Day: July 1, 2024

Jul 01

Can Hypertension Be Cured? How to Manage High Blood Pressure

Effective high blood pressure treatment usually involves medication and heart-healthy lifestyle changes, such as a low sodium diet and regular exercise. Share on Pinterestadamkaz/Getty Images Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the inner lining of your arteries. When that force is significantly higher, putting your health at risk, it’s called high blood pressure or hypertension. Hypertension management often requires taking one or more blood pressure-lowering medications (antihypertensives) daily and making lifestyle modifications that support optimal cardiovascular health. There is no permanent “cure” for hypertension because the steps to control it have to be done for the rest of your life. Once you stop managing your condition, your high blood pressure will likely return. To get your blood pressure into a healthy range and keep it there, work with your healthcare team to map out a treatment plan and learn how to monitor your blood pressure at home. Learn more about hypertension. Why managing high blood pressure is important Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and divided into systolic and diastolic pressures. Systolic (the top number on your blood pressure reading) is the pressure inside your arteries when your heart contracts and pumps blood out to the body. The diastolic pressure (bottom number) is the pressure in the arteries when your heart rests between beats. High blood pressure is a systolic pressure of 130 mm Hg or higher or a diastolic pressure of 80 mm Hg or higher. The higher these numbers climb, the more serious the health risks become. Nearly half of all adults in the United States have hypertension, but only a quarter of those with high blood pressure have it under control, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those who aren’t managing their hypertension run the risk of several severe health problems associated with high blood pressure, including: heart attack heart failure kidney disease peripheral artery disease sexual dysfunction stroke vision loss Tips for managing your hypertension Managing chronic hypertension requires a multifaceted approach that should begin by working with your healthcare team. There are other essential steps you can take to help manage your hypertension and keep it at a healthy level. Here are tips to help you manage your hypertension and improve your health: Partner with your doctor The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute suggests that working with a doctor and team of healthcare professionals, such as a nutritionist, pharmacist, and various specialists, can give you the best chance of managing your hypertension and preventing serious complications. You can track any changes in your blood pressure by seeing your doctor regularly. Your doctor can then adjust your medication regimen by adding a medication (or removing one if appropriate) or changing the dosage. Your doctor can also make other recommendations regarding diet, exercise, and treating conditions that might affect your blood pressure, such as diabetes or kidney disease. The increased use of telehealth or “connected health” services – communicating via video chat and other internet-based means – in recent years also may be helpful in managing hypertension. A 2019 report in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine suggests that connected health may improve adherence to antihypertensive medication use and blood pressure treatment overall. Focus on making lifestyle changes Many of the lifestyle behaviors that can help move your blood pressure into a healthy range are the same that may help you prevent developing hypertension. Some of the most essential steps include: Eat a balanced heart-healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet or the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. Take part in physical activity of at least 150 minutes a week, doing moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, swimming, or singles tennis. Limit alcohol consumption to no more than one drink daily for women and two for men. Maintain a moderate weight. If you need to lose weight, talk with your doctor about how to do so safely and in a sustainable, long-term way. Manage stress. Quit smoking if you smoke because smoking can damage the lining of the arteries. Reduce sodium intake by opting for low sodium items at the grocery store and restaurants and using other types of seasoning instead of salt when cooking. Take medications, if needed If lifestyle changes aren’t enough to get your blood pressure to a healthy level, your doctor may prescribe any of several types of antihypertensive medications. Each type of medication works a little differently to reduce your blood pressure. Your doctor will likely start you off with one medication, though you may need more than one to get your numbers down. Some of the more common antihypertensives include: angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which help the body make less angiotensin, a protein that raises blood pressure by causing the arteries to constrict angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), which counteract the effects of angiotensin beta-blockers, which reduce the heart’s workload and its output of blood, easing pressure in the arteries calcium channel blockers, which keep calcium from entering the heart and arteries, allowing them to open up and relax diuretics, a common first-line treatment that reduces fluid levels in the body, which also brings down blood pressure vasodilators, usually prescribed when systolic pressure is very high (180 mm Hg) or in other emergencies Keep an eye on your blood pressure Having your blood pressure checked when you see your doctor is helpful, but people with hypertension should consider home blood pressure monitoring. Home monitoring allows you to track your blood pressure in between visits. A 2021 report in the American Journal of Hypertension suggests that home monitoring should play “a central role” in managing hypertension because it can help identify increased risks of serious cardiovascular events. The key is to use a home monitor correctly and keep track of changes in your blood pressure. Talk with your healthcare team for recommendations on the type of machine (an arm cuff is preferable to a wrist device) and how to measure your blood pressure accurately. Consider bringing your monitor

