In Europe, heart attacks dip by 10% after smoking ban.

In Europe, heart attacks dip by 10% after smoking ban 

Jonathan Leake  | Times of India Bangalore | September 14 2009

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The ban on public smoking has caused a fall in heart attack rates of 10%, researchers have found.
Researchers commissioned by the British government have found a far sharper fall than they expected in the number of heart attacks across England in the year after the ban was imposed in July 2007.
In Scotland, where the ban was imposed a year earlier, heart attack rates have fallen by 14% because of the ban. The success of the public smoking ban is emerging as one of the most significant improvements in public health that UK has seen, even measured by heart attack rates alone.
Over time the ban should bring more benefits by cutting cancer and chronic pulmonary disease killers also caused by smoking. We are amazed by just how big and how rapid (the benefits) are, said John Britton, director of the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies at Nottingham University.
The research into heart attack rates in England is being led by Anna Gilmore of Bath University . There is already overwhelming evidence that reducing peoples exposure to cigarette smoke reduces hospital admissions due to heart attacks , she said.
Ellen Mason, a cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: Exposure to cigarette smoke induces rapid changes in blood chemistry , making it more prone to clotting . In someone who has damaged arteries, smoke exposure can tip the balance and cause an attack.
Similar results were reported in western Europe after smoking bans. France had a 15% drop in emergency admissions for heart attacks after a year, while both Italy and Ireland had an 11% reduction . SUNDAY TIMES, LONDON

Soon, drug to wipe out bad memories.

Soon, drug to wipe out bad memories 

John Harlow  | Times of India Bangalore | September 14 2009

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Scientists believe they could one day be able to create a drug to remove unhappy or embarrassing memories, from the death of a pet to childhood teasing or a failed love affair.
Research by Andreas Luthi, of the Friedrich Miescher Institute in Switzerland , has found that, after receiving treatment, laboratory animals stopped being scared of sounds associated with electric shocks, indicating the memories had been erased.
They had been given a drug that dissolves a sheath around the amygdala, an organ in the brain where mammals store memories of fear.
Joseph LeDoux of New York University said human brains had similar sheaths and that drug treatment and therapy could help human sufferers overwrite memories with cheerier thoughts.
A memory-cleansing pill formed the plot of the Oscarwinning film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, in which Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey erase memories of their soured love affair.
Ashok Hegde, a neurologist at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, said mockery topped many peoples lists of the memories they want to erase. SUNDAY TIMES, LONDON

Living near noisy roads raises BP.

Living near noisy roads raises BP

September 11 2009, Times of India Bangalore

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Individuals living near noisy roads are at greater risk of developing high blood pressure, says a new study. A team of researchers from Lund University Hospital, Sweden, investigated the association between living close to noisy roads and high blood pressure. We found that exposure above 60 decibels was associated with high blood pressure among the relatively young and middle-aged , an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke , lead researcher Theo Bodin said.

Smoking can help create stronger memories.

Smoking can help create stronger memories 

September 11 2009, Times of India Bangalore

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Smoking is injurious to health, everyone knows. Yet, a new study has claimed that it can help create stronger memories. Researchers, led by Baylor College of Medicine, have carried out the study and found that remembering what happened the night before might be easier for smokers as compared to non-smokers . According to them, this is because nicotine, the addictive component in cigarettes, tricks the brain into creating links between smoking and a feeling of well-being . They said that events such a drinking alcohol, dining with friends or even driving home from work can act as cues that give people the urge to light up, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Painkillers can be addictive in just 3 days.

Painkillers can be addictive in just 3 days.

September 07, 2009, Times of India Bangalore 

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London: Popular painkillers, which are routinely used to ease headaches, back problems and period pain, can cause addiction in just three days, the UK governments drug watchdog has warned. 

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The drugs, which contain codeine and include brand names such as Nurofen Plus and Solpadeine Plus, are taken by millions of people. However, official figures have shown that tens of thousands of people have become dependent on the drugs, many accidentally , with women most at risk of developing an addiction. 

