High-tech imaging reveals details about rare eye disorder
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High-tech imaging reveals details about rare eye disorder

Odyssey News

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10 months ago

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High tech imaging reveals details about rare eye disorder
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Discovery sets the stage for development of new therapies to treat vitelliform macular dystrophy.

Using a new imaging technique, researchers from the National Eye Institute have determined that retinal lesions from vitelliform macular dystrophy (VMD) vary by gene mutation. Addressing these differences may be key in designing effective treatments for this and other rare diseases. NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health.

“The NEI’s long-term investment in imaging technology is changing our understanding of eye diseases,” said NEI Director Michael F. Chiang, M.D. “This study is just one example of how improved imaging can reveal subtle details about pathology in a rare eye disease that can inform the development of therapeutics.”

VMD is an inherited genetic disease that causes progressive vision loss through degeneration of the light-sensing retina. Genes implicated in VMD include BEST1, PRPH2, IMPG1, and IMPG2. Depending on the gene and mutation, age of onset and severity vary widely. All forms of the disease have in common a lesion in the central retina (macula) that looks like an egg yolk and is a build-up of toxic fatty material called lipofuscin. VMD affects about 1 in 5,500 Americans and there is currently no treatment for this condition.

Johnny Tam, Ph.D., head of the NEI Clinical and Translational Imaging Unit, used multimodal imaging to evaluate the retinas of patients with VMD at the NIH Clinical Center. Tam’s multimodal imaging uses adaptive optics—a technique that employs deformable mirrors to improve resolution—to view live cells in the retina, including the light-sensing photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, and blood vessels in unprecedented detail.

Tam and his team collaborated with clinicians at the NEI Eye Clinic to characterize 11 participants using genetic testing and other clinical assessments, and then evaluated their retinas using multimodal imaging. Assessment of cell densities (photoreceptors and RPE cells) near VMD lesions revealed differences in cell density according to the various mutations. IMPG1 and IMPG2 mutations had a greater effect on photoreceptor cell density than RPE cell density. The opposite was true with PRPH2 and BEST1 mutations. In participants with only one affected eye, the researchers noted similar effects on cell density in the unaffected eye, despite lacking lesions.

Tam is using multimodal imaging on a variety of other rare retinal diseases and more common ones including age-related macular degeneration.

This press release describes a basic research finding. Basic research increases our understanding of human behavior and biology, which is foundational to advancing new and better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. Science is an unpredictable and incremental process— each research advance builds on past discoveries, often in unexpected ways. Most clinical advances would not be possible without the knowledge of fundamental basic research.

NEI leads the federal government’s research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs to develop sight-saving treatments and address special needs of people with vision loss.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases.

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A Day Without Screens: Uncovering Me, Myself, & iPhone

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1 month ago

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May 2, 2023

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A vital journey for our generation.

It was a dark and stormy night, and I glanced at the time on my phone once more before laying it face down on the nightstand, never to be looked at again—well, for the next twenty-four hours at least.

A few weeks ago, I set off on a mission to see what life was like outside the confines of my tiny little screen. Although I’d like to say that this mission was born of my own conviction, I can’t claim that kind of self-driven will power. A day without screens was an assignment for my Media Studies course, and one that I was anxious to see unfold; I know my relationship with my phone is unhealthy, but I was eager to learn the extent of my reliance.

 

When the sacred day came, I expected mild boredom or withdrawal…

…what I got instead were intense feelings of detachment from the world around me (quite delectably coupled with the boredom and withdrawal of course).

I decided to let to morning wake me up naturally instead of going to buy some old fashioned alarm clock beforehand. When the sun peeked through my blinds, I immediately shrugged it off on account of it being a bit too early in my mind. This exchange between me and the sun happened two or three more times before I finally decided to crawl out of bed. With no concept of time and no idea what any of my friends were up to, I walked to the dining hall. The only things that greeted my arrival were my friends’ bewildered stares and the lone analog clock screaming two o’clock in the afternoon—they had just stopped serving lunch.

