Ramanisblog

Tag: Family

  • Greek Church acts on crucifix ban-BBC-Going the Taliban way?

    Court ruling is correct.
    Taliban muslim fundamentalism started in a small way like this;now we are unable to handle it.
    Christ does not need promotion at schools.
    Story.
    The Greek Orthodox Church is urging Christians across Europe to unite in an appeal against a ban on crucifixes in classrooms in Italy.

    The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled last week that the presence of crucifixes violated a child’s right to freedom of religion
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8358027.stm

  • Heart Diaease/Strokes-Risk factors and prevention -BBC

    Useful Information.
    Story:
    Heart disease and stroke may be inherited, but often they are the result of lifestyle. Changing eating, exercise and smoking habits can play a significant part in prevention.

    Risk Factors

    Age

    Four out of five people who die from coronary heart disease are aged 65 or older. The risk of stroke doubles with each decade after the age of 55.

    Sex

    Men are more at risk than women and have attacks earlier in life. But death rates from heart disease and stroke for women are twice as high as those for all forms of cancer.

    The risk for women increases as they approach menopause and continues to rise a they get older, possibly because of the loss of the natural hormone oestrogen.

    Family history (heredity)

    Children of parents with heart disease are more likely to suffer from the disease. Some races, such as Afro-Caribbeans, are more prone to coronary heart disease and stroke than others.

    Smoking

    Smokers are twice as likely to suffer heart attacks as non-smokers, and they are more likely to die as a result. Smoking is also linked to increased risk of stroke.

    The nicotine and carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke damages the cardiovascular system. Passive smoking may also be a danger.

    Women who smoke and take the oral contraceptive pill are at high risk of heart disease and stroke.

    Alcohol

    Drinking an average of more than one drink a day for women or more than two drinks a day for men increases the risk of heart disease and stroke because of the effect on blood pressure, weight and levels of triglycerides – a type of fat carried in the blood.

    Binge drinking is particularly dangerous.

    Drug abuse

    The use of certain drugs, particularly cocaine and those taken intravenously, has been linked to heart disease and stroke.

    Cocaine can cause abnormal heartbeat, which can be fatal, while heroin and opiates can cause lung failure. Injecting drugs can cause an infection of the heart or blood vessels.

    Cholesterol

    The higher the blood cholesterol level, the higher the risk of coronary heart disease, particularly if it is combined with any of the other risk factors. Diet is one cause of high cholesterol – others are age, sex and family history.

    High levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or “bad cholesterol”, are dangerous, while high levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein), or “good cholesterol” lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.

    Blood pressure

    High blood pressure increases the heart’s workload, causing it to enlarge and weaken over time. When combined with obesity, smoking, high cholesterol or diabetes, the risk increases several times.

    High blood pressure can be a problem in women who are pregnant or are taking high-dose types of oral contraceptive pill.

    Physical inactivity

    Failure to exercise is a cause of coronary heart disease as physical activity helps control cholesterol levels, diabetes and, in some cases, can help lower blood pressure.

    Obesity

    People who are overweight are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke, even if they have none of the other risk factors.

    Excess weight causes extra strain on the heart, influences blood pressure, cholesterol and levels of other blood fats – including triglycerides – and increases the risk of developing diabetes.

    Diabetes

    The condition seriously increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, even if glucose levels are under control. More than 80% of diabetes sufferers die of some form of heart or blood vessel disease.

    Previous medical history

    People who have had a previous heart attack or stroke are more likely than others to suffer further events.

    Stress

    Some links have been made between stress and coronary artery disease. This could be because it encourages people to eat more, start smoking or smoke more than they would otherwise have done.

    Prevention

    Education

    Educating people about the risk factors of heart disease and stroke and attempting to persuade them to adopt a healthier lifestyle can have an impact on the number of people dying from heart disease and stroke.

    Encouraging people to stop smoking, drink less, eat better and exercise regularly are particularly important.

    Doctors can help by asking about smoking habits and encouraging patients to use nicotine replacement treatment, such as nicotine patches.

    Regular monitoring

    People should also have regular blood pressure readings, height and weight monitoring, and tests for cholesterol levels.

    Those with high levels should be encouraged to improve their diet and can be treated for poor cholesterol levels with drugs – usually, statins or niacins.

    The American Heart Association recommends that blood pressure should be no more than 140 over 90 Hg.

    The association recommends a series of diets, with no more than 30% of calories coming in the form of fats, and limiting calories in the form of saturated fats to between 7 and 10%.

    People at risk should have less than 200mg dietary cholesterol per day.

    Sodium intake, most commonly found in salt, should also be controlled.

    Exercise

    Between three and four sessions of moderate intensity exercise, lasting around 30 minutes a time, are recommended as the minimum for physical activity each week.

    Ideal body mass index (BMI) – calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by the square of height in metres – is between 21 and 25, and the preferable waist circumference is no more than 88cm (35 inches) for women, 102cm (40 inches) for men.

