Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common form of urinary incontinence that is widely treated with pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training. A new laboratory study lends insights into how PFM training works: by reducing contractions of the detrusor muscle of the bladder, reports the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, the official journal of the Association of Academic Physiatrists. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

Pelvic floor muscle contractions can reduce the severity of contractions of the detrusor muscle of the bladder in patients with OAB, including those with and without multiple...
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Duke-NUS researchers have discovered that a growth factor protein, called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and its receptor, tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) affects social dominance in mice. The research has implications for understanding the neurobiology of aggression and bullying.

“Humans and rodents are social animals. Our every interaction follows rules according to a social hierarchy. Failure to navigate this hierarchy can be detrimental.” explained senior author A/Prof. Hyunsoo Shawn Je, from the Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders Signature Research Programme at Duke-NUS Medical School. “Our paper may be the first to demonstrate that specific molecular signalling pathways in specialised nerve cells, in a particular location in the brain, are important for the balanced navigation of social hierarchies.”

Difficulties in navigating these hierarchies can lead to problems like aggression and bullying. “Given the heavy societal cost of bullying and aggression, understanding the biological causes is a step towards their effective prevention and...
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Some people do not need to have predictive genetic testing, the society says testing is worth considering if you have:

A number of close relatives — such as parents or siblings — with cancer, especially with the same kind of cancer or stemming from the same genetic mutation.
A close family member with more than one type of cancer.
A family member who developed cancer at a younger-than-expected age.
A family member with a relatively rare cancer, such as breast cancer in a male.
If you and family members are of a certain ethnic background.
If you have a physical symptom of an inherited cancer, such as having colon polyps.
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Among several forms of pancreatic cancer, one of them affects specifically women, often young. How is this possible, even though the pancreas is an organ with little exposure to sex hormones? This pancreatic cancer, known as “mucinous cyst”, has strange similarities with another mucinous cancer, affecting the ovaries. By conducting large-scale analyses of genomic data, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and at the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG), Switzerland, in collaboration with colleagues from the United States have provided an answer: both tumours originate from embryonic germ cells. While still undifferentiated, these cells migrate to the reproductive organs. On their way, some can mistakenly stop in other organs, bringing a risk of tumour that may occur 30 years later. By allowing a better classification of these mucinous tumours, this study, to be read in the...
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An analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials indicates that supervised aerobic exercise has large antidepressant treatment effects for patients with major depression. The systematic review and meta-analysis is published in Depression and Anxiety.

Across 11 eligible trials involving 455 adult patients (18-65 years old) with major depression as a primary disorder, supervised aerobic exercise was performed on average for 45 minutes, at moderate intensity, 3 times per week, and for 9.2 weeks. It showed a significantly large overall antidepressant effect compared with antidepressant medication and/or psychological therapies.

Also, aerobic exercise revealed moderate-to-large antidepressant effects among trials with lower risk of bias, as well as large antidepressant effects among trials with short-term interventions (up to 4 weeks) and trials involving preferences for exercise.

Subgroup analyses revealed comparable effects for aerobic exercise across various settings and delivery formats, and in both outpatients and inpatients regardless of symptom severity.
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Mosquitoes are the world’s deadliest animals, killing thousands of people and causing millions of illnesses each year. To be able to reproduce and become effective disease carriers, mosquitoes must first attain optimal body size and nutritional status.

A pair of researchers at the University of California, Riverside, have succeeded in using CRISPR-Cas9, a powerful tool for altering DNA sequences and modifying gene function, to decrease mosquito body size, moving the research one step closer to eliminating mosquitoes that carry dengue fever and Zika virus.

The researchers succeeded...
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An age-related increase in estrogen may be the culprit behind inguinal hernias, a condition common among elderly men that often requires corrective surgery. The study, led by Dr. Serdar Bulun, chair and the John J. Sciarra Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, found the lower abdominal muscles of mouse models are particularly sensitive to estrogen, developing scar tissue in response to increases in estrogen levels that weakens the abdominal wall and eventually causes a hernia.

When the investigators reduced estrogen with a drug compound, it prevented the hernias, suggesting a therapy with preventive potential in humans. It may make sense to treat at-risk men with an aromatase inhibitor that could decrease estrogen and strengthen the muscle. Inguinal hernias occur when tissue, such as the intestines, protrudes through the inguinal canal, a weak spot near the groin in the human abdominal wall.

These hernias are the most common reason men undergo surgery. There are more than 700,000 inguinal hernia repair surgeries performed each year in the United States, according to the Food and Drug Administration. While the chances of an inguinal hernia increase as men age, the root cause remains unknown. One other consequence of aging in men is that a larger share of testosterone is converted to estrogen by a hormone called aromatase.

Researchers was investigating the effects of high estrogen in female mice. One experiment involved boosting estrogen levels by incorporating the human aromatase gene into the mouse genome, creating mice who would convert testosterone into estrogen throughout the body.

