Can food thoughts make you thin?

As reported in the Guardian, psychologists have proposed that thinking about high calorie food such as chocolate, can make people lose their appetite and help them to lose weight.
In small observational studies using cheese and M&Ms, ppts were asked to think about the food before consumption. Those who thought about the food for longer, consumed less after the session of thought.

Although this study shows positive results from mental thoughts towards dieting, it is important to remember this was only a set of small studies and may not be generalise to all food products and populations.
Many newspapers are oversimplifying the results and suggesting that mental imagery leads to weight loss, which is certain it this stage.

Daily Aspirin dose for all over 45 yrs

A small daily dose of Aspirin is considered to help protect those aged 45 and over against heart disease and cancer.
The Lancet study has shown that an increased use of Aspirin could save thousands of cases of bowel cancer, alone. research is also looking to see whether it is as successful against othet types of cancer. A professor at Newcastle University, is worried that if everyone was prescribes the drug we would see the side effects. At the age of 45 and above the risk of bowel cancer increases; a stratified approach would be to only advise those at a greater risk to take Aspirin daily.

Some experts have suggested that it would not be advised for everyone over 45 to take Aspirin, as a preventative against cancer.

New cervical cancer test could save thousands

The Cobas test costs as little as £15 per test and is hoped to be available in Doctors surgeries within a year. The test would replace the smear, which fails to detect cancer for 1 in 3 women, and will return test results to the patients the same day of testing. The Cobas test looks for HPV (which causes uncontrollable cell division) rather than the smear which looks for abnormal cell growth.

In a trial of 47 000 women, aged 30+, 10% were detected with HPV after the getting the 'all clear' from the smear test. this trial suggest success, however further testing is needed before it is to replace the smear and be available on the NHS.

Dangerous Superstrain bacteria C. Difficile

In the UK the strain 027 Clostridium Difficile, causing fatal diarrhoea and vomitting, has been found to be the highest proportion of cases in Europe. The cause of spreading has thought to have been from the overuse of antibiotics and poor hygeine.
At Strathetyde University, they have found that using HINS-light they are able to kill the bacteria by exciting the molecules within the bacteria which produces highly reactive chemical species that are lethal to them. This new discovery gives hope as an answer to this super-strain, however the cause of spreading needs to desparately be addressed.

16th November The Daily Telegraph

Blood Test can spot heart risk 15 years in advance

As reported today in the Daily Telegraph, researchers at the University of Maryland, USA, have found a new way of detecting the risk of future heart failure. 720 000 people in the UK suffer from heart failure with 11 500 dying every year. A protein called Troponin T has been found to be a long term predictor found in the blood.
This new test can detect Troponin T twice as weak as before. Those with high levels of Troponin T are at higher risk of suffering from heart failure int he next 10 years or of dying from cardiovascular disease.

If people then know that they have high levels of Troponin T they can adapt their lifestyle e.g. diet and exercise levels to reduce the risk of heart failure.

Fat gene identified

Researchers at Oxford university have found a direct connection between the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene and increased body weight. Scientists bred mice with an extra copies of the FTO gene and found that these mice, although they were healthy ate more and put on more weight that those without the extra genes. This has supported the 2007 finding that the FTO gene is linked to the likelihood of obesity in humans.

The researchers are now confident that the FTO gene is important and contributes to obesity. There can now be research into various drug therapies which hope to work by turning down the effect of the FTO genes in an anti-obesity pill, however there is no certainty that this will be a success, it is an exciting prospect.

If having this gene predisposes individuals to put on weight and eat more, can we justify thinking that obesity is a seft inflicted illness?


The Daily Telegraph 15th Nov

Homeopathy works- consultations on remedies

Homeopathy is based on the theory that by using substasnces that cause symptoms in a healthy person can be diluted and used to treat sick patients.

Daily Telegraph reported today that sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis who visited a homeopathic doctor experienced significant reductions in pain and inflammation, regardless of whether they received the genuine homeopathic medicine or the placebo. The patients who were given the remedies but not the consultations did not improve. The study suggests that talking and listening to patients could significantly assist their health.

