterans and active duty, to enjoy a free individual deep dish or thin crust pizza with the purchase of an entrée or pizza of equal or greater value on Feb. 6 and Feb. 7. No coupon is necessary.

For redemption, customers simply need to show their military or veteran’s ID.

Godfather of Fitness Dies at 96

On By A.P.In Exercise, HealthLeave a comment

This morning Jack LaLanne, fitness icon, died at age 96 from pneuomonia.  Ahead of his time, he extolled the virtues of strength training and healthy eating long before it was fashionable.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2011/01/jack-lalanne-urged-good-health-just-before-death/1

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2011/01/24/2011-01-24_jack_lalanne_fitness_icon_dead_at_96.html

Check out some classic Jack Lalanne below…..