Don’t Destroy Last Smallpox Stockpiles, Scientists Urge

Friday 2 May 2014 13:22 Washington

Even though smallpox has not infected anyone since 1977, important research on the virus is still ongoing and the world’s remaining stockpiles should not be destroyed, scientists has said.

The appeal from a trio of researchers in the United States and Brazil came yesterday as the decision-making body of the World Health Organisation is preparing to discuss the fate of smallpox research later this month.

Stockpiles of the live variola virus — which causes the illness that includes a bumpy rash and can lead to blindness or death — are currently held at high-security labs in Russia and the United States.

“Despite considerable advances,” the scientists wrote in the journal PLOS Pathogens, “we argue that the research agenda with live variola virus is not yet finished and that significant gaps still remain.”

The opinion article was authored by Inger Damon of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Clarissa Damaso of Universidade Federale do Rio de Janeiro, and Grant McFadden of the University of Florida College of Medicine.

They said there is a limited supply of vaccines against smallpox, and since those were developed in the 1960s and 1970s they “were associated with what we now consider an unacceptable high rate of adverse events, some severe.”

Also, diagnostic tests that could distinguish smallpox from other related diseases are not complete, nor is the development of drugs to treat the illness in case a new outbreak occur.

Researchers also want a better understanding of how the virus works, since it only infects people. Animal models of the virus do not accurately mimic the human illness.

The World Health Assembly is scheduled to meet this month to decide whether to destroy the remaining stocks of live variola virus or to allow research to continue.

Expressing concern that opinion may be tilting toward getting rid of the stockpiles, the scientists called the ongoing research “vital.”

“The original goals of the WHO agenda for newer and safer vaccines, fully licensed antiviral drugs, and better diagnostics have still not been fully met,” they wrote.

Smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980 and is the only human disease to have been formally eliminated, according to the WHO.

The last US case was documented in 1949 and the world’s last naturally occurring case was in Somalia in 1977.

Source: : http://www.theindianrepublic.com/lifestyle/health/dont-destroy-last-smallpox-stockpiles-scientists-urge

Dr. Richard Obedian on Osteoporosis and Bone Health

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Obedian discusses osteoporosis risk factors and treatments

As an experienced orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Richard Obedian specializes in a number of treatments for osteoporosis, including kyphoplasty, a surgical procedure which repairs compression fractures caused by the disease. In spite of ever-growing technological improvements, surgery is often necessary for osteoporosis patients or patients with low bone density, who number over 52 million in the United States alone. Unfortunately, several of the factors that contribute to osteoporosis have to do with genetics or age, and are therefore unavoidable, but paying attention to bone health can help decrease the risk of getting it.

What is osteoporosis?

Bones consist of living bone cells that remove and replace weakened sections of the bones. If a patient’s body is making too little bone, losing bone too quickly, or both, the patient is diagnosed with osteoporosis. Usually, the patient will not feel his or her bones weakening, and will only notice after breaking a bone or losing height.

Sufferers of osteoporosis are more likely to break bones, particularly in the spine, hip, and wrists. Osteoporosis is also noticeable when the spine starts to bend, causing a hump, or when the patient starts to lose height. Osteoporosis is also detectable using a bone-density test. Dr. Richard Obedian recommends anyone over the age of 65—particularly post-menopausal women, who are at the most risk—consider getting a bone density test.

Risk factors

Unavoidable factors that increase a person’s risk of osteoporosis include a family history of the disease, age, menopause, and naturally low body weight. In addition, the human body’s bone density will peak between the ages of 18 and 25, and a low peak bone density can increase the risk of osteoporosis later in life. For this reason, it is important for children and teenagers who are not at immediate risk of the disease to work on building healthy bones.

While women are at more risk than men, Dr. Richard Obedian seeks to remind male patients above 50 that they are also at risk—in fact they are more likely to break a bone due to osteoporosis than to contract prostate cancer.

Prevention

While the aforementioned risk factors may make osteoporosis unavoidable, other factors can be monitored. Both calcium and Vitamin D are essential for building and protecting bones, and reaching the daily recommended doses can help. However, it is not the case, Dr. Richard Obedian says, that more doses will help. Going too far beyond the daily recommended dose does not help decrease the risk of osteoporosis, and may even be harmful.

Certain foods can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb calcium. Wheat bran and beans contain phyates, which reduce the amount of calcium the body can absorb from meals containing those foods. Salty foods and high-protein foods can also cause the body to lose calcium, and therefore should be used sparingly, or compensated for by using calcium supplements. Excessive alcohol and caffeine can also lead to bone loss, and smoking can also increase a person’s risks.

