Back in June 2019, HealthMJ published many different health care stories regarding medicine updates, studies and fitness headlines. Below is a collection of all of these stories.
Featured Story: Heart not so healthy because of Ultra-processed foods
Ultra-processed foods are regularly prepared to-eat or to carry around in a microwave. They, for the most part, contain abnormal amounts of fat, included sugars, salt, and different added substances.
The body of evidence against alleged ultra-processed foods just got significantly more grounded, with the arrival of two enormous investigations connecting the items to an expanded danger of coronary illness and unexpected demise.
The two new investigations, from France and Spain, added to the mounting conditional proof connecting the items to a large group of medical issues.
In the French investigation, the specialists took a test group of 105,100 grown-ups for a middle follow-up time of five years. The examination found that there was a 12 percent expansion in the danger of cardiovascular infection for each 10 percent increment in the measure of ultra-processed food components being added to the diet.
In the Spanish examination, the analysts followed almost 20,000 people from December 1999 to February 2014, monitoring them like clockwork. The specialists found that members whose diets contained the most noteworthy of ultra-processed foods had a 62 percent expanded danger of unexpected passing from any reason amid the investigation time frame.
In any case, it’s indistinct how precisely the ultra-processed diet does the harm. That is on the grounds that this diet doesn’t offer much by method for supplements, and are calorie-thick per NBC.
Dr. Rekha Kumar, an assistant professor of medicine at New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine and medical director of the American Board of Obesity Medicine said:
“I think the growing body of literature focusing on ultra-processed foods is trying lots things together.”
“We need to go back to what our ancestors ate: vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts. That’s what we evolved to eat, and not stuff produced in a laboratory and designed to last on a shelf for a decade.”
Says Dr. Erin Michos, an associate professor of medicine & epidemiology and associate director of the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
“It does not take very long to use frozen fish and vegetables … and a serving of whole grain pasta. It’s delicious and only takes 10 minutes to cook.”
stated the researchers from the French study, Mathilde Touvier, director of the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team at the University of Paris 13, and Bernard Srour, a member of that team.
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>>>>> MEDICINE <<<<<
Cancer And Poor Diet Are Related, Shown By Latest Studies
Cancer, a disease which has been spreading rampantly across the globe can be linked to bad dietary habits. Around 5 percent of cancer cases, rather 80,000 people in the United States have been found to be linked to an unbalanced diet high on red meat and other cancer-promoting foods. This study was published in the journal JNCI Cancer Spectrum.
“Our findings underscore the opportunity to reduce the cancer burden and disparities in the United States by improving food intake.”
This is the statement given by the author of the study and cancer & nutrition researcher at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts Fang Zhang. The findings of this study comprise of numbers that can be compared with the cases that showed alcohol consumption. The exact number of the same was around 4 to 5 percent. Additionally, being overweight was also linked to Cancer which sums to about 7 to 8 percent of the cases. Absence of some sort of daily physical activity is another contributor in about 2 to 3 percent cases. This trifecta might be targeted as the biggest cause of cancer resulting in majorly from wrong lifestyle choices. The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts conducted a study on US adults from 2015 and provided cancer diagnosis. Also, the data from two National Surveys were taken into account which targeted on the diet of an average American Citizen. The study primarily focused on the presence or lack, whichever may be the case, of vegetables, fruits, dairy in the diet. It is obvious that cancer affects different parts of the body. Hence, it was found that an unbalanced diet prominently resulted in colorectal cancer. About 58 percent of cases of this type of cancer was a result of the person following a poor diet. That equates to a huge number of fifty-two thousand cases. It was also discovered that around 14,400 cancer cases of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx, 3,165 cases of uterine cancer, and 3,060 cases of post-menopausal breast cancer were also reported as an unfortunate outcome of following a poor diet. The study authors state:
“Our results call for nutrition policies to address the U.S. cancer burden.”
It was also proposed by them to put government sponsored warning labels on red meats and other food that might have a direct connection being cancerous.
US targeting to provide experimental drugs to more cancer patients
A huge number of gravely sick disease patients every year look for “sympathetic use” access to medicines that are not yet available.
Sally Atwater's physician went through two months of grueling follow-up to get her a test sedate.
Nancy Goodman asked eight organizations to give her young child a chance to attempt trial meds for a cerebrum tumor that at last led to his demise, and “only three of the companies even gave me a reason why they declined,” she said.
Dr. Richard Pazdur, the FDA authority driving the exertion. In any case, the organization gets little data now on what numbers of solicitations are turned down and why said:
“We are here to help. We are not here to make a drug company give a specific drug to a patient. We don't have that authority.”
The present framework additionally is lumbering and some of the time uncalled for, he said.
Pazdur said:
“We do not want to have the situation where somebody who screams loudest gets the drug.”
The venture just includes drugs for malignancy, not different maladies. It has nothing to do with the government Right to Try law passed a year ago, which many have called “appropriate to ask.”
The FDA has not been the issue, she said. It keeps a site with connections to organizations' strategies and contact data for patients, and has immediately endorsed by far most of these solicitations at whatever point an organization has allowed get to.
That is the thing that happened when Dr. Chul Kim, a lung expert at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, made his first endeavor to get empathetic use for a patient.
Kim said:
“I felt there was an urgent need to switch therapy. I have other patients and I needed to carve out time for this.”
“It requires quite a bit of work. A lot of people have to drop what they're doing to get all that done.” said Dr. Ajai Chari at Mount Sinai's Tisch Cancer Institute in New York who did it for Michael Walsh, a 58-year-old performer from New York City, who has had myeloma since 2011.”
