i-Snake

Some people fear that we are becoming too dependent on technology, which may have disastrous results in the future. I, for one am pleased at the development of novel technologies in the area of medicine and surgery. I think it is beneficial not only to the clinician but to the patient as well. Newer techniques allow professionals to perform life saving procedures that would not have been possible 30 odd years ago. Medicine relies quite heavily on technology whether it is for observations, diagnostic purposes or actual treatment. The focus is now being placed on developing methods that are non invasive thus shortening the recovery times, increasing safety and efficiency and of course being more cost effective.

Initially the scalpel was supreme in the surgical theatre; however vast improvements are now being made for the use of robotics in surgery. For example in the past clinicians would have used a combination of mirrors and lenses to examine the internal structure of the body. Once they obtained a vague idea of what was wrong, the patient would have an open procedure to correct the problem. This was then replaced by fibre optics and the development of endoscopes for more detailed observations so that a clearer and more definite picture was formed before conducting such big surgical procedures. Today endoscopes are equipped with lasers to take biopsy samples and the necessary tools to perform surgery as well as cameras to record images. This means that the patient does not need to go through unnecessary invasive procedures and less invasiveness means shorter recovery times, thus reducing the number of hospital beds being occupied – a start to reducing some of the burden on the NHS.

Back in May/April 2007, a caterpillar robot was being developed by researchers in the US. The caterpillar – only a few millimetres in length – was operated by push and pull wires outside the body and could crawl at a rate of 18mm’s per minute to deliver treatment to the heart. The use of a magnetic tracker system, tiny cameras and a radio frequency probe to correct irregular heart rhythms were just some of the possibilities being explored at the time. Though further research was required, it was suggested that the tiny robot could be used in surgery without having to stop the heart – a process that often causes problems post surgery.

Recently browsing through a newsletter at university, I came across an interesting article about the development of a surgical robot called the i-snake. Similar idea to the caterpillar in terms of less invasive procedures, Imperial College London, are developing the robot which consists of special motors, sensors and imagining tools encased within a flexible tube – a bit like a snake. Although being developed for heart bypass surgery, the robotic could also be used for other hard to reach areas such as the gastrointestinal tract, without having to perform more invasive techniques. Currently being perfected in the lab, the i-snake would hopefully allow more complex procedures to take place in the future. It seems like there are exciting times ahead with regards to the technological development in medicine :)

Marriage

As I mentioned in my previous posts, I’ve attended way too many weddings this summer and this inevitably led to the question... “So when are you getting married?” Uh it’s the question that hangs over your head every day until... well until you do get hitched!

At 15/16 I was excited about school. At 17/18 I was focussed on getting into uni. At 19 - 21, I was at uni studying, preoccupied with getting my career on the right track. At 22, I was busy studying. At 23, I'm still studying but now I'm also scared witless! :(

As you can see I’ve always managed to come out with some excuse but now I think I’m running out of them! People still continue to study and develop their careers even after they get married, so what’s stopping me? I’m not saying I want to get married straight away or that I’m desperate. I just find the whole a bit daunting! The fact that so much emphasis is placed on finding the right one. How will I know who that is? I have way too many questions in my head...

• What if I never find Mr Right? (... will I grow into a single slightly mad old woman over time, surrounded by only my books for company? Not so bad. But what if I get THAT desperate that I start considering some really keen people from back "there" – Uh... ok now I’ve reached a whole new level of scariness!)
• What if I find a possible Mr Right and he doesn’t like me in return? (Urgh rejection is an evil thing... I’ve never been rejected before! Wow this could cause serious issues for my ego and general mental health)
• What if I marry him and his family hate me? (I could have evil in-laws that may try to kill me or constantly trying to frame for someone else’s murder. Oh no, wait... I’ve been watching those Indian dramas with my mother again! Duh!)
• What if everything is fine and then we realise that we’re not the perfect match we thought we were and have to go our separate ways? (Probably most likely AFTER I’ve spent ages decorating the house to just how I would like it and then we have to sell it anyway!)

Uh oh what if my potential life partner finds this blog, reads it and then realises that I may be slightly crazy? Ok ok, so that’s not very likely but on a serious note there are so many things to consider about getting married as well as your usual life stuff about careers, goals, ambitions etc. Also is it just me or do girls seem to have a harder time about getting married than guys do? It’s like girls have an expiry date tattooed on them somewhere and must get married by a certain age or they are considered “past it”. Whilst guys on the other hand seem to be much more laid back about it and don’t really seem to have any age restrictions on them. I don’t get the big gender difference, marriage is hard regardless of what gender you are. Right?

Shazia Baji’s Nikkah

Despite some major setbacks, Shazia baji finally got married. It was a lovely day but also reminded everyone of the people that were missing. I listened to the nikkah being read and paid attention to what was being said. Afterwards auntie Naseem (Saba’s mum) made me giggle by making Saba and I eat the chowarey (sweets that are traditionally handed out after the nikkah) and told us to pray for good husbands, lol.

I’ve been to people’s nikkah’s before, but the first time I properly listened to what was being said was probably Sana’s wedding as it marked the beginning of a new period in our lives. We were all moving onto a new phase in our lives and Sana was the first one to step over that threshold so to speak. And soon after the floodgates opened and people were getting married left, right and centre :)

But this time Shazia baji’s nikkah was different. The order of things said and done was still the same but this time it felt weird... for me. As I listened to the molvi (priest), I felt this really strange feeling wash over me. I found my brain entering panic mode as I realised that the next nikkah of a female member of our family would probably be mine or Saba’s! Eek! I think Saba was thinking the same thing as we both had this look on our face.

Every wedding that I have attended this year has inevitably brought me one step closer to going through that same phase in my life. I’m not scared by it... well ok maybe I am a little, but it’s more to do with wanting to do it right the first time round. I don’t want to make a mistake and would ideally wish that when my time comes, it will be near enough perfect (inshAllah). A happy and successful marriage both for myself and everyone else that I know.

Appearances can be deceiving

Kinda stating the obvious I know :P

Talking to someone recently I realised how deceiving appearances can be. This person who on face value I thought seemed quite cool, calm and collected was actually nothing like that on the inside. From afar, I admired him for not getting caught up in typical family drama’s and what others may or may not think of him, something that I wish that I could have a break from every so often. The more I talk to this person and get to know them, I realise that everyone goes through their own fair share of BS, but whether they make it public or not is up to them.

I wonder how people around me, perceive me to be? Not wanting to have a load of compliments thrown at me (though that would be nice, so please don’t hesitate, lol )... I wonder do I seem calm on the surface or a horrible nervous mess? Do people mistake me for something else but then once they get to know me does their opinion change or does their opinion stay the same.

