1 February, 2016

Obese and diabetic mothers four times more likely to give birth to autistic children

Women of reproductive age who are thinking of having children should stay fit. A recent study warns that children born to obese women with diabetes are four times more likely to be diagnosed withautism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder is a serious neuro-developmental condition characterised by severe deficits in socialisation, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviours.

The findings of the study highlight a theory about autism that the risk factors develop likely before the child is even born. ‘We have long known that obesity and diabetes aren’t good for mothers’ health,’ said study author Xiaobin Wang from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US.  

‘Now we have further evidence that these conditions also impact the long-term neural development of their children,’ Wang added. For the study, published in the journal Paediatrics, researchers analysed 2,734 mother-child pairs between 1998 and 2014.

They collected data on maternal pre-pregnancy weight and whether the mothers had diabetes before getting pregnant or whether they developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Over 100 children were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder over the course of the study claimed to be the first to look at obesity and diabetes in tandem as potential risk factors. Read: Low iron intake in mothers linked to five-fold increased risk of autism in babies

‘Our research highlights that the risk for autism begins in utero,’ said another researcher M Daniele Fallin.The children whose mothers were both diabetic and obese were more than four times as likely to develop autism compared to children born to normal weight mothers without diabetes, the study found.

Along with pre-conception diabetes, children of obese mothers who developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy were also at a significantly higher risk of being diagnosed with autism. Obesity and diabetes in general cause stress on the human body, the researchers concluded.

Source: www.thehealthnews.com

01.02.2016

Patience is the companion of wisdom

Saint Augustine

30 January, 2016

At Rs 30L, liver transplant only for rich

Less than 2% of liver transplants taking place in India happen in public institutions. This has meant that liver transplants, which cost Rs 20-30 lakh in most cases, are available only to the rich. This is not just an inequitable situation, but an unsustainable one, says a recently published paper reviewing the status of liver transplants in India.

"The future of liver transplantation in India should move toward a more accountable, equitable, and accessible form. We owe this to our citizens who have shown tremendous faith in us by volunteering to be living donors as well as consenting for deceased donation," wrote gastroenterological surgeon Dr Sanjay Nagral of Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai and two others who authored the paper published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology. India's liver transplant programme might be flourishing but is marred by the lack of any mechanism for a registry or mandatory reporting of results too, the paper pointed out.

It is estimated that around 10-15% of patients undergoing live donor liver transplants (LDLT) in India are from abroad. In some centres it is as high as 25%. Most are from the Middle East or from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. "We are not aware of any other country where the proportion of LDLTs for foreign patients is so high," stated the paper. It warned that other than regulatory issues such a difficulty in authenticating the paperwork and establishing relationship with donors, "excessive proliferation of LDLT for foreigners can potentially bring memories of the unfortunate period of organ trade that has haunted the history of transplantation in India".

In India 85% of liver transplants are from live donors. The rules permit live donation from those who are not first degree relatives only with special permission from the state transplant authority. Though precise data is unavailable, a substantial number of donors are family members beyond first-degree relatives or even unrelated donors, noted the paper, cautioning that in the context of donor problems not being uncommon, it could lead to a hazardous situation.

The authors observed that there was a trend of even patients with treatable liver disease undergoing LDLT and called for caution in a situation of overwhelming dominance of live donors.

Source: www.timesofindia.com         30.01.2016

Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition

Abraham Lincoln

29 January, 2016

Children born into smaller families live three years longer

New York: Children born into smaller families in the world's poorest nations live three years longer than those born into larger families, says a study.

In families that are considered small (four or fewer children), the children have a life expectancy that is three years longer than the children in larger families (five or more children) even controlling for infant mortality, the study revealed.

"Our new research shows that being born into a small family has health benefits that last throughout the course of your entire life," said Saifuddin Ahmed, associate professor at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US.

The study showed that while family planning programmes have sometimes been pitched as ways to moderate population growth and minimize pressure on resource-strapped nations, they have real health impacts on individuals, the researchers said.

Small family size, primarily achieved through the use of contraception, reduces the competition of siblings for both the attention and micronutrients provided by the mother, and also allows the family's often-limited financial resources to be spread farther, the findings showed.

When births are spread out and mothers can provide more time to each child before the next one is born, it results in better cognitive development and health status while growing up, the researchers said.

Each child competes with the next for the parents' income, food and housing and having fewer children gives everyone a larger slice of the pie providing a positive healthy developmental environment that reduces mortality in the short-and long-term, the researchers added.