Researcher investigated these mice, finding large swaths of fibroblasts — scar tissue — developing in a small muscular sphincter, a structure analogous to the inguinal canal in humans. He discovered that the lower abdominal muscle is extraordinarily sensitive to estrogen. Estrogen causes these fibroblasts to divide rapidly, at a much higher pace than the muscle cells.

The proliferation of the fibroblasts weakens the integrity of the sphincter and it eventually gives way, causing a hernia. When the investigators gave the mice a drug that blocked aromatase, and therefore the conversion of testosterone to estrogen, the hernias stopped, pointing toward estrogen as the cause and indicating potential for an aromatase inhibitor therapy that may be able to prevent surgery in at-risk patients.
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Rates of colon cancer have declined among people 50 and older, they’re on the rise for younger Americans. Now, new research suggests widening waistlines may be one reason why.

In the study, women aged 20 to 49 who were overweight or obese had up to twice the risk for colon cancer before age 50, compared with normal-weight women.

“Our findings really highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy weight, beginning in early adulthood, for...
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In a study involving 40 adults, British researchers found that the bacteria behind potentially lethal pneumonia could be spread by picking and rubbing the nose. It was known that the pneumococcus bacteria that cause pneumonia spread through airborne droplets from coughs and sneezes.

Pneumococcal infection is a major cause of death around the world, and it is estimated that it is responsible for about 2million deaths in children under 5 years of age annually.

People with impaired immune system suffering from chronic illness are also at an increased risk of pneumococcal infections. In the study, the hands of the 40 healthy adults were contaminated with pneumococcus bacteria.

Participants were divided into four groups. The “wet sniff” group sniffed their hands, which had been contaminated with water laden with pneumococcus bacteria. The “dry sniff” group did the same, but this time the bacteria were applied dry, to the back of the hand.

A third group, called “wet poke,” picked or poked their nose with a finger that had been contaminated with bacteria-laden water, while the “dry poke” group did the same, but with fingers tainted with air-dried bacteria samples.

Pneumococcus was readily passed on in all of the test groups, hand-to-nose spread of the germ was highest among the “wet sniff” and “wet poke” groups, probably because bacteria die off more in dryer environments, the team said. Good hand hygiene and keeping kids’ toys clean, could help protect children from catching and spreading the bacteria.
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Chemists at The Ohio State University created a new and improved way to generate molecules that can enable the design of new types of synthetic drugs. The new method of forming reactive intermediates- ketyl radicals encourages the use of catalysts to convert simple molecules into complex structures in one chemical reaction.

Carbonyls compounds function as one of the most common building blocks in creating potential new drugs. Unlike classic carbonyl chemistry taught in introductory organic textbooks, when carbonyls are converted to their “radical” form, they become much more reactive.

These radicals, containing an unpaired electron desperately seeking its partner, enable researchers to form new bonds, to create complex, drug-like products. Ketyl radical formation required strong, harsh substances- reductants, like sodium or samarium, to act as catalysts before this development.

These reductants can be toxic, expensive and incompatible with creating medicines. Researchers esearchers found a way to use manganese as a catalyst that could be activated with a simple LED light. Manganese is cheap and abundant, which makes it an excellent catalyst.

It also allows access radicals by a complementary atom-transfer mechanism, rather than the classic electron-transfer mechanism. Ketyl radicals enables researchers to create more versatile and complex structures that could be useful in generating new medicines and more selective in creating products with defined geometries, so they can fit into drug targets, and a less wasteful process.
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Pushing sooner during vaginal childbirth is safe for women and babies, the best time to start pushing during vaginal birth is between two to one hour. The study of 2,400 first-time moms found early pushing didn’t increase the need for C-sections, it was also associated with lower odds of hemorrhage and infection.

According to the lead researcher Dr. Alison Cahill, chief of maternal-fetal medicine of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the theory behind delayed pushing is that while they delay, the uterus continues to contract and perhaps ease delivery. Waiting an hour didn’t affect the need for a surgical delivery.

Pushing earlier reduces the risk of bleeding and prevents infections. Pushing starts naturally during the second stage of labour when the cervix is completely dilated. Using local painkiller prevents the pain in some women. Doctors will recommend either immediate pushing with contractions, or withholding pushing, letting the fetus descend spontaneously during the second stage of labour.

For this research, the participants were randomly selected to start pushing early or to wait an hour., all were given a local painkiller. The timing of pushing didn’t affect the odds of a normal vaginal delivery or harm the baby. It also didn’t change the need for forceps or vacuum or the need for cesarean delivery, the researchers found. Recent researches encouraged women to push longer to encourage a vaginal delivery.
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According to American Occupational Therapy Association, children struggling to write may have developmental problems that could hinder learning ability. An occupational therapist can evaluate the underlying components of a student’s handwriting, including muscle strength, endurance, coordination and motor control.