Hmmm... how I wish I had the ability to read people’s minds. A bit like Mel Gibson in “What Women Want” :)

Random conversations

I kid you not, this conversation actually took place! No idea why it made me laugh so much! My friend and I were sat chatting when she recognised a couple of guys that she sort of knew through various people at university. The conversation we accidentally overheard was as follows…

Guy 1: Yeah man. Can’t believe X. *shakes his head* So how’s business?
Guy 2: Hey man. Read that! *points to article in the Metro newspaper* Yea, Gym’s doing good. Joe wants to get a new website up… but having a few problems, innit. No worries though cos I’m getting some guys in to sort it out for me. Me and technology don’t gel, know what I mean?
Guy 1: Yea. Man some people are crazy huh? *points at the Metro article*
Guy 2: People got too much money innit. Hahaha… *He laughs a ridiculous laugh*
Guy 1: It’s supposed to a recession and that ain’t it? (Yea deep insight there guys, lol)
Guy 2: I don’t get this shit man. Blobbing and that. (Did he just say blobbing?!)
Guy 1: Dude don’t you mean blogging? *He laughs*
Guy 2: What did I say?
Guy 1: Blobbing *laughs again*
Guy 2: Whatever. It’s all shit man! This technology stuff is in the news way too much man. Titters (twitters), blobs (blogs), googles (googling) and all that. Too much crap we don’t need.
Guy 1: Times change man. You gotta move ahead.
Guy 2: Yea well it’s stupid. If I had my way, we wouldn’t need all this shit. Nice and simple like the old days… *He says as he texts away on his mobile phone* – (ah the irony!)… women didn’t to compete with ladders n shit in business and men weren’t getting sued for being men.
(I think he meant women climbing the corporate ladder and “men being men” I’m assuming he was talking about sexism in the work place?!)
Guy 1: What you getting sued for man?
Guy 2: *Total silence* Nothing man. Why what have you heard? *he asks nervously*

Random. Though now I'm wondering what he may have possibly been sued for... hmmm.

UK researchers

Reading the BBC News website today, it was refreshing to hear that UK researchers are now considered ‘world class’ and are no longer trailing behind other European or American institutions.

“A huge review of UK academic research has found that 54% of the work assessed in 159 universities was ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. “

The piece of news is reassuring for many that want to pursue a career in academic research – I, myself being one of those individuals. Such articles and ratings such as the RAE in universities do boost morale and motivate people to work harder. The fact that their work is recognised at an international level makes people proud of their accomplishments when their work is recognised by their peers and the people that they look up too. This was definitely true back in 2005, when the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Bradford was voted the 3rd best within the UK after Oxford and Cambridge. The sense of pride was definitely visible within the school of life sciences; however the British being British will never let it get to their heads as it is not seen as the done thing, lol. It is also nice to have confirmation of something that deep down you knew was already true – you were just waiting for the rest of the world to catch up and acknowledge it as well :)

GM crops

Most countries rely on natural produce from their land to sustain the economy via a process of imports and exports. Produce can range from actual food products to useful commodities such as cotton, oil, gas and so forth. Using developments in science such as the introduction of genetically modified foods to help was seen as a good thing... to begin with.

Genetically modified/ engineering organism = using recombinant DNA technology to manipulate the genetic code of an organism. It usually involves combining the DNA of the original organism with DNA molecules from another source to produce a completely new genetic code – a new genetic code.

GM foods were thought to be a better way to improve existing crop yields by making the organisms resistant to disease and the use of less fertilisers and pesticides. GM crops also entertained the real possibility of eliminating world hunger. However as time has passed, it has become more clear that the promise of GM foods may not be all that it was cracked up to be. It has been suggested the world already produces enough food to feed its inhabitants and that a simple redistribution of food would solve the problem of hunger especially in third world countries. However by producing crops with the same genetic code, the variation between species decreases, which can cause huge problem. Hypothetically if a particular disease is able to overcome the barriers put up by the manipulated genetic code, then effectively the entire strain can be eliminated, perhaps even the whole species of the organism. This poses a real threat to biodiversity and could also have a knock on effect on our own health. Before any new drug is released into the market, its effects are extensively researched and through checks are made by numerous regulatory authorities such as the FDA. However, the effects of GM crops haven’t been exposed to the same rigorous checks it seems as other products. A small slip in production could lead to unknown effects i.e. the cross breeding of GM crops with other plants in the wild could have untold effects, which have not been monitored. In addition to this it seems that the only people that are benefiting from the introduction of GM are large biotech companies that are involved with the production of the seeds, for their own commercial gain.

A recent example in the news was of cotton farmers in India. In order to avoid crop eradication, the Indian government state that those who choose to grow the GM cotton species - bacillus thuringiensis (BT) - should also plant the non-BT variety in at least 20% of their land. Yet environmentalists are still not happy and some claim that there is positive correlation between the increased use of BT cotton seeds in an area and the suicide rate amongst farmers within that area. It highlights the case of a specific Indian farmer, a Mr Virender, who grows the GM cotton. He states that he much happier with the BT variety as he gains a better yield and doesn’t have to use as much pesticide – beneficial both for him and the environment. However in recent times, the farmer was asked to plant a new strain the species which didn’t provide a good yield like the previous year. Furthermore his wife suffers from an allergy from the BT variety (something that didn’t happen with the non BT variety) but because of economic pressure, she puts up with it. The company that controls the distribution of GM seeds is Mahyco, which is also looking into the possibility of growing a new BT aubergine seed. This essentially means that a GM food will be introduced for consumption for the first time in India. It is slightly worrying as most of the population are not fully educated as to what this means and those that are educated still do not know the full effects of what may or may not happen. It seems that in order to make a quick profit, the proper use of science and its’ processes as well as educating the masses has been neglected – very disappointing indeed.

iPods for med students

The University of Derby has handed out iPods to 35 radiography students to provide them with an alternative method of learning. The devices are pre loaded with informative tutorials and it is hoped that they will be more useful than the traditional textbooks. They will be expected to return them after their first two years... what you didn’t think they were going to keep them did you? :)

Whilst reading this article, I did overhear someone else’s comment which was something along the lines of ‘whatever next’ and ‘kids these days have it far too easy’. The integration of technology into the educational system has been ongoing for many years so why is it still such a difficult thing for some people to grasp? During my time at high school (which was not long ago!) blackboards were being replaced by interactive whiteboards, it was preferred that most assignments should be word processed as opposed to handwritten and teachers were starting to use email to provide feedback to students about the work they had submitted. At university, podcasts of lecturers are readily made available and we can observe anatomy classes etc via video calling and so forth. I remember during my undergraduate degree, a particular lecturer Dr Bill Ashraf, was very keen using technology in his lectures and was even pushing the department to find the funds to enable us all to have iPods during our time at uni.

My point is technology is developed to make things easier for us and help with our day to day lives/ learning etc and yet there are some people that find the whole thing very daunting and tend to cling to their old ways. By not moving forward with the times, inevitably some people back will be held back and at a disadvantage them in the future. Surely it is better to keep an open mind from the beginning rather than resist change?

Blog changes...

Hmm so as you can see I finally made the decision to continue blogging (um, yea?!) but moved from my old Windows Live Space to blogger.com. In my defence, I was only a beginner and windows live seemed perfect at the time :)

However after a quick and informative tutorial with Imran Bhai, I’ve now been convinced to switch to Wordpress. Already I feel much better about switching and can see the vast difference between windows live spaces and wordpress; poor comparison I know! Plus I get a lot more freedom on what appears on my web page and how I can customise it compared to blogger.com. Is it sad that I’m having a lot of fun playing around with different themes? Damn you Wordpress! I should really be doing some background reading on brain neurology for my MSc project but I can’t tear myself away from my blog :D

Also I’m quite surprised I decided to make the switch relatively quickly as it usually takes me a while to make such decisions. Though I’m suspecting this might be more to do with Imran bhai’s knowledge and skills of persuasion than a new state of mind :P Still I will be taking advantage of this change in force by starting a new culling program. The deletion/ deactivation of useless profiles and social networking sites that I joined; sites like Hi5, WAYN, Bebo spring to mind (sorry if anyone still uses these!)

