MOUNI ROY SOPHIE CHOUDRY MANUSHI CHILLAR BHUMI...

BRAMPTON REAL ESTATE MARKETOUTPACES MISSISSAUGA IN JULY

MOUNI ROY BHUMI PEDNEKARMANUSHI CHILLARSOPHIE CHOUDRY

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class - new compactentry into world of premium sedans

DAISY SHAH\

Maths can help reveal how humanbehaviour spreads infectious diseases

GOVINDA AND RAVEENA TANDON DANCE DURING BANGLA DANCE REALITY SHOW, AT JOKA IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF KOLKATA.

The Mercedes-Benz family of compact cars continues to grow: The A-Class Sedan will be launched at the end of 2018, joining the A-ClassHatchback. The dynamic four-door Sedan has a 2,729-millimetrewheelbase and the propor tions of a compact car, with shor t over-hangs at the front and rear. It is at the top of its segment with regard torear headroom. The sedan model also shares familiar A-Class fea-tures, including a modern, efficient engine, a high level of safety thanksto state-of-the-ar t driving assistance systems, and the intuitive andadaptive MBUX - Mercedes-Benz User Experience infotainment sys-tem. The new A-Class Sedan was developed in Sindelfingen, Ger-many and will be built in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The new model willbe presented to the general public for the first time at the Paris MotorShow (October 4-14, 2018). Mercedes-Benz already presented the A-Class L Sedan at this year's Auto China in Beijing in April. That sedanmodel was developed exclusively as a long-wheelbase version forthe Chinese market, and will only be produced in China.The new generation of compacts has made a key contribution to therejuvenation and image change of the Mercedes-Benz brand. In 1997,the A-Class established today's Mercedes-Benz compact car seg-ment; since then, more than six million models have already beendelivered worldwide. As the seventh compact model, the A-ClassSedan fur ther expands Mercedes-Benz's range of products. It was alogical addition, because - with the C, E and S-Class - Mercedes-Benzhas more premium sedan exper tise than most other manufacturers.

OTTAWA - According to the Toronto Real Estate Board's July GTA marketrepor t, the average price for all types of dwellings in Brampton andMississauga were nearly identical - with Brampton actually coming in alittle higher. The average sale price in July for all types of dwellings inMississauga was $706,570, while Brampton posted an average of$707,017. Both markets posted year-over-year gains in average priceand total sales last month. Brampton recorded a 10.3 per cent year-over-year increase in average price from the 12-month market low of $640,946reached in July 2017. Total sales in Brampton increased from 578 in July2017 to 668 last month - a 15.6 per cent jump. July year-over-yeargrowth was much less pronounced in neighbouring Mississauga, whichposted just a one per cent increase compared to the same month lastyear. Month over month, Mississauga actually saw a decline in averageprice between June and July. Year-over-year total sales growth in Canada'ssixth largest city also lagged behind its Peel counterpar t, growing 8.8 percent from 670 sales in July 2017 to 729 last month. "Home sales result insubstantial spinoff benefits to the economy, so the positive results overthe last two months are encouraging," Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB)

president Garry Bhaura wrote in his monthly analysis. "The new provincial gov-ernment and candidates for the upcoming municipal elections need to concentrateon policies focused on enhancing the supply of housing and reducing the upfront taxburden represented by land transfer taxes, province-wide," he added.

TORONTO, (IANS) Researchers have found that mathematicscould help public health workers understand how human behaviourinfluences the spread of infectious diseases like Ebola and Se-vere Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Current models usedto predict the emergence and evolution of pathogens within hostpopulations did not include social behaviour. But adding dynamicsocial interactions to the new model could allow scientists tobetter prevent undesirable outcomes, such as more dangerousmutant strains from evolving and spreading. In the study, pub-lished in the Journal of Theoretical Biology, the team used com-puter simulations to analyse how the mathematical model be-haved under various possible scenarios. They observed that hu-man behaviour often changes dramatically during the outbreak,for instance, they might star t using face masks. Also, fear ofpublic pathogens may end up driving the wrong type of behaviourif the public's information is incorrect.

26 MidWeek MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2018l i f e s t y l e

SUSHMITA SEN CREATES AWARENESS ABOUT COOLSCULPTING IN INDIA.

CHARCOAL MASKS: THE GOOD AND THE BAD;HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

The charcoal face mask is the latest beauty trend to take over socialmedia. Over the past three to four months, YouTube has been floodedby videos of self- proclaimed beauty bloggers and gurus who can beseen applying black goop on their faces and then peeling it off. Ac-cording to these beauty pundits, charcoal face masks are the answerto all your skin problems. However, dermatologists don’t share thisoptimistic view. We got in touch with skin care exper ts Dr Rohit Batraand Dr Geeta Mehra Fazalbhoy, who give us a lowdown on what thereal deal is with these face masks.All about charcoalThe charcoal used in these masks is activated charcoal. Activatedcharcoal has a unique ability to bind toxins, oxidised impurities andblackheads and sucks them out of our face. Once applied on the face,the mask strips away pore-clogging par ticles, removes excess oiland bacteria. The scrub also has an abrasive action, which leaves theskin looking brighter after using the mask.But it comes with a priceThe activated charcoal literally removes everything from your face,which means it strips your skin off all the natural oils present on theouter surface. These natural oils are the one responsible for protect-ing the skin against dust, oil and pollution in the first place.

Exper ts argue that these masks can make your skin vulnerable andexposed. They also warn that while activated charcoal may not beharmful to you but the glue used in some of the DIY charcoal maskscan be harmful. Rather, opt for ready-made masks from credible sup-pliers, which are suggested by the dermatologist.Also, keep in mind that each mask’s application period is different,meaning some masks can be peeled off in five minutes whereasothers can be kept for 30 minutes.