Chari said:
“He's exhausted all approved FDA therapies.”
Walsh said:
“I'm working, doing things. It is giving me some space to have the cancer be under control.”
Atwater, the 68-year-old Washington lady treated at Georgetown, is seeking after the equivalent from her test tranquilizes. She said she asked her sister who had breast cancer how she may most likely tell if the treatment was working.
“She stated, ‘you’re still here, aren't you?'” Atwater said. “I think it's worth the risk. At least I hope it is.”
World Health Organization categorizes Burnout as a Medical Concern
The International Classification of Diseases or the ICD-11, the World Health Organization's handbook that aides therapeutic suppliers in diagnosing ailments, states Burnout as an authentic medicinal condition.
Burnout is generally defined as a sentiment of significant work pressure. It used to be an unwanted and yet important part of social vocabulary to describe one's condition of being washed out or superbly tired. However, after the World Health Organization’s recent declaration it may be arranged in your medicinal records also.
Burnout now shows up in the ICD-11's segment on issues identified with both work and joblessness. This might be an ironical situation; however, unemployment has been known to trigger this situation. As per the handbook, specialists can determine somebody have burnout under the circumstances that they suffer from the accompanying side effects:
- Sentiments of vitality consumption or weariness.
- Lengthened mental separation from one's activity, or sentiments of negativism or skepticism identified with one's activity
- Diminished proficient viability
Scientists have been examining burnout for quite a long time Prior to deciding, the archive says the Doctors must thoroughly diagnose the patient and eliminate such issue like tension and state of mind issue. Furthermore, the conclusion is constrained to workplaces, and shouldn't be connected to other life circumstances.
One explanation behind that, the Heinemanns contend, is that a great part of the examination on burnout concentrated on “causes and related variables,” as opposed to creating explicit demonstrative criteria. That prompted “unclearness and vagueness” around the idea of burnout. In their survey, they note that the subject of whether analysts could separate misery and burnout was likewise a noteworthy snag in raising burnout as a malady.
Therapist Herbert Freudenberger is credited with introducing the formal investigation of the condition of burnout with a logical article distributed in 1974, as per a 2017 survey of writing distributed in the diary SAGE Open. Prior to that Burnout has for some time been a hazy social idea that has opposed endeavors to make a particular definition on which subject specialists and researchers might concur.
Linda and Torsten Heinemann, the creators of that document, state that throughout the following four decades, several investigations were carried out regarding the matter. Amid that time, they noted burnout was not viewed as a real mental issue despite the fact that it is:
“amongst the most commonly examined psychological issues in the present society.”
WHO makes it clear, Transgenders not mentally ill
The WHO uses sexual orientation incongruence to depict individuals whose sex personality is not the same as the sex they were allocated during childbirth.
The term “gender incongruence” used by the World Health Organization is being moved to the board's sexual wellbeing part from its psychological issue section, the WHO's authoritative body has cast a ballot.
The new standard of grouping shows up in the eleventh amendment of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11), which was embraced Saturday by the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. It will become effective on January 1, 2022.
Dr. Lale Say, organizer of WHO's Adolescents and At-Risk Populations group says:
“(The phrase) was taken out from the mental health disorders because we had a better understanding that this wasn't actually a mental health condition, and leaving it there was causing stigma. So, in order to reduce the stigma while also ensuring access to necessary health interventions, this was placed in a different chapter.”
The move has largely been welcomed by the LGBT community. Julia Ehrt, former executive director of Transgender Europe said:
“This is the result of tremendous effort by trans and gender diverse activists from around the world to insist on our humanity, and I am elated that the WHO agrees that gender identity is not a mental illness. Until a few years ago, removing pathologizing categories affecting trans and gender diverse people from the ICD-10 list of mental disorders seemed impossible. Today, we know that full depathologization can be achieved and will be achieved in our lifetime.”
Other than going about as the establishment for worldwide wellbeing insights and patterns, the ICD gives a standard to research and clinical purposes and aides in the detailing and characterizing illnesses, issue and other wellbeing conditions. The WHO said in an announcement, It additionally:
“captures factors influencing health, or external causes of mortality and morbidity, providing a holistic look at every aspect of life that can affect health.”
In its new portrayal of gender incongruence, the WHO stated, “Sexual orientation variation conduct and inclinations alone are not a premise” for diagnosing somebody's emotional wellness. This isn't the first run through the ICD has changed an order identified with sexuality. In 1990, the WHO pronounced that:
“sexual direction alone isn't to be viewed as confusion.”
The move might be late but is surely monumental one.
Between burn out and transgenders, who's to say what the future of mental health is going to turn out to be.
Alzheimer's Symptoms May be Checked through Antibiotics
A team led by the director of the Center for Molecular Neurobiology at The University of Chicago Dr. Sangram Singh Sisodia has shown that the symptoms of Alzheimer’s were checked and slowed down in male mice. This happened due to the antibiotics present in the guts of the mice.
Alzheimer’s is not a symptom of aging, however, it is furthered as a person gets older. Apart from not just genetic issues, various other health conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes might be contributing factors.
The disease is known to progress quickly. It makes people forget things, events and even common information related to their life as well as surroundings. Eventually, the diseased person might find it tough to function normally. Apart from the loss of memory, it also leads to mood swings and behavioral changes.
The disease impairs the cognitive abilities of the person to the extent that it becomes unimaginable for them to carry out day-to-day tasks. In such a scenario, the study conducted by Dr. Sisodia and his team is an optimistic angle.
