#danielagauna

[medicalmarvelsnow]

Outer Space Medicine

Outer-space movies showcase a fantasy of adventure and marvel, but rarely do they focus on what happens to the body when out there. Real life astronauts have serious health hazards while in outer space. 

Most of the cases are due to the weightlessness of zero gravity. This causes muscle atrophy, bone-loss, and radiation exposure. Also slower wound healing and immune system weakness.

N.A.S.A researchers have began to create microscopic vessels that venture into the human body and repair cells one at a time. Space doctors will need advanced medical technology: miniaturized devices to perform minimally invasive surgeries; robot helpers with super-steady hands; smart medical systems that can diagnose, and perhaps even treat illnesses.

In fact, many of these devices are already being developed on Earth. It is no longer a matter of science fiction, nor 'if' we can jump the gap to living in outer space, but just 'when' it will happen.  

-Daniela Gauna

[medicalmarvelsnow]

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate, that is the Question...these days

Recently some very old world diseases, such as measles, whooping cough, and mumps have been breaking-outs in various areas around our country, mainly in our children’s school systems. Ever been affected by any of these? Well, unless you were born in a different country, you wouldn’t have. That is because your mother vaccinated you as a baby, just like all the other moms in our country. So why now have these diseases been popping up? What’s going on?

Some say that it is a mass scare that is taking place on our internet. Mother’s all over are being swayed by internet boggers to not vaccine their children due to such claims that vaccinations cause Austism, ADD, ADHD, and MS. This is because many of these diseaes must have a trigger to occur, and many think that vaccinations are just that.

Many of the reasons are not claimed by any medical research fact and are simply specific examples of some people making assumptions. Others do have some medical studies, but nothing that has made an impact to pull all vaccinations out of the system. See some of the studies here. http://www.activistpost.com/2013/09/22-medical-studies-that-show-vaccines.html

Our country needs to begin making decisions on how to handle this situation, and fast. The more children that do not become vaccinated will thin the herd of those who are. The ‘herd mentality’ means that if one is not vaccinated, he is protected from sickness from those who are vaccinated. However, when that herd thins, then the safety net is broken and the disease breaks-out, and similar to the flu, it can change, and grow and begin infected those who are vaccinated.

Which side do you believe? Should you not vaccinate your child, be susceptable to disease and hope for the best? Or vaccinate, prevent many diseaeses but possibly trigger other dieseaes. Personally, I’m for vaccination. If we look to the other parts of the world, who are still suffering from diseaes that we deemed dead, then I believe we are still ahead of the game.

-Daniela Gauna

[medicalmarvelsnow]

A New San Antonio

Here's an idea; how about we tear down the highways surrounding our downtown area? Sound Crazy? Well tell that to Vancouver, Canada, who never allowed highways into their city, and is now considered the #4 most livable city in the world.  Why is that?

Vancouver, Canada.

Highways were originally meant to easily transport people and  goods from one place to another, however in many cities, even my own San Antonio, Texas, highways actually cause more problems.  High air concentration of air-pollution, unnatural boundary of city, underdeveloped area surrounding highways, immense congestion of traffic, with many of which are just passing through and not even going downtown!

Here are some examples of major cities around the world who took the initiative and removed the highway in inner downtown cities and how it helped with the overall common good. More at http://www.anewdallas.com/

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA(Cheonggyecheon)

Removed 8.5 miles of elevated freeway and resurfaced buried stream

Cost $281 million or $33 million/mile

Number of vehicles in area dropped 43% afterwards

50,000 pedestrians visit park each day and 250,000 on weekends

Reduced carcinogenic airborne particulate matter 21%

Reduced summer temperatures 8 degrees Fahrenheit

Added 113,000 jobs along corridor

Long-term benefits expected to exceed $25 billion

PORTLAND, Harbor West 

Replaced 3-mile long riverfront highway with park and trail in 1978

By 2002, property values tripled, more than anywhere else in the city

Crime dropped 65% since 1990 vs 16% drop citywide

Total vehicular demand in area dropped 9.6%

Imagine what kind of improvements can happen to San Antonio, Texas if we took the same initiative as these cities. 

-Daniela Gauna