The findings are based on the results of the most recent national Demographic and Health Surveys from 35 developing countries and will be presented at the International Conference on Family Planning in Nusa Dua, Indonesia.

Source: www.zeenews.india.com

29.01.2016

Keep your fears to yourself but share your courage with others

Robert Louis Stevenson

28 January, 2016

Why women are affected differently by a heart attack!

The American Heart Association (AHA) has for the first time issued a scientific statement on female heart attacks, underscoring knowledge gaps and outlining the priority steps needed to better understand and treat heart disease in women. The statement chaired by Dr. Laxmi Mehta, a cardiologist at the Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Centre, compiles the newest data on symptoms, treatments and the types of heart attacks among women. ‘Over the last 10 years or so, we’ve learned that women’s hearts are different than men’s in some significant ways and while that’s helped reduce mortality, there’s much more to know,’ said Mehta, who is also director of Ohio State’s women’s cardiovascular health programme.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women globally. While men and women both experience chest pain as a primary heart attack symptom, women often have atypical, vague symptoms without the usual chest pain such as palpitations, pain in the back, shoulder or jaw, even anxiety, sweating or indigestion. Some women may only experience shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting or flu-like symptoms. ‘These symptoms can be very challenging for the patient and the medical profession. Women tend to under recognise or deny them. When they do present to the emergency department, it is important for these symptoms to be triaged appropriately as potential heart problems,’ Mehta emphasised.

Delay in seeking treatment is more common among women than men. The authors report several factors can lead to a delay in seeking help for heart attack symptoms. ‘Living alone, interpreting symptoms as temporary or not urgent, consulting with a doctor or family member first and fear of embarrassment if the symptoms aren’t serious are some of them,’ the authors noted. ‘We don’t yet clearly understand why women have different causes and symptoms of heart attacks,’ Mehta said. ‘Women are more complex, there are more biological variables such as hormonal fluctuations. That’s why more research is needed,’ she said. Social, environmental and community differences also play a role in how women’s treatment outcomes differ from men’s. More women have depression related to heart disease, which can hinder their treatment.

Women less often complete cardiac rehabilitation due to competing work and family responsibilities and lack of support. Frankly, women are great at nagging their spouses, so they make sure their partner takes their medications, goes to cardiac rehab, eats better and sees the doctor. ‘Unfortunately, many women don’t make their own personal health their priority, which contributes to more favourable outcomes in men versus women after a heart attack,’ Mehta noted.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

28.01.2016

Your attitude is your altitude.

 It determines how high you fly

27 January, 2016

New technique to tell if a baby was born early or on time!

American researchers have found a metabolic profile derived from routine newborn screenings that can determine how many weeks a mother has carried her baby. According to researchers from the University of Iowa in the US knowing if an infant was born on time or prematurely can make all the difference in deciding what medical care the baby needs.

"It's important to know whether a baby is small because it is simply small in size but born on time or is small because it was born early," said Kelli Ryckman, assistant professor at the University of Iowa in the US. "It helps determine how doctors should move forward with that baby and what kinds of health issues they should watch for," he added.

The researchers hoped that their metabolic gestational-dating algorithm could be used in developing countries to actively examine the rates of pre-term births and then target at-risk areas with interventions and prevention programs.

In low-income settings, half of babies born at or earlier than 32 weeks die because of a lack of feasible, cost-effective care, such as warmth, breastfeeding support, and basic care for infections and breathing difficulties. In high-income countries, almost all of these babies survive, revealed the study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Preterm birth is now the leading cause of death in children under five worldwide. Nearly 1 million children die each year from complications related to preterm birth. Many survivors face a lifetime of challenges, including learning disabilities and visual and hearing problems, the study said. According to the World Health Organization, about 15 million babies are born pre-term each year; that is more than one in 10 babies worldwide.

Premature -- also known as pre-term -- birth refers to when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. The study analysed five years of data -- about 300,000 records -- from the Iowa neonatal newborn-screening program.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

27.01.2016

The best way to predict the future is to create it

Peter F. Drucker

23 January, 2016

How Aged Garlic Extract can protect your heart

Washington DC: Aged Garlic Extract can stop heart disease from progressing and in some cases, even reverse artery plaque accumulation, according to a new study.

The research, conducted at LA BioMed, found a reduction in the amount of low-attenuation plaque, or "soft plaque," in the arteries of patients with metabolic syndrome who took Aged Garlic Extract. Metabolic syndrome is characterized by obesity, hypertension and other cardiac risk factors.

