1 August, 2018

Air pollution causing lung cancer among youth, claims study

The study, conducted by Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH), Delhi, along with Lung Care Foundation, found that 50 per cent of cancer patients are non-smokers. Of the 150 patients who were successfully treated from March 2012 to June 2018, 74 were non-smokers, while 76 were smokers.

“Pollution is contributing a lot to the rise in lung cancer cases. Industrial and vehicular emissions and stubble burning are some major reasons for lung cancer. Young people and women are victims of lung cancer mostly due to pollution,” Neeraj Jain, Chest Physician, Ganga Ram Hospital said.

According to Arvind Kumar, Chairman, Centre for Chest Surgery, SGRH, children are being exposed to bad air quality since their birth and therefore even before one starts smoking, the lungs are infected due to pollution.

“PM 2.5 level pollution in air is equivalent to smoking one cigarette a day. And therefore, newborns inhaling this bad air have higher chances of being diagnosed for lung cancer. That is why we recommend check-ups,” he said.

It is also found that 30 per cent of the patients, studied for the report, had been initially misdiagnosed as tuberculosis and were treated for the same for many months before starting cancer treatment.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

01.08.2018

Two things define you, your patience when you have nothing and your attitude when you have everything

30 July, 2018

India accounts for 60% of head and neck cancer cases, say experts

Owing to increased use of tobacco, India contributes to nearly 60 percent of head and neck cancer — inside the mouth, the nose, and the throat — patients worldwide and the number is expected to double by 2030, health experts said.

“Global contribution of head and neck cancer patients is 57.5 percent in India. Out of these 80,000 cases annually are cases of oral cancer,” said Kumar Prabhash from Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai told reporters.

“Tobacco is one of the major cause behind these cases of head and neck cancers. And we are estimating the number of cases to double by 2030,” added Sumit Goyal from Department of Medical Oncology at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute in New Delhi.

Nimotuzumab is the first indigenously produced novel biologic developed by Bengaluru-based biotech major Biocon and introduced in India as BIOMAb EGFR forhead and neck cancer in 2006.

To examine its efficacy, the clinical study examined 536 locally advanced head and neck cancer patients aged between 18 to 80 years.

The results showed that patients who were administered Nimotuzumab combined with cisplatin drug — used for chemotherapy — and radiation, survived almost three times more than those who received only chemo and radiation. It also reduced the risk of disease progression by 26 percent.

Biomab has a unique bivalent binding, because of which it binds primarily at the site of cancer cells where there is over expression of the EGFR protein.

This is significant since this mechanism of action of Biomab ensures that only the cancerous cells are destroyed, unlike other targeted agents, ensuring that it does not cause additional toxicity, said Prabhash.

The clinical study proved that the introduction of this molecule, to the existing standard of care in patients of Head and Neck cancer, dramatically improved treatment outcomes on factors like progression-free survival, disease-free survival, duration of loco-regional control and overall survival, he added.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

30.07.2018

If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything

27 July, 2018

Having more number of kids may make women’s cells age faster, concludes study

Women with many children, especially more than four or five, may look older as multiple pregnancies may accelerate the ageing of cells, claimed a new study. According to the researchers, there is a good evidence to show that having more children can increase the risk of certain diseases and shorten lifespan.

Cellular ageing was accelerated by six months to two years for each additional pregnancy.

“Our study points to cellular changes during pregnancy, possibly related to adaptive changes in the mother’s immune system as a possible explanation,” said Christopher Kuzawa from the Northwestern University in the US.

For the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, the team collected data from around 3,200 women aged between 20 to 22 years, looking at two separate markers of cellular aging, that is, telomere length — protective caps at the end of DNA strands and epigenetic age.

“Telomere length and epigenetic age are cellular markers that independently predict mortality, and both appeared ‘older’ in women who had more pregnancies in their reproductive histories,” added Calen Ryan from the varsity.

