 |
|
|
|
 A pink coloration can be seen on this reindeer's nose.
December 24th, 2012
06:53 AM ET
Reindeer noses: Really red?Ho ho ho, here's some Christmas-themed science! The British Medical Journal's Christmas issue this month features a study about reindeer that treats a fantastical idea with some medical reality. The result is a lesson in how reindeer noses compare to the noses of humans and what purpose their underlying structures serve. Can Ince, a professor who works in intensive care medicine at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, studies microcirculation, or how the smallest blood vessels in the body receive blood. Red blood cells go to these vessels to relieve themselves of oxygen, delivering it to the tissues that need it. Ince and colleagues developed a hand microscope so that doctors can look for abnormalities and pathologies in the smallest blood vessels, even when blood pressure is normalized. This has had a great influence on intensive care medicine, Ince said. Particularly interesting to Ince was how this might apply to the nasal tract and, more generally, to ear, nose and throat diseases. "We decided to study the best known nose in the business, which was, of course, Rudolph’s nose," Ince said. The new study looked at both humans and reindeer. Five healthy human volunteers, two adult reindeer, and a patient with a condition called nasal polyposis participated. The researchers saw that the patients with nasal polyposis had abnormal microvasculature, or blood vessels in their noses. To check out the reindeer noses, Ince traveled to Tromso, Norway, where researchers there study how reindeer and other animals adapt to their environment. It is indeed relatively near the North Pole; in fact, the University of Tromso, where one of the researchers is based, is the world's northernmost university, according to its website. These reindeer are subjected to some fairly frosty temperatures in the wild, as low as around -40 degrees F. But they still need a way to cool off vital organs. Researchers put reindeer on a treadmill to see what happens to their internal temperature when they're running. The nose of the reindeer plays an important role in regulating the animal's brain temperature, Ince said. The nose ventilates the brain with the blood in the microcirculation, Ince said. In the new study, researchers saw that when viewed in infrared light (with a thermal camera), reindeer noses do glow red. And in normal light, reindeer can have a pink coloration on their noses. "We found that Rudolph, indeed, has a red nose, but that it is completely related to his normal physiology," Ince said. The blood vessels in the reindeer appear to fill and empty in a rhythmic flow, which had never been observed before, Ince said. He believes the images in the study are the first of nasal microcirculation in reindeer. Reindeer have more small vessels, and 25% higher density of these vessels, in their noses than humans do, the scientists said. But they seem to have similarities in terms of small structures within the nose. These structures that produce a lot of the mucus in the nose are important because they help with the humidification of our bodies. If our noses didn't have hairs, we would dry out very rapidly, Ince said. Learn more about the study in this video from the British Medical Journal.
Next entry »Obesity among young children declines slightly
« Previous entryMarijuana use holds steady among U.S. teens
|
  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
 |
|
|
|
Well that's 2 minutes of my life I can't get back...
Tell me about it! =/
2.25 here. I had to reply..
What a sweet animal (in the video)! I'm relieved to learn that they are trained to accept the treadmill without suffering stress.
My political party never said they were red. Only Rudolph's. So, it's a lie by our opponents.
Glad I read the comments before reading the article. 🙂
This is what happens when some kid writes to Santa wanting "SIANCE STUF".
Happy birthday JESUS! The best gift someone could ever receive...
Don't leave out all the other gods that were born on Dec 25th: Krishna, Mithra, Helios, Sol, Attis, Horus, Dionysus, Tammuz, Odin, Bedru, Adad, Crite, Salivahana, Hermes, Bacchus, Prometheus, Hercules, Nimrod, Jupiter, Quetzalcoatl.
Good point!
About one of every 365 Jesus has his birthday on December 25. They all wonder what gift you are talking about and where they can pick it up.
Ignobelworthy... At least Mr Ince got his free skip trip.
Great story, especially in light of the holiday!
My nose really is red. Some even say it glows.
All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call me names. They never let poor me play in any reindeer games.
Then one snowy Christmas eve, Santa came to say, Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight?
