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Stem cells the opportunities and challenges ahead

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STEM CELLS: THE OPPORTUNITIES  AND CHALLENGES AHEAD  -by Krishanu Choudhury. In this era where Diabetes and high blood pressure are very prevalent and has become a core problem of increased cardiac myopathies, renal failure as well as other complicated disorders which has left people losing their lives to such a disorder which is nothing but a “lifestyle disorder”. This has led to increase in demand in organ transplantations which doesn’t occur easily as there is crisis of organs. Now, the idea of a miracle cure and bodies healing themselves holds a particular fascination. Stem cell research brings regenerative medicine a step closer, but many of the ideas and concepts remain controversial. Stem cells sound interesting but what is basically a stem cell? Stem cells are a type of cell that can develop into many different types of cell. Stem cells can also renew themselves by dividing, even after they have been inactive for a long time. The human body requires many diff
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AES_blog_study

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   The AES outbreak! (A study) -By Krishanu Choudhury (Department of Molecular Biology, Tezpur University) The recent  deaths of children in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur and in some parts of UP has given me chills go down my spine. The children died due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome(AES) which is prevalent in Bihar and UP region. The AES prevalent in those areas from 15-20 years and was famous in those regions by the name of “Chamki bukhaar”.   Acute encephalitis syndrome is characterized by an acute onset of fever and clinical neurological manifestation that includes mental confusion, disorientation or coma. Viruses especially flaviviruses have  mainly attributed to be the cause of AES in India although other sources such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, chemicals and toxins have been reported  over the past few decades. The causative agent of AES varies with season and geographical location, and predominantly affects population below 15 years. Keeping in mind the wid
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astrochemistry

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AN APPROACH TO ASTROCHEMISTRY -Arif Faisal Ahmed Tholins: The Complex Organic Molecules Of Space, Which May Be The Raw Materials For Life.   The word ‘Tholin’ was derived from the Greek word ‘tholĪŒs’, meaning ‘hazy’ or ‘muddy’. They are a wide variety of organic compounds formed by Solar ultraviolet irradiation or cosmic rays from simple carbon containing compounds such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) or ethane (C2H6), often in combination with nitrogen gas (N2) or water (H2O). Tholins are complex  polymer-like materials made of repeating chains of linked  subunits  and complex combinations of functional groups, including heteropolymers that give a reddish, organic surface covering on certain planetary surfaces, like the reddish-brown cap of the North Pole of Charon, the largest of five moons of Pluto.  Tholin formation:  Tholins may be a major constituent of the interstellar medium. Tholin is a polycyclic aromatic
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Quantum Cloud

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Quantum knowledge(information) around us: -Arif Faisal Ahmed Quantum Cloud – A philosophical Approach If we go in a library then we are surrounded by lots of books. If we read  all the books in the library one by one then we get knowledge about all  the subjects. But if we read the books of one subject only then we will  not get the knowledge about other subjects. We know that to read all the books in a library is quite impossible task; but if someone manages to do it by doing very hard work then the  person will be able to gather all the knowledge in those books. Likewise, we are always in a library of quantum knowledge (information),surrounded by quantum related information. If we can  harness that knowledge somehow then we would get huge knowledge  and I think that enlightenment means utilizing that knowledge  completely, though it is very hard task.  But meditation (very high  concentration) and connecting and communicating the inner quantum  information to
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Food Chemistry

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FAST FOODS AND FOOD CHEMISTRY: Our Tongue is killing us?: Fast food and baked items, French fries and burgers... the names are enough to bring saliva in our mouth and create some kind of sensation in us Is the hunger for fast-foods killing us …? Partially yes, running after taste is making us move towards danger. We unknowingly are progressing towards it. The over-cooked food is main reason behind it.  The cooking of these delicious or indeed dangerous items in oil under 110 – 120 degree Celcius brings about the production of a toxic compound called Acrylamide(C3H5NO) and recent research have shown that this substance has some toxic effects and can bring about a change in the cell types that is it can change the normal cell to cancer cell. Most studies till now have shown its effects are seen the most in case of breast cancer. Another point to focus is that use of same cooking oil repeatedly and for different purposes lead to the formation
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