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Growing concern about the spread of what experts describe as a hidden addiction , has led the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to announce a series of measures to counter the problem , reports the Telegraph.
The watchdog said that from next year all packets of the painkillers would carry a prominent label that read: Can cause addiction . For three days use only .
The pills will only be available in a maximum of 32 per packet without a prescription, instead of up to 100, and warnings will be repeated on leaflets inside.
Advertising will no longer state that the drugs are remedies for ailments such as coughs and colds; only that they can relieve acute and moderate pain.
The move follows a report in July by MPs on the all-party parliamentary group on drug misuse which highlighted the danger of the drugs. Official estimates state that 32,000 people are addicted to the painkillers but the MPs said that this was just the tip of the iceberg .
The drugs are particularly easy to abuse because they are available without a prescription, said experts. All contain codeine , an opiate related to heroin and morphine. After enjoying initial relief from pain, patients can find themselves taking pills in increasing numbers to gain the same effect.
There are examples of addicts taking up to 70 pills a day, putting them at risk of seriously damaging their health with complications such as stomach bleeding, liver problems, gallstones and depression. Users of codeine have said withdrawal symptoms include sweating, irritability, and nausea. AGENCIES

Worlds first cloned wolf dies.

Worlds first cloned wolf dies.

September 02 2009, Times of India Bangalore

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A scientist in South Korea says one of the worlds first cloned wolves has died for unknown reasons. Seoul National University professor Shin Nam-sik says the wolf, named Snuwolf, was found dead at its zoo on Aug 26. Shin, who was involved in the project that produced the two first cloned wolves in 2005, said on Monday that autopsy results will be released in about a week. Shin said the other cloned wolf remains healthy. Scientists at Seoul National University also created the worlds first cloned dog earlier in 2005. Their canine cloning was confirmed as genuine, but the published human stem cell work of another cloning expert at the university, Hwang Woo-suk , was later revealed as fraudulent.

World’s coldest place discovered.

World’s coldest place discovered.

September 02 2009, Times of India Bangalore

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Washington: Researchers have found the ideal spot for an observatory. The search for the best spot has led to the discovery of what is thought to be the coldest, driest, calmest place on Earth a place where no human is thought to have ever set foot.
The untouched stretch of Antarctic terrain Ridge A is expected to yield images of the heavens three times sharper than any ever taken from the ground.

The team combined data from satellites, ground stations and climate models to assess factors that affect astronomy cloud cover, temperature , sky-brightness , water vapour, wind speeds and atmospheric turbulence.
The researchers pinpointed a site, known simply as Ridge A, that is 4,053m high up on the Antarctic Plateau. It is not only particularly remote but extremely cold and dry.

The study revealed that Ridge A has an average winter temperature of -70 degree Celsius and that the water content of the entire atmosphere there is sometimes less than the thickness of a human hair.
It is also extremely calm, which means that there is very little of the atmospheric turbulence elsewhere that makes stars appear to twinkle: Its so calm that theres almost no wind or weather there at all, says Will Saunders, of the Anglo-Australian Observatory and visiting professor to UNSW, who led the study.
The astronomical images taken at Ridge A should be at least three times sharper than at the best sites currently used by astronomers, says Saunders.

Because the sky there is so much darker and drier, it means that a modestly-sized telescope there would be as powerful as the largest telescopes anywhere else on Earth, the expert added.
The site is located within the Australian Antarctic Territory . AGENCIES

Indian women puff their way to the top.

Indian women puff their way to the top 

Kounteya Sinha | TNN August 27 2009, Times of India Bangalore.