To have good handwriting, hold the pencil very well and let rest next to the base of the thumb. Hold it in place with the thumb and index and middle finger. Relax the grip and write without exerting extra pressure – exerting less pressure will enable easy letter formation.

A child’s handwriting may help an occupational therapist: evaluate the child’s posture and use of the arms, hands, head and eyes. Analyze visual and perceptual skills that can influence a child’s ability to form letters and shapes. Suggest home activities that promote development of good handwriting skills
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Malaria is an economic and health burden to the developing world. As plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria, is acquiring rapid resistance against currently used drugs, identification of new classes of anti-malarials remains an urgent need.

Potential anti-malarials include small molecules, peptides, antibodies or plant extracts with likely medicinal properties. These agents are often prepared in the presence of additional constituents such as buffers, detergents or preservatives to ensure stability and solubility. However, chemical or physical properties of these constituents can impact the assay conclusions. At present, there is no literature on the toxic inhibitory effects of such molecules on plasmodium development.

A research group led by Assistant Professor Rajesh Chandramohanadas from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) documented the permissible limits of a number of chemicals that are often part of anti-malarial efficacy tests. Their results provide a previously undetermined dataset on drug reconstitution conditions at which both the red cell integrity and plasmodium growth and proliferation are not compromised.

The SUTD team first performed literature survey to shortlist 14 common chemicals which were then tested against plasmodium in vitro cultures. From these experiments, they estimated the maximum allowable concentration of these chemicals compatible with the assay with no parasite killing effect. Further, they validated that the estimated permissible limits of these chemicals caused no harm to intracellular or extracellular parasites, allowing normal parasitive survival and proliferation. Through bio-physical and microscopic measurements, they also demonstrated that human red blood cells used as hosts are not damaged and fully capable of supporting infection for several cycles.

“This dataset may serve as a valuable reference tool to the parasitology community,” Dr. Chandramohanadas stated. “For example, when structure-activity relationship of synthetic analogues of a chosen molecule under different solubilising conditions are to be tested and compared, artefacts caused by the recipe may contribute to erroneous readings,” he added.
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A new study suggests that the body’s inability to fully utilize the essential dietary mineral manganese might be to blame for some cases of severe scoliosis. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that children with severe scoliosis are twice as likely as children without the disease to carry a gene variant that makes it hard for their cells to take in and use manganese. Manganese is required for growing bones and cartilage.

About 3 million new cases of scoliosis are diagnosed every year. Most are mild and require only that doctors keep a watchful eye on the condition. Children who develop a moderate bend to their spine may need to wear a back brace until they finish growing. In rare cases, the curvature is so pronounced that it requires surgery to correct.

Cases of scoliosis tend to cluster in families, but not in a simple way, which suggests that many different genes each play a small role in increasing the risk of the disease. To identify such genes, researchers scanned all the genes in 457 children with severe scoliosis and 987 children without scoliosis.

They found a variant in the gene SLC39A8 in only 6 percent of the healthy children but 12 percent of the children with severe scoliosis. A second analysis in a separate group of 1,095 healthy children and 841 children with moderate to severe scoliosis also found that children with scoliosis were about twice as likely to carry the variant.

When the researchers bred zebrafish with a disabled SLC39A8 gene, the fish developed movement and skeletal abnormalities, including curves in their spines. The gene helps cells take in minerals such as zinc, iron and manganese. Human cells with the gene variant successfully took up zinc and iron but failed to take in manganese. They also discovered that children with the gene variant had significantly lower levels of manganese in their blood than those with the more common form-although both groups were still within the normal range.

Manganese is both an essential mineral and a toxin. High doses can cause manganism, a permanent neurological condition characterized by tremors and difficulty walking, as well as psychiatric symptoms such as aggression and hallucinations. The mineral also has been linked to Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia and high blood pressure.

Too little manganese, on the other hand, can cause manganese deficiency, although this is rarely seen in people because the human body needs only trace amounts that are easily obtained from food. Animal studies show that lack of manganese can result in problems metabolizing fat and sugar, impaired growth, difficulty walking and curvature of the spine. The children with the genetic variant did not have manganese deficiency, but they may be unable to use manganese as efficiently as others.
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Poor sleep influences dietary choices and diet influences sleep quality. Poor sleep increases food intake and weight gain. Fish with bones, meat dairy, nuts and bananas are good for dinner to induce sleep. Sleeping keep the appetite hormones normal. Foods such as milk, chamomile, kiwi fruit and tart cherries can induce sleep.

Food and sleep affect day-to-day activities, impact organs’ function, immune system, hormone production and brain function. Melatonin is produced in the brain and the amount produce and how efficiently the brain uses it is influenced by diet.

One of the biggest influence on melatonin levels is the intake of a type of protein called tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid -the building blocks of proteins. Essential amino acids are a group which the bodies cannot make, it can only be found through diet. B vitamins and magnesium help tryptophan to be more available in the body. Lack of good diet is equivalent to lacking of tryptophan, B vitamins or magnesium.

