Monkeypox: Monkeypox has symptoms similar to smallpox but is far less severe.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded its highest level of alarm for monkeypox declaring it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The virus has spread to nearly 70 countries including India where four cases have been reported so far.
Now, as part of its Science in 5 series for monkeypox on YouTube, WHO has explained which communities are at a higher risk of contracting the virus and why.
According to Andy Seale, adviser, HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes, WHO, communities of diverse backgrounds and ages are getting affected by monkeypox in previously affected countries which are largely in West Africa.
Mr Seale added that in the countries which are newly affected by the monkeypox virus, the cases are “largely focussed on men.” Most of the people infected by the virus have been found to be men who have sex with men, and who identify as gay and bisexual, according to Mr Seale.
The adviser added that some cases have also been reported in children and women but those are limited. However, Mr Seale has emphasised that anyone coming in contact with the virus can get infected.
Explaining the reason behind the higher vulnerability of the particular community, Mr Seale said there are several modes for the transmission of the virus. These include skin-to-skin contact, kissing, or touching infected materials like bed linen. “What we know and what the evidence tells us is that sexual networks within communities of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, have played a role in transmitting the virus in the context of this outbreak,” added Mr Seale.
He added that international travel seemed to have contributed to the spread of the monkeypox virus in the early days of the outbreak.
Here is the video:
Mr Seale further appealed that we should not stigmatise or blame any particular community for the spread of the disease. He added that for most monkeypox patients, the infection will be short-lived and mild while it can also be severe for some who may require hospitalisation.
An analysis of physical activity and medical records for more than 100,000 people over 30 years found that individuals who performed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ currently recommended range of duration of moderate (150-300 minutes/week) or vigorous physical activity (75-150 minutes/week), respectively, had an observed 20-21% and 19% lower risk of mortality from all causes.
Individuals who performed two to four times the amount of recommended physical activity (150-600 minutes/week) were observed to have further reductions in mortality from all causes.
Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET Monday, July 25, 2022
(NewMediaWire) – July 25, 2022 – DALLAS An analysis of more than 100,000 participants over a 30-year follow-up period found that adults who perform two to four times the currently recommended amount of moderate or vigorous physical activity per week have a significantly reduced risk of mortality, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association’s flagship, peer-reviewed journal Circulation. The reduction was 21-23% for people who engaged in two to four times the recommended amount of vigorous physical activity, and 26-31% for people who engaged in two to four times the recommended amount of moderate physical activity each week.
It is well documented that regular physical activity is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death. In 2018, the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommended that adults engage in at least 150-300 minutes/week of moderate physical activity or 75-150 minutes/week of vigorous physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both intensities. The American Heart Association’s current recommendations, which are based on HHS’s Physical Activity Guidelines, are for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes per week or vigorous aerobic exercise, or a combination of both.
“The potential impact of physical activity on health is great, yet it remains unclear whether engaging in high levels of prolonged, vigorous or moderate intensity physical activity above the recommended levels provides any additional benefits or harmful effects on cardiovascular health,” said Dong Hoon Lee, Sc.D., M.S., a research associate in the department of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. “Our study leveraged repeated measures of self-reported physical activity over decades to examine the association between long-term physical activity during middle and late adulthood and mortality.”
Researchers analyzed mortality data and medical records for more than 100,000 adults gathered from two large prospective studies: the all-female Nurses’ Health Study and the all-male Health Professionals Follow-up Study from 1988-2018. Participants whose data were examined were 63% female, and more than 96% were white adults. They had an average age of 66 years and an average body mass index (BMI) of 26 kg/m2 over the 30-year follow-up period.
Participants self-reported their leisure-time physical activity by completing a validated questionnaire for either the Nurses’ Health Study or Health Professionals Follow-Up Study every two years. The publicly available questionnaires, which were updated and expanded every two years, included questions about health information, physician-diagnosed illnesses, family medical histories and personal habits such as cigarette and alcohol consumption and frequency of exercise. Exercise data was reported as the average time spent per week on various physical activities over the past year. Moderate activity was defined as walking, lower-intensity exercise, weightlifting and calisthenics. Vigorous activity included jogging, running, swimming, bicycling and other aerobic exercises.
The analysis found that adults who performed double the currently recommended range of either moderate or vigorous physical activity each week had the lowest long-term risk of mortality.
The analysis also found:
Participants who met the guidelines for vigorous physical activity had an observed 31% lower risk of CVD mortality and 15% lower risk of non-CVD mortality, for an overall 19% lower risk of death from all causes.
Participants who met the guidelines for moderate physical activity had an observed 22-25% lower risk of CVD mortality and 19-20% lower risk of non-CVD mortality, for an overall 20-21% lower risk of death from all causes.