New Delhi: Indian women are among the worst in the world when it comes to smoking . According to the latest Tobacco Atlas, the country ranks third in the top 20 female smoking populations across the globe.
Only the US with 2.3 crore female smokers and China with 1.3 crore women smokers are worse off than India in this chart. However, as far as percentage of women smoking is concerned, it is below 20% for India. Among Indias immediate neighbours, only Pakistan figures in this infamous list, but right at the bottom at 20th with around 30 lakh female smokers.
Published by the American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation, the Atlas makes another serious observation female smokers in India die an average eight years earlier than their nonsmoking peers.
According to the Atlas, about 250 million women in the world are daily smokers 22% being from high resource countries and 9% from low and middle resource countries.  

H1N1 vaccine ready, India napping.

H1N1 vaccine ready, India napping 

August 30 2009, Times of India Bangalore.

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Several countries have booked millions of doses of anti-flu shots. But India is yet to place its first order with any company foreign or local Rupali Mukherjee | TNN
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New Delhi: The first batches of swine flu vaccine rolled out from Baxter Inc labs on Friday but theres little to cheer for India. While the first supplies from Baxter went to the British health network, subsequent batches from Baxter and other pharma companies have been booked by countries such as the US and the UK which are stockpiling the vaccine to ward off a harsher bout of swine flu. 

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While huge quantities 195 million and 90 million doses respectively are going to the US and the UK India is still miles from getting vaccines because the government has not entered into any pre-booking contracts with Novartis , GlaxoSmithKline or any others. More alarmingly, India also may not have its indigenous vaccine ready by February-March next year. 

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Neighbouring China has some 20-odd companies racing to get the vaccine in the market, with Sinovac Biotech perhaps the first company worldwide to complete clinical trials for influenza A vaccine.
The WHO said recently that countries in the northern hemisphere alone had ordered more than one billion doses of swine flu vaccine , sparking warnings about shortages , given the intense demand and production delays.
Developing an anti-flu vaccine (against the H1N1 virus) is the only way to protect people against the disease , which may become severe with the onset of winter and the even more dire possibility of the H1N1 virus mutating. Despite the swine flu touching 90, Indian health authorities have failed to move fast enough.

Giving It Their BEST SHOT
Has booked 195m anti-H 1N1 shots in all. Mass vaccinations to start by mid-October . 45m doses will be available at the start, followed by 20m doses every week

UK:  

Has booked 90m doses. Baxter to supply 30m, has begun delivery to govt

China:
Has booked 10m doses from Sinovac Biotech. Plans to inoculate 50% of urban population

France:
94m doses

Mexico 

40 m doses

India:
Yet to book a single dose. Indian firms unlikely to produce vaccine before May next year . 

UPDATING THIEVES :: Networking sites help burglars home in.

UPDATING THIEVES
Networking sites help burglars home in.

August 30, 2009 , Times of India Bangalore
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Scraps, Tweets Inform Not Only Friends But Also Criminals That Users Are Away On Holiday
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Sydney: Facebook users enthusing about an upcoming holiday or a recently purchased high-tech gadget may not just be telling their friends but also potential burglars, warns an insurance company.
A survey of 2,092 social media users by British-based Legal & General found 38%, or nearly four in ten, of people using social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter post details about holiday plans and 33% details of a weekend away.
Coupled with the finding that an alarmingly high proportion of users are prepared to be friends online with people they dont know, this presents a serious risk to the security of peoples home, said the insurer.
In a report called The Digital Criminal, Legal & General said that people used social media sites to connect with people who were essentially strangers , which could provide potential thieves with vital, personal information.
To test how readily people accepted friends online, Legal & Generals survey, conducted by European market researcher Opinion Matters, involved sending out 100 friend or follow requests to strangers selected at random. Of those 13% were accepted on Facebook and 92% on Twitter without any checks.
But despite these new friends, the survey found that 64%, or nearly two-thirds , of 16-24 year olds shared their holiday plans, with younger users the most likely to give away information about their whereabouts.
Men were found to be quite relaxed about giving personal information online, with 13% including their mobile number on their profile compared with 7 % of women. About 9% of men also posted their address compared to 4% of women.
This reaction could result in a complete stranger potentially being able to learn about a persons interests, location and movements in and out of their home, said Legal & General.
Reformed burglar Michael Fraser, who appears in BBCs Beat The Burglar series and helped Legal & General prepare the report, said this kind of information was being used by professional burglars to establish a list of targets.
I call it internet shopping for burglars. It is incredibly easy to use social networking sites to target people, and then scope out more information on their actual home ... all from the comfort of the sofa, said Fraser. REUTERS 

Researchers can detect a lie through handwriting.

