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For the day Пятница, Май 8th, 2009.

WHAT IS THE SKIN? (PART 2)

The dermis in turn is supported by the subcutaneous tissue, which in reality is a specialized layer of the dermis. It is more loosely arranged and has specialized in the formation of fat. The thickness of the subcutaneous tissue varies greatly in different parts of the body and even between the sexes. Its main function is heat insulation and being a support for the various blood vessels and lymphatic vessels which supply the skin with nourishment and drain away the waste products. Through it also run the bundles of nerve fibres which form a complex interlacing network throughout the dermis.

There are a number of both essential and non-essential skin appendages. The essential ones include the various glands, and the non-essential ones, the hair and nails. The sebaceous glands are a group of specialized cells in the basal layer of the epidermis which produces sebum. This is an important fatty secretion which is discharged onto the skin surface through a small duct leading into the hair follicle opening. Sebum has a number of functions, one of which is to lightly coat the epidermis with oil and so help retain moisture in the skin. Another is to improve the pliability of the skin. It also has a mild anti-bacterial and antifungal action. Sebaceous glands occur over the whole skin surface, except on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. They are most numerous on the face and scalp. The activity of these glands varies greatly between individuals and at various ages. During adolescence there is usually an over-production of sebum, resulting in acne, whereas in the elderly there is an under-production, resulting in dry. non-pliable skin.

Apocrine glands are modified sebaceous glands, found mainly in the armpits, genital area, and around the nipples. They are specialized glands which do not function until after puberty. They are stimulated by certain hormonal factors (such as the hormonal changes which occur during menstruation and pregnancy) and emotional factors (such as stress and sexual arousal). Their secretions are responsible for an individual’s characteristic odour and may also have some minor lubricating function.

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LOW-FAT AND LOW G.I. SNACK FOODS

Raisin toast (Burgen™ bread);

Low-fat milkshake or smoothie;

An apple;

Low-fat fruit yoghurt;

Dried apricots;

Peaches and plums;

Baked beans;

An orange;

Popcorn;

A glass of low-fat milk;

Leanne was seven and a half months pregnant when she developed gestational diabetes. Her doctor advised her to keep her blood sugar level after meals less than 7 millimoles/litre. To check this, Leanne performed finger-prick blood tests on herself every day. The only time she found her blood sugar tended to be higher than 7 was after her main meal in the evening. By looking back over the results of her home blood sugar monitoring, she found that her blood sugar was high if she ate potato but fine when she had pasta. The secret to good blood sugars for Leanne? Pasta more often, and inclusion of low G.I. carbohydrate whenever she had potato.

Many people with diabetes have to resort to tablets to control blood sugar levels. The following story shows you how an increased intake of low G.I. carbohydrate foods can sometimes make tablets unnecessary.

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ACCURACY OF MEASURES OF FATNESS

The advantage of weight is that it is a simple, accurate and reliable measurement. The accuracy of any measure of body fatness, as with other physical and psychological tests, can be gauged in at least three ways; by its validity, reliability and sensitivity. Each of these are scored on a scale from 0 to 1.0, where 0 implies a low degree of accuracy and 1.0 a perfect measure.

Validity refers to the degree to which a measurement actually measures what it purports to. Without validity, any technique is useless.

Reliability refers to the degree to which the measurement used measures the same on different occasions.

Sensitivity refers to the degree to which the measurement instrument can detect subtle changes, and derive different scores as small changes occur.

Given these three factors, measures of fatness can then be rated for their usefulness in the practical situation. We have divided these into (a) manual measures, (b) machine measures of fatness, and 1 measures of body fat distribution.

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BABY AND CHILDHOOD URINARY TRACT DISORDERS: HOW THE URINARY SYSTEM WORKS

The kidneys and bladder and its intricate system of tubes (many of them microscopic) form a very valuable filtering system for the body.

During its journey around the body, all blood regularly pays a visit to the kidneys. There it is filtered in a rapid and wondrous manner through the renal network. Impurities the body wishes to eliminate are rapidly shed. If the blood is overloaded with certain products it has no use for, these are also tossed out by the kidneys. The balance of chemicals, hormones and minerals needed by the body is kept normal by the balancing-out capacity of the kidneys.

Chemicals are filtered out in a fluid form, and collected in the central part of the kidneys. From there they are channelled by tubes, called ureters, which lead to the bladder. There the fluid is stored until a convenient time, when it is voided by another single tube called the urethra.

There is an important outlet valve at the lower end of the bladder. It takes babies many months before they have complete control over this valve. But eventually each one succeeds and is then capable of passing urine at a suitable time and place.

Some children do not gain this control for some years, and continue to pass their urine at night. Bed-wetting is an embarrassing problem, but in most cases it overcomes itself and it is uncommon after the age of 12 years. But it sometimes persists into the late teens or twenties, when it may become a social embarrassment. Treatment today is usually successful.

The kidney is probably the most common organ of the body to suffer from congenital malformations, though these are fortunately not frequent. Sometimes cysts, occasionally many in number, may damage the kidney structure. In other cases structural abnormalities may occur. Some of these are apparent from an early age and will be automatically cared for by doctors soon after birth.

Infections of the bladder and lower tracts of the urinary system are common. These usually respond well to prompt treatment.

More seriously, the kidneys may be affected by an infection that takes place in some other part of the body. This is believed to be an allergic type of reaction and it may produce serious symptoms.

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BABY AND CHILDHOOD ILLNESSES: TEMPER TANTRUMS

Considering the complexities of the life of a child, it is often amazing they do not lose their tempers more often! They are not born with self-control. They have to learn it. Temper is due to anger, plus a sense of insecurity, plus helplessness. Many children can cope extremely well, but others seem involved in ongoing outbursts most of their lives.

Often the child’s tantrums are a direct reflection of upbringing. In families with a high level of emotional disturbance, where fighting and personality clashes are the rule, the child is more likely to reflect this by being involved in rages far more often. A child who normally lives in a calm, relatively serene atmosphere will lend to reflect this and be much less likely to be involved in temper tantrums, breath-holding bouts, sulky periods and similar emotional states.

Treatment

Children are usually the product of their environment and upbringing. A serene home life will invariably produce a child with a calm mental outlook and a tendency to fly into rages far less often than one who lives in a family ridden with mental stress and turmoil.

Children live by example. If parents only realized this, it would greatly ease the burden of treatment. Yelling, screaming and shouting, hurling abuse and chastizing verbally or physically will seldom do much good for frayed tempers. Indeed, it will tend to worsen the situation. Bribery will be equally disastrous, for the child may soon learn the pecuniary value of temper tantrums, and lack of self-control will be inevitable.

Self-control by parents is the best example. Adults are able to do this, and in so doing they will inevitably benefit their children and their children’s attitudes. Being neither overindulgent nor over-strict is also good admonition.

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