Articles written by Alicia Mae Prater
All 80 articles written by Alicia Mae Prater
Renal Anatomy and Physiology: Structure and Function of the Kidneys
Category: Anatomy & Physiology (general)
The renal structure is unique for maintaining fluid balance in the body as the kidney filters wastes from the blood. more...
The Different Blood Vessels: Arteries, Veins, and Capillaries
Category: Cardiovascular System
Three types of vessels carry blood and nutrients throughout the body to perfuse the tissues and rid the cells of waste. more...
The Eustachian Tubes: Maintaining Pressure in the Ear
Category: Anatomy & Physiology (general)
Short canals called Eustachian tubes, or auditory tubes, connect the middle ear and nasal cavity, allowing air pressure regulation and fluid drainage. more...
The Origins of Bird Flu: Avian Flu Strain H5N1 Began in Europe, Not Asia
Category: Diseases/Viruses
Amid current influenza fears, Asian bird flu has faded into the background, and the origin of H5N1 in Asia is still somewhat of a mystery. more...
The Origins of HIV: New Insights Into How AIDS Came to America
Category: Aids/HIV Research
Genetics has shown that HIV, known as the AIDS virus, has a longer history of infection in North America than once thought. more...
DNA Repair Mechanisms: Mismatch Repair and Base Excision
Category: Genetic Theory
DNA damage and mismatched nucleotides introduced during replication are recognized and removed by the cell machinery. more...
Category: Human Genetics
The addiction pathway may play a role in fat deposition and having a larger waist circumference. more...
The H1N1 Flu Pandemic: How a Novel Influenza Strain Traveled the Globe
Category: Diseases/Viruses
With the first African cases of H1N1 flu in Egypt, the World Health Organization has declared the recent flu virus outbreak a pandemic. How did it get to this? more...
Lactobacillus Acidophilus: A Probiotic for Lactose Digestion
Category: Nutrition (general)
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria. Acidophilus is needed in the human digestion system to aid in lactose processing. more...
Caffeine in Energy Drinks: How Much Is Too Much?
Category: Beer, Cocktails & Beverages (general)
Last Fall, a research review noted the problems of high caffeine consumption, mostly heart conditions in children who drink popular energy drinks. more...
World Meningitis Day: Joining Together to Protect Against Infection
Category: Patient Health Education
The Confederation of Meningitis Organizations has set aside April 25, 2009 as a day of awareness for an infection that can quickly and painfully affect the brain. more...
Mumps Infection: A Preventable Viral Disease
Category: Diseases/Viruses
An acute viral infection of the salivary glands is a risk to non-immunized travelers and is becoming more common in the United States. more...
Measles Virus and Rubeola: A Preventable and Deadly Viral Respiratory Disease
Category: Diseases/Viruses
The most deadly of the childhood diseases, measles is highly infectious but can be prevented with vaccination around 1 year of age. more...
Treatments with St. John's Wort: Going Beyond Depression
Category: Herbal Medicine
St John's Wort is a popular herbal supplement that is most famously used for depression, but can it be used more widely? more...
Genetic Protections against HIV: Infection Is Naturally Avoided due to Mutations
Category: Human Genetics
AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection, which killed an estimated 2.1 million people in 2007, but some individuals have been found to be resistant to HIV/AIDS. more...
Inherited Epigenetic Traits: Twin Studies Reveal a New Form of Inheritance in Methylation
Category: Human Genetics
Epigenetics, chemical alterations to chromosomes, have been found to be inherited, affecting disease incidence in families and gene expression. more...
Salmonella Outbreak: What Is the Bacterium that Makes Everyone Ill?
Category: Intestinal Illness
A current outbreak linked to peanut butter in Minnesota is affecting more than 430 people in 43 states with 3-5 deaths, but what is this evil thing called salmonella? more...
Secondary Heart Disease: Heart Attacks are Just One Possibility
Category: Heart Disease/Diabetes
Valve obstruction, inflammation of the heart tissue, and blocked arteries all result in insufficient heart function. more...
Category: Heart Disease/Diabetes
The renin-angiotensin system's involvement in cardiovascular regulation makes it a key target for drugs fighting heart disease. more...
Treating Disease with Mistletoe: A Christmas Tradition May Be Toxic One Way or Another
Category: Herbal Properties/Benefits
Traditionally hung above a doorway to encourage affection, mistletoe is indexed as a poisonous substance but is being used to treat cancer. more...