It was also suggested that conventional doctors have some important lessons to be learnt in patient-centred care and how the consultation process can have a huge effect on the patient's health. This could have positive implications on how doctors are trained and how they communicate with patients more effectively as there is always room for improvement.

Alzheimer's screening test

The Daily Telegraph reported yesterday that a 30 second screening test for the disease could be around in only 2 years time.
The screening process aimed at people around the age of 40, which would be conducted in GP surgeries using computers, could identify the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in later life.
Currently cognitive memory tests and brain scans such as PET and SPET are used but the only way to get a full examination of the brain is after death.
Research into the new test by Professor Bunce of Brunel University and has found an effective way of spotting potential sign using patient reaction times. They studied brain scans of healthy men and women ages 44-48 in search for tiny lesions which are similar to those discovered in post mortems of Alzheimer's patients. 15% of 428 participants had these abnormalities which occured in the brain's memory hub (same place as the lesions found in post mortems). The volunteers with the brain lesions had a range of reaction times whereas thoe which healthy brains were more consistient with reaction times.

This test could indicate the development of Alzheimer's disease leading to a quicker diagnosis. These patients could then take preventive stpes such as changing their diet and increasing the amount of exercise they do. If these patients are treated with drugs earlier on it could be that they will never develop the disease. However knowing at the age of 40 that you are likely to develop Alzheimer's could add to the stress of their current life, with the possibility of developing psychological distress or perhaps a depressive illness.

Hospitals are failing to care for the elderly

A report I read today in The Daily Telegraph claimed that a majority of elderly people died within a month of NHS operations because they were not cared for properly. In the survey of 820 patients over the age of 80, 38% were said to be cared for inadequately. Many were malnourished, treated by inadequate doctors and did not receive adequate pain relief. Only a third of the patients were treated by a geriatric specialist.

The key problem in the NHS drawn from this research showed that pain in patients that had difficulty communicating was not managed properly.

The government are determined to make the NHS more patient centered; the patient safety should be at the heart of everything.

An insight into how HIV can be controlled with Anti-retrovirals

1 in 300 people have the ability to control the HIV replication due to a difference in 5 amino acids making a protein called HLA-B. in a genome wide association study, they found 300 points were found to be associated with immine system control of HIV in the region of chromosome 6 which codes for HLA-B.

HLA-B is involved in the immune system when recognising virus infected cells to destroy. The binding pockets on the protein drag and drop peptides from inside the virus onto the cell membrane. CD8 T killer cells then recognise the virus and destroy the cell.

UK scientists think we still have a long way to go before we can develop a new drug or vaccine but we are an important step closer.

BBC News 4th November

Yesterday the Guardian reported, in the developing world, that by focusing on HIV, there are billions of patients who could be receiving cures for other conditions but are not. Victims of the world's most pernicous illnesses could be treated for less than 30p per patient annually however resources are being targeted at HIV, Malaria and TB which infedcts a much smaller fraction of their populations and treatable tropical diseases are being neglected.

'Discovery could lead the way for cancer vaccine' The Daily Telegraph

Researchers at Cambridge University have uncovered how tumour cells protect themselves from the body's immune system. FAP protein found in stromal cells (cell tissue which helps the body to heal) provides a protective shield for the cancerous cells. After running tests on mice, researchers have successfully been able to switch off the gene, coding for the synthesis and production of FAP, which has enabled the immune system to attack the tumour. There is great hope that in the near future this could lead to a vaccine suitable to destroy tumours in various areas of the human body.
We are now only steps away from finding a way to battle against one of the biggest killers, a real break through in medicine.

'New IVF test detects faulty embryos and trebles chance of a healthy baby' - The Times

Scientists have developed a new test called Chromosome Aneuploidy Screening which checks embryos for chromosome abnormalities. The faulty embryos are discarded and only those with a good chance of developing into a healthy foetus will be implanted in the womb. Trials have shown a success rate of 88% which is over 3 times the success rate of current IVF in the UK.

The test costs £2000 a time, on top of the normal £4000 price of IVF. The success rate of the test means that couples opting for private treatment would save thousands as they would probably only require one cycle. It would also cut millions from the NHS's fertility bill as couples are normally offered 3 free cycles (costing the health service £12000). Researchers believe that the test will be available in 2-3years and will be widely used.

