New Virus Among Humans

Many people remember the SARS outbreak that occurred a decade ago. It first appeared in Southern China and then quickly spread throughout the world thanks to global travel. Panic swept over the world as the virus spread, and it killed an average of one in ten infected people. The deadly disease spread to at least 37 countries over just a few months. Thankfully by the middle of 2004 the SARS virus was contained. Although SARS is now very rare among humans, a related virus has arisen. The NCoV virus has been confirmed in the Middle East and could become worldwide.

Much like SARS, NCoV causes symptoms resembling those of the common cold. The effects, however, are much more serious. The virus attacks the respiratory system, leading to a buildup of mucus and breathing troubles. NCoV takes this a step farther and can cause pneumonia and kidney failure. Most people are able to overcome the common cold and even the SARS virus, but NCoV has proven to be much more deadly. Out of the 31 confirmed cases so far, 18 people have died. NCoV currently has a 58% fatality rate.

This virus first appeared in the Middle East, specifically in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan. Recently though, cases have been confirmed in France and the United Kingdom. Experts say they would not be surprised if the disease made its way to the United States.

The good news? Doctors say the NCoV is not highly contagious among people. This means a sick person is not likely to infect everyone around them if they are on a bus or plane. Unfortunately, living in the same household as an infected person can be dangerous and spread that way.

As of right now experts of the World Health Organization (WHO) claim that we should not be worried. However, if you are traveling to the Middle East you should be wary of this virus and try to avoid people with cold-like symptoms. Hopefully this NCoV virus will not cause an epidemic, but of course nothing is certain.

Auvi-Q

Many people suffer from some sort of allergies. Symptoms range from a simple runny nose to life-threatening swelling of airways. For those with more serious allergies, an EpiPen is usually prescribed in case of a severe allergic reaction.

When severe allergic reactions occur, the patient must receive medical treatment immediately. If they don’t, it will only be a few minutes before they pass out from the inability to breathe. A few minutes after that permanent brain damage will begin, followed by death. Usually when reactions happens, the only way to help the patient is to give them epinepherine. For a quick bodily response, this drug must be injected. The most common way to administer epinepherine is through an EpiPen. However, using an EpiPen is not as intuitive as most people would think. EpiPens are shaped like fat markers, and to use them you take the cap off of one end, then press the other end into the thigh of the patient. This is different from what you would expect because it seems like the needle would come out the same end that had the cap on it. Because of this, it is easy for a lay caregiver to press the wrong end of the EpiPen into the patient’s leg, and even stab themselves with the needle if they had their thumb on top of the pen.

Unless you carry an EpiPen, are close to someone with severe allergies, or you have been trained in a first aid class, you probably wouldn’t know how to use an EpiPen correctly. In an emergency it can even be difficult for a trained caregiver to remember exactly how to use an EpiPen due to the intensity of the situation. Administering EpiPens is also difficult to practice because you can’t actually do it unless it is a real emergency.

Since few people will be able to use an EpiPen correctly and quickly in a dire situation, two brothers came up with a solution to this problem. Evan and Eric Edwards invented a device called Auvi-Q, which is essentially an EpiPen that gives vocal instructions. It is different from an EpiPen in that it is a small, rectangular device, much like a cell phone. It fits nicely into pockets and bags. When you pull off the bottom cap, a voice will give you instructions for how to continue using Auvi-Q. Pull the down on the bottom, press it against the patient’s leg, hold for a full five seconds, and remove the device. There is a very small chance of using this incorrectly. The voice counts out five seconds to ensure the patient receives the full dose of epinepherine. When the five seconds are up, the needle retracts automatically so no one will be accidentally pricked. After administering Auvi-Q, professional medical attention should be sought immediately.

Auvi-Q has already saved lives, and will likely save thousands more in the future. It’s safer and easier to use than an EpiPen, therefore untrained bystanders will be able to help a suffocating victim of severe allergies. Hopefully it is never necessary, but Auvi-Q may end up saving your or a loved one’s life someday.

Vegetarian School Lunches

This year Active Learning Elementary School in New York made the transition to serving only vegetarian lunches. While this may seem outrageous, the school was originally founded on the belief that educating kids about eating healthy would help them perform better academically. Before the school made the switch, adults noticed a majority of children were already bringing vegetarian meals from home. The school then decided to follow a vegetarian menu three out of five days each week, and in January they made the transition to complete vegetarianism. Students, of course, are allowed to bring any meat they wish from home.

One difficulty the school had was serving lunches that met the new federal requirements for the amount of protein needed. The school solved this problem through the use of tofu. The tofu used to be served as a plain block with some meals, but now it is made into smaller, seasoned pieces and served in many different meals. How do the students feel about this menu? Most of them approve of it. “When you’re healthy, you can do better on tests and you can fight more diseases,” said student Nick Lin.

