Diseases Related

#1: Vaccine Derived Polio + Need for IPV

How does Oral Polio Vaccine work?
Oral polio vaccine contains a live, attenuated (weakened) vaccine-virus.
When a child is vaccinated, the weakened vaccine-virus replicates in the intestine and
enters into the bloodstream,
This triggers an immune response in the child, thus Child becomes immune to (wild)
polio in future.
What is Vaccinederived !olio?
n rare cases, the live-weakened virus from Oral polio vaccine itself becomes mutated. Then
child gets polio from the virus inside vaccine itself. This is known as !accine "erived #olio.
Wh" in News?
n $ul% &'(), an infant from *eed "istrict +aharashtra was infected with ,this Vaccine
derived !oliovir#s $VDPVs% t"!e & and got paral%-ed.
Our .eath ministr%/s approach was 0thik-hai this is 1ust an isolated case2. *ut W.O is
worried and rushed a team to the +aharashtra.
What do '(!erts sa"?
That bab% was not given sufficient number of polio doses (undervaccinated) so it seems
bab% infected b% a vaccine-derived poliovirus from another person.
3ot ever% child who gets infected with !"#! will become paral%sed but this bab% was
alread% undernourished, hence paral%-ed.
Will this re)ove India*s !olio free stat#s?
4s per the W.O definition, onl% wild polio considered for deciding the polio-free status
of a countr%.
Therefore, this +aharashtra case will not alter ndia/s polio status. *ecause it was from
!accine derived poliovirus and not from wild variet% of polio virus.
4lthough such technical 1uggling of definition will not bring that bab%/s legs back, nor it
will reduce the danger of polio among other ndia kids.
+hen what sho#ld ,e done?
The root cause of the problem is the use of live, weakened polio virus in the oral polio
vaccine (O#!)
*ut this virus are still alive and 5uite often undergoes genetic changes67 causes polio.
Thus, the ver% vaccine that is supposed to protect children against polio causes the
disease.
8ndgame 9 ultimate solution6 introduce #! (in1ectable polio-vaccine) instead of using
oral polio vaccine. n 1ust two in1ections of #!, child becomes ('': immune to polio.
-hallen.es in introd#cin. IPV?
1. we don/t have enough trained doctors9nurses to give in1ections to all kids in rural areas. ;
the recent case in <ttar #radesh, where a rickshaw puller gave in1ection to bab% and the
bab% died.
&. #! is more e=pensive to produce than O#!.
#&: /alaria
/os0#ito 1ites
/os0#itoes are
222
)eanin. 222
crepuscular
The%/re most active during dawn and dusk. .owever, the% are all not active
at night.
ectothermic
the% seek warmth
but are 5uite vulnerable to hot, dr% conditions, hence hate direct
sunlight.
/ale vs 3e)ale /os0#itos
/ale )os0#ito
<suall% feed on nectar, 1uice and deca%ing matter, which serve as the energ%
source
fe)ale
)os0#ito
need to ingest the blood meal that serves as the protein source for developing
the eggs.
We e(!erience )ore )os0#ito ,ites at ni.ht4 Wh"?
(. +os5uitoes are known to be attracted <! light. The% use <! light to find damp water
sources.
&. *ut during da%time, nfra red light is more intense during da% time is known to curtail
mos5uito activit%.
). "uring evening and night, +os5uitoes/ thermal and odour receptors become more
efficient at detecting blood source.
>. 4 +os5uito can detect victim more 5uickl% if the person is big or, pregnant, e=haling
more CO and has sweetish smell or had a pint of beer.
/alaria Vaccine: Hae) 5"nthesis
.aemoglobin inside human blood6helps in o=%gen transport.
When +alaria parasite consumes this .emoglobin67 generates 0haem2.
+alaria #arasite needs .aem for its own energ% production.
?o, if we can destro% parasite/s genes responsible for haem s%nthesis67 then we can
make a geneticall% attenuated parasite that might serve as a vaccine candidate for malaria.
?c, *angalore working on this logic.
#6: 3l#orosis
Cause@ drinking water with e=cess fluoride content.
water with moderate level67 dental enamel becomes defective.
water with high level floride67bones in skeletal s%stem get affected. stiffness and pain in
the 1oints.
Aluorosis is a crippling disorder. ts effects are permanent and irreversi,le in nature.