The rest of my day continued in a sluggish fashion. I avoided the screens of my friends as they crowded around them to laugh at some tweet or video. I crouched over my homework all day, not sure what else to do with my time. After my friends left, I sat in solitude just waiting for them to come back for me and tell me what the plan was for the night. My only companion was that taunting analog clock, the closest thing to modern technology I was going to get. Every tick of that clock was a lifetime as I itched for reunification with the other half of my heart.

And when that day was finally over, I jumped into bed like a kid on Christmas Eve. After I awoke the next morning to greet my phone in stark contrast to the way I had previously greeted the sun, that’s when my mind truly began to race. How did my reliance get so bad? Why did I feel like gravity had been ripped out from under me and I was floating through space and time? All the current events and tweets that I missed—do they really matter? Have I given inconsequential things meaning in my life that have no actual relevance to the actual wellbeing of my person?

 

All those thoughts and more tossed and turned in my head like a tumultuous storm at sea. But as the next days unraveled and I fell back into my usual routine, they passed as storms always do. I’m on my phone just as much as I always have been. I only think about that day every once in a while…but I think every once in a while might be a good enough place to start.

 

Phones aren’t going anywhere, so there is no use in trying to expel them from my life. However, my generation has so much of their identity tied up in their social media presence and the relationships and abilities that are heightened by technology. Phones were designed to complement daily lives, not conquer them; while I still may attempting to calm that constant clash for control in my life, at least I’m doing something.

My day without screens didn’t give me the solutions to the problems, but it did open my eyes to what some of the problems actually are. I can’t fix culture, but I can fix myself, and if I want to have a healthy relationship with me, myself, and I, then I’m going to need to have a healthy relationship with my iPhone as well.

 

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Ramen, Japan

Madison Franz

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1 month ago

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April 30, 2023

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Ramen is a popular Japanese dish that consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a flavorful broth, typically topped with various ingredients such as sliced pork, green onions, seaweed, eggs, and bamboo shoots.  It has become a beloved and iconic part of Japanese cuisine.

Ramen originated in China and was introduced to Japan in the late 19th century. Over time, it underwent significant modifications and adaptations to suit Japanese tastes, leading to the development of various regional styles and flavors. Today, ramen is enjoyed throughout Japan and has gained international popularity as well.

Each region in Japan has its own distinct style of ramen, characterized by differences in the broth, noodles, and toppings. Some of the most well-known ramen styles include:

1. Tokyo Ramen (Shoyu Ramen): This style features a soy sauce-based broth that is typically clear and light. The noodles are thin and firm, and the toppings may include chashu (sliced pork), menma (fermented bamboo shoots), and nori (seaweed).

2. Sapporo Ramen (Miso Ramen): Originating from the northern city of Sapporo, this style features a rich and hearty miso-based broth. The noodles are usually thick and curly, and the toppings often include butter, corn, and bean sprouts.

3. Hakata Ramen (Tonkotsu Ramen): Hailing from the southern city of Fukuoka, Hakata Ramen is known for its creamy and milky tonkotsu (pork bone) broth. The noodles are thin and firm, and the toppings commonly include sliced pork belly, green onions, and pickled ginger.

4. Kitakata Ramen: This style comes from the city of Kitakata and is characterized by its soy sauce-based broth that has a slightly sweet and salty flavor. The noodles are thick, flat, and curly, and the toppings often include chashu, menma, and green onions.

These are just a few examples, and there are many more regional variations of ramen across Japan. Ramen shops, known as ramen-ya, can be found throughout the country, ranging from small local establishments to large chains. People often line up to enjoy a steaming bowl of ramen, especially during colder months.

Ramen has also gained global popularity, and you can find ramen restaurants in many major cities around the world. It has become a culinary symbol of Japanese cuisine, loved for its comforting and delicious flavors.

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5 Things I Need You To Know About My ADHD

Odyssey News

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2 months ago

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April 17, 2023

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There’s a lot of stigma around ADHD and it needs to go.

