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Showing posts from 2017

NEEM TREE & MEDICINAL USES

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NEEM TREE & MEDICINAL USES "Dogo Yarow" The TREE of LIFE The Magical Evergreen Tree The neem plant is native to India but gradually spread to many parts of the world over the years. IT HAS BEEN USED LOCALLY AS MEDICINE OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS, AND OVER THE CENTURIES IN PHARMACEUTICALS, COSMETICS AND TOILETRIES. Almost every part of this wonder plant is Medicinal, ranging from roots, bark, twigs, leaves, flowers and seeds...... It's very common within the Hausa communities in Cameroon more especially in the Northen regions which predominantly occupied by the Hausa ethnic group. They call it Dogo Yarow which when translated means, TALL CHILD or TALL PIKIN in Pidgin English..... MEDICINAL USES OF THE TREE OF LIFE - NEEM: * Cardiac Problems: Infusions of leaves in HOT water when taken removes bad sugars and toxins from blood, dilates blood vessels, improves blood circulation and balances heart pumping rates * High Blood Pressure: It relaxes erratic heart beats a

8,260 students graduate as ABU holds 40th convocation tomorrow

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The 40th convocation ceremony of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria will hold tomorrow with 8,260 students graduating with first degrees. The Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Ibrahim Garba, made this known during a press briefing yesterday, saying that the convocation would confirm the graduation of 256 PhD students. He said the number of PhD and about 3,600 other postgraduate graduands was a confirmation of the new status that ABU had assumed where priority was given to postgraduate studies. Professor Garba said ABU was expanding its carrying capacity through introduction of new programmes to accommodate more applicants who usually overwhelmed the school. “It is in this direction that we now allow more institutions to run degree programmes with our affiliation.  We have also introduced distance learning where we admit hundreds of students and we would commence undergraduate studies in the centre,” he said.

Monkey Pox: The cause, Transmission and Prevention

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Monkey pox is a rare disease that is caused by infection with monkey pox virus. Monkey pox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. The Orthopoxvirus genus also includes variola virus (the cause of smallpox), vaccinia virus (used in the smallpox vaccine), and cowpox virus. Monkey pox was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research, hence the name ‘monkeypox.’ The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a period of intensified effort to eliminate smallpox. Since then monkeypox has been reported in humans in other central and western African countries. The 2003 outbreak in the United States is the only time monkeypox infections in humans were documented outside of Africa. The natural reservoir of monkeypox remains unknown. However, African rodent species are expected to play a role in transmission. There are two distinct genetic group

Kola nut: Uses, benefits, and side effects

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The kola nut is used to flavor sodas and as a supplement to increase energy or improve health. But what are the health benefits of the kola nut? The nut comes from the evergreen kola tree, which is found in the rainforests of Africa. Inside the tree's star-shaped fruits are white shells, which contain the seeds or kola nuts. The kola nut has some reported benefits for health. Here we explore those benefits and other information about this tropical nut. Fast facts on the kola nut:    1. The nut is relatively large, being about the size of a chestnut.     2.The kola nut has a bitter taste but becomes sweeter, as it is chewed.     3.The kola nut may be beneficial for certain health conditions.     4.Whether taken in supplement form or chewed, kola nuts can have certain side effects. What's in the kola nut? The kola nut comes from the evergreen kola tree and contains micronutrients. The kola nut contains about 2 to 3 percent caffeine and 1 to 2 percent theobromine, both o

Benefits of crying

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Crying is a natural response humans have to a range of emotions, including sadness, grief, joy, and frustration. But does crying have any health benefits? It is not unusual to cry, and both sexes cry more than people may assume. In the United States, women cry an average of 3.5 times per month and men cry an average of 1.9 times a month. This article explores why people cry and what health benefits crying may have. Why do people cry? Crying is a natural response to emotions or irritants like dust in the eyes. Humans produce three types of tears:     Basal: The tear ducts constantly secrete basal tears, which are a protein-rich antibacterial liquid that help to keep the eyes moist every time a person blinks.     Reflex: These are tears triggered by irritants such as wind, smoke, or onions. They are released to flush out these irritants and protect the eye.     Emotional: Humans shed tears in response to a range of emotions. These tears contain a higher level of stress hormones t

