According to new research, humans determine their total number of fat cells in childhood itself. According to researchers, new cells come to being and old ones die, but their numbers remain more or less constant after adolescence. This study was conducted by researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Humboldt University Berlin, Foundation of Research and Technology in Greece, Karolinska University Hospital and Stockholm University. To carry out the tests, Lead researcher Kirsty Spalding relied on the presence of heavy carbon-14 molecules in people's bodies as a result of radiation due to nuclear testing in the 1950s and 1960s. These molecules put a birth date onto fat cells because of their predictable decay.

Research Highlights
a. This study was conducted on a group of thin and fat people.
b. Researchers calculated the birthdays of clumps of adipocytes or fat cells taken from biopsies of 25 people.
c. These numbers were then plugged into a mathematical model.
d. It was seen that obese people start building up their fat cells much faster and at a younger age than thin people.
e. Little difference was noticed in the turnover of fat cells between skinny and obese people.
f. However, it was seen that young obese people add twice as many fat cells each year as others on an average.
g. This makes it tough for them to stay thin.
h. It was concluded that what one eats in childhood matters a lot.
i. The more fat a child accumulates, the more difficult it is to lose weight as an adult.

According to recent reports, Peekaboo, the company that makes pole dancing equipment, is all set to develop a videogame for Nintendo's motion-sensitive Wii console. This game will meet the demand for the fun and fitness benefits of pole dancing. This move will complement the recent craze for pole dancing that has seen pole dancing classes springing up in gyms and health clubs across Europe and the USA.

Highlights of the new pole dancing game
a. This will be a family-friendly, movement-based game.
b. It will induce players to perform physical exercises on an electronic pole controller.
c. Wii-friendly hardware will be used to make aerobic pole dancing instantly accessible.
d. According to a company spokesman, Peekaboo might also introduce a mobile phone version of the game.
e. Men and women of all shapes and sizes will be encouraged to work on improving their skills.
f. The focus will be on fun and fitness.
g. This game is still in its developmental phase.
h. It does not yet have a title or release date.

Weight loss tablets are the easy way out for most obese people. And, with obesity increasing at an alarming rate, more and more drug companies are striving to come out with their own diet pill. There are several new prescription diet pills in late stage trials and, according to reports, at least 30 companies are developing weight-loss drugs. But most people make the mistake of treating these pills like magic pills.

Highlights
a. Some pills block the absorption of fat in the body.
b. Others work in the brain to suppress appetite.
c. Experts are of the opinion that these pills do not work by themselves.
d. These pills have not proved to be effective in the long run.
e. People tend to gain back the weight they lost once they stop taking the pills.
f. No real data exists on how safe the pills are in the long run.
g. The Food and Drug Administration has only approved them for adults for up to two years of continuous use.
h. It works best only when combined with diet and exercise.
i. Besides, it also has different degrees of success in different people.

Side effects of some weight loss pills
a. Alli: It can cause uncontrolled bowel movement.
b. Sibutramine: It can cause increased blood pressure and heart rate in some patients.
c. Orlistat: It can alter the absorption of fat in food and cause embarrassing intestinal side effects.
d. Rimonabant; It can cause nausea, anxiety, depression and insomnia.

Recently, scientists have claimed that they were able to re-grow a mans severed finger by applying an experimental powder. Known as 'pixie dust', this miracle powder apparently caused the finger to grow back to its original size and shape in 4 weeks and gave the finger nails and finger prints in just 4 months.

Highlights of 'pixie dust'
a. This is basically a collagen rich powder made from dried pig's bladder.
b. It is also popularly known as extra-cellular matrix.
c. It is made by scraping the cells from the lining of a pig's bladder.
d. After the cells are discarded, the remaining tissue is "cleaned" in acid and dried.
e. The powder stimulates tissues to grow from scratch rather than form scars.
f. It forms a kind of microscopic scaffolding for the body's own cells to build round.
g. Scientists are hopeful that this powder can help in cases of amputation and burns as well.
h. Plans to experiment if the technique will re-grow esophagus tissue removed in cancer patients are also on.
i. It was originally developed to aid in the regeneration of damaged ligaments in horses.
j. It is said to stimulate the body's natural healing process.
k. It sends out signals that cause the body's own cells to repair damaged tissues.
l. However, it is still not clear exactly how the powder works.

Photocredit: dailmail.co.uk

Planning a tummy tuck? Think again. You could be contributing to environment pollution. According to Drs. Navin Singh and Marwan Khalifeh, senior partners at Ivy Plastic Surgery Associates in Chevy Chase, D.C., procedures like liposuction and tummy tucks require the suctioning out of fat from the body. This fat is then incinerated for want of a better way of disposal. This burning of fat releases carbon in the environment. Taking this into account and seeking to do their bit towards being environmental friendly, they have now started purchasing carbon credits.

Highlights of the issue
a. According to the doctors, a pound of fat is about 78 per cent carbon.
b. In the US, almost 450,000 liposuctions and tummy tucks are performed in a year.
c. This means that about 1000 tons of carbon is released every year into the atmosphere when it is incinerated for disposal.
d. The resulting pollution is equivalent to driving 2 million miles.
e. In their opinion, even jogging emits carbon into the air when fat is being burned by the body.

Highlights of the initiative
a. Singh and Khalifeh have started purchasing carbon credits.
b. They do this through the website www.carbonfund.org.
c. They have signed up to spend about $100 to $200 a month on carbon credits,
d. They hope that this amount will go to companies and nonprofit organizations involved in pollution reduction, protecting existing forests, planting trees, etc.

A 5-year clinical study conducted on Contura International's soft volume filler Aquamid has shown a more than 90 per cent satisfaction rate in patients and physicians. The data of this study was presented at the annual meeting for the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) in San Diego. Contura is currently conducting a multi center, comparative clinical trial of the product in the United States where it is not yet approved for the market.

Highlights of the study
a. This is a multi center, prospective study of safety and long-term aesthetic results of Aquamid injections for facial soft tissue augmentation and facial contouring.
b. It was conducted on 116 patients over a period of 5 years.
c. All the patients visited the clinics for regular follow-up for five years after their first Aquamid injection.
d. It was seen that 96 per cent of the patients were of the opinion that the results were "very good" or "good".
e. 92 per cent of the patients were "very satisfied" or "satisfied".
f. It was also found to be safe with few and no unexpected adverse events.
g. The results of 5 years were consistent with the data from the 1-year, 2-year and 3- to 4-year follow-up visits.
h. This study establishes the long-term efficacy and safety of Aquamid.

Highlights of Aquamid hydrogel
a. This product is made with the company's patented hydrogel technology.
b. The product contains 97.5 per cent sterile water and 2.5 per cent cross-linked polyacrylamide.
c. It is a homogeneous product without any microparticles.
d. It is meant for injection under the skin.
e. It enhances facial contours, like nasolabial folds, cheekbones, lips or nose and smoothes out wrinkles or folds.
f. The effect is immediate and predictable.
g. It does not require a skin test before treatment.
h. The hydrogel integrates completely into the tissue and does not migrate from the injection site.
i. It remains soft and feels like a natural part of the tissue and follows tissue movements.
j. It does not degrade over time.

Disadvantages
a. It is not meant for pregnant and nursing women.
b. It is not meant for people who are suffering from cold sores.
c. Some people might experience mild irritation, redness and tenderness around the injection site.

Lipolysis is a popular option with people who wish to reshape their bodies and lose weight. There are many devices in the market that offer this service. Now Syneron Medical Ltd. has entered the lipolysis market with the introduction of their new LipoLite device for laser-assisted lipolysis. This device has also received the clearance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the US for laser-assisted lipolysis and additional dermatological procedures.

Highlights of LipoLite
a. It uses the OptiPulse technology.
b. It optimizes the mechanical breakdown of target tissue and thermal destruction of fat cell membranes.
c. It uses two pulse energy levels and pulse repetition rates.
d. This device breaks and eliminates fat cells through non-selective heating of the adipose tissue.
e. It delivers 1064nm Nd:YAG laser energy through an optical fiber inside a cannula, inserted through a tiny incision to the treatment site.
f. This is a minimally invasive procedure.
g. It involves the use of local anesthetic.
h. It provides lasting results with hardly any downtime.
i. It is a safe and almost painless procedure.
j. It enables physicians to remove fat in body and facial areas that is not possible with traditional liposuction.
k. It is an efficient and compact system that can be easily fitted on to a table top.
l. It can be easily upgraded in the future if the need arises.

Highlights of the FDA clearance
a. The LipoLite system has been cleared by the FDA for dermatological procedures that involve incision, excision, vaporization, ablation and coagulation of soft tissue.
b. It has also been cleared for laser-assisted lipolysis.