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms: Point Mutations Are Being Studied in Disease
Category: Genetic Theory
Single nucleotide polymorphisms are minor alterations in the genetic code, but they can result in very important downstream effects on protein function and expression. more...
The Rodent AT1R Gene: Animal Genetics Highlight Human Disease
Category: Scientific Research Methods
The regulation of human AGTR1 expression is complex and associated with cardiovascular disease. Animal genes are giving researchers new insight into how this occurs. more...
Human AGTR1 Expression: Genetics Influence Hypertension and Heart Disease
Category: Human Genetics
The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) increases blood pressure by activating AT1R, which occurs in numbers determined by its gene expression. more...
The Endpoint of Heart Disease: Congestive Heart Failure
Category: Heart Disease/Diabetes
Lung disease, hypertension, and heart disease often end the same way - a dilated heart that cannot pump and death. more...
Angiotensin II Signaling Pathways: G-protein Activation and Kinase Signaling Cascades
Category: Biochemistry
Tyrosine kinase signaling is but one path activated by angiotensin II to regulate fluid balance, cell growth, and more. more...
The RAS Exerts Control: Angiotensin II Receptors
Category: Anatomy & Physiology (general)
The renin-angiotensin system plays a role in the regulation of blood pressure and fluid balance, exerting control in all tissues via receptors. more...
The Future of AIDS: Trial and Error Plagues HIV Prevention and Treatment
Category: Aids/HIV Research
The lives of AIDS patients are hinging on new treatments, but preventing HIV infection is still a challenge. Here is a summary of recent developments. more...
Small Molecule Neurotransmitters: Serotonin, Dopamine, Norepinephrine, And Acetylcholine
Category: Nervous System
Neurotransmitters are chemicals released by neurons for communication within the nervous system. Small molecules are one of the many that participate as signals. more...
The Origins of Cocaine: A Stimulant from The South American Coca Plant
Category: War on Drugs
The last and fourth of a multi-part series on the origins and implications of recreational drugs. Purification of the coca plant led to debate and legislation. more...
The Origins of Heroin: Opiates Are Natural Substances with Addictive Pain Relief Qualities
Category: War on Drugs
Part two of a multipart series on the origins and implications of recreational drugs. From the poppy fields of Asia, pain relief and addiction were born. more...
Drugs in the Drinking Water: Pharmaceuticals Reported in Water Supply of Major U.S. Cities
Category: Pollution Control
A five month investigation by the Associated Press has reported medication byproducts in the drinking water of 41 million Americans, but they aren't alone. more...
The Lybrel Birth Control Pill: The No Period Contraceptive Actually Causes Bleeding
Category: Birth Control
Approved last year, Wyeth's Lybrel is touted as the no period contraceptive. The FDA and manufacturer warns though that inconvenient bleeding is common. more...
Pfizer Questioned by Congress: Lipitor Commercials with Spokesman Jarvik Are Cancelled
Category: Heart Disease Treatment
After a quarter billion dollars, the drug company is pulling advertisements featuring the inventor of the artificial heart amid an investigation of misleading claims. more...
Drug Resistant Influenza: Medicine And Vaccines Are Becoming Ineffective Against The Flu Virus
Category: Common Patient Ailments
The H1N1 strain has shown increased resistance to Tamiflu in Europe and North America. This year's vaccine also does not protect against the emerging type A strain. more...
Cold Medicine Is Not for Infants: FDA Advises Caution for Over-the-Counter Medications in Children
Category: Common Patient Ailments
An FDA Public Health Advisory was released Jan. 17 warning against using over-the-counter cold medications in children under 2 and to exhibit caution under the age of 11. more...
HPV's Role in Cervical Cancer: Persistant Human Papillomavirus Infection Occurs in Some Women
Category: Gynecological Health
The risk factors for cervical cancer includes persistent infection with HPV as well as environmental factors. The cancer is detectable at early stages with regular exams. more...
Treating Depression Safely: Issues Surrounding Prescription Antidepressants
Category: Depression
Depression is often misdiagnosed. Some medications may actually make depression worse in children and benefit fewer patients than previously believed. more...
Drug Information Websites: Anakena Internet Services Is Paid to Market Pharmaceuticals
Category: Patient Health Education
Some websites that patients look to for information on medications are actually advertisements. Pharmaceutical companies pay a Spanish company to distribute information. more...
Patient Prescription Awareness: How The Pharmaceutical Industry Influences Treatment
Category: Patient Health Education
As a patient it is important to be aware of treatment options. Despite doctors' best efforts the pharmaceutical industry markets directly to them affecting prescriptions. more...
