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What is a Barium Enema?

A barium enema, in principle, is similar to a barium meal or barium follow-through but is used specifically to obtain X-ray images of the large intestine. Unlike the barium meal and follow through procedures where a patient swallows the barium solution, the barium enema involves insertion of a small tube via the anus into the colon where the liquid is then infused.

10 Feb 2010

What is a Barium Meal?

A barium meal is a diagnostic test used to detect abnormalities of the esophagus, stomach and small bowel using X-ray imaging. X-rays can only highlight bone and other radio-opaque tissues and would not usually enable visualization of soft tissue. However, infusion of the contrast medium barium sulfate, a radioopaque salt, coats the lining of the digestive tract, allowing accurate X-ray imaging of this part of the abdomen.

10 Feb 2010

What is Angiography?

Angiography involves the use of x-ray imaging to examine blood vessels. The images generated during an angiography procedure are known as angiograms.

10 Feb 2010

An Overview of X-Linked Disorders and X Chromosome Aneuploidies

Numerical abnormalities of the X chromosome, including Klinefelter’s and Turner syndromes, have significant health implications and require targeted support.

10 Feb 2010

What is the X Chromosome?

There are 23 pairs of chromosomes in the human body. This includes 22 pairs of autosomal or somatic chromosomes that are common to both men and women and one chromosome that differs according to what gender a person is (sex chromosomes).

10 Feb 2010

Y Chromosome Evolution

The Y chromosome is responsible for determining male gender in mammals. The Y chromosome contains the SRY gene, which is necessary for the development of the testes in males. Without this gene, no testes would develop and a fetus would grow into a female. The Y chromosome is extremely quick to evolve, with the human Y chromosome differing from that of a chimpanzee by 30%.

10 Feb 2010

What is the Y Chromosome?

There are 23 pairs of chromosomes in the human body which include 22 pairs of autosomal chromosomes that are common to both men and women and one pair of sex chromosomes that determine an individual’s gender (the X chromosome and the Y chromosome).

10 Feb 2010

What is Chromosome 2?

Chromosome 2 is the second largest of the 46 chromosomes found in human cells.

10 Feb 2010

Chromosome 1 Genes

Chromosome 1 is the largest of the 23 chromosomes, containing a greater number of nucleotides at its 85 loci than all other chromosomes. There are an estimated 4220 genes on chromosome 1, as discovered during the Human Genome Project around twenty years ago.

9 Feb 2010

What is Chromosome 1?

Chromosomes are vital components of eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells, in which an entire genome is stored.

9 Feb 2010

Human Chromosomes

The human chromosome is the basic building block of life and is one of the most important components of the cell to be transmitted from generation to generation. It is essentially an organized structure of DNA that exists within the nucleus of all human cells and comprises a single chain of DNA that is coiled and super coiled to form dense thread like pieces.

8 Feb 2010

Chromosomal Abnormalities

Chromosomal abnormalities, alterations and aberrations are at the root of many inherited diseases and traits. Chromosomal abnormalities often give rise to birth defects and congenital conditions that may develop during an individual's lifetime. Examining the karyotype of chromosomes (karyotyping) in a sample of cells can allow detection of a chromosomal abnormality and counselling can then be offered to parents or families whose offspring are at risk of growing up with a genetic disorder.

8 Feb 2010

Chromosome Karyotype

The term "karyotype" refers to the chromosomal pattern inside the nucleus of an animal cell (eukaryote), as well as to describes the set of chromosomes in a species or in an individual organism. The study of karyotypes in eukaryotic cells is a branch of science termed cytogenetics, from "cyto" meaning cell and "genetics" meaning the cell's chromosomal make up.

8 Feb 2010

Chromosomes in Prokaryotes

Prokaryotes are the group of organisms including bacteria and archaea that do not have a membrane-bound nucleus and instead have a circular, double-stranded molecule of DNA called a nucleoid, that is not contained in a nuclear envelope.

8 Feb 2010

Chromosomes in Eukaryotes

Cells with nuclei are known as eukaryotic cells, the cells that make up animals, plants and yeast. The nucleus is the organelle that contains the majority of the cell's genetic material, where it is organized into dense linear complexes called chromosomes. The number of these chromosomes varies from species to species. Each chromosome has a central, bulb-like thickening called the centromere which separates the chromosome into two arms: a long arm (q) and a short arm (p). Under normal conditions these arms are not clearly visible.

8 Feb 2010

Chromosome History

The scientific field of genetics first began with the research conducted by Gregor Mendel, who is known of as the "Father of Genetics". Mendel performed extensive experiments with pea plants to demonstrate that characteristic traits inherited by the plants followed certain patterns, patterns which are today known of as the laws of Mendelian inheritance. Mendel's research involved thousands of pea plants which he studied over an 8 year period in the mid 19th century.

8 Feb 2010

What is a Chromosome?

Chromosomes are the basic building blocks of life where the entire genome of an organism is essentially organized and stored in the form of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) which is present inside every cell making up that organism. A chromosome is a single chain of DNA that is coiled and super coiled to form dense thread-like pieces. The term chromosome is derived from the Greek words "chroma" or color and "some" or body and is so named because chromosomes have the ability to be stained with dyes.

8 Feb 2010

Chlamydia Treatment

Chlamydia infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. It is spread through unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected individual. The infection may also be passed from mother to baby during childbirth.

8 Feb 2010

Chlamydia Infection Pathophysiology

Chlamydia infection is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the world.

8 Feb 2010

Chlamydia Symptoms

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection that presents with few or no symptoms in the majority of patients. If symptoms do appear, they usually present around one to three weeks after having unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex with an infected person. However, symptoms may also appear months after exposure.

8 Feb 2010