Microbes compete for nutrients, affect metabolism, development in mice

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"Gut bacteria get to use a lot of our food before we do," says Federico Rey, a professor of bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Then we get their leftovers -- or their waste. The problem, says Rey, is that if our microbiome overindulges, we might not have access to the nutrients we need. That's the suggestion from new research conducted by Rey's group that shows mice that harbor high levels of microbes that eat choline are deprived of this essential nutrient. Compared to mice without choline-hungry bacteria, the choline-starved mice had an increased susceptibility to metabolic diseases and gave birth to pups with biochemical alterations in the brain and that exhibited more anxious behaviors. The study is published this week (Aug. 24) in  Cell Host & Microbe . UW-Madison Professor of Bacteriology Daniel Amador-Noguez and researchers from Harvard University also contributed to the work. Epigenetic regulation -- the decorating of genes with chemic

Type 2 diabetes: Sponge implants may reduce blood sugar and weight gain

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Scientists have found that by injecting polymer sponges into the fat tissue of patients with type 2 diabetes, communication between fat and the rest of the body can be restarted, thereby preventing weight gain. In a search for new treatments for type 2 diabetes, researchers have discovered that implanting polymer sponges into fat tissue might offer a way forward. So suggests new research from the University of South Carolina (USC) in Columbia that is featuring at the American Chemical Society's 254th National Meeting & Exposition, held in Washington, D.C. The team found that 3 weeks after receiving polymer sponge implants in their fatty abdomens, obese mice with type 2 diabetes fed on a high-fat diet gained less weight and had lower levels of blood sugar than untreated equivalent mice. Diabetes is a long-lasting disease that develops when the body either does not make enough insulin (type 1 diabetes) or cannot use insulin effectively (type 2 diabetes). Insulin is a hor

Heavily-used pesticide linked to breathing problems in farmworkers' children

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Elemental sulfur, the most heavily-used pesticide in California, may harm the respiratory health of children living near farms that use the pesticide, according to new research led by UC Berkeley. In a study of children in the agricultural community of Salinas Valley, California, researchers found significant associations between elemental sulfur use and poorer respiratory health. The study linked reduced lung function, more asthma-related symptoms and higher asthma medication use in children living about a half-mile or less from recent elemental sulfur applications compared to unexposed children. The EPA generally considers elemental sulfur as safe for the environment and human health, but previous studies have shown that it is a respiratory irritant to exposed farmworkers. Elemental sulfur's effect on residential populations, especially children, living near treated fields has not previously been studied despite the chemical's widespread use and potential to drift from t

Psoriasis drug shows promise in diabetes trial

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A drug previously used to treat psoriasis has shown positive results in a phase II trial assessing its effectiveness at treating type 1 diabetes, according to a study published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology. The drug, alefacept, is an immune-suppressing drug that has been used to treat psoriasis, a common skin condition, for around a decade. According to the team of US researchers, there have been trials in the 1980s and 1990s that explored the use of immune-suppressing drugs to treat type 1 diabetes. But they say the long-term use of immunosuppressant therapy at that time outweighed the benefits. However, more recent immune-suppressing drugs have been developed to target specific cells that trigger autoimmune disorders, while avoiding the immune cells needed for normal immune functioning. Alefacept, marketed as amevive but withdrawn by its manufacturer in 2011, works by attacking specific T cells (a type of white blood cell). These include Tem (effector memory) cells, a

Hunger-controlling brain cells may offer path for new obesity drugs

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Is the solution to the obesity epidemic all in our heads? A study by researchers at The Rockefeller University suggests that it might be. "We have identified two new populations of cells in the brain that potently regulate appetite," says Alexander Nectow, first author of the paper, published in  Cell  on July 27. The two types of cells, located in a part of the brainstem called the dorsal raphe nucleus, are potential targets for new drugs to treat obesity by controlling the hunger signals that drive the search for and consumption of food. The new findings are the latest evidence that eating is a complex biological behavior mediated by multiple sites in the brain. They also offer a possible solution to a problem that has dogged previous efforts to address obesity at the neuronal level. In 1994, Jeffrey Friedman, Marilyn M. Simpson Professor and head of Rockefeller's Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, launched a new era in obesity research by discovering a hormone ca

Hunger-controlling brain cells may offer path for new obesity drugs

Is the solution to the obesity epidemic all in our heads? A study by researchers at The Rockefeller University suggests that it might be. "We have identified two new populations of cells in the brain that potently regulate appetite," says Alexander Nectow, first author of the paper, published in  Cell  on July 27. The two types of cells, located in a part of the brainstem called the dorsal raphe nucleus, are potential targets for new drugs to treat obesity by controlling the hunger signals that drive the search for and consumption of food. The new findings are the latest evidence that eating is a complex biological behavior mediated by multiple sites in the brain. They also offer a possible solution to a problem that has dogged previous efforts to address obesity at the neuronal level. In 1994, Jeffrey Friedman, Marilyn M. Simpson Professor and head of Rockefeller's Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, launched a new era in obesity research by discovering a hormone called

Eucalyptus: What are the health benefits?