I guess I’m clearing away the clutter for the new year if you will :)

Next question -

What's in a name...

...well apparently quite a lot.
After updating my blog, buying a shiny new domain name (thank you Imran bhai!) and finally choosing a theme I like... I cannot think of a decent name to call it, lol.

So my newly revived blog; what should it be called?

“Saima’s Space” – what I originally had
“Saima Say’s...” – which I quite like but have certain ethical issues i.e. Plagarism... I just can't do it! :P
“Saima’s Science” – which was a friend’s suggestion but now I’m not so sure if he was being serious or taking the mick! :-/

Or something entirely different that doesn't involve the alliteration of my name, lol.

Ah naming issues. Discuss.

Freeeeezing but still cute!

Xmas hols and I’m off uni for a month or so. I had planned to do some part time work whilst working at the hospital but decided against it as I have way too much work/ revision to do for uni. Also it’s very cold... and yes that is a perfectly good reason. It is freezing... literally! Defrosting my car on Monday morning I ran out of de-icer and used warm water to defrost the windscreen. In the time that it took me to go inside the house and get my handbag, the water had formed a remarkably clear layer of ice making it very difficult to spot. This resulted in me almost falling but instead I did a kind of a glide thing over to my car. Thankfully our lane is quite quiet and so no one was around to witness my skating skills :P

Actually to be truthful, this post was just an excuse to share this picture. Look at the cute ducks! There’s winter cuteness everywhere I look! (Ok I’m done now...)

Thoughts

My friends still find it highly amusing that whilst we’re having conversations if I happen to find a pen or paper lying about, I can’t seem to resist the urge to start doodling. I’ll still be paying attention to what is being said but I’ll also make notes or little sketches related to the topics that we’re discussing – something that I used to do in my tutorials at university. Sometimes it’s complete rubbish and sometimes I’ll surprise myself by what I’ve written. My easily amused friends have even stolen various doodles!!! Why?! Why would they do that?! lol

Anyway after discussing lunch with one of the researchers at the hospital the other day, I started doodling away. Not in front of her mind, but on the train home, lol. Here’s what we discussed. She’s a psychologist by the way...

I had more doodles, which I made on a stray newspaper when I ran out of paper. Unfortunately I left them on the train! Ah well it’ll make interesting reading for someone else, lol.

British Politics

Similar to the previous doodles for Sob – the most clueless person about politics... well that I know of anyway, lol. And I mean that in the nicest way possible :) Besides I couldn’t leave the British behind :P

American politics

For Sobia… so that she has some clue as to who and what we are referring to in the US elections. Seriously when asked “Who’s he again?” for the 20th time, you start to lose your calm just a little bit.

P.S. Memorise it Sob!

MIMIT seminar series - prostate cancer

Histopathology Made Simple: Developing Spectroscopic Methods of Grading Prostate Tissue –
Dr Peter Gardner

Cancer occurs when the balance between oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes is altered, leading to cell metastasis. With no known cure, it is important to develop existing methodologies in order to aid early diagnosis and offer effective treatment so survival rates are increased. At 23%, prostate cancer it is one of the most common types of cancer and affects 32,000 men annually in the UK. It is slow growing and it may take years for the symptoms to appear.

Diagnosis methods include a rectal exam and blood tests to check prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels. Information can also be obtained from needle biopsies, X-rays, ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Usually needle biopsy samples are microscopically analysed and graded using the Gleason grading system by the pathologist. This method is highly subjective and previous studies have shown that results vary significantly between pathologists. The aim is to produce an objective method of diagnosis which has an accurate and reliable outcome that is no longer dependent on the pathologist.

The group proposed the use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to detect malignancy in tissues by assessing tissue architecture and biochemical activity. The FTIR data was combined with a linear discriminate analysis (LDA) to create an operator independent diagnostic algorithm. Previous papers have shown that the 1030cm-1 band to be indicative of glycogen and the group’s work showed that the ratio between absorption bands 1030cm-1 and 1080cm-1 may be used as metabolic markers for cancer. Using the FTIR-LDA model, to test paraffin embedded samples with a known Gleason score, produced a good correlation using the 3 band gleason grading system.

It was also found that the biochemical activity changed in cells before the tissue structure suggesting that the FTIR-LDA model may be able to use biochemical activity as a marker as opposed to tissue structure to grade cancer. The FTIR-LDA model is more suitable as it is an objective method that doesn’t require the use of dyes or stains, is operator independent and has a good resolution.

The work done so far is promising and the group are looking at a number of future possibilities. Firstly the automation of the process would help to simplify the process and also cut down the time scale required for diagnosis in comparison to the fixation process currently used. The use of the biochemical activity as a marker is also another possibility which would allow earlier detection possibility with better sensitivity and specificity. There is also the idea of combining the grading method with an imaging process, similar to face recognition software, in order to identify tissue structure to determine the disease stage. A final point would be to improve the speed of the equipment in order to improve the speed of data acquisition.

In conclusion, the model is a good method but requires much more work before it can be put into practice. Legal and ethical issues need to be considered to produce a large set of biopsy samples, from which an appropriate and reliable reference standard can be created for comparison. The procedure must also be cheap and easy to use and the technology perfected so that people will make the switch from the traditional subjective methods to more modern methods for cancer diagnosis.

MIMIT seminar series - the human body

The Human Body as a Machine –
Professor Gus McGrouther

Anatomy describes the biological and structural study of living organisms and was the basis of medical practice where studies of disease were organ based. However dissections were challenged by the state and church, slowing down the momentum of medical change and this is similar to the genetics dilemma in modern medicine. The introduction of the Anatomy Act 1984, allowed doctor’s to legally dissect human bodies for the purpose of medical research using donated/unclaimed bodies. The history of anatomy has continually developed from Ancient Egypt papyruses, Hippocrates’ medical texts and Romans introducing better sanitation to Galen studying anatomy by animal dissections. Additionally Bernhard Siegfield Albinus devoted himself to studying anatomy, Scottish surgeons William and John Hunter made various discoveries in medicine, popular anatomy classes were run by Professor Knox followed by Charles Bell, a Scottish anatomist who carried out detailed studies of the nervous system/brain and contributed to the anatomy/physiology of facial expression.

Areas such as tendon healing and facial movement are studied by Prof McGrouther’s team. Studies have shown that tendons in the hand are not just straight cables but wrap around each other thus allowing a grip sensation. The internal structure is more complicated than first assumed and it is found that tendons glide in sheaths known as fascias. Between these fascias is a mass of loose tendrils of fibres interspersed with blood vessels which supply the tendon. This understanding may be vital in producing successful biotechnologies and explaining why tendon repairs fail. Similarly stimulation of facial movement is difficult and we need to find more quantitative methods for facial studies.

The use of laser surface scanning produces 3D casts of the face allowing measurements to be made and used in the study of facial paralysis/movement studies. Ultrasound methods can be used to produce coronal cross sections of the lips; 3D measurements in real time can become 4D scans which can be used in the clinical problem of cleft palates. Previous work has studied the fibroblast reaction to force/strain, when embedded in a gel matrix. When the gel is pulled longitudinally, the fibroblasts have a spindle shape but remain stellate when the gel is pulled in many directions. This illustrates that the structure of the body depends on mechanical forces and is affected by various factors i.e. ageing.

