Heavy smoking can make you look older

Heavy tobacco smoking may give you a "Smoker's Face" -- a condition where people look older than they are, according to a study.

Researchers in the UK noted that some people carry one or two copies of a genetic variant linked with heavier tobacco use.

To identify the effects of heavy smoking, scientists can separate out the effects of the genetic variant through tobacco use from other possible effects associated with carrying that variant that are unrelated to tobacco use.

To simultaneously identify these two types of effects the study, published in the journal, used a novel combination of two data analysis approaches and applied them using data from people in the UK Biobank.

The researchers separated people into two groups. The first contained people who had never smoked, and the second included current and former smokers.

They reasoned that the smoking group would reveal the effects of tobacco exposure, while the never-smokers would show them any unrelated effects of the genetic variant.

The analysis searched across 18,000 traits and apart from finding more rapid facial ageing, also identified several previously reported effects of smoking, confirming the method's effectiveness, the researchers said.

The known effects of smoking that the analysis identified included worse lung function, and higher risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and skin cancer, they said.

"We proposed a novel approach that can be used to search for causal effects of health exposures, and demonstrated this approach to search for the effects of smoking heaviness," study author said in a statement.

"We searched across thousands of traits to identify those that may be affected by how heavily someone smokes," he said.

As well as identifying several known adverse effects such as on lung health, the researchers also found an adverse effect of heavier smoking on facial ageing.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement              

Microbleeds after head injury may worsen outcomes

Researchers have discovered that traumatic microbleeds, which appear as small, dark lesions on MRI scans after head injury, are a form of injury to brain blood vessels, and may predict worse outcomes, an advance which may lead to new treatment protocol for such injuries.

The study,  involved 439 adult participants who experienced head injury, and were treated in the emergency department.

The researchers, including those from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in the US, said that the patients underwent MRI scans within 48 hours of injury, and again during four subsequent visits.

The participants also completed behavioral and outcome questionnaires, the study noted.

The findings revealed that 31 per cent of all the subjects had evidence of microbleeds on their brain scans.

Nearly 60 per cent of the participants with severe head injury showed microbleeds, and another 27 per cent exhibited mild cases, the researchers said.

According to the researchers, the microbleeds appeared as either linear streaks or dotted, also referred to as punctate, lesions.

The majority of patients who had microbleeds had both types, the study noted.

The study also revealed that the frontal lobes of the brain were most likely to show microbleeds.
"While we know that damage to brain cells can be devastating, the exact impact of this vascular injury following head trauma is uncertain and requires further study," said study co-author.

The researchers noted that the patients with microbleeds were more likely to have a greater level of disability compared to patients without microbleeds.

According to the researchers, microbleeds following brain injury may be a potential biomarker for identifying which patients may be candidates for treatments targeting vascular injury.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement              

Antibiotics can weaken flu defences

Antibiotics can leave the lung vulnerable to flu viruses, leading to significantly worse infections and symptoms, according to a study.

The research, discovered that signals from gut bacteria help to maintain a first line of defence in the lining of the lung.

When mice with healthy gut bacteria were infected with the flu, around 80 per cent of them survived. However, only a third survived if they were given antibiotics before being infected.

“We found that antibiotics can wipe out early flu resistance, adding further evidence that they should not be taken or prescribed lightly,” researcher who led the research said.

“Inappropriate use not only promotes antibiotic resistance and kills helpful gut bacteria, but may also leave us more vulnerable to viruses. This could be relevant not only in humans but also livestock animals, as many farms around the world use antibiotics prophylactically,” the researcher said.

The study found that type I interferon signalling, which is known to regulate immune responses, was key to early defence.

Among the genes switched on by interferon is a mouse gene, Mx1, which is the equivalent of the human MxA gene. This antiviral gene produces proteins that can interfere with influenza virus replication.

