"World Diabetes Day" (Nov. 14) -- Raise Awareness as Diabetes Kills One Person Every Eight Seconds

"World Diabetes Day" is being observed today (Monday, Nov. 14) across the globe to raise public awareness about harmful effects of diabetes. The increased awareness will lead to more resources to fight the causes of diabetes and help fund research into improved treatment options.

Raise Awareness: Diabetes Kills One Person Every Eight Seconds

Started by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and World Health Organization (WHO), the Day is celebrated on 14 November to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, was instrumental in the discovery of insulin in 1922, a life-saving treatment for diabetes patients.

‘World Diabetes Day’ will be observed in Pakistan, like in other parts of the world, on Monday (today) in a bid to raise public awareness about harmful effects of diabetes and its complications so that the goal of healthy society can be achieved.

Diabetes kills one person every eight seconds, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said in his message on World Diabetes Day, adding that the cost of treatment amounts to a staggering $465 billion in the neighbourhood.

In context to this Day; a record has also been entered in the Guinness Book of World Records on Sunday when 3,573 people tested their blood glucose levels within just eight hours.

The even was organized by the Novo Nordisk Education Foundation (NNEF) in Bangalore, India based on the theme “Act on Diabetes Now”.

Managing trustee of Novo Nordisk Education Foundation Melvin D’Souza received the certificate from the official from the Guinness Book of Records, UK who monitored the event.

Painkiller Abuse and Overdose Lead to 3 times High Fatality Rate Over a Decade

NEW YORK – Human Killers or painkillers…??

Human Killers or painkillers

The latest report issued by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta is an eye-opening document stating that the number of deaths have increased three times over a decade due to the over-dosage of powerful painkillers. It’s an epidemic trend but one that can be stopped with precautionary measures on urgent basis, a U.S. health official said.

Almost 15,000 deaths were recorded, including actor Heath Ledger, due to prescription painkillers such as OxyContin, Vicodin and methadone. The stunning number is almost four times of the deaths caused by narcotics in 1999.

Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Dr. Thomas Frieden, said, “such painkillers are meant to help people who have severe pain, but they are, however, highly addictive.”

The report further mentions almost 5% of Americans ages 12 and above said they've abused painkillers, using them without a prescription or doctor’s consultation, in the last year. In 2008-09 surveys, Oklahomans reported the maximum rate of drugs abuse; while Nebraska and Iowa were on the lowest side.

Sources and References

USA Today

New York Daily News

Conjoined Twin Sisters Angelina and Angelica Sabuco from Philippines Separated Successfully in U.S.

SAN FRANCISCO – Two conjoined Filipino sisters were successfully separated by U.S. surgeons in a California hospital on Tuesday (Nov. 01).

Conjoined Twin Sisters Angelina and Angelica Sabuco from Philippines

According to details; 2-year-old sisters Angelina and Angelica Sabuco, who were joined at the chest and abdomen at the time of their birth, were separated after 8-hour surgery at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in the northern city of Palo Alto.

After the twin sisters shifted to separate operation theatres for further surgeries needed, the hospital’s spokesperson Reena Mukamal said, “The surgeons are happy with the progress of the operation so far.”

The twin sisters, who turned two in August, were joined at the chest and belly but have separate brains, hearts, kidneys, stomachs and intestines.

The successful surgery was lead by surgeon Gary Hartman, who is believed to be the best for such kind of surgeries and this is his sixth surgery on conjoined twins. Costa Rica’s Yurelia and Fiorella Rocha-Arias were the most recent set of twins separated at the Hospital in November 2007.

Before the operation Hartman said, “This is a major operation, but we really expect both twins to survive and to do well.”

The girls’ mother, Ginady, said she knew that her babies were conjoined at her seventh month of pregnancy and her husband was working in San Jose, California.

She joined her husband, Fidel, in California in late 2010, more than a year after the girls were born, and the couple began consulting with doctors.

‘I want them to live normally, like other children,’ said Ginady.

Human Stem Cells Successfully Developed by U.S. Scientists Using Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT)

In a latest finding, that could be monumental if passes successfully through further tests and analysis, US scientists have developed a cloning procedure to obtain custom-made embryonic stem cells to grow in unfertilized human egg cells. 

Human Stem Cells Successfully Developed by U.S. Scientists

Researchers used a cloning method called Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) to get embryonic stem cells that match a patient's DNA. The details of the research and its findings are published in the journal Nature on today (Wednesday, Oct. 5).