Exercise, and in particular weight-baring exercise, is vital to building bone and muscle strength. High-impact exercises such as dancing, hiking, and tennis will help build bones, but may be risky for anyone who already has osteoporosis. Using an elliptical or treadmill, as Dr. Richard Obedian recommends for physical therapy, decreases this risk and still provides the exercise needed for building and keeping up strength.

Treatment

Lifestyle changes in line with what is listed above can still help alleviate osteoporosis after it is diagnosed. The most common medication for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis is bisphosphonates, which can prevent the loss of bone mass, but doctors will also prescribe teriparatide, calcitonin, raloxifene, and estrogens. The loss of estrogen among post-menopausal women is a leading factor in their increased risk of developing the disease.

If surgery should be necessary, kyphoplasty is a method of repairing spinal fractures, particularly those caused by osteoporosis. Goals of the procedure include stopping the pain, restoring vertebral height, and stabilizing the bone. Dr. Richard Obedian performs kyphoplasty in order to reduce the risk of damage and increase the odds of success.

Another method is called spinal fusion, in which the surgeon will use a graft—often a bone from another portion of the patient’s body, to fuse together the vertebrae. Until the bone grafts are fully healed, rods, plates, cages, or screws hold the vertebrae in place.

While medications and surgery can help prevent future fractures due to osteoporosis, broken spinal and hip bones cause permanent damage. For this reason, Dr. Richard Obedian is passionate in his work to improve surgical techniques, as well as in advising patients to take proper care in recognizing osteoporosis early.

Source:  http://www.mediabistro.com/prnewser

House of Commons to discuss EU mango ban crisis

LONDON: The 28-member European Union's ban on the import of Indian mangoes will figure in a debate in Britain's House of Commons next week, amid widespread criticism of the ban from exporters and consumers.

"The speaker of the House of Commons has granted a parliamentary debate on the EU ban on the importation of Indian Alphonso mangoes. It will take place on Thursday 8th May at approximately 6pm," said leading NRI Labour MP Keith Vaz, who called for the debate.

"I am delighted that the speaker has granted us a debate at such an early stage of this ban," he said.

The "temporary ban" which came into force yesterday will remain effective until December 2015 after authorities in Brussels found consignments infested with pests they fear could damage European salad crops.

"Today (May 1) is the first day of the mango ban. Each day is costing UK retailers millions of pounds and is putting at risk the special relationship between Britain and India. I hope that the government can act quickly on this matter to end this crisis," Vaz said yesterday.

UK imports around 6.3-million pounds worth of Indian mangoes per year out of a UK mango market worth 68 million pounds in total.

Source:  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Delhi HC asks for immediate ban on artificially coloured fruits and veggies

A plea was filed in the Delhi High Court seeking immediate ban on sale of fruits and vegetables, which contain artificial colour and harmful preservatives. A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S. Endlaw, agreeing to hear the PIL, posted the plea for May 21 and clubbed it with another petition that relates to pesticides in fruits and vegetables.

The PIL filed by advocate Sugriv Dubey alleged that fruits and vegetables sold in Delhi are ‘quoted with carbohydrate and other cancerous chemicals to increase their life span’. The plea said that the authorities have not taken any step to insure the quality of food being sold in markets here are safe for consumption. ‘Not a single sample of mango sold during the entire season has been taken into custody by the authorities to ensure that those coated with carbohydrates are not sold in the market,’ it stated. The pulses sold here are polished with chemical to bring them in a very shining condition which are injurious to health when consumed, it added.

Why artificial ripened mangoes are bad for you

Recently there was news that this season’s mangoes might cause cancer. The news was based on the fact that mangoes were being artificially ripened using a chemical called calcium carbide that is a known carcinogen (cancer causing substance). So to help you get some clarity on the situation, here are all your questions about artificially ripened mangoes answered.

Why do mangoes need to be artificially ripened?

All fruits ripen based on a well-tuned chemical system. The main chemical in ripening being ethylene. But farmers and fruit vendors, normally have to transport and store these fruits for a period of time before they get sold. So, to help keep these fruits ripe enough to sell and not allow them to rot, farmers pluck them when they are still raw.

In some cases these mangoes need to be ripened so that there is more to sell. And since we buy based on how attractive a fruit looks, they resort to artificial ripening methods.

How can one distinguish between artificially ripened mangoes and organically grown ones? 

