Alcohol in pregnancy may harm sons` sperm: Study

Mothers who drink alcohol while they are pregnant may be damaging the fertility of their future sons, experts believe.

Mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy may be damaging the fertility of their future sons, a study by Danish scientists said on Tuesday.

The researchers found that if mothers had drunk 4.5 or more drinks a week while pregnant, the sperm concentration of their sons -- measured about 20 years later -- was a third lower than in men who were not exposed to alcohol while in the womb.

The study by scientists at the University of Aarhus in Denmark was presented at the conference of European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Rome. A drink was measured as 12 grams of alcohol, equivalent to one 330 ml can of beer, one small (120 ml) glass of wine or one shot (40 ml) of spirits.

"Our study shows that there is an association between drinking a moderate amount of alcohol during pregnancy and lower sperm concentrations in sons," said Cecilia of Aarhus's department of occupational medicine, who led the research.

But she noted that because the study was an observational one, the scientists could not say for certain whether the alcohol intake was a cause of the lower sperm concentrations.

"It is possible that drinking alcohol during pregnancy has a harmful effect on the foetal semen-producing tissue in the testes -- and thereby on semen quality in later life -- but our study is the first of its kind, and more research within this area is needed before any causal link can be established or safe drinking limits proposed," she said in a report of her study.

If, however, the findings are replicated in future studies, that may help explain why semen quality has dropped in recent decades, and why it is better in some nations than others.

The Danish team studied 347 sons of 11,980 women who were taking part in the Danish "Healthy habits for two" study between 1984 and 1987. Around the 36th week of pregnancy the mothers answered a questionnaire on lifestyle and health. The sons were followed up between 2005 and 2006, when they were aged between 18-21, and semen and blood samples were collected and analysed.

The data showed that sons of mothers drinking 4.5 or more alcoholic drinks a week had average sperm concentrations of 25 million per millilitre, while the sons who were least exposed to alcohol had sperm concentrations of 40 million/ml.

After adjusting for various confounding factors, the scientists found the sons in the group most exposed to alcohol had an average sperm concentration that was around 32 percent lower than that in the least exposed group.

The World Health Organisation defines a "normal" level of sperm concentration as being approximately 20 million/ml or more, but the chances of conception go up with increased sperm concentration up to 40 million/ml.

"If further research shows that maternal alcohol consumption is a cause of reduced semen concentration in male offspring, then we are a bit closer to an explanation of why semen quality may have decreased during the last decades and why it differs between populations," said Ramlau-Hansen.

The researchers also investigated whether fathers' alcohol consumption had any effect, but found no link.

Source http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/features/alcohol-pregnancy-may-harm-sons%60-spermstudy_466961.html

Nitrate in beetroot juice reduces BP

A new research from Queen Mary University of London has revealed that the nitrate content of beetroot juice is the underlying cause of its blood pressure lowering benefits.

The study found that blood pressure was lowered within 24 hours in people who took nitrate tablets, and people who drank beetroot juice.

Study author Amrita Ahluwalia, Professor of Vascular Biology at Queen Mary''s William Harvey Research Institute, said the investigation was able to demonstrate that the nitrate found in beetroot juice was the cause of its beneficial effects upon cardiovascular health by increasing the levels of the gas nitric oxide in the circulation.

"We gave inorganic nitrate capsules or beetroot juice to healthy volunteers and compared their blood pressure responses and the biochemical changes occurring in the circulation,” Professor Ahluwalia said.

"We showed that beetroot and nitrate capsules are equally effective in lowering blood pressure indicating that it is the nitrate content of beetroot juice that underlies its potential to reduce blood pressure. We also found that only a small amount of juice is needed – just 250ml - to have this effect, and that the higher the blood pressure at the start of the study the greater the decrease caused by the nitrate.

"Our previous study two years ago found that drinking beetroot juice lowered blood pressure; now we know how it works," Professor Ahluwalia added.

The study has been published online in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension.

Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Life/Health-Fitness/Health/Nitrate-in-beetroot-juice-reduces-BP/articleshow/6105456.cms

Some blind patients regain sight via stem cells

Dozens of people who were blinded or otherwise suffered severe eye damage when they were splashed with caustic chemicals have had their sight restored with transplants of their own stem cells, a stunning success for the burgeoning cell-therapy field, Italian researchers reported last week.

The treatment worked completely in 82 of 107 eyes and partially in 14 others, with benefits lasting up to a decade so far. One man whose eyes were severely damaged more than 60 years ago now has near-normal vision.

"This is a roaring success," said ophthalmologist Ivan Schwab of the University of California at Davis, who had no role in the study.

Stem cell transplants offer hope to people who suffer chemical burns on their corneas from heavy-duty cleansers or other substances at work or at home. Such accidents affect thousands worldwide every year.

The stem cell approach would not help people with damage to the optic nerve or macular degeneration, which involves the retina. Nor would it work in people who are completely blind in both eyes, because doctors need at least some healthy tissue that they can transplant.

In the study, published online by the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers took a small number of stem cells from a patient's healthy eye, multiplied them in a lab and placed them into the burned eye, where they were able to grow new corneal tissue to replace what had been damaged. Since the stem cells are from their own bodies, the patients do not need to take anti-rejection drugs.

The study involved 106 patients treated between 1998 and 2007. Most had extensive damage in one eye, and some had such limited vision that they could only sense light or perceive hand motions. Many had been blind for years and had had unsuccessful operations to restore their vision.

Adult stem cells have been used for decades to cure blood cancers such as leukemia and diseases including sickle cell anemia. But fixing damaged eyes is a relatively new use.

Researchers have been studying cell therapy for a host of other diseases, including diabetes and heart failure, with limited success.

Source http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/28/AR2010062803818.html

Statins may prevent re-growth of prostate cancer

Cholesterol-lowering drugs or statins might help in preventing the return of prostate cancer in men who undertake surgery for the disease, new study has revealed.

A study suggests that patients who took statins were 30 per cent less likely to suffer an evident relapse than those who did not.

Higher doses of the drugs were associated with a lower risk of showing signs of cancer re-growth.