HERE’S WHY YOU NEED TO DOTHESE SIMPLE LEG EXERCISESFOR GOOD HEART HEALTH

Did you know how beneficial are simple leg exercises whilelying down? A sedentary lifestyle can cause an impairmentof transportation of blood in the body which in turn mayincrease the risk of diseases in the heart and blood vessels.Per forming simple leg exercises can make a huge changeand prevent such problems, a new study reveals. Earlierwork has demonstrated that prolonged sitting for up to 6hours results in a decline in both blood flow to the limbs andin our larger arteries’ ability to widen to accommodate in-creased blood flow. This is the first study to show that sittingfor just 10 minutes is sufficient to reduce blood flow to thelegs and impairs the function of small blood vessels supply-ing muscles in the leg.This paper also highlights a reduction in the function of smallblood vessels when lying down. However, this study sug-gests that we might be able to reverse this impairment tosome extent by performing some simple leg exercises whenlying down in bed or on the sofa.The effects of sitting on blood circulation have been attrib-uted to blood passing more slowly through ar teries whilesitting. The researchers aimed to find out whether thesereductions were caused by sustained sitting, or whether 10minutes would be sufficient to have a negative effect.The researchers used a Doppler ultrasound technique along-side the knee to measure blood flow and examined the ex-tent to which blood vessels widened in 18 healthy, youngmales. These measurements were made prior to and fol-lowing a 10 -minute period of sitting or during a period ofrest while lying down, with or without leg exercises, whichwere performed by extending the foot back and for th everytwo seconds for a third of the time spent lying down.Results showed that a 10 minute period of sitting reducedpar ticipants’ ability to rapidly increase blood flow to thelower legs via small blood vessels, but it did not affect thewidening of larger arteries in response to increased bloodflow. The results also suggest leg exercises can help main-tain rapid increases in the blood supply to the limbs.

MidWeek 27MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012

MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2018 l i f e s t y l e

DIVYENDU SHARMA, SHRADDHA KAPOOR, AND SHAHID KAPOOR AT TRAILER LAUNCH OF MOVIE, BATTI GUL METER CHALU IN MUMBAI.

HIGH BAD CHOLESTEROL INCREASES RISKOF DEATH EVEN FOR HEALTHY PEOPLE

TOBACCO PRODUCTS TO HAVENEW PICTORIAL WARNINGS

FROM SEPTEMBER 1

People who are young and healthymay still be vulnerable to the riskof premature death from cardiovas-cular disease if they have higherlevels of bad cholesterol, accord-ing to a new research.Bad cholesterol, or LDL, contrib-utes to clogged ar teries which in-creases the risk of hear t attack andstroke. The findings showed thatcompared with par ticipants whohad LDL readings of under 100 mg/dL, those with LDL levels in therange of 100-159 mg/dL had a 30 -40% higher risk of cardiovasculardisease death.Those with LDL levels of 160 mg/dL or higher had a 70 - 90 % in-creased risk of cardiovasculardeath, compared with participantswho had LDL readings of under 100mg/dL. “Our study demonstrates

that having a low 10-year estimatedcardiovascular disease risk doesnot eliminate the risk posed by el-evated LDL over the course of a

lifetime,” said lead author ShuaibAbdullah, from the University ofTexas in the US.“High cholesterol at younger ages

means there will be a greater bur-den of cardiovascular disease asthese individuals age,” added Rob-er t Eckel, from the University ofColorado in the US.The study, published in the journalCirculation, included 36,375 young,relatively healthy par ticipants whowere free of diabetes or cardiovas-cular disease and were followedfor 27 years.

Tobacco products will feature a fresh set of 85% pictorialhealth warnings from September 1.The Union health ministry on Monday notified a new set ofhealth warnings for all tobacco products with validity ex-tending up to the next two years. All tobacco products manu-factured, imported or packaged on or af ter the said date willhave to display these images.The government had made an amendment to the Cigarettesand other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labeling) Rules-2008 in April. There are two sets of specified health warn-ings— the first set with validity of one year, and a second setthat would be implemented after the expiry of the former’svalidity on September 1, 2019. The second set of health warn-ings will be valid till September 1, 2020.“Any person engaged directly or indirectly in the production,supply, import or distribution of cigarettes or any tobaccoproducts shall ensure that all tobacco product packages havethe specified health warnings exactly as prescribed,” thehealth ministry directive read.Tobacco is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases(CVDs), which are responsible for 26% of deaths in India.About 275 million of India’s adult population use tobacco insome form or another. Tobacco-attributable diseases anddeath are preventable, and 20% of premature mor tality re-lated to CVDs occurs due to tobacco use.“Violation of the provisions is a punishable offence with im-prisonment or fine as prescribed in Section 20 of the Ciga-rettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertise-ment and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production,Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003,” it fur ther read.

ANTIDEPRESSANTS CAN HELPDELAY AGEING OF BRAINCELLS, SAYS THIS STUDY

Administering commonly used antidepressant fluoxetine tomice helped restore youthful flexibility to their ageing braincells, showed a study. The study provides fresh evidencethat the decline in the capacity of brain cells to change, called“plasticity,” rather than a decline in total cell numbers mayunderlie some of the sensory and cognitive declines associ-ated with normal brain ageing.Scientists at the MIT revealed that in mice treated withfluoxetine, also known as Prozac, the inhibitory interneuronsin the visual cor tex remained just as abundant during age-ing, but their arbors become simplified and they becomemuch less structurally dynamic and flexible.They could also restore a significant degree of lost plasticityto the cells. “Here we show that fluoxetine can also amelio-rate the age-related decline in structural and functional plas-ticity of visual cor tex neurons,” said the scientists includinglead author Ronen Eavri from MIT.“Our finding that fluoxetine treatment in ageing mice canattenuate the concurrent age-related declines in interneuronstructural and visual cor tex functional plasticity suggests itcould provide an impor tant therapeutic approach towardsmitigation of sensory and cognitive deficits associated withageing, provided it is initiated before severe network dete-rioration,” they added.A previous study had shown that fluoxetine promotes inter-neuron branch remodelling in young mice, so the team de-cided to see whether it could do so for older mice and re-store plasticity as well. In the new study, appearing in theJournal of Neuroscience, they put the drug in the drinkingwater of mice at various ages for various amounts of time.Three-month-old mice treated for three months showed littlechange in dendrite growth compared to untreated controls,but 25 per cent of the cells in six-month-old mice treated forthree months showed significant new growth (at the age of 9months). But among 3-month-old mice treated for six months,67 per cent of cells showed new growth by the age of 9months, showing that treatment star ting early and lasting forsix months had the strongest effect.

