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What is a Prion?

A prion is a small infectious particle composed of abnormally folded protein that causes progressive neurodegenerative conditions.

17 Nov 2009

What is Urethritis?

Urethritis is a health condition that involves inflammation of the urethra, as well as possible swelling and irritation in the area that can make it difficult for affected individuals to pass urine.

17 Nov 2009

What is Neuromodulation?

Neuromodulation is the process by which nervous activity is regulated by way of controlling the physiological levels of several classes of neurotransmitters.

17 Nov 2009

What Does the Large Intestine Do?

The large intestine is the second to last part of the digestive system—the final stage of the alimentary canal is the anus —in vertebrate animals. Its function is to absorb water from the remaining indigestible food matter, and then to pass useless waste material from the body. This article is primarily about the human gut, though the information about its processes are directly applicable to most mammals.

17 Nov 2009

What is Glomerulonephritis?

Glomerulonephritis (GN) is a condition in which the kidneys are inflamed. The glomeruli are the filtering mechanism of the kidneys. They consist of a tuft of highly coiled capillaries cupped in a double fold of membrane. Waste or toxic material is rapidly filtered out of the blood flowing through the capillaries, through the basal membrane of the glomerulus, and is removed into urine. All the necessary constituents of the blood are reabsorbed.

17 Nov 2009

What Does the Spleen Do?

The spleen is an organ found in almost all vertebrate animals. It mainly acts as a filter for purifying the blood, removing microbes and worn out or damaged red blood cells. It is also an important organ in the immune system, producing the white blood cells that fight infection and synthesize antibodies.

17 Nov 2009

What Does the Small Intestine Do?

The small intestine is a tubular structure within the abdominal cavity that carries the food in continuation with the stomach up to the colon from where the large intestine carries it to the rectum and out of the body via the anus. The main function of this organ is to aid in digestion.

17 Nov 2009

What are Neglected Diseases?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates show that a billion people in 149 countries suffer from one or more neglected tropical diseases. These include dengue, trachoma, filariasis and leishmaniasis, and are caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites or helminthes.

17 Nov 2009

What are Tropical Diseases?

During recent history, tropical regions of the world were more severely affected by infectious diseases in comparison to the temperate world.

17 Nov 2009

What is Periodontitis?

Periodontitis, also sometimes referred to as pyorrhea, is a health condition that involves inflammation of the periodontium, the supporting tissues, bones and ligaments around the teeth.

17 Nov 2009

What is Gastroenteritis?

Gastroenteritis refers to an infection of the stomach and the intestine. The most common symptoms of gastroenteritis are vomiting and frequent episodes of diarrhea that occur three or four times every 24 hours.

17 Nov 2009

What is Rhinovirus?

The “rhino” in rhinovirus is derived from the Greek for “nose” and these viruses are the most common infective virus to cause the common cold in humans. Rhinovirus describes species that belongs to the enterovirus genus of the family Picornaviridae. Other enteroviruses belonging to Picornaviridae include poliovirus and Coxsackie A virus.

17 Nov 2009

What is Japanese Encephalitis?

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a dangerous form of brain inflammation caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus, common in Asia and the West Pacific.

17 Nov 2009

What are Ovarian Cysts?

Ovarian cysts are blister-like, fluid-filled sacs that develop on the ovary. The cysts are relatively common and in most cases do not give rise to any symptoms. They also usually resolve independently, without treatment. However, if the cysts are large or give rise to symptoms, they may need to be surgically removed.

17 Nov 2009

What Does the Uterus Do?

The uterus is the medical term for the womb. It is the Latin word for womb. It is about the size and shape of an inverted pear. The uterus sits quite low in the abdomen and is held in position by muscles, ligaments and fibrous tissues. The uterus is joined to the vagina by the cervix that is also called the neck of the womb.

17 Nov 2009