1 in 6 couples have difficulty conceiving naturally and IVF clinics treat 37,000 patients a year. This new test will be particularly useful for those women aged over 35 as they are a greater risk of producing genetic abnormalities.

The eggs shown to have abnormalities leading to such conditions as Down's, Edwards' and Turner's syndromes can be discarded. This could be seen as demoralising those living with these conditions; deeming their lives to be less worth living. However it would be in the best will of the child to have a healthy life and would be better for the family caring for the child so a utilitarian would support the new testing. There are also issues surrounding the idea of 'designer babies'; should we be allowed to intervene and 'play God', discarding the embryos and killing off those we don't deem fit enough. It would be easy for this to be developed further until humans have control over their offspring. This is a very controversial issue and would not be supported by a strong Roman Catholic.

'NHS budget rise will feel like a cut' The Guardian

The NHS will get a 0.1% spending increase, which will mean a rise from £104bn to £114bn over the next 4 years.
In reality the increase is very small at a time where costs are rising and healthcare is high in demand; making the rise feel like a budget cut.
The coalition government have had to scrap pledges made by the previous Labour government for free prescription for long term conditions, one to one nursing for cancer patients and only one weeks wait for cancer test results.
Economists say that with the cost of drugs, lifestyle problems (such as obesity) and the ageing population; a 3% increase is needed just to reach a stand still. Also those working for the NHS earning 21,000 or more will have a pay freeze for the following 2 years.

In realistic terms, with the current financial situation, the NHS could not expect a better pay rise and almost all of the other deparments are receiving large cuts too.

Television and Violence

US research has supported the idea that violence in video games and films an on TV has an influence on Boys' aggressive behaviour. The National Institutes of Health conducted a study on 22 boys aged 14-17 who watched 60 violent scenes, ranked from low to moderate. The boys were then asked to rate which clips they thought were more aggressive and their brains were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging, to show which parts of the brain are active. Researchers also attached electrodes to their fingers to detect the increase of sweat as an emotional response. They found that the longer the boys watched videos the less they responded to the violence within them.

Dr. Grafman concluded that exposure to violent videos inhibits emotional reactions to similar aggressive videos over time. Normal adolescents will feel fewer emotions over time as they are exposed to similar videos. This could produce more violent reactions from teenagers becasue the emotional component associated with aggression is reduced.
The implications of this research include the idea that teenagers could become less sensitive to violence, more accepting of violence and more likely to commit aggressive acts, which would lead to social problems.

First human to be treated with embryonic stem cells

This week, US doctors at a company 'Geron' in Silicon Valley have been the first allowed to run trials on patients and have spent $170m on looking at spinal injuries. As reported in the Independent (alongside other newspapers and web articles), a man who was partially paralysed a as result of a spinal cord injury has become the first person to be injected with human embryotic stem cells created by IVF. In animal trials paralysed rats regained some movement after stem cell treatment. 14 days after the injury ther stem cells were injected, it is believed that by using stem cells early on there is a greater chance that the nerve cells with be repaired.

Embryonic stem cells can specialise into over 200 different types of body tissues and could be the answer to many uncurable conditions such as Parkinson's and spinal injuries. However in reality there is little clinical evidence that this treatment is safe or effective and it will take years of work to assess this. The phase I trials will analyse the safety.

The use of embryonic stem cells is a controversial issue. Some people (particularly Roman Catholics) believe that the soul is implanted from the point of conception and therefore the embryo is a person in it's own right. Discarding the embryo once the stell cells have been remove would be seen as murder and morally wrong. However many others would believe that although the embryo deserves respect; the human suffering from a fatal condition deserves more respect so we can justify using the stem cells from the embryo to ease the suffering of a human being. This debate is on-going and there will never be a universal opinion. I personally believe we are taking a step in the right direction; it is in our best interest to help those who have uncurable conditions and to minimise the amount of suffering. I hope to see more successful results from the research in the future.