Participants who performed two to four times above the recommended amount of long-term vigorous physical activity (150-300 min/week) had an observed 27-33% lower risk of CVD mortality and 19% non-CVD mortality, for an overall 21-23% lower risk of death from all causes.
Participants who performed two to four times above the recommended amount of moderate physical activity (300-600 min/week) had an observed 28-38% lower risk of CVD mortality and 25-27% non-CVD mortality, for an overall 26-31% lower risk of mortality from all causes.
In addition, no harmful cardiovascular health effects were found among the adults who reported engaging in more than four times the recommended minimum activity levels. Previous studies have found evidence that long-term, high-intensity, endurance exercise, such as marathons, triathlons and long-distance bicycle races, may increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular events, including myocardial fibrosis, coronary artery calcification, atrial fibrillation and sudden cardiac death.
“This finding may reduce the concerns around the potential harmful effect of engaging in high levels of physical activity observed in several previous studies,” Lee noted.
However, engaging in long-term, high intensity physical activity (300 minutes/week) or moderate intensity physical activity (600 minutes/week) at levels more than four times the recommended weekly minimum did not provide any additional reduction in risk of death.
“Our study provides evidence to guide individuals to choose the right amount and intensity of physical activity over their lifetime to maintain their overall health,” Lee said. “Our findings support the current national physical activity guidelines and further suggest that the maximum benefits may be achieved by performing medium to high levels of either moderate or vigorous activity or a combination.”
He also noted that people who perform less than 75 minutes of vigorous activity or less than 150 minutes of moderate activity per week may have greater benefits on mortality reduction by consistently performing approximately 75-150 minutes of vigorous activity or 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise per week, or an equivalent combination of both, over the long term.
“We have known for a long time that moderate and intense levels of physical exercise can reduce a person’s risk of both atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and mortality,” said Donna K. Arnett, M.S.P.H., Ph.D., B.S.N., a past president of the American Heart Association (2012-2013) and the dean and a professor in the department of epidemiology at the University of Kentucky College of Public Health in Lexington, Kentucky. Arnett served as co-chair of the writing committee for the American Heart Association’s 2019 Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, however, she was not involved in the study. “We have also seen that getting more than 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or more than 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical exercise each week may reduce a person’s risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease even further, so it makes sense that getting those extra minutes of exercise may also decrease mortality.”
Co-authors are Leandro F.M. Rezende, Sc.D.; Hee-Kyung Joh, M.D., Ph.D.; NaNa Keum, Sc.D.; Gerson Ferrari, Ph.D.; Juan Pablo Rey-Lopez, Ph.D.; Eric B. Rimm, Sc.D.; Fred K. Tabung, Ph.D.; and Edward L. Giovannucci, M.D., Sc.D. Authors’ disclosures are listed in the manuscript.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific Association programs and events. The Association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and biotech companies, device manufacturers and health insurance providers and the Association’s overall financial information are available here.
Additional Resources:
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
###
For Media Inquiries and AHA/ASA Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173
The study found that when comparing individuals with and without eye issues, those with sight issues had a 44 percent higher chance of dementia and a 41 percent higher risk of cognitive impairment.
According to recent research, dementia risk in older persons may be increased by vision issues.
According to a recent systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 studies comprising 76,373 individuals, older adults with untreated eyesight problems may have a higher chance of developing dementia.
The study’s findings, which were reported in the peer-reviewed journal Aging and Mental Health, demonstrate the need for more research to determine how addressing older persons’ vision issues, such as with glasses or cataract surgery, might prevent cognitive issues and dementia.
“This study is among the first to evaluate the association between sight problems and cognitive outcomes in older adults through a comprehensive examination of all available population-based studies in English. Our findings add to the growing evidence that fading eyesight is a risk factor for developing dementia,” said lead author, Associate Professor Beibei Xu, from the Medical Informatics Center, at Peking University. “Although the reasons behind this remain unclear, it suggests that diagnosing and treating eye conditions may be beneficial – both to improve a person’s quality of life and also to potentially slow down or stop memory loss.”
In the UK, there are thought to be up to a million individuals with dementia, and as the population ages, this number is expected to rise. This number is anticipated to increase to 1.6 million by 2050. Dementia is also projected to cost $56 billion in 2050 compared to £30 billion currently.
People’s lives are severely affected by the condition. As the disease develops, individuals will have more memory loss as well as personality and behavioral changes. They will eventually be totally reliant on others to take care of them.
The researchers included 16 studies including 76,373 participants, with five cross-sectional studies and 11 longitudinal studies published before April 2020. From these studies, the authors examined the relationship between visual impairment and cognitive outcomes in older adults. They found that:
People with a sight problem had an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, regardless of whether their visual impairment was self-reported or diagnosed using objective measures.