+eaning there is no cure 9 treatment
permissible fluoride limit, as per *? is ( ppm in drinking water. *ut 4t least (B ?tates
have been identified with fluoride in water level above the safe limit.
Concerned at increasing cases of fluorosis, the <nion government has asked the ?tates to
provide alternative source of drinking water to the people in areas with high
concentration of fluorosis in groundwater.
National Pro.ra))e for Prevention and -ontrol of 3l#orosis $NPP-3%
WHO? +inistr% of .ealth and Aamil% Welfare (43" 3OT +inistr% of "rinking water)
WH'N? ((
th
AC#
WH'R'('' districts in (D affected states
WH7+?
support provided for@ ( district lab with staff, carr% out water and urine samples, ;
awareness.
#8: Iodised 5alt
odised salt6essential to prevent mental retardation and goiter.
3ational #olic% of <niversal ?alt odisation ((BEF)6 recommends odine should be
mi=ed in salt for (G parts per million.
but n Chhattisgarh alone D' per cent public doesn/t get access to iodised salt.
5#ccess in /adh"a Pradesh
4n1ha Chulha (communit% kitchen), a state-wide 1oint feeding programme
t converges two e=isting national programmes, () ?upplementar% 3utrition #rogramme
of the ntegrated Child "evelopment ?ervices and &) +idda% +eal ?cheme
+eals served at anganwadi centres and schools are prepared in a common kitchen, b%
trained staff, and iodised salt is used.
#9: /i.raine
+wo +"!es Of Headaches
Pri)ar" headache secondar" headache
more common among patients less
The% occur for no obvious reason.
8=ample migraine, tension-t%pe
headache.
Occur because of serious underl%ing conditions e.g. brain
tumor, inflammator% diseases, abnormalities of the spinal
fluid.
There are no tests for these headaches,
onl% tests to rule out other causes.
Can be detected through tests.
/i.raine
(. +igraine is the commonest cause of all primar% headaches
&. +igraine is a chronic disease, meaning %ou/ve to deal with for %ears.
). +igraines are geneticall% inherited.
>. +igraine attacks are often linked to a trigger (unavoidable e=ternal conditions such as
heat, sunlight or sweat)
#8: 7s!er.illosis
4spergillus6 one t%pe of Aungus
4spergillosis6disease caused b% above Aungus
4ustralian researchers found it to be deadl% in cats, dogs and men. ; Common antifungal
drugs failed to kill this fungus, hence more dangerous.
Research Related
He:a -ellline
n (BG(, .enrietta Hacks died at an 4merican hospital due to cervical cancer.
n that era, <?4 didn/t have an% regulations for genetic research. ?o, the doctors used her
biops% sample to create .eHa celline, without her knowledge or consent.
?ince then, these cells have been e=tensivel% used for a wide variet% of biomedical
research.
The% even pla%ed a part in several 3obel-#ri-e-winning scientific discoveries.
.er famil% didn/t learn of the cells until &' %ears after Hacks/s death, when scientists
began using her children in research without their knowledge. Hater even their medical
records were released to the press and published without consent.
*ut now researchers have made an agreement with her famil% for controlled access to the
.eHa genome se5uence.
3l# Related
#1: H;N< 1ird fl#: !otential ,iowea!on?
This %ear, .D3B bird flu virus killed man% people in China.
Chinese authorities order the closure of poultr% markets 67 outbreak under control.
*ut ?cientists fear infections ma% rise again in the winter. There is alwa%s a chance that
virus will undergo mutation and become more dangerous.
.ence the% want to carr% lab-e=periment on .D3B virus, increase its virulence in lab, and
stud% its abilit% to spread between people.
Pro ar.#)ents
(. The proposed e=periments should give scientists earl% warning of the kinds of virus-
mutations that could spark a pandemic.
&. The work will be done in high-securit% laboratories to minimi-e the risk of the modified
viruses escaping and causing an% damage.
). This will help in advance research into drugs and vaccines before pandemic breakout of
.D3B.
7ntiar.#)ent
(. This could help terrorists create lethal viruses as bioweapons.
&. f virus escapes the lab because of some natural disaster (e.g. earth5uake, tornado,
tsunami) 6massive damage to population.
#&: /'R- -orona vir#s
&''&
?4I? (?evere 4cute Iespirator% ?%ndrome), appeared in China and ne=t %ear e=ploded
worldwide.
