References

*All my pictures are from Google and my videos from You Tube

Here somo links of pages that I read:

http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp

https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet

Conclusion

   Why I choose to study natural sciences? Well, there's a lot of reasons, but the first one is because I love it and every time I found myself reading or seeing some things about medicine or related with the human being and behavior I get excited. Natural science is a very big category that can direct you to different pads and the one that I choose is Medicine. I am fascinated with all of the medicine stuff, and the advances that every day came out to improve the quality of human life. When the professor told us that the blog will be about what we are studding I get very excited. I can tell that every enter was a new world in the universe of sciences and I enjoy every word of it.

   This was a gratifying experience because I can talk about important things, that matter to me and problems that affects people health. Is always good to express yourself and talk about from your perspective of the things that you found interesting, important and most of all that you are passionate. I learn that you can always give and be an inspiration for someone else. Today I finish a stage in the course but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't be writing again,  For this opportunity of be able to talk about what I am passionate, I can only thanks my English teacher, doing this blog was an awesome idea. All this world need is more people that can be capable of inspired with words and through it we can be better humans. I grew up knowing that I have to fight for what I think is worth and I am going to fight to reach my dream from childhood, be a doctor.

    

Healthy Skin vs. Bacteria

medlineplus/news/fullstory

    As part of the scientific community as more you learn you start to understand the importance of every organism in earth. With studies you begin to change the perspective in every aspect and start to wonder what is the meaning of every process.  I'm pretty sure that when you hear "bacteria" the first thing that pass through your mind is disease, and infection. Usually this term is use to describe much of those aspects, but nowadays the eyes are turning into the importance that bacteria has been shown through the years. Days ago I found this interesting news about skin microbiome. It says that research suggest that the microbial fingerprint is important to well being and no only that, they found that despite cleaning the colonies of bacteria, viruses and fungi stay constant over time.  I personally found those facts very interesting because scientist says that this is helpful because it gives insight into the variation and allow to study how disease causes differences among persons. Another thing is that because there is no variation in bacterias through out time this can suggest that those bacteria are important.

   Now I'm gonna start thinking in the importance of bacteria in our skin, maybe the extremely desire of been completely clean isn't so healthy. I'm sure that scientist are going to make the efforts in trying to understand the variability among person and how this can be a good thing in the diagnosis and treatment area.

Immunization

delivering-the-next-generation-of-vaccines

We all are constantly exposed to a lot of diseases that can put or health in danger. Hopefully we can reduce or prevent the contagious of a disease with the use of vaccines. A vaccine is any preparation used as a preventive inoculation to confer immunity against a specific disease to stimulate antibody production. They are very important because if we contagious with any disease it will be more easy to combat and treat it. To this process of create antibodies can also be call immunization.

     But this process of create a vaccine for a specific disease is not to easy and it requires a lot of studies and time. For example vaccines for HIV and AIDS and malaria are very challenging. If we are serious about ending these diseases , then we will need a new and innovative vaccines. We need to figure out how we can move forward and expand the research in order to stimulate the next generation of lifesaving vaccines. The article Delivering the next generation of vaccines say how to take advantage of the potential in the vaccines research. First it need sustainable and sufficient funding, it means that the annual funding for research of $3.37 billions need to be double. Also  a coherent invested strategy because with downward budgetary pressures, it's important to extract the maximum possible impact from any funding. Last but not less important, the support for innovation across the development cycle, because new models for developing vaccines have shown that they can provide solutions for diseases that have been neglected for lack of marked incentive.

      Around the world the vacciness are saving millions of lives every day and if the researchers can get all of they need to work they can found vaccines for most of the diseases an the people can live a more healthy life. Investing in research and innovation target at these diseases now and the right policy environment could usher in the next revolution immunization.

Breathe

lung-disease-lookup/asthma
 
   Exist a lot of reasons that can provoke a person difficulty breathing and one of the most common is the asthma. Be an asthmatic it's not easy, like me, millions of people suffer this disease that unfortunately don't have a cure. Asthma is a chronic lung disease that makes harder to move air in and out of your lungs. It can start at any age. With asthma, the airways in your lungs are often swollen or inflamed. This makes them extra sensitive to things that you are exposed to in the environment every day, or asthma "triggers". A trigger could be a cold or the weather, or things in the environment, such as dust, chemicals,smoke and pet dander.

   The good news is that with proper management, you or your loved ones with asthma can live a normal, healthy life. After health care provider diagnoses your asthma, you will be prescribed medicines that can help control it. There are a variety of medicines available to treat asthma. Some asthma medicines relax your airways and help you breathe easier, while other treatments reduce the swelling and inflammation in airways and also help prevent asthma symptoms. Personally when this disease reveal it's horrible because you feel like you are gonna run out of air. Also because of it you don't have the opportunities to do or eat some things. Asthma is a chronic disease that can be serious and that need to be treat it to prevent asthma attacks.