The likelihood of having a cognitive impairment was 137% higher among people who had a sight problem compared to those who did not.
People who had a sight problem at baseline had a 41% increased risk of developing cognitive impairment and a 44% increased risk of dementia, compared with those who did not.
“Finding ways to prevent or delay the onset of dementia could help reduce its devastating impact on the lives of affected individuals and their families, especially in light of the growing burden of the disease. Identifying modifiable risk factors is the first critical step for developing effective interventions to achieve this goal,” says Beibei Xu. “Our new results highlight the importance of regular eye examinations for older adults – enabling any potential problems with their vision to be spotted and treated early. They also suggest that any self-reported changes to a person’s eyesight should not be ignored.”
The authors recommend future research is now warranted to examine the effectiveness of treating sight problems in older people to prevent cognitive impairment and dementia.
Reference: “The association between vision impairment and cognitive outcomes in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis” by Gui-Ying Cao, Zi-Shuo Chen, Shan-Shan Yao, Kaipeng Wang, Zi-Ting Huang, He-Xuan Su, Yan Luo, Carson M. De Fries, Yong-Hua Hu and Beibei Xu, 18 May 2022, Aging and Mental Health. DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2022.2077303
The study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Peking University Medicine Seed Fund for Interdisciplinary Research.
It’s impossible to talk about Risk of Rain 2 without first reflecting on Risk of Rain.
Few sequels have so successfully amplified the strengths of their predecessors, and in the case of developer Hopoo Games, few studios have so firmly grasped what made their earlier work great. Risk of Rain 2 is a raucous, clever, and exceedingly weird sequel. It is also thrilling and remarkable — not merely because it improves on what came before, but because it recontextualizes a formula that was already brilliant to begin with.
Risk of Rain was released in 2013, toward the beginning of a roguelike renaissance that would lead to the genre’s mainstream ubiquity today. Alongside games like The Binding of Isaac and the original Rogue Legacy, Risk of Rain’s core loop focused on the repetition of procedurally generated levels, while players could unlock permanent items and characters for future runs. But unlike its contemporaries — most of which were more concerned with the accrual of skill and power — Hopoo Games seemed fascinated by the accumulation of wisdom.
Risk of Rain’s signature mechanic, after all, is in the name itself. In this side-scrolling action-platformer, you battle your way across 2D levels in search of the Teleporter that will bring you to the next area. The catch? You need to defeat a boss before the Teleporter can function. The second catch? The difficulty gradually increases throughout the run. You can remain in each area as long as you want, scouring every platform and cranny for weapons and upgrades, all the while knowing that every second brings you closer to the next tier of enemies, with larger health bars and more varied attacks.
I died shortly after taking this screenshotImage: Hopoo Games via Polygon
Risk of Rain 2 asks the same question as its predecessor: Are you really ready for the next encounter? Are you sure?
Because yes, you found a shoulder-mounted mortar, and yes, that teddy bear’s damage resistance will keep a few more bullets at bay. But in the meantime, giant flaming golems have started spawning, and those floating jellyfish have far more health than they did before you spent 25 seconds getting to the crate on that cliff. If you’ve ever played a sport or instrument, you’re probably familiar with the paradigm Hopoo’s games are built around: You may be practicing, but so is everyone else. And getting better means gaining the wisdom to know whether you’re fully prepared.
With Risk of Rain 2, Hopoo literally shifted perspective. It’s no longer a 2D side-scroller, but a third-person shooter set in 3D arenas. It was released in early access in 2019, before its full version was released in August 2020. I’ve been playing it on and off since then, dabbling each time Hopoo added a new character or biome. I always came away impressed, if not fully hooked, by everything I saw.
But recently, with the Survivors of the Void update, I truly dove in. And maybe it’s because I spent the interim wearing myself out with so much Spelunky 2 and Rogue Legacy 2 — games that all but perfected the art of 2D action-platforming — but suddenly, Risk of Rain 2’s addition of a z-axis clicked. It felt gimmicky three years ago, but now I’m enamored by how it simultaneously grants me more control, while also giving me so much more to worry about. What’s more, I’m playing enough to unlock more characters and marvel at how Hopoo has adapted their skills to work in so much more open space. The Loader is a singular joy — its Grapple Fist lets me soar through the air, marveling at the verticality and depth that Hopoo has squeezed out of the first game’s formula, right before I punch a Magma Worm in its stupid face.
The Engineer is the best character in Risk of Rain 2, please don’t argue with meImage: Hopoo Games/Gearbox Publishing via Polygon
Ensconcing myself in Risk of Rain 2 reminds me, of all things, of those early days with my family’s new Nintendo 64, when a simple shift in perspective was everything. I wasn’t looking down on Link through an invisible roof anymore — I was actually entering the Deku Tree’s wooden entryway and sensing the overstory high above me. I wasn’t just leaping a lava-filled gap in Bowser’s Castle — I was aiming for a platform and missing just to the left, before singeing my ass and rocketing back into the air with a chance to dictate where I landed. Clearly, my childish brain told me, there are entire butt-burning universes we have yet to explore.