Prof McGrouther studies range from anatomy and cell culture to molecular biology with an emphasis placed on understanding on how physical influences affect the repair process. The current four main areas of study are; skin scars/keloid formation, inflammation/wound healing, nerve repair and tendon healing. Biological level understanding is important, as fascial structures are what hold us together. As we age our joints stiffen, which may be due to the gliding fascial layers and ageing of connective tissue needs to be explored as it may hold the key for future treatments. The importance of stem cells in the skin is a recent medical breakthrough; but poses the question of how important are they in the rest of the body suggesting that the translation of cell biology into man is still a while away.

In conclusion the best way to learn about anatomy is through cadavers and using modulated sources of information to improve our knowledge in the hope that we can use this information to provide useful solutions.

Project Kangaroo

Reading through the newspaper I discovered that BBC, ITV and Channel 4 planned to combine and provide an online service to watch programmes at a later time; a similar service to BBC iplayer.

However the competition commission said that the project (named Kangeroo if you were wondering :P) should not go ahead. The commission’s reasoning was that as these three companies already controlled most of the programmes being shown on UK TV. Therefore by combining their efforts online, they would effectively be stopping other possible video services from developing. Basically they would be a threat to competition.

At the moment, the BBC offer iPlayer, Channel 4 have their 4oD service and ITV have their home website. Surely being to download from site would be better for the consumers? Also the fact that the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 are the major broadcasters in the UK means that they have adequate funds to provide the best online service possible. I’m sorry but am I missing something here –working together on such a project would ultimately be better for the customer, would it not?

Bilal

Bilal and I are out grocery shopping in Morrisons. Bilal stops at a shelf and adds something to our trolley...

Me: Billy. Have you read the ingredients?

Bilal: Yes Baji!

Me: Is it suitable for vegetarians?

Bilal: Err...

So I read the packet, approve it and move onto the next aisle. A little while later...

Bilal; Baji, what did you say it has to be suitable for???

Me: Vegetarians

Bilal.: Right, yea. Are we vegetarians now?

Me: Well we kind of are when we shopping in stores that aren’t really catering for the halal market.

A little while later...

Bilal: So we’re vegetarian then?

Me: For now yes.

Bilal: *Looks at me with utter confusion*

Me: What Billy?

Bilal: *with an innocent face*... So does that mean we’re not muslim anymore. Just vegetarian?

I look at him and I just can’t help it. Laughter escapes my lips and I have tears in my eyes!

Bilal: Baji, stop laughing! It’s not funny! People will look at us!

Me: I’m sorry! So sorry!

Once I’ve suitably calmed down a little, I explain how being muslim is a religion and being vegetarian is a dietary choice. ‘Oh’, he says. ‘Well you didn’t have to laugh at me you know’ he says in a bit of a huff.

In my defence I wasn’t laughing at him but I was just so touched by his innocence, so sweeeeet!!! I love my little brother, he can be so incredibly cute (mA).

Remember, remember the 5th of November...

...or the 4th of November in this case :)

So finally the 4th November finally arrived. The conclusion of what seemed to be the longest running election campaign ever and oh my word, there were times when it felt like it would never end, lol.

I’m really not that interested in US politics or any politics for that matter, but for some reason I couldn’t help but get sucked into watching the election night coverage. It resulted in me educating myself on the US voting system and watching the live coverage online; which ended up with me staying up until five in the morning. So many times I thought about giving up and going to bed but I just couldn’t tear myself away! It was history in the making – the first black president could possibly be elected tonight and that was something that I did not want to miss out on.

Currently as I write this, I feel very sleep derived but I feel like it finally paid off though and was genuinely pleased that Barack Obama won. The 44th President of the United States, a black president no less and he won by a significant margin.

Congratulations Barack Obama, here’s hoping you can make a positive change :)

P.S. Side note – Bonfire night tonight! :)

MIMIT seminar series - bone regeneration

Regeneration of bone using off-the-shelf injectables: In-vivo homing of stem cells –
Professor Jons Hilborn

Bone conduction requires three main components; cells, matrix and growth factors. Bone is good at repairing itself, however severe injuries require therapy. Using human or animal tissue involves risk of virus transfer and ethical issues, but tissue engineering produces unique polymers with biological properties. The basic problem with foreign materials is the reaction of surrounding tissue i.e. formation of scar tissue/ poor vascularisation of the bone etc, therefore materials must be able to promote cell colonisation, nutrient diffusion and vascularisation.

There are two main approaches; in-vivo techniques that involve bone grafts, signalling molecules or cell/gene therapy or in vitro techniques i.e. culture system with scaffolds and a cell source. Traditionally stem cells are harvested, isolated, differentiated, seeded into a scaffold and then multiplied. Cells need a nutrient supply and can be stimulated to produce more protein and guide growth direction. Previous studies illustrate how bone can be fabricated from patient muscle, where CT scans demonstrate the ectopic bone formation. However poor vascularisation is still a problem, illustrating that formation of bone at the defect site is better than moving it.

Bone regeneration uses protein initiators called bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP’s); which regulate cartilage and bone differentiation. These proteins have specific cell surface receptors that bind to target receptors, initiating a cascade of events in the cell. The nucleic DNA is activated, gene products are produced and the cell transforms into osteoblasts and so forth. Clinical trials commonly use collagenous bone matrix, however other studies used heparin/chitosan injectables with BMP2 induced bone, on a titanium mesh covering the defect area. Side effects such as inflammation and fever indicate that a better carrier matrix is required. The ultimate goal is to produce a non animal, safe, bioresorbable composite of polymer and ECM with biochemical info to trigger tissue regeneration.

Prof Hilborn’s group used hyaluronan as a carrier for BMP2 which is advantageous as it is identical in all vertebrates, water soluble, biocompatible/biodegradable and functional groups can be modified. As a liquid, it is injected into the area to form a hydrogel (98-99% water) at pH 7.4/37c. The gel forms in less than 1 minute, by cross linkage in situ and hardens in 2-3 hours. Rapid gelation is vital in order to retain shape and prevent spreading after the subcutaneous injection. The gel degrades after staying in the muscle for 4 weeks and there is no indication of toxicity to surrounding cells. In vivo experiments were also carried out investigating the homing of stem cells, an osteoconductive nano-sized hydroxyapaptile filler was used as high density bone. The product was tested in mini-pigs, where a defect of 4cm x 2cm was created, no spontaneous healing occurred and then the gel was injected to form fully vascularised bone. There are proposed clinical trials for the use of this product in patients with cleft palates as they show more consistency compared to skull defects.

This hyaluronan based injectable has the necessary biocompatible properties and is much preferred than surgery. Pre clinical data is good and there is also the possibility of introducing ascorbic acid/ vitamin C in clinical trials to promote growth. It also has the potential to be used for other problems such as bone disease, formation of cartilage i.e. rheumatism and possibly repair in the nerves, muscle and brain.

Security at Manchester uni. Stopford building

The Stopford building, situated on Oxford road – home to the School of Medicine at The University of Manchester.