&'(&
+iddle 8ast Iespirator% ?%ndrome (+8I?) is viral respirator% illness first reported in
?audi 4rabia in &'(&. t is caused b% a coronavirus called +8I?-Co!
/erc-OV:
(. t is a corona virus 1ust like ?4I?.
&. Hike ?4I?, it causes severe respirator% disease.
). Hike the ?4I? virus, it appears to have originated in bats.
>. +8I? virus has crossed from bats into an animal that humans fre5uentl% come into
contact with. *ut which animal e=actl% J was it bird9pig9goatKthat is %et to be found.
G. +8I?-Co! can spread through close contact with a sick person, and such transmission
has occurred in families as well as in hospitals.
F. The ?4I? virus mutated over time and gained the abilit% to pass more easil% from one
human to another. The big worr% is that the +8I-Co! might do something similar.
:a, .rown or.ans
#1: :a,=rown: /eat
?cientists have succeeded in growing meat 0in vitro2 (6outside bod%, in a lab9petri-dish)
using stem cells
*ut Cost of such meat burger- &,G',''' euros.
Then wh% bother with artificiall% grown lab meatJ wh% not 1ust eat normal meat from animalsJ
(. it help save more than >& million cattle from being butchered ever% %ear in the <.?. alone
4s per A4O (Aood and 4griculture Organi-ation) report, when cattle is raised for meat
alone, it leads to
(E:share in greenhouse gas emissions
)':land use for 1ust gra-ing and growing animal food9feed.
?uch cattle is in1ected with variet% of antibiotics 67 led to rise in drug-resistant
bacteria67 the% 1ump from animals to humans and cause variet% of diseases.
#&: :a,=rown: +in" 1rain
4ustrian scientists have grown tin% brain (called Cerebral organoid) in their lab
using stem cells.
This tin% brain has man% ke% features of the brain in a nine-week-old human embr%o.
:i)itations?
does not %et displa% all the brain regions organised in the fashion that would be found in a
developing embr%o.
?ince there are no blood vessels to bring o=%gen and nutrients to cells deep inside67 tin%
brain will not develop be%ond about four millimetres in si-e.
1enefits?
(. +icrocephal%6 is a genetic disorder, leads to greatl% reduced brain si-e and associated
mental disabilities.
&. 8arlier scientists tried to e=periment on mice-brain to understand this disease but did not
succeed.
). but now with tin% brain, the% can do more research on +icrocephal% disorder.
>. <ltimatel% the%/ll be able to research on more common disorders like schi-ophrenia or
autism
#6: :a,=rown: :iver
$apanese scientists has used Linduced pluripotent stem cells/ (i#? cells) cells to produce a
rudimentar% human liver that could function in mice.
i#? cells6created from normal cells, %ou don/t need stem cells. (recall earlier article
about Camanaka/s stem cell research).
OPPOR+>NI+I'5 -H7::'N='5
Will help patients with life-threatening
liver damage.
These lab-grown liver buds are too small
in si-e, must be produced in vast numbers
same principle can be used to make
pancreas, kidne%s and lungs in the lab.
t/ll take %et another (' %ears before such a
method is read% for clinical trials in
humans.
-lonin. ?ohn :enon
?ome Canadian dentist has a tooth of late *ritish #op legend $ohn Hennon- he wants to clone it.
What is -lone?
4 clone is a cell or an organism that is produced ase=uall% from an ancestor. (6without
sperm meeting egg)
4 Clone cell geneticall% identical to its ancestor.
Thus the clone of Hennon, produced toda%, will be geneticall% the same $ohn Hennon of
the D's.
Doll" 5hee! clonin.
?cientists chose three sheep@ +oll%, #oll% and doll%
Poll" $1lack
face%
the% removed genetic material from her egg-cell.Thus her egg remained onl% an
empt% reaction vessel.
/oll" $White
face%
the% took cells from her udder, e=tracted genetic material out of it, and planted in
"oll%/s empt% egg cell. Thus an embra%o created.
Holl"
the% planted above embr%o in .oll%/s womb. Thus holl% served as a surrogate
mother.
Res#lt@ "oll% sheep was born. White faced, inherited the genes from +oll% onl%. The onl% male
"34 of "oll% came from +oll%/s father/s "34 contained in her somatic cells.
Whether Cloning of
.umans should be allowed or notJ 67 t/s a Mroup "iscussion9nterview topic.