“Even after accounting for other factors that affect cellular aging, the number of pregnancies still came out on top,” Ryan added. “Paradoxically, even though a woman’s biological age was higher with each child that she had, if a woman was pregnant when the measurements were taken, her epigenetic age, and to a lesser extent her telomeres, looked ‘younger’ than predicted for her chronological age,” Kuzawa said.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

27.07.2018

Absorb what is useful, Discard what is not, Add what is uniquely your own

25 July, 2018

This is what people judge you on, explains a Harvard psychologist

Think that your ‘dressing to impress’ or ‘cheesy smile on your face’ is something that will leave a long-lasting impression on others? But that’s not the case anymore, according to a Harvard psychologist.

The psychologist, Amy Cuddy, explained that when we meet someone, we ask ourselves two questions: Can I trust this person? And can I respect this person?

She says that when we raise these questions, it helps us measure a person’s warmth and competence. She further adds, “If someone you’re trying to influence doesn’t trust you, you’re not going to get very far; in fact, you might even elicit suspicion because you come across as manipulative.”

Cuddy is of the opinion that, “A warm, trustworthy person who is also strong elicits admiration, but only after you’ve established trust does your strength become a gift rather than a threat.”

However, these two should not be the only criteria to judge people. According to a study done in 2017, it states that even physical appearance plays a significant role in judging people. This study proved that when we judge people, we tend to use four cues, baby-faced, familiarity, fitness, and emotional resemblance. While we don’t have a control on all these four factors, fitness and the emotional resemblance is what we can always work on. So, next time you meet someone, remember the chances are that instead of judging you on the colours you wear or firmness of your handshake, the will judge on the mentioned aspects.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

25.07.2018

When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad, and that is my religion

Abraham Lincoln

23 July, 2018

Cancer is likely to hit diabetic women more than men

According to a global review, women with diabetes are at greater risk of cancer than men.

Researchers from The George Institute for Global Health also found diabetes (type 1 and type 2) conferred an additional risk for women, compared to men, for leukaemia and cancers of the stomach, mouth and kidney, but less risk for liver cancer.

The findings highlight the need for more research into the role diabetes plays in developing cancer. They also demonstrate the increasing importance of sex-specific research.

Lead author Dr Toshiaki Ohkuma, said: “The link between diabetes and the risk of developing cancer is now firmly established. We have also demonstrated for the first time that women with diabetes are more likely to develop any form of cancer, and have a significantly higher chance of developing kidney, oral and stomach cancers and leukaemia.

Key findings:

-Women with diabetes were 27 per cent more likely to develop cancer than women without diabetes. For men the risk was 19 per cent higher.

-Researchers also found that diabetes was a risk factor for the majority of cancers of specific parts of the body for both men and women.

-Overall, it was calculated that women with diabetes were six per cent more likely overall to develop any form of cancer than men with diabetes.

-There were significantly higher risks for women with diabetes for developing cancer of the kidney (11 per cent higher), oral cancer (13 per cent higher), stomach cancer (14 per cent higher) and leukaemia (15 per cent higher) compared to men with the condition.

-For liver cancer, the risk was 12 per cent lower for women with diabetes compared to men with diabetes.

Diabetes affects more than 415 million people worldwide, with five million deaths every year. It is believed that heightened blood glucose may have cancer-causing effects by leading to DNA damage.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

23.07.2018

Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder

Rumi

20 July, 2018

CT scan may increase brain tumor risk, says study

The use of computed tomography (CT) scans has dramatically increased over the last two decades. While CT scans have greatly improved diagnostic capabilities, they also deliver higher radiation doses than any other test. Therefore, radiation protection is a concern. Especially among children, who may receive higher radiation doses, are more open to radiation-related malignancies than adults. Children also have more time to show effects.

Leukemia and brain tumors are the most common malignancies caused by radioactivity among children and young adults. Researchers have therefore evaluated brain tumor and leukemia risks following exposure to radiation from CT scans in children.

From a nationwide group of 168,394 Dutch children who received one or more CT scans between the year 1979 and 2012, researchers found cancer incidents and vital status by recording linkage.

The study found that cancer incidents 1.5 times higher than expected. For all kinds of brain tumors combined and for malignant and nonmalignant brain tumors separately, dose-response relationships were seen with radiation dose to the brain.

Relative risks have increased to between two to four for highest dose category. The radiation doses to the bone marrow, where leukemia originates, were found to be low.

The study also shows that this pattern of excess cancer risk may be partially due to confounding by indication, as the incidence of brain tumor was higher in the cohort than in the general population.