Researchers can detect a lie through handwriting.

August 30 2009, Times of India Bangalore
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New York: For years, experts have been trying to crack the code of handwriting characteristics, in order to detect an individuals personality traits, or in most cases, gauge their innocence in the case of a crime.
Now, a team at the University of Haifa has come up with a computerised handwriting tool which it claims can provide ease and increased accuracy over common , verbal-based methods to detect a lie.
Researchers have utilised a computerised tablet that measures the physical properties of the subjects handwriting , which are difficult to consciously control, for examplethe duration of time the pen is on paper versus in the air, length and height and width of each writing stroke, the pressure that is implemented on the writing surface etc.
They have found that these handwriting characteristics differ when an individual is in process of writing deceptive sentences as opposed to truthful sentences.
According to researchers, the handwriting tool has the potential to replace, or work in tandem, with popular, verbal-based lie detection technology such as the polygraph to ensure greater accuracy and objectivity in law enforcement deception detection.
Additionally, polygraphs are often intrusive to the subject and sometimes inconclusive . PTI

Indian natural herb Tulsi to fight back swine flu..

Source: http://in.news.yahoo.com/242/20090812/1512/tls-indian-natural-herb-tulsi-to-fight-b_1.html

Ayurveda, the traditional 'science of life', has a remedy for diseases when every other stream of medicine fails. Now, at a time when swine flu is spreading like wildfire across the world, Ayurveda has the remedy in the form of the miraculous herb, the basil leaves commonly known as Tulsi.

Tulsi, the purest and most sublime plant, has been known and worshipped in India for more than five millennia for its remarkable healing properties. Considered as an 'Elixir of Life', this wonder herb has now been claimed to keep the deadly swine flu at bay and help fast recovery in afflicted persons.

"The anti-flu property of Tulsi has been discovered by medical experts across the world quite recently. Tulsi improves the body's overall defence mechanism including its ability to fight viral diseases. It was successfully used in combating Japanese Encephalitis and the same theory applies to swine flu," Dr U K Tiwari, a herbal medicine practitioner says.

Apart from acting as a preventive medicine in case of swine flu, Tulsi can help the patient recover faster.

"Even when a person has already contracted swine flu, Tulsi can help in speeding up the recovery process and also help in strengthening the immune system of the body," he claims.

Dr Bhupesh Patel, a lecturer at Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar is also of the view that Tulsi can play an important role in controlling swine flu.

"Tulsi can control swine flu and it should be taken in fresh form. Juice or paste of at least 20-25 medium sized leaves should be consumed twice a day on an empty stomach." This increases the resistance of the body and, thereby, reduces the chances of inviting swine flu," believes Patel.

As its name suggests, Tulsi has again proved to be the 'the incomparable' medicine - this time, in the prevention and cure of swine flu.

The symptoms of the H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with novel H1N1 flu virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. The high risk groups for novel H1N1 flu are not known at this time, but it's possible that they may be the same as for seasonal influenza. However, Please consult a practitioner in case of any such symptoms. Doctors have strictly advised against self medication.

(With PTI inputs)

Keep Yourself Updated with Rediff SwineFlu Updates..

Link: 

[[[ http://news.rediff.com/news/sflu-2009-commtry.html ]]]

Friends, today's sad news is that Swine Flu had destroyed a total of 17 lives in India... In continuation to my previous post stating how to stay alert and vigil over Swine Flu.. here in this Post i present a Rediff.com's Swine Flu Commentary...  Visit the above mentioned site to keep a record of the deaths and infected people.