I realize I’m waxing poetic here. But like Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64 long before it, Risk of Rain 2 showed me just how much a simple, elegant idea can be exploded to form something even more elegant. Mario’s first Nintendo 64 outing, in particular, was proof that we never really know what’s coming next, and that the simple act of jumping might take on completely new meaning, if only designers can tilt their head to see it from a different angle.
Has Risk of Rain 2 had as much of an impact as Mario 64? Of course not. Its scope is decidedly narrow and its ambitions are confined to a small world focused on frantic combat in a straightforward, never-ending gameplay loop. But did Risk of Rain 2 reframe a game that I still consider close to perfection? Absolutely. Should Hopoo ever make a Risk of Rain 3, I’m hard-pressed to imagine what it will look like — my imagination swims at the thought of universes the studio hasn’t shown me yet.
(Reuters) – The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review.
Experimental tablet vaccine shows early promise
An experimental COVID-19 vaccine in the form of an oral tablet has shown promising immune responses in a small preliminary trial designed mainly to evaluate its safety, according to drug manufacturer Vaxart Inc. The South San Francisco, California-based company had earlier said the tablet was well tolerated, with no one dropping out of the study because of adverse effects. On Tuesday, they reported on immune responses in the 35 healthy volunteers who received the tablet.
While the currently approved vaccines induce antibodies in the blood, the tablet induced antibodies in the mucosa – the tissues lining the nose and airways that are the first line of defense against the virus, according to a report posted on the medical website medRxiv https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.16.22277601v1 ahead of peer review. Nearly half of volunteers showed an increase in long-lasting antibodies capable of binding to multiple sites on the Delta and Omicron variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. Nasal and saliva samples showed that half of study participants had higher antibody levels than similar people whose antibodies were the result of previous COVID-19 infections. The enhanced neutralizing capacity lasted for six months, the researchers said.
Going forward, larger studies designed specifically to test the tablet’s effectiveness are needed, as are studies to test whether this so-called adenovirus-vector vaccine would work well in people who already have received the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer Inc/BioNTech SE or Moderna Inc.
Hypertension boosts risk of serious Omicron illness
High blood pressure more than doubles the risk of hospitalization during COVID-19 infections with the coronavirus Omicron variant, even in people who are fully vaccinated and boosted, a U.S. study showed.
Doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles studied 912 people with COVID-19 when Omicron was the dominant variant despite having received at least three doses of an mRNA vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna, including 145 who required hospitalization. The risk for severe disease was increased in people with well-known risk factors such as older age, heart failure or kidney disease, the researchers reported on Thursday in the journal Hypertension https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.19694. But hypertension “was associated with the greatest magnitude of risk,” more than doubling the odds that someone with COVID-19 would need to be hospitalized, they added. Even looking only at younger people with generally healthy organs, hypertension was still associated with “substantial and significant risks,” they found.
“We were surprised to learn that many people who were hospitalized with COVID-19 had hypertension and no other risk factors,” study leader Dr. Susan Cheng said in a statement. “This is concerning when you consider that almost half of American adults have high blood pressure.”
Third-trimester Omicron infection linked with preterm birth
Infection with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the third trimester of pregnancy is linked with an increased risk of preterm delivery, according to Israeli researchers.
Doctors there compared 2,753 pregnant patients with positive PCR tests for the virus this year to the same number of similar but uninfected pregnant patients. Infections were not associated with preterm birth when diagnosed in the first or second trimester. But nearly half of the women were infected in the third trimester. In this group, rates of preterm birth were 5.8%, compared to 2.3% among uninfected women at the same stage of pregnancy, the study found. After accounting for other risk factors, women diagnosed in the third trimester were nearly three times more likely than uninfected women to delivery early, and those diagnosed after 34 weeks of gestation were roughly seven times more likely to have late preterm births, according to a report published on Wednesday in the journal PLOS One https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0270893. Symptomatic infections increased the risks even further.
“Women during their third trimester, specifically after 34 weeks of gestation, should practice social distancing and respiratory protection to reduce risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes,” the researchers wrote. They added that women at earlier stages of pregnancy should not let down their guard because the study did not evaluate “other potential differences in the mother or newborn.”
Click for a Reuters Global COVID-19 Tracker https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/index.html and for a Reuters COVID-19 Vaccination Tracker https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/vaccination-rollout-and-access.