A difficult time at the hospice

Yesterday I was doing my fortnightly shift at Garden House Hospice. As part of duty, working in the small beverage room, I have to give each patient a jug of fresh water and offer tea and coffee to relatives. One of the nurses made me aware when I saw her for a take over that an inpatient was dying. I went into his room to deliver his water, he looked peaceful attached to a machine although I did feel a little bit uncomfortable. Later on, I met the voluntary organiser from Elmside, who I was surprised to see in the hopsice. It wasn't until I spoke to her that I realised, that the dying man, was her husband. It was when I made those connections that I began to feel emotional; this poor lady has had the worst couple of days of her life, to be widowed at the age of 40 with very young children, in the week that she had taken off work to go on a family holiday seemed all too much. I cannot even think of how difficult that must be, feeling isolated, helpless, broken, alone.
From seeing his peaceful body in bed to having the realisation that this is someone's husband, brother, father, adds more meaning to the situation. I think it is harder to see someone you know struggle and grieve than someone you have never met.
This has been an eye opener to the complications and emotional strains with dealing with death, it so important to deal with the family's spiritual needs sensitively; allowing them to grieve in peace but making sure they know there is someone there for them.

I-Addiction

A Chinese study I found on the Student BMJ site, has suggested that those who spend a lot of time on the internet are at greater risk of addiction and harm to their mental health. The researchers measured this using a questionnaire for adolecents. This is a self report method, so may not be the most accurate form of analysing addictive behaviour as participants could exaggerate their answers or lie. 6.7% of the 208 teenagers used in the study were said to have an internet addiction, the research could be culturally bias if they are using only Chinese participants and may find different addiction rates if tested in different cultures, this would test how universal the results are.
This study did not look at depresive symptoms or suicidal thoughts however other research had suggested those with an internet addiction are more likely to have these mental health issues.

'Changing Minds' and a new Bi-Polar Desire

By reading 'Changing Minds: Our lives and mental illness' by Rosalind Ramsay, which was recommended to the public by the Royal Psychiatrist website, I have started to develop a better understanding of how it may be like to suffer from a psychiatric condition and the related stigmas which come alongside the diseases. I really empathise with those who suffer from these illnesses; it's not like having a broken leg, the plaster cast alerts and makes the public eye aware of their disability so people can offer them help (such as helping them use the staircase). You can't see depression or Alzheimer's or schizophrenia, that's the problem with illnesses affecting the mind. And if people are made aware of these 'invisible' illnesses, those suffering are often exposed to discrimination and prejudice, left feeling isolated from society. The term mental illness still makes people picture mental asylums and straitjackets, when in reality violent behaviour only relates to the minority of cases. Campaigns are being set up to try and end this terrible discrimination such as www.time-to-change.org.uk/ which tries to raise public awareness of mental health issues.

Interestingly enough, despite the huge stigmas, an article on the Student BMJ website this week expressed how Bi-polar disorder is becoming a 'desired diagnosis' with many patients self-diagnosing themselves. It is possible that due to an increased public awareness on the internet, TV and radio and celebrities such as Stephen Fry speaking about personal experiences, bi-polar is seen as more acceptable in society.
Bi-polar is a serious mental illness where the sufferer encounters extreme mood swings from hypomania to depression. It is important that the psychiatrist carries out the diagnosis as not all people suffering from mood swings are suffering from bi-polar. Dealing with those who 'want to be bi-polar' requires the psychiatrist to show some sensitivity when either confirming or excluding the patient's self-diagnosis.

Commitment to a career in Medicine

Female medical students are freezing their eggs and delaying having children so they can carry on with their career. I looked on student BMJ and found this interesting article; 8 out of 10 medical students would have their eggs collected and frozen to postpone motherhood for the sake of their career.

I think the main issue with this article is the fact that even though the students are collecting the eggs when they are still fertile, by the time they do have a baby their bodies will have aged and will be less biologically adapted to support the needs of that child. After all there is a reason why females are more fertile as a young adult.

Medicine is a challenging and demanding career choice to follow and does come with sacrifices such as free time and starting a family. This is something I have considered myself, I know that many successful doctors have been able to dedicate time to both their career and their family and I hope to do the same one day.

When I read this article it caught my attention because it is something which needs to be taken into consideration when committing to study Medicine. Once graduated from medical school, students then become working as a junior doctors and go on to choosing a speciality, which takes many years of hard work. Therefore as a newly qualified doctor it would be difficult to take time away to start a family until they have a stable career.