According to Nandita Shah, founder of SHARAN India (an organisation committed to prevention and reversal of diseases through nutrition), ‘Organic mangoes are sold in organic shops or through people who specify that there mangoes are organic. But even so there is a need to be able to tell the difference between an artificially ripened mango and natural one.’ She says, ‘Taste is the easiest way. Read more about how to identify artificially ripened mangoes…

Source:  http://www.thehealthsite.com

How to identify artificially ripened mangoes

Recently there was news that this season’s mangoes might cause cancer. The news was based on the fact that mangoes were being artificially ripened using a chemical called calcium carbide that is a known carcinogen (cancer causing substance). So to help you get some clarity on the situation, here are all your questions about artificially ripened mangoes answered.

Why do mangoes need to be artificially ripened?

All fruits ripen based on a well tuned chemical system. The main chemical in ripening being ethylene. But farmers and fruit vendors, normally have to transport and store these fruits for a period of time before they get sold. So, to help keep these fruits ripe enough to sell and not allow them to rot, farmers pluck them when they are still raw.

In some cases these mangoes need to be ripened so that there is more to sell. And since we buy based on how attractive a fruit looks, they resort to artificial ripening methods.

How can one distinguish between artificially ripened mangoes and organically grown ones? 

According to Nandita Shah, founder of SHARAN India (an organisation committed to prevention and reversal of diseases through nutrition), ‘Organic mangoes are sold in organic shops or through people who specify that there mangoes are organic. But even so there is a need to be able to tell the difference between an artificially ripened mango and natural one.’ She says, ‘Taste is the easiest way. Once you have eaten organic mangoes you won’t feel like eating non organic ones.’ Other distinguishing factors are:

Colour: In an artificially ripened mangoe there will be patches of green. These patches will be clearly distinguishable from the yellow and unlike a naturally ripened mango it will not have a uniform blend of yellow and green. Another sign is that the mango will have an unnaturally bright yellow colour when compared to a naturally ripened mango. 

Taste: According to Dr Nandita Shah, ‘When you eat an artificially ripened mango you will feel a slight burning in the mouth.’ Some people may even experience severe reactions like a stomach ache, diarrhoea and burning down the throat.

Texture and colour of the pulp: When you cut open a naturallu ripened mango the pulp will a bright reddish-yellow, which is uniform. In the case of an artificially ripened mango it will be a light and dark yellow, indicating that it is not fully ripe. The comparison lies in the fact that the mango will look completely ripe from the outside but it will not be so on the inside.

Juice: Another indicator is that when you cut a naturally ripened mango, you will find that it will be sweet and have a lot of juice. In the case of artificially ripened mangoes, there will be little or no juice. This is because the ethyl that naturally ripens a mango produces juice, which cannot be formed when the mango is artificially ripened.

Finally, Dr Nandita Shah says, ‘Organic mangoes have a short season when typically the vendor will have a lot of mangoes. The season is not extended because no chemicals are used.’

What are the ill-effects of artificially ripened mangoes?

Dr Shah says, ‘Chemicals and pesticides cause a variety of diseases, some of the ill effects, they are known hormone disruptors leading to an increase in the number of hormonal diseases today like hypothyroid, polycstic ovaries, diabetes etc. Apart from that, they have been known to lead to Parkinson’s disease, cancer, and worst of all are passed on from mother to child via breast milk.

Is it possible to get rid of the chemicals by washing them properly or eating them without the outer skin?

‘Perhaps a small part but not a large enough amount of it. Wash the fruits well but you will still feel the burning sensation and carry all the ill effects,’ says Dr Shah.

Source:  http://www.thehealthsite.com

How Coconut Oil May Rescue The Brain From Alzheimer's Disease

The internet loves a good "natural cure" recovery story.  For instance, when Dr. Mary Newport, MD, dramatically reverses her husband's symptoms of Alzheimer's disease after just two weeks of adding coconut oil to his diet, thousands enthusiastically share the story.  But despite their popularity, anecdotes rarely stand the test of time, nor the scrutiny of the medical community, at least not like experimental research published in peer-reviewed biomedical journals.  

All the more reason to celebrate a promising new study soon to be published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease titled, "Coconut Oil Attenuates the Effects of Amyloid-β on Cortical Neurons In Vitro."[i]  The study lends fresh experimental support to an accumulating body of anecdotal reports that coconut oil may alleviate and/or regress cognitive deficits associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's.

Medical researchers from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada, undertook a pilot study to investigate the effects of coconut oil supplementation directly on cortical neurons treated with amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in vitro.  Aβ peptide is the main component of certain deposits found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease believed to contribute to the disease.

The researchers noted that a recent clinical trial, which we reported on in our article MCT Fats Found in Coconut Oil Boost Brain Function in Only One Dose, reported significant improvements in Alzheimer's disease patients after 45 and 90 days of treatment with medium chain triglycerides from coconut oil.  They pointed out that this trial led to the marketing of the FDA-approved 'medical food' caprylidene (trade name Axona), but that the public has shown greater interest in coconut oil itself as a potential therapy, owing to its far greater affordability and availability.