CT scans are sometimes also used to identify conditions related to an increase tumor risk.

“Epidemiological studies of cancer risks from low doses of medical radiation are challenging, nevertheless, our careful evaluation of the data and evidence from other studies indicates that CT-related radiation exposure increases brain tumor risk. Careful justification of pediatric CT scans and dose optimization, as done in many hospitals, are essential to minimize risks.” said the study’s principal investigator, Michael Hauptmann.

The findings appeared in the journal, Journal of National Cancer Institute.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

20.07.2018

We are judged by what we finish, not what we start

18 July, 2018

Severe shortage of mental health experts in India

Most Indians, at one point or another, have faced a mental health issue. And if they haven't yet, there is a big chance of them facing it in near future. This issue could range from coping from loss, anxiety, suicidal tendency to difficulty in adjusting to a change. But are we ready to handle this overwhelming cry for help? The answer is a disappointing NO. According to recent data presented in the Lok Sabha, there are only 898 psychologists in comparison to the 20,250 required in India.

State-wise, Uttar Pradesh has the maximum number of people suffering from mental health issues, followed by West Bengal, Kerala and Maharashtra. The shortage is leading to soaring treatment cost in the country, leading to people with a good command over English (or local language) claiming to be psychologists, without required qualification.

Also, due to this restricted availability and high costs, many people do not approach a therapist until the last stage, which can sometimes turn into a full-blown crisis. The approach eventually becomes less of prevention, and more of crisis intervention.

Mental health issues are a taboo in India, and when people try to open but feel isolated, this can worsen the overall situation. No wonder then that India has the highest number of suicides in the world.

To address this dangerous problem, there is a dire need for public and private sector to join hands. Mental health issues need to be controlled at an early stage before it turns its ugly head out.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

18.07.2018

If you walk in the footprints of others, you won’t make any of your own

16 July, 2018

Being positive helps fight cancer

While having a positive attitude in life has its owns benefits, the latest research by Israeli scientists claimed that positive emotions can also be helpful in fighting cancer.

A study titled “Modulation of anti-tumor immunity by the brain’s reward system” was published in the Friday’s issue of science journal `Nature’ in which scientist of Israel Institute of Technology claimed there was a deep connection between the patient’s mental state and cancer survival. The study was conducted on mice exploring the role of the brain’s reward system in fighting tumors.

“Given the central role of the reward system in positive emotions, these findings introduce a physiological mechanism whereby the patient’s psychological state can impact anti-tumor immunity and cancer progression,” the study said.

According to the study, some immune cell subsets like Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs), support tumor growth by suppressing the anti-tumor immune response and by generating a favorable environment for the tumor. MDSC is one of the regulator of the immune system’s activity in the body.

“In their new study, the researchers artificially stimulated the reward system in the brains of tumor-bearing mice, raising their levels of dopamine — a neurotransmitter that helps regulate pleasurable feelings. They then identified a response by the mice’s immune system, with a reduction in the activity of MDSCs. After 14 days of continuous treatment, the researchers identified a 50 percent reduction in the size of the tumors,” reported The Times of Israel while quoting the study.

The scientists added that though many of similar studies have given inconsistent results and most research in this field has been done focusing negative emotional states, such as stress and depression on health but the impact of positive mental state on cancer biology is largely unknown.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

16.07.2018

Argument may win the situation but lose the person, but patience may lose the situation but win the person

13 July, 2018

Eating more fruits and vegetables can fight asthma

If you have asthma, switching to a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables and whole grain cereals may help in reducing the symptoms like difficulty in breathing, chest pain and coughing among many other things, according to a study.

On the other hand, those who take unhealthy diets, with high consumption of meat, salt and sugar, are likely to have the poorest relief from asthma symptoms, the study showed, suggesting the role of healthy diet in preventing the onset of asthma as well as controlling problem in adults.

“A healthy diet is mostly made up of a high intake of fruit, vegetables and fibre. These have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and are elements in a healthy diet that potentially lower symptoms,” said lead researcher Roland Andrianasolo, from University of Paris 13 in France.

“In contrast, the least healthy diets include high consumption of meat, salt, and sugar, and these are elements with pro-inflammatory capacities that may potentially worsen symptoms of asthma,” he added.