'Flu jab may cut heart attacks' Daily Telegraph

The newspaper claimed that having the winter flu jab may reduce the risk of heart attack by 1/5. In a study the heart attack rates of 79000 people who had the vaccination was compared to those who hadn't. The rate for heart attacks may have been lower for those who had the vaccine becasue it stopped them from getting chest infections which could lead to heart attacks.

Although the study was well conducted and had a large sample size, the results can not conclude that the flu jab decreases the risk of having a heart attack. It does show that there is a correlation however it doesn't show whether one causes the other. The scientists chose a matched pairs design so the participants in both conditions can be compared.
They tried to control lifestyle factors of the participants is likely to affect their risk of heart attack; for example someone who doesn't exercise, smokes and has a poor diet is at greater risk that of someone who has a healthier lifestyle. This made the research more valid, however there were still some factors which could be confounding variables, e.g. those who have the vaccine are more likely to have visited a doctor who could influence their way of living.

More research will have to be carried out before this theory can be accepted, as the results are inconclusive of whether there is a direct link between the vaccination and the risk of heart attacks.

Alzheimer's Pathology Project

http://www.medlink-uk.org/Site/documents/Alzheimers2010/DayJ&BiggsK.pdf


Here is the link for my Alzheimer's report which I completed with a friend after Medlink, it has been published on their website and awarded a merit. Researching for the project was of interest to me and has direct links to the voluntary work I do at Elmside. After completing this report in March, I did some more research into the disease and discovered that the youngest person to suffer was only 9 years old. I did my AS biology research on Alzheimer's to further and use it to benefit my studies.

The Artificial Ovary

The title of this article attracted my attention after having an interest in IVF and the surrounding ethics of using human cells.
The report from the Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail states that an ovary like structure, created in a lab from human ovarian cells could be used to mature egg cells extract from chemotherapy patients who have become infertile. These experimental 'ovaries' hope to be an answer for those women who cannot conceive. Before this can happen researchers need to check whether these eggs matured in the artificial ovary are the same quality of those matured naturally and whether these eggs can be fertilised and develop properly. If this is a success these matured eggs can be used for IVF treatment for those unfortunate enough to have fertility complications.

I think this story is exciting, although the research is only in the early stages with humans, they have found it to be a success with mice. There is so much potential with this discovery, which could help hundreds of women to have that child they are longing to have.

Elmside- My Cycle Challenge

I have been volunteering at Elmside for several now and have got to know the staff and residents there. On Sunday mornings when I volunteer, many of the residents go to the local church and it is always difficult to find enough wheelchairs.

I am doing some independent fundraising so I can afford to buy the home a new wheelchair;
So far I have raised £130.

On Sunday 11th July I am going to cycle from Elmside, Hitchin to Clifton via Baldock which is approximately 30km.

I'm definitely not a cyclist so this will be quite a challenge for me!

www.justgiving.com/Kirsty-Biggs

Work Experience- Chemotherapy

On Tuesday I had my second day of work experience at the Lister, in a chemotherapy ward with the nurses. The room was small and had 6 armchairs in for the patients to sit whilst their blood was taken or whilst they were in therapy. The atmosphere was calm and the nurses were very friendly and patients we made comfortable with volunteers making cups of tea.

The nurses put the patients' hands in warm water to make the blood vessels come to the surface so they could attach a cannula. The drugs used to be administrated by the chemo nurse using a syringe however recent technologies from the USA has made things easier and reduced any issues with blood pressure. The machine disperses the drugs after giving the patient saline solution and allows the nurse to choose the rate of dispersal. If multiple chemotherapy drugs were being given, saline was used to flush the veins before the next drug was attached. For every drug administrated, there had to be a written record which had to be checked by another nurse. Some patients build up a tolerance to their medication; the nurses are unable to prescribe any drugs, so a doctor would have to be seen if the patient requires a higher dose. Also if the patient's weight changes, the dose will have to be altered to suit their new size.