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Eucalyptus is a fast-growing evergreen tree. As an ingredient in many OTC products, it is used to reduce symptoms of coughs, colds, and congestion. It also features in creams and ointments aimed at relieving muscle and joint pain. The oil that comes from the eucalyptus tree is used as an antiseptic, a perfume, as an ingredient in cosmetics, as a flavoring, in dental preparations, and in industrial solvents. Chinese, Indian Ayurvedic, Greek, and other European styles of medicine have incorporated it into the treatment of a range of conditions for thousands of years. There are over 400 different species of eucalyptus. Eucalyptus globulus, also known as Blue Gum, is the main source of eucalyptus oil used globally. Leaves are steam distilled to extract the oil, which is a colorless liquid with a strong, sweet, woody scent. It contains 1,8-cineole, also known as eucalyptol. The leaves also contain flavonoids and tannins; flavonoids are plant-based antioxidants, and tannins may help to

Heavy drinking during adolescence: Dire effects on the brain

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What would a celebration be without alcohol, whether we are talking about a private or professional event? Drinking alcohol, is a well-engrained and long-standing social habit in many countries around the world, even though the fact that alcohol has an impact on one's health is largely established, especially when it comes to heavy drinking. In particular, adolescents are known to enjoy their drinking games and nights-out without worrying much about the effects alcohol can have on their health. In fact, drinking in high quantities is common during adolescence with nearly 25% of high school seniors in the US reporting that they got drunk in the last 30 days. The effects of heavy drinking among young people on the brain have been looked at closely in a mini review published in  Frontiers in Psychology  by Anita Cservenka, Assistant Professor at Oregon State University et.al. "Adolescence is a time when the brain still matures including not only biological development but al

Making breakfast your main meal and skipping snack time helps avoid weight gain

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Eating a good breakfast and letting go of your snacking habits may provide the key to leading a healthier life and preventing weight gain, a new study shows. Unhealthy weight gain is a problem that many Americans have to tackle and which state-led programs promoting wholesome dietary habits seek to prevent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 36.5 percent of adults, and around 17 percent of children in the United States live with obesity. Excess weight also puts people at an increased risk of developing serious conditions or diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer. Research into nutrition, healthy eating habits, and how our diet impacts our day-to-day lives is conducted on a regular basis, with new discoveries being reported all the time. For instance, an analysis recently covered by Medical News Today suggests that some biomarkers could predict the effectiveness of weight loss diets. A new study on the link betwee

Yawning: Why we do it and what it means

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Whilst yawning is often considered a result of being tired or bored, this may not always be the case. A yawn is an involuntary reflex where the mouth is opened wide, and the lungs take in a lot of air. The air is then exhaled slowly. During this time, the eardrums stretch, and the eyes may also close tight, causing them to water. No thought or action has to be taken to produce a yawn, and the process is similar for everyone. Yawning commonly occurs either before or after sleep, which is why it is usually considered a sign of being tired. Yawning also occurs frequently in people who are doing boring or tedious things. There is also a social aspect to yawning. Yawning appears to be contagious among humans and other animals, and the contagiousness of a yawn is well documented but hardly understood. Fast facts on yawning Here are some key points about yawning.     Typically, yawning is a response to fatigue or lack of stimulation.     Babies can yawn, even in the womb.     Yawning

Sugar intake during pregnancy is associated with allergy and allergic asthma in children

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High maternal sugar intake during pregnancy may increase the risk of allergy and allergic asthma in the offspring, according to an early study led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) involving almost 9,000 mother-child pairs. While some research has reported an association between a high consumption of sugar-containing beverages and asthma in children, the relation between maternal sugar intake during pregnancy and allergy and asthma in the offspring has been little studied. The team, which included researchers from University of Bristol, used data from a world-leading birth cohort study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), also known as 'Children of the 90s'. The cohort recruited mothers who were pregnant in the early 1990s and has been following up their offspring ever since. The current study, which is published in the  European Respiratory Journal , analysed associations between maternal intake of free sugars* in pregnancy and allergy