Globe Health Tours News

Apr 30: Obesity remains as a worrying factor for people from all over the world. The changing lifestyle of people and the junk food habits are attributed as the main reason for that. Obese people are trying various ways to shed their body weight. Researchers are trying hard to find an easy solution to resolve the health problem posed by obesity. In what could be considered as significant research Australian scientists have raised the hope of reducing weight without following any strict diet.

The researchers conducted their study in mice; they manipulated the fat cells in mice that helped to speedup the rate of metabolism in them. A particular enzyme was removed from the mice and it helped the mice to burn more calories and thereby allows it to gain less weight. This research will enhance the process of discovering fat burning drugs and there by helps to resist diabetes.

The findings of the research revealed that mice in which the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) was removed were 20 per cent lighter than normal mice and they had 60 per cent less body fat. Faster metabolism will also help to fight diabetes because they process sugar more quickly. Further research in this topic will help to develop handy weight loss pills.

Meanwhile Dr Ian Campbell, medical director of the charity Weight Concern opined that the study was interesting but it has to be proved effective in humans. The drugs are considered safe but they have side effects that even damages kidney. Apart from all these evidences healthy diet and adequate physical activity along with or without weight loss drugs is needed to bring in fruitful changes.”

Apr 29: In an interesting study scientists have found that the favourite dishes like spaghetti Bolognese and pizza are effective in curing wrinkles and sunburn. The researchers included five tablespoons of tomato paste to the daily diet of 10 people and it was found to improve the skin’s ability to resist harmful UV rays. The over exposure of UV rays are considered as the main reason for premature ageing and skin cancer.

The presence of antioxidant lycopene in tomato is considered as the reason behind this. Lycopene is found in large quantity when it is cooked; earlier researchers have proved that tomatoes are found to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Now this new study conducted by the researchers at the Newcastle and Manchester universities has revealed that including more tomato based dishes will help to get rid of skin damages. The findings of the study were presented at the British Society for Investigative Dermatology.

While commenting on this Lesley Rhodes, Dermatologist at the University of Manchester said: “After analysing the volunteers who were given tomato rich diet we found that it has boosted the level of procollagen in their skin, this will help to reverse the skin ageing process. Procollagen is a molecule that is found to keep the skin in structure and helps to keep it firm. The quantity of tomato given to the volunteers was not that much huge that can be managed in your daily diet by having lot of tomato based diet.”

Meanwhile researchers also suggest that tomatoes should be considered as a helpful addition it should not to be considered as an alternative to sun creams.

Apr 25: A survey conducted among the girls aged between 11 and 19 in the UK has found that one-third of the girls have made an attempt to harm themselves. Nearly half of the 800 young people considered as sample opined that they had indulged in self harming by cutting, punching or burning themselves. The survey is taken for a mental healthcare provider.

The main reason attributed for this is the depression level, which is found to be higher among girls, while in boys the rate is lower at 22 percent. On the backdrop of the survey mental health charities opined that the figures were worrying and better treatment is needed for the adolescents to give them a moral boost.

According to the survey among those self harmed 73% admitted to cutting, 48% to punching, 14% to burning and 10% to self-poisoning. While considering the reason feeling of depression, angry, relationship problem and being stressed leads the list, it amounts to 43 %, 17%, 10% and 10% respectively.

While commenting on this the consultant psychiatrist of Cheadle Royal Hospital, Dr David Kingsley who is also a mental healthcare advisor for the NHS and the man who commissioned the research said: “It is a matter of grave concern. A recent study has put forth three main reasons for this growing tendency that are family problems, problem with friends and problems at school.”

He also suggested that parents and teachers should give special care to those young people who are struggling emotionally, feeling low or showing tendency of being withdrawn. It is better to prevent it at the early stage rather than allowing it to develop as a life long illness.

Apr 24: In a significant invention scientists have found three kinds of human heart cells that are extracted from the embryonic stem cells. This will help them in creating functioning heart tissue that helps transplants in the lab. Researchers tested the cells by transplanting it into mice with simulated heart disease and it was found to improve the function of the heart.

The study was conducted by a team of scientists from the US, UK and Canada and the findings were published in the science journal named Nature. These cells were found to play a vital role in repairing the damaged heart cells. The cells were created by providing embryonic stem cell cultured in a mixture of growth factors and other molecules involved in development.