I got the chance to go into a pre-chemo session with one of the nurses; these sessions are for those patients before they have their first treatment. The sessions take place in a quiet room; the nurse goes through all the possible side effects of the treatment and the patient is give the chance to ask any questions or talk about their worries. The nurse explained to me how important it is to have good communication skills as you cannot tell how a patient will react. Some patients get very emotional in the sessions, you must be a good listener to try and help the patient overcome their fears. The nurse also gave the patient a list of precautions, for example; the patient must avoid the sun and he is not allowed to eat cheese, pro-biotic yogurts or take-away rice due to the chance of bacterial infection, as his immune system will be down. The patient then was required to give his written consent and to have an MRSA swab in his nostril and groin, which would be sent to the pathology lab.

From spending my day in the unit I learnt that being in a ward allows lots of patient contact, unlike in the theatre when the patients were unconscious, and how sitting and talking to the patients can make a difference to them especially is they were in for a full day of therapy. A nurse explained to me how important it is as a doctor to have a good relationship with the nurses; if you have lots of patients to tend to in a ward and there are nurses able to take blood tests and administrate medication then they can co-operate and you can work as a team. Alike in the operating theatre, hygiene and the organised disposal of used equipment was maintained throughout the ward.

Work Experience- Plastic Surgery

On Monday I got the privilege of observing some reconstructive plastic surgery on my work experience placement at the Lister Hospital.

I had to wear surgery blues, 'crocs' and a hat scraping all of my hair back. The first operation I saw was only an hour long; an elderly man was having a skin graft on his scalp after suffering from skin cancer. I found this of particular interest as after suffering from 3rd degree burns as a young child, I also had a skin graft. The procedure is the most minor operation that the plastic surgeons conduct and took place whilst the patient was still conscious. The consultant shaved a thin layer of skin from the patient's thigh and put it through a roller, which gave it a mesh structure, and glued it to the scalp before carefully dressing the wound. The mesh increases the surface area of the skin so it can cover more of the affected area, also blood and other fluids can escape through the holes rather than becoming trapped and preventing the skin graft from working.

The nurses and consultants worked together as a unit to ensure that sterile techniques are maintained; this included the correct disposal of used equipment and dressings.

The next operation I observed was breast reconstruction surgery. Previously the middle aged woman had had her cancerous breast removed and tissue from her tummy had been used for reconstruction, however they had made it too large. An advantage of using the patient's own tissue is that the body does not treat it as foreign matter, unlike an implant where there is a risk of rejection. However when an implant is used it gives the breast a more realistic shape; the surgeons found for an older patient the aesthetic appearance is less important.
In theatre the consultants gave the patient liposuction to reduce the size of the reconstructed breast and removed her 'dog ears' using a tool which had an electric current running through it; this is used to cut through tissue but also to fuse blood vessels together to minimise blood loss. They then later constructed a nipple by carefully sewing the tissue together tightly. This part of the procedure took lots of concentration, measuring and intricate precision; it was the most time consuming part. The longest procedure that the surgeon had ever performed was a hand reconstruction which required a microscope to join tiny hair-like blood vessels together.

A second breast cancer patient was brought into the theatre for a 5 hour operation. The plastic surgeons were going to remove her cancerous breast and reconstruct her one from the tissue on her back, they were also going to give her implants in both breasts. The patient was only 30 years of age and had concerns over the appearance of her body after surgery. Part way through the procedure after the breast had been removed and the silicone implant had been inserted in the healthy breast, the patient needed to be repositioned. It took 8 members of the team to safely turn her on her side, without the risk of neck damage, so the back tissue could be removed. My work experience placement was only until 4pm and the operation wasn't going to finish until 7pm so I did not see the whole of the procedure.

It became obvious that the surgeons had good relationships between each other and had a good social group who spent time together outside the theatre too. Throughout the operations, the consultants, doctors and nurses worked as a team; monitoring heart rates, consulting other doctors on surgical decisions, counting used equipment and filling out paper work. Without co-operation the theatre would fall apart and standards would drop. Although they appeared professional, there were also signs that the members of the NHS were enjoying their work, chatting and listening to music whilst conducting surgery!