*ut whether Cloned $ohn Hennon will be e5uall% good singer-musician like original $ohn
Hennon67 4nswer is 3o.
*ecause a +an does not live b% bod% alone. What goes into the brain is interaction with
the e=ternal world. Culture is not coded in our "34. 8=perience, education, environment
N all these matter.
+hree!erson IV3 @ /itochondria +ransfer
Wh" /itochondria i)!ortant?
+itochondria crucial to the energ% suppl% of cells.
"efective +itochondria6 disrupted energ% suppl% to muscles, heart, liver and brain.
+itochondrial diseases are incurable.
n *ritain alone, around one in F,G'' children is born annuall% with a severe
mitochondrial disease like muscular d%stroph%.
Current methods can onl% reduce but not eliminate the riskO no treatment is available
either.
5ol#tion: )itochondrial transfer@ 6Parent IV3
)o)
gives egg but her "34 material has defective genes for +itochondria. ?o that part
related to +itochondria is removed.
dad sperm
donor
$fe)ale%
gives "34 that has right Lcodes/ for health% +itochondria.
Thus, with help of genetic material from ,three people, an !A bab% is created. 8mbr%o transferd
to mother and bab% is born without an% disease related to mitochondria.
Wh" news@controvers"@7ntiar.#)ents:
(. <P government is planning to allow doctors to use ,this techni5ue. *ut some +#s are
against this method citing this is also stem-cell research, Cou are Lpla%ing Mod/ and
interfering with his creation and hence against the (Christianit%) religion.
&. This research will lead to 0"esigner babies2 for e=ample, pick "34 of ?achin for
?tamina, "34 of *acchan for .eight, .rithik Ioshan for white skin and thus assemble
an embr%o like assembling a mobile phone or computer.
). "esigner babies are bad because then societ% will be divided into two parts@ those with
superior looks-bod% thanks to geneticall% engineering vs. those normall% born. .itler was
also tr%ing similar thing@ remove all the $ews, handicapped and g%psies and create the
strong 4r%an race with pure genes.
Pro 7r.#)ents for /itochondria+ransfer:
(. +itochondria from a health% woman donor doesn/t affect the appearance of the bab%. t
merel% prevents bab% from getting defective mitochondria related diseases. Thus the
donor-lad% is not Lthird/ parent.
&. +itochondria are the power producers of a cell and do not in an% wa% contribute to the
traits that make us humans. .ence, an% fear that the latest development is a slipper% slope
that would lead to producing Ldesigner babies/ is unfounded.
). The inheritance of donated mitochondria, will stop with the succeeding generation if the
bab% is male.
-ancer I))#ne Naked /ole Rats
3aked mole rats live underground
the% can live for more than )' %ears, almost seven times longer than normal rats.
The% are also the onl% mammals that do not regulate their bod% temperature.
<nlike normal house rats, the%/re immune to cancer.
Wh" in News?
?cientists use rats to do cancer stud% and test various anti-cancer drugs.
To induce cancer in a rat, the scientists e=porse them to gamma radiation, transplanting
tumours or in1ecting cancer-causing agents.
*ut when scientists tried these cancer-tools on naked mole rat6Qepicfail, nothing
happened. t didn/t develop cancer.
Reason?
.%aluronan6 a chemical found in all animals, helps to hold cells together, and controls
when cells grow in number.
Cancer6 unregulated growth of cells. ?o h%aluronan was thought to be involved in the
progression of malignant tumours.
n 3aked +ole rat, scientists found an unusuall% thick la%er of ,this chemical.
Thick h%aluronan might have helped increase the elasticit% of the rat/s skin, allowing it to
live in small tunnels underground. This trait might be helping in preventing cancer cell
growth as well.
Wh" ,eneficial? This mechanism ma% help us find cure for cancer.
5ilver 7nti,iotic
?cientists are now interested in silver because *acteria can/t develop resistance against
silver.
silver R unlike most antibiotics R works in more than one wa% to kill bacteria.
3ow, silver is combined with conventional antibiotics to make a killer combo. Airst silver
will weaken the bacterial cell membrane, then conventional antibiotics will attack the
bacteria.
*acteria are broadl% classified into two groups called =ra)ne.ative and =ra)
!ositive.
=ra)ne.atives have an e(tra cell )e),rane that !rotects the ,acteriaO this means
that it is much more difficult for some antibiotics, such as gentamicin and vancom%cin, to
penetrate the cell.