BENEFITS OF EGGWHITES AND WHY

YOU NEED TO STARTHAVING THISSUPERFOOD

Egg whites (eggs without yolks)are a popular option amongstyoungsters who are looking togain muscle and are working outregularly. Known as a super food,they are known to have varioushealth benefits. The yolks areavoided, since they contain fatand their caloric content and alsolead to a rise in cholesterol lev-els.Given below are four of the mainbenefits of egg whites, which iswhy you should have them on aregular basis.1. Improving brain functionEgg whites contain choline, whichis a macro nutrient that helps inthe proper signalling of nervesand aids in the functioning of thenervous system.A study which had been con-ducted at the Washington Univer-sity found that if babies have oneegg every day for a total of sixmonths, their brain function wouldimprove. Of course, in their casethey would also have to have theyolk.2. Muscle growthEgg whites are rich in protein andhence excel lent for musclegrowth. Having them on a regularbasis can help in strengtheningmuscles, warding off fat igueboosting immunity levels.3. ObesitySince they are high in their nutri-tion value, egg whites help fightobesity. It is a good option forobese people and as it is low infat content and the calories makeyou feel fuller for a longer time.



ALIA BHATT AT THE LAUNCH OF CAPRESE BAGS COLLECTION IN MUMBAI.

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TEL: 905-956-2174TICO No. 50023652

People suffering from Type 1 diabetes,there’s a reason you feel depressed often

Inflammatory protein is associated with depression in diabetes, ac-cording to a study. The research, conducted by at Lund University inSweden, suggests that galectin-3 levels may be useful for diagnosisof depression or may be a new target for treating depression associ-ated with type-1 diabetes, which could lead to better patient care.It is well established that people with both type-1 and type-2 diabeteshave an increased risk of developing depression, a debilitating men-tal health disorder with potentially serious consequences, but thecauses remain poorly understood.Galectin-3 is a key protein involved in promoting inflammatory im-mune system responses that are needed to repair tissue damagethroughout the body, in response to injury or disease. However, el-evated levels of galectin-3 have also been linked to an increased riskof inflammatory disorders including Alzheimer’s disease and cardio-vascular disease. Previous research has suggested that both depres-

sion and diabetes may be associated with increased levels of inflam-mation in the body but the role of galectin-3 has not been investigatedin either condition.In this study, Dr Eva Olga Melin and colleagues measured the galectin-3 levels of 283 men and women, aged 18-59, with type-1 diabetes, forat least one year. Incidence of depression in these patients was self -repor ted and assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and DepressionScale-Depression subscale and possible confounding influences oflifestyle factors including hear t disease, smoking or poorly manageddiabetes were accounted for in the analysis. The researchers foundthat both men and women with type-1 diabetes and depression alsohad significantly higher galectin-3 levels.Dr Melin commented, “We found that people with type-1 diabetes anddepression had higher galectin-3 levels, yet no other diabetes-relatedmetabolic changes could account for these elevated levels.”

Your eyes can give an early warningsign of Parkinson’s diseaseThe thinning of retina — the lining of nerve cells in the back of the eye— could be linked to Parkinson’s disease, a finding that can boostdiagnoses to detect the disease in its earliest stages, researchershave found. According to the study, the thinning of the retina is linkedto the loss of brain cells that produce dopamine, a substance thathelps control movement — a hallmark of the Parkinson’s diseasethat impairs motor ability.“Our study is the first to show a link between the thinning of the retinaand a known sign of the progression of the disease — the loss ofbrain cells that produce dopamine,” said Jee-Young Lee, from theSeoul National University in South Korea. “We also found the thinnerthe retina, the greater the severity of disease. These discoveries maymean that neurologists may eventually be able to use a simple eyescan to detect Parkinson’s disease in its earliest stages, before prob-lems with movement begin,” Lee added.

Stress during pregnancyincreases risk of depressionin female offspring

High maternal levels of the stress hormone cor tisol duringpregnancy can increase feelings of anxiousness and depres-sion in female offsprings at the tender age of 2, a new studyreveals. The findings emphasise the significance of prenatalconditions for susceptibility of later mental health problems inoffsprings. The effect of high maternal cor tisol hormone onthe negative offspring behaviour appeared to result from pat-terns of stronger communication between brain regions im-portant for sensory and emotional processing. However, maleoffsprings of mothers with high cor tisol during pregnancy didnot demonstrate the stronger brain connectivity or a connec-tion between maternal cortisol and mood symptoms.“This study measured maternal cor tisol during pregnancy ina more comprehensive manner than prior research,” saidstudy author, Alice Graham.To estimate the overall cor tisol level during pregnancy, seniorauthor Claudia Buss and colleagues, measured cortisol lev-els over multiple days in early, mid and late pregnancy. Mea-surements taken from the 70 mothers reflected typical varia-tion in maternal cor tisol levels.The researchers then used brain imaging to examine connec-tivity in the newborns soon after their bir th, before the externalenvironment had begun shaping brain development and mea-sured infant anxious and depressive behaviours at the age of2. “Higher maternal cortisol during pregnancy was linked toalterations in the newborns’ functional brain connectivity, af-fecting how different brain regions can communicate with eachother,” added Dr Buss.The altered connectivity involved a brain region impor tant foremotion processing, the amygdala. This pattern of brain con-nectivity predicted anxious and depressive-like symptomstwo years later. The study shows that maternal stress may alterbrain connectivity in the developing foetus, which would mean thatvulnerability for developing a mood disorder is programmed frombirth. This could be an early stage at which the risk for commonmental disorders begins to differ in males and females. Thefindings appeared in the journal of Biological Psychiatry.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY


AISHA SHARMA WITH SISTER NEHA AT SPECIAL SCREENING OF SATYAMEVA JAYATE IN MUMBAI.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE BRAIN MARKERS OFALZHEIMER’S MAY NEVER DEVELOP DEMENTIA

DON’T SKIP THE CARBS,PALEO DIETS ARE NOT ASHEALTHY AS YOU THINK

A new study has uncovered whysome people that have brainmarkers of Alzheimer’s neverdevelop classic dementia thatothers do. Alzheimer’s disease isthe most common form of de-mentia. People suffering fromAlzheimer’s develop a buildup oftwo proteins that impair commu-nications between nerve cells inthe brain - plaques made of amy-loid beta proteins and neurofibril-lary tangles made of tau proteins.Intriguingly, not all people withthose signs of Alzheimer’s showany cognitive decline during theirlifetime. The question became,what sets these people apar t fromthose with the same plaques andtangles that develop the signaturedementia?In order to answer this question,the researchers at The Universityof Texas used high-throughputelectrophoresis and mass spec-trometry to analyse the protein

composition of synapses isolatedfrom frozen brain tissue donatedby people who had par ticipatedin brain ageing studies and re-ceived annual neurological andneuropsychological evaluationsduring their lifetime. The par tici-pants were divided into three

groups - those with Alzheimer’sdementia, those with Alzheimer’sbrain features but no signs of demen-tia and those without any evidence ofAlzheimer’s.The results showed that resilient indi-viduals had a unique synaptic pro-tein signature that set them apar t

from both demented AD patientsand normal subjects with no ADpathology. This unique protein make-up may underscore the synaptic resis-tance to amyloid beta and tau, thus en-abling these fortunate people to remaincognitively intact despite havingAlzheimer’s-like pathologies.

PATIENTS EXPERIENCE EMOTIONAL RESPONSETO DIAGNOSIS AND ‘FEEL DIRTY’

Turns out, the consequences of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)reach well beyond patients’ physical health, souring social relation-ships, and leading some healthcare providers (HCP) to distance them-selves from affected patients.HAIs are infections that patients get while receiving treatment formedical or surgical conditions, and many HAIs are preventable.Researchers at Glasgow Caledonian University conducted a meta-synthesis of qualitative research, looking at 17 studies from five dif-ferent countries and addressing five common types of HAIs, focusingon patient experiences of both colonization and infection from bacte-ria that commonly cause HAIs.According to the analysis, many patients experienced an emotionalresponse to their diagnosis and described ‘feeling dir ty,’ ‘having theplague,’ or ‘feeling like a leper.’ While emotional responses variedbased on the type of HAI, patients with nearly all colonization or infec-tion types repor ted a fear of transmitting their infection to others. Thisfear affected patients’ personal and workplace relationships. Somepatients, par ticularly those colonized by MRSA, also expressed con-cern about working in cer tain professions because of their conditionand a fear of rejection by coworkers.Patients who were able to speak to infection preventionists repor tedreceiving constructive information and feeling reassured about theircondition, whereas patients who did not, repor ted feeling dismissedby staff members. “Having an HAI is a significant event in the patient’scare journey and subsequent life that is influenced by biology, soci-

ety, and context. Understanding the patient experience can help HCPto interact and respond in a constructive way, providing more effec-tive suppor t during this challenging time in a patient’s healthcareexperience,” explained Kay Cur rie, the lead author of the study. Thisqualitative review provides valuable insights into the patient perspec-tive and how healthcare professionals can more effectively interactwith their patients to enhance recovery in all areas of their lives. Thefindings appeared in the Ameri-can Journal of Infection Control.

Middle-aged people who get roughly half their daily calo-ries from carbohydrates live several years longer on aver-age than those with meat-heavy low-carb diets, research-ers reported Friday.The findings, published in The Lancet medical journal, chal-lenge a trend in Europe and Nor th America toward so-calledPaleo diets that shun carbohydrates in favour of animalprotein and fat.Proponents of these ‘Stone Age’ diets argue that the rapidshift 10,000 years ago - with the advent of agriculture - tograins, dairy and legumes has not allowed the human bodyenough time to adapt to these high-carb foods.For the study, receiving less than 40% of total energy intakefrom carbohydrates qualified as a low-carb regimen, thoughmany such diets reduce the share to 20% or less. At theother extreme, a 70% or higher share of carbohydrates -such as pasta, rice, cakes, sugary drinks - can also reducelongevity, but by far less, the scientists found.“Low-carb diets that replace carbohydrates with protein orfat are gaining widespread popularity as a health and weightloss strategy,” said lead author Sara Seidelmann, a re-searcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.“However, our data suggests that animal-based low carbo-hydrate diets might be associated with shor ter overalllifespan and should be discouraged.”Replacing meat with plant-based fats (such as avocadosand nuts) and proteins (such as soy products and lentils)reduces the risk of mortality, Seidelmann and her teamfound.The optimal balance of food groups for longevity remainshotly debated. Many studies have concluded that eatingcarbohydrates in moderation - 45 to 55 % of total calorieintake - is best, but others repor t improved shor t-term,cardio-metabolic health with high-protein, high-fat diets.Measures of metabolic health include blood pressure, goodand bad cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.Plant vs animal protein“Low carbohydrate dietary patterns favouring animal-de-rived protein and fat sources, from sources such as lamb,beef, pork, and chicken, were associated with higher mor-tality,” the study said.“Those that favoured plant-derived protein and fat intake,from sources such as vegetables, nuts, peanut butter, andwhole-grain breads, were associated with lower mor tal-ity,” it said, adding that this suggested “the source of foodnotably modifies the association between carbohydrate in-take and mor tality.”Seidelmann and colleagues poured over the medical histo-ries of nearly 15,500 men and women who were 45-64 whenthey enrolled - between 1987 and 1989 - in a health surveyspread across four locations in the United States.Par ticipants filled out detailed questionnaires about theirdietary habits - what foods, how much, how often, etc.Over a 25-year follow up period, more than 6,000 of themen and women died. People who got 50-55 % of theircalories from carbohydrates outlived those with very low-carb diets, on average, by four years, and those with high-carb diets by one year.A review of medical records for an additional 432,000 peoplefrom earlier studies confirmed the results, which are alsoin line with World Health Organization (WHO) recommen-dations.“There is nothing to be gained from long-term adherence tolow-carbohydrate diets rich in fats and proteins from ani-mal origins,” said Ian Johnson, a nutrition researcher atQuadram Institute Bioscience in Norwich, England, com-menting on the research, in which he did not take par t.