In addition to attending to my placement at Wythenshawe hospital, which I do like except it is so out of the way, it’s ridiculous. I mean I have to catch another train or bus to get there... anyway back to my main point, lol. As well as the hospital, the MIB (Manchester interdisciplinary biocentre – very nice place, kitted out with top tech stuff etc) and the John Rylands library, I also go to the Stopford building on a regular basis. My course administrator, my lectures and most of my professors/ lecturers are situated within the building and so I regularly need to see them.

Just one problem I have with the Stopford building, the over the top security system that they have in place. I mean I understand why you have to swipe your student card to get into the library or into restricted areas within the university, but why Stopford? My course administrator told me it was because they apparently store cadavers in the building for our anatomy classes etc and the uni feared that they might get stolen. Which brings me to the question, who in their right minds would steal a cadaver? Also if someone for some bizarre reason did want to steal one, I’m pretty sure somebody would notice as Stopford is quite a busy place and seeing someone drag a dead body along is not a common sight!

Ok so fine, we have the over the top security system... but it would be nice if it would work properly. Having to swipe your card through over and over again is time consuming, highly annoying, makes you late and puts you in a foul mood for the rest of the day. With the ever growing queue behind you and despite numerous swipe card attempts, the barrier still refuses to let you pass. Inevitably you let out an exasperated sigh/ wail/ squeak (whatever it is that you do when your stressed!), which makes the reception staff looks up from their newspapers. They either take pity on you and let you through (thank god!) OR remove you from the queue (Argh!), march you back to the reception desk, grill you on why your card isn’t working (ironically it works fine in the library!), provide some ID (Hello! you have a student card in your hand!) and then finally let you enter the building but extremely late for whatever lecture you were going to or person you were planning to meet.

I usually get away with just looking extremely harassed and so the staff just let me by with no problems, lol. However some of my friends get hassled so much and on a regular basis. I mean how many times do you have to prove that you are in fact a student? Seriously Stopford, sort it out!

Brain functions: Boys Vs Girls

I’m studying a lot about brain anatomy and function these days due to my MSc project and whilst searching for suitable brain images on Google, I came across a funny cartoon which got me thinking. About how brain functions in men and women can differ so much – more in terms of logic and thought processes as opposed to actual scientific differences.

It always makes me laugh how a simple situation, everyday common things, can evoke such different response from men and women. For example; I was recently walking with friends to some place or other at uni. Up ahead, someone had had a road accident, at rush hour which slowed traffic right down. After learning that it may have been a pedestrian walking out in front of a car – possible suicide attempt, the following responses of the group were:

Females – Oh my god! I hope he or she is ok. How sad that they tried to take their own life. Things must have been really bad, etc … u get the general gist of it.

Males – Idiot! Look at the traffic! Why did they choose rush hour to do it? Bloody attention seekers! Now we’re gonna be soo late. Argh.

Ok so maybe that’s not all men and women and I’m exaggerating slightly but my point was to illustrate the difference in responses over something so unexpected. Also the image in this post may be slightly unfair to the male population… but hey it made me laugh! :D

Also here's an article I found that I thought was an interesting read. For some bizarre reason, the link wouldn’t work so I've copied and pasted the content :)

ARTICLE:

5. Girls perform better at school
Girls are more likely to achieve higher grades than boys at GCSE and A-level. Among the suggested explanations for this disparity is the tendency for girls to mature earlier than boys, and therefore to be easier to teach. Adolescence for girls usually begins at age 12, whereas boys start to mature, on average, two years later at age 14. Boys are also more prone to hyperactivity (ADD) and dyslexia, which may affect their performance in school.

4. Women live longer
UK life expectancy figures have increased dramatically over the past century (men and women born in 1901 were only expected to reach the ages of 48 and 51.6 respectively). But the gap separating the sexes still remains prominent. Figures for 2008 show life expectancy for men to be 77.2 years, while the average woman can expect to live until she is 81.5. Men are also much more likely to commit suicide: three-quarters of the suicides in 2007 were committed by men. This has been blamed on social expectations for men not to verbalise their emotions.

3. Women make better citizens
In the UK, women make up less than 6 per cent of the total prison population (2005 statistics). It has been argued that the substantial gap between the number of male and female prisoners exists because judges show greater leniency towards female offenders in order to avoid separating mothers from children. Yet the nature of the crimes committed by women—the most common are shop-lifting, fraud and drug offences—differ from those committed by men, and suggest that female offenders pose less threat to public safety.

2. Women are safer drivers
Contrary to the popular stereotype, women are in fact safer drivers than men. In 2006 an overwhelming majority, 97 per cent, of motorists convicted of dangerous driving were male. While women are more likely to make low-level mistakes, such as stalling at a junction, men are prone to taking greater and more life-threatening risks, such as drink-driving or speeding.

1. Women are more cooperative
How the different genders interact with others has been the focal point of repeated studies, and most have shown that women are less competitive and focus more on cooperation than men. In one study held in 2007 participants played "The Prisoner's Dilemma," a game where contestants must choose between the desire to be selfish and the need for compromise. (The premise of the game is that you and your partner in crime are arrested for stealing a painting, which is spattered with blood. You are held in separate cells and do not know what your partner will say. If you both stay silent and cooperate, you will both serve short jail sentences for theft. If you inform and accuse your partner of murder, you will get away scot-free. If, however, you and your partner inform on each other, you will both serve long jail-sentences.) Women consistently chose to cooperate with each other, thereby achieving higher payoffs than men.

Even in situations of stress, women appear to react in a more cooperative manner. Brain scans of 16 men and 16 women put in situations of moderate tension showed that blood flow in women's brains increased in the limbic area, the part of the brain associated with a nurturing and friendly response. Men's blood flow, meanwhile, increased in the area of the brain responsible for the "flight and fight" reaction.

Year 2

It’s amazing how quickly time flies by and yet those memories that I have, still seem so fresh in my mind. It’s as if the whole thing only just happened yesterday.

I recently saw another family member leave us this year, uncle Mirza Sahib. He passed away near the end of Ramzan and his 40 day khatum fell close to Aisha’s 2 year anniversary. I still can’t believe that he’s actually gone, I mean it was just so sudden. They had been round to deliver Shazia baji’s wedding invites and we were all sat laughing and joking, teasing Bilal, all the usual stuff, Bilal running off to fetch his draughts set (his favourite game that he loves playing with all my uncles). Basically a good evening with family. The next thing I know is that I was woken up at 1am, to be informed that uncle had passed away an hour after he left our house. I don’t think it really sunk in until I got up for Sehri the next morning and tears started to flow as I remembered the events from last night.

The day progressed through all the various traditions and customs but I still had this feeling of disbelief. Even after seeing all those people at the house gathered together to say their goodbyes, even after seeing his face with my own eyes; where a smile was ever present. Yet I still couldn't quite grasp the situation at hand. But I think seeing uncle’s grave near Aishi’s is when it really hit home; the fact that I wouldn’t actually see him ever again and that really got to me. My relationship with uncle actually changed significantly over the time I had known him. I spent my childhood a bit afraid him as he seemed like the strict disciplinarian type, but how wrong was I? :) As the years went by, I got to know him better and I actually found it easier to have a conversation with him than with my own father at times. I guess in a way he was like another father figure, just like Tyagee and Saeed Mamoo are to me; which has been very comforting to me especially over these last few years.