This study is another demonstration of the benefits of this supplement in reducing the accumulation of soft plaque and preventing the formation of new plaque in the arteries, which can cause heart disease, said lead researcher Matthew J. Budoff.

Budoff noted that they have completed four randomized studies and they have led them to conclude that Aged Garlic Extract can help slow the progression of atherosclerosis and reverse the early stages of heart disease.

The study is scheduled for publication in the Journal of Nutrition.

Source: www.zeenews.india.com

23.01.2016

We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future

Franklin D. Roosevelt

22 January, 2016

Obese before pregnancy linked to increased infant mortality rates

Pre-pregnancy obesity is strongly linked with infant mortality and compliance with weight-gain guidelines during pregnancy have limited impact on that mortality risk, warns a new study. ‘The findings suggest that primary care clinicians, OB-GYNs (Obstetrics and gynaecology) and midwives need to have conversations about weight as part of well-woman care and when women are contemplating getting pregnant,’ said lead author Eugene Declercq from Boston University School of Public Health in the US. ‘There is a need for more open, honest discussions about avoiding the possible risks ofmaternal obesity on infant health,’ Declercq added. The study, published online in Obstetrics and Gynecology, claims to be the largest study to date of the relationship between pre-pregnancy obesity, prenatal weight gain and infant mortality.  

It used birth and death records of more than six million newborns in 38 states from 2012-2013, which included information on the mother’s height and pre-pregnancy weight, needed to compute BMI (Body Mass Index). The researchers examined overall infant mortality in three major categories: Infants who died from preterm-related causes, congenital anomalies and sudden unexpected infant death. Infant mortality rates from preterm causes increased at higher BMIs, with rates twice as high for obese women than for normal-weight women, the study found.  

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

22.01.2016

Multiplication of positive thoughts is quite powerful to bring about change

21 January, 2016

Energy drinks may increase blood pressure: Study

WASHINGTON:Consumption of energy drinks may lead to increase in blood pressure, which can cause risk of serious cardiovascular events, a new study has claimed.

Anna Svatikova, of the Mayo Clinic in US and colleagues randomly assigned 25 healthy volunteers of age 18 years or older to consume a can (about 480 millilitre) of a commercially available energy drink and placebo drink within 5 minutes, in random order on 2 separate days, maximum 2 weeks apart.

The placebo drink, selected to match the nutritional constituents of the energy drink, was similar in taste, texture, and colour but lacked caffeine and other stimulants of the energy drink (240mg of caffeine, 2,000mg of taurine, and extracts of guarana seed, ginseng root, and milk thistle).

Energy drink consumption has been associated with serious cardiovascular events, possibly related to caffeine and other stimulants, researchers said.

The researchers examined the effect of energy drink consumption on hemodynamic changes, such as blood pressure and heart rate.

Participants were fasting and abstained from caffeine and alcohol 24 hours prior to each study day.

Serum levels of caffeine, plasma glucose, and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) were measured and blood pressure and heart rate were obtained at baseline and 30 minutes after drink ingestion.

Caffeine levels remained unchanged after the placebo drink, but increased significantly after energy drink consumption.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

21.01.2016

Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best

Tim Duncan

20 January, 2016

Sleep more on weekends to reduce diabetes risk!

It is said that lack of sleep can increase your risk of diabetes. Now, a new study revealed that catching up on sleep on the weekend can counteract that heightened diabetes risk.

The new study shows that young people who are sleep deprived returned to normal after two nights of extended sleep

According to senior study author Esra Tasali, associate professor of medicine at the University of Chicago in the US, “the study shows that young, healthy people who sporadically fail to get sufficient sleep during the work week can reduce their diabetes risk if they catch up on sleep during the weekend.”

"In this short-term study, we found that two long nights spent catching up on lost sleep can reverse the negative metabolic effects of four consecutive nights of restricted sleep," Josiane Broussard, assistant research professor at University of Colorado, Boulder noted.

For the study, the researchers recruited 19 volunteers, all healthy young men. On one occasion, they were allowed to sleep normally, spending 8.5 hours in bed for four nights.

On another occasion, the same volunteers were first sleep deprived, and later they were allowed two nights of extended sleep, during which they averaged 9.7 hours of sleep.

After four nights of sleep restriction, the volunteers' insulin sensitivity -- the ability of insulin to regulate blood sugars -- decreased by 23 percent and their diabetes risk increased by 16 percent.

The new finding, published online in the journal Diabetes Care, could affect large numbers of people who work long hours.