"The findings add another layer of evidence suggesting that statins may have an important role in slowing the growth and progression of prostate cancer," the Scotsman quoted Dr Stephen Freedland, from Duke University Medical Centre as saying.

Study author Dr Robert Hamilton, from the University of Toronto, said: "These findings are intriguing, but we do need to approach them with some caution."

"For example, we don’t know the diet, exercise or smoking habits of these men. So it’s not entirely clear if the lower risk we detected is related to the statins alone - it could be due to other factors we could not measure.

But we do feel that, based on these findings and those from other studies, the time is right to perform a well-controlled randomised trial to test whether statins do indeed slow prostate cancer progression," he added.

"There are still many questions about the use of statins, and researchers and doctors must be cautious in linking low levels of PSA in men taking statins with the belief that cancer has not returned. It could be that while statins are effective in reducing PSA levels, they may have little effect on whether pro-state cancer is likely to return," said Dr Kate Holmes, research manager at the Prostate Cancer Charity.

Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Life/Health-Fitness/Health/Statins-may-prevent-re-growth-of-prostate-cancer/articleshow/6102334.cms

Oral Cancer Risks cut By Coffee Intake

If you are a coffee lover, her is another good reason to love not just your morning cuppa but at least four cups of coffee a day…

Drinking four cups of coffee can reduce risks of oral cancer or mouth cancer, a recent study has confirmed. The health benefits of drinking coffee is being scrutinized by scientists lately, (maybe they love coffee too just like you and me) and it was found that coffee drinking can reduce risks of certain types of cancer. It was found that coffee contains various chemicals which act as anti-oxidants. scientists found that chemicals like cafestol and kahweol, present in coffee offered more benefits in fighting against cancer.

After putting together the data collected from 9 case studies related to head and neck cancer, Prof Mia Hashibe from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City published her results online in a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research called Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention stated that, “Since there is a relatively high incidence and low survival rate of these forms of cancers, our results have important public health implications that need to be further addressed,”

The study was conducted on the coffee drinking habits of 5000 cancer patients and 9000 healthy people. Regular coffee drinkers had 39% less risks from oral and pharynx cancers than non drinkers. Dr Nigel Carter, the Chief Executive of the British Dental Foundation said, “Many people enjoy coffee, but often worry about the risks it has for their health – possibly high blood pressure. But this study shows that drinking coffee can actually have beneficial effects.”

Oral cancer patients are increasing especially among women and youngsters lately. Men who were in their 40’s were the high risk group lately, but now increase in the % of the risks among young men and women have lead researchers to find alternatives to prevent mouth cancer. coffee protects you even if you have just one cup per day, still the amount of risk decreases with every cup you miss. So if you love coffee, drink yet another cup or two, just to keep your self safe from the risks of mouth cancer.

Source http://www.vingsnetwork.com/blog/2010/06/oral-cancer-risks-cut-by-coffee-intake/comment-page-1/

Foetuses don't feel pain before 24 weeks

A foetus at 20 weeks. Nerve connections in the brain are not sufficiently formed to allow pain perception until after 24-weeks, according to an official report

A new study has found that human foetuses do not feel pain before the age of 24 weeks.

The study was commissioned by the Government and carried out by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

According to the report, nerve connections in the brain are not sufficiently formed to allow pain perception at that stage, and the foetus remains in a state of “continuous sleep-like unconsciousness” even after 24 weeks.

The findings suggest late abortions, which are allowed in cases of serious abnormalities or risk to the mother’s health, may not result in foetal suffering.

“Connections from the periphery to the cortex are not intact before 24 weeks of gestation,” Sky News quoted the report as saying on the issue of pain perception.

“As most neuroscientists believe the cortex is necessary for pain perception, it can be concluded the foetus cannot experience pain in any sense prior to this gestation.

“There is increasing evidence that the foetus never experiences a state of true wakefulness in utero and is kept, by the presence of its chemical environment, in a continuous sleep-like unconsciousness or sedation,” it stated.

Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Life/Health-Fitness/Health/Foetuses-dont-feel-pain-before-24-weeks/articleshow/6090540.cms

Too much TV increases heart risk

Every hour spent in front of television increases the risk of dying from heart disease by 7 per cent, a study has revealed.

Those looking at their favourite progammes for four hours a day face a 28 per cent rise in the risk. The research led by Medical Research Council shows that changes in lifestyle could stem the toll from heart disease.

For almost a decade, researchers from the MRC Epidemiology Unit studied 13,197 middle-aged, healthy men and women in Norfolk. It showed that 373 of the participants died from heart disease.

It was found that the amount of time spent watching television was a significant marker of the likelihood of death from heart disease.

Scientists estimated that deaths can be avoided if TV viewing times had been reduced from four hours a day to just one hour, reports dailymail.co.uk.

Study co-author Dr Katrien Wijndaele warned: "Our bodies are not designed to sit for long periods and we should be aware that, as we put in the TV hours watching the World Cup, our risk of heart disease is probably increasing".

Source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Too-much-TV-increases-heart-risk/Article1-562857.aspx

Fearful Kids Freak Out If They Hear "Don't Worry"

Reassuring your kids when they are about to undergo a painful medical procedure might just increase their fear and pain, a new study has said.

On the other hand, children whose parents just talk about something else cope better.

"It seems counterintuitive that reassurance can hurt," Discovery News quoted Meghan McMurty of the Departments of Psychology

, Pediatrics and Psychiatry at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as saying.

McMurty and her colleagues recruited 100 children between ages 5 and 10 and their parents. All the children were having blood drawn for tests in an outpatient blood lab. They videotaped the interactions between the parents and their kids, along with video vignettes by actors recreating the same behaviours and asked the children to rate what they saw in the videos.

They found that during reassuring behavior, facial expressions conveying fear and talking in a rising tone caused more fear in the children. Reassuring parents can convey worry, and worried facial expressions play a powerful role, the authors suggest.

But should the parents then smile if their child is dreading a shot?

"The best thing to do is distract.