It became a regular thing to have uncle pop over in the evenings after work. Whilst having his usual cup of coffee, he’d have a quick game of draughts with Bilal and talk to me at the same time. With uncle Mirza Sahib, I was able to switch between joking around to discussing issues such as politics, education, science, everyday life... basically you name it and we could sit down and have a discussion on it for hours. I also improved my draughts game as well and quoting uncle I was a worthy opponent, but still needed some more practice apparently, lol. I think I actually beat him once (just the once!) and even then I think he let me win, something I'm still not sure about.

I know my father will miss him a lot as well. I know for a fact that uncle was my dad’s favourite “go-to” guy whether it be personal issues or otherwise. Uncle was one of the first people that dad stayed with when he moved over to the UK and everything started from there really. He may not have been the most religious or the most out spoken but he was a good man and well respected. He will be dearly missed by all and may his soul enter Janaah (Ameen).

MIMIT seminar series - curing baldness

Curing Baldness –

Professor Ralf Paus

Hair loss/unwanted growth reflects problems in the hair follicle cycling due to problems i.e. malnutrition. The hair cycle is controlled by chemical signals and has three distinct phases; anagen (production), catagen (apoptosis) and telogen (rest). It was previously thought that hair follicles were only formed during fetal development, which is not true. Hair transplantations are used to fill in thinned scalp hair using micrografts and products that alter hair growth by conservation/preservation are available. The aim of hair research is to find a cure which is safe, inexpensive and minimally invasive.

Stem cells (SC’s) are responsible for producing hair follicles (HF’s) and the two SC populations are found in the bulge area and dermal papilla of the hair shaft. There are two main theories for hair restoration: cloning and regeneration/reactivation. General approach to cloning is to remove stem cells, multiply in suitable media and reinject new stem cells back to stimulate/produce new follicles. The SC populations can also be mixed together in culture to produce primitive follicle structures which are injected back into the scalp. Neogenesis (a fetal event) has been successful in mouse studies but not human whereas adult neogenesis is possible but problematic. Cell processing outside the body may produce undesirable results. Clinical problems such as painful cysts, granuloma and even skin cancer and cosmetic problems can occur; therefore hair needs to be strong, full pigmentation, voluminous and of correct orientation. On the other hand, current FDA approved drugs such as minoxidil and finasteride, prove follicular regeneration is possible. Even when hair follicles aren’t visible, stem cells are still present i.e. alopecia. Injecting these steroids into bald areas initiated re-growth, suggesting a reversible event; as follicles can be switched on/off.

An alternative approach would be to find biochemical messengers that control the on/off process of follicles. Other studies used mice experiments to investigate follicle behaviour where wounds were created in mouse skin, certain genes were turned on/off and during healing processes it was found that new hairs were formed. Prof Paus’ team suggest that regeneration of dormant follicles is a better method than travelling in a new direction like cloning and are currently working on TGFB/BMP signals during hair follicle development. Animal studies have been completed and the next stage is to start human clinical trials.

Prof Paus suggests that as well as looking regeneration of hair follicles, adult epithelial and mysenchymal hair follicle stem cells could be used for in vitro production of skin to cover defects via transplantation. Using potentially useful markers of the mouse system, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, microarrays and proteomic analyses are used to select epithelial and mysenchymal stem cells containing hair follicle compartments. The discovery of epithelial stem cells (eSC’s) near the bulge region of the hair follicle have lead to the identification of a number of SC populations that are crucial to wound healing; providing an ideal model system for stem cell biology and identification of reliable stem cell markers.

To conclude; it is easier to conserve rather than surgically restore hair and hair cures are more likely to be found via methods of regeneration i.e. identifying biological chemical mediators for reactivation, as opposed to cloning of follicles. Stem cells have the potential to become anything and the hair follicle itself is a cell farm that is ideal for research in this rapidly advancing field.

MIMIT seminar series - nerve repair

Regenerating nerves after injury: A novel polymer conduit for peripheral nerve repair –
Professor Sandra Downes

The human nervous system is made of the peripheral and the central nervous system. Damage to the peripheral nerve can lead to loss of sensation and function and affects about 1 in 1000 people. Nerve repair is an ongoing area of research and damage to the peripheral nerve can be repaired and regenerated unlike the central nerves. Current methods involve nerve autography but this process is ineffective with a number of problems such as loss of function at the donor site, sub optimal recovery and grafts are often the wrong diameter. A better method is required and tissue engineering allows the combination of cell based therapies with biomaterials.

Previous work has shown that nerve regeneration can be enhanced by using artificial nerve conduits to transplant Schwann cells; which are essential for repair as they multiply rapidly, secret growth factors and clear debris. Clinical use of Schwann cells is limited however as sufficient numbers are hard to produce in a short time and so methods are being sought to solve this problem. Alternative methods would be to use adult multi-potent stem cells that can be differentiated into functional Schwann cells for therapeutic use. There are other ongoing projects investigating nerve repair and results from different materials used will hopefully help to produce a scaffold with the best properties. The aim of this study was to create a polymer conduit that protects the nerve during healing and as the nerve repairs itself, the conduit degrades overtime.

The biocompatibility and biodegradability of the conduit are essential points and the group produced a novel material composition along with a new seal of the conduit. The material has a unique molecular structure that allows the conduit to degrade from the surface inwards, thus avoiding an acidic burst of polymers such as PCA. The conduit is minimally invasive, non toxic, sterilized, low cost, highly efficient and has a controllable microenvironment. It allows the ability to control surfaces, grow Schwann cells and nerve cells together and attract the appropriate growth factors. Early preclinical work in rats has shown no scarring, correct muscle attachment and a lack of inflammation. The nerve regeneration was illustrated by staining nerves with antibodies to show the area of cell repair. This early work has allowed FDA approval and further physiology tests, such as the grip test can be run on animals to see of the functionality of the nerves has been restored.

With FDA approval already in place, the conduits can be patented and have tremendous commercial potential. The route to market has been identified as producing a cluster of patents that can be licensed out to appropriate manufacturers. Future aims are to develop the material to improve directional growth and patent these new surfaces. Work on topographical nerve direction has already begun using processes such as in vitro testing, photolithography and wet etching. There is also the possibility of making the conduits electro-conductive in order to help directional growth and kick start nerve activity. Other ideas are to use the conduit to repair nerves in the central nervous system and tackling problems such as optical nerve blindness in newborns. To conclude, the conduit is a suitable solution to a current clinical problem and has many opportunities for future development and applications.

Aah Facebook, you do make me laugh

This blog post made me literally laugh out loud. Facebook strikes again.

http://maniacmuslim.com/2006/11/27/facebook-profile-ruins-marriage-proposal/

If only the girl in article had a dislike button, that way she could accurately detail when and where he went wrong. Lol.

On second thoughts, why limit it to just this case? I think Facebook needs to introduce a ’dislike’ for everyone just the same as the ‘like’ button. Some status updates are just plain odd.

Selling myself...

lol. No not that kind...

I meant in terms of filling in applications for jobs or further uni courses can be so stressful. Am I the only one who finds it hard to sell themselves on a single side of A4? Also when I write something down I’m concerned as to how the reader will perceive it... will they think I am arrogant or that I don’t know how to sell myself effectively? I suppose it’s one of those things that will never end and I will have to repeatedly have to do it throughout the rest of my life. Well I can only hope it gets easier over time! Urgh... right then. Rant over. Back I go to filling in endless forms!!!