Regular intake of B vitamins and dairy foods can promote better sleep quality and duration. Dairy is an excellent source of tryptophan and also contains magnesium and B vitamins which promote the activity and availability of tryptophan. Fish is a great source of tryptophan and B vitamins. Fish with bones, such as sardines, will also provide magnesium. Including fish in your diet regularly may promote healthy melatonin production when you need it.

Pulses, beans and lentils contain high amounts of tryptophan and B vitamins. Adding tofu or paneer to a vegetable stew or curry can increase the likelihood of having good great night sleep. If you are hungry before bed, try a glass of semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, a small banana or a few nuts. Eat balanced diet, a balanced diet contains foods that are high in tryptophan.
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Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis carried out research on why people develop digestive problems. They discovered viruses like West Nile and Zika that target the nervous system in the brain and spinal cord can kill neurons in the guts of mice, disrupting bowel movement and causing intestinal blockages.

According to Thaddeus S. Stappenbeck, MD, PhD, the Conan Professor of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine and the study’s co-senior author, healthy people can suddenly develop bowel motility problems because viral infection can gets in to the immune cells killing infected neurons in the gut.

While studying mice infected with West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne virus that causes inflammation in the brain, researchers noticed that the intestines of some of the infected mice were packed with waste higher up and empty farther down, as if they had a blockage. This expands the intestines and slowed digestion through the gut. In contrast, chikungunya virus, an unrelated virus that does not target neurons, failed to cause bowel dysfunction.

When West Nile virus was injected into a mouse’s foot, it travels through the bloodstream and infects neurons in the intestinal wall. These neurons coordinate muscle contractions to move waste smoothly through the gut.

Once infected, the neurons attract the attention of immune cells, which attack the viruses and kill the neurons. Viruses that target the gut nervous system cause mild and self-limiting infections. Studies have linked bowel motility to changes in the microbiome – the community of bacteria, viruses and fungi that live in the gut.
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University of California researchers have discovered human papillomavirus, or HPV, that are specifically linked to HIV infection; any HPV type, more than one increases the risk of HIV. HPV16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 52, 58 are linked to HIV. Studies have shown a general link between HPV and HIV co-infection, this study illustrates the relationship between individual HPV types and HIV infection.

Some HPV types are more linked to cancer and others to warts. This further illustrates the potential utility of HPV vaccine for men who have sex with men and trans women, not only for HPV prevention but also possibly for HIV prevention. The research team looked at infection with 37 HPV types and found that individual types are linked.

The study investigated the relationship between HPV types and incident HIV infection among men who have sex with men and transgender women. The study had 600 participants recruited at a local community-based health center, bars, clubs, volleyball courts, and via social media.

Researchers started with two groups, one with genital warts and one without, and followed participants over two years to see who contracted HIV. Of the 571 participants who completed at least two study visits, 73 acquired HIV in two years – a 6 percent HIV incidence rate. HPV is the most common STI, HPV vaccine works to prevent chronic HPV infection.
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Human papilloma virus HPV is the name for a group of viruses that affect skin and the moist membranes lining of the body. There are more than 100 types of HPV. Around 30 of which can affect the genital area. Genital HPV infections are common and highly contagious. This can lead to genital warts, and is also known to cause cervical cancer by creating an abnormal tissue growth.

Cervical cancer occurs in the cells of the cervix -the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, play a role in causing most cervical cancer. It takes 10-15 years before invasive cervical cancer develops. As the cells change, they become pre-cancerous -a condition also known as dysplasia or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Common symptoms of cervical cancer are: blood spots or light bleeding between or following periods, menstrual bleeding that is longer and heavier than usual, bleeding after intercourse or a pelvic examination, pain during sexual intercourse, unexplained, persistent pelvic and back pain.

Nearly all cases of cervical cancer are caused by persistent infections of high-risk HPV, which causes changes to cervical cells. HPV primary screening, self-sampling as part of the cervical screening programme and vaccinating boys for HPV can prevent cervical cancer. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, Swaziland has the highest rate of cervical cancer in the world – 75 cases per 100,000 people.
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It is possible to reduce damaged cells and extend lifespan and improve health, even when treatment was initiated late. Treatment of aged mice with fisetin, found in many fruits and vegetables has significant positive effects on health and lifespan. As people age, they accumulate damaged cells. When the cells get to a certain level of damage they go through an aging process- cellular senescence. The cells also release inflammatory factors that tell the immune system to clear those damaged cells.

Immune system of a child is healthy and is able to clear the damaged cells. But as people age, they aren’t cleared as effectively. Thus they begin to accumulate, cause low level inflammation and release enzymes that can degrade the tissue.

A natural product-fisetin, reduces the level of damaged cells in the body. Researchers treated mice towards the end of life with this compound and see improvement in health and lifespan. Fisetin is a senotherapeutic that extends health and lifespan.

Fisetin is a plant polyphenol from the flavonoid group. It can be found in many plants, where it serves as a colouring agent. It is also found in many fruits and vegetables like strawberries, apples, persimmons, onions and cucumbers.
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Women have some natural physical advantages over men that increase their longevity, researchers have looked at the rate of cellular aging. One of the biological differences from birth is that women have longer telomeres (the endcaps of DNA strands that protect chromosomes from deterioration). Researchers have long understood the importance of telomeres in healthy longevity.

Recent studies have focused on factors that affect telomere length and what can be done to protect them. Telomeres are the caps at the end of each strand of DNA that protect chromosomes, DNA strands will become damaged and cells will not be able to function properly without telomeres. Telomeres protect chromosome ends from DNA degradation, DNA repair mechanism and fusion with other chromosomal ends.

Cell division reduces the size of telomeres ascular disease and, in many instances, a longer life for both men and women. Some experimental studies suggest estrogen exposure increases the activity of telomerase, the enzyme that can protect and elongate telomeres. Telomeres can be shortened prematurely by stress and chronic or childhood psychological adversity. Maintaining healthy lifestyle and eating healthy diet can make telomeres to regrow.
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Stress can decrease the chances of conception, a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researchers finds higher levels of stress are associated with lower chances of conception for women, but not for men. Researchers used data from the Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO), an ongoing preconception cohort of North American pregnancy planners that follows couples for 12 months.

For the study, the researchers followed 4,769 women and 1,272 men who did not have a history of infertility and had not been trying to conceive for more than six menstrual cycles. Researchers measured perceived stress using the 10-item version of the perceived stress scale (PSS), which is designed to assess how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overwhelming an individual finds their life circumstances. The items referred to the past month, with five response choices ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (very often), up to a total of 40, with a higher total score indicating a higher level of perceived stress.

Both partners completed the PSS at baseline, and women also completed the PSS at each bi-monthly PRESTO follow-up. The baseline questionnaires also included a range of demographic and behavioral factors, including race/ethnicity, household income, diet, sleep, and frequency of intercourse.

On average, baseline PSS scores were about 1 point higher among women than men, and the average follow-up PSS scores among women remained fairly constant over the 12 months that they participated in the study. The researchers found women with PSS scores of at least 25 were 13 percent less likely to conceive than women with PSS scores under 10.

This association was stronger among women who had been trying to conceive for no more than two menstrual cycles before joining PRESTO than among women who had been trying for three or more cycles before enrolling. The association was also stronger among women under 35 years old.

The researchers found that, if the link between higher levels of stress and lower odds of conception is a causal association, a small proportion of that association could be due to decreased intercourse frequency and increased menstrual cycle irregularity.

The researchers did not find an association between men’s PSS score and the likelihood of conceiving. However, couples in the study were about 25 percent less likely to conceive when the man’s PSS score was under 10 and the women’s was 20 or higher.
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Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, and mood issues. It increases painful sensations by affecting the way brain processes pain signals. Arthritis or an infection raises chances of fibromyalgia. Emotional or physical abuse can contributes to the condition.

Using positron-emission topography brain imaging, researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Massachusetts General Hospital have shown that glial cells-the central nervous system’s immune cells-are activated in the brains of patients with fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain syndrome that causes extensive pain in the muscles and joints, severe fatigue, insomnia and cognitive difficulties. The higher pain sensitivity that is characteristic of the syndrome has been related to functional and structural alterations of brain regions associated with pain processing.

Patients with fibromyalgia had elevated levels of certain inflammatory substances (cytokines) in the cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting inflammation of the central nervous system. Using modern PET (positron-emission topography) brain imaging has now been able to show that the central nervous system’s immune cells, called glial cells, are activated and thus give rise to inflammation of the brain.

The brains of the people with the condition are known to have an impaired ability to dampen pain signals, which means that things that are normally painless cause considerable pain.
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Functional Imagery Training FIT teaches people to imagine what it would be like to achieve their goals, whether it be weight loss or climbing mountain. Having people visualise what it would smell, look, feel and taste like to meet this ambition, they are thought to become more motivated to make it a reality. Research has shown FIT reduces a dieter’s desire to snack and makes them more likely to go to gym.

Weight and waist circumferences were measured at the start of the study, and 6 and 12 months on. After 6 months, those receiving FIT lost 0.6 stone (8.4lbs) and 7cm off their waists. But the motivational interviews MI participants had lost just 0.1 stone and even gained 0.24cm in their waist circumferences since the six-month mark. All of the participants reported greater quality of life after six months, but the FIT group more so.
To lose weight, you need to eat less and exercise more, but in many cases, people aren’t motivated to heed this advice. FIT encourages people to come up with their imagery of what change might look and feel like to them, how it might be achieved and kept, even when challenges arise.