"It's also very tempting for health care professionals to reassure. Historically health care professionals' training in pain management is not very good," said McMurty.

She hopes that eventually she can create a research-based tip sheet to help parents and professionals lower children's anxiety about medical procedures.

The study is published in the July issue of the journal Pain.

Read more: Fearful Kids Freak Out If They Hear "Don't Worry" http://www.medindia.net/news/Fearful-Kids-Freak-Out-If-They-Hear-Dont-Worry-70438-1.htm#ixzz0rmNlHZw0

Here's how to tackle teenage drinking

Parenting rewarded: Attentive parents who were not overly strict had the best chance of their children avoiding a drinking problem, a study found

A new study has revealed that parenting style is an important factor in preventing binge drinking amongst teens.

According to a new Brigham Young University study of 5,000 adolescents and their parents, the researchers found that parents who scored high on both accountability and warmth had teens with least chances of heavy drinking, whereas so-called ‘indulgent’ parents nearly tripled that chance.

And ‘strict’ parents – high on accountability and low on warmth – more than doubled their teen’s risk of heavy drinking.

The BYU researchers also note that teens in this new study were more likely to have non-drinking friends if their parents scored high on warmth and accountability.

“The adolescent period is kind of a transitional period and parents sometimes have a hard time navigating that,” said Stephen Bahr, a professor in BYU’s College of Family, Home and Social Sciences.

“Although peers are very important, it’s not true that parents have no influence,” she added.

“Make sure that it’s not just about controlling their behavior – you need to combine knowing how they spend their time away from home with a warm, loving relationship,” said co-author John Hoffmann.

The study will be published in the July issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

Source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Here-s-how-to-tackle-teenage-drinking/Article1-562563.aspx

Listening to iPod for an hour can damage hearing

Scientists have shown that listening to music on headphones for an hour can have a temporary impact on people's hearing because of the damage caused to the hair cells in the outer ear.

Participants in the study, published in the journal Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, had their hearing tested and were then asked to listen to pop or rock music for six one hour long sessions using two different types of headphones and at varying, preset volumes.

After each session researchers measured the responses of the 21 men and women aged between 19 and 28 to a very short sound and then two sounds of different frequencies to see how clearly participants could hear the tones.

A control group of 14 people of the same ages was used to compare the results.

Lead researcher Dr Hannah Kempler, of Ghent University, Belgium, said the tests were designed to study the short-term effects on the auditory system of young adults listening to an MP3 player for one hour.

She said: "It is well known that excessive occupational noise exposure can lead to noise-induced hearing loss.

The increasing popularity and availability of portable music players has caused concern about the potential hazardous effects on hearing.

"Excessive noise exposure can lead to metabolic and/or mechanical effects resulting in alterations of the structural elements of the organ of Corti [the inner ear organ in mammals that contains auditory sensory cells or 'hair cells'].

"The primary damage is concentrated on the outer hair cells, which are more vulnerable to acoustic overstimulation that inner hair cells."

Source http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7844024/Listening-to-iPod-for-an-hour-can-damage-hearing.html

Drinking beer sensibly has health benefits, say experts

Experts from The Beer Academy, London stated in their report that if drunk with restraint, beer is the ‘healthiest alcoholic beverage available’ with low calorific-value.

Cambridge News quoted biochemist Dr. George Philliskirk, co-founder and director, The Beer Academy, as saying, “We are trying to help people understand what beer is, what it’s made of, and that when drunk in moderation it actually has a lot of positive health benefits.”

“Hopefully it will give people confidence when buying beer, and will take away some myths and fear about drinking beer. There are an awful lot of misconceptions associated with the drink,” added Philliskirk.

The Beer Academy report
The online study conducted this February, interviewed selected 2,004 adults aged 18 and over.

Survey results revealed that 68 percent people considered beer to be Britain’s national drink.

However, 10 percent people believed that the drink contained fat and another 13 percent had a misconception that it was made from chemical ingredients rather than malted barley and hops.

Instead, the research revealed beer to be fat-free, comprising antioxidants and minerals like silicon. Silicon used for brewing beer, is found in large quantity in barley husks.

Researchers further declared beer as a rich source of vitamins, fibre, minerals and antioxidants.

Other findings of the research
Furthermore, the report showed that half a pint (unit of liquid measure) of 3.8 percent bitter contains 85 calories; half a pint of 4 percent lager (light-coloured beer) has 94 calories.

Further, a 175ml glass of red wine is known to contain 119 calories.

Asserting on the virtues of beer, Red Squirrel brewer Gary Hayward was quoted by The Herald as saying, “Real Ale is good for you in moderation. It contains all the building blocks needed for life. Real ale contains proteins, minerals and vitamins.”

“It also contains trace elements of zinc which help yeast vitality and in moderation is good for libido! Our Beer is made of natural products and produced locally,” added Hayward.

A spokeswoman for the Beer Academy told NewsTime, “Beer contains vitamins which can help you to maintain a well-balanced healthy diet, fibre to keep you regular, readily absorbed antioxidants and minerals such as silicon which may help to lower your risk of osteoporosis.”

Source http://www.themedguru.com/20100622/newsfeature/drinking-beer-sensibly-has-health-benefits-say-experts-86136632.html

Eating eggs doesn't raise diabetes risk

An egg a day for breakfast probably won't increase your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

In the study, researchers failed to see a significant association between eating eggs occasionally or almost daily and the development of type 2 diabetes in nearly 4,000 older men and women.

While eggs are a key source of dietary cholesterol, they also contain a number of other potentially beneficial nutrients. To figure out the net effects of egg consumption as a whole food on type 2 diabetes risk, researchers looked at 3,898 Americans participating in the Cardiovascular Health Study. All were at least 65 years old when they enrolled in the study. During follow-up, which averaged about 11 years, 313 people developed type 2 diabetes, which is closely linked to being overweight as well as poor diet and lack of exercise.

No relationship was found between any amount of egg consumption and increased risk of type 2 diabetes. No link was found between dietary cholesterol overall and diabetes risk. While men in the top category of egg consumption, those eating eggs almost daily, were at increased type 2 diabetes risk, this increase wasn't statistically significant, meaning it could have been due to chance.