Caller ID

Wonder who's calling - time to run or be direct?

I know, I should probably get caller ID as it would avoid scenes like this;

*Phone rings, dad answers*
Dad: “Hello”
Caller: “Hello Mr Ahmed. How are you?”
Dad: “Yes fine thank you. Sorry who is this?”
Caller: “Mr Ahmed, we’ve heard that someone in your household has had a car accident recently.”
Dad: *Puts the phone down and looks at me* “Anything you need to tell me? Forgotten perhaps?”
Me: “Err, not that I can remember. Why?”
Dad: “Someone said you had a car accident”
Me: “Who?”
Dad: “The woman on the phone”
Me: *Being sarcastic* “Yes, because cold callers are never wrong and know EVERYTHING”
Dad: ”Sooo… is that a NO then?”

Or this
*Phone rings, mum answers*
Mum: “Hello”
Caller: “Hello Mrs Ahmed. How are you?”
Mum: “I’m fine, thank you”
Caller: “Mrs Ahmed did you know that *insert number* (hundreds/ thousands/ millions) of (people/ cats/ dogs/ any living thing) dying every (second/minute/week/hour/month/year)?
Mum: “Oh really? That is terrible”
Caller: “Yes I know Mrs Ahmed, which is why…”

And so the caller follows this up with a bombardment of more facts and figures etc which keeps my poor mum on the phone for at least a good 20 to 30 minutes. Quite often they manage to persuade my mum into doing whatever they want her to do (bless her) whilst my dad just puts the phone down on them (he just doesn’t have the time, lol).

I can usually detect when a caller is selling me something so I usually make up some excuse (bad I know!) or quietly cut them all off whilst they’re running through their spiel. Recently however I have been tricked on more than once occasion! People will ring and upon answering the phone they will usually respond with “Assalamu Alaikum” the islamic equivalent of hello. It tricks me into thinking it might be someone my parents may know etc and so I will continue the conversation until I’m pretty sure it’s not someone I know. However by this point it’s harder to cut the call off as I’ve been talking to them for a while (sneaky eh?) and so I will continue talking to them and wait for them to come up for air/ take a pause so that I can interrupt and tell them politely to go away.

It’s not all bad though and you do get funny sales people as well, sometimes. Tom from O2 and Hassan from Sky TV – I’m looking at you guys! Making idle chit chat or telling me how lovely my voice sounds over the phone will not make me increase the value of my mobile phone package or sign up to new TV packages. Yet they still don’t get and will ring again every couple of months. And it’s the same guys every time – I think they are being trained to break my spirit! Bring on the caller ID!

Getting back into it...

Hmm I haven't blogged in a while so I thought I'd get back into blogging by writing up some of my preferred seminar reviews from the MIMIT series at university. Oh yea, did I mention I was back at uni again? lol

Rather randomly, I’ve suddenly found prank phone calls funny again – no that’s not an invitation for everyone to start ringing from withheld numbers! I think it’s something to do with being very bored and a uni student. Sixth form – not funny, uni – funny, working – not so funny, uni – funny. I can see a pattern forming, can you? Urgh... I need to get out more, lol!

Divisions between Facebook and Twitter

Like I said before, I do like using new technology and services as opposed to some friends who are just a tiny bit hesitant... but I’m working on them ;) So far I’ve got those friends to join Facebook and I think they like using it. Therefore I thought the next thing I should get them signed up to is Twitter and explained what it was all about. Except I don’t think they liked this idea as much, but I’m not sure why. I’m on both Facebook and Twitter and essentially they are both ‘social networking’ sites, but I feel like there is a difference between the two services.

Twitter is all about keeping in touch with people but on a much larger scale and it may not feel as personal as Facebook as some people have many thousands of followers. It allows you to update everyone on what you’re up to and in return you keep up to date on everyone else you follow. It’s a bit like a newsfeed but it has more of a community feel as you get to pick and choose who you do and don’t follow. However with twitter, it’s become more of a family thing for me as most of my followers and the people that I’m following are close family members. For me it’s nice to be able to see at a glance what most of my family are up to, especially if I’ve been busy and haven’t had the chance to meet up with them properly.

On the other hand, I feel that Facebook is more of a personal service as the people that you add to your profile are usually real family and friends, people that you know and have probably met face to face. It’s usually a close group of people, though there are exceptions as some people have like over a 1000 friends added to their accounts. The point is that that you may not meet these people very often, but being able to write on each other’s walls, tagging friends in various photos and using apps like superpoke, makes it a lot more fun than exchanging normal emails to keep in touch. It’s the ‘in’ thing at the moment and if you like is the acceptable face of the emailing as it’s cool at this moment in time.

So there, that’s my opinion on the topic. Does anyone else feel like that or is it just me?

Does what happen in Facebook stay in Facebook?

http://www.albumoftheday.com/facebook/  

In one word. No

A little obvious but I’d be careful of what you put up on Facebook, because once it’s out there, it is out of your control. An obvious statement but if just take a moment to scroll through your friends list you always be able to pinpoint the people that will regret posting that status or tagging that picture... and you never know who might find it later on.

Is it time?

So here we are... has the time come to call it a day? My blog updates are becoming few and far between and I always seem to come up against technical problems... why wont’ my computer let me be?! lol.

Hmm... new semester started today, got a lot of course literature to read through so how do I use my time? By updating my blog and fixing the various issues I had :) A quick update on my life since my last post...

Life stuff so far includes –

• Weddings played a major part in my life over this past year or so. Faisal chachu got hitched, Adnan chachu also followed, Umer bhai got married to Gabby, Furheen baji got married to her other half and Ashar bhai remembered that he hadn’t had an official registration ceremony so we had that as well, lol. Friends getting married include Munira, Iyesha, Mahria, Abbey (Abida), Uncle Bhatt’s daughter Nasra, Uncle Singh’s daughter Harjeet, Jabeen, Noshien and many more that I’ve probably forgotten as all the weddings seem to merge into one huge party season!
• Work; completed my one year in Harrogate during which Abbey left after getting married whilst Liz and Dee from uni joined as well as Sarjil and Urvi from Bio2work. Had a good year and made a lot of friends but glad to be getting back to uni and the student life again. Here’s hoping I do well in my future studies, inshAllah.
• My DIY shenanigans have continued... redecorating my room by demolishing old fitted wardrobes, redoing the paint work, redecorating Aishi’s room and decorating Bilal’s new room in the extension. Feeling quite DIY competent but will my father ever admit it? I think not! lol.
• Managed to kill my car :( in a spectacular crash back in June 2008... hopefully my first and last. Still trying to figure out how I managed to cause so much damage?! I know for a fact that my father is still in shock!
• I finally got myself wait for it... BROADBAND! Woohoo! Yep I can hear the applause already... I also got a new laptop thus solving my technical issues. Basically I’ve finally entered the modern world... so what I hear you ask?! What’s the big deal? Well it’s a big deal for me, it took a while, being a student does not help, but I made it... so a pat on the back for me I guess, lol.
• Joined a lot of social networking sites over the years, but with FACEBOOK taking over everything lately it meant a lack of blog updates. Wondering if I really need these and contemplating a good clear out of membership to such sites. Hmm will get back to you on this...

Erm can’t think of anything else at the moment really. So back to the question; “To blog or not to blog?” hmmm...