Memories

   Some people through live have to experiences horrible disease or have to deal with a person that have it.  For me after cancer the Alzheimer is in the list of the most sadly disease. What it's Alzheimer? It's a brain disease that causes problems with memory, thinking and character or how to behave. This mainly affects older adults and is the most common dementia in this group. Some of the early sings are: having trouble remembering things, ask the same questions again and again, having trouble paying bills or to solve simple math operations, be lost, and misplaced items.

   Alzheimer disease is divided in three stages. The fist stage is known as Mild-Early and it can last 2 to 4 years. This stage is characterized by frequent loss memory, particularly or recent conversations and recent events. The second stage is Moderate-Middle and it can happen over 2 to 10 years. At this point the patient can no longer cover up problems. This is known also as the painful stage because the patient forgets about personal history and had the inability to recognize friends and family. The third stage is the Severe-Late stage and it can last 1 to 3 years. Confusion about past and present happened constantly. The patient loss the ability to remember and process information. At the moment there's disability, the patient can't take care for self. 

 
   Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease. However, there are medicines that can help control the symptoms and deal with agitation, depression or psychotic symptoms that may occur as the disease progresses. Always remember that for the care of Alzheimer patients is needed a lot of comprehension and patience.

   

Behind Pregnancy

risks-for-teens-whose-moms-took-certain-antidepressants

Depression is a real illness that affects people in different ways. When you have depression, it's more than feeling sad. Intense feeling of sadness and other symptoms, like losing interest in things you enjoy, may last for a while. Depression is a medical illness, mot a sing of weakness. Because this illness is highly associated with the lifestyle many efforts are directed towards working with the immediate family.

   A new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric found risks for teen whose moms took certain antidepressants during pregnancy, to be more susceptible to depression during adolescence and adulthood. This finding could help to identify those responsible antidepressants and it can be possible that the others prevent or can decide whether took it or not during pregnancy.

   I think this findings can improve the mental health of next generations if the mothers follow directions during pregnancy. Depression it's not easy to control or prevent because it depend on the power a person can have to control emotions. Because we are all different and situations affects each other in so many different ways the kind of illness should be treated with respect. This study also open great studies opportunities ti understand emotions and behaviors in adolescents with depression and the relation between them and the  other who also suffered the illness. 

The Diabetes

Journal of medicine

   Diabetes, often referred by doctors, as diabetes mellitus, describes a group of metabolic diseases in which the person has high blood glucose(blood sugar), either because the hormone insulin production is inadequate, or because the body's cells do not respond properly to insulin, or both.
 

   In this recent article scientist from the U.S have united efforts to describe and mention the achievements of goals in the U.S diabetes care from 1999 to 2010. They analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES) and those data were collected from household interviews and from standardized medical examinations and blood sample collections performed in mobile examination centers. With the data the scientist conduct a series of statistical analysis. They found that the proportion of overweight participants decreased, whereas the proportions that were obese increased, as did the proportion of participants taking medications to lower glucose levels and the proportion using insulin. They also found important gaps in care and prevention, 30 to 50% did not  meet individualized targets for glycemic control, blood pressure, or lipid control, and more than 20% remained smokers.

   Those results sound alarming and for me there's to much to do. People need to understand the seriousness of this disease. In a decade there were no change in the consciousness of the American population, which hasn't decreased the prevalence of this disease. I'm looking forward to become a doctor and are this numbers the ones that make me fight. I'm working to be able in the future, to help people understand the importance of the health care. No one is responsible of your own health, except you. So in order to help decreased the prevalence of the diabetes it's important, as a doctor, to stay in touch with the patient and try to help them in the fight with this and all of the chronic disease that haven't found a cure yet.

The eyes

ophthalmology/refractive-surgery

   A lot of people have vision problems and for those who suffer from it, including me, what I'm about to tell are good news. When I was  a little girl I started to use glasses, but not always at that time I like it because I look different but today I'm not so happy about them, I don't hate them but neither I love them. Now people have more than one option to end the used of glasses, and one of them is the surgery. Results show that after it the patient do not need to use glasses again.  

   Like every surgery the results can be good or bad. The negative includes that after a few days of the surgery you don't see like you suppose to. But the majority of the surgery are effective like it was the Dr. Phil (dad) surgery. Dr. Phil (son) have the experience of the surgery in his eyes. The surgery was performed by his dad. Dr. Phil (son) says that he pass for few surgery, but actually, after 13 years of his last surgery, he can see perfectly. Some persons have fear to do a LASIK surgery over previous RK because they think that it will not be successful. But Dr.Phil have the experience he was a patient and he always says that it is a great decision to choose the surgery.

   Now, Dr.Phil practiced the same surgery that one day he was part of. Helping others because he believe that they deserve the same opportunity that he have to improve his vision. He says that he dedicate a large portion of his time in clinic to patients who had a prior RK/LASIK/PRK and who now feel like their vision has change post operatively. After all he is not just a surgeon, but also a grateful patient. Now I can tell that I hope that one day I have the courage and the opportunity to go over a surgery and be able to see clearly without glasses or eye contacts.