Other studies that have linked eggs to diabetes have found an association with very high consumption, generally for eating seven or more eggs a week. On average, participants in this study ate less than one egg a day, so there may not have been enough people with very high egg intakes to establish whether this was harmful.

The current findings don’t back any significant relationship between egg consumption and type 2 diabetes.

Source http://doctor.ndtv.com/storypage/ndtv/id/004545/type/news/Eating_eggs_doesnt_raise_diabetes_risk.html

Read more at: http://doctor.ndtv.com/storypage/ndtv/id/004545/type/news/Eating_eggs_doesnt_raise_diabetes_risk.html?cp

Shakira addicted to chocolates

Shakira is so addicted to chocolates that she constantly dreams of the sugary treat while she is on a diet.

"I love chocolate. I'm addicted to it. Do you know when I realised that? Shortly before we started shooting the video for She Wolf," Shakira
said.

The Waka Waka hitmaker claims she is so obsessed by chocolate that she constantly dreamed of it while she was on a diet recently, reports contactmusic.com.

"I needed a whole month to get back into shape. I danced, worked out and had to stick to a strict diet - only fish, spinach and a specially-prepared dessert with tofu. For the first time in my life, I was dreaming of chocolate and cake and always woke up with tears in my eyes."

"When we finished shooting the video, I went to a cafe in Los Angeles and had five pieces of chocolate cake in one go!" she added.

Read more at: http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?Section=Movies&ID=ENTEN20100144431&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&keyword=music&cp

Pain a major issue for women with RA

Almost three-quarters of women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) suffer pain on a daily basis, despite the fact that the majority of them receive pain relief medication, the results of a new study have shown.

RA is a chronic and often painful disease affecting the joints, causing them to become inflamed. An inflamed joint looks swollen and red and appears warm to touch. This inflammation can lead to permanent damage in the joints if the disease is not treated. Around 40,000 people in Ireland have the condition.

The results of this latest study were based on data collected from almost 28,000 women living in seven countries, including the UK, Germany, Spain and the US. They were presented at EULAR 2010, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism and highlighted the emotional, social and physical impact of RA on women's lives.

According to the findings, women with the disease reported suffering feelings of detachment and isolation and said that it had affected their intimate relationships. In fact, 40% of single women said that it was more challenging to find a partner, while 22% of divorced or separated respondents indicated that RA had played a role in their decision to separate from their partner.

At least two in three women with the condition reported concealing their pain from those closest to them, while 67% said they were constantly looking for new ideas to address the pain they were in.

"These data confirm that pain is a paramount issue for women with RA, fundamentally striking at the heart of their physical, social and emotional wellbeing. The research highlights the complexity of the management of RA, and the pain associated with it, over and above basic symptom control," commented EULAR president, Prof Paul Emery of the University of Leeds in the UK.

The survey also examined the negative impact of the disease on the participants' working lives. It found that almost three in four of those who were employed at the time of the survey felt that they were less productive at work because of their RA.

Many respondents reported that the disease had a long-term effect on their work life, with 23% stopping work altogether and 17% reporting a switch to part-time employment as a result of their RA.

"The adoption of treatment pathways and strategies to reduce pain, reinstate productivity at work and manage the social impact of RA is of huge importance in the clinical management of this patient population," Prof Emery added.

The EULAR 2010 Annual Congress is taking place in Rome, Italy.

Source http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=17490

Loved ones can prevent suicides among men

University of British Columbia researchers suggest that masculine ideals of strength coupled with strong family ties can help men combat depression and overcome thoughts of suicide.

UBC researchers John Oliffe and John Ogrodniczuk looked at how men’s ideas of masculinity served or hindered them during bouts of severe depression. Their findings shed light on risk factors and prevention strategies for suicide.

The authors analysed qualitative data from interviews with 38 men between 24 and 50 years of age living in Vancouver and Prince George. The participants were self-identified or were formally diagnosed with depression.

The study suggests that men can best counter suicidal thoughts by connecting with others – namely intimate partners and family – to regain some stability and to secure emotional support from others.

"Support from friends and connecting to other things including spirituality is often the conduit to men seeking professional help to overcome the suicidal thoughts that can accompany severe depression," says lead author Oliffe, an associate professor in the School of Nursing .

Men die by suicide at least three times more than women although it is women who are diagnosed at twice the rate of men for depression. Men aged 20-29 have the highest rate of suicide. Statistics Canada reports that in 2003, the last year for which data is available, more than 2,900 men committed suicide.

The investigators found that most study participants expressed a strong commitment to their families and turned away from suicide for the hurt and trauma it would cause loved ones.

"Here, men’s strong sense of masculine roles and responsibility as a provider and protector enables men to hold on while seeking support to regain some self-control," says Oliffe.

But Ogrodniczuk says the ‘stoic warrior’ ideal also presents a downside that can lead men to shut down and look for escape. In these situations, study participants chose to mute their feelings or disconnect from others. They often overused alcohol and other drugs.

"Instead of finding respite from their emotional, mental and physical pain, self-harm emerged as the most common outcome of these actions," says Ogrodniczuk.

Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Life/Health-Fitness/Health/Loved-ones-can-prevent-suicides-among-men/articleshow/6058907.cms

Effect of alcohol on foetus development not clear, say researchers

Sahar Ismail (M'13)

According to a review, there has been little progress in understanding the effects of alcohol on foetal development during pregnancy.

Four first-year medical students at Georgetown University School of Medicine conducted a review of literature on FAS (Foetal Alcohol Syndrome) and found that there have been little clinical changes related to the syndrome.

"Although there is a lot of research in the field to determine how alcohol acts on the developing brain, there is not much translation into the clinic," says Sahar Ismail, now a second year medical student.

"What surprised us the most was the lack of sensitive and specific diagnostic tools to identify children with FAS, given its prevalence and harmful effects on the child, family, and society."

"Not every woman who drinks alcohol will have a child with FAS, but because so much remains unknown, women are still advised not to drink any time during pregnancy," said G. Ian Gallicano, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology.

