Best Microscope Online

This body is truly an amazing creation. Gash your arm and it heals, just keep the wound clean and you can watch the process of healing-in-action. Yes, it may feel sore, achy, inflamed, but the cells fill in and the job is finished - it was so designed.Inflammation- Friend or FoeA big boost was given to our understanding of inflammation as the natural and beneficial result of tissue damaged by the authors of "The Fires Within", a nine-page research article in a Time Magazine. Cytokine hormones were implicated as the instigators of the inflammatory response with its goal being the destruction of pathogens and damaged tissue. The crux of the matter is the inability of the cells to shut down the "cascade of events triggered whenever the body is subjected to injury or trauma" including emotional trauma, or the traumatic effects of toxins and chaotic electric on the human system.7 The acidic cytokines continue to flood the system, with chronic pain and ill health driven by a now acidic body pH. The areas most susceptible to assault appear to be the joints/bursa, digestive system, and heart.
We give little thought to the body's defense system: natural barriers of skin and mucus membranes, specific mechanisms of white blood cells with fevers/inflammation and specific defenses of antibody production, balanced intestinal flora, and powerful stomach acid.1 All are part of the recently discovered Repair Loop, a theory proposed by Robert O. Becker, M.D. in his book Cross Currents and since intuited to be correct.2&3 The body's computer-like monitoring of the entire process, under normal circumstances would produce the expected wellness. However, glitches can occur. An impaired Repair Loop designed to keep the body in good running order, may malfunction predisposing the victim to an unproductive search for answers and a lifetime of suffering. . Neither drugs nor multiple therapies offer any real answer to this unfortunate drama played out in the minute-to-minute lives of so many. The latest theory is that of an autoimmune syndrome, a body turned against itself with unrelenting inflammation of unknown origin. Many diseases have been put under the microscope of science in the light of the autoimmune theory: Alzheimer's, hepatitis, thyroiditis, scleroderma and lupus to name a few.
We know that the body's natural response to tissue trauma is redness, swelling, heat and pain precipitated by damage, disease and "natural" poisoning.4 Intuitive research tells us man-made toxins cannot be "read" by the body, and are stored away in an organ/system to cause wellness issues in the future. Radiation and chaotic electric overload are intuited as yet two more system traumatizers.
At first indication of inflammation, drugs are used to stop the pain, the natural body response to tissue trauma. Aspirin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) is used to reduce uncomfortable symptoms. But relief does not come without a price. With continued use of even aspirin, one can experience stomach irritation, bleeding, peptic ulceration, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), cartilage and liver damage. The damage of asprinto the small intestines can manifest as multiple allergies or environmental sensitivity.5
The latest intuited research tells us that aspirin can also damage the Cellular Repair Response System (CRRS) responsible for turning "on" and "off" the natural inflammatory response.6 Then when aspirin becomes ineffective or intolerable, stronger drugs, Advil, Motrin, Naprosyn, Celebrex and Lipitor are used with ever more serious damage to the CRRS. The culmination is never-ending inflammation.
Intuitive research through precise questioning is capable of tapping into "O-Fields" or "Organizational Fields" to discover answers, which in the future must be confirmed through scientific research.8 It was discovered that no disease was caused totally by the CRRS release of cytokines, with the exception of rheumatoid arthritis. With others the inflammatory response had secondary involvement: lupus with chaotic electric, osteo-arthritis with bacterial infection, and fibromyalgia's connection with electro-magnetics radiation.9
What is the determining factor? The best answer at this moment may be damage to the twelve-part Repair Loop, and most specifically cellular harmonics. A normally functioning system assures this communication without which 75 trillion cells find themselves at a loss in their attempt to participate in the life saving self-repair process with which they were programmed at conception.
Not only is cellular harmonics in charge of healing but also a number of other cellular processes: programmed cell life/death, tumor progression, metastasis, the oxidative process, and polarity. De-differentiation, a specialized process for the regeneration of an organ or limb is yet another possible function of cellular harmonics.9 The implication in the scandalous decline of American's health is not hard to see.
The cellular repair response system, an amazingly complex set of signals may actually, according to intuited research, be chemically damaged by NSAIDs, the pharmaceuticals designed to reduce inflammation.10 And we know that an acid body is in a constant catabolic or breakdown mode. Bottom line, until the cytokines can be turned off, no true healing can happen. Repair begins only as the system returns to a balanced pH, a slightly alkaline state known as homeostasis.