Controversial Cholesterol Drugs: Preventing Heart Disease With A Pill
Category: Heart Disease Treatment
Current cholesterol guidelines are being questioned by doctors and researchers amidst drug recalls and severe side effects of pharmaceutical treatments. more...
Nephron Structure and Function: The Basic Unit of the Kidney
Category: Cells/Tissues/Membranes
Nephrons are the basic structural and functional units of the kidney. They consist of a network of tubules and canals specialized in filtration. more...
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome: What Role Does HIV Play in AIDS?
Category: Aids/HIV Education
For almost 30 years, health officials have struggled to contain AIDS, which is now known to be the end result of HIV infection. more...
Basic Cytoskeletal Proteins: Microfilaments, Intermediate Filaments, and Microtubules
Category: Microbiology (general)
The stability of cell shape and structure are maintained by cytoskeletal proteins that interact with and transport required functional molecules. more...
Repairing Chromosomal Breaks: DNA Repair Mechanisms for Double and Single Strand Breaks
Category: Human Genetics
A nick in the DNA strand is known as a chromosomal break. Cells have repair mechanisms for both single strand and double strand breaks. more...
Basic Heart Terminology: Understanding Cardiology Terms
Category: Cardiovascular System
The words used to describe the heart and disease can seem overwhelming. Here are some of the basic terms people should know about the heart. more...
Reasons for Vaccination: The Ever Present Need for Artificial Immunization
Category: Vaccinations
Only one disease has ever been eradicated from Earth and vaccines continue to be necessary to prevent deformity and death. more...
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome: Home Rodent Control Prevents a Fatal Disease
Category: Diseases/Viruses
Hantavirus is a rare and deadly disease carried by mice into your home. Controlling their presence and cleaning is the key to prevention. more...
How Influenza Is Named: Providing Information on Hemagglutinin, Neuraminidase, and Host
Category: Human Infections
Swine flu, H1N1, bird flu, H5N1, type A influenza - these are five terms used to describe the various strains of a single virus, but what is the difference? more...
Clostridium Difficile: Bacterial Side Effect of Antibiotic Use
Category: Intestinal Illness
C. diff is a hospital-acquired bacterial infection of the gastrointestinal tract that is becoming difficult to treat in some countries. more...
100 Years of Flu Pandemics: From Deadly Spanish Flu to Mexican Swine Flu
Category: Diseases/Viruses
In 1918, an influenza strain killed more than 20 million people. In 1968, the pandemic strain killed 1 million over 2 years. Today, swine flu will have an unknown toll. more...
Protecting against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella: The MMR Vaccine
Category: Vaccinations
Three dangerous viruses once required separate vaccinations but are now protected against by one. more...
Rubella and German Measles: A Preventable Cause of Birth Defects
Category: Prenatal Health
Though a mild illness in children, Rubella is dangerous to pregnant women and their babies but can be prevented by vaccination. more...
The Cranial Nerves: Anatomy and Physiology
Category: Nervous System
The face and senses are served by twelve nerve pairs that run directly into the sensory areas of the brain from the brainstem. more...
Category: Herbal Medicine
The extract of Hypericum plants has been used for centuries in alternative medicine, but how trustworthy are anecdotes for treating depression? more...
The Obesity Virus Scare: New Effects of Adenovirus Infection Have Been Linked to Weight Gain
Category: Diseases/Viruses
Obesity is a complex disease with genetic and environmental influences. Now a virus has been implicated in its pathology. more...
Can Stem Cells Cure Blindness?: Mice Studies Are Showing that Photoreceptors Can Be Replaced
Category: Blindness
Age-related macular degeneration may one day be treated by injecting stem cell-derived photoreceptors into the eye, which has been shown to work in mice. more...
Human Heart Valves: The Anatomy and Pathology
Category: Cardiovascular System
The human heart has valves that prevent the backflow of blood. They are so important that valvular disease can result in heart failure. more...
Primary Myocardial Disease: Anomalies and Deformities of the Heart
Category: Heart Disease/Diabetes
Primary myocardial diseases are due to problems with the heart muscle itself, due to deformity, injury, or malfunction. more...
Stevia Sweetened Foods: The Next Artificial Sugar Craze is Controversial
Category: Food Facts
The Wall Street Journal has been watching the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process of stevia because the outcome may affect two major beverage producers. more...
Turkey Is Nutritious: Thanksgiving Won’t Necessarily Ruin Your Diet
Category: Food Facts
The holidays are often a time when diets are forsaken. Eating the traditional turkey, however, isn't necessarily a bad thing. more...
