Graphic Intervention: 25 Years of International AIDS Awareness Posters
In 2008, twenty-seven years into the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, an estimated 25 million people had died from the disease, and approximately 33.4 million people were living with HIV/AIDS [1]. Although current antiretroviral treatment can greatly slow the progression of disease symptoms, it is not a cure, and the treatments are too costly for the vast majority of the world to maintain for a lifetime. Scientific … Continue reading Graphic Intervention: 25 Years of International AIDS Awareness Posters
Malaria: An Old but Pressing Problem
It takes a life every 30 seconds and sickens almost 250 million people a year… but this is no AIDS epidemic; no newly emerged disease that medical science is scrambling to control. Malaria has been a scourge of mankind throughout recorded history, so what exactly is this disease and why has it proved so resistant to our efforts to eliminate it? Malaria is caused by … Continue reading Malaria: An Old but Pressing Problem
NTDs: Diseases of the bottom billion
What do the world’s “bottom billion” — the approximate number of the world’s citizens earning less than $1.25 USD per day — have in common? Aside from poor living conditions, malnutrition, and political voicelessness, they are also all more likely to suffer from so-called neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), scourges that have become a hallmark of extreme poverty in the world. The World Health Organization has … Continue reading NTDs: Diseases of the bottom billion
A conversation with Ellen 't Hoen, Executive Director of Medicines Patent Pool
Ellen ’t Hoen is the executive director of the Medicines Patent Pool Foundation and was the Senior Advisor on Intellectual Property for UNITAID, a global health funding agency hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. She was also the former Director of Policy Advocacy for the “Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines” by Médicins Sans Frontières What is your general assessment of the global situation … Continue reading A conversation with Ellen 't Hoen, Executive Director of Medicines Patent Pool
Tuberculosis: The Enduring Global Reaper
In many ways, tuberculosis (TB) is an unusual disease, but it is certainly not uncommon. It is an infectious disease caused by transmittable bacteria. However, about nine out of ten people who are infected after exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the most common culprit, never develop symptoms. Mycobacteria are estimated to have infected as much as one third of the world’s population, or two billion people … Continue reading Tuberculosis: The Enduring Global Reaper
Dengue Fever: Brewing Trouble in the Tropics
What is Dengue fever? Dengue fever (pronounced DENG-gay), an illness caused by the Dengue virus, is a global public health concern that affects 50-100 million people annually [1]. Over the last 50 years, global Dengue infections have increased 30-fold. The virus has also spread geographically in many tropical and subtropical regions, including Central and South America, Africa, and South East Asia. In 2010, Dengue was … Continue reading Dengue Fever: Brewing Trouble in the Tropics
Can you maintain mental stability and health as you age?
–Eventually, everyone experiences “senior moments.” You may forget where you left your keys, or walk into a room only to realize that you can’t recall why you entered in the first place. As we get older, the physical signs of slowing down also become increasingly apparent, whether it’s getting a little slower on your daily run, or becoming more easily fatigued in a basketball game with your kids. The gradual appearance of these signs of mental and physical decline is a normal part of aging. Continue reading Can you maintain mental stability and health as you age?
Coral bleaching in 2010: An early indicator of vulnerable marine ecosystems under human-made stress
–While the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico dominated the news during summer 2010, it was a somewhat unusual summer for the rest of the world as well. Extreme heat and fires in Russia caused millions of dollars worth of damage. Flooding in Pakistan has resulted in millions losing their homes. And droughts in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia have led to crop failures. One climate-related event that we haven’t heard much about, however, is the widespread bleaching of coral reefs all across the globe, largely due to this year’s severe heat stress. Continue reading Coral bleaching in 2010: An early indicator of vulnerable marine ecosystems under human-made stress
Materials Science in the Kitchen: Basic Bread Revisited
–In many cultures, including our own, bread constitutes a significant portion of the daily diet. However, how often do we stop to think about the unique material properties of the food that we eat and how those properties influence how bread (or any other food) is made? Continue reading Materials Science in the Kitchen: Basic Bread Revisited
Why do we get allergies?
–Almost all of us have, or know someone who has an allergy. An allergy is an overreaction of your immune system to something that is foreign to your body, but may not be dangerous to other healthy individuals. People can be allergic to pollen, mold, antibiotics, food such as peanuts or shellfish, or any number of other things in our environment. When exposed to an allergen, your immune system generates an inflammatory response, giving you symptoms like a runny nose, itch, or rash. Scratching and sneezing might be uncomfortable, however in other situations, an allergic reaction can be life threatening. Continue reading Why do we get allergies?