HIV changed the landscape of sexual relationships, making condoms a more ubiquitous presence in “the birds and the bees”. Once considered only a form of birth control, these prophylactics became STD control, preventing the spread of the deadly virus. However,…
Read more
Heart disease consists of a number of conditions that affect the heart, including coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure and hypertension. The early stages of these heart diseases are different, but they have similar effects on the body if left…
Read more
The kidneys are responsible for controlling fluid balance in the body. During dehydration, which is a lack of water in the body, the kidneys act to retain more water in the blood. This change in function is directed by vasopressin,…
Read more
Firstly, the correct term for twins born in this nature is conjoined twins, not Siamese twins. The term comes from a pair of male conjoined twins named Chang and Eng Bunker born in 1811, who were perhaps the most famous…
Read more
The common cold is an illness often related to winter and characterized by nasal congestion and sneezing, sometimes with sore throat, coughing, headache and other uncomfortable respiratory symptoms. The symptoms are the result of an infection in the respiratory tract,…
Read more
If evolution has taught us anything, it is that favourable survival characteristics are perpetuated and non-favourable characteristics are eradicated. Applying this to the development of 21st century humans, it has been well documented that our progression from the earliest ancestral…
Read more
Phakomatous Charistoma is a very rare non-cancerous tumor of the eyelid that is typically present at birth. The first recorded case was documented by Lorenz Zimmerman in 1971. He was the first person to correctly identify that the tumor is…
Read more
The human immune system is composed of three lines of defense, each with different barriers, cells and chemicals that protect us from infection. The second line of immune defense is nonspecific, meaning that it does not target specific pathogens (microbes…
Read more
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis, commonly known as LAM, is a very rare and serious lung disease. Lymphangioleiomyomatosis begins with shortness of breath during exercise and progresses to the point where breathing becomes difficult throughout the day. LAM mostly affects women, though men can…
Read more
The complement system is a network of signals that function as an essential part of the body’s immune defense. This system consists of specific serum (different from plasma) protein messengers that circulate in the blood plasma. These proteins, also known…
Read more