*ut with added silver, even weak antibiotics can fight with such strong 0gram negative2
bacteria.
Ne#roscience
#1: H#)an ne#rons and -ar,on Datin.
t is generall% believed that brain cells stop growing in adults674s %our age increases,
%our memor% capacit% decreases.
*ut ?weden researchers measured the rate at which new neurons are added in the adult
human brain, using Carbon dating method.
How does -ar,on Datin. work?
Carbon dating makes use of an isotope, carbon-(>.
Carbon-(> is generated in the upper atmosphere when cosmic ra%s strike nitrogen atoms.
t then finds its wa% into different substances.
When scientists measure the amount of the isotope in them, the% can calculate how much
of it there was originall% based on how 5uickl% it is radioactivel% deca%ing.
This number can reveal the age of the substance, too.
#&: Ne#ro!lasticit"
3europlasticit% 6 abilit% of the nervous s%stem (brain) to modif% its organisation in
response to conditions imposed on it.
8=periment on animals showed that increase ph%sical e=ercise6increases gre% matter in
the brain, promotes the formation of new nerve cells, blood vessels and connections
(s%napses) between neurons
Thus e=ercise helps improve %our brain, apart from keeping obesit%, t%pe & diabetes,
stroke and h%pertension awa% from %our bod%.
1annin. Dr#.s and -he)icals
/id Da" /eal Deaths 7nd /onocroto!hos
n Chapra (*ihar) 7&' kids died after eating +id da% meal, contaminated with pesticide
known as +onocrotophos.
+onocrotophos is an organophosphorus pesticide.
Considered highl% ha-ardous b% A4O and World .ealth Organisation (W.O).
4lread% banned in 4ustralia, China, the 8uropean <nion and the <nited ?tates, and in
man% countries in 4frica, 4sia and Hatin 4merica.
&''>@ W.O sa%s this pesticide must be banned. *ut our (bogus) government refused
sa%ing +onocrotophos pesticide 6 cheaper than its competitors and more effective in
controlling pests.
A4O;W.O;World *ank agree that +onocrotohpos and similar highl% ha-ardous
products should not sold in "eveloping countries because@
(. +arketing-"istribution channels are not properl% developed67 an%one can bu%
such chemicals from an%where and create havoc (same problem leading to 4cid-
throwing on girls.)
&. ?mall scale farmers lack knowledge, proper spra%ers, and protective gear and
storage facilities. The% do not dispose the empt% pesticide containers
safel%67environmental problems.
International -ode of -ond#ct on Pesticide /ana.e)ent
4dopted b% A4O member- countries,
t establishes voluntar% standards of conduct for all public and private entities involved in
pesticide management.
Code states that a ha-ardous pesticide should be banned if risk-assessment sa%s that given
pesticide cannot be handled without unacceptable risk to humans and the environment.
Aor monocrotophos, man% governments have concluded that prohibition is the onl%
effective option to prevent harm to people and environment.
*ut ndia hasn/t done it so far.
O!en 5ale of +1 Dr#.s
Total more than E million T* patients in the world, among them more than & million 1ust living
in ndia alone.
+1 treat)ent
through Movernment funded "OTs programFG: patients covered
Through private clinics remaining )G:
What is the !ro,le)?
#atients receiving treatment through private clinics6 the% take drugs irregularl%. 4s a result,
disease resurfaces and T* bacteria becomes more resistant to the drugs.
What is the sol#tion?
Movt mulling ban on sale of T* drugs in open market
<nder the new initiative, patients going to private practitioners for treatment will get
medicines free of cost from chemists but onl% after the doctor informs them through a
dedicated call centre to be set up b% the government.
4llied topic@ "OT? therap% and +"I-T*. click me
Pio.litaAone: 1anned B #n,anned
Oral 4ntibiotic drug. Works as 0insulin sensiti-er2.
ma1or pla%ers, such as Ianba=%, Cipla and ?un #harma, manufacture the drug. +arket
7D'' crores.
used b% over )G lakh diabetes patients across the countr%
&C11
Arance bans this drug because it is believed to cause bladder cancer, anemia and
even heart failure.
but drug continues to be used in the <?, the <P and other countries, albeit with a
warning label.
&C16
4 doctor files petition to drug controller general of ndia ("MC) to ban #ioglita-one
after E cases related urinar% bladder cancer were reported in the Chennai.