Fall 2008 Cold Medicine Update: Children Should Not Be Given OTC Medications
Category: Common Patient Ailments
Over the course of a year, industry guidelines for children's over-the-counter cold medication have completely reversed. more...
Angiotensin Research: References Discerning RAS Function
Category: Interdisciplinary Science
Advancements in medical research build upon previous findings. The link between a physiological system and disease begins with understanding the system. more...
Heart Disease in Infants: Congenital Heart Defects
Category: Heart Disease/Diabetes
Congenital heart disease is the most common type of major birth defect. There are a number of structural cardiac abnormalities with which a baby can be born. more...
Angiotensin Receptor Blockers: Treating Hypertension May Be Dependent on Genetics
Category: Heart Disease Treatment
The sartans are used to treat high blood pressure and are useful because of the genetic causes of hypertension, but this is only true in some people. more...
Angiotensin II In The Vasculature: The RAS Is More Than Fluid Balance
Category: Cardiovascular System
Angiotensin II (Ang II) is the main active peptide in the renin-angiotensin system, but it may play a role in cardiovascular disease. more...
The Polymerase Chain Reaction: PCR Allows Researchers to Measure Gene Activity
Category: Scientific Research Methods
Biologists rely on the relatively recent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to study DNA - its sequence, mutations, and structure. more...
The Fifth Tastebud: A New Flavor Has Been Added to The Sense of Taste
Category: Anatomy & Physiology (general)
Most people remember learning about the basic tastes - sweet, salty, bitter, and sour. Savory was recently added to the list though it is perceived the same way. more...
Not All Bacteria Are Bad: Digestion And Immunity Are Aided By Microbes
Category: Bacteriology
Several bacterial species inhabit the human body to assist its functions and keep more virulent agents at bay. more...
The Origins of Psychedelics: Synthetic Compounds Mimic Plants To Alter Consciousness
Category: War on Drugs
Part three of a multipart series on the origins and implications of recreational drugs. The hallucinogenic exploration of the Sixties began in both nature and a lab. more...
The Origins of Marijuana: Cannabis Has A Long History of Use And May Cure Disease
Category: War on Drugs
Part one of a multi-part series on the origins and implications of recreational drugs. An illegal plant was not always inaccessible to patients. more...
Vancomycin Resistant MRSA: Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Are Getting Difficult To Treat
Category: Diseases/Viruses
Since the discovery of penicillin, bacteria have shown increasing resistance to treatment. Now, the future of the few options remaining are in question. more...
Genetics And Hypertension: Mutations in The Renin-Angiotensin System Affect Blood Pressure
Category: Human Genetics
Genetics and environmental factors contribute equally to the development of high blood pressure. Genes in the RAS are particularly important. more...
Category: Men's Sexual Health
The makers of the herbal supplement have been involved in legal struggles for 4 years. Now a federal court has found that owner Warshak lied to customers. more...
Making The Female Cycle a Disease: The Pharmaceutical Industry Markets More Than Comfort
Category: Women’s Health (general)
PMS is a common occurrence for women, but a new disease definition has given drug companies the chance to market antidepressants to healthy people. more...
Cervical Cancer And Gardasil: The Implications of Vaccinating for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
Category: Vaccinations
Gardasil was approved in 2006, but the hyped vaccine does not benefit the appropriate population and has not been tested for long-term safety. more...
Category: AIDS/HIV (general)
The past year has seen new methods in determining HIV infection rates and a new study that determines the origin of AIDS in the United States. more...
Merck Meningitis Vaccine Recalled: Infant Hib Vaccine Is Pulled While New Jersey Votes It Mandatory
Category: Vaccinations
As New Jersey awaits their health commissioner to sign off on mandatory vaccination of school children for meningitis, 1 million doses of the vaccine are being recalled. more...
Does Turkey Make People Drowsy?: Tryptophan Is Not The Cause of The Post-Meal Nap
Category: Seasonal Cooking (general)
Tryptophan in turkey is often thought to cause post holiday drowsiness. This is not true though the meal does have something to do with it. more...
Cholesterol And Heart Disease: Atherosclerosis Is A Risk Factor for Heart Attacks
Category: Heart Disease/Diabetes
The most common heart disease is often caused by cholesterol buildup in the arteries, but there are several other factors involved. more...
Infant Cold Medicine Recall: Ineffective Medications And How To Treat A Child Without Them
Category: Common Patient Ailments
An FDA panel has found cold and cough medications to be ineffective in children. For kids, treating colds the old-fashioned way is best. more...
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