That's when I told him to shove his job up his you-know-what.
Because I'm a union guy. And you can't tell me what to do.
Thanks, Mitt. Sorry about that election thing.
LOL. Love it. Go unions and fair wages for all! I am so playing reindeer games this Christmas. Cheers.
Elizabeth Landau, please never type out an article again. Thanks.
If Every one of the Reindeer noses glowed red then there wouldn't be any bullying applied to Rudolph nor exclusions nor being ostracized. Rudolph only had a red nose. It was about time Santa brought his sled up to par with aircraft. He still needs running lights, landing lights, and other night and day indicator lights.....Throw in avoidance radar with a flight plan logged every where he goes and he would make the sky safe from him....
About twenty years ago when Santa and the Reindeers started to catch on in China, at a local hotel in Beijing the Red Nose was on Santa! It was a good and probably logical theory when faced with one Red Nose in the kit box with no instructions. That was a Ho Ho Ho moment for me. Happy Holidays.
loved your article – you are a great writer- look forward to reading and learning from your column
TIDINGS!!!!! JESUS IS THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD!!!!!!!! PEACE & JOY TO ALL.................
but can they fly though?
lop if you are a diabetic you need to read this blog. saveyourfeet.wordpress.com
Hello just wanted to give you a quick heads up and let you know a few of
the images aren't loading properly. I'm not sure why but I think its a linking issue.
I've tried it in two different browsers and both show the same outcome.
とても丁寧な対応をして頂きました。
こちらのムリも聞いて頂いて
気持ち良い取引ができましました。
ありがとうございました。
viagra virement bancaire viagra bilder lustig levitra cialis viagra qual o melhor
viagra doctor singapore https://buybuyviamen.com/ viagra troops
viagra discount canada buy 90 sildenafil 100mg price viagra soft online
can i buy viagra online without a prescription buy viagra pills canada buy viagra free shipping
college essay john hopkins college paper writing service college essay reddit
writing a tok essay reflection on essay writing organize research papers
reflection essay on writing easy essay writer homework assistance pay later
homework help egypt college essays 101 best website to write essay
custom essay papers write an essay about education first day at college essay
pay to do homework assignment why is it so hard to write an essay materials and methods in research paper
50 mg generic viagra viagra liverpool viagra
300 word college essay can i pay someone to do my assignment write college essay
website that writes essay for me college essays written undergraduate coursework
viagra cost at nh pharmacies buy pfizer viagra viagra hong kong
cialis where can i buy cialis in canada buy cialis
viagra vs cialis vs levitra reviews viagra in sacramento ca brand viagra on the web
cialis online overnight delivery can you buy cialis with no prescription where to buy cialis soft tabs
viagra sources viagra gel australia viagra persription
street value for viagra online viagra sales viagra usa pharmacy
buy viagra brisbane viagra cialis canada viagra vs cialis vs levitra reviews
cialis cheapest prices cialis paypal payment cialis/generic
order generic cialis online 20 mg 20 pills viagra cialis on line parmacy originial cialis
buy viagra espagne buy viagra generic online free viagra samples boynton beach
cost of viagra without insurance craigslist and viagra buy cheap viagraa online
canada drugs online pharmacy rx canadian pharmacy generic viagra
best drugstore highlighter cheap rx impotence
pharmacy orlando treatment for erectile dysfunction best drugstore shampoo
online pharmacy viagra canadian pharmacy pharmacy rx world
canada online pharmacy rx pharmacy canadian pharmacy viagra
rx pharmacy coupons online drugstore pharmacy online canadian pharmacy
24 hour drug store near me rx best drugstore primer
profesional viagra buy brand viagra online guarenteed generic viagra australain oral jelly viagra can i buy viagra in shoppers drug mart drugs like viagra generic viagra price viagra purchase in sydney buy viagra on line П†П„О·ОЅО± viagra original viagra buy viagra with overnight shipping where to buy viagra in tucson without prescription in person online viagra montreal buy viagra no prescription australia