By giving the right growth factors at the right time, they allowed the cells to grow as three different types of immature cardiac cells. Cardiomyocytes, vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cell are the three cells that form important part of heart muscle.

According to Dr Gordon Keller, researcher from the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine in Toronto, “The findings of the research give a clear indication about the effectiveness and accuracy in which the different kinds of heart cells can be effectively used in scientific and basic research. If developed further, the findings of the research will help in repairing the damaged heart cells of patients who are suffering from heart attack.”

While responding to this the associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, Jeremy Pearson said: “The study also raises the level of hope that in the future stem cells will be used effectively to mend damaged heart cells in patients.”

This research comes as a great relief to numerous heart patients.

Apr 23: As an attempt to retain the glow of the skin beauty conscious women are using various kinds of anti-aging creams. There are not enough clinical data available regarding the effect of these kinds of creams.

After the BBC’s Horizon programme the Boots No. 7 Protect and Perfect Beauty Serum has undergone a huge hype in the cosmetic market. A clinical trial is conducted to find the effects of the cream. Based on the result the decision will be taken whether to consider it as a cream or a medicine. If it is proved as medicine then it will undergo a strict regulation.

The clinical trial was conducted by Chris Griffiths, dermatologist at the University of Manchester. It included 60 volunteers and it extended over a period of six months. The data will be analysed before submitting it to a scientific journal for further expert reviews.

While commenting on this Professor Chris Griffiths said: “If it is proven to be effective then it will be the beginning of a new debate on how useful is the cream in substituting a medicine.”

The main ingredients of the cream are retinyl palmitate and a flower extract named lupin, above a plain moisturising base. The clinical trail will find out which of these ingredients are effective or how the combination work effectively.

If the cream is proved as a medicine then it will be subjected to certain level of restrictions. It should not be sold over the counter and can only be available under medical prescription.

Apr 23: In a noteworthy research scientists have identified a gene that is capable of restricting the growth of breast cancer tumours. This new invention will bring great relief to those women who are suffering from breast cancer, this significant research was conducted by the US National Cancer Institute and the researchers tested it on mice that have tumours and found that the Brd4 gene has reduced the size of tumour effectively than those mice without this gene.

The research further analysed the human breast cancer patients and found the gene as useful predictor of the survival chances. Researches also stressed the need of further study as they understood the effect of Brd4 gene in determining the growth of tumour cells. The experts also believe that the findings will help other cancer research also. Refined procedures are needed to identify the symptoms of cancer; it is the main aim of cancer researches.

The result of the research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. After 28 days the researchers found that the size of the tumours was reduced to a tenth of the size when compared with those without gene.

Researchers included 1,240 patients as the sample and they are separated into five different groups. After several analyses they arrived at the conclusion that those mice that have Brd4 gene had a better survival rate, in some cases it raises to double when compared with those without that gene.

More researchers focussing this topic are needed to get a clearer picture about the link of genes in minimising the adverse effect of tumour. Further research will help to simplify the diagnosing process and there by enhance the treatment procedure.

Apr 21: In what could be considered as significant research Swedish researchers had found that the common cause of menstrual disorders will benefit some women athletes. Owing to the tough training sessions and controlled diets some of the professional athletes are having irregular or no periods.

According to Magnus Hagmar of the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, in some special cases polycystic ovary problem might be the reason. As a result of which the level of male sex hormone increases and there by enhances the athletes’ ability.

Several women have hidden symptoms of polycystic ovaries that lower their fertility which leads to excess body hair and acne. The exact cause of the problem is unknown and the genetic link is considered as the reason behind this.

The research found that polycystic ovaries were common in athletes who are preparing for Olympics when compared with average women. At least 37 percent of the athletes had them when compared with general population. It is a small increase in the levels that allows the women to build muscle mass and absorb oxygen.

Those women who indulge in power sports including hockey and wrestling are more likely to have polycystic ovaries. This indicates that a slight increase in the production of male sex hormone testosterone together with polycystic ovaries will provide competitive edge to the athletes.

The findings of the research pointed on to the fact that there is little influence for the conventional views that attributes heavy training, eating disorder and loss of periods to the suppression of female hormone. The research also found that none of the athletes tested by the researchers had weak bones. GHT

Apr 19: A new study conducted among 860,000 women has revealed that diagnosing women in their early 70s for breast cancer will save their lives. The Dutch research was presented at the European Breast Cancer Conference in Berlin has found that by screening women the death rate decreased by 30 per cent.