The researchers sought to test the hypothesis that coconut oil is beneficial for neurodegenerative conditions using a cell model.  Live rat neurons were exposed to various combinations of Aβ peptide and coconut oil, with the result that Aβ peptide reduced survival of neurons and coconut protected against this Aβ-induced reduction in survival time.  The researchers noted that coconut treated Aβ cultured neurons appeared "healthier," and that coconut oil "rescued" Aβ-treated neurons from mitochondrial damage caused by their toxicity.  The researchers observed coconut oil preventing Aβ-induced changes in mitochondrial size and circularity. These findings have great significance, as mitochondria function is often compromised in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients.

According to the researchers, "The rationale for using coconut oil as a potential AD [Alzheimer's Disease] therapy is related to the possibility that it could be metabolized to ketone bodies that would provide an alternative energy source for neurons, and thus compensate for mitochondrial dysfunction."  The researchers proposed that ketone bodies formed as a byproduct of coconut oil metabolism may offset Aβ-induced impairment of mitochondrial function and thus energy metabolism.  Considering that the medium chain triglyceride found in coconut known as caprylic acid does cross the blood-brain barrier, and has recently been found to have anti-convulsant, in addition to, ketogenic effects, coconut oil likely does have a neuroprotective effect.

Source:  http://www.greenmedinfo.com

6 Symptoms of Women's Heart Attacks

When a heart attack strikes, it doesn’t always feel the same in women as it does in men.

Women don't always get the same classic heart attack symptoms as men, such as crushing chest pain that radiates down one arm. Those heart attack symptoms can certainly happen to women, but  many experience vague or even “silent” symptoms that they may miss.

These six heart attack symptoms are common in women:

Chest pain or discomfort. Chest pain is the most common heart attack symptom, but some women may experience it differently than men. It may feel like a squeezing or fullness, and the pain can be anywhere in the chest, not just on the left side. It's usually "truly uncomfortable" during a heart attack, says cardiologist Rita Redberg, MD, director of Women’s Cardiovascular Services at the University of California, San Francisco. "It feels like a vise being tightened."

Pain in your arm(s), back, neck, or jaw. This type of pain is more common in women than in men. It may confuse women who expect their pain to be focused on their chest and left arm, not their back or jaw. The pain can be gradual or sudden, and it may wax and wane before becoming intense. If you're asleep, it may wake you up. You should report any "not typical or unexplained" symptoms in any part of your body above your waist to your doctor or other health care provider, says cardiologist C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, director of the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Stomach pain. Sometimes people mistake stomach pain that signals a heart attack with heartburn, the flu, or a stomach ulcer. Other times, women experience severe abdominal pressure that feels like an elephant sitting on your stomach, says cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York.

Shortness of breath, nausea, or lightheadedness. If you're having trouble breathing for no apparent reason, you could be having a heart attack, especially if you're also having one or more other symptoms. "It can feel like you have run a marathon, but you didn't make a move," Goldberg says

.

Sweating. Breaking out in a nervous, cold sweat is common among women who are having a heart attack. It will feel more like stress-related sweating than perspiration from exercising or spending time outside in the heat. "Get it checked out" if you don't typically sweat like that and there is no other reason for it, such as heat or hot flashes, Bairey Merz says.

Fatigue. Some women who have heart attacks feel extremely tired, even if they've been sitting still for a while or haven't moved much. "Patients often complain of a tiredness in the chest," Goldberg says. "They say that they can't do simple activities, like walk to the bathroom."

Not everyone gets all of those symptoms. If you have chest discomfort, especially if you also have one or more of the other signs, call 911 immediately.

What NOT to Do

If you feel heart attack symptoms:

• Don’t delay getting help. "Women generally wait longer than men before going to the emergency room," says Rita F. Redberg, MD, MSc, FACC, director of Women's Cardiovascular Services for the UCSF Division of Cardiology in San Francisco. Even if you think your symptoms aren’t that bad or will pass, the stakes are too high.
• Don't drive yourself to the hospital. You need an ambulance. If you drive, you could have a wreck on the way and possibly hurt yourself or someone else.
• Don’t have a friend or relative drive you, either. You may not get there fast enough.
• Don’t dismiss what you feel. "Don't worry about feeling silly if you're wrong," Goldberg says. You have to get it checked out right away.  

"People don't want to spend hours in an emergency room if it isn't a heart attack," Bairey Merz says. "But women are actually good at deciding what is typical for themselves and when to seek health care."

Source:  http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease