Medical Portal

The aromatherapy does not influence immunity, pain sensitivity and speed of wounds’ healing. Such is the conclusion of scientists from University of Ohio, who have studied influence of citric and lavender oils on healthy volunteers.

It was found out, that aromatherapy had no influence on level of hormones of stress and factors of immunity, it also did not quicken healing of wounds. The only positive effect, which was fixed - improvement of mood under influence of citric (but not lavender) oil.

«Human body is a complex mechanism, and if someone feels like better from aromatherapy, we are not going to make him or her change the mind. Nevertheless, we did not manage to reveal any physiological effects of aromatic oils», - informed Professor William Malarkey.

Results of the research have been published in magazine Psychoneuroendocrinology.

Biomedical engineers from Yale University have created artificial cells, which can considerably increase production of T-lymphocytes, responsible for immune response. Their application allows to stimulate an organism of the patient to struggle against cancer, and also certain infectious diseases, informs magazine Molecular Therapy.

Artificial cells have been created by Tarek Fahmy and Erin Steenblock. These cells were made from a substance of natural origin, which is used in manufacture of absorbable suture material and approved by FDA.

Use of artificial cells allows to simulate natural process of proliferation and stimulations of T-lymphocytes, in particular cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, vital in destruction of cancer cells. However this process accelerates and proceeds more effectively, has noted Fahmy.

Dirty hair, probably, carries out an important protective function, believe American scientists. On their data, sebiferous, which covers hair, intensively absorbs ozone - an active compound of oxygen, which in high concentration can serious harm health of the person.

Researchers from University of Missouri have exposed to ozone samples of dirty and clean human hair. As it was found out, within 24 hours of an experiment dirty hair absorbed on the average seven times more ozone, than clean hear.

Apparently, owners of dirty hair considerably reduce concentration of ozone around themselves in comparison with the general level in a room.

However, an extent of dirty hair’s protective effect is not clear: the additional researches carried out by scientists have shown that ozone’s reaction with dirty hair results in flying compounds, which also can cause irritation of respiratory tract.

Researchers from Medical School of Pennsylvania University have shown that human neurons can be used to create the three-dimensional networks with a set topology, suitable for transplantation on a place of the damaged nerve tissues.

Earlier scientists have managed to grow in a nutrient medium rats’ network of neurons from back-radicular ganglions. In the new work they have created a similar network from human neurons.

Scientists isolated nerve cells from back-radicular ganglions and thoracal neurons. Cells have been cleared and raised in a nutrient solution, stimulating growth of axons by a mechanical tension. Axons grew approximately 1 millimeter a day, and in general neurons have been cultivated for about 3 months, keeping their ability to transmit nerve impulses.

The winter gradually comes to an end, but despite of increasing light day, the mood for some reasons does not want to improve. And some people begin to suffer from the seasonal depression. Nothing can help – neither long sleep, nor eating chocolate.

Northlands inhabitants suffer from seasonal depressions stronger than others. It is connected to production of melatonin in winter time. This hormone is produced by a pineal gland and controls reaction of the organism to change of illumination.

The majority people suffering from seasonal depression can be cured with phototherapy. Constantly switched on light in an apartment will not rescue. The vital thing is a source of the bright light close to the natural one. In room conditions it can be created by 3 - 4 fluorescent lamps covered with a matte glass.

It is necessary to be near the light source not further than one and a half meters. The time for phototherapy - in the early morning, one hour the least. Many people describe an effect from light baths, as the holiday spent in tropics.

Inability to control negative emotions increases time of healing - such are conclusions of employees of the State University of Ohio as a result of experiment with participation of 98 volunteers.

As it was found out, wounds on hands of irritable people healed much more slowly in comparison with easy-tempered participants. The researchers took into account such factors as duration of sleep, physical activity and drinking alcohol.

Authors of the research consider, the slowed down healing of wounds can be connected to the increased level of cortisol. Scientists mark also, that their data are proved to be true by results of the previous researches.

The report about an experiment is published in magazine The Brain Behavior and Immunity.

New American research has shown that there is connection between excess weight and depression in middle-aged woman.

Scientists have collected the information about growth, weight, diet and physical activity of 4641 women.

In result they have found out that women suffering from depression, twice more often suffer from excess weight, and women suffering from excess weight, twice more often are subject to a depression. Connection between excess weight and depression remained strong even taking into account marital status, education, smoking and taking antidepressants.

Depression and fatness are closely interconnected and inject each other, considers Gregory Simon, head of the research.

In Gregory Simon’s opinion, putting on the weight leads to depression, and being in depression it is more difficult to do something for growing thin. The stout label lowers self-respect and desire to grow thin.

The statement that intellectual faculties of the person depend on heredity has been ruthlessly denied. The group of American psychologists and doctors within several years studied influence of an environment upon development of person’s intellect.

In result they have found out, that excessive passion to watching various TV-programs, rigid diets, sedentary life and even relations with diffident people, reduce level of brain activity.

And rambling, going in for sports, classical literature and interesting work, on the contrary, stimulate work of the brain.

The British scientists have moved closer to creation of essentially new class of of asthma and allergy drugs. They have found a target for medicinal substances, influence on which will allow to prevent development of symptoms, informs The Journal of Immunology.

Scientists from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry carried out the researches in vitro and on mice.

Asthma and various kinds of allergies are met very frequently. Only in Great Britain more than 30 % of inhabitants have this or that variety of an allergy, and about five millions people suffer from asthma. The majority of drugs are directed on symptoms removal, in particular, an itch of eyes or coryza. There are also some epistatic immunity drugs; however these preparations increase susceptibility of an organism to infections.

The medicines blocking p110-delta molecule can stop development of allergic reaction before evident symptoms, and at the same time they do not suppress immunity. These drugs can be made as capsules or inhalers, and not just in injections.

Existing today drugs can’t destroy HIV completely in human organism. The killing virus hides from drugs in various reservoirs, major of which is lymphoid tissue of intestines, have determined the American scientists.

Experts from the American National institute of allergy and infectious diseases in Bethesda (Maryland) have conducted research with participation of eight HIV-positive patients. All participants have taken anti-retroviral drugs within two to ten years, felt well and had low virus load (low contents of a virus in blood).

Nevertheless, studying samples of lymphoid tissue of intestines, scientists have revealed presence of HIV. Researches have confirmed similarity of virus’ DNA found in intestines, with DNA of HIV from leukocytes. It proved that both tissues have constantly infected each other after replication of the virus.

In scientists’ opinion, maximum early beginning of HIV treatment is very important, as it will allow reducing the sizes of the virus tank at patients. Results of the research have been published in Journal of Infectious Diseases.