Although FAS is relatively uncommon, the less severe form of FAS - FASD (foetal alcohol spectrum disorders) is much more common, but both are entirely preventable, if only there were any medical strategies to determine the exact developmental phases in which alcohol has these specific effects on the foetus.

Alcohol is particularly detrimental to a foetal brain, because of its complex blood networks and can cause dramatic and irreversible effects on the foetus, such as developmental delay, head and facial irregularities, seizures, hyperactivity, attention deficits, cognitive deficits, learning and memory impairments, poor psychosocial functioning, facial irregularities, and motor coordination deficits.

At this point, there is no treatment or specific and sensitive diagnostic tools to diagnose FAS early in pregnancy or early after birth. However, research is underway to find biomarkers that can inform physicians if a pregnant woman is using, or chronically abusing, alcohol. Still, the authors say there is comparatively little investigation on these ideas.

Although there is vast research in this area, clinical strategies to reverse the effects of alcohol are not foreseeable in the near future, the authors say.

The study is published in the issue of Developmental Neuroscience.

Source http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report_effect-of-alcohol-on-foetus-development-not-clear-say-researchers_1397563

17 H1N1 flu deaths in a month shocks Kerala

Following a spurt in H1N1 deaths in Kerala during the pre-monsoon season, a team of experts from the Centre visited hospitals in the state capital and met senior officials on Wednesday.

According to official statistics, 17 people have died of H1N1 in about a month and another 201 people have been diagnosed with the disease. Most of the victims are pregnant women. The state has sought one lakh doses of the vaccine for pregnant women.

The Central team included Sunil Gupta, joint director (microbiology), National Centre for Disease Control and Dr Pradeep of Emergency Medical Services and the relief division of the Directorate General of Health Services.

Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Thirupuram/17-H1N1-flu-deaths-in-a-month-shocks-Kerala/articleshow/6056893.cms

H1N1 flu shots also protect against Spanish flu

It appears humankind has a reason to be grateful for the 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus -- widescale exposure to it has lessened the threat posed by the virus that caused the 1918 Spanish flu, the worst known infectious disease outbreak ever.

New research suggests the antibodies many people around the world generated against the 2009 virus -- either through being ill or by getting vaccinated -- would protect them if a lab accident resulted in the release of the 1918 virus or if terrorists tried to use it as a bio weapon.

"Our results should ease concerns of accidental release of the 1918 virus from the laboratory, or its use as a bioterrorist agent, as a cross-protective vaccine is now available and a large proportion of the general population would already have cross-reactive antibodies," said the researchers, led by flu expert Adolfo Garcia-Sastre of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

The work was done in mice and the team said in their paper -- published in the journal Nature Communications -- that they will need to replicate it in other animal models, including monkeys.

But they did test the blood of human volunteers who had received the 2009 pandemic flu shot, checking to see if the blood samples contained antibodies that reacted to the 1918 virus.

Not only did they find the antibodies, but when they transferred the human blood to the mice and then gave the mice what should have been a lethal dose of 1918 virus, they were protected.

Garcia-Sastre said the discovery should assuage concerns that were raised when a team of U.S. researchers reconstituted the 1918 virus from genetic sequences teased from virus fragments retrieved from people who died in the outbreak. That research, done in select labs with the highest level of biosecurity and biosafety ratings, has been criticized in some quarters as being too risky.

The 1918 virus is believed to have killed approximately 50 million people worldwide, many of them young and previously healthy adults. It is unclear what the release of that virus would do in the current immunological landscape, where most people alive have had multiple exposures over years to distant offspring of the 1918 virus.

But the 2009 pandemic showed that viruses that become genetically different enough from their ancestors are still capable of causing a pandemic. In fact, older people who were exposed to H1N1 viruses that circulated prior to 1957 fared better, as a group, than younger people who had only encountered more recent H1N1 viruses.

That pattern was explained by studies published earlier this year that found the 2009 virus more closely resembled its 1918 ancestor than its more contemporary cousins.

Imaging of the hemagglutinin -- the major protein on the surface of flu viruses -- showed both the Spanish flu virus and the pandemic H1N1 version lacked two sugar coats seen on more modern viruses from the same family, other U.S. scientists reported.

Garcia-Sastre's new study bookends one he published in January showing that an experimental vaccine made to protect against the 1918 virus also protects against the 2009 pandemic variant.

One might assume that if 1918 protects against 2009 that the reverse would automatically be true, but that isn't always the case, the virologist said from New York.

"This story I think finishes the cycle, complements what has been published before doing the opposite thing. And this isn't always the case," he said.

"So it's nice to see that that's the case. And I also think that makes things easier for people like my lab, working on 1918 or the CDC working on 1918 because now we have a vaccine that is working," Garcia-Sastre said.

"And that has been for a long time one of the concerns about working with 1918 (virus) ... the small possibility but always the possibility that this virus might infect one of the workers or be used as a bioterrorist weapon.

Source http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20100616/h1n1-spanish-flu-100616/

Sanitary napkins for rural girls at Re.1 per pack now

Sanitary napkins will now be provided to young girls in rural areas at Re.1 per pack to promote menstrual hygiene in the country, the union health ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry approved a Rs.150 crore scheme in this regard under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), launched in 2005 to provide affordable healthcare in rural areas.

A pack of six high quality sanitary napkins will be provided to below poverty line adolescent girls in rural areas at Re.1. Above poverty line girls will be charged Rs.5 per pack, a ministry official said.

A total of 235 districts have been identified as 'focus districts' and workers will be recruited in them.

The scheme will be implemented in three phases.

In the first year, the programme will be implemented in 150 districts, which is 25 percent of the country. Of these, 30 districts will be from the four southern states, Maharashtra and Gujarat, and 120 districts will be in the northern, central and north-eastern states.

The first phase is expected to cover over 1.5 crore girls with approximately 30 percent of them being below the poverty line.

'For the 30 districts in southern states, Maharashtra and Gujarat, self-help groups have been suggested. For the 100 districts in central, northern and north-eastern states where self-help groups are not yet that mature, sourcing from sanitary napkin manufactures through a competitive bidding process can be an option,' the official said.