(Reporting Nancy Lapid and Shawana Alleyne-Morris; Editing by Will Dunham)
Sticking to seven healthy habits may almost halve your risk of suffering a stroke, a study suggests.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Houston say maintaining a good diet and exercising regularly can even offset any genetic risk.
The other key steps include not smoking and losing weight.
Experts followed 11,500 middle-aged adults in the US for nearly 30 years, watching how their lifestyle impacted their risk of stroke.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Houston say maintaining a good diet and exercising regularly can even offset any genetic risk
Leading a healthy lifestyle could offset a high genetic risk of having a stroke by up to 43 per cent, a University of Texas study claimed today. Graph shows: The risk of having a stroke at some point in people’s lives over time for people following the seven habits (dark green), following some of them (light green) or following few of them (grey)
The habits, devised by the American Heart Association, are dubbed ‘Life’s Simple 7’.
Although listed as seven, only four are modifiable factors.
The other three — maintaining normal blood pressure, controlling cholesterol and reducing blood sugar — are knock-on effects of staying healthy.
Strokes effect more than 100,000 Britons annually claiming 38,000 lives — making it the UK’s fourth biggest killer and a leading cause of disability.
Almost 800,000 people in the US are struck down each year, with 137,000 dying.
Age, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and diabetes are all known to increase the risk of stroke.
Another risk factor is family history of the condition, when a vessel is either blocked or bursts — cutting off blood supply to parts of the brain.
What are ‘Life’s Simple 7’ habits that can reduce your risk of stroke?
The study, in the Journal of the American Heart Association, tracked 11,568 adults aged 45 to 64 for an average of 28 years.
All the participants were given a ‘stroke polygenic risk score’ — based on blood tests that identified tell-tale mutations linked to the deadly events.
This assessed how likely they were to suffer a stroke during their lifetime, based solely on their DNA.
Their medical records were also checked to see how well they followed the seven lifestyle habits.
Low cholesterol was scored based on whether and how much lipid lowering drugs — like statins — they were taking.
Blood pressure was also measured by what medications people were on, while blood sugar was scored based on whether they were being treated for diabetes.
Smoking status was recorded, BMIs showed bodyweight, diet was guessed with fruit and vegetable eating and physical activity was measured in minutes per week.
Participants at most genetic risk and the worst heart health had the highest lifetime risk of suffering a stroke, at around 25 per cent.
But for those who had practiced Life’s Simple 7 it fell by 30 to 43 per cent, analysis shows.
Following the practices also added up to nearly six more years of stroke-free life.
Overall, the healthiest group saw the fewest stroke cases (6 per cent) while the most were in those who followed the habits least (57 per cent).
The findings offer hope of a screening program, according to lead author Professor Myriam Fornage, a geneticist at Texas University in Houston.
She said: ‘Our study confirmed modifying lifestyle risk factors, such as controlling blood pressure, can offset a genetic risk of stroke.
‘We can use genetic information to determine who is at higher risk and encourage them to adopt a healthy cardiovascular lifestyle, such as following the AHA’s Life’s Simple 7, to lower that risk and live a longer, healthier life.’
THE CAUSES OF STROKE
There are two major kinds of stroke:
1. ISCHEMIC STROKE
An ischemic stroke – which accounts for 80 per cent of strokes – occurs when there is a blockage in a blood vessel that prevents blood from reaching part of the brain.
2. HEMORRHAGIC STROKE
The more rare, a hemorrhagic stroke, occurs when a blood vessel bursts, flooding part of the brain with too much blood while depriving other areas of adequate blood supply.
It can be the result of an AVM, or arteriovenous malformation (an abnormal cluster of blood vessels), in the brain.
Thirty percent of subarachnoid hemorrhage sufferers die before reaching the hospital. A further 25 per cent die within 24 hours. And 40 per cent of survivors die within a week.
RISK FACTORS
Age, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, family history, and history of a previous stroke or TIA (a mini stroke) are all risk factors for having a stroke.
SYMPTOMS OF A STROKE
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing or blurred vision in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause
OUTCOMES
Of the roughly three out of four people who survive a stroke, many will have life-long disabilities.
This includes difficulty walking, communicating, eating, and completing everyday tasks or chores.
TREATMENT
Both are potentially fatal, and patients require surgery or a drug called tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) within three hours to save them.
LONDON, July 19 (Reuters) – European nations must accelerate vaccine uptake and bring back mask wearing to tackle a surge in COVID-19 cases driven by an Omicron offshoot and avoid stricter measures later in the year, a senior World Health Organization official said on Tuesday.
In an interview with Reuters, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge urged countries to take action now to avoid overwhelming health systems in the autumn and winter as the Omicron subvariant, BA.5, continues to spread rapidly.