The study has shown that administering antibiotics for a long period of time can decrease inflammation. Also, antibiotics check the growth of amyloid plaques. These plaques are a unique characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.
The accumulation and clumping of a particular protein in the brain lead to the formation of Amyloid Plaque. These plaques result in disruption of brain cells, which in turn causes Alzheimer’s disease. The study group had the pre-requisite knowledge that people suffering from this disease do exhibit change in the bacteria present in the gut.
They had also conducted studies in rodents previous to this attempt proving that the bacteria in the gut could definitely affect the symptoms of the disease. Dr. Sisodia adds that:
“[W]hile compelling, our published studies on the role of the gut microbiome on amyloid plaque formation were limited to a single strain of mice.”
Hence, he and his capable colleagues created a mouse model named APPPS1-21 and conducted the study on them. The male mouse exhibited decrease growth of amyloid plaques and changed microglia which helps in keeping the brain into a healthier brain.
However, in case of female mice, their immune system was affected due to the gut bacteria or microbiome. In order to reach a conclusion, the team took the fecal matter from the healthier mice of the APPPS1-21 group and transplanted it into the diseased mice. The results were pretty much the same as the former group.
An Undocumented Student Graduates for the First time in the History of UCSF Medical School
Jirayut “New” Latthivongskorn is a UC Berkeley and Harvard University former student and holds several other notable accolades to his name.
He says:
“It was a huge honor for me to get that. I think I’m still processing it. … By me being as authentic and vulnerable as possible in my immigration journey, that I can have this much of an impact is really cool and really reaffirming.”
Latthivongskorn finished the program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved.
He got to the U.S. illicitly from Thailand at age 9. The family settled unobtrusively in Northern California. His folks initially moved to Fremont and Milpitas.
Latthivongskorn says:
“I really channeled a lot of these pressures and uncertainty into school. That’s not going to be what changes things and opens doors.”
Undocumented understudies frequently battle to beat the individual and expert obstacles they experience on the way to advanced education.
He added:
“For me, that was the first gateway to meeting other undocumented folks he said. But I think both of these groups were really a way for me to continue to, over the course of a few years, come to terms with what it means to be undocumented.”
Katharine Gin, prime supporter and official chief of Immigrants Rising, met Latthivongskorn in 2010. He is the primary undocumented worker at UCSF's School of Medicine. She said:
“I remember the halting voice and hearing him for the first time articulate out loud what it meant to be undocumented. I feel like he has been able to artfully combine his own personal achievements with raising visibility within the broader community he represents.
“It seemed like a wall that we couldn’t break through,” said Rojas. “People thought we were crazy, but I knew we had each other and we believed in the same thing and that kept me going.”
Rojas of Fremont is the primary undocumented understudy to go to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
“New has been an incredible citizen in our UCSF community. He has consistently given his time to advocate for the type of society that welcomes and celebrates the contributions of immigrants. UCSF is a better school because New was a student. “
Said Dr. Catherine Lucey, executive vice dean and vice dean for education at the UCSF School of Medicine.
Measles outbreak in 2019 has hit the highest in over two decades, CDC suggests
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clarified stating that the measles outbreak has hit its highest since the year 1994. With such rapid growth, the epidemic could end up being the reason that costs the United States its elimination status.
Addressing the outbreak this year, the agency stated that there have already been 971 cases of this condition reported since the beginning of the year. In a recently made statement, the CDC Director, Robert Redfield said that this contagious virus is preventable.
Adding to that, he said, “the way to end this outbreak is to ensure that all children and adults who can get vaccinated, do get vaccinated.”
Redfield further issued the following statement saying:
“I want to reassure parents that vaccines are safe, they do not cause autism. The greater danger is the disease that vaccination prevents. Your decision to vaccinate will protect your family’s health and your community’s well-being. CDC will continue working with public health responders across our nation to bring this outbreak to an end.”
The condition of measles is not just contagious and very disastrous but very expensive when it comes to the prospects of treatment. When it comes to explaining the scenario, a common outbreak in Washington was expected to cost the state more than $1 million which the health officials worked through to get under control.
This year’s outbreak has been nothing short of an alarming impact indicating that this could very well end up undoing the efforts that the public health officials have been putting in since the beginning of time.
These outbreaks have been very predominant around in the New York City as well as the Rockland County where hundreds of similar cases have been reported since the last fall season.
Over 550 such cases have been confirmed in Queens and Brooklyn, especially common around in the Orthodox Jewish community. Over 250 cases have been reported around from Rockland County through the summer and fall.
In a recently issues statement addressing everything, the Health Commissioner, Dr. Oxiris Barbot said:
“The recently identified cases are linked to exposures in neighborhoods with known measles activity. These cases prove the urgent need to get vaccinated, especially if you spend time in areas that are experiencing an outbreak. This message cannot be overstated—if you live, work or attend school in these sections of the city, get vaccinated if you are able.”
Oklahoma Mom Charged For Forcing Unnecessary Medical Treatments On Daughter
Mothers are said to be the most selfless creatures on this planet and there are no two ways about it. But, on the darker side of the story, there are certain events which push forth negative implications on such relationships.
A recently reported case in Oklahoma left everyone in shock. Alish Newman, 34 years old, is going to be experiencing jail time with charges of allegedly lying to over six different doctors about the medical condition of her daughter. This has been going on for the last decade over the case of Munchausen by proxy.
The mother has been accused of two charges including physical abuse as well as neglecting a child under the law and order. The complaint was filed and reported after the 10-year-old daughter was rushed to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin with severe acidosis, acute renal failure, and end-organ damage as well.
