A pregnancy is regarded as full-term by the time a woman reaches the 37th week. The baby’s digestive system is fully functional and contains meconium, a sticky, green-colored substance that the baby will pass as the first stool after it is born. The meconium may contain some lanugo, the fine, downy hair the baby has now shed that used to […]
Continue reading »
Keratosis pilaris is a very common skin condition in which keratin forms hard plugs in the hair follicles. Image Copyright: lavizzara / Shutterstock It is an inherited disorder running in families with a 1 in 2 chance of each child inheriting it from an affected parent. Keratosis pilaris is not infectious. Keratin is a natural protein present in the outer […]
Continue reading »
Audiology refers to the branch of medicine dealing with hearing and balance-related disorders. Those working in the field of audiology are known as audiologists. There are a number of different roles that an audiologist can undertake. Here are some primary roles and associated duties for audiologists. This is an indicative list and there are other duties that may be referred […]
Continue reading »
The perception of taste varies according to the genetic makeup of different individuals and this genetic influence on taste was discovered in the 1930s. A chemist named Arthur Fox, a chemist, accidentally blew a chemical compound called phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) into the air and he noticed that a few of his colleagues felt the compound tasted bitter but Fox and other […]
Continue reading »
A mechanical ventilator or positive pressure ventilator is an instrument used to help a patient to breathe when they are unable to breathe on their own. Over the past few decades, the technology surrounding ventilators has undergone massive development. Some common aspects of mechanical ventilation, however, have not changed and these include: Parameters such as air pressure, flow and volume […]
Continue reading »
Topical antifungals are generally and extensively used in the management of superficial fungal infections in both adults and children. However, systemic antifungals began to be used with the development of amphotericin B-deoxycholate by Squibb Laboratories in 1958. Systemic antifungals belong to three different classes: Polyene macrolides Azoles Allylamines Miscellaneous molecules with antifungal activity include griseofulvin and flucytosine. Polyenes Amphotericin B […]
Continue reading »
Kyphosis represents an abnormal curvature of the upper spinal region that often leads to slouching in childhood and can worsen with age, especially during the pubertal growth spurt. Specific treatment for kyphosis is determined based on the age of a patient, overall medical history, the extent of the condition, tolerance for specific medications, therapies and procedures, as well as the […]
Continue reading »
By Jeyashree Sundaram (MBA) Treatment options for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) rely on different factors such as the phase of the cancer, symptoms manifested, patients’ choice, and the age and comprehensive health of the patient. Early Stage Treatment for CLL Standard treatment is not provided to people with beginning stage of CLL that does not exhibit any symptoms. Nevertheless, there […]
Continue reading »
In about 10% to 70% of female epileptics, seizures do not occur randomly, but at times related to the menstrual cycle. This is called catamenial epilepsy. The preovulatory, perimenstrual and inadequate luteal phases of the cycle are the times of increased seizure frequency. The perimenstrual pattern is the most common, followed by the periovulatory period. Credit: Stuart Jenner/ Shutterstock.com Catamenial […]
Continue reading »
A molar pregnancy is one in which the development of the normal fetus and its surrounding membranes is replaced by the abnormal formation of a mass of vesicles and cysts. This develops from the trophoblast, a layer of embryonic cells which gives rise to the placenta and other fetal membranes in normal life. This is called gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). […]
Continue reading »