We already know that the pharmaceutical companies that produce the drugs responsible for toxic damage to the cells cannot be depended on to provide answers for healing them. Years of alternative therapies don't seem to have provided many answers either for the ever-growing number of inflammatory diseases, and little true relief for pain.
Intuited research and vibrational medicine have come together to provide answers to many medical conditions, which in the past have been considered "incurable." What once was deemed improbable or impossible may be the next frontier of science. The use of subtle energy as a diagnostic tool as well as a medium for resolving a myriad of medical anomalies is a given. Turning off the inflammatory response to allow the body to complete the healing process may be a big part of the future medicine for which we've been waiting.
James Oschman, Ph.D., author of Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis, after years of intensive research summed up his findings in an enlightening statement, "There is only one kind of problem in the human body, one way to diagnose that problem, and one way of treating it. The common denominator is energy".

When it comes to the purchase of new lab equipment, everything has to be considered carefully because high-end lab equipment are not cheap, that goes to for the must-have digital microscope. Must the this be an option when a budget is tight?
Why Consider a Digital Microscope?
A digital microscope goes beyond the function of the regular laboratory or biological microscope. This can provide ultimate laboratory viewing experience and digital convenience for storing and sharing data. Simply put, this microscope has a built-in digital camera that has a direct feed to a PC, or TV and even a printer. The image you see on the TV or computer screen can be refined with the microscope's auto or manual white balance control function.
The common problem with some microscopes is encountering mosaic phenomenon but using the microscope with high resolution or 1.3M Pixel avoids this. From dealers of the Digital Microscope in Toronto stores, you can ask for a microscope with more digital functions for high level image control - contrast, color saturation, fringe swell, and gamma numerical value that impacts on the image's brightness, luminance, etc.
Apart from these digital plus factors, this allows for the storing of the data generated in your PC's hard drive and you can share the information during lectures or demos to large groups, even with audiences outside the laboratory.
With a high performance USB2.0 chip included in the purchase, you get higher speeds than the standard USB 1.1. Don't confuse USB 2.0 with USB2 and USB 2. Take a closer look at the USB for microscope. Dealers of the Digital Microscope in Toronto can show you reasonably-priced microscopes with all these features.
With reasonable pricing and these admirable features, you can't go wrong getting a digital microscope for your laboratory. The kit includes a USB 2.0 cable, software ScopeImage Plus, and ScopeImage Advanced, eyepiece tube adapters, and calibration slide. Aren't these enough reasons to get a Digital Microscope in Toronto stores?
More on the Digital Microscope
If you are shown several models, expect to inspect two designs. You might come across an optical microscope and a video or digital cameral that has charged-coupled device or CCD. Or you might be shown an integrated model, one that combines camera and microscope. Whatever the type, you are assured of quality digital image. Now it is your option to choose which type would be convenient your laboratory or educational application.
There is no reason though to get a brand new one. Stores carrying different models and accessories of the Digital Microscope in Toronto will show you how your microscope can be converted to a digital model. This solves your problem if you want to have one but budget does not permit it.
Some microscopes are designed to accommodate digital upgrades. If you have a particular brand of microscope, ask the dealer if they have compatible digital kits for your microscope. Better check again your microscope's manual; this will contain the manufacturer's recommendation for digital upgrade.
This year, if you are finalizing the budget for your lab equipment, consider buying one or upgrading your microscopes with digital functions. Talk to dealers of the Digital Microscope in Toronto and keep up with other businesses and/or educational trends.

The scientific study of living creatures seems to have begun with Aristotle, although early man probably experimented with breeding dogs for speed or size 16,000 years ago. In the 17th century, biology came to include the then known life sciences of zoology (the study of animals), botany (the study of plants) and taxonomy (the classification of living things).
In the 19th century, biology bean to fragment into other studies such as microbiology - biology through a microscope; genetics, the study of the inheritance of traits; biochemistry, the study of molecules in living things, et cetera. at the same time, different ways of studying living organisms were developed. Sciences like anthropology, the study of human beings; ecology, the study of the interaction between living things and their environment and ethology, the study of animal behaviour.