With the suspicion that the doctors had, they conducted an investigation in the medical record of the child dating back to the time of her birth. According to the reports, it suggests that Newman had “routinely provided false or misleading information to medical providers” which was the reason behind the deteriorating and life-threatening condition of the 10-year-old girl.
The hospital has also specified that the mother, Alisha Newman could be suffering from what is known as Munchausen by proxy. People suffering from this mental health issue have been reported to invent illnesses for someone who is under their care.
Newman, over the course of years, has suggested doctors saying that her daughter suffers from heart conditions, nervous system dysfunction and a number of other accessory conditions that no one cited for.
It goes without saying that after one of the doctors informed Newman in 2018 that they cannot do the procedure, including the pacemaker as it was not needed by her daughter, Newman took her daughter to the Children’s Hospital of Oklahoma where she stated that Wisconsin has suggested a replacement for a pacemaker.
Apart from this all, the 10-year-old daughter was also supposed to undergo a port installment under her skin to help treat a supposed condition of immunoglobulin deficiency which she wasn’t even diagnosed with.
All of these constant unnecessary medical procedures conducted on the daughter for the past decade led to the extreme for which she was rushed to the hospital, later finding Newman guilty for her daughter’s condition.
>>>>> FITNESS <<<<<
With the traditional rules being made and put into action, the process is set to undergo constant changes under the US Navy. The leaders are overthrowing the tried and tested tactic of sit ups as part of their service fitness test. Instead of that, they are including planks as a new effort to complete change the way the service readies and prepares their future soldiers for battlefield.
The situp has been one of the most common tests that the prospective Navy soldiers had to do as part of their test but the same is going to be changed completely in the upcoming years. The leaders are going to ask the soldiers to hold a plank position, ensuring to suspend their bodies on the weight of just their elbows, ensuring to keep one’s feet parallel to the ground.
These drills are set to be effective from the beginning of 2020.
This new initiative in the iteration of the service test was suggested by the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. John Richardson. He suggested that after witnessing a number of studies depicting the ineffectiveness of the sit ups in comparison to the planks.
It is believed that the sit ups do the body more harm than actual good which is why it is not a suitable marker for fitness of a future naval soldier in the US Navy army.
In addition to that, the Naval leaders are also including the usage of rowing machines for the soldiers to test out their cardiovascular fitness. This was suggested as an alternative to the traditional form of running. The Marine Corps have also started offering this specific rowing option to the marines who were found to not have a clear medical record of passing through the drills.
It was the recent deaths of two Navy recruits recently during their physical fitness drills, thus promoting the effective changes as soon as possible.
Donating your body parts to science post death is easier
As of not long ago, most exchange of information after death has concentrated via web-based networking media platforms and different kinds of individual information.
Jon Cornwall, the senior speaker in the Center for Early Learning in Medicine at the University of Otago in New Zealand said:
“Almost no one has thought about what is going to happen to all of the medical records that sit around after people die.”
The United States has no equivalent individuals to give the reams of medicinal information gathered.
Krutzinna, a bioethicist said:
“We didn’t find any systems where you could actively give your data. There’s no way to pass it on in a proper way.”
Individuals giving their data must be told how their information may be utilized.
“Even if you’re dead and it doesn’t matter, you do worry when you sign that form,” Krutzinna says. “There is some anecdotal evidence that there are some types of medical data people don’t want to reveal, like sexual and mental health.”
Cornwall, who led center gatherings with grown-ups in New Zealand, says he found that individuals upheld holding and utilizing after death well being records. He said:
“They want anonymity and privacy but want their descendants to have benefits as well.”
While there's still no incredible method to give your information after death, existing laws and guidelines take into account specialists to utilize electronic well being records of individuals who have kicked the bucket.
In the United States, HIPAA laws stipulate that individual wellbeing information stays private for a long time after death. Harbinja said:
“It’s more permissible than the United Kingdom. But evidence suggests it’s used less commonly. It’s quite a liberal provision, but practically, it’s difficult. I’d like to see more specifics around data donation and the deceased. There is room there for introducing a consent, or authorization from family members, as is the case for organ donation.”
All inclusive, these current structures around after death information are regularly conflicting, and they depend on the institutional approach as opposed to built up law.
Krutzinna said:
“What if technology vastly improves? What if genetic diagnosis becomes much more accurate? We have to build in safeguards. How do we make sure that all groups are sufficiently represented, not just white Westerners? We don’t want to have data that can’t be used for everyone. We know the key ethical challenges. We know most of the key legal issues. Next is to think about what we can do in practice and how we can govern this. We should be able to choose how we dispose of our digital self.”
Either way, It's imperative to set up clear frameworks so individuals know about their choices.
Cash Bonus to ensure physical fitness in Fairfield's new police sergeant contract
A fitter and healthier man of law are imperative to uphold peace and order in the area. It is one of the top-notch jobs wherein physical fitness is held in great reverence. However, it might not be as easy and effortless to maintain the desired level of fitness, mostly due to a stressed life style and grueling work hours.
To ensure that these factors do not lead to a general deterioration of health in the higher ranks, a unique step has been taken in Fairfield. Sergeants in the Fairfield Police Department who partake in a willful physical workout schedule can gain money reward under another three-year contract.
This is being considered as an important move to encourage the people involved in the Department of Law and Order to maintain a great physical condition. Sanctioned by the Fraternal Order of Police and affirmed by Fairfield City Council, the evaluation is one of a few activities incorporated with the agreement to help settle well being premiums and keep representatives more advantageous.