    For people already suffering from cardiovascular disease, the use of aspirin or warfarin, both of which prevent blood clotting, is recommended.

    Other drugs, including ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors to manage blood pressure, beta-blockers to control angina, heart rhythm or blood pressure, and oestrogen replacement in post-menopausal women, may also be used to prevent repeat incidents.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/medical_notes/g-i/764037.stm

  • Cervical and uterine cancers

    Useful.
    Story:
    Source: Cancer Research/NHS

    Completely different types of cancer affect different areas of the womb, or uterus.

    The best known, perhaps as a result of a nationwide screening programme, is cervical cancer, which affects the cervix, or neck, of the womb.

    Many women, thanks to early detection, find they have abnormal cell changes in their wombs which cannot be classed as fully cancerous.

    These “pre-cancerous changes” are far easier to treat, and the number of women presenting with the symptoms of cervical cancer has fallen over recent years.

    However, more common is uterine cancer, in its more usual form also called endometrial cancer – which affects the lining of the womb that grows, is shed, and regrows as part of a woman’s monthly cycle.

    Professor Hilary Thomas, from the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford, said that the key to successfully treating both cervical and uterine cancer was early detection.

    Anybody who is sexually active should be having regular smears,

    Professor Hilary Thomas, Royal Surrey County Hospital
    She said: “Anybody who is sexually active should be having regular smears, and if they have a history of abnormal smears, they may need to go for more frequent smears.

    “Cancer of the uterus, or the womb, is actually cancer of the body of the womb, which has a different kind of tissue in it from the neck of the womb.

    “This is a disease which tends to affect elderly patients who have passed the menopause.

    “Usually they will be advised to have a hysterectomy.”

    Another, far less common cancer of the womb is uterine sarcoma, which affects the powerful muscles of the womb.

    This is far more similar to other cancers which affect muscles than to either uterine or cervical cancer.

    SYMPTOMS
    Many cervical cancers are detected by the national screening programme.

    Samples of cells from different areas around the womb neck are taken and looked at under a microscope for signs of abnormality.

    If a smear is abnormal, the woman may be asked to take a repeat smear, or, particularly if there has been more than one abnormal smear, be sent to a specialist for further checks.

    Once cancer is established however, the most common symptom is abnormal (ie non-menstrual) bleeding. This is a sign that the cancer has spread to surrounding tissue.

    Menstrual bleeding may be heavier and last longer.

    Abnormal bleeding, particularly after the menopause, can also be a sign of uterine cancer.

    Women with certain symptoms should always consult a doctor. They are:

    any sort of unusual vaginal discharge
    pain in the pelvic area
    painful or difficult urination
    Once there is a suspicion of problems, there are various techniques used by doctors to try and locate the cause.

    The first is a pelvic examination, which can be carried out by a family doctor, who will check the vagina, womb, ovaries, bladder and rectum for unusual lumps or changes.

    Doctors may carry out another smear test, or Pap test, to gather cells to check for cervical cancer.

    A technique called colposcopy, which uses a probe to look in more detail at the cervix, is sometimes used.

    The extent of any cancer discovered may be confirmed by taking a deeper slice of tissue in a biopsy.

    However, if uterine cancer is suspected, either a “pipelle biopsy”, in which a thin tube is used to take a small sample of tissue, or a dilation and curettage (D and C) may be undertaken. The latter, involves scraping tissue from the lining of the womb for examination.

    CAUSES
    Scientists have identified a virus which they believe may have some role in the development of cervical cancer.

    The human papillomavirus (HPV), is found in most women who have developed cervical cancer.

    However, most women who have the virus never go on to develop cervical cancer.

    Smoking, as in so many other cancers, appears to increase the risk.

    And women with HIV, the virus which causes Aids and weakens the immune system appear to be more prone.

    The risk factors for uterine cancer are slightly more clearly understood.

    In particular, those taking oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapies to alleviate menopausal symptoms are at higher risk. Most HRT formulations include other hormones such as progestin which appear to reduce that risk.

    Overweight or obese women are thought to have more natural oestrogen in their bodies – another reason why they are more vulnerable.

    Women who suffer from a condition known as benign endometrial hyperplasia, in which the lining of the womb is naturally thicker, also are more likely to develop endometrial cancer.

    TREATMENTS
    If caught at their earliest pre-cancerous stage, abnormal cervical cells can be dealt with simply, using either freezing or heat to scour the cells from the cervix.

    The action of the deep biopsy, called a cone biopsy, can remove a cervical cancer if it has not spread.

    Depending on the spread of the disease, and the age of the woman, a number of options are available, including surgery to remove abnormal tissue or the entire womb, including the cervix.

    If there is evidence of spread, then the ovaries and nearby lymph nodes are sometimes removed as well.

    If the cancer has spread beyond the wall of the womb, then radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be required to try to clear the disease.

    In the case of uterine cancer, it is far more likely that a hysterectomy will have to be carried out, and the ovaries may also be taken out.

    If it has not spread beyond the endometrium, then surgery will probably be enough, although other treatments may follow if there is evidence of spread.