Biologists classify all living organisms according to a system first devised by Carolus Linnaeus in 1735. Linnaeus and other scientists divided all life forms into two kingdoms: plants and animals. Since then four other kingdoms have been added. These are Monera, Archaea, Protists, Fungi. Then, each kingdom is divided into two or more phyla (phylum, singular). Members of the same phylum are more closely related than to members of other phyla. Each phylum is then further sub-divided into more closely defined parts as follows: Class; Order; Family; Genus; Species. Many biologists further add to this list by classifying groups of species with sub- or super- as n sub-phylum or superfamily.
So, according to these conventions you and I are classified as follows:
KINGDOM: ANIMALS: organisms that use other organisms for food and that sometimes move rapidly
PHYLUM: CHORDATES: animals that are partially supported by a rod of cartilage or bone vertebrae and an internal skeleton
SUBPHYLUM: VERTEBRATES: chordates that have vertebrae, such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals
CLASS: MAMMALS: vertebrates that have hair and suckle their young
ORDER: PRIMATES: mammals that use sight more than scent; have nails instead of claws on grasping hands and feet; are mostly active in daylight and have relatively large brains.
SUPERFAMILY: HOMINOIDS: primates that are tailless; generally large in size; can climb trees and have relatively flat faces; specifically the great apes, australopithecines and human beings
FAMILY: HOMINIDS: hominids that walk upright; have small canines and large brains; specifically the australopithecines and human beings
GENUS: HOMO: hominids with especially large brains, that speak and show other signs of culture; specifically: Homo habilis, Homo erectus and related species and Homo sapiens
SPECIES: Homo sapiens - modern human beings. If you're interested in this, you're mostly welcome to Microscopebiz.com and please feel free to contact us for detailed information.

Have you recently bought an iPod? Or are you on the verge of buying one?
Take a look around next time your out and about. iPods are becoming as prolific as cellphones. Of course they are! The iPod is such a great gadget! Do you know the first thing you must do after buying an iPod?
You need to protect it! Most people don't. Even though the iPod owner spends as much as $30 - $60 USD on iPod accessories. That's 30 to 60% of the original iPod price.
The majority of people are buying fancy accessories such as fm transmitters, docking stations, wireless remote kits. Don't get the wrong idea these are great gadgets BUT the first accessory you should be buying is protection for your iPod.
Get the basics before getting the fancy goods. iPod skins and cases come in a huge variety of styles and quality. Whatever your style - there is a case for you!
By purchasing a Skin or Case you'll be protecting your iPod from these common problems:
* Click wheel scratches
* iPod screen scratches.
* Mirrored back scratches.
Despite the superiority of the Apple iPod, it still suffers from some major issues. Being easily scratched and short battery life. These issues lower the resale value of an iPod. This may not seem important but if you want to trade in your older one for a newer one, these things will matter. Aside from that, who wants their own pristine, beautiful iPod all scratched up? Every time you take your iPod out of your pocket it causes microscopic scratches!
There are many accessories out there but most do not fulfill the basic needs of your iPod. Protection. You need to protect your iPod before anything else. Make sure you first equip your iPod with a good quality case, skin, or sleeve.
The most popular iPod cases are as follows:
Cellphone sleeve converted to a case.
This is the most common and are most easily available. Unfortunately the mirrored back of the 3G and 4G iPod are easily scratched by the sleeve as the rub against it. If you can afford a 3G or 4G iPod then you can afford not to go this route. Protect your purchase and buy something specifically for your iPod.
iPod Silicone skin.
This is the most common case today. They come in every shape and size, color and texture. Be aware though there are mass produced low quality cases produced in China with questionable materials that tear easily. The cheap silicone skins also pick up dirt and lint easily. You can find better and branded products from the USA or Japan.
iPod Leather Cases.
iPod leather cases are also extremely popular. Unfortunately people have reported that the Apple branded one scratches the mirror back and does not have a cover flap. There are many quality leather case suppliers on the web. Check the stitching on the case for good workmanship. Belkin and Digital Lifestyle are a few that come to mind.
Water and Shock Resistant Cases.
There is an increasing need for these types of cases due to our active and mobile lifestyles. There are a plethora of cases in this market also but be forewarned that a case can only be water resistant not water proof. Water resistant means it can withstand water splashes certainly not to be immersed in water and definitely you would not bring diving! There are many aluminum cases available that offer superb shock resistance.
With the new knowledge you have, you are now ready to find the case that best fits your needs and most importantly your style! Happy case hunting.