The findings are of great significance because now it would be possible to replace damaged cells of any patient with the cloned patient-specific cells, obtained through this new technique, without the risk of rejection by patient’s immune system.

"This paper will be seen as significant both by those who are trying to use SCNT to produce human patient-specific embryonic stem cell lines and by those who oppose human 'cloning' experiments," said Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, a division head at Britain's National Institute for Medical Research.

Stem cells are the source material for all other cells therefore called as the body's master cells. Those who support embryonic stem cells advocate that they could alter medicine, providing treatments for blindness, juvenile diabetes or severe injuries.

Smoking Kills -- 40 million excess deaths predicted by 2050 due to smoking habits

Washington, Oct 5: Smoking could cause 40 million excess deaths among smokers, who also suffer from tuberculosis (TB), by 2050, new research says.

40 million excess deaths predicted by 2050 due to smoking habits

Once smokers develop the disease, they are more likely to die from it, meaning that smoking can single-handedly undermine the goal to reduce TB mortality by half between 1990 and 2015, says the research.

The study, led by Sanjay Basu from the University of California, San Francisco, used a maths model to determine the effect of smoking on future TB rates, the BMJ (British Medical Journal) reports.

It shows that from 2010 to 2050 smoking could lead to 40 million excess TB deaths worldwide - from 61 to 101 million.

They also conclude that if current smoking trends continue, the number of excess TB cases could rise from 256 to 274 million - 18 million new cases in total.

"Aggressively lowering the prevalence of tobacco smoking could reduce smoking attributable deaths from tuberculosis by 27 million by 2050," Basu said, according to a California statement.

Nearly one-fifth of the world's population smokes and that most cigarettes are smoked in countries with high TB prevalence. Given this, the authors wanted to predict how much impact smoking will have on future TB rates.

Researchers found that smoking may have a substantial impact on future TB rates because a moderate increase in individual risk translates into a large population-level risk.

EXTRA SHOT: With respect to the topic I got an interesting news from entertainment world which is worth sharing here.

Bollywood's super star Shahrukh Khan, who is a big smoker, vows to stop smoking after the release of his upcoming superhero flick "Ra.One". Read Complete story below:



Bollywood Buzzzzzz. 

Esteem: A Hearing Implant from Envoy Medical -- Amazing Hope to Born Deaf People (Proof Video)

Sarah Churman, a 29-year-old born deaf woman, shared the video of her experience when she able to hear herself with the aid of a hearing device, dubbed as Esteem from Envoy Medical. 

Esteem: A Hearing Implant from Envoy Medical

It's just unimaginable for anyone who isn't deaf to even presume how it might feel to hear laughter for the first time or your own voice.

According to Sarah Churman (as he described on Youtube with her video):

“I was born deaf and 8 weeks ago I received a hearing implant. This is the video of them turning it on and me hearing myself for the first time. For those of you who have asked the implant I received was Esteem offered by Envoy Medical.”

The hearing implant is placed behind the ear and no part of it is visible.... continue reading  and watch the video on link given below:

Trends and Styles For You!

Dengue Virus/Fever Spreading Widely in Pakistan

The menace of dengue virus/fever is spreading dangerously in Pakistan, especially in the most populated province of Punjab. The most threatening situation is in the capital city of the province, Lahore, while other big cities are also getting affected rapidly including Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan and many other cities.

Dengue Virus/Fever Spreading Widely in Pakistan

 

According to latest reports; after 21 new dengue virus cases reported in Faisalabad yesterday (Wednesday, Sept. 14) the number of dengue patients has soared up to 184. Sources of health ministries revealed that out of these 21 new registered cases, 5 belong to city Faisalabad and 5 from rural areas of the Faisalabad district while 11 patients are brought from nearby districts to Faisalabad for treatment.

Despite the claims of Punjab government about wide-spread arrangements to control dengue fever by spraying and fogging throughout the district; the dengue virus is spreading rapidly and causing panic among the masses in Faisalabad district. A careful estimate shows that more than a dozen dengue cases are being reported in Faisalabad on daily basis.

On the other hand; the residents of rural localities especially slum areas are denying the Punjab governments claims of wide-spread measures to control dengue virus. They said that they had not seen any spray or fogging campaign in their areas for the last many years due to which there was much increase in the breeding of mosquitoes. 

A team of dengue fever specialist and experts from Sri Lanka has already reached Punjab and will start their fight against this menace from today.