ADDING CABBAGE AND BROCCOLI TO YOURDIET MAY HELP PREVENT COLON CANCER

Chemicals produced by vegetables such as kale, cabbage and broccoli could help to maintain ahealthy gut and prevent colon cancer, a study has found. The research, published in the journalImmunity, shows that mice fed on a diet rich in indole-3-carbinol - which is produced when wedigest vegetables from the Brassica genus - were protected from gut inflammation and coloncancer. While the health benefits of vegetables are well-established, many of the mechanismsbehind them remain unknown. This study offers the first concrete evidence of how I3C in the dietcan prevent colon inflammation and cancer, by activating a protein called the aryl hydrocarbonreceptor (AhR). AhR acts as an environmental sensor, passing signals to immune cells andepithelial cells in the gut lining to protect us from inflammatory responses to the trillions ofbacteria that live in the gut. “We studied genetically modified mice that cannot produce or activateAhR in their guts, and found that they readily developed gut inflammation which progressed tocolon cancer,” said Amina Metidji from the Francis Crick Institute. “However, when we fed thema diet enriched with I3C, they did not develop inflammation or cancer. Interestingly, when micewhose cancer was already developing were switched to the I3C-enriched diet, they ended up withsignificantly fewer tumours which were a lso more benign,” said Metidji. By studying both mice and mousegut organoids - ‘mini guts’ made from stem cells - the researchers found that AhR is vital for repairing damagedepithelial cells. Without AhR, intestinal stem cells fail to differentiate into specialised epithelial cells that absorbnutrients or generate protective mucus. Instead, they divide uncontrollably which can ultimately lead to coloncancer. “Seeing the profound effect of diet on gut inflammation and colon cancer was very strik-ing,” said Gitta Stockinger, Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute in the UK. “We often thinkof colon cancer as a disease promoted by a Western diet rich in fat and poor in vegetable content,and our results suggest a mechanism behind this observation,” said Stockinger.



MATH HAS ANSWERS TO HOW HUMANBEHAVIOUR SPREADS INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Turns out, mathematics can helppublic health workers understandand influence human behavioursthat lead to the spread of infectiousdiseases. According to a study fromthe University of Waterloo, currentmodels used to predict the emer-gence and evolution of pathogenswithin populations do not includesocial behaviour.Co-author Chris Bauch said, “Wetend to treat disease systems inisolation from social systems, andwe don’t often think about how theyconnect to each other or influenceeach other. This gives us a betterappreciation of how social reac-tions to infectious diseases caninfluence which strains becomeprominent in the population.”This new addition to disease mod-elling could allow scientists to bet-ter prevent undesirable outcomes,such as more dangerous mutantstrains from evolving and spread-ing. By adding dynamic social in-teractions to the models alreadyused for disease outbreaks andevolution, researchers could bet-ter anticipate how a pathogenstrain may emerge based on how

using them prematurely. Also, pub-lic fear of the pathogens may endup driving the wrong type ofbehaviour if the public’s informa-tion is incorrect.Bauch and his co-author JoePharaon formulated the new math-ematical model to study the influ-ence of social behavior on the com-petition between pathogen strains

humans attempt to control thespread of the disease.The social modelling could impactpublic health responses to emerg-ing infectious diseases like Ebolaand Severe Acute Respiratory Syn-drome (SARS). Human behaviourduring these outbreaks oftenchanges dramatically. People maystar t using face masks, or stop

with different virulence.Using computer simulations, theyanalysed how the model behavedunder various possible scenariosthat might occur to populations toexplore the logic of the hypothesisthat social behaviour plays a rolein the evolution of the strain. Thefull findings are present in the Jour-nal of Theoretical Biology.

THIS NEW HIV THERAPYCOULD BOOST IMMUNITY

LEVELS IN PATIENTSTurns out, a new HIV drug can reduce the viral replication andincrease immune cells in individuals with advanced, drug-re-sistant HIV infection. Used in combination with existing HIVmedications, the drug is a promising strategy for patients whohave run out of effective treatment options, the researchers atYale University said.For some individuals with HIV, existing drug therapies fail tosuppress the virus, leading to drug resistance and worseningdisease. While several HIV drugs target the virus effectively,there has not been a new class of HIV drugs approved to combatthe disease in a decade. During the study, patients received adose of ibalizumab, which is delivered intravenously, in additionto their failing regimen, for one week. After that period, theyreceived ibalizumab in combination with optimized treatmentregimens for six months. The research team found that after oneweek on ibalizumab, the majority of the 40 patients (83%) en-rolled in the study experienced a decrease in viral load, whichrefers to the amount of HIV detected in the blood. After 25 weeks,nearly half of patients saw viral load suppression dip below thelevel of detection. The researchers also repor ted an increase inCD4 T cells, which are a marker for immune strength. A singleindividual experienced an adverse event, which was felt to beibalizumab-related and resulted in withdrawal from the study,the researchers said. As the first monoclonal antibody approved totreat HIV, ibalizumab is a promising option for individuals who have triedseveral other drug therapies. Because of its novel mechanism,ibalizumab will not interact negatively with other medications. Itis also delivered intravenously every two weeks and lasts longerthan current HIV drugs, which are taken daily by mouth.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY


ACTRESS SUSHMA SETH AT THE OPENING OF CINTAA BRANCH OFFICE IN NEW DELHI.

