Inadequate Sleep Increases Prostate Cancer Risk

Scientists have alerted that sleeping less than five hours a night could make a person twice as likely to develop prostate cancer. According to data published in ‘Cancer Epidemiology’, men younger than 65, who are not getting the recommended seven hours of sleep are raising their risk of the disease by 55 per cent.

Prostate cancer, also known as carcinoma of the prostate, is the development of cancer in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, some grow relatively quickly. The cancer cells may spread from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly the bones and lymph nodes.

The study, conducted at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States, examined data from two large, long-term cohort studies. The first study followed more than 407,000 men between 1950 and 1972, while the second followed more than 416,000 men from 1982 to 2012. All the men were cancer-free when the studies began. However, more than 1,500 men in the first study and more than 8,700 men in the second study died of prostate cancer during the follow-up periods.

Afterwards, the researchers studied the men’s sleeping patterns. During the first eight years of follow-up, men younger than 65 years old, who slept between three and five hours per night had a 55 per cent greater risk of dying from prostate cancer than those who slept seven hours per night. And six hours of sleep a night was linked to a 29 per cent higher risk of prostate cancer death compared to seven hours, as prescribed by the National Sleep Foundation.

Those who were age 65 or older showed no difference in the risk of death from prostate cancer, no matter how much sleep they got. Lead study author, Dr. Susan Gapstur and vice president of epidemiology at the American Cancer Society, said, “If confirmed in other studies, these findings would contribute to evidence suggesting the importance of obtaining adequate sleep for better health.” He added, however, that more research is needed to better understand the biologic mechanisms; so, sleep-deprived males shouldn’t be alarmed just yet. Still, the findings contribute to evidence that the body’s natural sleepwake cycle – called circadian rhythm – might play a role in prostate cancer development.

Not only does poor sleep turn off genes that protect against cancer growth, but past research has found that not getting enough shuteye can inhibit production of melatonin, a hormone that controls the sleep-wake cycle.
Low levels of melatonin can lead to an increase in genetic mutations, reduced DNA repair and a weakened immune system, according to Gapstur. And although the link between limited sleep and prostate cancer isn’t clear, Gapstur says a possibility is that the natural decline in night time melatonin levels as you age can reduce the relative impact of lack of sleep.

Read More

Meningitis Kills 328 in Nigeria

The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed that no fewer than 328 persons have died in the latest outbreak of meningitis in different parts of Nigeria. The Centre also confirmed that 2,524 suspected cases have been recorded.

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikezie Ihekweazu, listed the states most affected to include Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Niger. 

The disease, he said, has spread to 16 out of the 36 states. At least five people have died in Federal Capital Territory (FCT). “We have about 2,524 cases across the country and exactly 131 of those have been confirmed, (laboratory confirmed) for meningitis and there have been 328 deaths,” he said. According to him, the outbreak started in Zamfara before it spread to other states. 

He however stated that the NCDC has been working very hard with the state government, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the Ministry of Health, as well as the World Health Organisation and UNICEF, to curb the menace and according to him, much progress has been made so far. 

Meanwhile, Mr Ihekweazu stated that there are a lot of things that individuals can do to protect themselves in the short term. 

He explained that bacterial meningitis affects the brain and the spinal cord and it is actually transmitted through person to person contact from sneezing, coughing, or even living in crowded conditions. 

He therefore advised that individuals should be mindful of their personal hygiene while also adding that if they cannot avoid overcrowding then they should ensure that their homes are well ventilated. Nigeria is expecting vaccine supply from the World Health Organisation and the United Kingdom.

Read More

Depression Leads To Illness,Disabilities

Ahead of the World Health Day (WHD) 2017 on Friday, April 7, 2017, depression has been identified as the leading cause of ill-health and disability worldwide with more than 300 million people now living with condition, an increase of more than 18 per cent between 2005 and 2015.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) in its latest estimates released over the weekend said lack of support for people with mental disorders, coupled with a fear of stigma, prevent many from accessing the treatment they need to live healthy, productive lives.
WHO also identified strong links between depression and other non-communicable disorders and diseases. It noted that depression increases the risk of substance use disorders and diseases such as diabetes and heart disease; the opposite is also true, meaning that people with these other conditions have a higher risk of depression.
According to the health organisation, depression is also an important risk factor for suicide, which claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year. It said increased investment is also needed because in many countries, there is no, or very little support available for people with mental health disorders.
Depression is a common mental illness characterized by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities that people normally enjoy, accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities, for 14 days or longer.
In addition, people with depression normally have several of the following: a loss of energy; a change in appetite; sleeping more or less; anxiety; reduced concentration; indecisiveness; restlessness; feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or hopelessness; and thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
The high point in WHO’s year-long campaign, WHD, is “Depression: Let’s talk”. The overall goal of the campaign is that more people with depression, everywhere in the world, both seek and get help.
WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, said: “These new figures are a wake-up call for all countries to re-think their approaches to mental health and to treat it with the urgency that it deserves.”
Director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse at WHO, Dr. Shekhar Saxena, said one of the first steps is to address issues around prejudice and discrimination.
“The continuing stigma associated with mental illness was the reason why we decided to name our campaign depression: Let’s talk, “For someone living with depression, talking to a person they trust is often the first step towards treatment and recovery. A better understanding of depression and how it can be treated, while essential, is just the beginning. What needs to follow is sustained scale-up of mental health services accessible to everyone, even the most remote populations in the world,” Saxena said.