The results also showed that for men and women with asthma who adhered to healthy diets, the likelihood of poorly controlled symptoms was lower by 60 percent and 27 percent respectively. For the study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, the team analysed data from 34,776 adults.

Overall, men who ate a healthier diet showed a 30 percent lower chance of experiencing asthma symptoms, while in women with healthier diets, the chance of experiencing the symptoms was 20 percent lower.

“The study adds to the evidence on the importance of a healthy diet in managing asthma and its possible role in helping prevent the onset of asthma in adults.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

13.07.2018

Difficulties in your life don’t come to destroy you, but to help you realize your hidden potential

11 July, 2018

Heart problems: Multivitamins, mineral supplements do not prevent it

The research team at the American Heart Association meticulously evaluated the ‘body of scientific evidence’ and they didn’t find any clinical benefit of multivitamin and mineral use to prevent heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems.

“It has been exceptionally difficult to convince people, including nutritional researchers, to acknowledge that multivitamin and mineral supplements don’t prevent cardiovascular diseases. I hope our study findings help decrease the hype around multivitamin and mineral supplements and encourage people to use proven methods to reduce their risk of cardiovascular diseases – such as eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising and avoiding tobacco,” said study’s lead author Joonseok Kim. 

Controversy about the effectiveness of multivitamin and mineral supplements to prevent cardiovascular diseases has been going on for years, despite numerous well-conducted research studies suggested that they don’t help.

The authors set out to combine the results from previously published scientific studies to help clarify the topic.

Although multivitamin and mineral supplements are taken in moderation rarely cause direct harm, the study urged people to protect their heart health by understanding their individual risk for heart disease and stroke and working with a healthcare provider to create a plan that uses measures to reduce risk. 

 These include a heart-healthy diet, exercise, tobacco cessation, controlling blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels, and when needed, medical treatment.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

11.07.2018

WRONG is WRONG even if everyone is doing it. RIGHT is RIGHT even if no one is doing it.

9 July, 2018

Your sunscreen can put you in danger

YOUR SUNSCREEN CAN PUT YOU IN DANGER: The use of sunscreen has risen over the past decades but some recent reports from the Environmental Working Group and Consumer Reports have warned people against its use.

TWO-WAY PROTECTION: There are two ways in which sunscreen can protect you. One is by forming a mineral barrier and with a chemical barrier. The mineral sunscreen is typically made of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which creates a barrier on the skin and thus bans the sun rays from harming you.

THE RESEARCH: The new research by Environmental Working Group, reveals that these chemicals used in sunscreen disrupt our hormones and interfere with thyroid and some other processes in the body.

DISRUPTS HORMONES: The chemicals like triclosan, parabens, oxybenzone and phthalates can also disrupt the hormonal balance in your body. The above ingredients are found in many commercially manufactured sunscreens.

INCREASE RISK OF BREAST CANCER: The chemical benzophenones can cause the same effect on your body as excess estrogen does. This can increase the risk of development of breast cancer in women.

EYE IRRITATION: If sunscreen goes into your eye, it can lead to irritation and pain. Some doctors even claim that a few chemicals in sunscreen can lead to blindness.

SKIN TUMOURS: Retinyl palmitate is used in sunscreen as it has an antioxidant and thus reduces ageing. But studies show that rats who were treated with this chemical showed a faster spread of a tumour and lesions on their skin.

CAN PROMOTE GROWTH OF CANCER CELLS: The damage caused by these chemicals can actually promote the growth of cancer cells in the body. The genetic mutation due to these chemicals can also lead to the development of cancer cells.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

09.07.2018

Always desire to learn something useful

Sophocles

6 July, 2018

Mother’s lifestyle choices linked to obesity risk in adolescents, says study

Adolescents whose mothers follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and refrain from smoking may be 75 percent less likely to develop obesity, according to a study. The findings also suggested that children of women who maintained a healthy body weight and did not smoke had 56 percent and 31 percent lower risk of obesity respectively.

“The study demonstrates that an overall healthy lifestyle really outweighs any individual healthy lifestyle factors followed by mothers when it comes to lowering the risk of obesity in their children,” said Qi Sun, from the Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in the US.