Dan Wendt, the city's associate city director who headed the exchange group said:
“This round of negotiations had a strong theme focusing on officer well-being, preventative medicine, and physical fitness.”
“Both groups thought critically, exchanged information, and worked together to solve problems in a constructive way. This was a major breakthrough for both the (city) and employees.”
Those workers whose outcomes fall into the 50-to 100-percentile range are qualified for a reward of $500-$1,000. The evaluation can be taken every time of the agreement.
Starting Aug. 1 sergeants can take an interest in the physical wellness motivating force program by taking an appraisal. It depends on the Cooper Fitness Standards and comprises of a coordinated run, push-ups, and sit-ups.
Most Sergeants consider their activity over the duty as enough to maintain a good physical condition. However, the experts and the authorities of the state are quite optimistic, this scheme will provide a new perception to the men of law.
Wendt said:
“It gives an incentive to train off duty.”
Another adjustment in the agreement is the decrease of the city's commitment to workers' well being investment accounts, from 90% to 60%, powerful Aug. 1.
That 30% can be earned back by cooperation in yearly deterrent screenings and exercises, all at no expense to representatives. They incorporate a health visit, biometric screening, nicotine test, dental and vision tests.
CRISPR Babies At A Risk Of Early Death, New Reports Suggest
It was about around half a year ago that a Chinese scientist created a breakthrough. The widely known scientist, He Jiankui was the first one in the world to develop gene edited bthe altered genes have on the health of the humans.
It was Jiankui and his team whose gene edited the twin babies. A third baby who is expected this summer, all have their CCR5 gene knocked out in the hopes that the same would end up rendering them immune to the HIV virus babies in the world. Since then, scientists have gone and read through hundreds and thousands of medical records to learn the significance and the impacts that
But, new research which was recently published in the Nature Medicine journal suggests that the people with 21 genes are more likely to not live up to their average life expectancy.
Owing to these, some scientists from the UC Berkeley looked through some of the repositories of the participant’s DNA to look out for similar kind of CCR5 variants.
With rigorous research, they did find that the knocked out gene which was responsible for making the immune system immune to the HIV virus also makes them vulnerable to dangerous flu as well as West Nile virus and a number of other conditions as well.
The lead researcher Rasmus Nielsen said:
“What we found is that they had significantly increased mortality. It's rather substantial. We were quite surprised the effect was this large.”
Adding to it, George Daley, dean of the Harvard Medical School said:
“Even when we think we know something about a gene, we can always be surprised and even startled, like in this case, to find out that a gene we thought was protective may actually be a problem.”
>>>>> HEALTH CARE <<<<<
Sheeba Medical Team Finds A Cure for Pancreatic Cancer
If the statistics and the findings of the scientists are to be considered, it has been found that only a handful of studies have been able to trace proper cure for the condition of pancreatic cancer. This form of cancer is the fourth leading type of cancer that causes maximum deaths.
Dr. Raanan Berger, who is the head of Oncology for Sheba Medical Center, located in the Tel HaShomer neighborhood of Ramat Gan stated saying:
“In the history of oncology, there have been only two or three studies that have shown some benefits for pancreatic cancer. This is a very rare breakthrough.”
With reports of around 458,918 cases of pancreatic cancer worldwide in the year of 2018 alone, pancreatic cancer is the 12th most common types of cancer. It is the 4th leading cause behind the cancer deaths, reporting that the patients tend to live around 5 years since their diagnosis.
This recent research was conducted under Dr. Talia Golan, who is the head of the Pancreatic Cancer Centre in Sheba. The research was predominantly focused on finding the efficacy of a newly developed drug, POLO. It was also done to test out any sort of threat to safety as well.
It was targeted to check the effects it has on two distinct types of pancreatic cancers in the carriers behind the BRCA 1 and the BRCA 2 mutation.
Addressing the situation and the conclusions, Dr. Golan said:
“The POLO trial using the medicine Lynparza offers potential hope for those who suffer from metastatic pancreatic cancer and have a BRCA mutation. This treatment also exemplifies the advent of ‘precision medicine’ based on a specific genetic biomarker, BRCA 1 and 2.”
This specific study is the extrapolation of a study that was conducted in 2015 by Sheba itself. In the prior study, it was shown that olaparib, which is a pharmacological inhibitor of poly ADP ribo polymerase was beneficial for patients with pancreatic gene mutations.
This was the reason that this latest study was conducted further. Under this study, over 3000 patients underwent screening. Among them, 154 of the participants underwent randomization and were simultaneously assigned with a trial intervention.
The findings from this study were recently presented by her at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual conference in Chicago. The paper was also published on the same day in the reputed journal of the New England Journal of Medicine.
eHealth’s survey states more people want to increase the number of ACA Plans offered in 2020
Today eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) (eHealth.com) revealed outcomes from a study of medical coverage organizations addressing enlistment patterns, open strategy issues, and the governmental issues of medicinal services in the United States.
The people who had either individual plans or had their entire family insured under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) were invited to participate in the survey by eHealth. The survey was led in May 2019. An all-out 17 reactions were extracted from guarantors on the whole.
A considerable number of 17 answers, rather replies, were received from insurers. The numbers approximately lingered at 80 million Americans. Total 50 states across the USA are provided the Affordable Care Act.
Key Pointers from the review:
- More than twice the same number of safety net providers have been meaning to expand plan contributions for 2020 as contrasted and 2019, with premiums holding genuinely unfaltering
- 45 percent of respondents expect to add to the quantity of ACA plans they'll offer in 2020, contrasted with 21 percent who did as such for the 2019 arrangement year*.