SMOKERS BETTER OFF QUITTING, EVENWITH THE RISK OF WEIGHT GAIN

If you quit smoking and gain weight, it may seem like you’re tradingone set of health problems for another. But a new U.S. study findsyou’re still better off in the long run.Compared with smokers, even the quitters who gained the most weighthad at least a 50% lower risk of dying prematurely from hear t diseaseand other causes, the Harvard-led study found.The study is impressive in its size and scope and should put to restany myth that there are prohibitive weight-related health consequencesto quitting cigarettes, said Dr. William Dietz, a public health exper t atGeorge Washington University.“The paper makes pretty clear that your health improves, even if yougain weight,” said Dietz, who was not involved in the research. “Idon’t think we knew that with the assurance that this paper provides.”The New England Journal of Medicine published the study Wednes-day. The journal also published a Swedish study that found quittingsmoking seems to be the best thing diabetics can do to cut their riskof dying prematurely.The nicotine in cigarettes can suppress appetite and boost metabo-lism. Many smokers who quit and don’t step up their exercise findthey eat more and gain weight — typically less than 10 pounds (4.5kilograms), but in some cases three times that much.A lot of weight gain is a cause of the most common form of diabetes,a disease in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Diabe-

tes can lead to problems including blindness, nerve damage, hear tand kidney disease and poor blood flow to the legs and feet.In the U.S. study, researchers tracked more than 170,000 men andwomen over roughly 20 years, looking at what they said in healthquestionnaires given every two years.The people enrolled in the studies were all health professionals, anddid not mirror current smokers in the general population, who aredispropor tionately low-income, less-educated and more likely tosmoke heavily.The researchers checked which study par ticipants quit smoking andfollowed whether they gained weight and developed diabetes, hear tdisease or other conditions. Quitters saw their risk of diabetes in-crease by 22% in the six years after they kicked the habit. An editorialin the journal characterized it as ‘a mild elevation’ in the diabetesrisk.Studies previously showed that people who quit have an elevatedrisk of developing diabetes, said Dr. Qi Sun, one the study’s authors.He is a researcher at the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’sHospital.But that risk doesn’t endure, and it never leads to a higher prematuredeath rate than what smokers face, he said.“Regardless of the amount of weight gain, quitters always have alower risk of dying” prematurely, Sun said.

GENOMES SEQUENCING ATBIRTH, LOW COST MAKES ITA TEMPTING PROPOSITION

As the cost of genome sequencing decreases, research-ers and clinicians are debating whether all newbornsshould be sequenced at bir th, facilitating a lifetime ofpersonalised medical care. Researchers at The HastingsCenter stated that health professionals should recommendparents to use direct-to-consumer genetic sequencing todiagnose or screen their newborns.“Genomics is a power ful tool, but the results it returns arestill not fully understood and have not been proven to ad-vance health outside of very specific clinical situations.The recommendations embrace the use of genomics toaid in the diagnosis of sick newborns, but they draw asharp distinction between that kind of focused clinical useand population screening,” explained researcher JosephineJohnston.Targeted or genomic sequencing can be used by clini-cians to assist in the diagnosis of asymptomatic newborn.Sequencing these newborns may end the search for a di-agnosis, informing medical management. Genome-widesequencing should not be implemented as a universal,public health screening tool for newborns. Sequencing theentire genome may result in the return of genetic data ofunknown or uncer tain significance and may not yield ac-tionable results.Results can generate unnecessary distress and requirehealth resources for unneeded monitoring. And the cost ofuniversal genome-wide sequencing would stretch the op-erating expenses of state-funded newborn screening pro-grams, undermining the effectiveness of their operations.



EKTA KAPOOR, SUPRIYA PILGAONKAR, ANNU KAPOOR, AMOL PARASHAR AND PARIKSHIT SAHNI AT LAUNCH OF WEB SERIES,HOME, IN MUMBAI.

REDUCE STRESS AT WORK BY INCLUDING SOMEPHYSICAL ACTIVITY WHEN IN OFFICE

Turns out, greater physical activity at the office can help reduce psychological stress during af terwork hours, a new study reveals. Workers in open office seating had less daytime stress andgreater daytime activity levels compared to workers in private offices and cubicles, according tonew research led by the University of Arizona. This is the first known study to investigate the

effects of office worksta-tion type on these objec-tive measures.The study evaluated 231people who work in fed-eral office buildings andwore stress and activity sen-sors around the clock forthree workdays and twonights. The intent was toevaluate the workers’ activ-ity and stress levels both in-side and outside of the office

environments. The study showed that workers in open bench seating arrangements were 32% more physicallyactive at office than those in private offices and 20% more active than those in cubicles. Significantly, workers whowere more physically active at office had 14% less physiological stress after working hours as compared to thosewith less physical activity at work. “This research highlights how office design, driven by office workstation type,could be an impor tant health-promoting factor,” said senior study author Sternberg. Office workers are at aparticularly high risk for low levels of physical activity and the associated poor health outcomes. According to a2015 report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, workplace-related illnesses cost theU.S. economy more than 225 billion USD a year.

