Viruses Can Get Infected By Another Biological Agent


Scientists have discovered a virus that can infect another virus i.e. viruses can catch colds, says study that redefines life itself.


(Rotavirus particle, source – wikipedia)

A virus is a microorganism. A virus is a small particle that can infect living organisms. Viruses do not belong to any of the six kingdoms. They are generally seen as being between living organisms and inanimate nature, rather than alive, since they do not show all characteristics of living organisms.

Virus is biological agent which can cause common diseases such as common cold, influenza, chickenpox, diarrhea and cold sores. Serious diseases such as Ebola, AIDS, avian influenza etc. Now, scientists have discovered a virus that can infect another virus i.e. viruses can catch colds, says study that redefines life itself.

From the article

There’s no doubt that this is a living organism. The fact that it can get sick makes it more alive.

How To Get a Flat Stomach With Toned Abs

Getting six-pack abs is no small task, particularly as you get older. A few tips for improving your abs.

All you need to get a sexy stomach is just five minutes of tummy toning exercise a day. The best and most efficient recommended exercise is the ‘bicycle abs’ to target the six pack. It also helps to tone the waist. It is most effective because you’re continually moving, so muscles never rest and you get the best effect. Checkout following videos:

Ab Crunches Video

Swiss Ball Crunches Video

Roman Ab Crunch Workout Video

See Roman ab crunch workout here.

Also checkout this video for more information.

Vitamins Could Be Doing More Harm Than Good?

Vitamin supplements do not extend life and could even lead to premature death, according to research carried out at Copenhagen University.

Research (carried out at Copenhagen University) has suggested certain vitamin supplements do not extend life and could even lead to a premature death. A review of 67 studies found “no convincing evidence” that antioxidant supplements cut the risk of dying.

Although I eat a healthy and good diet, I was suggested to take Vitamin B12. Vitamin B-12 is a vitamin which is important for the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system. Fruits and vegetables are often a good source of vitamins. I guess eating more fruits could help to solve many problems. In large doses, some vitamins have documented side effects that tend to be more severe with a larger dosage. Overdosing from vitamin supplementation does occur. At high enough dosages some vitamins cause side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting etc.

Make Your Kids Perform Better in School by Feeding Healthy Diet

Kids who eat better perform better in school, a new study of Nova Scotia fifth-graders confirms.

Fresh vegetables are common in a healthy diet.
A healthy diet or balanced diet is a diet (what you eat) that contains the right amounts of all the food substances. It includes fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy products, and protein. It does not include too much or too little of any kind of food.

According to a new study kids who eat better perform better in school. Fresh vegetables are common in a healthy diet.

Students who ate an adequate amount of fruit, vegetables, protein, fiber and other components of a healthy diet were significantly less likely to fail a literacy test, Dr. Paul J. Veugelers of the University of Alberta in Edmonton and colleagues found.

(Image credit: Victor Keech

Our Brain Ahead Of Us By 10 Seconds

A new fMRI study finds that the outcome of freely made decisions is encoded in prefrontal and parietal cortices up to ten seconds before conscious awareness. Thus, these brain regions begin to prepare an upcoming choice before subjects are aware of it.

The brain is a part of the body that allows us to make sense of the world around us and to change our behavior to respond to it. In most animals, the brain is inside the head. The brain is kept safe by the skull and by layers of tissue under it called the meninges.

The human brain controls the central nervous system (CNS), by way of the cranial nerves and spinal cord, the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and regulates virtually all human activity.

A study has revealed that the brain makes decisions about 10 seconds prior to a person realizes it. Experts involved in the study said that looking at brain activity while making a decision, they could predict the choices the subjects would make, before they realized that they had made a decision.

=> Unconscious determinants of free decisions in the human brain

Alligator Blood May Provide New Antibiotics

Alligator blood could provide a powerful new source of antibiotics for fighting deadly “superbugs” and other infections, researchers say.


An Alligator is a group of animals in the order Crocodilia. The genus Alligator has two living species, the American Alligator and the Chinese Alligator.

Despite their reputation for deadly attacks on humans and pets, alligators are wiggling their way toward a new role as potential lifesavers in medicine, biochemists in Louisiana reported today at the 235th national meeting of the American Chemical Society. They described how proteins in gator blood may provide a source of powerful new antibiotics to help fight infections associated with diabetic ulcers, severe burns, and “superbugs” that are resistant to conventional medication. Previous studies have showed alligators have an unusually strong immune system; unlike humans, alligator immune systems can defend against microorganisms such as fungi, viruses, and bacteria without having prior exposure to them.

Alligator blood may put the bite on antibiotic-resistant infections

Antibiotics Losing War Against Germs – They Feast On Antibiotics

Several strains of bacteria in the soil can make a meal of the world’s most potent antibiotics, researchers said on Thursday, in a startling finding that illustrates the extent to which these germ-fighting drugs are losing the war against superbugs.

Antibiotics are used to kill or slow the growth of bacteria.
Antibiotics are used to kill the growth of bacteria. It is basically used to cure diseases. Antibiotics do not harm us.

Today, people fear that bacteria do not die from antibiotics, because bacteria are too strong. This can happen when antibiotics are used too much. If they are regularly used, some bacteria may develop an immunity to the antibiotic. These bacteria can then reproduce and make a large colony of bacteria immune from the antibiotic. Now, scientists find out that antibiotics losing war against germs. Many bacteria got antibiotic resistance and they love to feast on antibiotics. According to wikipedia, Antibiotic resistance evolves naturally via natural selection through random mutation, but it could also be engineered by applying an evolutionary stress on a population. Once such a gene is generated, bacteria can then transfer the genetic information in a horizontal fashion (between individuals) by plasmid exchange. If a bacterium carries several resistance genes, it is called multiresistant or, informally, a superbug.

According to this article:

Several strains of bacteria in the soil can make a meal of the world’s most potent antibiotics, researchers said on Thursday, in a startling finding that illustrates the extent to which these germ-fighting drugs are losing the war against superbugs.

A study of soil microbes taken from 11 sites uncovered bacteria that could withstand antibiotics 50 times stronger than the standard for bacterial resistance.

Why Some Human Races Are More Vulnerable To Disease

An immune system is a collection of mechanisms within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism’s own healthy cells and tissues in order to function properly.

Now researchers have found the behaviour of immune system genes varies from race to race – potentially affecting how they respond to infection. The Chicago University team looked at over 9,000 genes in 180 people, half Caucasian and half from Nigeria. They found differences between the two races in 5% of key genes. The American Journal of Human Genetics study may help explain why some groups are more vulnerable to disease, and aid development of more tailored treatment.

=> Race differences in immune genes

How To Keep Your Eyes in Tiptop Shape

Our eyes detects light. Light enters the pupil and is focused on the retina by the lens. Light-sensitive nerve cells called rods (for brightness) and cones (for color) react to the light. They interact with each other and send messages to the brain that indicate brightness, color, and contour. This article explains easy ways to improve your vision, so that you can enjoy beautiful world:

They are two of your most precious possessions, but chances are, you take your eyes for granted. Most of us do. But think for a second what life would be like without being able to gaze on your grandchild or your flower garden or even navigate the kitchen without incident. Prevent Blindness America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to vision issues, estimates that 50,000 people lose their sight needlessly every year and that 80 million Americans are at risk of eye diseases that can lead to low vision and even blindness.

=> Easy Ways to Improve Your Vision