- 42 percent said they hope to raise premiums somewhere in the range of 5 and 10 percent more than 2019 rates. Thirty-three percent don't hope to roll out any essential improvements to premiums, while 23 percent hope to diminish month to month premiums by 5 percent or more.
Most of the insurers stated that the Affordable Care Acts previous enrollment number close to the number speculated. This mostly proves their popularity and also creates a pattern.
69 percent of safety net providers reacting to the overview said that deals amid the last open enlistment time frame were inside 10 percent of their desires. Fifteen percent is detailed that deals outpaced desires by 10 to 15 percent, while another 15 percent of said deals were 10 percent or more underneath desires.
These numbers would be enough to add weight to the claim of eHealthy. Also, the number of insurers selecting ACA is only deemed to shoot up with more people dropping by to get insured under this fitting plan.
Insurers are checking the “Medicare for all” discourse yet few see huge changes not too far off
71 percent of respondents said they are focusing on open dialog about “Medicare for all” however don't anticipate real changes, contrasted with 67 percent in 2018*.
Universal mental health care for all, pushed by San Francisco Officials
Mental Health is quite the need of the hour. With a sizeable number of people falling into the pitfalls in the dark dooms of mental depression, it has been time and again declared that a need for significant mental health care is needed.
Taking a positive step in this direction, San Francisco authorities have been pushing to request that voters in November express their opinion regarding a measure that would offer psychological well-being care to any inhabitant deprived in the city.
The city's occupants would then have a state on the activity in November on the importance of mental health and how to pull the person suffering from depression and other issues. On the off chance that the measure is affirmed, San Francisco would be the main city in the nation to ensure dysfunctional behavior and compulsion are secured for each occupant.
Nearby city Supervisors Hillary Ronen and Matt Haney are relied upon to present the proposition at a Board of Supervisors meeting June 4, neighborhood radio station KQED detailed Tuesday.
The tally measure would make a program called Mental Health SF a 12-year-old program that guaranteed restorative consideration for almost every city occupant. This program stems from the San Francisco health program which is the base for the same.
Haney told the San Francisco Chronicle:
“San Francisco has the opportunity to lead, to say, ‘This should be a right for everybody.’ We’re going to build a system around it.”
“It’s going to be messy as we figure it out, but we have to figure it out. We have the values. We should have the resources. We just need leadership.”
Psychological wellness SF would revolve around the development of another treatment focus, which would open by June 2022, the bill's patrons told the Chronicle.
Any city inhabitant looking for emotional wellness or substance misuse treatment could go to the middle and get convenient access to specialists, nurture professionals, caseworkers, and a drug store. These amenities being provided are imperative for the overall health care of the person.
With the steps being taken, it is a commendable foot by the San Francisco authorities for providing the level of health care and actually laying out a plan. With this program in place, the citizens of the state can benefit in the long run.
Deadly Rat Lungworm infection strikes in Hawaii, 3 cases confirmed
A fatal rat lungworm infection has come to light in Hawaii as confirmed by the health officials. A total of three cases have been reported so far. Also, the point worth noting is the people infected with the disease are travelers who were in Hawaii for vacation.
Officially known as angiostrongyliasis, the disease is the result of a parasitic infection. Primarily, it is the rats that are infected by this parasite. However, much like different parasites which do not limit themselves to one host, this parasite also comes in contact with humans during its lifetime. Hence, it is commonly termed as “rat lungworm disease.”
The disease is fatal in certain cases. It does impact humans, but the intensity varies. The report from the Hawaii Department of Health states that all the cases detected are independent of each other. The pathogen which is the reason behind this deadly disease is habitual of spreading from one rodent to another through feces.
To get into the system of a rat, the parasite chooses a slug to be the carrier. It latches itself to the slug and is ingested along with it by the rodent. The rodent is then infected with the parasite targeting the lungs and thus renewing its life cycle.
However, in humans, the parasite chooses to target an entirely different organ – the nervous system. This is substantiated from a case that happened last year. A man was dared to eat a slug. The parasite was able to enter the man’s body. The man was completely paralyzed shortly thereafter and remained so for eight years before his demise.
At least one of the recent infections seems to have cropped up due to a similar reason, or in a similar way. The Department of Health stated:
“One of the individuals visited East Hawai‘i in December 2018 and became infected by purposely eating a slug on a dare. The individual became ill in late December and was not hospitalized for their symptoms.”
However, it must be noted that eating slugs is not the only way for the parasite to infect a human. Slugs carrying the parasite might lead to contamination of fruits and vegetables in shipments. Hence, the food must be washed before consumption. This has also been stated as strong advice to everybody by the state authorities as well as a method of prevention.
The costliest gene therapy medicine, a $2 Million treatment, approved by the US Regulators
Losing muscle control has been an unfortunate and painful disease that babies have been suffering from. Creating an array of growth-related issues, this anomaly makes it tough for the baby to even survive after a certain point in time.
The fortunate news is this fatality can be finally curbed. Novartis, a Swiss Drug Making Organization has finally developed a formulation which can help in treating this disease and keep the symptoms at bay. However, the expenses of this treatment have been fixed at $2.125 million.
Understandably, it is a humongous amount, which is why the cost coverage can also be done via health insurance depending on the Terms and Conditions. Dr. Steven D. Pearson the president of ICER calls the price:
“A positive outcome for patients and the entire health system.”
This treatment plan has been beneficial for patients like Evelyn, who was administered the dose at 6 weeks and is now 4 and a half years old.