Source: www.zeenews.india.com

20.01.2016

Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower

Hans Christian Anderson

19 January, 2016

Number of hospital births goes up but maternal deaths still on rise in India

A programme being implemented in India to promote institutional delivery among poor pregnant women has not reduced maternal deaths as much, especially in poor areas, new research has found. The programme that provides monetary incentives for women to give birth in health facilities instead of at home was launched in 2005. The so called Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) programme successfully increased births at facilities, but due to its implementation in a fragile health system context, it has been less effective at reducing fatalities, the study said. ‘The cash transfer programmes are by themselves inadequate to improve health outcomes,’ said researcher Bharat Randive from Umea University in Sweden.

‘While the programme can improve service utilisation, it will not reduce maternal and neo-natal deaths unless the socioeconomic inequalities in access to facility-based care are also addressed and the care is of good quality,’ Randive noted in an official statement. ‘Emergency obstetric care, which is essential to save lives of pregnant women and babies, is grossly unavailable at public facilities in the poor states of India that form a global hotspot for avoidable maternal deaths,’ Randive pointed out in his research conducted for his doctoral dissertation. In his research, Randive looked at nine Indian states and compared access to care and health outcomes in rich and poor areas.

The poor areas of these nine less developed states had 135 more maternal deaths for every 100,000 births and the decline in maternal deaths during the programme in these areas was four times slower than in the rich areas, the study found. ‘In five years, institutional births increased significantly from a pre-programme average of 20 percent to 49 percent. However, no significant association between district-level institutional birth proportions and maternal mortality rate was found,’ the study said.  

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

19.01.2016

We must always have old memories and young hopes

Arsène Houssaye

18 January, 2016

Eat up your leafy greens to save your eyes

A diet of nitrate-rich vegetables is good for blood circulation which means it could prevent primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), one of four types of the condition, Harvard Medical School discovered. Dr Jae Kang explained: "Higher dietary nitrate and green leafy vegetable intake was associated with a lower POAG risk." The study, published in the journal JAMA Ophthalmol, looked at more than 104,000 patients. It found that those who ate a nitrate-rich diet had lower levels of the rare condition, which involves chronic or acute sudden painful build-up of pressure in the eye. Increased pressure and a disruption in the flow of optic nerve blood flow have been implicated in POAG. Previous studies suggested nitrate or nitrite, precursors for nitric oxide, is beneficial for blood circulation so scientists from Harvard Medical School looked at the link of diet and POAG.

Assistant Professor of Medicine Jae Kang said: "Evidence suggests that nitrate or nitrite is beneficial for blood circulation, "Dietary nitrate is predominately derived from green leafy vegetables, which contribute approximately 80 percent of nitrate intake.

"To our knowledge, dietary nitrate intake as a specific nutrient has not been evaluated therefore, we evalated it in a longer-than-25r year prospective study of 63,893 women and 41,094 men. "These findings could have impor tant implications if the association of higher f dietary nitrate and green leafy vegetable intake with a lower POAG risk is confirmed."

The study followed participants in the two studies who were over 40, free of POAG, and had results of eye examinations. Information on diet was updated with questionnaires. During follow-up, 1,483 incident cases of POAG were identified. They were divided into five groups dependent upon nitrate levels in their diet. It was found greater intake of dietary nitrate and green leafy vegetables was associated with a 20 percent to 30 percent lower POAG risk.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

18.01.2016

The only person who can really motivate you is you

Shaquille O'Neal

17 January, 2016

Normal deliveries safer than cesarean: Doctors

Agra: Flagging concern over the "alarmingly high" rate of cesarean section operations in the country, doctors here today said normal deliveries were safer and in interest of women's health.

Doctors attending the 59th conference of obstetricians and gynaecologists in the Taj city stressed that normal deliveries were safer and in the interest of women's health.
According to a presentation made during the event, 40 per cent of deliveries done in India were cesarean, while the same in neighbouring Nepal was at 8.6 per cent and relatively lower
in other south Asian countries.

"What this reflected was the decreasing level of patience and pain-tolerating capacity in women," it said. Dr Rasheed Latif from Pakistan said the percentage in rural areas was only five per cent, because of physical activity. "If in any country the rate was more than 15 percent, it was a signal for alarm," he said.

The participating doctors reached a consensus at the workshop to reduce C-section rate in developing countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and
India. Doctors attending the conference also noted that by 2020 India and China would be the centres of cancer deaths.

