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| Home | Academic subjects | Life sciences | Medicine |
| Cross-species transplants
Can the baboon's immune system cure AIDS? Can We Transplant Organs From Animals? Should Pigs and Primates Give Us Their Livers, Hearts, and Kidneys? From An Answer to the Transplant-Organ Shortage? http://whyfiles.org/007transplant/ |
| Mosquito bytes
Can science help win the war on whiners? Menacing mosquitoes! Summer means mosquitoes, and mosquitoes mean busted barbecues and sweat-soaked nightmares. But to a man who went camping in southeast Michigan last summer, it also meant a case of malaria. From Mosquito alert http://whyfiles.org/016skeeter/ |
| Chemical reaction
A chemical catastrophe. Thousands of U.S. gulf-war veterans complain about fatigue, memory loss and aching joints. They call it gulf war syndrome. Meanwhile, the use of agent orange in Vietnam continues to afflict Americans and Vietnamese alike. From Chemical weapons http://whyfiles.org/025chem_weap/ |
| Sunny delight
Sun-Worshipers Rejoice! DNA repair allows life in the sun. Researchers have identified a mechanism that allows most people to bask - at least occasionally - in the sun. From DNA Repair: Something New Under the Sun http://whyfiles.org/shorties/dna_repair.html |
| Radiation reassessed
New findings from Hiroshima and Chernobyl. The end of the Cold War may have eased the threat of atomic holocaust, but it didn't squelch the controversy about the health effects of ionizing radiation. From Radiation: how harmful? http://whyfiles.org/020radiation/ |
| Superman
Spinal Cord Repair. Hopeful news about nerve regeneration. When Christopher Reeve promises he'll walk away from his wheelchair one day, you might think he's talking comic-book reality. From Superman? http://whyfiles.org/023spinal_cord/ |
| Nicotine junkies
Addiction. Still smoking that tobacco? In the midst of a battle royale over tobacco, nicotine and smoking, scientists have found striking evidence that heroin, cocaine and nicotine affect the same part of the brain. Statistics and information. From Smoke gets in your eyes http://whyfiles.org/024nicotine/ |
| Things That Go Bump in the Night
Fear. What frightens you? That queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach is not an accident. It stems from a whole 'nother brain that's newly discovered, but with ancient roots. This brain helps you digest food - and feel fear. From The skull speaks http://whyfiles.org/026fear/ |
| Treating HIV
AIDS Treatment - new drugs, new "cures." Article from 1997 about how medicine can - or could - attack each step in the viral life cycle. From Good news about AIDS http://whyfiles.org/035aids/ |
| Microbes: What Doesn't Kill them Makes them Stronger
Overuse antibiotics and bacteria can become resistant to them. But could use of household disinfectants cause the same problem? That's what a New Jersey high school student suspects. From Antibiotic resistance http://whyfiles.org/038badbugs/ |
| Wheeze
What is asthma? Triggers and treatments. Some statistics and diagram explanations. Asthma causes more deaths than ever. Scientists have blamed lots of disgusting stuff, like roach parts and mite scats. From Breathing Trouble http://whyfiles.org/042asthma/ |
| Culture of Grief
Diana died. Millions wept. Behind the grief reaction. Grief is a process that changes our relation from "presence" to "memory." The grief of bereavement is indescribably painful. From Good grief http://whyfiles.org/048grief/ |
| Flu season
Dealing with one tricky and deadly virus. When a three-year-old boy died of influenza in Hong Kong last May, scientists tracking the shifty flu virus took notice. Had an old killer returned to the march? From Got the flu? http://whyfiles.org/049flu/ |
| One pill makes you smaller
Fast Fat Fixes. Will these pills make you smaller - or sicker? Could fat help? CLA. fen-phen. Leptin. DHEA. From Quick fixes for obesity http://whyfiles.org/051fat_fixes/ |
| From Reactor to Refrigerator
Irradiation - blasting food with gamma rays - may sound unpalatable, but it's considered safe by about 40 nations and a long list of professional associations. It's safe, but is it desirable? From Fresh from the reactor http://whyfiles.org/054irradfood/ |
| Defying death
Caloric restriction and antioxidants may help you live longer. The only reliable way to extend the lifespan of rodents, spiders, guppies and water fleas is to drastically cut calories without skimping on essential nutrients. It's a technique scientists call undernutrition without malnutrition. From Live longer and prosper http://whyfiles.org/057aging/ |
| Real live killers: biological weapons
Meet the microscopic killers. Biological weapons use pathogens - viruses, fungi or bacteria - or toxins made by these organisms. Theoretically, bio-weapons could kill thousands of soldiers and civilians alike. From Sickening tactics http://whyfiles.org/059bio_war/ |
| On Mice and Men
Cancer Cure? Attacking cancer's blood supply. Great results from natural blood vessel inhibitor Endostatin, the naturally occurring chemical that inhibits the growth of blood vessels, not only shrank the mouse tumors. From A new attack on cancer http://whyfiles.org/064angio_cancer/ |
| Obesity: it could break your heart
New causes for health concern; new guidelines for treatment. Being obese raises your chances of having a coronary heart disease - even if your blood cholesterol is normal and you run a marathon every week. From Heartache http://whyfiles.org/067fat/ |
| Alternative medicine
The uneasy relationship between conventional and alternative medicine. Some charts and data on types of medical treatments. From Alternative medicine under the microscope http://whyfiles.org/076alt_med/ |
| What's your beef?
