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Eating a diet rich in whole grains (which also tend to be higher in fiber) helps improve insulin sensitivity. This, in turn, helps the body more efficiently use blood glucose, lowers blood glucose levels, and reduces fat deposition.

 

 

 

One of the world's widest studies into the reasons for heart attacks has identified nine risk factors that account for nine out of ten of all cardiac arrests. Smoking, stress and cholesterol tops the list.

 

  

Down Syndrome ~ Chromosomal abnormality

In 1959, the French physician, Jerome Lejeune, identified Down syndrome as a chromosomal anomaly. Instead of the usual 46 chromosomes present in each cell, Lejeune observed 47 in the cells of individuals with Down syndrome.

The human body is made of cells; all cells contain a center, called a nucleus, in which genetic material is stored. This genetic material, known as genes, carries the codes responsible for all our inherited characteristics.

Genes are grouped along rod-like structures called chromosomes. Normally, the nucleus of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, half of which are inherited from each parent.

In Down syndrome, however, the cells usually contain not 46, but 47 chromosomes; with the extra chromosome being a number 21. This excess genetic material, in the form of additional genes along the 21st chromosome, results in Down syndrome.

Because 95 percent of all cases of Down syndrome occur because there are three copies of the 21st chromosome, it is often referred to as "trisomy 21."

Down syndrome is usually caused by an error in cell division called non-disjunction. However, two other types of chromosomal abnormalities, mosaicism and translocation, are also implicated in Down syndrome--although to a much lesser extent. Regardless of the type of Down syndrome which a person may have, all people with Down syndrome have an extra, critical portion of the number 21 chromosome present in all, or some, of their cells.

Karyotype Down Syndrome

Nondisjunction is a faulty cell division which results in an embryo with three number 21 chromosomes instead of two.

Mosaicism occurs when nondisjunction of the 21st chromosome takes place in one of the initial cell divisions after fertilization. When this occurs, there is a mixture of two types of cells, some containing 46 chromosomes and some containing 47. Those cells with 47 chromosomes contain an extra 21st chromosome. Because of the "mosaic" pattern of the cells, the term mosaicism is used. Mosaicism is rare, being responsible for only 1 to 2 percent of all cases of Down syndrome.

Translocation is a different type of chromosomal problem and occurs in only 3 to 4 percent of people with Down syndrome. Translocation occurs when part of the number 21 chromosome breaks off during cell division and attaches to another chromosome. While the total number of chromosomes in the cells remains 46, the presence of an extra part of the number 21 chromosome causes the features of Down syndrome.