The decision was taken in a meeting of the Mission Steering Group of the NRHM chaired by Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. The meeting was also attended by Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, Rural Development Minister C.P. Joshi and Planning Commission Deputy Chaiman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

The central government has proposed to involve Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) for distribution of sanitary napkins with an incentive of Re.1 for every pack they distribute.

The ministry, however, made it clear that involving ASHA was an option and state governments were free to chose any other method they find appropriate.

The official said the states will need to put in place uniform standards for production and quality checks to ensure safety of the product in line with the Bureau of Industrial Standards.

Source http://sify.com/news/sanitary-napkins-for-rural-girls-at-re-1-per-pack-now-news-health-kgqqucdfjgi.html

Could brown rice protect against type 2 diabetes

Researchers published a study report in the June 14, 2010 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine suggesting that people eating brown rice or other whole grains may have a lower risk for type 2 diabetes than those eating white rice.

The meta-analysis of data on 40,000 male and more than 157,000 female doctors
and nurses who participated in three long run studies found high intake of brown rice was associated with lower risk of developing diabetes.

The researchers found doctors and nurses who ate at least five servings of white rice per week were at a 17 percent higher risk of developing diabetes than those who ate less than one serving per week. The different was considered significant.

One the other hand, those who ate 2 or more servings of brown rice per week were at 11 percent reduced risk pf developing type 2 diabetes than those eating less than one serving a month, the researchers found.

Dr. Qi Sun at Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital and colleagues, authors of the study, said all the associations were established after other dietary and lifestyle factors were considered.

Further the researchers estimated that if one third of a daily serving of white rice was replaced with the same amount of brown rice (about 50 grams), the risk of type 2 diabetes
could be reduced by 16 percent.

Another analysis suggested that if the white rice was replaced with whole grains as a group, the risk could be reduced by 36 percent.

In the United States, an estimated 20 million of men and women suffer type 2 diabetes and another 20 to 40 million people suffer pre-diabetes. The diabetes may be managed by using a healthy diet and some times also medications.

Type 2 Diabetes is a chronic disease in which a person cannot use glucose because he either does not produce enough insulin or cannot effectively use insulin. The disease can lead to a number of other serious chronic diseases including heart disease and cancer
, according to American Diabetes Association.

A health observer cautioned that the study by Dr. Qi Sun et al. is not a trial and it did not establish any causal relation between eating brown rice and lower diabetes risk. That means that eating brown rice does not necessarily reduce the risk. It could be that those who ate brown rice led a healthier lifestyle which overall has an positive impact on the risk.

Brown rice contains more fiber, vitamins and minerals than white rice. People generally view brown rice and whole grains as healthy foods, meaning there is a possibility that those who ate brown rice may be more health-conscious than those eating white rice, the health observer suggested.

Another limitation is that the subjects in the studies used no more than 2 percent of calories from rice, meaning that rice, no matter brown or white rice, is not a significant part of their diet. With this tiny intake, it is hard to believe rice could have such a significant impact on the type 2 diabetes, the natural health advocate said.

Source http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/2/Diabetes/could_brown_rice_protect_against_type_2_diabetes_1506100752.html

Raju needs prolonged treatment

The Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), where Satyam Computer Services’ disgraced founder, B Ramalinga Raju, has been undergoing treatment for Hepatitis-C since last September, said Raju needed continuous medical attention due to the side effects of the drugs being administered to him.

In its report today to the special court trying the massive accounting scam cases, NIMS stated four more injections are to be administered to Raju for four weeks as part of the 24-week treatment in Phase-I.

"Raju also needs to undergo Phase-II of treatment, involving 24 injections once in a week, if Phase-I produces satisfactory results," it said. The court posted the hearing to Wednesday.

The hepatitis count, the report said, had markedly reduced from 9 million before the treatment to 50,000 after giving 12 doses, which is a satisfactory response.

Source http://sify.com/finance/raju-needs-prolonged-treatment-news-news-kgpjuyecbea.html

Ahmedabad marks 600th birthday by donating blood

Ahmedabad Medical Association (AMA) and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) organised a 'Raktadan Mahayagna 2010.' The event was sponsored by NK Proteins Ltd, a leading manufacturer of edible oil at Gujarat University Exhibition centre, to mark the World Blood Donation Day.

About 36 blood banks from the state participated in this mega blood donation camp. It was organised to celebrate 600th birth anniversary of the city.

Indian Red Cross Society and many other leading organisations in the city also participated in the event.

As many as 1,650 bottles of blood were collected at a camp organised jointly by the AMA and AMC.

Motive behind the task
The main objective behind this effort was to create awareness regarding the necessity of donating blood, dispel some fear & misperception among the people and to collect maximum number of blood units in a day at a single site.

“Ahmedabad requires about 160,000 bottles of blood every year and it is our endeavor to create a permanent platform so that the requirement can be met through voluntary efforts,” stated Jitendra Patel, president of the medical association.

A Blood Donation Camp for children suffering from Thalassemia was organised by Amdavad Yuva Ekta Samiti, to celebrate the birthday of city's ex-Mayor Himmatsinh Patel at Bapunagar. About 500 persons visited the camp during 10 am to 4 pm and about 300 bottles have been collected.

Eminient personalities
Many well-known personalities including Dr.Pragnesh Vachharajani, Secretary, Gujarat Family Physicians' Forum and Vice-President, AMA, Shailesh Parmar, Vidhasabha Dharasabhya, Surendra Baxi AMC opposition leader and Pankaj Shah, president of Ahmedabad city Congress Samiti were present at the event.

Ahmedabad Mayor Kanaji Thakore, Gujarat assembly Speaker Ashok Bhatt, member of parliament Surendra Patel and chairman of Zydus Cadila, Pankaj Patel also attended the camp.

"Ahmedabad requires about 160,000 bottles of blood every year and it endeavours to create a permanent platform so that the requirement can be met through voluntary efforts," stated Jitendra Patel, president of the medical association

About 10 free bus routes were designated for transporting the prospective donors to the venue.