Although often studied in immune cells, researchers found that microbiota-driven interferon signals also keep antiviral genes in the lung lining active, preventing the virus from gaining a foothold.
“We were surprised to discover that the cells lining the lung, rather than immune cells, were responsible for early flu resistance induced by microbiota,” he said.

“Previous studies have focused on immune cells, but we found that the lining cells are more important for the crucial early stages of infection,” he said.

“They are the only place that the virus can multiply, so they are the key battleground in the fight against flu. Gut bacteria send a signal that keeps the cells lining the lung prepared, preventing the virus from multiplying so quickly,” he added.

To test whether the protective effect was related to gut bacteria rather than local processes in the lung, the researchers treated mice with antibiotics and then repopulated their gut bacteria through faecal transplant.

This restored interferon signalling and associated flu resistance, suggesting that gut bacteria play a crucial role in maintaining defences.

“Taken together, our findings show that gut bacteria help to keep non-immune cells elsewhere in the body prepared for attack,” he said.

“They are better protected from flu because antiviral genes are already switched on when the virus arrives. So when the virus infects a prepared organism, it has almost lost before the battle starts,” he said.

“By contrast, without gut bacteria, the antiviral genes won’t come on until the immune response kicks in. This is sometimes too late as the virus has already multiplied many times, so a massive, damaging immune response is inevitable,” he added. 

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                      FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                     https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com

The US Surgeon General just issued a rare advisory about e-cigs like the Juul - here's why vaping is so dangerous

In a rare national advisory, the top US public health official warned Americans of the dangers of e-cigarettes like the Juul, a popular device that lets users inhale nicotine vapor without burning tobacco.

US Surgeon General  said in a new advisory on Tuesday that e-cigs like the Juul are a particular danger to kids and teens, and called for fresh measures to halt their rising popularity.

"We need to protect our kids from all tobacco products, including all shapes and sizes of e-cigarettes" he said in a statement. "We must take action now to protect the health of our nation's young people."

The advisory singles out Juul by name multiple times, saying that the sleek devices are particularly popular among teens because they're easy to conceal and don't emit much odor. It tells parents, health professionals, and teachers to be on the look out for all forms of nicotine-delivery devices, including e-cigs.

His announcement comes on the heels of warnings from several other federal agencies about an explosion of e-cig use, including from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.

In November, after new CDC data pointed to a 78% increase in e-cig use among high schoolers, FDA commissioner announced moves to further restrict sales of e-cigarettes to ensure they don't get into the hands of young people. That included a crackdown on flavoured offerings, which researchers say appeal strongly to youth.

Several days before the FDA's announcement, the startup behind the most popular e-cig in the US, temporarily halted it sales  of its falvoured varieties in stores until they agree to adopt the company's new age restrictions and a stronger system for making sure customers are at least 21 years old.

'E-cigs and youth don't mix'

Although smoking conventional cigarettes is uniquely deadly, and vaping appears to be somewhat healthier ( especially for adults looking to switch), public health experts are concerned about how e-cigarettes impact young people.

Because of their runaway popularity, e-cigs could create a new generation of Americans hooked on nicotine, one of the world's most addictive substances and the key ingredient in e-cigs like the Juul, these experts warn. Their concern comes in part from a host of studies which suggest that teens who vape are significantly more likely to go on to smoke regular cigarettes, compared to teens who never vape.
 

This finding could be related to the way nicotine impacts the developing brains of young people. Although the research on e-cigs is still limited because the devices are so new, researchers have a wealth of data on the negative impacts of nicotine on teens who start smoking early.

In brain imaging studies of adolescents who start smoking in their teens, researchers have found signs of reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain tied to planning and decision-making. The same teens perform worse on memory and attention tasks compared with teens who don't smoke.

A clinical pediatrics , spoke about the Juul at the American Society of Addiction Medicine's annual conference this spring. He described some anecdotal effects of nicotine vaping that he'd seen among teens in and around his hospital.