“She's very active and goes to the playground a lot,” says her mother Elena Villarreal. “She's walking and even jumping.” Dr. Jerry Mendell, Evelyn’s doctor states, “It's beginning to look that way.”
The treatment named Zolgensma was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It will be administered to all the kids under the age of two who have been diagnosed with any of the three types of disease resulting from gene dysfunction. The treatment plan shall be a one-time dosage coupled with significant aftercare.
Novartis has committed to letting the beneficiaries pay under a five-year payment plan. Also, rebates will be provided to patients whose condition does not improve even after receiving the treatment. The side effects of the treatment plan are vomiting and liver damage which is why young patients need to be closely monitored.
The unfortunate disease, Spinal Muscular Atrophy results when the body is unable to manufacture enough amount of protein due to a gene defection. This prohibits the nerves that control movement in the body to function normally. Eventually, the nerves perish and the total control over muscles is lost.
Almost all the patients suffering from this disease need ventilator to even facilitate breathing causing an eventual death by the age of 2. The babies administered with a dose of Zolgensma showed slowing down of this process by the 6th month.
However, the drug cannot reverse any damage that has already been caused and can only stop the disease from proliferating. Even so, it is a ray of hope for countless young parents whose little ones suffer from this deadly disease.
>>>>> NUTRITION <<<<<
Sugar-Free Candies – Are they actually healthy?
The high content of sugar in various daily food items and the sheer number of complications arising due to high intake of sugar has been a major cause of concern for doctors and dieticians alike. It has been proven time and again how tough combating sugar-led dietary problems are.
You realize that sugar-pressed chocolate bars are not very good for you. Without so sugar confections must be better. The general census is the same on this topic. However, there might be some factoids to add to the same.
“Sugar-free candy is still candy,” says Alyssa Lavy, RD. While it may not pack a similar sugar consider the expectedly improved option, it's as yet ailing in the nourishment department .not to specify stacked with a lot of different things that aren't really better for you.
Be that as it may! Both customary and without sugar treat can fit into a reasonable eating regimen, she says. You've simply gotta know your realities:
What's the contrast between the way without sugar treats and customary sweet are improved?
“Sugar-free candy can be sweetened with a variety of sugar alternatives,” Lavy clarifies. She's talking counterfeit sugars, for example, saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose; sugar alcohols, for example, erythritol, mannitol, xylitol, and sorbitol; or nourishment added substances, for example, maltodextrin.
Up until this point, these substitutes haven't been demonstrated to be any more advantageous than conventional sugar. Truth be told, some of them, including counterfeit sugars, have been related with conceivably changing the gut microbiome—or the accumulation of living beings in your stomach related tract that ensure the body against infections and ailment, says Lavy.
Other sugar stand-ins, sugar alcohols specifically, can cause gas, swelling, the runs in certain individuals, says Lavy. So you still need to peruse the sustenance certainties—regardless of whether a sweet's sans sugar.
You need to take a gander at what sans sugar treat is pressing so as to make up for the absence of sugar, what the suggested bit size is, and the measure of calories, soaked fats, and carbs.
“”Sugar-free’ does not necessarily mean ‘carbohydrate-free,” says Lavy. That is on the grounds that a few options in contrast to the sweet stuff, similar to sugar alcohols and maltodextrin, are still carbs.
That said if you're going to grab a couple of bits of without sugar sweets simply realize that you'll need to factor into your prescribed day by day admission.
Furthermore, obviously, calories and fat are still calories and fat. In addition, Lavy says many individuals give themselves consent to down the entire sack of without sugar confections in a single sitting since they believe they're better for you. Control is as yet significant.
Two experts suggest ways to reduce hormone induced belly fat deposition
A bulging layer of fat around the abdomen is definitely not something that anyone likes or even is good for one’s health. It is believed that the deposition of visceral fats around the abdomen often increases the risks with heart diseases and obesity.
It is believed that belly fat primarily occurs with the decreasing rate of metabolism over the course of time. Not just that, even genetics does play a very crucial role in it. While the lack of proper diet and exercise could very well be the factor behind this, some researchers believe that hormones could also be an important factor behind the same.
The hormonal belly fat deposition is predominantly associated with the visceral fats, which attach itself with the major organs in the body. This could very well be indicative of conditions like metabolic syndrome, hypertension or even diabetes.
Other than that, the induction of polycystic ovarian syndrome in women has also been regarded as a possibility. Women going through menopause also experience a rampant irregularity in their hormonal levels, thus further causing issues all the more with this condition.
How can one lose belly fat?
Now, while we did discuss the reasons causing this condition, it is also important to touch bases with the ways that can help get rid of this for good. As we are focusing on the hormone-induced belly fat storage, we are going to suggest two distinct ways to fight through the condition – one the natural way and the other through treatments.
- Natural ways to losing weight are actually quite beneficial for your body and don't impose negative impacts. Maintaining a healthy diet, filled with beneficial micro and macronutrients can be of great help in keeping the hormone levels in check. If possible, get an appointment of a nutritionist to get a better idea. Exercise is key as well. Moderate or high-intensity workouts work magic in getting rid of belly fat.
- When there is an underlying reason behind the deposition of belly fat, chances are that the best way to cope up with it is by opting for treatments. The first step to this is to consult a doctor and get the underlying reason diagnosed. It could be anything like PCOS, diabetes or even metabolic syndrome. Once that is diagnosed, the mode of treatment becomes a lot easier and effective.
Experts believe that it is best to first get the cause diagnosed and then move forth with the treatment procedure.