Hope

news/newcancerbdg

   Cancer is one of the most mortal diseases that is affecting millions of people around the world. Every day people are diagnosed with cancer and some of them don't have the resources or the place to combat this horrible disease. Every day, dozens of scientists, doctors, are working hard in search for a cure. Meanwhile they have their efforts in trying to find ways that can delay and hopefully the disappeared the disease.

  
    A while ago I read a story that filled me with hope and I want to share it with you. In 2014 news came out that in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico a new building was under construction. The building is for oncological purpose, as treatments and research studies. This fills me with great joy because this new hospital will be offering advanced treatments, which would benefit many patients on the island which perhaps have to travel to have treatments. In a ceremony to begin the construction the Governor emphasized the hospital is a aiming to be a "primary source for discoveries about the nature of cancer and the development of new approaches to prevention, diagnosis and therapy." The 12 floor facility will house eight halls specialized in cancer surgery, intensive care unit, a unit of intermediate care and three floors with 72 beds, as well as chemotherapy, specialized breast cancer treatments, bone marrow transplant, and nuclear medicine, among many other services.  

     Today this structure is almost ready, just a little time to see this work complete. I'm anxious that this new hospital begin to work and make the effort to give a better life to patients suffering from this horrible diseases. I'm hoping this structure provide light, hope, and the happiness patients needs.

Health Care

  sos-puerto-rico-is-losing-doctors

  I always said that when I finish my studies and start working in my profession I will like to stay here in Puerto Rico. I will be so fill of joy to help and provide services to people of my island where I grew up. I will also be able to see my family and share with them every time. Suddenly I see some news that worried me, that sooner or later I will confront. In life you are constantly taking decisions. Sometimes those decisions affect others but from your perspective is the better for you.

    

   This is the case of Dr. Antonio Peraza, a puertorican doctor in intern medicine, who make a big decision that change his and patients life's. He has to sell his office and accept a job in the U.S. But it is not only him but many others specialist are going to work outside the island because there's no other way, there's no choice. For decades, long before Obamacare, Puerto Rico has had a government-run health care system that provides coverage for nearly everyone on the island. It offers generous benefits, but has never been adequately funded. Nearly two thirds of the island residents are covered by Medicaid or Medicare. But both of those programs cap payments to Puerto Rico at levels far below what the states receive.

  

    This issue is specially affecting health care, where it's estimated that at least one doctor leaves Puerto Rico every day. This is really worry for the people who need care medicate attention because they would have to be waiting 3 to 5 months to be attend. Congress is working on a plan to help Puerto Rico fix its problems and avoid defaulting on its more than $72 billion debt. Puerto Rican officials are hoping the plan will also include an increase in Medicare ans Medicaid finding. My only hope is that the Congress can be able to help and solved this increasing problems very soon. I want to stay in my island and that's what I hope for my family because I want to enjoy the same opportunities and services  offered elsewhere.  

  

                                     

Heart Surgery

Lifesaving-Heart-Surgery

  

I was going through some news this week and I found a history that make me happy. I smile because I know that I'm exactly where I want to be and I know for certain that I choose the correct path. I always believe that we, humans, live with purpose and we are in this world to help bright others life. My hero this week is Frank Hanley. Hanley is chief of pediatric cardiac surgery at the hospital's Children's Heart Center. This past fall Hanley bright the Bracebridges family who were traveling to find help with a rare condition that little Alex Bracebridges was suffering. Alex was born with a rare heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, which consist of several related defects present at birth. ToF occurs in about 1 of every 1,000 babies because of abnormal development of the fetal heart during the first eight weeks of pregnancy. In infants like Alex with the most complex form of this condition, the blood vessels that should connect the heart to the lungs instead connect the lungs to the aorta (body's main artery), and the heart has a hole in the wall separating its lower chambers(ventricles). Dr.Hanley performed a unifocalization to address the lingering pulmonary artery problems. Alex also has a dangerous bulge on his pulmonary artery called a "pseudoaneurysm", caused by high ling blood pressure, which Hanley successfully removed. The surgery was done in 12 hours but the results were worth it. Alex showed dramatic improvements in his pulmonary blood pressure and blood flow almost immediately Dr.Hanley has helped Alex and thousands of other children with serious heart conditions lived that now lived normal lives. Alex parents nowadays just have gratefully words, they said that their greatest hope is for Alex to live a long, healthy, high quality life, which they believe is possible because of Dr.Hanley and they said that Alex's future is so much brighter.

Introduction

    Hey guys, my name is Bianca and I am so excited to begin this new blog and have the opportunity to talk about my study field in Natural Sciences. Since I was a child I dream of becoming a professional in the science field. Now I'm at the UPR in Cayey following my dreams from childhood and after I graduated of my degree I will go study medicine. In this blog I want to exposed some of the sub specialization of internal medicine that I like the most, like gastroenterology, cardiology and endocrinology. Through my entry I will like to write curious cases, news and information of each sub specialization. I would like to inspired all those heart, that like me, love this study field. I hope that all you guys enjoy it.