6 Surprising Ways Garlic Boosts Your Health

6 Surprising Ways Garlic Boosts Your Health :

6 Surprising Ways Garlic Boosts Your Health

Garlic. Roasted in olive oil, it can melt in your mouth like butter, while chopped and raw, it can taste pungent and sharp. Either way, this herb-like vegetable offers significant benefits — on the inside and out.

It’s the organic sulfur compound allicin in garlic that gives it its pungent smell and makes it a healthy addition to your diet.

What garlic can do for you :

1. Boost immunity:
In test tubes, garlic appears to kill cancer cells, and studies involving people show some of the same outcomes. According to the Iowa Women’s Health Study, involving 41,000 middle-aged women, those who routinely ate garlic, fruits and vegetables had a 35 percent lower colon cancer risk. Benefits came from raw and cooked garlic – not supplements.

2. Work as an anti-inflammatory:
 Research has shown that garlic oil works as an anti-inflammatory. So, if you have sore and inflamed joints or muscles, rub them with the oil.

3. Improve cardiovascular health:
The verdict is still out on whether garlic improves your cholesterol levels, but research does indicate it can have a positive impact on your arteries and blood pressure.

Investigators believe red blood cells turn the sulfur in garlic into hydrogen sulfide gas that expands our blood vessels, making it easier to regulate blood pressure.

The German Commission E, similar to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, recommends 4 grams of garlic daily – the size of one large clove – to reduce your risk of heart disease.

4. Give you better hair & skin: 
Garlic’s antioxidants and antibacterial properties can clear up your skin by killing acne-causing bacteria. Some data shows rubbing raw garlic over pimples can clear them away. Be aware, though, that it could cause a burning sensation on your skin.

5. Protect your food: 
Those same antibacterial properties in fresh garlic can kill the bacteria that lead to food poisoning, including salmonella and E.coli. Don’t use garlic as a substitute for proper food sanitation and food handling, though.

6. Treat athlete’s foot: 
Garlic also fights fungus. If you have athlete’s foot, soak your feet in garlic water or rub raw garlic on your feet to attack the itch-causing fungus.

6 Surprising Ways Garlic Boosts Your Health

Maximize the garlic :

While you can steep chopped garlic in hot water to make tea, covering the taste with honey, taking advantage of garlic’s benefits is a little complicated. Heating it or putting it in a recipe can change its pH balance. The enzymes from the allicin need a few minutes to start working, so let it sit after you mince, crush or chop it.

You’ll get the most benefit from raw garlic. But if you choose to cook it, don’t heat it above 140°F. Higher temperatures kill the allicin, so add garlic to your recipes when you’re almost done cooking.

A few words of caution :

Garlic’s health benefits are plenty, but don’t add too much to your diet too quickly. Overdoing it can cause discomfort, including upset stomach, bloating, diarrhea, bad breath and body odor.

You may also get a stinging feeling on the skin if you handle significant amounts of fresh and dried garlic. To avoid garlic-induced skin lesions, wear kitchen gloves.

On rare occasions, garlic supplements can cause headaches, fatigue, appetite loss, muscle aches, dizziness and allergic reactions such as asthma attacks or skin rashes.

If you take blood thinners, taking a garlic supplement can increase the medication’s effect, making it even harder for your blood to clot.

The role of mesenchymal stem cells in haemopoiesis

Haemopoiesis: How Blood is Created |Easyandcreativebiology.blogspot.com


Figure : Stages in the homing and

mobilization of stem cells.

It may seem obvious, but blood is made from many things. Blood plasma, for instance, is mostly made of water, carrying proteins and cells along with various chemicals diluted within the plasma or bound to proteins. For instance, sodium bicarbonate – baking soda – is, in fact, a vital chemical that our bodies use to maintain a healthy level of blood acidity.

Other than the plasma, there are the “formed elements” of the blood: the red and white blood cells along with the clot-causing platelets. These are created mostly in the bone marrow when we are adults, and they circulate for a while before being broken down and recycled in the spleen.

Where does blood come from?


Figure : Hierarchical organization of haemopoiesis.

Within the bone marrow, there are ‘haematopoietic’ (blood-making) stem cells. These are generally long-term hematopoietic stem cells, but each of them can leave the bone marrow and change its gene expression before dividing to form one short-term hematopoietic stem cell and one long-term one, which is returned to the bone marrow, keeping the number of long-term cells constant.

Various hormones in the blood can then interact with the short-term hematopoietic stem cells, causing it to form either a common myeloid progenitor cell, which makes most blood cells, or a common lymphoid progenitor cell, which makes most immune cells, depending on the hormones that the cell detects.