Source http://www.themedguru.com/20100614/newsfeature/ahmedabad-marks-600th-birthday-donating-blood-86136538.html

Ahmedabad to celebrate World Blood Donation Day

To commemorate the World Blood Donation Day on June 14, various blood donation camps were held in the city, on Sunday, to encourage the citizens to donate blood.

Ahmedabad Medical Association (AMA) and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) organised a "Raktadan Mahayagna 2010", at University Exhibition centre.

About 36 blood banks from the state participated in this mega blood donation camp, organised to celebrate 600th birth anniversary of the city. Indian Red Cross Society and many other leading organisations in the city also participated in the event.

Dr.Pragnesh Vachharajani, Secretary, Gujarat Family Physicians' Forum and Vice-President, AMA said, "There was a tremendous enthusiasm amongst the citizens to participate in this event. About 12,000 and more attended the event. We have collected more than 2,000 bottles of blood. The collection was quite lesser than the entries, because many prospective donors were refused to donate, as they were detected with low haemoglobin levels or diabetes and other such ailments."

About 10 free bus routes were designated for transporting the prospective donors to the venue. Eminent personalities from the city including Ashok Bhatt, Kanaji Thakore were present at the event, to boost the morale of the donors.

A Blood Donation Camp for children suffering from Thalassemia was organised by Amdavad Yuva Ekta Samiti, to celebrate the birthday of city's ex-Mayor Himmatsinh Patel, on Saturday, at Bapunagar. About 500 visited the camp during 10 am to 4 pm and about 300 bottles have been collected.

Well-known personalities including Shailesh Parmar, Vidhasabha Dharasabhya, Surendra Baxi AMC opposition leader and Pankaj Shah, president of Ahmedabad city Congress Samiti remained present on the occasion.

Source http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ahmedabad-to-celebrate-world-blood-donation-day_1396082

H1NI flu cases rise to 30 in Kerala

Incidence of swine flu cases continued to be reported in Kerala with the total number of patients who tested positive this month increasing to 30 by last night.

According to H1N1 monitoring cell of the health department, the highest number of 16 cases were reported from Thiruvananthapuram followed by Kollam (7), Kannur (3) and Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Malappuram one each.

However, no death has been reported after one patient died of the infection at Ernakulam General Hospital on June 9, taking the H1N1 toll in the state to 47 since its outbreak last year.

Meanwhile, the spread of other types of viral fever continued to cause worry in several parts of the state with patients pouring into government and private hospitals.

However, health department sources claimed the siutation was under control and all possible measures had been taken to check the spread of the disease.

In many of the fever cases, the patients were given medicine and were asked to take bed rest at home since there was no need for hospitalisation, a health department spokesman said.

Mobile medical services had been pressed into service in worst affected areas. Hygiene campaign had also been stepped up with the involvement of state agencies, civic bodies and NGOs since viral infections were caused by mosquitoes.

Source http://www.hindustantimes.com/H1NI-flu-cases-rise-to-30-in-Kerala/Article1-556614.aspx

Men have genetic preference for pretty women

All in the eyes: Men accused of being superficial are just following long-held survival instincts, say scientists

Ever wondered why men often fall in love with a pretty woman at first sight? Well, it's because of their 'ancient' genetic preference for beautiful females, a new study has claimed.

Researchers have found that men go for a pretty face as it is a sign of fertility and the survival instinct draws them to women who can carry on their line, while women don't decide whether males will be a good partner on looks.

Their survival instinct means they need to find out whether the man is committed, has a good personality and is a good provider, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

For their study, the researchers, led by Prof Mark van Vugt and Johanna van Hooff of the University of Amsterdam, and Helen Crawford of University of Kent, examined the human bias towards looks by conducting a series of tests on 40 people.

The subjects, 20 women and 20 men, were hooked up to a machine which recorded brain activity and were then given a task to perform. While they're doing the task they were shown a series of photographs of faces of the opposite sex, ranging from attractive to ugly.

Source http://www.indianexpress.com/news/--Men-have-genetic-preference-for-pretty-women--/632590

arents expose their kids to gender stereotypes

A new study indicates that interactions between parents and children, especially during playtime affect their perception of gender-specific behaviours.

80 families took part in the experiment. Parents and their children were videotaped during a 15-minute parent-child play session and a 10-minute parent-child snack (the caregiving session).

Eric Lindsey from Penn State Berks in the US, and his colleagues found that that the quality of verbal interactions between parents and their toddlers was dependent on the context. But the differences between boys’ and girls’ verbal communication behaviours were minimal.

More importantly, mothers’ and fathers’ behaviours differed more in the play context than in the snack context. During play, fathers were more assertive whereas mothers displayed more facilitative and cooperative. But behaviours in the care giving situation their behaviours were much more similar.

The authors suggest that children may pick up on these different behaviors and associate them with gender roles in the family i.e. males are more assertive whereas females are more compliant and flexible.

They conclude, “It would appear that children in the same family have different experiences in their play interactions with their mothers and fathers. Such differences may teach children indirect lessons about gender roles and reinforced gender typed patterns of behavior that they then carry into contexts outside of the family.”

Their findings are published online in Springer’s journal Sex Roles.

Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Life/Relationships/Parenting/Parents-expose-their-kids-to-gender-stereotypes/articleshow/6036769.cms

Hong Kong to dump 2.8 mn doses of swine flu vaccine

Around 2.8 million doses of unwanted swine flu vaccine worth $28.2 million are to be thrown away, officials said on Thursday.

The vaccines are part of a batch of three million ordered at the height of the pandemic when it was feared the H1N1 virus was a serious threat and could mutate into a more deadly form.

It was offered free to health professionals, pregnant women, babies, the elderly and those at risk because of illness, but was shunned because of safety concerns after two people had seizures and two women gave birth to stillborn babies after having the vaccine.

Despite government reassurances of its safety, less than 200,000 doses were administered.

A health department spokesman said the vaccine would be discarded when they reached their expiry date in October.