I must say, from an outsider’s perspective, I can see how some people may not believe that I have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). I am the last person to fit the stereotype of the little impulsive five-year-old boy that many people associate with ADHD. Nevertheless, I am affected by the same condition and would like to clarify how it affects me so that others may understand me better.

1. My ADHD doesn’t mean I don’t have a competent attention span

In fact, it isn’t a deficit of attention as much as I would describe it as a malfunction of attention. Attention can be defined as the brain’s ability to concentrate on a particular phenomenon and exclude all others. To say that I can’t keep attention, would be misleading, as many people who have ADHD also experience “hyperfocus” on certain topics. Typically, these topics are ones in which I am more engaged and interested in. With that being said, please understand I also did not choose to engage in these subjects much like how I did not choose to not engage in the others. The problem isn’t that I don’t have attention, but rather, I don’t get to regulate when I apply my attention and what I apply it on.

2. My ADHD is a ubiquitous part of my life

A commonly held notion is that ADHD only affects the ability to concentrate in a school setting. For me, however, it affects much more. It affects how I think, how I act, my daily conversations, what I worry about, how much I worry, the intensity of my emotions, my ability to plan, my awareness of how others perceive me, and it contributes to my feelings of exclusion. My ADHD is ultimately a part of me and plays a role in all that I do. With that being said, my ADHD comes with more positive traits as well: creativity, innovative thinking, empathy, sensitivity, compassion, and passion. Each of these play a role in how I interact and respond in various situations with all types of people on my daily life.

3. My ADHD is not a result of a lack of discipline

My ADHD is not a result of my not trying hard enough. It is not a result of my parents’ neglect to discipline me. In fact, I feel it makes me and many others with ADHD quite the opposite. Me personally, I find that I have to work three times as hard as the majority of my peers to get simple tasks done. One of the most frustrating assumptions is that the accommodations I get on tests gives me an unfair advantage. I think this is partly fueled by a misunderstanding of the seriousness of the condition and the abuse some people have taken of the accommodation system. It bothers me, as a person who genuinely struggles with the implications of ADHD, that there have been many people to fake the condition in order to illegally take and sell drugs or to take advantage of the accommodation system in order to perform better on tests.

Even with the extra time I have, I still have to work incredibly hard. Just because I have extra time, does not mean that suddenly all my problems go away. I spend time and a half longer than everyone else combatting my busy mind and rereading the questions several times until I can direct my attention to what they mean, to answer a multiple-choice exam. ADHD makes reading a lot more difficult for me. My difficulty being able to concentrate on the words I am reading contributes to anxiety and the feeling of being overwhelmed by large amounts of words on a page. As a result, it is very difficult, even with extra time, to perform to what I feel my potential should be on tests.

4. My ADHD does not define my success nor my intelligence

When I am having a conversation with someone, it may appear that I forget what I am talking about because I am mindless and get distracted by something completely unrelated. This is not true, however, as I frequently am distracted because I am reminded of a topic that is related in some way. The connection is typically small and the whole process happens so quickly in my mind. For this reason, I am quite creative and typically excel in tasks that require imaginative thinking. While ADHD affects my mind in some ways that make things a little more difficult, it does not affect my intelligence as a whole. Better put, it affects the means in which I learn. I have been able to succeed in magnet programs throughout my life, the International Baccalaureate program in high school, and balance various activities and clubs, some of which I took leadership roles in.

5. Judging my condition does NOT help anything

I feel like I can not talk about my ADHD without being heavily judged or misunderstood. This stereotype threat in itself has been shown, in many studies to impact performance, allowing the stereotype to live. In my personal experience, my own stress due to the feeling I can not communicate my ADHD comfortably heightens my social anxiety when talking to others, contributes to low self-esteem, and contributes to bouts of depression.

In short, we can do a lot better than this. We need to fight the stereotype and have empathy for individuals who have unique experiences, even if we do not share the same ones. Stop assuming everyone fits the statistic or is exactly like you. Celebrate diversity and make the effort to ask and listen to what individuals are feeling and experiencing.

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