"After only a few months of using nicotine," the Dr. said, the teens "describe cravings, sometimes intense ones." He continued: "After only a few hundred cigarettes - or whatever the equivalent amount of vaping pods - some start showing irritability or shakiness when they stop."

Most e-cigs contain toxic metals, and using them may increase the risk of a heart attack

Beyond e-cigs' impact on the developing brain, a host of health issues related to e-cigs is beginning to emerge.

This spring, scientists took a look at the compounds in several popular brands of e-cigs aside from the Juul and found some of the same toxic metals found in conventional cigarettes, such as lead.

A study published this month showed that people who vape tend to have high concentrations of some of these toxic chemicals in their bodies.

In another study published this summer, scientists concluded that there was substantial evidence  tying daily e-cig use to an increased risk of heart attack. And this fall, a small study in rats suggested that vaping could have a negative effect on wound healing that's similar to the effect of regular cigarettes.

But teens may not be aware of these health risks. Researchers say that could be because so little research has focused specifically on the Juul - the e-cig which currently captures 80% of the market share.

So for a study published in October, researchers  surveyed young people who vaped and asked them whether they used the Juul or another e-cigarette.

Based on their sample of 445 high-school students, the researchers observed that teens who used the Juul tended to say they vaped more frequently compared with those who used other devices. Juul users also appeared to be less aware of how addictive the devices could be compared with teens who vaped other e-cigs.

"I was surprised and concerned that so many youths were using Juul more frequently than other products," a professor of pediatrics who was a lead author of the study, said in a statement.

"We need to help them understand the risks of addiction," she added. "This is not a combustible cigarette, but it still contains an enormous amount of nicotine - at least as much as a pack of cigarettes."

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                 PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                               
     https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                     
  FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com 

A doctor explains why period cramps can hurt way more than a heart attack

Period cramps can be really intense.

 

Two years ago, according to a published story in which a professor said period cramps can be "almost as bad as having a heart attack." 

Last week, the story resurfaced, going viral on social media. 

But gynecologist, who blogs about women's health, wrote that the comparison between heart attacks and period cramps doesn't really work. 

That's because heart attacks are often just mildly painful — and in many cases, they're not painful at all. 

It would be more accurate, she wrote, to compare cramps to being in labor.               

Back in 2016,according to an article, on the monthly misery faced by women all over the globe: period cramps. The story acknowledged that menstrual pain can be serious and even debilitating — and yet, there's been disappointingly little research on how we can treat it.

But the story had a resurgence on social media last week after a lady zeroed in on a single quote from the piece. Reproductive health professor  told  that patients have described cramp pain as "almost as bad as having a heart attack."

That quote sparked immediate interest. Other news outlets  picked up the story, and it spread like wildfire on Twitter. To many women, the comparison wasn't so much surprising as it was glaringly obvious.

But gynecologist, who writes a popular health blog, has called that comparison into question. In a new post published, the Dr. wrote that period cramps are often much more painful than heart attacks. 

"If you are waiting for terrible , excruciating chest pain to tell you that you are having a heart attack, well, you are going to miss the heart attack," the Dr. wrote. "Heart attacks often produce vague symptoms or mild pain, that is why many people ignore them ... In addition, more than 40 % of women  have no pain with heart attacks. It would be dangerous for women to think that a heart attack should be at least as bad as their menstrual cramps."

Besides pain, heart attack symptoms can also include shortness of breath, a lightheaded feeling, nausea, vomiting, and unexplained tiredness, according to the specialists.

But primary dysmenorrhea — the scientific term for painful periods — always hurts.

Period pain happens mostly because of substances called prostaglandins, the Dr.  explained in the post. They're released from the lining of the uterus and make it contract. And during these period contractions, pressure on the uterus can be just as high as it is during the "pushing" stage of labor, she added.

"So if you need an analogy to describe period pain," the Dr. wrote, "use labor or cutting your finger off without an anesthetic."  

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                                                             https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                       FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com