Read More

Outbreak Of Meningitis Kills 282 Nigerians Within Weeks

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has confirmed the outbreak of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis in five states with 282 deaths.
The Chief Executive Officer of the centre, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, yesterday
 in Abuja said that 1,966 suspected cases have been recorded while 109 have been confirmed since the outbreak of the disease in February in the country.
He said that the centre had deployed a response team to the affected states to vaccinate the residents and control further spread of CSM.
According to him, Zamfara has the highest number of confirmed cases of 44, followed by Katsina with 32, Sokoto 19, Kebbi 10 and Niger 4 confirmed cases.
He also said that there is an inter-agency response supporting the states to contain the outbreak through the primary mode of vaccination.
However, Ihekweazu explained that a new strand of meningitis called “stereotype C” has emerged in place of the previous known type “stereotype A”, which has disappeared.
He regretted that there was not yet a commercially available vaccine for this new stereotype “C” meningitis.
“There is a vaccine available but it is not commercially available for the stereotype involved in this specific outbreak and we have to make application to the World Health Organisation for the vaccines.
“Thankfully the vaccines have arrived and we have started vaccination campaign in Zamfara. We are in the process of starting in Sokoto and Kebbi states.
“We continue to advocate for scientists and for the global community to really try and push to develop a vaccine for meningitis `C’, on the other hand, all we can do is prevention,” he said.
Ihekweazu said that prevention and early detection was key to combating the disease, if detected early, it could be treated easily.
He said that the centre was working with the states by supporting and ensuring they have the supplies to combat the disease.
“Meningitis is a tough disease especially during this period and it is associated with over-crowding, understanding the living conditions in the country, people must keep their building ventilated,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to avoid sleeping in overcrowded condition and if a lot of people must sleep together in the same room, the windows and doors must be open to allow enough ventilation.
The chief executive officer assured that the centre would work with state governments in the North West and North Central, where most cases were recorded, to ensure better preparation and avert similar outbreak next year.

Read More

Deaths By Heat Waves To Rise - Experts Warn

A new study has reported that deaths related to extreme heat are expected to keep rising, even if most nations are able to contain global warming at agreed-upon levels. The new study was published March 27 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
This has made experts in the country to warn that Nigerians should prepare for more deadly heat from climate change, which could lead to rise in cases of illness and death. Already, meningitis which is heat-related has killed 211 persons and affected 1,407 others within three months.
The researchers warned that by 2050, more than 350 million people living in ‘megacities’ would be hit with deadly heat waves every year – regardless if nations reach climate change targets.

The new study has found that even if countries limit global warming to below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2C), which is required by the Paris Agreement, 44 of the most populated cities in the world will still experience the lethal events.The analysis showed that not only has the number of megacities experiencing heat waves doubled,it has occurred with only 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5C) of warming. Lead researcher and an applied climatologist at Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom, Tom Matthews, said: “As the climate warms, the number and intensity of heat waves increases. Research has shown this to be the case for the global warming experienced to date, and our research is the latest to show that we can expect even larger increases as the climate continues to warm.”
Even if global warming is halted at Paris goals, the megacities of Karachi (Pakistan) and Kolkata (India) could face annual conditions similar to the deadly heat waves that gripped those regions in 2015.During the 2015 heat waves in those areas, about 1,200 people died in Pakistan and more than 2,000 died in India.
To examine the impact of global warming on human heat stress, the researchers used climate models and looked at how global temperature change could affect heat stress projections in the world’s largest cities.
The investigators concluded that it is likely there will be more land surface area exposed to dangerous heat stress. They also noted that areas already experiencing heat stress would have more frequent and longer heat waves.
The researchers at Climate Central explain that when temperatures reach those experienced on ‘danger days’ – when the ‘feels like temperature exceeds 104 °F (40 °C) – it becomes difficult for the body to cool itself. This can lead to dehydration, exhaustion, dizziness, and other problems in the body – and often, even death.
During danger days, people are at risk of sunstroke and heat exhaustion, and physical activity or extended time outdoors could even lead to heat stroke. The combination of high heat and humidity poses serious risks to many people, especially infants and young children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions.
The Paris Agreement was passed with no objections in 2015 by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, bringing to an end four years of discussions and debates.
Nearly 200 nations adopted the global pact, calling on the world to collectively cut and then eliminate greenhouse gas pollution – but imposing no sanctions on countries that don’t.
Countries that signed the 31-page document will be expected to work towards limiting global warming to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2C) above pre-industrial levels.

Read More

Breast Milk Does Not Have Long Term Cognitive Effect - New Research

It has long been thought that breastfeeding improves a baby’s mental capacity; a newly released study has found it has no long-term cognitive benefits.
According to the findings of the study published in the journal ‘Pediatrics,’ after following breastfed childrens from the time they were nine months old to age five, researchers found that children who were breastfed for at least six months had reduced hyperactivity and showed better problem-solving skills when they were three years old. When the children were evaluated again at age five the differences were insignificant. Breastfeeding, also known as nursing, is the feeding of babies and young child with milk from a woman’s breast.
Health professionals recommend that breastfeeding begin within the first hour of a baby’s life and continue as often and as much as the baby wants.
The Newsweek published that the scientists followed 7,478 Irish babies and tested their vocabulary and problem-solving abilities when they were three years old and again when they turned five.
The report said although, children who came from more educated families or better financial circumstances, reported higher problem-solving skills and vocabulary during the study, when those variables were removed and the data was randomised, breastfeeding had no real impact on a child’s development, said study author, Lisa-Christine Girard. Although, intelligence may not be affected by breastfeeding, breast milk has been proven to be beneficial in preventing a variety of health risks – while formula feeding has been linked to increased childhood infections, inflammation, weakened immune function and higher chances of respiratory infections. In the United States, 81.1 per cent of infants born in 2013 were breastfeeding at six months while 30.7 per cent of babies were breastfeeding at 12 months, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Read More