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Apart from that stay updated on various areas like:

1.  List of govt hospitals authorised to treat swine flu  
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2. Everything you need to know about swine flu 
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3.  How to prevent getting and spreading H1N1
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4.  Guidelines for schools, colleges and institutions
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5.  More ways to prevent swine flu
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6. List of Isolation facilities
. 
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Link: 

[[[ http://news.rediff.com/news/sflu-2009-commtry.html ]]]

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Stay Healthy, Stay Vigil.

Debaroon Gupta

Blog Admin. 

Swine Flu :: What You should know...

Hello Friends...
Its hardly couple of days and India is already gripped by the infectious palm of Swine Influenza. A death in Pune, then several detected positive of this Virus. Pune, West Bengal, Mangalore and now Gujarat... The Swine Flu's Reign is expanding slowly.. 

Without taking much of your healthy time, Here i am listing out some links which would be helpful for you to understand this epidemic and also to stay away from it.. Do go through and shield yourself of the effects of this flu.

Link 1: World Health Org.: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/ 

Link 2: Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_influenza
Link 2.1: Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_flu_pandemic 

Link 3: Rediff.com: http://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/aug/07/slide-show-1-faq-on-swine-flu.htm

Link 4: SwineFluIndia: www.swinefluindia.com

Link 5: SwineFlu India: http://www.swineflu.co.in

Link 6: Google Search Results: http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q=swine+flu+india&btnG=Search&meta=&aq=f&oq= 

Take Care. Take good care of Swine Flu.
- Blog Administrator. 

More.. Indians and H1N1 (Swine Flu).

Govt: Pune girl got H1N1 vaccine late
Kounteya Sinha | TNN | Times of India Bangalore, August 4, 2009

India recorded its first H1N1 case in Hyderabad on May 16 and since then the virus has spread to almost 22 cities across the country. Explaining the series of events that led to the death of the 14-year-old girl from Pune, Maharashtras health secretary Sharvari Gokhale told TOI, On July 21, the girl first showed symptoms. She then consulted a general practitioner and kept attending school till July 23. Two days later, she reported high fever. She was then admitted to Jehangir hospital , a private nursing home on July 27. Her condition worsened following which she was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit and was put on a ventilator on July 29.
On July 31,her throat and nose swab was sent to National Institute of Virology (Pune) which confirmed that she was infected with H1N1.The same day,almost 10 days after her symptoms first appeared, she was administered the first dose of Tamiflu , which was too late, Gokhale said. Inspite of telling people, day in and day out that in case they show symptoms of H1N1, they should immediately report only to stipulated government hospitals, the instructions are not followed. We are sending a team tomorrow to trace all contact cases in the school, Gokhaleadded.
 
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Indian woman dies in Singapore
TNN | Times of India Bangalore, August 4, 2009

A 29-year-old Indian woman suffering from swine flu died in Singapore on Monday, becoming the sixth victim of the dreaded disease in two weeks in the country, according to media reports. The woman had no underlying medical conditions other than being obese. All five others who have so far died had pre-existing illnesses or chronic conditions. TNN 

Indias first swine flu death .. Victim: A 14 Year girl.

Indias first swine flu death   
14-Year-Old Girl From Pune Dies In Tough Battle 
Kounteya Sinha | TNN | Times of India Bangalore, August 4, 2009

New Delhi: India on Monday reported its first death due to H1N1 flu infection, with a 14-year-old-girl from Pune succumbing to the deadly influenza virus. The girl, a student of class IX from St Annes High School, showed symptoms of H1N1 infection sore throat, running nose and headache on July 21. 
 