Breast cancer can be frightening, but knowledge is power. If you've been vigilant in your personal breast exams and mammograms there may come a time when a lump or suspicious area is found. The first thing that will probably happen is you'll get another mammogram. This time it's called a diagnostic mammogram and it will concentrate on the suspicious area. You may also get an ultrasound, with is painless and can often tell the difference quickly between benign and malignant growths.
Depending on the results of the previous tests, the doctors are likely to recommend a biopsy next. A biopsy takes a small piece of the lump for examination under a microscope. It is the best way to make sure if breast cancer is present. The biopsy can take many forms from a surgical procedure to a fine needle, which isn't much worse than getting a shot. It depends on the type and location of the mass. Your doctor will decide which type of biopsy is best in your case.
Once the biopsy sample is retrieved, a pathologist will study and characterize it. If it is found to be cancerous, it is further classified in various ways to identify its size and strength. The mass will be tested for the presence of special estrogen and progesterone receptors. If present, the cancer can be treated with hormone therapy. Another receptor called the HER-2/neu is also sought. Other therapies are directed and cancers containing this receptor.
At this point the patient is "staged". The stages of breast cancer are complex, but here is a simplified description:
Stage 0 - Abnormal cells are found in the lining of a gland within the breast. This is indicative of a future cancer, but not representative of present cancer.
Stage I - The earliest stage where the tumor is less than 2 cm across and is contained within the breast.
Stage II - Early stage where the tumor is either: a. Less than 2 cm. across and in both the breast and the lymph nodes under the arm b. between 2 and 5 cm. and may be in breast or breast and lymph nodes under the arm c. More than 5 cm. and only in the breast
Stage III - Advanced breast cancer where: a. The tumor is less than five cm. across, in both breast and lymph nodes under the arm b. The cancer is extensive in the lymph nodes under the arm. c. The cancer is in the lymph nodes or other tissues located near the breastbone. During stage III your doctor will be checking to find signs of metastatic disease. When cancer has "metastasized,' it has spread from the breast/lymph node areas into other distant organs of the body. These tests will take the form of chest x-rays and CT and bone scans.
Stage IV - Metastatic breast cancer, where the cancer has spread to other organs.
Almost all breast cancer victims will have some type of surgery to remove as much of the cancerous growth as possible. No matter how successful, most will probably undergo a regimen of chemotherapy as well. This kills off any microscopic scraps of the disease that may remain to grow into full-fledged cancer again. Other therapies such as radiotherapy (radiation therapy), hormonal therapy, or biologic therapy may be proscribed.
Once treated, breast cancer patients need to be monitored for recurrence. At first this means every 3-4 months. These become less and less frequent, but annual mammograms are even more important for former breast cancer patients than for the normal population.
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Jesse's Story
A 44-year old professional horse trainer, Jesse had been extremely active all of her life. She had no medical problems other than a broken leg as a young girl. One day, after several hours of riding, she noticed in the shower that her right breast was quite red. Jesse didn't remember falling or hitting her breast. She examined herself and couldn't feel any lump. However, the breast skin looked different, thicker, and a bit warm. She saw her gynecologist who sent her immediately for a mammogram which confirmed thickening of the breast skin only.
Jesse was sent to a breast cancer surgeon who biopsied her breast, confirming inflammatory cancer. She was seen by a medical oncologist who ordered a PET/CT scan which revealed no evidence of cancer spread. Jesse underwent 6 cycles of chemotherapy which promptly decreased the redness and discomfort in her breast after the first 2 cycles. She underwent a mastectomy followed by 6 weeks of radiation therapy. Jesse tolerated her treatment well. On follow-up with her 3 cancer specialists over the past 3 years, she has done well, with no evidence of recurrence of her cancer. She is back to training her horses regularly & enjoying life.
Possible Reasons for a Red Breast
There are several reasons why a woman or man can develop acute (fairly sudden onset of) breast redness. Infection and inflammation are the two most common causes. Both of these conditions need to be treated in a timely fashion in order to improve health & minimize pain. They usually resolve over a week or two. However, there is one cause of breast redness that is always life-threatening: inflammatory breast cancer (IBC).
Warning Signs
IBC is a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. Among every 100 patients diagnosed with breast cancer, about 2 - 5 will have IBC. It's more commonly diagnosed in younger women and the redness can come on literally over a few days. While most people who develop a red breast will NOT have IBC, both patients and their primary doctors need to be aware of the possibility. This diagnosis should be particularly suspected in patients who still have a red breast after treatment with antibiotics or anti-inflammatories for a presumed infection or inflammation. The classic description of the appearance of IBC is peau d'orange (orange peel) skin.