He added that people would be offered a new three-in-one jab in the autumn, providing protection from swine flu and two other strains of seasonal flu.

The densely-populated former British colony is particularly sensitive to virus outbreaks after the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) killed 299 people and infected around 1,800 in 2003. dump in intl.

New autism genes discovered

A new study published in the June 10, 2010 issue of the journal Nature has found a number of genetic variants in people with autism and the discovery may lead to new treatments.

The results from the second phase of the collaborative Autism Genome Project showed that individuals with autism tend to carry more sub-microscopic insertions and deletions called copy-number variants or CNV in their genome than those without the condition do.

Of the identified genetic variants, some appear to be inherited while others are believed news because they are only found in those with autism but not in their parents. None of the genetic mutations are individually responsible for ALL the symptoms, but each may play a small role.

Autism is a neurobiological disorder that inhibits an individual's ability to develop communication and social skills. People with the disorder have behavioral problems. One in every 110, more boys than girls, in the United States are affected by the disorder.

For the study, researchers from organizations in multiple countries including the University of Illinois at Chicago compared high density genotyping data collected from 1,000 individuals with autism and 1,300 without the condition.

The researchers discovered people with genetic mutations in genes including SHANK2, SYNGAP1, DLGAP2 and the X-linked DDX53–PTCHD1 locus are more susceptible to the development of autism. The genetic variants are found in about one percent of the populations.

The genes are involved in synapse-related pathways, cellular proliferation, projection and motility and intracellular signaling among other things.

"These results are another step on the long path to sufficiently understanding autism to further develop treatments for the core symptoms of autism," said Dr. Edwin Cook, UIC professor of psychiatry.

Just because an individual carries certain autism susceptibility genes or even the mutations does not mean he will definitely develop the disorder, a health observer commented. The study did not explain why the rate of autism has been on the rise.

Dr. Andrew Wakefield and colleagues early published a study in the medical journal called the Lancet suggesting that MMR vaccine has something to do with autism. Later some studies found no association between vaccine and autism.

Dr. John Cannell, a vitamin D expert and founder of the non-profit organization Vitamin D Council and colleagues found evidence suggesting that vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of autism and low prenatal vitamin D may negatively affect a child's brain development.

Some studies based on reports from parents of children with autism suggest nutrition intervention including supplementation of vitamin D may help autistic children. But studies are inconsistent.

Source http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Non-food/Disease/new_autism_genes_discovered_1008100752.html

Soon, one-shot radiotherapy for breast cancer?

Radiotherapy for breast cancer patients could soon be a single dose 30-minute affair, instead of the tedious present-day regimen lasting over six weeks.

In a major breakthrough, a team of British doctors headed by University College London's Dr Jayant S Vaidya -- an Indian from Goa -- has succesfully created and tested a new technique that will blast the remnants of a tumour inside the breast in just one shot, lasting half an hour. The team used radiation on areas just around the tumour rather than the whole breast, as is done presently.

A 10-year trial of this Targeted Intraoperative Radiotherapy (TIR), conducted in nine countries involving over 2,200 women, confirmed that radiation targeting a specific area of the breast was as effective as whole-breast radiation in reducing breast cancer recurrence in women.

The results of this trial was published in the latest edition of the medical journal 'The Lancet'.

So, while a patient is still under anaesthesia following the removal of the tumour, a series of gentle X-rays are administered to destroy any remaining tumour cells at the cancer site. The technique is highly convenient, requiring just one session of radiation, making it less time consuming and less costly than whole-breast treatment.

"TARGIT trial can change two fundamental principles in the treatment of breast cancer: whole breast radiotherapy can be replaced by a targeted one-time shot and a much smaller dose of radiation may be adequate," Dr Vaidya told TOI from UK. Several hospitals in India, including Breach Candy in Mumbai and AIIMS in Delhi, have expressed interest in his work, he added.

"Breast cancer usually recurs around the area where the tumour was detected the first time. So it's logical to give concentrated dose of radiation to the tissues at highest risk of cancer coming back rather than the whole breast," he added.

Dr Vaidya said that since 2000, the team started delivering TIR to patients. A special machine called Intrabeam administered radiation from inside the breast to the exact site of the cancer, instead of the present-day external beam radiotherapy.

"Our decade-long TARGIT trial has now confirmed that old and new methods are as good as each other," Dr Vaidya said.

The therapy, however, has a few limitations at present. It can be done on patients over the age of 45 and the tumour should not be bigger than 3cm. "Our trials till now tried this technique on women above age of 45. So we don't know how effective it will be in stopping recurrence of cancer on younger women. Trials to find this are going to start soon," he said.

Dr Vaidya launched the TARGIT trial on March 24, 2000. In this randomized trial, women aged 45 years or older with breast cancer undergoing breast-conserving surgery were enrolled from 28 centres in nine countries. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive TIR or whole-breast external beam radiotherapy.

The study said, "At four years, there were six local recurrences in the intraoperative radiotherapy group and five in the external beam radiotherapy group. Recurrence in the conserved breast at four years was 1.2% in the targeted intraoperative radiotherapy and 0.95% in the external beam radiotherapy group. Radiotherapy toxicity was lower in the TIR group."

Prof Michael Baum, professor emeritus of surgery at University College London who carried out the first procedure using intraoperative radiotherapy in 1998 said, "Many women specially in the developing world who live hundreds of miles from a radiotherapy unit will be spared six weeks of treatment going back and forth to the radiotherapy centre."

* Targeted Intraoperative Radiotherapy (TIR) has a comparable recurrence rate of around 1% with presently used external beam radiation
* Radiotherapy toxicity were four times lower, with an incidence rate of 0.5% compared with 2% from EBR
* The new technique involves an intense blast of radiation to the tumour site extending to a radius of 2 cm lasting 30 minutes
* It takes place after the surgeon has taken out the tumour and before the wound is closed
* TIR completely avoided irradiation of the heart, lung and oesophagus causing no damage to these structures
* It is currently only available to women taking part in clinical trials

Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Soon-one-shot-radiotherapy-for-breast-cancer/articleshow/6029896.cms