Representatives from Active Learning Elementary School said they hope other schools follow their example by going vegetarian at least a few days each week. However, I cannot see this happening across the country. In larger schools you have a much more diverse group of students, and people would certainly complain if the school did not serve meat on some days. Even though kids are more than welcome to bring their own lunches, or sometimes even leave campus for lunch, schools should offer lunch options with and without meat daily. Fresh produce and tofu are also more expensive than what most school currently serve. This would cause a multitude of problems concerning the school and family budgets.

Although going vegetarian is not likely to happen with schools across the country, the experiment has been successful for Active Learning Elementary School. Their goal was to educate kids about the importance of eating delicious, healthy food, and so far they have accomplished that.

Organ Care System

Imagine that you’re in dire need of an organ transplant due to a disease you have no control over. Each day you hope for a phone call from the hospital saying they have an organ for you, but so far you haven’t received any news. It’s impossible to determine how much longer you will live without this organ transplant.

Thousands of people in the U.S. alone deal with that situation every day. On average, 18 people per day lose their lives because there were no donor organs available to them. The number of organ donors is not the problem, it’s the fact that most donated organs are unsafe to transplant successfully. Currently, 75 – 80% of donor lungs are too damaged or infected and therefore cannot be used. All other organs have a low rate of useability as well.

What if there was a device that allowed organs to be held outside of a body longer? Transmedics Organ Care System attempts to do just that. Most donated organs are kept in coolers and will go bad after several hours, but the Organ Care Systems keeps them healthy longer. It works by sealing the organ in a container with a controlled environment similar to the human body. Then blood is pumped through the organ, which allows it to function as it normally would. The temperature, humidity, and pH are all regulated inside the container, and donor blood is used to keep the organ alive longer than it would survive in any organ cooler.

The Transmedics Organ Care System is not available in the U.S., but it is undergoing testing. However, it has been used for over 200 transplants in Europe. Recipients of organs transported by the Organ Care System have shown a lower rate of post-transplant complications. This is likely because the organs had suffered less tissue damage. They were also kept “alive” while outside the donor’s body, so the recipient’s body has to do less work to restart the organ.

This device is potentially capable of improving the percentage of useable donor organs. If an organ is infected at the time of the donor’s death, the organ will not be safe to use. However, while the organ is in the Organ Care System, doctors may be able to use antibiotics to get rid of the infection.

Another possible use of this would be to combat cancer. If an organ could be removed from a patient’s body and attacked with radiation, the cancer could be eliminated without severely harming the patient. This would reduce the need for donor organs in the first place. Patients would also experience quicker recoveries because the “good” organs would be their own and their bodies would not fight against them.

While the Transmedics Organ Care System is not widely available yet, it may be in the next few years. This device has already saved dozens of lives, and will hopefully save thousands of others in the near future.

Food-borne Diseases

Warmer weather means more opportunities for barbeques and get-togethers. A central element to any party is the food, and the main dish often involves meat. Everyone knows raw meat and other animal products harbor diseases, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 48 million people contract food poisoning each year. To keep yourself and friends healthy, here are a few things to be aware of:

Most people know it’s important to wash your hands before and after handling raw meat, and to use separate cutting boards for meats and fruits, vegetables, and anything else that won’t be cooked thoroughly. However, some people rinse their pork or poultry under water before preparing it, and this can cause bacteria to splash onto counters, people, or be left in the sink. It could also be rubbed onto a towel when you dry your hands or wipe up water off the counter. Afterwards, anyone who dries their hands with that towel could be exposed to harmful bacteria.

In countries with many regulations and inspections of food industries, we would like to think all our food is safe to eat. Despite this, an FDA report shows that 81% of ground chicken, 69% of pork chops, 55% of ground beef, and 39% of chicken contain antibiotic-resistant bacteria. These shocking numbers prove that it is necessary to fully cook meats even if you think they’re safe.

Lastly, the grocery store is a breeding ground for food-borne diseases, most of which come from meat.  If you have a young child with you, place him or her in the child seat, not in the larger basket of the cart. Studies from the Centers for Disease Control show there are more diseases in the large cart basket than in the child seat. When buying raw meat, always place it inside a plastic bag to prevent juices from leaking out. Even if the meat container looks sealed, it could be damaged. Keep it in the bag when you get home and place it on the lowest shelf in fridge or freezer. This way if juices drip, they will not land on other food items.

If you keep this information in mind, it’s likely no one will get sick at your summer grill-outs.

Vaccines

In developed countries, it is required for young kids to get certain vaccines. Some parents, however, are hesitant to have their children vaccinated. This can cause serious problems in a community.