Diagnosis & Staging
The diagnosis is confirmed by biopsy of the breast skin, usually by a breast surgeon or radiologist. Pathologists, the specially trained doctors who look at the biopsy tissue under the microscope, will usually describe tumor cells in the lymphatic channels of the breast tissue and breast skin. The blockage of these channels is usually the cause of the breast redness in IBC. Often there is no specific mass or lump in the breast, only diffuse red, thickened breast skin. Evaluation of the breast itself should include mammogram, often ultrasound (if a mass is felt), and sometimes MRI. All patients with IBC are considered to have aggressive disease. In that regard, unless the patient is in very poor condition and would not tolerate treatment, staging studies should be performed to assess whether the cancer has visibly spread elsewhere. These scans would include PET/CT or CT of chest and abdomen and bone scan. Patients with symptoms such as severe headache, nausea, and vomiting should also have MRI of the brain.
Treatment & Outcome
As with all breast cancers, the treatment for IBC can be broken down into two categories: locoregional (breast and lymph nodes) and systemic (throughout the body). A common mistake that a surgeon can make is to recommend a mastectomy (removal of the breast) first. Patients who are in reasonable medical condition should almost always have chemotherapy first, then mastectomy, then radiation therapy (RT) to the chest wall and regional lymph nodes. All three treatments, chemotherapy, surgery, and RT, are required in order to provide the best chance for cure. Hormonal and targeted therapies (such as Herceptin) may be recommended also, depending on the specific tumor biology. Among patients who have no evidence of metastasis (disease spread to distant areas in the body) at the time of diagnosis and are potentially curable, 40-50% are alive 5 years later. Awareness about this particularly aggressive form of breast cancer and its treatment is critical to ensure the best chance for cure.

If you've ever had to do research and at some stage everyone has had to, you will know that it is one of the driest things in the world to do. It is as dry as sawdust. You just have to put your head down and work your way through. You do stumble across some interesting facts, it is rather the point of the whole venture, but it is somehow never enough to get you really excited about the process. Some research does not involve trawling through aeons worth of library books or internet pages, some research is a bit more practical. Scientific and medical research for example, reading is involved of course, but those involved also get to examine specimens under microscopes and make enlightened "aha, hmm" noises. In terms of dryness that type of research is practically sopping.
"Cancer research", funnily enough, is the study of cancer. Cancer research ranges from the basic biology of the disease to the effects of different types of treatment. Every aspect of the disease is studied i.e. causes of cancer, how cancer forms, methods of treatment and methods of prevention etc etc. The primary goal of cancer research is to produce effective treatment and prevention for all types of cancer.
There are different areas of cancer research all of which are interrelated and affect one another. Basic Research: Tries to answer some very general questions such as how do cells work? Why do cells grow? How do cells know when to divide? The main aim of basic research is to find out what makes cancer cells different from normal cells. They look at molecules and the building blocks of molecules, protein and DNA. They try to find out what goes wrong in cells when cancer develops. As an example, in a study in Scotland, scientists were studying proteins and they found a protein called MYC that contributes to 1 in 7 cancer deaths. Our cells actually need this protein, MYC, so that they can divide, but when we have cancer the cells are faulty and go into overdrive, the MYC turns on a specific proteins that cause rapid cell growth and division of cells. If scientists could find which of the proteins are activated they might be able to find ways to slow down their division or growth. Basic research is the foundation on which all other research in built.
Translational research: takes discoveries from the lab (i.e. basic research) and turns them into potential new treatments or diagnostic tests for patients. For example there is a study in Cambridge on how cells divide, where they found a group of proteins called MCM proteins, which are essential to the division process. One protein, MCM5, is being used to develop a diagnostic test for some cancers. MCM is found in high level in all dividing cells. Cancer occurs when cells go wrong and start multiplying out of control. MCM5 is found in many these out of control cells and not in normal cells. MCM5 is found in cervical, bladder, prostate and bowel cancer cells. The presence of MCM5 in a Pap Smear improves the accuracy in diagnosis for cervical cancer. Translational research bridges the gap between researcher and patients. It also involves investigating why a treatment may suddenly stop working after it has been working for a while or why a treatment produces unwanted side effects. One of the most important tasks of translation researchers is to improve current treatments.