At this point, the two types of cells can change (differentiate) into all of the blood cells in the circulatory system, depending on what further hormonal ‘instructions’ they are given.

Stem cell loss :


Figure : Stages in haemopoietic cell development.

The loss of stem cells is a hallmark of aging. The number of hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow decreases with age, as does their activity. This makes the formation of new blood and immune cells more difficult, decreasing the body’s ability to fight disease or recover from blood loss.

The reduced amount of blood cells also reduces the amount of oxygen that the body can take in, causing shortness of breath and making exercise difficult. Perhaps to compensate for this, the percentage of haematopoietic stem cells which are focused on creating red blood cells increases in comparison to the amount of immune cell-making stem cells [1]. This reduces the number of hematopoietic stem cells focused on maintaining the immune system, leading to the immune system

weakening. This prevents the repair of other forms of damage and allows opportunistic infections to appear in the body, leading to illness, disease and discomfort. All of this contributes to the growing frailty and disability that is associated with old age.

A possible solution :


Figure : Transcription factors involved in lineage selection by haemopoietic stem and progenitor cells.

Recently, researchers have succeeded in producing new hematopoietic stem cells from a population of common myeloid and lymphoid progenitor cells through chemicals known as Yamanaka factors, which induce pluripotence [2]. This allows cells descended from hematopoietic stem cells to become hematopoietic stem cells again.

This makes it a plausible approach to take cells from a patient, turn them into hematopoietic stem cells, and then return them. This might be a possible solution to replenishing the dwindling pool of hematopoietic stem cells and avoiding the age-related diseases associated with stem cell depletion.

Transpiration - Definition, Process, Types, Structure of Stomata - Easy and Creative Biology

Transpiration - Definition, Process, Types, Structure of Stomata - Easy and Creative Biology

Transpiration and Structure of Stomata: 

Transpiration - Definition, Process, Types, Structure of Stomata - Easy and Creative Biology

Transpiration is the process in which plants release the water inside it in the form of moisture or water vapor. Roots consume some amount of water from the soil and the rest evaporates in the atmosphere. Parts of plants such as stems, small pores on leaves, and flowers evaporate the water to the atmosphere. In other words, it is the process in which water evaporates in the atmosphere from plant leaves and other parts.  Let us study more about it.

Transpiration - Definition, Process, Types, Structure of Stomata - Easy and Creative Biology

Types of Transpiration:

Depending on the organ that performs transpiration, the different types are:

Stomatal transpiration: It is the evaporation of water through stomata. Stomata are specialized pores in the leaves. They account for around 80 to 90% of the total water loss from the plants.

Cuticular transpiration: Cuticle is an impermeable covering present on the leaves and stem. It causes around 20% of transpiration in plants. Cuticular transpiration is lesser in xerophytes because they have thicker cuticles.

Lenticular Transpiration: It is the evaporation of water through lenticels. Lenticels are the tiny openings present on the woody bark.

Leaves absorb visible and invisible radiations of the sun. And so, get heated up. As a result, water vaporizes and is given out in the atmosphere. This, in turn, brings down the temperature of the leaves. The opening and closing of stomata regulate transpiration.

Transpiration - Definition, Process, Types, Structure of Stomata - Easy and Creative Biology

Structure of Stomata:

Stomata are the tiny pores present in the epidermal surface of leaves. Two kidney-shaped cells known as guard cells, guard the pores. The inner wall of the guard cell towards the stomata is thicker as compared to the outer walls. Also, the peculiar arrangement of the microfibrils of the guard cells aids in opening and closing of the stomatal aperture.

The orientation of microfibrils is radial rather than longitudinal. This helps stomata to open easily. In a dorsiventral dicotyledonous leaf, the number of stomata on the lower surface is higher when compared to the upper surface. This adaptation helps in reducing the evaporation of water. In isobilateral leaf in a monocotyledonous plant, the number of stomata is equal on both the surfaces.

Transpiration - Definition, Process, Types, Structure of Stomata - Easy and Creative Biology

Factors affecting Transpiration:

Transpiration rate depends on various factors such as:

1)Environmental factors like

2)temperature

3)relative humidity

4)wind speed etc.

5)Plant factors like

6)the number and distribution of stomata.

7)Percentage of open stomata.

8)Water status of the plant.

9)The structure of canopy of the tree.