Owing to the increasing rate of cancer risk with age the researchers are divided in their opinion on whether to screen women who are aged above 70 or not. Initiatives were on in the UK to raise the upper age limit for routine screening from 70 to 73 by 2012. Screening has a significant role to play in identifying the symptoms of breast cancer.

According to an estimate between the years 1986 and 1997 the average mortality rate of women was 166 per 100,000 women. In 2006 it get reduced to 117 per 100,000 women with almost 30 percent reduction.

The lead of the research team Jacques Fracheboud said: “The fall in the breast cancer mortality rate is a clear indication of the positive effects of screening. We also found that more women aged between 70 and 74 when subjected to further tests were found to be affected by breast cancer. In older women the breast tissue will be less dense and it enables easy identification of the symptoms of breast cancer.”

He further added that there is no need for continues screening beyond 75 years because most of the tumours found at this stage are slow growing and will never create problems.

Meanwhile Dr Alexis Willett, of Breakthrough Breast Cancer said: “The threat of getting affected by breast cancer is more likely in older woman. That is why we recommend all women above 50 years of age to attend NHS breast screening appointments.”

Apr 18: Several researches have revealed the adverse effects of smoking and drinking habits. A US research has exposed the influence of smoking and drinking habits in raising Alzheimer’s risk. According to an estimate in the UK at least 700,000 people are suffering from dementia. The research found that heavy drinkers and chain smokers are more prone to Alzheimer’s, almost six to seven years earlier than those teetotallers and non-smokers.

The findings of the research were presented at the meeting of American Academy of Neurology, it considered 900 people who are over 60 years of age and have the high risk gene. The study gains significance as the delay in inception of Alzheimer’s disease by five years will lead to a 50 per cent drop in the number of cases.

Those who take more than two drinks a day and smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day are more exposed to early onset of Alzheimer’s. People who have specific gene named APOE variant 4 are also likely to get affected by Alzheimer’s. Smoking, drinking and gene variant are the three main factors that beckon Alzheimer’s 8.5 years earlier than the normal case.

According to the lead of the study, Dr Ranjan Duara of Mount Sinai Medical Center in Florida: “To keep Alzheimer’s at bay it is better to quit smoking and drinking, by doing so one can hold-up the risk of Alzheimer’s and can effectively reduce the number of Alzheimer’s cases.”

Another US research found that high cholesterol level in early 40s will also increase the Alzheimer’s risk by one and a half time. This study considered 9,700 men and women and it found that those with high cholesterol level that is over six millimols per litre (mmol/L) are exposed to the risk of Alzheimer’s.

“In spite of diabetes, late-life stroke, high blood pressure and obesity; high mid-life cholesterol will increase the risk of Alzheimer’s a great deal,” said the researcher Alina Solomon.

The ideal way to get rid of the risk posed by Alzheimer’s is by practising healthy diet by including foods that are rich in antioxidants and vitamins and by doing regular exercise.

Apr 17: A US based research conducted on mice has found that the growth of tumours gets increased to two fold when it is subjected to exercise. On the backdrop of the research there were concerns raised against the benefits of exercise in prostate patients. Increased blood flow to the tumour is considered as the main reason for that, but the researchers also encouraged the patients to do exercise to stay active as inactive lifestyle will raise the risk of other diseases.

According to Dr Lee Jones, researcher at Duke University, “The study came to the findings that exercise will lead to speeder tumour growth than those leading inactive lifestyle. On the other hand exercise is an effective way to improve treatment as it allows easy supply of drugs to prostate tumours that usually have low blood supply. The findings of the study will help to improve the prostrate cancer treatments more effectively than before.”

As part of the research the research team implanted 50 human prostate tumours into mice and placed half of them in cages to deny them exercise, while some of them were allowed to run half a mile a day. By analysing the growth of the tumours the researchers came to this conclusion.

While commenting on this a Duke researcher, Dr Stephen Freedland said: “Basically the situation is completely different in human prostate cancer. So the result should be interpreted carefully. For the sake of experiment mice were injected with aggressive tumours that develop uncontrollably but patients will not have same kind of situation.”

He further added that: “Exercise helps to reduce the risk of several chronic ailments like cardiovascular problems, diabetes and obesity. So it can also be effectively used for improving the health of prostate cancer patients.”

In a nutshell exercise will do no harm to the health and it will help you stay active.