Clinical research: The goal of clinical research is to develop more effective treatments. The scientists try new combinations and doses of existing treatments to see if they can come up with something that works better than the standard treatments in use. They also make use of translational research to develop new treatments. These scientists work in hospitals and not in labs like the two types above, this is so that they can have access to the patients. But not in a mad scientists way, they're allowed access to the patients in order to conduct clinical trials, which are regulated and ruled strictly. Cancer patients, usually in advanced stages of cancer, who have tried standard treatments and who have not benefited from them, volunteer to take part in these clinical trials. There are 4 phases to each trial. Phase 1 - to find out if a new drug or treatment is safe in people and how much of it should be given. This is the first time that the drug is tested on people. Phase 2 - to see if the drug is effective. Phase 3 - directly compares the new treatment with the standard treatment to see if the new treatment is better. Phase 4 - looks at the long-term safety and benefits of the treatment/drug.
Behavioural and population research: This type of research is undertaken in order to identify factors that influence our risk of getting cancer. They take a look at things like lifestyle choices, patterns, trends and incidences of different types of cancers so that they can develop strategies for prevention and good health.
Psychosocial research: This is research on the emotional and social impact that cancer has on patients, families and carers. It looks at the importance of support and help and tries to measure the quality of life, which is how the physical and psychological health affects enjoyment of life. Some questions that they consider and try to answer are: how do people react to the news that they have cancer? How do they cope with the treatment? Are people with cancer more likely to have mental health problems? How do cancer and its treatment affect daily life? Why do some patients decide not to finish treatment? How do families react to having a relative with cancer?
Some research is as previously stated, so dry and boring you could use it to start fires and have no trouble even in a hurricane. And some research would catch fire in the Sahara, that's the best kind and as an added bonus it's usually the most important kind. Research for this was kind of fun if you want to find out more try: http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerandresearch/aboutcancerresearch Those guys doing basic cancer research might have the word basic in the title but there is nothing basic in what they do. In addition to being important and life saving and foundation building for all other cancer research, they get microscopes and sharp instruments and other fun medical tools. Some people get all the fun. For more information, welcome to visit www.microscopebiz.com

There is tons of information that exists in the world regarding digital cameras. What they are, and most important to you, which digital camera is the best one. Sure you can squander innumerable days on the web laboring over one web page after another, but who has the energy to do that?
Taking photos is not my job and I am not a pro at it. However I do love to take photos and capture all the family experiences that I can. I also love helping others and making it easy for them to learn about things that can be very confusing. I admit, you could go out and just pick up the first digital camera that a salesmen suggests without knowing what it does or how to use it, but is that actually going to be what is in your long term best interests?
A very common part of digital cameras that puzzles people are the specifications and what all the numbers really mean. The most encountered of these stats that you are likely to see is the megapixel rating. What is this megapixel they speak of, you ask? Well, it is how many microscopic dots your photo is made up of. When you make your photo larger, or even when it is smaller to a extent, the quantity of megapixels will regulate how clear and full the photo is. There is more to the total picture quality then just your mp or megapixel rating though, flash, zoom and focus quality also are a very big role.
Zoom is also a important spec to take a look at when making a choice on a camera. As you may be thinking zoom is all about making things look closer. There are two different styles of zooms and it is in our best interest to learn a little regarding both. Optical zoom is what we mostly want to pay attention to and tells us how close we can pull in objects. A real world example would be you have a tree 300 feet away, with a 2x zoom it would be possible to make that tree seem in the photo like it was twice as close or only 150 feet away. Digital zoom on the other hand is nifty but when you digitally zoom in it will just take your photo and expand it out leaving you with a fuzzy, less clear picture. When you are looking for a camera the only thing that I would be taking into account would be the optical zoom.
To finish we will discuss flash. A flash is exactly like it sounds, a flash of light that goes off before the picture is taken and allows you to make out things in low lighting. On digital cameras a lot of the flash quality has to do with how large the flash is, as well as how good the auto detection software in the camera is. This software speaks to the flash and informs it when to go off.
There is a lot more to research about digital cameras then what I have time to divulge here. I endorse finding one or two really awesome resources on digital cameras and purchasing from a respected dealer that will take care of you. I personally am a fan of purchasing online as that is always where the top deals and largest assortment are. Be sure to not forget that taking pictures should be fun and not a extra stress to your vacations and family outings.