News tagged with potassium
Discovery of genetic defect that triggers epilepsy
Researchers at the University Department of Neurology at the MedUni Vienna have identified a gene behind an epilepsy syndrome, which could also play an important role in other idiopathic (genetically caused) ...
Neuroscience
Apr 17, 2013 |
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Topical treatment effective for toenail fungal infection
(HealthDay)—Once daily topical efinaconazole is effective in treating fungal infections of the toenail, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
Apr 12, 2013 |
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Study offers new approach for spinal muscular atrophy
Spinal muscular atrophy is a debilitating neuromuscular disease that in its most severe form is the leading genetic cause of infant death. By experimenting with an ALS drug in two very different animal models, researchers ...
Neuroscience
Apr 09, 2013 |
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Reducing salt and increasing potassium will have major global health benefits
Cutting down on salt and, at the same time, increasing levels of potassium in our diet will have major health and cost benefits across the world, according to studies published in BMJ today.
Health
Apr 04, 2013 |
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FDA adds heart risk warning to popular antibiotic Zithromax
The Food and Drug Administration is warning doctors and patients that a widely used antibiotic from Pfizer can cause rare but deadly heart rhythms in some patients.
Medications
Mar 12, 2013 |
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Omega-3s from fish vs. fish oil pills better at maintaining blood pressure in mouse model
Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish may have diverse health-promoting effects, potentially protecting the immune, nervous, and cardiovascular systems.
Health
Mar 05, 2013 |
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Neuronal activity induces tau release from healthy neurons
Researchers from King's College London have discovered that neuronal activity can stimulate tau release from healthy neurons in the absence of cell death. The results published by Diane Hanger and her colleagues in EMBO re ...
Alzheimer's disease & dementia
Feb 15, 2013 |
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Study offers new insights into the mechanics of muscle fatigue
A study in The Journal of General Physiology examines the consequences of muscle activity with surprising results, indicating that the extracellular accumulation of potassium that occurs in working muscles is considerably higher ...
Medical research
Jan 17, 2013 |
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Researchers use iPSCs to define optimal treatment for managing life-threatening arrhythmias
Researchers used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from a young patient with Long QT syndrome (LQTS), a congenital heart disorder, to determine a course of treatment that helped manage the patient's ...
Cardiology
Jan 11, 2013 |
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Inherited retinal disease research may lead to treatment
Inherited retinal disease is a major cause of vision impairment in early life - and a researcher at The University of Western Australia hopes a study in which he was involved will contribute towards the development ...
Medical research
Jan 08, 2013 |
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Scientists study how to reduce salt, but not flavor, in cheese
From soup to nuts, supermarket shelves teem with products trumpeting their reduced-salt status. Not in the cheese cooler, though.
Health
Dec 24, 2012 |
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How the common fruit fly is helping scientists to study alcohol-related disorders
Scientists have shown how the common fruit fly Drosophila, which possess similar electrophysiological and pharmacological properties as humans, could now be used to screen and develop new therapies for alcohol-related ...
Medical research
Dec 20, 2012 |
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JAMA article discusses critical need for iodine supplements during pregnancy and while nursing
A viewpoint in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) discusses the issue of iodine deficiency in pregnant women in the U.S. and the potential negative health implications for both mothers and their chi ...
Health
Dec 18, 2012 |
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Lethal stings from the Australian box jellyfish could be treated with zinc
Box jellyfish of the Chironex species are among the most venomous animals in the world, capable of killing humans with their sting. Their venom, though, which kills by rapidly punching holes in human red bl ...
Medical research
Dec 12, 2012 |
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New research sheds light on childhood neuromuscular disease
A study by scientists at the Motor Neuron Center at Columbia University Medical Center suggests that spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic neuromuscular disease in infants and children, results primarily from problems ...
Medical research
Nov 20, 2012 |
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Potassium
Potassium (pronounced /pɵˈtæsiəm/) is the chemical element with the symbol K (Latin: kalium, from Arabic: القَلْيَه al-qalyah “plant ashes”, cf. Alkali from the same root), atomic number 19, and atomic mass 39.0983. Potassium was first isolated from potash. Elemental potassium is a soft silvery-white metallic alkali metal that oxidizes rapidly in air and is very reactive with water, generating sufficient heat to ignite the evolved hydrogen.
Potassium in nature occurs only as ionic salt. As such, it is found dissolved in seawater, and as part of many minerals. Potassium ion is necessary for the function of all living cells, and is thus present in all plant and animal tissues. It is found in especially high concentrations in plant cells, and in a mixed diet, it is most highly concentrated in fruits.
In many respects, potassium and sodium are chemically similar, although they have very different functions in organisms in general, and in animal cells in particular.
For more information about Potassium, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