"Diet affects the risk of Alzheimer's Disease"

An article reported in The Times stated that "Eating lots of nuts, fish and poultry, whilst cutting down on red meat and butter could reduce the risk of Alzheimer's"

The study followed the dietary patterns of 2,000 elderly people (aged 65+) in the New York for an average of 4 years. However there are causality issues; we cannot be certain that the reduced risk of AD is due to diet, there are other extraneous variables which haven't been controlled such as whether the participants exercise regularly, smoke or have a history of Alzheimer's in the family.
The study was a cohort study so none of the participants had Alzheimer's disease at the start, researchers could then over the duration of the study see who developed the disease. The researchers have concluded that a dietary pattern is strongly protective against the development of AD; however further research is required.

I found this article of interest as I have recently completed a paper on the disease and it's current treatments available. I am also focusing my biology coursework on Alzheimers.

Art Project: Dissection

For my AS art exam I have decided to focus my work on the topic of DEATH AND DECAY, which has been extremely interesting. My boyfriend is currently on an apprenticeship, training to become a butcher, he kindly prepared 4 birds for me to photograph.

Also he disected the birds exposing the interior organs, I find dissections very educational and wish we got to do more at school. It was an opportunity to not just see the organs, but see how they are arranged and positioned around each other.

Many people think that it is ironic as I am infact a vegetarian, yet I am choosing to see dead animals.

Targeting Obesity

It has been reported by the BBC that we are required do at least one hour of exercise a day to target the growing issue of obesity as the recommended 30 minutes may not be enough to tackle the excessive weight gain.

The longitudinal (12 year) study was researched on 34,000 Americans, however they were all female participants so the results may not be so eaily generalised to both sexes. It may also be noted that the sample used was ethnocentric. The research has further limitations, for example, the women's diet was not controlled or recorded during the study; this could have been a major extraneous variable. Also self report methods were used to record the participants exercise levels and weight so the accuracy is questionable as bias may have been introduced.

Further studies may need to be conducted to take diet into account and other lifestyle factors which may alter an individual's risk of suffering from obesity.

We do already know the great health benefits of exercising, these include:

• a decreased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, premature death.
• a decrease in blood pressure, body fat, cholesterol levels, arthritis symptoms, mental and muscular tension, feelings of depression and anxiety.
• Relaxes and revitalizes, increases concentration and energy levels
• Increases self-esteem, self-confidence and promotes psychological well-being.

Recently I have started to exercise more, regularly attending aerobics classes; also I am starting to go on bike rides with my Mum. I am aware that I am not exercising as much as I should be, however some is better than none and I hope to improve my health a little!

Personal experience of Cancer within the family: Update

My Gran was moved out of the hospital and into a hospice in Letchworth, where she was having rehabilitation. She has shown great improvement, she is now walking and able to use the toilet herself; however she was still suffering with high levels of anxiety and only allowed her 4 children to visit her. On mother's day they came to the hospice for tea and cake, however being with too many people causes her stress.

Very recently the hospice have made the decision that she is well enough to go home, so my Dad helped her as it was causing her distress. She is still coming back to the hospice but allowed to live in her own home with one of her sons. The hospice has formulated a plan with the family know as 'hospice at home' where member of the care centre will come to visit. The plan also includes details on both friends and family members to come and visit her.
It is unsure of, what the next step will be and is dependent on how she is developing.

Elmside

Today I started my voluntary work at Elmside, a home for elderly care in Hitchin. Many of the residents go to church on a Sunday morning however those who do not often find themselves with little to do. I am volunteering for this morning period. Today I started talking to residents to keep them company and doing crosswords with small groups. Before I am able to make hot drinks in the cafe I need to learn the health and safety precautions.

In the home there is an area where sufferers from dementia live; these residents have a photograph of themselves outside of their room, due to the memory issues with the condition. I found this particularly interesting as I have recently completed a report on Alzheimer's disease with a friend, which may hopefully get published on the internet.

Obesity

2 articles of interest on the topic of obesity in children and in elderly people.