HEART HEALTH CAN BEMONITORED BY WEARABLESOFT ELECTRONIC MESHScientists have developed a soft mesh that can record sig-nals from the hear t and muscles, paving the way for a newgeneration of flexible wearable health monitoring devices.The implantable device provides information on muscle andcardiac dysfunctions, and thus could be implemented forpain relief, rehabilitation and prosthetic motor control. It isthe first soft implant that can record the cardiac activity inmultiple points of a swine hear t, according to a study pub-lished in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.Researchers from the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) inSouth Korea used the device on human skin to record theelectrical activity of hear t and muscles, that is electrocar-diogram (ECG) and electromyogram (EMG) respectively.Its softness, elasticity and stretchability, allows the deviceto follow the contours of flexible joints, such as the wrist.Worn on a forearm, it simultaneously monitored EMG sig-nals, and delivered electrical and/or thermal stimulationsthat could be employed in therapeutic applications. The re-search team has also produced a customised large meshthat fits the lower par t of a swine hear t.Wrapped around the hear t, the implant can read signals fromthe entire organ to identify possible lesions and help recov-ery. For example, it was able to register the change of ECGsignal caused by an acute hear t attack.The mesh is stable during repetitive hear t movements anddoes not inter fere with the hear t’s pumping activity.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY


Early speech development, talking with childrencan strengthen their language skills

ANIL SHARMA, UTKARSH SHARMA AND ISHITA CHAUHAN PROMOTING THEIR FILM, GENIUS IN MUMBAI.

VAPING IS MORE HARMFUL THANYOU THINK, DAMAGES VITAL

IMMUNE SYSTEM CELLS

Talking with children from an early age can help them develop brainregions critical for language and promote their ability to quickly learnnew words, a study has found. The study, published in the journalJNeurosci, showed that young children who are regularly engaged inconversation by adults had improved language skills regardless oftheir socioeconomic status.Researchers including those from Harvard University and Massa-chusetts Institute of Technology in the US conducted a study on 40four- to six-year-old children and their parents of diverse socioeco-nomic backgrounds. They measured conversational turn-taking overa weekend using in-home audio recording devices.

The study found that greater conversational turn-taking was related tostronger connections between Wernicke’s area and Broca’s area -brain regions critical for the comprehension and production of speech.Although decades of research have established a relationship be-tween socioeconomic status and children’s brain development, thespecifics of this connection are not known. The so-called “word gap” - theinfluential finding from the early 1990s that school-age children who grew up inlower-SES households have heard 30 million fewer words than their more affluentclassmates - and other evidence demonstrating an influence of earlylanguage exposure on later language ability suggests a potential in-fluence of language experience on brain structure.

Vaping can damage vital immune system cells and may bemore harmful than previously thought, a study suggests.Researchers found that e-cigarette vapour disabled impor-tant immune cells in the lung and boosted inflammation, theBBC repor ted. A small experimental study, led by ProfessorDavid Thickett, at the University of Birmingham, showedthat in only over 48 hours the vapour from e-cigarette causedinflammation and impaired activity of alveolar macroph-ages - cells that remove potentially damaging dust par-ticles, bacteria and allergens.For the study, the researchers devised a mechanical proce-dure to mimic vaping in the laboratory, using lung tissuesamples provided by eight non-smokers.The research which is still in its infancy was publishedonline in the journal Thorax.Thickett said, “In terms of cancer causing molecules incigarette smoke, as opposed to cigarette vapour, there arecertainly reduced numbers of carcinogens. They are saferin terms of cancer risk - but if you vape for 20 or 30 yearsand this can cause COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonarydisease), then that’s something we need to know about.”Thickett said some of the effects were similar to those seenin regular smokers and people with chronic lung disease.He, however, caution the results are only in laboratory con-ditions and advise further research is needed to better un-derstand the long-term health impact.This is a “caution against the widely held opinion” that vapingcan be used to aid in giving up cigarettes, the researchersaid. Previous studies have focused on the chemical com-position of e-cigarette liquid before it is vaped.



RISHI KAPOOR AND ANUBHAV SINHA AT THE SUCCESS PARTY OF MOVIE MULK IN MUMBAI.

ALIA BHATT, JANHVI KAPOOR WORE THEEXACT SAME BOLD, QUIRKY MAXI DRESS

Alia Bhatt’s dress at Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra’s engagementon Saturday night had an almost out-of-this-world vibe. Proving a bitof out-there madness can be wearable, Alia showed off her love forquirky, bold prints in this ar ty, star and moon print Cinq à Sept gown(Rs 47,000):Alia’s layered navy dress featured an embroidered ruffle skirt withsheer details, spaghetti straps, a plunging v-neck and a v-back and fitthe celestial theme, which happens to be a current fashion trend:Once in a while, there comes a motif that catches on like wildfire inthe fashion world, and right now the star-print can be seen every-where.Ruffles are another major hit this year and an easy way to make moreof a statement. Alia’s dress proved exactly how they can add a ro-mantic touch to any outfit. Alia left the lovely silk dress to steal the

spotlight by coordinating it with strappy nude heels, a Stella McCar tneyclutch bag, minimal make-up and a soft-waves hairdo.If you’re all about pushing the fashion envelope, and simply can’t waitto recreate Alia’s look, we did a little digging and found that Dhadakstar Janhvi Kapoor has worn the exact same Cinq à Sept dress. Aheadget a glimpse of Janhvi’s whimsical look from her first ever magazinephoto shoot in Vogue India’s June issue.But Janhvi went another route: Unlike Alia, she styled the dress witha contrasting white vest from Dsquared2, no accessories necessary.A totally unique look, only Janhvi could pull off. Are we really sur-prised? Janhvi is constantly wearing stylish new pieces we can’twait to get our hands on. If you haven’t seen her 23 best Dhadak filmpromotion outfits (sunny maxi dresses to cute ruffle minis), now isthe time.