"Changing lifestyles, stress, tobacco and liquor consumption are the chief causes of cancer which would take a very high toll of life in both the countries by 2020," said Dr GS Bhattacharya of the WHO's expert committee.

Prof Prakash Trivedi, chairman FOGSI, said more than 60 million cases were being reported in India of 'Urine Leak', affecting women from 38 to 85 years.

The five-day convention with the key theme this year - Women's health has been organised by Federation of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians Association of India (FOGSI) at the Kalakriti ground and attracted over 6,000 doctors from all over India and a dozen countries, the organisers said.  

Source: www.zeenews.india.com

17.01.2016

Who is helping you, don’t forget them. Who is loving you, don’t Hate them. Who is believing you,

Don’t cheat them

Swami Vivekananda

16 January, 2016

These nano-shells can speed up the process of bone healing after an injury

Scientists have developed nano-shells that can deliver molecule to bone wounds that tells cells already at the injury site to repair the damage. The researchers call the nano-shell ‘polymer sphere’. ‘Using the polymer sphere to introduce the microRNA molecule into cells elevates the job of existing cells to that of injury repair by instructing the cells’ healing and bone-building mechanisms to switch on,’ said lead researcher Peter Ma, professor at the University of Michigan in the US. ‘It is similar to a new supervisor ordering an office cleaning crew to start constructing an addition to the building,’ he explained. The findings appeared in the journal Nature Communications.

The technology can help grow bone in people with conditions like oral implants, those undergoing bone surgery or joint repair, or people with tooth decay, the researchers said. ‘The new technology we have been working on opens doors for new therapies using DNA and RNA in regenerative medicine and boosts the possibility of dealing with other challenging human diseases,’ Ma said.  

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

16.01.2016

Relationships are more important than life, but it is important for those relationships to have life in them….

Swami Vivekananda

14 January, 2016

Potatoes during pregnancy increases women’s chances of diabetes

Women who regularly eat potatoes are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes when they fall pregnant, research reveals. Researchers suggested substituting potatoes with other vegetables, legumes like peas, beans and lentils or whole grain foods to lower the risk. Experts analysed total potato consumption, including baked, boiled, mashed and fried, of 15,000 women who later became pregnant over a 10-year period. One serving included one baked or boiled potato, 237ml of mashed potatoes or 113g of fries. Even one serving a week before pregnancy appeared to increase the risk by 20% compared with women eating less than one serving a week. Those eating more than five servings a week had a 50% increased risk. The experts said, "Though potatoes are rich in vitamin C, potassium, dietary fibre and some phytochemicals, unlike other vegetables they can have detrimental effects on glucose metabolism because they contain large amounts of rapidly absorbable starch."

When women substituted two servings a week with other vegetables, pulses such as beans, lentils and peas, and whole grain foods, they had a 9% to 12% lower risk. Experts said higher potato consumption before pregnancy was significantly associated with an increased risk of the condition. They said high potato consumption had already been associated with insulin resistance and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Another researcher Emily Burns cautioned, "This study does not prove that eating potatoes before pregnancy will increase a woman's risk of developing gestational diabetes, but it does highlight a potential association between the two. However, as the researchers acknowledge, these results need to be investigated in a controlled trial setting before we can know more. What we do know is that women can significantly reduce their risk of developing gestational diabetes by managing their weight through eating a healthy, balanced diet and keeping active."

Source: www.timesofindia.com

14.01.2016

In a conflict between the heart and the brain, follow your heart

Swami Vivekananda

13 January, 2016

Kids in large families at risk of behavioural problems

New York: If you are planning to add yet another new member to your family, think again! A new study has found that children in larger families are more likely to fall behind in cognitive achievement and have behavioural and other problems.

"Families face a substantial quantity-quality trade-off: increases in family size decrease parental investment, decrease childhood performance on cognitive tests and measures of social behaviour," the study said.

"Importantly, we find that these negative effects are not merely temporary disruptions following a birth but in fact persist throughout childhood," the researchers wrote.

"A lot of what happens in early childhood has lasting impact," said one of the study authors Chinhui Juhn, professor at the University of Houston in the US.

"In many respects, this matters more than a lot of things that happen later in (a child's) life," Juhn noted.

The study used a dataset that tracked outcomes throughout childhood and compared outcomes of older children before and after a younger sibling was born.

They found that additional children reduce "parental investment," a category defined as including time spent with children, affection, the safety of the home environment and resources - money, books and other material goods.

"If you are in a well-resourced family, some of these things do not apply," Juhn said.