Europe bans American beef. How safe are hormone-treated beef and genetically engineered food? The Beef War Moanin' over hormones Hormonal politics Nutty, dangerous genes Guessing game? Udder woes. From The Beef War http://whyfiles.org/088beef/ |
| Immunology
Introduction to basic immunology, case studies, and activities design to achieve understanding of the Elisa assay and western blotting analysis. From The Biology Project: Microbiology & Immunology http://www.biology.arizona.edu/immunology/immunology.html |
| Senses and Sensitivity
Neuronal Alliances for Sight and Sound. Explore the elegantly simple sensory system of the leech for detecting mechanical sensation such as touching, pushing and pinching on its slimy body surface. The leech's nervous system is very simple and easily accessible. Principles discovered in simple systems may be relevant in trying to understand the human brain. From holidaylectures.org - Neurobiology http://www.hhmi.org/grants/lectures/97lect/ |
| Andes Expedition: Searching for Inca Secrets
Virtual autopsy of the ice maiden that was killed five hundred years ago as a sacrifice to the gods in the Inca empire. The maiden's body preserved remarkably well. There is also a description of the expedition to the Andes led by Johan Reinhard, aimed to discover more Inca religious sites. Attractive graphics, but limited content. From Andes @ nationalgeographic.com http://www.nationalgeographic.com/andes/index.html |
| A science odyssey
Compare the advances that science has made between 1900 and today. From A Science Odyssey: Then+Now Menu http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/thenandnow/ |
| Surviving AIDS
Cutting edge AIDS research, and what scientists are learning about preserving the immune system and marshalling the body's natural defenses against HIV to keep infected people from progressing to AIDS. Contains a description of the body's immune system both in text and Shockwave format, QT movies illustrating the HIV life cycle, information on a vaccine research. Also contains six world maps indicating the effect of HIV on different continents and populations. Companion site to television show. Somewhat difficult to use. From NOVA Online | Surviving AIDS http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/aids/ |
| Coma
Head injury can lead to coma, learn what options doctors have available to them in preventing and treating coma. Also, get a "translation" of a medical dialogue from a TV show "Chicago Hope." The web site is very much text based. From NOVA Online | Coma http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/coma/ |
| Everest the Search for Mallory and Irvine
Follow an actual expedition to Mt. Everest, and look for evidence that two British climbers could have reached the highest point thirty years prior to Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, who are known to hold the honor since 1953. Contains narration and interviews with experts. Poorly organized. From NOVA Online | Lost on Everest http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/everest/ |
| Truth About Impotence
Common causes of impotence, and views. Features an interview with Dr. I. Goldstein about possible cures. From NOVA Online | The Truth About Impotence http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/impotence/ |
| Warriors of the Amazon
Learn about shamans of the Amazon and how they use plants to make medicines. From NOVA Online/Warriors of the Amazon http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/shaman/ |
| Spice of Life
Spices work miracles - in the lab. spicy recipe for good health. A little onion to thin the blood? Garlic, a miracle drug. Brush on some marinade to prevent carcinogens. Extra spicy for natural anti-bacterials. From Spice World http://whyfiles.org/070spice/ |
| Biochemistry
Problem sets and tutorials in the areas of biochemistry including chemistry, large molecules, acids and bases, pH, energy, enzymes, metabolism, photosynthesis and more. The material is mostly presented in the form of quizzes that lead the user to a tutorial if a wrong answer is given. Material presented with text and still images. From The Biology Project: Biochemistry http://www.biology.arizona.edu/biochemistry/biochemistry.html |
| Cell biology
Introduce yourself to the cell as the fundamental unit of life and the scientific method. Review the cell cycle, learn about the cells that make up all living systems, their organelles, and the differences between living cells and viruses From The Biology Project: Cell Biology http://www.biology.arizona.edu/cell_bio/cell_bio.html |
| Mendelian genetics
Tutorials and quizzes to help you learn about the basic principles that govern Mendelian inheritance in plants and animals. From The Biology Project http://www.biology.arizona.edu/mendelian_genetics/mendelian_genetics.html |
| Molecular biology
Tutorials and problem sets designed to help users with molecular biology topics such as nucleic acid, operator-repressor regulation system, recombinant DNA and more From The Biology Project: Molecular Biology http://www.biology.arizona.edu/molecular_bio/molecular_bio.html |
| Blazing a Genetic Trail
Colorful web book describing the excitement in biomedical research as scientists discover the causes of baffling diseases: abnormal genes. Includes: family studies; the Human Genome Project; and how to conquer hereditary diseases like cystic fibrosis. From HHMI's Blazing a Genetic Trail: Research on Mutant Genes and Hereditary Diseases. http://www.hhmi.org/genetictrail/ |
| Odyssey of Life
Interview with photographer Lennart Nilsson, an essay by Joe Levine on embryonic development and evolution, an ongoing How Did We Get Here debate between Kenneth R. Miller and Phillip E. Johnson, video clips of morphing embryos, and Hot Science interactive activities. From NOVA Online/Odyssey of Life http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/odyssey/ |
| Visible Embryo
Illustrates the 23 stages occurring in the first trimester of pregnancy and every two weeks of the second and third trimesters. Use the spiral to navigate through the 40 weeks of pregnancy and preview the unique changes in each stage of human development. From Visembryo http://www.visembryo.com/baby/ |
| Cut to the Heart
Anatomy of the human heart, and the history of heart surgery. Look at pictures of hearts affected by an illness. From NOVA Online | Cut to the Heart http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/heart/ |