For the study, published in the journal The BMJ, the team examined data from 24,289 children aged between nine and 18 years of age, who were born to 16,945 women. They looked at the association between a mother’s lifestyle and the risk of obesity among their children and adolescents. The results showed that 5.3 percent of the group developed obesity during a median five year follow-up period. Maternal obesity, smoking, and physical inactivity were strongly associated with obesity among children and adolescents.

While the greatest drop in obesity risk was seen when mothers and children followed healthy lifestyle habits, many of the healthy habits had a noticeable impact on the risk of childhood obesity when assessed individually. The risk of obesity was also lower among children of mothers who consumed low or moderate levels of alcohol compared with those whose mothers abstained from alcohol.

Further, mothers’ dietary patterns were not associated with obesity in their children, possibly because children’s diets are influenced by many factors, including school lunches and available food options in their neighbourhoods. 

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

06.07.2018

If Hard Work is your Weapon success will be your slave

4 July, 2018

Air pollution linked to diabetes, India at greater risk: Lancet

Outdoor air pollution even at levels deemed safe may be associated with an increased risk of diabetes globally, with India being at a greater risk due to lack of air cleaning policies, scientists said in a report in Lancet. The findings showed that air pollution contributes to development of diabetes by reducing insulin production and triggering inflammation, which prevents the body from converting blood glucose into energy that the body needs.

The overall risk of pollution-related diabetes is tilted more toward lower-income countries such as India that lack the resources for environmental mitigation systems and clean-air policies, Lancet Planetary Health report said.

"Our research shows a significant link between air pollution and diabetes globally," said Ziyad Al-Aly, from the University of Washington in St. Louis, US.

"We found an increased risk, even at low levels of air pollution currently considered safe by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The researchers estimated that pollution contributed to a little more than three million new diabetes cases globally in 2016, which represented about 14 percent of all new diabetes cases globally that year.

Nearly 10 million years of healthy life were lost in 2016 due to pollution-linked diabetes, representing about 14 percent of all years of healthy life lost due to diabetes from any cause. According to the UN 2018 Sustainable Development Goals Report, an estimated 4.2 million people died as a result of high levels of ambient air pollution.

In the study, the team analysed data from more than one million participants without a history of diabetes, who were followed for a median of eight and a half years.

They also looked at particulate matters, airborne microscopic pieces of dust, dirt, smoke, soot and liquid droplets.

Poverty-stricken countries facing a higher diabetes-pollution risk include Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea and Guyana, while richer countries such as France, Finland and Iceland experience a lower risk, the study said.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

04.07.2018

Be CAREFUL with your WORDS….Once they are SAID, They can only be FORGIVEN,

Not FORGOTTEN

2 July, 2018

Genetic interactions responsible for neuro disorders

Genetic interactions are responsible for neurodevelopmental disorders, a recent study has found. Genes located in a large chromosomal aberration, associated with autism, interact with each other to modulate the variable symptoms of the disease. A team, led by Penn State researchers, tested the role of these genes individually.

“As opposed to diseases that are caused by mutations in single genes, autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders have a complex etiology that can be the result of many interacting genes,” said the lead author of the paper, Santhosh Girirajan.

The researchers focused on a large deletion on chromosome 16 that spans over 500,000 base pairs of As, Ts, Cs, and Gs that make up double-stranded DNA and was first discovered in individuals with autism. The researchers turned to the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to try to identify how the deletion on chromosome 16 was causing these symptoms.

“Although we only tested the 14 fly counterparts of the 25 human genes, our results suggest a model that can be applied to the overall mechanism of disease caused due to this deletion,” said a postdoctoral researcher in the Girirajan lab and an author of the paper, Janani Iyer.

Using a technique called RNA interference in which a short piece of RNA can be designed to reduce the expression of a particular gene in either the entire fly or in a particular tissue, the researchers first tested each of the individual genes in the chromosome 16 deletion that have counterparts in the fly. “Based on our results, we suggest a new model for the pathogenicity of the chromosome 16 deletion and other large regions of copy number variation in the genome,” said Girirajan.

The full findings are published in the journal- Nature Communications.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

02.07.2018

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow

Melody Beattie