    It may be possible for the woman to take HRT following the operation, although this is only likely if the cancer has been caught early.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3244379.stm

  • Cancer, The Facts

    Facts worth knowing.
    Story:
    One in three of us will be diagnosed with cancer during our life.

    The disease tends to affect older people – but can strike at any time.

    Excluding certain skin cancers, there were almost 290,000 new cases of the disease in 2005.

    Some cancer, such as breast, are becoming more common, while new cases of lung cancer are expected to fall away due to the drop in the number of smokers.

    However, while the overall number of new cancers is not falling, the good news is that successful treatment rates for many of the most common types are improving rapidly.

    Latest Study:

    Latest Figures indicate that the incidence of Cancer is declining marginally.

    However, the incidence of Cancer is also rising.

    The overall trends in declining cancer death rates continue. However, increases in incidence rates for some HPV-associated cancers and low vaccination coverage among adolescents underscore the need for additional prevention efforts for HPV-associated cancers, including efforts to increase vaccination coverage.

    The initial report documented the first steady decline in cancer death rates, beginning in the early 1990s, since national record keeping on vital statistics began in 1930 (1). In addition to providing updates on incidence and mortality patterns, each report features a topic of special interest (2–14). This report features the burden and trends in human papillomavirus (HPV)–associated cancers among persons aged 15 years or older and HPV vaccination coverage levels among adolescents aged 13 to 17 years.

    Exposure to HPV is common through sexual contact, and most infections resolve over time. However, persistent infection with oncogenic HPV types is etiologically linked to cervical cancer (15), as well as cancers of the oropharynx (16), anus (17), vagina and vulva (18), and penis (19,20). Virtually all cervical cancers are due to HPV infection, along with 90% of anal cancers, more than 60% of certain subsites of oropharyngeal cancers, and 40% of vagina, vulva, and penile cancers (20). Although there are approximately a dozen oncogenic HPV types, HPV 16 and 18 are the most common HPV types and are found in approximately 70% of cervical cancers. Human papillomavirus 16 is found in approximately 90% of the noncervical cancers often associated with HPV infection (20). Human papillomavirus types 6 and 11 are associated with the development of 90% of anogenital warts (21). Two vaccines (bivalent and quadrivalent) are available to protect against HPV types 16 and 18. Data from clinical trials have shown that both vaccines prevent vaccine type–related cervical precancers (22,23); the quadrivalent vaccine has been shown to also prevent vaginal, vulvar, and anal precancers (24,25). Although data show the vaccines prevent various outcomes, no data are available on the efficacy for prevention of HPV-associated cancers or lesions of the oropharynx. Because HPV 16 is responsible for the majority of HPV-associated cancers (20), the vaccines likely protect against these outcomes. The quadrivalent vaccine also protects against HPV 6 and 11, and clinical trials show the vaccine prevents vaccine type–related genital warts (26). The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends routine vaccination of girls aged 11 or 12 years with three doses of either vaccine and routine vaccination of boys aged 11 or 12 years with three doses of quadrivalent vaccine (27–29). Vaccination is also recommended for women aged 13 through 26 years and men aged 13 through 21 years who were not vaccinated previously. Men aged 22 through 26 years may also receive the vaccine. The goals of the current vaccination recommendations for adolescents are to prevent persistent HPV infections and the occurrence of anogenital warts beginning in young adulthood and cervical, vaginal, vulvar, and anal cancers that occur later in life. The occurrence of cervical cancer can also be prevented through screening (eg, Papanicolaou [Pap] and HPV testing) (30–32), and Pap testing has contributed to the substantial declines in cervical cancer rates in the United States and other developed countries over the past several decades (33).

    For detailed report Link below.

    http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/01/03/jnci.djs491.full?sid=ccafd244-6199-4658-b24d-f139a96187c5

    Related Articles

  • Claims of sex abuse by women grow-BBC News

    Repulsive and shocking.As has been observed in the story, many do not complain because of the stigma attached to the family as well.It would be of interest to have a study carried out on abuse of Husbands and in laws by women, as I am sure would reveal more shocking news.
    Where are feminists and civil rights organisations?
    Had males have been reported as offenders, we would have had these selfstyled saviours screaming.
    Story:
    A huge rise in the number of children calling to report sexual abuse by women has been revealed by ChildLine.

    Over the past five years, the charity says the number of such calls has risen five times faster than youngsters reporting abuse by a man.

    Of 16,094 children who called ChildLine about sex abuse last year, 2,142 told of abuse by a woman, up 132% on 2004-5.

    Men still account for the majority of child abuse claims, but the NSPCC said female sex abuse was under-reported.

    This is because there is a reluctance or unwillingness on the part of professionals to acknowledge or identify sexual abuse by females, the charity suggested.

    Many would find it shocking that any woman – let alone a mother – can sexually assault a child
    Sue MintoNSPCCThe ChildLine research said nearly two-thirds (1,311) of the claims it received about sex abuse by a female involved the child’s mother.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8347589.stm