Transpiration - Definition, Process, Types, Structure of Stomata - Easy and Creative Biology

Mechanism of Stomatal Movement:

The factors which affect stomatal movement are-

1)Amount of light

2)The concentration of carbon dioxide

3)Water supply

4)The opening and closing of stomata operate as a result of turgidity changes in the guard cells. During the daytime, the guard cells perform photosynthesis due to which osmotic pressure increases. Thus, the guard cells absorb water from the neighboring cells. As a result, the guard cells become turgid.  Furthermore, the outer thin walls of guard cells are pushed out and the inner thicker walls are pulled inwards resulting in stomata to open. During the night time or in a condition of water scarcity or dry areas, guard cells are in a flaccid state and remain closed.

Ascent of Sap :

Transpiration is the essential driving force for the ascent of sap (rising of water in the tall trees through xylem vessels). The ascent of sap depends upon the following 

physical properties of water:

Cohesion-It is the attraction between water molecules.

Adhesion– The water molecules get attached to the surface of the tracheary elements of xylem.

Surface tension– The ability of water surface to behave like a stretched membrane. 

These properties give water high tensile strength and high capillarity. Because of this, the water can rise in vessels and tracheids of the xylem of tall trees. As the water is lost from the leaves during transpiration, a pulling action is generated due to which the water rises high in the tall trees. The force generated by transpiration can create pressure sufficient to lift the water over 130 M high.

Transpiration and Photosynthesis – A Compromise

Transpiration is an important phenomenon because

It’s pulling action helps in the absorption and transportation of water in the plant.

It supplies water for photosynthesis.

Transpiration cools the leaf surface.

It maintains turgidity of the cells.

Water and carbon dioxide are important for photosynthesis. Stomata are kept open for exchange of gases during the day. But it leads to a lot of loss of water. So plants get depleted of water due to continuous transpiration. Besides, C4 plants might have evolved to reduce the evaporation of water due to transpiration. Because they can maintain a constant supply of CO2 even after the closing of stomata.
Solved Questions for You. 

Q1. Transpiration is a necessary evil in plants. Explain.

Ans: Transpiration causes huge loss of water. It reduces photosynthesis, lowers growth and may cause wilting of the plant. Despite all these disadvantages, it is necessary. Because it provides the pulling action for water to rise in the trees. It also maintains the temperature.

Q2.  The C4 plants are twice as efficient as C3 plants in terms of fixing CO2. But they lose only half as much water as C3 plants for the same amount of CO2 fixed. Explain.

Ans: This is because C4 plants regulate a constant supply of CO2 and keep their stomata closed for some time. As a result, reduces the loss of water.

G protein-coupled receptor

G protein-coupled receptor

G protein-coupled receptor

G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), also called seven-transmembrane receptor or heptahelical receptor, protein located in the cell membrane that binds extracellular substances and transmits signals from these substances to an intracellular molecule called a G protein (guanine nucleotide-binding protein). GPCRs are found in the cell membranes of a wide range of organisms, including mammals, plants, microorganisms, and invertebrates. There are numerous different types of GPCRs—some 1,000 types are encoded by the human genome alone—and as a group they respond to a diverse range of substances, including light, hormones, amines, neurotransmitters, and lipids. Some examples of GPCRs include beta-adrenergic receptors, which bind epinephrine; prostaglandin E₂ receptors, which bind inflammatory substances called prostaglandins; and rhodopsin, which contains a photoreactive chemical called retinal that responds to light signals received by rod cells in the eye. The existence of GPCRs was demonstrated in the 1970s by American physician and molecular biologist Robert J. Lefkowitz. Lefkowitz shared the 2012 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with his colleague Brian K. Kobilka, who helped to elucidate GPCR structure and function.

G protein-coupled receptor

A GPCR is made up of a long protein that has three basic regions: an extracellular portion (the N-terminus), an intracellular portion (the C-terminus), and a middle segment containing seven transmembrane domains. Beginning at the N-terminus, this long protein winds up and down through the cell membrane, with the long middle segment traversing the membrane seven times in a serpentine pattern. The last of the seven domains is connected to the C-terminus. When a GPCR binds a ligand (a molecule that possesses an affinity for the receptor), the ligand triggers a conformational change in the seven-transmembrane region of the receptor. This activates the C-terminus, which then recruits a substance that in turn activates the G protein associated with the GPCR. Activation of the G protein initiates a series of intracellular reactions that end ultimately in the generation of some effect, such as increased heart rate in response to epinephrine or changes in vision in response to dim light (see second messenger).