"When the second child comes along, there is less time and attention. But in an environment with more resources, it is not as binding," Juhn pointed out.

The study appeared in a paper of National Bureau of Economic Research, a research organisation.

Source: www.zeenews.india.com

13.01.2016

You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself

Swami Vivekananda

12 January, 2016

Eating veggies is not effective unless you avoid junk food!

Children who eat more carrots and apples are no less likely to eat candies and fries, warns a new study, suggesting that emphasising on avoiding ‘bad’ food is as important as adding ‘good’ food in children’s diet. The researchers found that kids who ate fruits and vegetables and drank milk every day were as likely to eat foods high in sugar and salt as those who rarely ate healthy foods. ‘There has been a kind of assumption that if you encourage people to adopt healthy eating it naturally leads to a decline in unhealthy eating,’ said study co-author Phyllis Pirie from the Ohio State University in the US. Efforts to lower childhood obesity rates often focus on adding ‘good’ foods, rather than on avoiding ‘bad foods,’ she said.

Trained interviewers met with parents or guardians of 357 children two to five years old and asked them to recall how often the children ate certain foods in the past week. The research team asked them about the children’s diets and categorised foods and drinks into healthy and unhealthy categories. About half the children in the study ate fruit two or more times a day. Some rarely ate vegetables, but more than a third had them multiple times a day. Regardless of age, there was no evidence kids who frequently ate fruits and vegetables and drank milk were any less likely to partake in the unhealthy foods.

The study appeared in the journal of the Maternal and Child Health Journal.  

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

12.01.2016

Like me or Hate me, both are in my favor, If you like me I am in your Heart, If you hate me I am in your mind

Swami Vivekananda

11 January, 2016

Good bacteria may help prevent pneumonia

The presence of a harmless bacterium found in the nose and on the skin may negatively impact the growth of a pathogen that commonly causes middle ear infections in children and pneumonia in children and older adults, says a new study. 

The study provides evidence that Corynebacterium accolens (C. accolens) helps inhibit Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) -- a major cause of pneumonia, meningitis, middle ear infection and sinusitis. 

The results pave the way for potential future research to determine whether C. accolens might have a role as a beneficial bacterium that could be used to control pathogen colonization. 

According to the World Health Organization, S. pneumoniae leads to more than one million deaths each year, primarily in young children in developing countries. 

Although most people that host S. pneumoniae do not develop these infections, colonisation greatly increases the risk of infection and transmission. 

In the study, Lindsey Bomar from Forsyth Institute in Massachusetts, US, and colleagues demonstrate that C. accolens are over-represented in the noses of children that are not colonised by S. pneumoniae, which is commonly found in children's noses and can cause infection. 

In laboratory research, the researchers further found that C. accolens modifies its local habitat in a manner that inhibits the growth of S. pneumoniae by releasing anti-bacterial free fatty acids from representative host skin surface triacylglycerols. 

The study was published in the journal mBio. 

Source: www.timesofindia.com

11.01.2016

Problems can become opportunities when the right people come together

Robert Redford

9 January, 2016

'Selfish' genes tell us to stay home when sick

There are some "selfish" genes which tell you to stay in bed whenever you feel sick, your nose is stuffed and your headache is spreading to your toes -- only to save others from infections, say researchers.

Along with the symptoms, the sick individual can become depressed and lose interest in social and sexual contact, limiting opportunities to transmit pathogens, they noted.

According to them, feeling sick is an evolutionary adaptation and evolution is functioning on the level of the "selfish gene". Even though the individual organism may not survive the illness, isolating itself from its social environment will reduce the overall rate of infection in the group.

"From the point of view of the individual, this behaviour may seem overly altruistic. But from the perspective of the gene, its odds of being passed down are improved," said lead researcher Keren Shakhar from Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.

The scientists went through a list of common symptoms, and each seems to support their hypothesis. Appetite loss, for example, hinders the disease from spreading by communal food or water resources.

Fatigue and weakness can lessen the mobility of the infected individual, reducing the radius of possible infection.

"We know that isolation is the most efficient way to stop a transmissible disease from spreading," added Guy Shakhar from Weizmann Institute's Immunology Department in Israel.

"The problem is that today, for example, with flu, many do not realize how deadly it can be. So they go against their natural instincts, take a pill to reduce pain and fever and go to work, where the chance of infecting others is much higher," Shakhar concluded.

The study was published recently in the journal of PLoS Biology.

Source: www.zeenews.india.com

09.01.2016

Life is better because you know more, not just because you have more