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Phantom Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms

Phantom pregnancy or pseudocyesis is a rare condition in which a mentally stable woman believes that she is pregnant, experiences the usual symptoms of pregnancy, but the presence of a fetus is not evidenced. In addition, there are objective features of pregnancy in the woman, such as amenorrhea and enlargement of the belly.

23 Dec 2016

Phantom Pregnancy in Humans and Other Mammals

Phantom pregnancy or pseudocyesis is a relatively uncommon phenomenon that occurs in humans and other mammals. Among mammals, female cats rarely show the condition, but it is more commonly observed among female dogs.

23 Dec 2016

How to Treat False Pregnancy

Phantom pregnancy or pseudocyesis is rare in developed countries such as the US, but much more common in developing countries. This is because such contexts put a very high value on fertility with respect to the status given to a woman.

23 Dec 2016

Ringworm Prevention

Ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin that causes an itchy rash, frequently on the groin or hands. Contrary to its name, it is not caused by a worm. It is caused by one of three species of fungus: trichophyton, microsporum, and epidermophyton. It is highly contagious and can be spread by contact with infected people and animals, and also from spores in the soil.

22 Dec 2016

Electrolyte Disturbance and Acute Kidney Failure

Acute kidney failure, also known as acute renal failure, involves a sudden decline in the function of the kidneys. As the kidneys usually play an important role in the regulation of fluid and electrolytes in the blood and body, acute kidney failure can lead to electrolyte disturbances that may cause symptoms or complications.

22 Dec 2016

Pregnancy Denial

Pregnancy denial is a term which refers to the condition in which a woman denies that she is pregnant. At 20 weeks of pregnancy, it is found in 1 of 475 women, but the incidence declines to 1 in 2500 at delivery.

22 Dec 2016

Measuring Renal Function

Renal function tests are performed to evaluate how well the kidneys are doing their job of filtering out nitrogenous waste from the blood. They involve the measurement of various substances in both blood and urine in order to estimate the filtering efficiency of the kidneys. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) rarely produces any symptoms, until the critical kidney reserve is passed and kidney failure sets in. Therefore, assessment of renal function is important for early detection of CKD.

22 Dec 2016

Causes of Excessive Belching

Although belching is a physiological process, various conditions may lead to or cause excessive belching or burping including stomach conditions.

22 Dec 2016

Hives in Babies

Hives are characterized by a skin rash that is raised and red in colour. They are known by different names such as wheals, welts, nettle rash, and urticaria. They can be as small as a mosquito bite, or large enough to cover a substantial portion of the body. Often smaller rashes may develop on the torso and eventually spread to cover a large area.

22 Dec 2016

Causes of Elbow or Arm Pain

There are various possible causes of elbow pain or arm pain. These include injury to the arm, compression of the nerves that serve the arm, arthritis, and various other health conditions.

22 Dec 2016

Birth Defects in Twins

Babies from twin pregnancies are more likely to suffer from birth-related complications than those from singleton pregnancies. Fraternal and identical twins can be affected by pregnancy complications, and subsequent birth defects.

22 Dec 2016

Birth Defects

Birth defects are problems which occur during fetal development in the womb. The problems can be either on the physical body or may affect the mental capabilities of the infant. Some birth defects develop in the first trimester of pregnancy, while others may arise during the last six months during organ formation. They can affect any part of the baby.

22 Dec 2016

Allergic Reaction to Skin Products

Skin products and cosmetics are commonly used to improve hygiene and appearance of the skin. They are safe and effective for most people, but some individuals may experience sensitivity or an allergic reaction in response to some products.

22 Dec 2016

Types of Genodermatoses

Genodermatoses are genetic diseases that are expressed as skin conditions. The diseases are usually detectable upon birth if not soon after. The type of disease depends on how the genes are affected but the resultant conditions can be serious, rare and severely affect the patient’s life by leading to disabilities, a short life span, and the development of other chronic diseases and cancer.

21 Dec 2016

Comet Assay Applications

Comet assays are used to determine the extent of DNA damage in a cell. This information can provide a great deal of useful information regarding the diagnosis and progression of diseases, the value of different therapies, and the environmental and occupational exposure to harmful chemicals.

20 Dec 2016

What is the Comet Assay?

The Comet Assay, also known as single cell gel electrophoresis (SCRE), helps scientists to determine whether there has been deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage to a single cell from apoptosis (cell death) or cytotoxicity (toxicity to cells) and the extent of this damage.

20 Dec 2016

Benefits and Disadvantages of Dialysis

Dialysis can help patients with renal disease to increase quantity and quality of life, but it also has associated risks .

20 Dec 2016

What are Cadherins?

Cadherins are a group of proteins that help cells stick together. They are the main components of certain types of junctions between cells. These connections help define how a cell will be integrated into a structure, like a layer of skin or an organ.

19 Dec 2016

Living with Neck Pain

For patients who suffer from chronic neck pain, it can be difficult to adjust to the changes and maintain a high quality of life. However, with adequate treatment, most people are able to continue participating in normal activities with little interruption to their everyday routine.

19 Dec 2016

Living with Lower Back Pain

There are several ways to help patients living with lower back pain to improve their quality of life and enable them to partake in activities as normal.

19 Dec 2016