Energy Drinks Are Bad For The Heart: Proved By Clinical Trials
As per the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), most of the young adults and teenagers in the US love to have energy drinks. It is probably one of the most popular drinks among the young crowd.
Energy drinks contain caffeine along with many other ingredients including vitamin B, ginseng, taurine, and guarana. These ingredients are known to increase concentration, reduce fatigue and also enhance physical performance.
According to the latest publication made by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the percentage of energy drinks consumption has shown a remarkable rise in the last few years.
NCCIH states, ‘consuming energy drinks raises important safety concerns.’ This has led to an increased number of emergency visits between 2007 and 2011.
Altered Heart Rhythm
Professor Sachin A.Shah enrolled 34 adults aged 18 to 40 in order to conduct a study which is published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
After fasting for a night, the volunteers were given two 16 ounces bottles of either a placebo or energy drinks to have. It contained lime juice, carbonated water, and cherry flavoring. Not even the researchers know who consumed which drink.
The volunteers were then checked for their heart rhythms with the help of electrocardiogram. Along with that, they also checked their blood pressure every 30 minutes for 4 hours.
According to the experiment, the researchers found a significant change in the contraction and relaxation of the heart. The measure of the same is called the QT interval. When the heart rhythm increases it can lead to serious arrhythmia or even cardiac arrest.
The changes in the heart rhythm were traced after 4 hours from having the drinks.
Kate O’Dell, study co-author said:
“energy drinks are readily accessible and commonly consumed by a large number of teens and young adults, including college students.”
She also added:
“Understanding how these drinks affect the heart is extremely important.”
Need to investigate the Ingredients
Energy drinks not only affect the QT interval, but it also leads to a maximum change of around 3.5 mm in diastolic blood pressure and 6.1 mm in systolic blood pressure.
Researchers explained in the study that the change in the blood pressure is caused due to the caffeine content in the energy drinks. According to them, out of all the ingredients, taurine has a significant role to play.
ObamaCare cases to be heard in July in the appeals court
The fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans will hear contentions for the situation testing a government judge's deciding that ObamaCare is illegal, as per The Associated Press. This has come amid a situation wherein a lot of people are waiting for their grievances to be addressed and sorted as soon as possible.
A government offers court has set a July 9 hearing date in the intrigue of a judge's choice to strike down the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The legal threat to this act is quite big in the wake of such a declaration. The care promised two major aspects – guaranteed issue and community rating are in hot waters.
Also, the act misses a severability clause. The act was also claimed to be providing tax benefits to the people who opted for the same.
U.S. Locale Court Judge Reed O'Connor, a nominee of previous President George W. Hedge, decided in December that the ACA couldn't remain without the individual command, which Republicans revoked as a major aspect of the 2017 duty law.
The impact of any decision taken regarding an act or bill which concerns citizens is always a topic of discussion. However, a court’s appeal related to them does create a buzz in the media and also amongst the citizens.
Granting tax credits irrespective of a transaction established and operated by State has meddled with the transparency of the law. It has also led to citizens losing faith in the clarity related to the benefits of this Act.
There were several cases filed across over 3 states in the USA. From Oklahoma to Indiana and Virginia, the final verdict was mostly centered on the fairness of the situation. There were also cases wherein the amendments were suggested to ensure transparency.
However, in certain cases, the ruling was also made in favor of the act. Hence, O'Connor's choice came because of a test to the law from 20 GOP-drove states.
The U.S. Branch of Justice agreed with O'Connor's decision, starting an across the board reaction from Democratic legislators, and a few Republicans.
Equitable state lawyers general are engaging the decision, trusting that the Fifth Circuit will topple O'Connor's choice and maintain the law. Legitimate specialists have said they anticipate that O'Connor's decision should be toppled.
O'Connor said that ObamaCare will stay set up amid the intriguing procedure.
Ice cream, pizza, and bacon could increase risks of heart diseases, a new study suggests
We live a life of ease and a life that’s very fast paced. We often tend to incline towards food which is easy to make but tasty at the same time. The primary thing we fail to look out for is nutrition. A new study conducted with over 100,000 participants found that the consumption of ice cream, pizza as well as bacon could be behind the increased risks of heart diseases.
This specific study comprises of two different studies conducted from France and Spain which have later been published in the British Medical Journal. According to the study, the consumption of highly processed food could be a very decisive factor behind the increased risk of heart diseases.
The first study, conducted by credible researchers from the University of Paris gathered data from over 105,000 participants over the age of 18. The subjects who consumed a diet rich in processed food were found to have a higher risk associated with heart risks, stroke as well as other accessory cardiovascular issues.
What the first study found?
- Men’s overall diet consisted of 18% of processed food while the same was 17.3% for women
- The increase of consumption of ultra-processed food by 10% increased the risk of these diseases by 12%
- 277 cases of cardiovascular issues are bound to happen every 100,000 individuals because of heavy reliance on processed food
What the second study found?
- People consuming highly processed food multiple times during the day had 62% increase rates of mortality in comparison to the ones who didn’t
- Each additional serving of the processed food in a day increased the risk of death further by 18% more
Given the kind of lifestyle we lead, cutting out processed food completely isn’t possible and blind reliance on whole foods can be expensive. The lead researcher, Dr. Lisa Young, suggests cutting down the portion and the frequency of consumption.
Young further said:
“Not everyone can afford to cut out processed foods entirely. Try to make your meals real food, and then you can indulge in a treat. Don’t have a processed dinner and then dessert.”
It is high time to treat your health as an asset and feed it with food that won’t react with one’s longevity and would rather help boost one’s health on the overall scheme of things.