People lost significantly more weight on this intervention, as, unlike most studies, it provided no diet/physical activity advice or education. FIT is thought to be more effective than MI due to it’s stimulating different senses. This allows dieters to visualise what weight loss would be like, which may motivate them to achieve their goal.
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After cancer treatment, dormant, non-dividing cancer cells that previously detached from the original tumor may still exist elsewhere in the body. If awakened, these cells can proliferate and grow into metastatic tumors. Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have determined one of the ways in which cancers in remission can regrow.Sustained lung inflammation caused by tobacco smoke exposure can cause dormant breast and prostate cancer cells that have moved to the lungs to awaken and divide. These cells can form a metastasis in the lungs. Metastasis accounts for the bulk of lethality from most common cancers.

The team, led by CSHL Associate Professor Mikala Egeblad and researchers from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and UC Davis, also demonstrates a way of blocking the signaling that awakened the dormant cancer cells, a concept that could prevent cancer recurrence or lessen its frequency.

Researchers showed that sustained lung inflammation, caused either by exposing mice to tobacco smoke or to a component of bacteria- endotoxin, induced common white blood cells-neutrophils to awaken nearby dormant cancer cells in an extraordinary way.

Neutrophils, which kill invaders like bacteria and yeast, have several ways of vanquishing their prey. One is to expel their DNA into the space beyond the cell membrane. Laced with toxic enzymes, this expelled DNA forms a gauzy, net-like trap (called neutrophil extracellular traps, or NETs) that can kill a pathogen.

Sustained lung inflammation causes the formation of NETs in the area around dormant cancer cells. Two enzymes in the NETs, called NE (neutrophil elastase) and MMP9 (matrix metalloproteinase 9), interact with a protein in tissue called laminin. In sequence, first NE then MMP9 make cuts in laminin proteins. This changes the protein’s shape, exposing a new surface, called an epitope.

This epitope, when recognized by dormant cancer cells nearby, spurs signaling that awakens the cancer cells. The dormant cancer cells recognize that new shape of the laminin and should start growing again. They created an antibody to block the epitope exposed on the laminin proteins. In mice, this prevented the reawakening of dormant cancer cells.

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People can die when they’ve given up to life challenges; psychogenic death isn’t suicide, it isn’t linked to depression, but the act of giving up on life and dying usually within days, it’s real condition often linked to severe trauma. Five stages leading to progressive psychological decline and suggests give-up could stem from a change in a frontal-subcortical circuit of the brain governing how a person maintains goal-directed behaviour.

The likely candidate in the brain is the anterior cingulate circuit, responsible for motivation and initiating goal-directed behaviours. Severe trauma might trigger people’s anterior cingulate circuit to malfunction. Motivation is essential for coping with life and if it fails, apathy sets in.

Death isn’t inevitable in for those suffering from give-up-itis and can be reversed by different things at each stage. The most common interventions are physical activity and being able to see a situation is at least partially within their control, both of which trigger the release of the feel-good chemical dopamine.

Reversing the give-up-itis slide towards death tends to come when a survivor finds or recovers a sense of choice, of having some control, and tends to be accompanied by that person licking their wounds and taking a renewed interest in life. The five stages of give-up-itis are: social withdrawal, apathy, abolua, psychic akinesia and psychogenic death.

People that show social withdrawal lack emotion, listlessness and indifference and become self-absorbed. Apathy is an emotional or symbolic ‘death’, profound apathy has been seen in prisoners of war and in survivors of shipwreck and aircraft crashes. It’s a demoralising melancholy different to anger, sadness or frustration.

Aboulia is a severe lack of motivation coupled with a dampened emotional response, a lack of initiative and an inability to make decisions. People at this stage are unlikely to speak, frequently give up eating and withdraw further and deeper into themselves. At this stage, they have lost the ability or desire to start acting to help themselves but they can still be motivated by others, through persuasive nurturing, reasoning, antagonism and even physical assault.

Psychic akinesia is a state of profound apathy and unaware of or insensitive to extreme pain, not even flinching if they are hit, and they are often incontinent and continue to lie in waste. Psychogenic death is the final stage-disintegration stage.
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According to scientists at University College London and Moorfields Eye Hospital, rare eye infection can cause blindness. Acanthamoeba keratitis is a rare disease in which amoebae invade the cornea of the eye, this may result in permanent visual impairment or blindness. The microorganism acanthamoeba lives in water and can cause serious damage if it gets into the eye, swimming without protecting the eyes increases the risk of having contact with ananthamoeba.

Mascara can harbour bacteria which can cause infections leading to redness, light sensitivity and irritation and blindness. Liquid liner and mascara have a shelf life of around three months once opened. According to research from the University of Waterloo, eye make-up applied inside the eyeline, such as eyeliner, can increase the risk of eye infection. False eyelashes could put eyes at risk. According to experts, false eyelashes tend to trap dirt and bacteria, while poor quality, unhygienic lashes increase the risk of blindness.