?#ne
&C16
+inistr% bans the drugs, on advice of the Central "rugs ?tandard Control
Organisation (C"?CO).
*ut +inistr% didn/t consult "rug Technical 4dvisor% *oard ("T4*).
?#l"
&C16
ndian doctors protest against the ban. Movernment refers the matter to "rugs
Technical 4dvisor% *oard ("T4*).
"T4* recommends lifting the ban with some conditions
Ainall%, ban is lifted, with following conditions
(. "rug will now be sold with a bo= warning (that the drug carries a significant risk of
serious or even life-threatening adverse effects)
&. "octors will also be told that pioglita-one should not be prescribed as the first line of
treatment.
7nal.in: 1anned
#ainkiller drug.
?old under the brand name 3ovalgin
4dverse effect@ decreases W*C (white blood cell count)67fatal.
4nalgin is banned in man% countries including <?, Arance, 3epal but the medicine
continued to be sold in ndia as an over-the-counter drug for %ears.
4n%wa%s finall% government woke up and banned t (along with diabetic drug
#ioglita-on)
De(tro!ro!o("!hene: 1anned
<seJ6 mild pain killer and local anaesthetic effects
Who
,anned?
directorate of food and drugs administration
How
,anned?
under "rugs and Cosmetic 4ct, (B>'.
Wh"
,anned?
because alread% banned in <?4, the <P, the 8uropean <nion, 4ustralia,
Canada, and $apan.
This drug has potentiall% life-threatening effects convulsions, h%potension
etc.
3ood related
#1: Hone"
Is it safe to .ive Hone" for ,a,ies?
.one% contains spores from a certain bacteria, which find their wa% into hone% comb
from dust and soil.
These bacterial spores have no effect on adults.
but for children, hone% can cause death9paral%sis, since the immune s%stem of infants has
not matured.
Therefore, #aediatricians around the world strictl% advise against feeding hone% to
infants.
*ut if %our child is above one %ear, hone% is perfectl% safe and can even offer lasting
relief from chronic cough.
Dia,etes?
WhatJ Ml%cemic inde=J
.one%GG
sugar FE
Aood with .igher gl%cemic inde=6 bad because
Aoods with a higher gl%cemic inde= lead to a higher rise in blood sugar levels6 problem
for diabetic patients.
8ven in normal person, such food causes the bod% to keep releasing insulin from the
pancreas to process all that sugar. .igh insulin levels in the blood67 lead to obesit%.
Hone" and Healin. !ro!ert"?
before the discover% of antibiotics, hone% was widel% used in healing
.one% has 4cidic #.67prevents the growth of man% bacteria
.one% has h%drogen pero=ide67gives antiseptic value
.one% has ph%tonutrients67 prevent colon and other cancers.
Hone" and Wei.htloss?
t is a m%th that hone% does not add fat to %our bod%.
.one% has 1ust as much carboh%drates as sugar so it is best to restrict its use, especiall% if
%ou/re tr%ing to lose weight or are diabetic.
Raw vs Processed Hone"?
Iaw hone% (that which has been directl% collected from the hone% comb and has not been
processed and packaged) 67 more effective anti-bacterial agent than the processed hone%.
when raw hone% is sub1ected to e=cessive heat and preservatives during food-processing,
man% nutrients9compounds are lost.
Hone" 'ner."?
hone% is a mi=ture of glucose and fructose, both forms of simple sugar. 4nd much like
ordinar% sugar, it is absorbed fairl% 5uickl% into %our blood stream and has almost the
same effect on %our bod%.
3ood additives are Poisono#s
3ot much relevent from e=am point of view, but before %ou eat 1unk food, wafers ne=t time, do
check the labels to protect %our own health@
-olorin. 7.ents
Children like bright colored food. Therefore most baked goods (cupcakes, frosting) and fast
foods (like pastas, cereals and some read%-to-mi= sauces) come in e%e-catching colours.
#roblem@
food coloring agent causes
,l#e#1 cancer
Red#9C
4"." (attention deficit h%peractivit% disorder) in children (which
affects their abilit% to concentrate and focus).
Red#6 used as artificial colour to cherries. Causes th%roid tumors
-ar)ine@-onchineal
e(tract
"erived from insect. Mives pinking blush to candies, fruit 1uices
etc.While these are generall% safe to consume, it can cause adverse
reactions in some people.