G protein-coupled receptor

Both inborn and acquired mutations in genes encoding GPCRs can give rise to disease in humans. For example, an inborn mutation of rhodopsin results in continuous activation of intracellular signaling molecules, which causes congenital night blindness. In addition, acquired mutations in certain GPCRs cause abnormal increases in receptor activity and expression in cell membranes, which can give rise to cancer. Because GPCRs play specific roles in human disease, they have provided useful targets for drug development. The antipsychotic agents clozapine and olanzapine block specific GPCRs that normally bind dopamine or serotonin. By blocking the receptors, these drugs disrupt the neural pathways that give rise to symptoms of schizophrenia. There also exist a variety of agents that stimulate GPCR activity. The drugs salmeterol and albuterol, which bind to and activate beta-adrenergic GPCRs, stimulate airway opening in the lungs and thus are used in the treatment of some respiratory conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.

Lymphocytes: Definition, Ranges,Count & Functions

 Lymphocytes: Definition, Ranges,Count & Functions 

 Lymphocytes: Definition, Ranges,Count & Functions 

Definition 

Lymphocytes are one of several different types of white blood cells. Each type of white blood cell has a specific function, and they all work together to fight illness and disease.

White blood cells are an important part of your immune system. They help your body fight antigens, which are bacteria, viruses, and other toxins that make you sick. If your doctor says you have a weakened immune system, that means there aren’t enough white blood cells in your bloodstream.

 Lymphocytes: Definition, Ranges,Count & Functions 

Normal ranges and levels

Lymphocyte levels can change according to a person’s race, gender, location, and lifestyle habits.

The normal lymphocyte range in adults is between 1,000 and 4,800 lymphocytes in 1 microliter (µL) of blood. In children, the normal range is between 3,000 and 9,500 lymphocytes in 1 µL of blood.

Unusually high or low lymphocyte counts can be a sign of disease.

 Lymphocytes: Definition, Ranges,Count & Functions 

Lymphocyte Counts

Lymphocytes are a component of complete blood count (CBC) tests that include a white blood cell differential, in which the levels of the major types of white blood cells are measured. Such tests are used to assist in the detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of various medical conditions. Lymphocyte counts that are below the reference range, which varies for adults and children, may be indicative of lymphocytopenia (lymphopenia), whereas those above it are a sign of lymphocytosis. Lymphocytopenia is associated with a variety of conditions, ranging from malnutrition to rare inherited disorders such as ataxia-telangiectasia or severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome. Lymphocytosis typically is associated with infections, such as mononucleosis or whooping cough, certain cancers of the blood or lymphatic system such as multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and autoimmune disorders that cause chronic inflammation, such as inflammatory bowel disease.

What causes a low lymphocyte count?

A low lymphocyte count, called lymphocytopenia, usually occurs because:

• your body isn’t producing enough lymphocytes
• lymphocytes are being destroyed
• lymphocytes are trapped in your spleen or lymph nodes

Lymphocytopenia can point to a number of conditions and diseases. Some, like the flu or mild infections, aren’t serious for most people. But a low lymphocyte count puts you at greater risk of infection.

Other conditions that can cause lymphocytopenia include:

• undernutrition
• HIV and AIDS
• influenza
• autoimmune conditions, such as lupus
• some cancers, including lymphocytic anemia, lymphoma, and Hodgkin disease
• steroid use
• radiation therapy
• certain drugs, including chemotherapy drugs
• some inherited disorders, such as Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome and DiGeorge syndrome

What causes a high lymphocyte count

Lymphocytosis, or a high lymphocyte count, is common if you’ve had an infection. High lymphocyte levels that persist may point to a more serious illness or disease, such as:

• viral infections, including measles, mumps, and mononucleosis
• adenovirus
• hepatitis
• influenza
• tuberculosis
• toxoplasmosis
• cytomegalovirus
• brucellosis
• vasculitis
• acute lymphocytic leukemia
• chronic lymphocytic leukemia
• HIV and AIDS

 Lymphocytes: Definition, Ranges,Count & Functions 

Roles and functions

There are different types of B cells and T cells that have specific roles in the body and the immune system.

B cells

Memory B cells

Memory B cells circulate in the body to start a fast antibody response when they find a foreign substance. They remain in the body for decades and become memory cells, which remember previously found antigens and help the immune system respond faster to future attacks.

Regulatory B cells

Regulatory B cells or Bregs make up around 0.5 percent of all B cells in healthy people. Although few in number, they have a vital role to play.

Bregs have protective anti-inflammatory effects in the body and stop lymphocytes that cause inflammation. They also interact with several other immune cells and promote the production of regulatory T cells or Tregs.