An eye test can show hibernating health problems like diabetes, glaucoma and high blood pressure, all of which can lead to serious eye problems and blindness if left unchecked. Arthritis which causes joint inflammation can be spotted with an eye test, because the inflammation also turns up in the eye and will eventually attack the eye if left untreated.

Staring at electronic gadgets for hours is bad because screens emit blue light which is absorbed by vital cells in the eye’s retina triggering toxic chemicals, which can kill the photoreceptors needed for vision. Using electronic gadgets in the dark can dilate the pupils making them more vulnerable to damage. Smoking increases risk of cataracts and age related macular degeneration (AMD), which is a common condition that affects the middle part of vision.

AMD occurs when the small central portion of the retina- macula, deteriorates and is the major cause of blindness. Smoking increases the risk of cataracts and age related macular degeneration, frequent exposure to UV sunlight can lead to the development of cataracts and AMD which can impair sight and cause partial or total blindness. Drinking lots of water and eating foods rich in vitamin A, C and E and omega-3 fats can reduce the risk, regular eye check and the use of eyes sunglasses can reduce the risk of blindness.

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Autism spectrum disorder ASD is a neurological and developmental disorder that starts in childhood and lasts throughout a lifetime. It affects how a person acts and interacts with others, communicates, and learns. It is called a “spectrum” disorder because people with ASD can have a range of symptoms.

Presently, there is no test for predict the probability of having a child that will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders ASD. Recent estimates indicate that if a mother has previously had a child with ASD, the risk of having a second child with ASD is approximately 18.7 percent, whereas the risk of ASD in the general population is approximately 1.7 percent.

In this study, metabolites of the folate-dependent transmethylation and transsulfuration biochemical pathways of pregnant mothers were measured to determine whether or not the risk of having a child with autism could be predicted by her metabolic profile.

Pregnant mothers who have had a child with autism before were separated into two groups based on the diagnosis of their child whether the child had autism or not. Then these mothers were compared to a group of control mothers who have not had a child with autism before.

The researchers concluded that while it is not possible to determine during a pregnancy if a child will be diagnosed with ASD by age 3, they did find that differences in the plasma metabolites are indicative of the relative risk (18.7 percent vs 1.7 percent) for having a child with ASD.

This new research follows an earlier study published in 2017, which developed an algorithm based on levels of metabolites found in a blood sample that can accurately predict whether a child is on the autism spectrum. A follow-up study this spring was also highly promising in assessing whether a child is on the autism spectrum.
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According to a study, consumption of foods with higher scores on the British Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling system (FSAm-NPS), reflecting a lower nutritional quality, is linked with an increased risk of developing cancer.

The study, conducted by Mélanie Deschasaux of the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM U1153/Inra/Cnam/Paris 13 University-EREN), France and colleagues, in association with the WHO-IARC, suggests broad potential for the use of FSAm-NPS-based package labeling to promote healthy food choices in European settings. Making healthier food choices is a key challenge for the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases.

How the consumption of foods with high/low FSAm-NPS scores relates to cancer risk has been studied in national and regional cohorts but has not been characterized in diverse European populations. In their study, Deschasaux and colleagues analyzed food intake data from 471,495 adults from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC, 1992-2014, median follow-up: 15.3 y), among whom there were 49,794 incident cancer cases (main locations: breast, n = 12,063; prostate, n = 6,745; colon-rectum, n = 5,806).

The researchers assigned each participant’s diet a FSAm-NPS Dietary Index (DI), and computed multi-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models to describe any associations between the FSAm-NPS DI and cancer risks. Absolute cancer rates in those with high and low (quintiles 5 and 1) FSAm-NPS DI were 81.4 and 69.5 cases/10,000 person-years, respectively. The researchers found that a higher FSAm-NPS DI, reflecting a lower nutritional quality of food consumed, was associated with a higher risk of total cancer (HR for Q5 versus Q1: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.03-1.10, P-trend < 0.001).

Higher FSAm-NPS DI were specifically associated with higher risks of cancers of the colon-rectum, upper aerodigestive tract and stomach, lung for men, and liver and postmenopausal breast for women (all P < 0.05). The main study limitation was the use of self-reported dietary data, collected once at baseline.
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Muscle relaxants are necessary part of anesthesia during major operations. However, studies have hinted at respiratory risks connected with these drugs. POPULAR, a major prospective observational European study has confirmed the association between the use of muscle relaxants and respiratory complications, and assessed the chances of the current avoidance strategies.

According to Professor Manfred Blobner, an anesthesiologist at TUM’s Clinic for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care,anesthetics make patients unconscious during an operation and prevent them from feeling pain. Muscles are not paralyzed by these drugs and may still move. To prevent this, muscle relaxants-neuromuscular blocking agents are used.