Close to three million new COVID-19 cases were reported in Europe last week, which accounted for nearly half of all new cases globally. Hospitalisation rates have doubled over the same period, and close to 3,000 people die of the disease every week, Kluge said in an accompanying statement.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Register
“There is a rise in cases … amidst a society which is functioning almost as before,” he said, stressing the need for “pandemic stabilisers” such as a second booster dose ahead of the expected variant-specific vaccines in the autumn, as well as the promotion of mask wearing and better ventilation.
WHO European director Hans Kluge gives status on the Danish handling of coronavirus during a press breefing in Eigtveds Pakhus, Copenhagen, Denmark March 27, 2020. Ida Guldbaek Arentsen/ Ritzau Scanpix/via REUTERS/File Photo
Read More
These stabilisers must be implemented to avoid much stricter measures, he said, adding: “I don’t think society is ready for ordered lockdowns.”
When the pandemic began in 2020, governments boosted spending to help cushion the impact of lockdowns on their economies and struggling health systems but piled up large debts and are reluctant to repeat those policies.
“People sometimes ask, is the virus back?,” said Kluge. “It has never gone away. It’s still there. It’s spreading. It is mutating. And unfortunately, it’s still taking a lot of lives.”
After two and a half years of the pandemic and related lockdowns and disruptions, countries are now also having to deal with surging inflation and increased food insecurity caused partly by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but governments still need to invest further in healthcare, Kluge said.
“And if governments won’t do it, well, then society will not be better prepared for the future,” he added.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Register
Reporting by Natalie Grover in London; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Gareth Jones
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Summary: Middle-aged and older adults with depression may be more vulnerable to the effects of dietary inflammation, increasing the risk of frailty and other health disorders.
Source: Hebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research
A new study published in The Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences found a link between depression, diet, and the development of frailty.
Frailty, defined as a recognizable state of increased vulnerability resulting from a decline in function across multiple physiological systems, affects 10-15% older adults and often co-occurs with other health conditions, like depression. Diet is thought to be a major contributor to frailty development.
While previous studies established a link between an inflammatory diet – including artificial trans fats (like partially hydrogenated oil), refined carbohydrates, and saturated fats – and the risk of development frailty, this is one of the first studies to try to understand the impact of depression on dietary inflammation and frailty.
Titled, “Association of pro-inflammatory diet with frailty onset among adults with and without depressive symptoms: results from the Framingham Offspring Study,” the study attempted to determine if individuals with depressive symptoms are more vulnerable to frailty development in response to dietary inflammation.
The study utilized data from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort. The 1,701 non-frail participants reported their diet and depressive symptoms at baseline and were followed for ~11 years when frailty status was reassessed.
The study found an association between inflammatory diet and increased odds of frailty appeared somewhat stronger among those with depressive symptoms.
The researchers hypothesize that since individuals with depressive symptoms typically have higher levels of inflammation, adding dietary inflammation on top of that accelerates the development of frailty.
Courtney L Millar, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral Fellow, Marcus Institute of Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, and Harvard Medical School, is the lead author. “This study found that depressive symptoms may exacerbate the development of frailty in response to consuming an inflammatory diet. This suggests that consuming a diet rich in anti-inflammatory compounds (e.g., fiber and plant-based compounds called flavonoids) may help prevent the development of frailty,” Dr. Millar said.
“Our exploratory data also suggests that when middle-aged and older adults consume a pro-inflammatory diet, they are more likely to newly develop depressive symptoms and frailty at the same time rather than develop either condition alone,” she added.
This research follows two prior studies conducted by Dr. Millar, one published in May in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that showed that consuming a Mediterranean-style diet may prevent the development of frailty, and one published in February in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that showed a pro-inflammatory diet increased the risk of frailty development.
Diet is thought to be a major contributor to frailty development. Image is in the public domain
“This study contributes to the understanding of the relationship between dietary inflammation, depression, and frailty,” Dr. Millar said.
“For those with depression, it may be even more important to increase their intake of fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber, flavonoids as well as other dietary antioxidants.”
The Framingham Heart Study, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the University of South Carolina collaborated on this observational study.
Funding: This study was primarily funded by the National Institute of Aging (NIA) (grant no. T32-AG023480), the Beth and Richard Applebaum Research Fund, as well as the Boston Claude D. Pepper Center OAIC (OAIC; 1P30AG031679).
Other authors included: Alyssa B. Dufour, Ph.D., Assistant Scientist II, Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research; James R. Hebert, D.Sc. Health Sciences Distinguished Professor and Director, South Carolina Statewide Cancer Prevention and Control Program, the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC and Department of Nutrition, Connecting Health Innovations LLC, Columbia, SC; Nitin Shivappa, M.B.B.S., M.P.H., Ph.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC; Olivia I. Okereke, M.D., M.S., Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health; Douglas P. Kiel, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Musculoskeletal Research Center and Senior Scientist, Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research; Marian T. Hannan, D.Sc., M.P.H., Co-Director, Musculoskeletal Research Center and Senior Scientist, Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research; and Shivani Sahni, Ph.D., Director, Nutrition Program and Associate Scientist, Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research.