5weetners
as!arta)e
used as a sugar substitute in 0diet2 soda, ice-creams etc. but it is
neuroto=in (affects the brain)
carcinogen (has the potential to cause cancer).
7ces#lfa)eDused in gums and gelatin (used in 1ellies) .causes cancer
Preservative
/onosodi#) .l#ta)ate
$/5=%
ngredient in man% a restaurant-st%le Chinese meal.also found in most
packaged foods, from potato chips to soups and canned meatsncreases
obesit% , causes liver inflammation.
5odi#) Nitrate@5odi#)
Nitrite $' &8C%
used in canned pickles. causes cancer.
1reads
#otassium *romide <sed in banking breads. t gives a cream% white colour, and
elasticit% to bread. *ut potassium bromate is a known carcinogen, but in the <? and in
ndia, it is still legal.
therefore, it is better to use brown bread and ensure that %ou purchase a loaf that is
freshl% baked.
7ni)al related
#1: ResilinE the r#,,er like !rotein
Iesilin is a rubber-like protein
t helps dragonflies, grasshoppers and other insects to flap their wings, 1ump and chirp
Iesilin can stretch to three times its original length, then spring back to its initial shape
without losing its elasticit%.
?cientists looking for its application in nanos!rin.sE ,ior#,,ersE ,iosensors etc.
?cientists have modified resilin with gold nanoparticles for possible use in medical
diagnostics.
#&: 7ni)als do self)edication
5!arrows
pick up used cigarette butts and place them in their nests to reduce the parasite
infection affecting the eggs and bab% birds in the nestsS
/on.ooes
feeds on chotachand plant, before fighting cobras. Thus 3epalis found out that
Chota Chand is an antidote for snake bite.
=oat
Arom observing the goats eating the coffee plant, +en found that coffee was a
stimulant.
-ater!illars chew on some medicinal plants to survive longer and produce healthier eggs.
3r#it 3lies la% their eggs on food with high ethanol, to ward off infection b% parasites
-hi)anAees
swallow whole leaves of some plants and defecate them in order to 0flush2 out
intestinal parasites
t would thus appear that the practice of natural medicine, including 7"#rveda, has its origin
from the plant and animal kingdom.
/isc4
7ctive +ravel
L4ctive travel/ means walking, c%cling or use of public transport
World .ealth Organisation (W.O) recommends active travel address the growing burden
of non-communicable diseases.
7!o!tosis
t is the biological process clearing dead cells.
apoptotic cells6 Cells that are aging, damaged or infected and about to die,
immune cells (phagoc%tes) engulf and destro% the apoptotic cells.
f a d%ing cell is not cleared it will go into a post-apoptotic stage called necrosis67 leads
to inflammator% diseases like lupus in humans.
Pain /ana.e)ent +echni0#es
5teroid
InFections
effective for patients suffering from arthritissteroid in1ections greatl% reduce
inflammation (especiall% at the site of a nerve compression) and can offer great
relief from tortuous knee paibut have side effects
Nerve Heatin.
The heat is transmitted to the tip of a needle 67 applied directl% to the paint
transmitting nerves67relieves pain and doesn/t hamper with an% other bod%
processes
Prolothera!"
#rocedure involves in1ecting an combo of anaesthetic ; irritant, into the
site of pain.
it also stimulates natural healing processes.
7ntide!ressent
when %our pain is an obvious outcome of ps%chological issues, anti-
depressants are prescribed
These pills will restore the chemical seratonin in %our brain, a lack of
which can lead to chronic pain.
*ut the% should be taken as a long-term course in order to be effective.
'lastic 'ner." and H#)an 5ho#lder
.umans do not have an% of the characteristics so essential for hunting N speed, strength,
agilit%, claws or sharp canines to hunt down and kill a pre%.
.ence the abilit% to throw a spear or stone at high speed and great precision to kill9in1ure
an animal 6part of evolution.
We can throw balls9stones9spears accuratel% because of the anatomical features that allow
the storage of elastic energ% at the shoulder.
The human shoulder acts much like a slingshot during a throw. t stores and releases large
amounts of elastic energ% is stored in the stretched ligaments and tendons.
Chimpan-ees, on the other hand, do not have much mobilit% at the waist hence cannot
throw ob1ects at great speed.
Aor more on ?ci-Tech Current affairs, visit +runal.org9snt