Saima A says I have got way too much to do this year to be messing about with blogs and dealing other possible issues that will arise as I get more addicted to it...a bit like Twitter, lol. On the other hand, Saima B says that I’m gonna be writing so much these days anyway that adding one more post to my list won’t be such a big deal. Who knows, it may help with my writing skills (ha!) and act as a release for me allowing me to take time off from serious science to write about more light hearted topics every so often. Combining Saima A and Saima B gives rise to Saima C... a much more balanced view perhaps? A, B and C are all me by the way, just in case you didn’t figure that out already! :)

Hmm I think I’ll continue this blogging malarkey for a while longer and see how it goes. Perhaps find an alternative platform to blog from as Windows Live doesn't seem to cut it anymore. The search is on!!! (Ok I think that last line is stolen from The Apprentice... seriously beginning to sound obsessed with the programme, help!)

Anyone for a horror movie?

As well as the usual Rom-Coms, adventure and bollywood movies, I really do enjoy a good thriller/horror movie. A lot of my friends often ask why I watch such movies when I face similar situations on a daily basis. No, I don’t mean regularly being confronted by a mad man wielding a chainsaw* but more in the sense that we (as medics/researchers) often come across some pretty gruesome situations. Therefore people would naturally assume that in our time off we would try to divert our attention elsewhere rather than seeking out those types of situations; albeit in the form of horror movies.

And honestly I cannot pinpoint why I watch them! Some of the med crew think we’re a strange bunch of people, others try and find the humour in the situations and some think that we’re so desensitised due to our careers that these things don’t affect us anymore. I think I’m with the last group of people, in terms of being desensitised. When you’re in a certain situation on a regular basis, it doesn’t shock you anymore. That’s not to say that people become cold hearted and stop caring but maybe that their ‘shock’ threshold is set higher than others perhaps?

Anyway I’m wondering off the point…
Where was I? Oh yea, so thriller/horror movies. Movies that I think are well made;

• The Omen. A demonic child, need I say more?
• The Ring. Despite having to read the subtitles (which I find annoying sometimes), this movie scared the hell out of me.
• Blair Witch. Ok I know many of you will disagree but I think this movie was more about the feeling rather than the gruesome content. Watching it at 2am, all alone on a cold dark winter’s night… well your mind definitely starts to play tricks on you.
• Resident Evil. Well written, well shot and excellent acting/directing. Left on a bit of a cliff hanger at the end. Will always watch it whenever it pops up on TV.
• 28 days later. The concept of this was terrifying. To find out that the human species is being replaced by an army of zombies and there’s nothing you can do.
• The Descent. A group of friends explore an underground network of caves and eventually get lost. Here they find a group of creatures which leads to carnage and some terrifying cinema.
• Jeepers Creepers. Where the evil thing just won’t die no matter what you do. Very creepy.
• Final Destination. Death can come at any point but the fact that it actively plays catch up with you, like a cat and mouse game. Cue some really gory death scenes.
• Saw. Where everything is well thought out by the madman and the other person is completely helpless. Very terrifying and it makes you wonder about the human mind and what some people are capable of.
• Seven. A twisted killer and a film full of nasty shocks. The scene that sticks most in my mind is of the dead man strapped to his bed in an apartment. Or at least everyone thinks he is dead.
• Signs. I liked this movie because it incorporated personal family life as well as the ‘alien’ problem on the whole. Not many special effects but it plays more on your thought process.
• The War of the Worlds. According to the budget on this film, quite a few thought this movie was a bit of a letdown. Yet I still enjoyed it, I liked the special effects however I felt the ending lacked something.

Ok I’m sure I have loads more and this could go on forever, but please feel free to add anymore that you think deserve a mention :) My point is that the majority of these movies all have something in common, they are made by American or British film industry and they know how to do it well, like the Japanese and Korean film makers. So when I read that Pakistani film makers had produced a new horror movie, I did have my doubts. The Pakistan/India film makers are better known for their romantic, comedy and adventure movies as opposed to horror flicks. Those that do attempt them are usually copies of Hollywood movies thus not being very original or those that are originals often lack the special effects etc to back up their story telling. Perhaps this has now changed over the years as it has been a while since I’ve watched a horror movie that was produced in India/Pakistan. Please click on the following link (courtesy of my older brother, Imran) for more information.

< http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/btm/2008/Film_Detail.asp?filmid=7776 >

*Though there was that time when dad decided to do some gardening and felt that a chainsaw would be the most appropriate tool. A blog post for another time I think :P

Bilal

I decided to write out some of the conversations that I have with my younger brother Bilal as they often make me laugh and sometimes he does say some intelligent things, lol.

We’re both sat down at the dining table having dinner;

Bilal: “Baj, you know how you can run fast and if you put your hand on your heart, you can feel it. Why does that happen?”
Me: “Well the heart is a bit like a pump that pushes blood around the body. It uses a lot of force and you can hear it if you listen with the right tools. Sometimes when people don’t look after themselves (i.e. bad diet, no exercise) they get poorly and that changes the heart sounds.”
Bilal: “So if they knew all that before, they wouldn’t do it would they? But they don’t get a second chance do they?”
Me: “Yea, I know it's sad but that’s life. You’re very lucky if you do get a second chance”

Bilal’s lost deep in thought for a while and then says..

Bilal: “So what we really need is a back-up plan. Like two hearts in case one is faulty”
Me: “I suppose. But we should really take care of what god gave us in the first place”
Bilal: “Yea but just in case… you know like Dr Who!”
Me: Smiling… “Yea exactly like Dr Who. Good idea”

I love the fact that my brother picked up something from what he watches on TV. Even if it was Dr Who, lol.

He later went onto describe how we should be able to go into shops and buy what we need for our bodies. I think in his head he had some sort of organ cloning shop. I asked him if that would be wrong because we’re not valuing what God gave us and just think we can replace anything and everything. He went quiet and replied with “Well if God didn’t want us to do that then he wouldn’t have told our brains how to”. Fair point - so that’s me told then, lol. I think Bilal would definitely be in the pro camp for organ cloning and the like ;)

Comedians

I love comedy and lately I’ve come across a few new comedians - well, new to me anyway.

First up, Michael Macintyre. I think this guy is great. He’s not rude or offensive, is really enthusiastic and energetic during his routine and his mannerisms, well everything really... he just makes me laugh. I think another couple of years and he’ll eventually become a household name. I mean, come on how could you not like him? Here’s an excerpt of his routine ‘Live at the Apollo’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es2l4yUBY6M

Russell Howard again probably not that well known, but I think he’s great. I first came across him on ‘Mock the week’ which is hosted by another one of my favourite comedians Dara O’Briain. Russell is somewhat different to Macintyre, as he is a little geeky but equally funny. Again here’s an excerpt from his routine ‘Live at the Apollo’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-weFBV7YmHA

Ramzan Mubarak

Stolen from a ramadan mubarak message that was sent to me :)

"I am pleased to inform you that our special guest and neighbour Ramadan will be visiting you with his wife Roza and their two children Sehri and iftaar. They will be accompanied by three grandchildren Rahmat, Barakat and Touba, they will leave after thirty days by Eid Airlines. Treasure them and you will be blessed. :)

A very happy Ramadan too you now the festive season is upon us :)"

Cute, right?