About this depression and aging research news
Author: Margaret Bonilla Source: Hebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research Contact: Margaret Bonilla – Hebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research Image: The image is in the public domain
Original Research: Closed access. “Association of pro-inflammatory diet with frailty onset among adults with and without depressive symptoms: results from the Framingham Offspring Study” by Courtney L Millar et al. Journal of Gerontology
Abstract
See also
Association of pro-inflammatory diet with frailty onset among adults with and without depressive symptoms: results from the Framingham Offspring Study
Background
Dietary inflammation is associated with increased risk of frailty. Those with depressive symptoms may be at higher risk of frailty onset since they typically have higher levels of inflammation. The study objective was to determine the association between a pro-inflammatory diet and frailty onset in those with and without clinically relevant depressive symptoms.
Methods
This prospective study included 1,701 non-frail individuals with self-reported baseline (1998-2001) data available for the evaluation of energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII TM) (calculated from food frequency questionnaires), depressive symptoms (from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression; CES-D), and follow-up frailty measurements (2011-2014). Frailty was defined as fulfilling ≥3 Fried frailty criteria. Results are presented by baseline CES-D scores <16 or ≥16 points, which denotes the absence or presence of clinically relevant depressive symptoms, respectively. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) between E-DII and frailty onset, adjusting for confounders.
Results
In all study participants, mean (standard deviation; SD) age was 58(8) years and E-DII was -1.95 (2.20; range: -6.71 to +5.40, higher scores denote a more pro-inflammatory diet), and 45% were male. In those without clinically relevant depressive symptoms, one-unit higher E-DII score was associated with 14% increased odds (95% CI :1.05-1.24) of frailty. In those with depressive symptoms, one-unit higher E-DII score was associated with 55% increased odds of frailty (95% CI: 1.13-2.13).
Conclusions
The association between inflammatory diet and increased odds of frailty appeared somewhat stronger among those with depressive symptoms. This preliminary finding warrants further investigation.
Getting enough sleep is important for all kinds of reasons: Our bodies and brains simply function better when we’re well-rested. “Sleep affects almost every tissue in our bodies,” Michael Twery, MD, told the National Institutes of Health (NIH). “It affects growth and stress hormones, our immune system, appetite, breathing, blood pressure, and cardiovascular health.” Neuroscientist Merrill Mitler, MD, adds: “Sleep services all aspects of our body in one way or another: molecular, energy balance, as well as intellectual function, alertness, and mood.”
The amount of rest we need each night, however, varies from person to person. While some might feel fine with just six hours of shut-eye, others need a full eight—or even more—to feel like they’re functioning at their best. A recent study, however, raises a red flag about the link between getting a certain number of hours of sleep per night and the risk of developing dementia down the road. Read on to find out what amount of sleep experts say could put you in the danger zone.
READ THIS NEXT: Doing This at Night May Help You Ward Off Dementia, Study Says.
sasirin pamai / Shutterstock
More than 55 million people around the world are currently living with dementia, and close to 10 million new cases are diagnosed each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Early symptoms may include forgetfulness, losing track of time, and getting lost in places you’ve been many times before, their experts write. As the condition progresses, people with dementia will experience increasing difficulty communicating and caring for themselves, and eventually, they will become unaware of where they are, behave erratically, and have difficulty recognizing loved ones.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb
Dementia may be the result of Alzheimer’s disease—which is the leading cause of the condition—or it may stem from a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other disease. Sometimes the exact reason for dementia is unknown. Whatever the cause, the WHO says, dementia is the seventh-leading cause of death worldwide, and there is currently no cure for it.
READ THIS NEXT: Doing This at Night Makes You 30 Percent More Likely to Develop Dementia.
Africa Studio / Shutterstock
If you’re worried about your cognitive function and want to stay sharp for as many years as possible, getting good rest is one of the best things you can do for your brain. “Loss of sleep impairs your higher levels of reasoning, problem-solving, and attention to detail,” Mitler told NIH. “The fact is, when we look at well-rested people, they’re operating at a different level than people trying to get by on one or two hours less nightly sleep.”
Studies have linked common sleep issues such as snoring and sleep apnea with an increased risk of dementia, so if you struggle with either of those, it’s crucial that you speak with your doctor about how best to address and resolve them.
Chinnapong/iStock
While getting plenty of sleep is important, two relatively recent studies have raised concerns about sleeping too much and what it could mean for your cognitive health.