"Indulgent Grandparents 'overfeed' kids and make them fat"
The Daily Mail headline (16 Feb) makes a link between childcare and obesity, based on a study looking at different childcare for infants (ages 9 months to 3 years). The results showed that 75% of children receiving informal childcare were provided by the grandparents. The children receiving full time informal care with their grandparents had a 34% increased risk of suffering from obesity. However the sample size was limited to children from a more advanced socio-economic group, suggesting that the study lacks in population validity; making it difficult to generalise to a wider community.
80% of 3-6 yr olds and 25% of children under the age of 3 are in childcare/ early education, which researchers believe is a valuable setting for obesity prevention.
I found this article of interest because obesity is an ongoing problem in more economically developed countries. I also found this of personal interest as my Mum is a childminder, and teaches children the importance of having a healthy lifestyle and diet from a young age.

"Being fat can help you live longer in old age" The Daily Express

it has been reported that the death rate for people aged 70-75 is lower for people who are considered overweight, after a cohort study took place in Australia. Those considered obese have the same risk as those considered a healthy weight and those considered underweight have the highest death rate.
These labels have been categorized using body mass index (BMI) as a measure, which is not the most accurate measurement; for example it does not take the changes in body fat distribution associated with old age into consideration. Further research will need to be done into this topic to make further conclusions and also the use of BMI as a measure will need to be evaluated.

Personal experience of Cancer within the family

With 2 of my grandparents having suffered from cancer, I find the development and research into the improvements of the condition to be impacting our lives dramatically.


My grandmother was diagnosed roughly 2 years ago with terminal cervical cancer, 4 years after having her last smear, and appeared relatively unaffected, despite the tumor having grown to the size of a grapefruit. However, since Christmas, there has been a dramatic decrease in her health.

Originally diagnosed with severe depression; she became increasingly anxious, her concentration and memory was declining which frustrated her immensely. After showing similar symptoms to the condition and portraying signs of dementia, she was prescribed anti-depressant medication by a psychiatric nurse. Weeks later, after being omitted to hospital due to her symptoms worsening, my family received a devastating shock. Recent scans had shown that she had infact developed two brain tumors, one of 5cm in length and the other 3cm. She is currently resting at UCL hospital, transferred from the Lister in Stevenage (our local hospital). It is becoming more difficult for my family to visit her as regularly now that she is in London. To my disappointment I have been unable to visit her since Christmas, as a large amount of visitors would cause her distress. Although, she has had plenty of supporting visits from her children, my Dad has been up for many hours at a time to comfort his mother.

Things really weren't looking very promising, with her speech stuttered and her unable to control one side of her body, she required 2 nurses help her move and take visits to the toilet. As an intellectually engaging individual, the biggest issue for my Gran, was the lack of concentration; this made it too difficult to watch television, read books and even construct a conversation. However some days she appears to have improved; my Dad visited her last night reporting that she was able to stand up without any assistance and her speech had improved.

The hospital have prescribed her corticosteroids (a type of steroids), these are found naturally in the body and are released from the Adrenal Cortex. They can be used as cancer treatment for the following reasons:

1. To reduce inflammation
2. To increase the patients appetite
3. To treat the cancer itself (often along side with Chemotherapy)
4. To relieve sickness

As a treatment for cancer, usually steroids only need to be taken short term. They can have side effects such as stomach irritation, mood changes, sleeping difficulties and swollen ankles, hands and feet (from water retention). My grandmother is taking extra medication to prevent the stomach irritation. She is still currently on the anti-depressant drugs, as it takes time to wean the patient off the drug, gradually reducing her dosage.

Today she is having her last session of radiotherapy, and the results should be visible after 2 weeks. Roughly 40% of all cancer patients are treated with Radiotherapy. In internal radiotherapy, a radioactive isotope is placed close to the tumor, either using an implant or drinking/injecting a liquid. Also sometimes the isotope is attached to another substance in order to travel to the affected area. Radiotherapy destroys the cancer cells in the treated area; normal cells are also affects however they can repair themselves. Radiotherapy is usually given over the course of a few days or weeks, giving the healthy cells time to recover.

The doctors have proposed to move her from the hospital soon, although there has been some uncertainty on whether she will be returning to her home, to our local hospital or moving into a care home. This is raising issues of responsibility and the costs associated with her care, within my family. Over the last couple of months, we have all become more anxious for her well-being; there has been too much stress to meet up and celebrate each other's birthdays.

Although we can't be there to see her, i know that we are all thinking of her and wishing for the best.