These drugs are important when operating on a patient’s chest or abdomen, they are also used to protect the vocal cords from injury when a tube is placed in the airway to allow artificial ventilation. The prospective observational POPULAR study collected data from 22,803 patients of 211 hospitals in 28 European countries. They confirm what earlier studies based on pre-existing data had hinted at: The use of neuromuscular blockers during general anesthesia is associated with a significantly increased risk of several respiratory complications after surgery.

The most common complications involving the respiratory system were a reduced capacity of the lungs to absorb oxygen transiently (5.2 percent), and infections of the lung and respiratory tract (2.5 percent). Roughly three quarters of all patients (17150 people) were treated with neuromuscular blocking agents. They were shown to have a significantly higher risk (+4.4 percent) of developing any type of respiratory complication.

Previous studies have shown that even small amounts of muscle relaxants remaining in the bodies of patients could be responsible for some of the complications. The data from POPULAR, however, show that established techniques used to avoid residual neuromuscular block do not lower the patients’ risk of pulmonary complications.

The respiratory outcome was not changed by drugs reversing the effects of the muscle relaxants , or monitoring the neuromuscular function during anesthesia to ensure complete recovery of muscle function. The researchers point out that this does not mean that these measures are unable to reduce residual paralysis, but they must be used correctly. There may be flaws in the way these measures are implemented as well as other unknown causes for the complications.

Neuromuscular blocking agents have made surgery considerably safer and more effective since their introduction, many operations would not be possible without them. Patients undergoing minor surgical procedures that do not necessarily require neuromuscular blocking drugs might benefit from avoiding them. Using devices like laryngeal masks for anesthesia instead of tracheal tubes that go past the vocal cords could prove helpful.

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According to Australian Chinese medical practitioner Waveny Holland, size, texture, colour and shape of tongue can show signs of disease and any imbalance in the body. The tip of the tongue reflects the lungs and heart, the middle represents liver and gallbladder on the sides and the stomach in the center, the back reflects intestines, bladder, and kidneys.
A healthy tongue is usually a pinkish, light red, with a slight white coating and is neither too thick or thin and not flabby or overlapping the teeth. A pale tongue is a sign of vitamin or mineral deficiency and is common among those suffering from anaemia. A red tongue (depending on which area of the body this corresponds to on the tongue) represents heat. This could indicate fever or a rise in body temperature.

A puffy tongue can suggest a lack of nutrients and moisture, while a thin tongue could suggest dehydration. If the tongue has a thin, white coating this is considered healthy and normal, however, if there is no coating this may signal dehydration. A yellow and dry tongue indicates “heat” in the body. The deeper the colour, the higher the level of body ‘heat’. This can indicate an infection or bacterial build-up or other imbalances.
A tongue with a grey and black appearance indicates ‘stagnation’. Stagnation refers to the flow of energy, blood and fluid in the body. A tongue which has bumps or protuberances or cracks can also reveal a range of health potential problems. Bumps on the tongue are diagnosed depending where they are and what they look like.
A scalloped tongue (one with ridges on the outside edge) indicates fluid retention. A bump on the top of the tongue may be a sign of a bacterial or viral infection or even a possible allergic reaction to medication. Deep cracks in the center indicate that a patient is prone to digestive issues while sores (ulcers) can indicate a deficiency. A patchy tongue can reflect heat in the stomach which may manifest as acid reflux. A scalloped tongue (one with ridges on the outside edge) indicates fluid retention.
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Women are exposed to different chemicals that could have negative effects on hormones, these hormonal changes have been linked to several adverse health outcomes such as breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, understanding chemicals that influence hormone levels is important for public health and particularly for women’s health since exposure to these chemicals is higher due to their presence in beauty and personal care products.

A new study published by George Mason University Assistant Professor of Global and Community Health Dr. Anna Pollack and colleagues discovered links between chemicals that are used in cosmetic and personal care products and changes in reproductive hormones.

A total of 509 urine samples were collected from 143 women aged 18 to 44 years, free of known chronic health conditions and birth control to be measured for environmental chemicals that are found in personal care products, such as parabens, which are antimicrobial preservatives, and benzophenones, which are ultraviolet filters.

This study is the first to examine mixtures of chemicals that are widely used in personal care products in relation to hormones in healthy, reproductive-age women, using multiple measures of exposure across the menstrual cycle, which improved upon research that relied on one or two measures of chemicals. This multi-chemical approach more closely reflects real world environmental exposures and shows that even low-level exposure to mixtures of chemicals may affect reproductive hormone levels.

Another noteworthy finding of the study is that certain chemical and UV filters were associated with decreased reproductive hormones in multi-chemical exposures while others were associated with increases in other reproductive hormones, underscoring the complexities of these chemicals. Chemicals like parabens may increase estrogen levels which could have implications for estrogen dependent diseases such as breast cancer.
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