In underdeveloped countries there is little access to life-saving vaccines. In some areas, this causes one-fifth of children to die before the age of five. Nearly all of those children could have been saved if they had been given a simple vaccine. If this is the case, why would any parent not want their child vaccinated?

While it seems crazy to not want to vaccinate your child, some parents are choosing that route. Rumors have claimed that certain vaccines are linked to autism, which is making some parents worried. Much scientific research has been done to test this theory, and so far evidence shows there is no connection. Despite this, many people are clinging to the rumors and seem to have forgotten about how helpful vaccines actually are.

The low rates of serious diseases, such as measles and diphtheria, are also partially causing parents to decline vaccinations for their children. Since these diseases are not a prevalent threat for people of developed countries, people forget how much harm they can really do. There is also the idea of herd immunization. This refers to when the majority of people in a community are vaccinated, therefore there is virtually no chance of the disease popping up in that area. Some parents use this reasoning to justify their choice to not vaccinate their children.

In my opinion, it would be irresponsible to not vaccinate your children. Relying on herd immunization will not protect your children from diseases because people travel to new places every day. An unvaccinated kid will travel and be exposed to unpredictable diseases, and foreigners will come in and out of that child’s community. According to Pediatrics, a medical journal, this exact thing occurred in 2008 when a 7-year-old boy travelled to Switzerland with his family. He was not vaccinated for measles, caught the disease, and brought it back with him to San Diego. Without even knowing it, he exposed 839 other people to the disease and infected 11.

That was just one example of how easily diseases spread. Now think of the hundreds of thousands of people who fly on airplanes each day. If one person is sick in an airport, hundreds of other people will be directly exposed to it. Those other people will then get on airplanes flying all over the world. Within a day people around the globe could become sick due to one person they have never met. Even if you don’t travel through airports often, people in your community are constantly travelling.

While there are some families in underdeveloped countries desperately wanting vaccines, other people are opting out of them. There are rumors that vaccines have harmful effects, but other than the rare slight fever, there is no proof of this. It would be foolish to rely on herd immunization to keep your children safe from diseases. Today a disease could spread around the world in a few short hours. No matter where you live, a simple vaccine could save a life.

So Much Stress

In today’s fast-paced society everyone experiences stress. Young people stress out about understanding concepts in school, keeping their grades up, social issues, and more. Adults become frustrated over things like financial issues, deadlines at work,  and taking care of their families. No matter where you’re at in your life, learning to cope with stress is an essential skill.

First off, stress affects each person differently. Some stress is good as it can motivate you to get things done, but too much is harmful. Symptoms of stress include moodiness and headaches, and can lead to serious issues like eating disorders, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, and depression.

If you feel stressed, you should not hesitate to try stress-relieving techniques. Some people find that exercising helps them feel better. Burning energy will help keep your mind sharp, which will allow you to get more done. It will also tire out your muscles, which will hopefully result in a good night’s sleep.

Other people find that meditation or yoga is helpful for relieving stress. Relaxing your mind and body will help you focus on the present, not the future. This will then help you carry through with small tasks and will allow you to finish a large project without panicking about how much work the entire job requires.

Other techniques include making time for a hobby. Giving yourself even half an hour a day to do something you enjoy will encourage you to stay motivated and have a positive outlook on life. If this doesn’t work for you and all you think about is how awful your situation is, try writing it down. People naturally love to complain. Writing can help you think through your frustrations, and once you’re done, you’ll be more ready to tackle your problems.

Not every solution will work for everyone, so try different techniques until you find at least one that suits you. The worst thing you can do is let stress take over your life. Everyone has to deal with stressful situations, and that’s not going to change as you get older. Find something to keep you happy, healthy, and sane.

Mosquito, Tick, and Ant Bites

It’s already spring, and springtime weather is quickly approaching. Even though it feels like winter in many places, spring and summer will arrive soon. This means bugs will be coming out. Mosquitos, ticks, ants, and other bugs can make an outdoor experience seem miserable and leave you itching for weeks. If you know how to protect yourself against insect bites, the spring and summer months can be much less painful. However, it is impossible to prevent every single bite. It is just as important to know how to treat bites and stings as it is to prevent them in order to protect yourself against serious damage.

Everyone knows that mosquitos carry diseases like Malaria, Yellow Fever, and West Nile Virus. These are all serious diseases, and everyone should take precautions against contracting them. Even if these diseases aren’t prevalent in your region of the world, getting bit by a mosquito is never a good thing. If you are going to be out in the woods or by water, wear pants and a lightweight shirt with sleeves. Mosquitos and other insects will be all over the place, especially once the sun goes down. Clothing, however, will not completely protect against bites. Using bug spray in addition to proper clothing will maximize your protection from mosquitos and other bugs.