But a crucial delay in being tested for H1N1 infection and being administered Tamiflu, because she was admitted in a private hospital instead of the stipulated government isolation ward meant for both suspected and confirmed H1N1 patients, may have been the cause of her death. 
Whats bothering the Union health ministry is that the girl had attended school till July 23, raising serious fears that the virus may have jumped to other students and teachers in the school besides everybody she came in contact with from July 20-23 . Shockingly, Lymette Wilson , the schools physical education teacher, said the state health department had not even informed the school that a student was found to be infected with H1N1. This is why the school hasnt started looking for similar H1N1 symptoms in other students till now. The Maharashtra health department is upset with the National Institute of Virology for not informing them that a positive sample was sent to them. 
M S Devnikar, head of Punes Joint Coordination Committee for Containment of H1NI, told TOI: We were not aware that a patient with symptoms of swine flu was admitted to a private hospital.

Of times when Coffee can be both helpful and harmful to health...

5 cups of coffee to beat Alzheimer’s: 
Times of India Bangalore, July 7, 2009 
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Coffee drinkers have yet another reason to relish their favourite drink — it can protect against Alzheimer’s disease, say researchers. The research team from University of South Florida found five cups of coffee not only helps reverse the effects of the disease but can treat it too. They showed that caffeine significantly decreased abnormal levels of the protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease, both in the brains and in the blood of mice exhibiting symptoms of the disease.
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Health Capsule Cartoon
Times of India Bangalore, July 7, 2009 

hmmm.. well now if a student suspects alzeimers, what he should do..???

World’s ‘toughest’ phone unveiled.

World’s ‘toughest’ phone unveiled

Times of India Bangalore, July 4th, 2009

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Land Rover has unveiled what it says is the world’s strongest phone, after the gadget survived being dropped from a tall building, stood on by an elephant, and roasted in an oven. Called the new S1 mobile, the ‘indestructible’ device was developed after the car giant teamed up with phone manufacturer Sonim.

Youth kills grandparents over smoking.

UP youth kills grandparents over smoking
19 Jun 2009, 1530 hrs IST, IANS

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LUCKNOW, India: An 18-year-old youth killed his grandparents in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district after they objected to his smoking inside the house, police said on Friday.

The killings took place in the Bauara village of Ballia, 300 km from state capital Lucknow, on Thursday.
"Ramdhar and Radhika caught their grandson smoking in the house and raised objections. In a fit of rage, Jugnu killed both of them with a knife," police inspector NS Yadav told reporters in Ballia.

"A servant who was present in the house at the time of the incident informed us after which we rushed to the spot. By then Jugnu escaped," Yadav said.

Smoking, second-hand smoke linked to breast cancer.

Smoking, second-hand smoke linked to breast cancer
24 Apr 2009, 1011 hrs IST, IANS
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TORONTO: Researchers say they have found clinching scientific evidence to link active smoking and second-hand smoke to breast cancer.

In reporting their findings, an international panel of researchers said they have "persuasive evidence" of the risk that smoking and second-hand smoke have for breast cancer.

"Until recently, evidence about the link between breast cancer and tobacco smoke, although voluminous, was inconclusive. But the panel's careful analysis of all available evidence, particularly recent evidence, led us to conclude that there is persuasive evidence of risk," said panel chairman Neil Collishaw.

"An estimated 80 to 90% of women have been exposed to tobacco smoke in adolescence and adulthood. Those women face an increased risk of breast cancer because of that exposure," he said.

A statement on the panel's findings said there have been many studies over the years on the relationship between cigarette smoke and breast cancer in women.

It said the panel reviewed all available evidence, including important recent evidence, and concluded that there was a risk even non-smoking young women face through passive exposure to cigarette smoke.

"The panel also concluded that the relationship of active smoking to both pre and post-menopausal breast cancer is consistent with causality, but there is not yet enough evidence to draw a conclusion about the nature of the relationship between exposure to second-hand smoke and breast cancer for older, post-menopausal women," the statement said.

Anthony Miller, who is one of the panelists, said: "It is important from a public health perspective to get the message out to the public, and young women in particular, that available evidence shows that both active smoking and exposure to passive smoke increase the risk of breast cancer."

The international panel was convened by the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit of the University of Toronto and the public health agency of Canada.