A Feb. 2020 study published in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia found that sleeping for longer than nine hours each night was linked to decreased memory and difficulty learning—both of which are harbingers of dementia. “Insomnia and prolonged sleep duration appear to be linked to a decline in neurocognitive functioning that can precede the onset of Alzheimer’s disease,” the study’s lead author, Alberto R. Ramos, MSPH, said in a press statement.
An earlier study, published in the Feb. 2017 issue of Neurology, found that older adults who slept more than nine hours a night—but who had only recently begun slumbering for so long—were more than twice as likely to develop dementia a decade later. However, researchers said they weren’t sure if the excess shut-eye was to blame for the dementia diagnosis, or was merely a symptom of cognitive decline already beginning to take hold.
“We’re not suggesting you go wake up Grandpa,” Sudha Seshadri, MD and senior author of the study, said in Neurology. “We think this might be a marker for the risk of dementia, not a cause.”
For more health news sent directly to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
iStock
While the prospect of potentially developing dementia is certainly scary, it’s important to understand that certain lifestyle habits could help keep it at bay. Things like getting regular exercise and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and unsaturated fats can help, according to the NIH’s National Institute on Aging. Managing your blood sugar and maintaining a healthy weight can help too, as can treating hearing problems—if you’ve been told you need hearing aids, wear them—and staying connected with friends and family. And of course, getting plenty sleep—but maybe not too much sleep—will help keep you on your toes, as well.
The continued increase in local coronavirus cases has prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to move San Diego County to its high-risk level for COVID-19.
The CDC tracks community levels of the virus based on geographic regions to determine the impact of COVID-19 in communities, and to allow individual jurisdictions to implement preventive strategies based on the latest local data.
San Diego had been in the medium-risk category since the end of May, but recent spikes in hospitalizations and new cases have led the CDC to increase the risk level for the region.
Actions You Can Take
The high-risk level means COVID-19 is widespread throughout the region and San Diegans should continue taking precautions to slow the spread of the virus. You should:
Wear a mask indoors when in public
Get all the vaccine doses and boosters
Stay home if you are sick and get tested
Avoid crowded places
Take other precautions, such as washing your hands and staying away from people who are visibly sick
The County continues to follow the California Department of Public Health’s SMARTER plan, which recommends vaccination, use of masks, testing and treatment among other things.
“San Diegans should take every precaution necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Cameron Kaiser, M.D., M.P.H., County deputy public health officer. “Most San Diegans have been vaccinated, but with this virus, and with the prevalence and infectivity of the new variants, a booster is highly recommended, especially for people who are immunocompromised or have other comorbidities.”
Got COVID? Get Treatment
If you do get COVID-19, County health officials say treatment is available. Treatment can help prevent high-risk individuals from getting sick enough to need hospital services and even from dying from COVID.
Oral medications, in the form of pills, and monoclonal antibodies, in the form of an intravenous infusion, are available at multiple locations and community pharmacies across San Diego. Antiviral medications require a doctor’s prescription and should be started within five days of developing symptoms of COVID-19. Monoclonal antibodies should be given no more than seven days after the onset of symptoms.
To determine which treatment is best for you, talk to your doctor or health care provider, or call 2-1-1 to find a provider.
Vaccination Progress:
Received at least one shot: Over 3.0 million or 89.7% of San Diegans age six months and older are at least partially vaccinated.
Fully vaccinated: Nearly 2.65 million or 79.2%.
Boosters administered: 1,396,563 or 57.8% of 2,418,004 eligible San Diegans.
More vaccination information can be found at coronavirus-sd.com/vaccine.
Deaths:
13 additional deaths were reported since the last report on July 7. The region’s total is 5,370.
Of the 13 additional deaths, four were women and nine were men. They died between May 23 and July 7, 2022; five deaths occurred in the past two weeks.
Eight of the people who died were 80 years or older, two were in their 70s, two were in their 60s and one was in their 40s.
11 were fully vaccinated and two were not.
All had underlying medical conditions.
Cases, Case Rates and Testing:
5,576 COVID-19 cases were reported to the County in the past three days (July 11 to July 13, 2022). The region’s total is now 857,182.
12,948 cases were reported in the past week (July 7 through July 13) compared to 9,763 infections identified the previous week (June 30 through July 6).
San Diego County’s case rate per 100,000 residents 12 years of age and older is 43.95 for people fully vaccinated and boosted, 27.01 for fully vaccinated people and 87.71 for not fully vaccinated San Diegans.
12,747 tests were reported to the County on July 9, and the percentage of new positive cases was 14.9% (Data through July 9).
The 14-day rolling percentage of positive cases, among tests reported through July 9, is 14.5%.
More Information:
Data updates to the County’s coronavirus-sd.com website will be published Mondays and Thursdays around 5 p.m., with the exception of holidays.