ALIA BHATT IS NOT THE ONLY STAR WHO LOVES A WHIMSICAL STAR-PRINT DRESS. JANHVI KAPOOR WORE THE SAME CINQ À SEPTDRESS FOR HER FIRST EVER MAGAZINE PHOTO SHOOT. (INSTAGRAM)

Sushmita Sen, Neha Dhupia,Kajol’s per fect black dresses

This week’s best-dressed celebrities, including actorsNeha Dhupia, Sonakshi Sinha, Sushmita Sen and KarismaKapoor prove a black dress is perfect for every event onthe calendar. It seems these celebs know the struggle ofsearching for the per fect going-out outfit all too well,which is why they picked one of our favourite stylestaples: All-black, which makes a chic-yet-effor tlessoutfit choice every single time.Hunting down the very best black outfit you can find islike discovering your very own holy grail. It can saveyou from numerous sar torial disasters, it goes with ev-erything and it always flatters. Priyanka Chopra, Kajol,Rani Mukerji and Konkona Sensharma are proof. Con-fused about the dress code of the par ty? Wear a littleblack dress à la Karisma Kapoor. Attending a par ty as aplus-one? Your black gown is there for you, just ask NehaDhupia.What we’re saying is that no wardrobe is complete with-out a go-to black look, which is why we’ve compiled alist of eight best black celebrity looks you can get in-spired from when you want to make a statement, forspecial occasions and for when you just have nothingelse to wear. So hurr y up and make an investment beforeall of the par ties and get-togethers you’ve got are com-ing up — because whether it’s long-sleeve, mini, maxior ethnic Indian, an all-black look will always be chic.

Priyanka Chopra, Neha Dhupiajust joined a long list ofcelebrities in yellow dresses

Priyanka Chopra and Neha Dhupia on Wednesday showedus just how impactful a yellow outfit, one of the biggesttrend for 2018, can be. If you haven’t noticed a surge inthe sunny colour all over, chances are that you’re prob-ably not been paying any attention to fashion right now.Yellow seems to have suddenly sprung up everywherewe look, saturating our Instagram feeds. Kareena KapoorKhan and Alia Bhatt are just a few celebrities who’vemade the colour is “a thing”.We’ve been screenshotting our favourite yellow celeb-rity outfits for fashion inspiration, and after seeingPriyanka Chopra’s sassy marigold look, from fashiondesigner Manish Malhotra’s star-studded bash, we’regoing to make a bold claim: A head-to-toe yellow outfitcould well be as classic as all-black.Priyanka’s bright and bold separates were from ThreeGraces London. Her linen crop top (Rs 9,132) featured aplunging neckline and a flattering wrap silhouette andwas paired with matching pants (Rs 13,136) with a loose,billowy fit that taper at the ankles. Dark burgundy lips,dainty gold-toned necklaces, a cuff, a handful of rings, anude Chanel sling bag and a pair of matching sandalsfinished of Priyanka’s par ty look.We’ll admit that yellow can be tricky to pull off, but it onlytook a glance at photos of another one of our favouritestyle stars, Neha Dhupia, for us to discover one moreseriously chic way to pull off the challenging hue. Nehaexperimented with the yellow trend by wearing the brighthue as an accent to an otherwise subtle ivory look.Neha’s unexpected two-tone Payal Khandwala maxi dressmakes a statement and shows that if you want to add asmall pop of colour, try working it in with smaller accentdetails. She completed her look with some Jimmy Chooheels, glossy straight hair and lent her trademark nudemake-up a punk-ish edge with coats of volumising mas-cara. Neha’s look is per fect for work, a night out, andeverything in between.

Here’s why you need humour compatibility in your relationshipsWhat’s life without a few laughs? Relationships would be a snoozefestif it weren’t for at least one partner’s good sense of humour. While it’salright to occasionally not find your par tner’s jokes and one-linersamusing, not being able to stand their sense of humour at all canmake it hard to sustain the relationship. It can become a trickylandmine of never-ending fights. Here are a few situations:1) He likes to be sarcastic while her puns are intended. If both thepar tners have a different sense of humour then they might havedifficulty relating, bonding together as both the partners have troubleunderstanding each other; they feel that the other doesn’t get them,especially if they can’t make each other laugh. This can cause therelationship to become wry.2) If your par tner gets your joke but doesn’t appreciate it because itoffends them, there’s a problem. Especially, if your jokes make yourpartner feel humiliated, excluded, insecure, judged or patronised!3) If your par tner uses humour to disguise criticism or pass re-marks, which they may not feel comfortable expressing directly thenit can lead to resentment. Negging (emotional manipulation) is anexample. You might think you are being nice by jokingly passingunpleasant remarks, but you might come across as mean to yourpar tner.So, if you’re in any of these situations, talk it out with your partner ; tryto meet halfway.Is your and your partner ’s sense of humour compatible? Take thishumour compatibility test to find out*:1)You have lots of fun when you are together? 1) Yes 2) No2) One person is always the target of jokes which might border oninsults? 1) Yes 2) No3)Are you laughing with your partner or at your par tner? 1) With 2) At4)Do you and your partner use humour to criticize each other? 1) No2)Yes

5)You both watch the same comedy movies and TV shows? 1)Yes 2) No6) You both laugh at the same jokes? 1) Yes 2) No7) Are your par tner’s jokes leaving you feeling humiliated? 1) Yes 2) No8) Does your partner make fun of you in front of other people? 1) Yes 2) No9) Does your par tner use humour to bail you or themselves out of atricky situation? 1) Yes 2) NoIf you and your par tner have mostly ticked 1) then you guys have agreat shared sense of humour. If it is mostly 2), then you need to sitdown with your par tner and discuss what makes you feel uncomfor t-able about his or her jokes. If both of your answers differ then sit to-gether and work on not hur ting the feelings of the other.*This test is only an indication and is not a scientific personality test.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY


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