New Neural Brain-to-bone pathway Controls Skeletal Development

Within the past year researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem that a part of the autonomic nervous system reaches bones and takes a part in controlling bone development. The new pathway has a part in controlling bone density during the adolescence years and determines the skeletal resistance to fractures throughout the whole life span. In the autonomic nervous system, the brain monitors and regulates the physiological functions of the internal organs and includes two subsystems, the "symphatic" and "parasymphatic.  Each have their own neural pathways. Sympahtic system helps in times of danger or with stress. The parasympahtic helps with digestion, and immune function. The researchers demonstrated that there are parasympahtic responses in the skeleton. A weakened rabies virus was injected into thigh bones of mice. After the injection, the virus was seen in the brain in regions know to be specific for the parasymphatic subsystem. In past research, the activity of the protein interleukin-1 was found to influence bone development. This influence is similar to the parasymphatic system. The recent discovered neural pathway which includes interleukin-1 in the brain and the parasymphatic subsystem, also control heart rate. Having conditions such as depression, osteoporosis, and epilepsy can damage interleukin-1 and the parasymphatic system  in the brain. Finding the disease mechanism in these cases can have a potential for new therapy development. This new pathway is only a small key to understanding the connection between the brain and the bones.

Children Understand More Than We Realize

Dr. Kenneth Lazarus is a pediatric oncologist from Indiana has a unique way of breaking the news of cancer to children. In his book "Conquering Kids' Cancer Triumphs and Tragedies of a Children's Cancer Doctor" he describes different ways of informing his patients and their families of this horrific news. He has found with the younger age groups it is easier to relate it to something they can wrap their minds around. He talked about one case with a young boy named Eric. He described cancer as bad aliens that had invaded his body, he then said that himself and the medicine were the good army going to take out the bad aliens.  This allowed Eric to see the point in his treatment and be involved fully. This also helped ease the reality of the situation and help the child to be brave during treatment. He also described that children understand about as much as their parents do about the disease it just has to be presented in a way that they can connect with.

New Neural Brain-To-Bone Pathway Controls Skeletal Development

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered a brain-to-bone pathway. They discovered this pathway while working with mice. They injected a weakened rabies virus into the thigh bone. After time it eventually found its way to the brain in an area that is part of the parasympathetic subsystem. With this new information they see great potential in the development in new therapies. They had already linked certain bone disorders to brain disorders so there is much possibility of further development.

The Gateways for Viruses

Over the past few decades, Virologists have studied the ways viruses have been transmitted from human to human and how they could spreads so easily.  Travel has been one of the mains causes of viruses spreading. The first development of land bridges and boats allowed human races to come in contact with unknown animal species and with other human races. The development of  Roads, railways, and airplanes all provide new connections for the movement of animals, people, and cargo. These developments created links that would change how the nature of infectious human diseases spread. Chimpanzees create trails to move through Forest territories and other animals come in contact with them. HIV is an example of the impact that road proliferation has had on the movement of microbes in Africa. The areas of Africa that have roads have a higher percent of people with HIV then more rural areas that are nor connected by roads. Roads spread people and people spread HIV.
Airplanes link populations in an immediate way and viruses can spread quicker.  Scientists have made a connection that the volume of domestic air travel predicts the rate of spread in influenza in the U.S. The other main gateway viruses can enter a human is through blood transfusions, and organ transplants. Many blood donors blood is screened for harmful microbes but in less fortunate countries, they do not have that luxury. HIV, hepatitis, and AIDS are most commonly transmitted by tainted blood.  Donating organs can also be a danger. Receiving an infected tissue of some sort can lead to exposures of new viruses and the possibility of other people catching the virus. Using an unsterilized needle is another example of a gateway. Using an unsterilized needle for injection drug use, intravenous fluid, or for tattoos can be extremely harmful and can make it easy for viruses to make you and your body their host.

Dear Ali

Dear Ali, lately I have noticed my body feeling very frail and achy. I am a 63 year old white female. I am vegetarian and I am active. I walk 2 miles everyday and read on my porch. Since I have been feeling weak, I have not done much out of my house.. I love tending to my garden but it seems to kill my hips and back if I plant or pull out weeds. I love to cook and bake for my daughters, but my wrists have been killing me and I can barely cut a carrot. I really do not trust doctors, and try to stay away from hospitals. I think I am just getting old and need to cut back. Can you help me? -Hazel

Dear Hazel, maybe it is time to go to the doctor. You are not old enough to be hindered from doing what you enjoy. Your wrists may hurt because they have fractures. It sounds like you may have osteoporosis. Having osteoporosis can make your bones weak and prone to fractures making your body feel as it is older than you are. Bone tissue is constantly replaced and absorbed Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone does not keep up with the removal of old bone. Osteoporosis is more common in elderly women.  You can have your doctor prescribe you medicine, take dietary supplements, or try weight bearing exercises to help build up your bone strength. - Ali

Axial Skeleton Crossword

Axial Skeleton

Across
7. shaped bone at the bottom of the spine
Down
1. bone forming the lower jaw and keeping teeth in place
2. structure of the human head that supports the structure of the face and makes a cavity for the brain
3. bone that lines in the middle front part of the rib cage
4. curved bones making up the rib cage that protects the heart
5. bone/horseshoe shaped bone in the anterior midline of the neck between the chin and hyoid cartilage
6. Column/ known as the backbone or spine

7 of 7 words were placed into the puzzle.

Created by Puzzlemaker at DiscoveryEducation.com

  

 

 

 

Are parents to blame?

When thinking of criminals most people seem to believe that they are criminals because of some problem they never dealt with that occurred as a child or sometime when they were growing up. This however is not the case. Some people have wonderful lives and turn out to be crooks while others face many struggles such as abuse and poverty and end up being successful, responsible individuals in society.  As a criminal the person has a different perception of the world. They shun society and societies beliefs before society deems them as an outcast. So the theory that the way they are raised is the reason for criminals behavior is false.  They just utilize this belief to be able to play the victim.

Mr. Bones

How good do you know the skeletal system? ABCya! has a great interactive skeleton to test your skills and knowledge of the bones. It is also a great learning tool! There are two different options to chose from; you can either label the skeleton or put him together. When you label the skeleton it challenges you to label in a certain amount of clicks and then at the end it tells you how good you did. Then you can challenge yourself further by trying to put the skeleton back together! The link titled Skeleton Activities will take you to both of these  Skeleton Activities.