Another harmful bug to be aware of is the tick. Ticks are arachnids, not insects, but they still can be repelled by bug spray that contains DEET. If you are in the woods, shrubs, or a grassy area, always check for ticks afterwards. Ticks especially like to hide in hair and under tight clothing, such as near the top of a sock or where your belt sits. Some diseases that ticks carry include Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The first sign of Lyme disease is a red, bulls-eye shaped rash on the skin near the bite site, but this may not appear on every infected person. If you have or think you have Lyme disease, visit your doctor immediately. Lyme disease can cause serious damage to the central nervous system. The sooner you start an antibiotic treatment, the better.

Lastly, another common source of bites are ants. Like most animals, ants will bite if they are angered or feel threatened. Different types of ant bites have different effects on humans. Sometimes you will have no symptoms, while other times small, itchy, red bumps will form. If you are bit, wash the area with soap and water. To suppress itching and inflammation, make a paste from baking soda and water. Apply it to the affected area. If small pustules form from the bites, do not pop them in any way. This creates an open wound your body has to take care of and poses a greater risk for infection.

If you’re like me, you love to be outside doing things like hiking, camping, and mushroom hunting. If you’re outside in the spring or summer, there will be many bugs that can and will bite you. Wear long, protective clothing and bug spray to prevent as many bites as possible. If you are bit, you now know how to deal with some bites. Hopefully this year you will not be constantly itching due to bites.

Pyramids

One of the great mysteries that still exists today is the creation of the pyramids. There are many hypotheses about how thousands of those massive bricks were put in place, and there is no single correct answer. As of now, there is not enough evidence to confirm or eliminate many of the possibilities.

One thing most experts agree on is that huge stone blocks were cut from quarries and then transported to the construction site. It is widely believed that these limestone blocks were cut using copper chisels. Tools were commonly made of copper at this time, and copper is strong enough to cut limestone, but there have been no copper chisels found in the quarries to confirm this idea.

While there are a few things scientists agree on, there is a disagreement over how the stones were transported from the quarries to their final locations. Different designs of carts and sleds have been suggested, as well as different versions of ramps for moving bricks up the pyramids. The most practical ramp design is a large straight ramp placed perpendicular to one of the sides. This type of ramp would have been relatively simple to construct, move bricks along, and would have left enough room at the top to put the last bricks in place. Other ideas consist of ramps spiraling around the pyramid or zigzagging up one side. These ramps would have been less stable and harder to construct, but they are plausible.

The pyramids in general were a great engineering feat. These huge monuments were likely shaped the way they were because it is a structurally stable design. Even a 400-foot tall pyramid would be incredibly stable. If people thousands of years ago tried to build a 400-foot tall monument shaped like the Washington Monument, they would not have been able to make it very stable.

Inside pyramids there are often tunnels leading to large rooms and secret chambers. It would have taken a vast understanding of physics and engineering to build these passageways into the pyramids.

There are pyramids all over the world, and these monuments were often created to honor pharaohs and gods. It is still a mystery exactly how pyramids were created, but scientist have many hypotheses. Research is constantly being done to solve these mysteries, but they may remain unknown forever.

Allergies

Billions of people suffer from allergies around the world. Reactions range from a runny nose to life-threatening constrictions of airways. Every day scientists are finding more information about what can trigger an allergic reaction and what can be used as a treatment. For most people, over-the-counter allergy meds work great for suppressing allergy symptoms. What many people might not be aware of is what exactly they’re allergic to. The answer may be right in their homes.

It’s common to be allergic to grasses, molds, dust, food, and several other substances. However, there are multiple places in the average household that people might not suspect are aggravating their allergies. The first of these places is the bed. Dust mites thrive on dead skin cells, which your pillow, sheets, and mattress are full of. Spending six to ten hours a night in bed will give you plenty of exposure to allergens. If you’re allergic to dust, wash your sheets and pillows often.

A second unexpected culprit is a potted plant. Mold grows well in dirt because soil has the nutrients and moisture that mold loves. The mold spores can then easily spread to the floor, tabletops, and the air. To reduce mold growth, do not over-water your plants and remove any dead flowers and leaves.

Lastly, anything made of plush material can hold allergens. This includes furniture, carpet, and stuffed animals. Vacuum carpets, couches, and cushioned chairs often, especially if the furniture is covered with fabric (as opposed to leather or vinyl).

Having allergies can be frustrating at times, but knowing what causes your allergies will help. If you know the reason for your sneezing and itchy eyes, you can take the necessary steps to eliminate the source or take medications to prevent symptoms. If you try something and it doesn’t seem to help your allergies, don’t give up hope. Something unexpected might be contributing to your allergies.