T cells

Killer T cells

Killer or cytotoxic T cells scan the surface of cells in the body to see if they have become infected with germs, or if they have turned cancerous. If so, they kill these cells.

Helper T cells

Helper T cells “help” other cells in the immune system to start and control the immune response against foreign substances.

There are different types of helper T cells, and some are more effective than others against different types of germs.

For instance, a Th1 cell is more effective against germs that cause infection inside other cells, such as bacteria and viruses, while a Th2 cell is more effective against germs that cause infection outside of cells, such as certain bacteria and parasites.

Regulatory T cells or Tregs

Tregs control or suppress other cells in the immune system. They have both helpful and harmful effects.

They maintain tolerance to germs, prevent autoimmune diseases, and limit inflammatory diseases. But they can also suppress the immune system from doing its job against certain antigens and tumors.

Memory T cells

Memory T cells protect the body against previously found antigens. They live for a long time after an infection is over, helping the immune system to remember previous infections.

If the same germ enters the body a second time, memory T cells remember it and quickly multiply, helping the body to fight it more quickly.

Natural killer T cells

Natural killer T cells are a mixed group of T cells that share characteristics of both T cells and natural killer cells. They can influence other immune cells and control immune responses against substances in the body that trigger an immune response.

Lotka-Volterra equations in Ecology

      Lotka-Volterra equations in Ecology

Lotka-Volterra equation

The effects of species interactions on the population dynamics of the species involved can be predicted by a pair of linked equations that were developed independently during the 1920s by American mathematician and physical scientist Alfred J. Lotka and Italian physicist Vito Volterra. Today the Lotka-Volterra equations are often used to assess the potential benefits or demise of one species involved in competition with another species:

dN1/dt = r1N1(1 – N1/K1 – α1,2N2/K2)dN2/dt = r2N2(1 – N2/K2 – α2,1N1/K1)

Here r = rate of increase, N = population size, and K = carrying capacity of any given species. In the first equation, the change in population size of species 1 over a specific period of time (dN1/dt) is determined by its own population dynamics in the absence of species 2 (r1N1[1 – N1/K1]) as well as by its interaction with species 2 (α1,2N2/K2). As the formula implies, the effect of species 2 on species 1 (α1,2) in turn is determined by the population size and carrying capacity of species 2 (N2 and K2).

Lotka-Volterra equation

The possible outcomes of interactions between two species are predicted on the basis of the relative strengths of self-regulation versus the species interaction term. For instance, species 2 will drive species 1 to local extinction if the term α1,2N2/K2 exceeds the term r1N1(1 − N1/K1)—though the term α1,2N2/K2 will exert a decreasing influence over the growth rate of species 1 as α1,2N2/K2 diminishes. Consequently, the first equation represents the amount by which the growth rate of species 1 over a specific time period will be reduced by its interaction with species 2. In the second equation, the obverse applies to the dynamics of species 2.

In the case of interspecific competition, if the effects of both species on each other are approximately equivalent with respect to the strength of self-regulation in each species, the populations of both species may stabilize; however, one species may gradually exclude the other over time. The competitive exclusion scenario is dependent on the initial population size of each species. For instance, when the interspecific effects of each species upon the abundance of its competitor are approximately equal, the species with the higher initial abundance is likely to drive the species with a lower initial abundance to exclusion.

Lotka-Volterra equation

The basic equations given above, describing the dynamics deriving from an interaction between two competitors, have undergone several modifications. Chief among these modifications is the development of a subset of Lotka-Volterra equations that calculate the effects of interacting predator and prey populations. In their simplest forms, these modified equations bear a strong resemblance to the equations above, which are used to assess competition between two species:

dNprey/dt = rprey × Nprey(1 − Nprey/Kprey – αprey, pred × Npred/Kpred)dNpred/dt = rpred × Npred(1 − Npred/Kpred + αpred, prey × Nprey/Kprey)

Lotka-Volterra equation

Here the terms Npred and Kpred denote the size of the predator population and its carrying capacity. Similarly, the population size and carrying capacity of the prey species are denoted by the terms Nprey and Kprey, respectively. The coefficient αprey, pred represents the reduction in the growth rate of prey species due to its interaction with the predator, whereas αpred, prey represents the increase in growth rate of the predator population due to its interaction with prey population.

Several additional modifications to the Lotka-Volterra equations are possible, many of which have focused on the incorporation of influences of spatial refugia (predator-free areas) from predation on prey dynamics.