Jul 01

Mass opposition developing to CDC’s proposed anti-scientific infection control guideline

The CDC’s Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) met on August 22 for a continued discussion of the proposed watered-down, anti-scientific new infection control guidelines that would reduce infection control standards particularly surrounding aerosol transmission and the spread of multi-drug resistant organisms. HICPAC advises the CDC on infection control policies and is made up largely of healthcare upper management, infectious disease clinicians and senior level personnel from federal agencies including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The recommendations of HICPAC are not subject to any public oversight. The recent meeting was attended by members of the public and medical community who are fighting against the anti-scientific draft guidelines which include claims that masking is essentially ineffective or even harmful to individuals and the healthcare system. These claims were first presented during a discussion of the revised guidelines at a June 2023 HICPAC meeting. The “evidence” used to back these claims was made up of cherry-picked data from research studies that are widely recognized as flawed. Amidst this backlash, the August 22 meeting did not focus on issues of COVID-19, masking and respiratory precautions. Instead, the committee attempted to steer into safe waters through a discussion of contact precautions and other standard precautions in healthcare. The issues of COVID-19 and respiratory isolation were only discussed by the public during the comment section. The guideline revision is not an arbitrary decision or a misguided mistake, but a conscious and criminal maneuver designed to ensure that another surge or another pandemic will not cause any slowdowns in the economy. Healthcare facilities represent the high-water mark in infection control. If mitigation measures are abandoned in that context, it provides the argument for jettisoning safety measures within any workplace or social setting. Rising waste water levels and hospitalization rates indicate that a summer surge has been under way for several months without any warning or concerns raised by the Biden administration or public health organizations like the CDC. The HICPAC guidelines are the latest in a trend of unscientific decisions prompted by governments around the world to stop virtually all surveillance and management of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Biden administration ended their COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), disbanding the White House COVID Response Team. The CDC then ended all COVID-19 case reporting and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky—who championed pro-corporate and anti-public-health policies throughout her tenure—resigned. Walensky was then replaced by Mandy Cohen, a staunch supporter of lifting mask mandates and school reopenings. Patient Mike Camilleri works with physical therapist Beth Hughes in St. Louis, Missouri, on March 1, 2023. After contracting COVID-19 Camilleri was left with dangerous blood pressure spikes, a heartbeat that raced with slight exertion, and episodes of intense chest pain. [AP Photo/Angie Wang] A full draft of the proposed guidelines has not been made available to the public. An introduction to the overhaul of the infection control standards can be most clearly seen in the slides from the Infection Precautions workgroup presentation from the June 8, 2023 meeting. The guidelines propose a major change to the framework of infection control categories which previously separated infectious diseases into three categories, based on their mode of transmission, contact, droplet, and airborne, all of which then had corresponding best practices for PPE and isolation. The new guidelines simplify these categories to “by touch” and “by air.” The new “by air” category is further broken up into “routine,” “novel” and “extended.” Examples of diseases falling under the “routine” category include “seasonal coronavirus” and “seasonal influenza” which, according to the committee, only require a surgical mask for PPE, no eye protection and no airborne isolation room. The “novel” class includes “pandemic phase” coronavirus and influenza, which require an N95 mask and eye protection, but no airborne isolation room. There is no scientific basis for the distinction between “seasonal” and “pandemic phase” coronavirus and influenza. These fabricated categories serve to support the political campaign to declare COVID endemic, the purpose of which is to accustom the population to mass infection and death, adding the virus to a list of ever-present diseases instead of engaging in a fight to eliminate the virus, which is perfectly possible but opposed by the financial oligarchy because of its cost. The guideline draft also attempts to discredit the effectiveness of N95 respirators, citing flawed scientific studies to make the claim that surgical masks are equal to N95 respirators. In the three main studies referenced, the N95’s were only worn when in close proximity to the patient. In one study, healthcare workers donned N95’s only when six feet from the patient. In another study healthcare workers donned them when just three feet from the patient, removing their mask when out of this boundary. Such misuse of N95 respirators would obviously not be effective since aerosolized viral particles can spread 20 to 30 feet and remain in the air for hours. N95 respirators must be worn continuously and must be well-fitting in order to be effective, especially in indoor and poorly ventilated areas. In addition, all three cited trials only had healthcare workers wearing N95s around symptomatic patients. This is another major flaw in the studies as it is a well-known scientific fact that coronavirus is often transmitted from asymptomatic individuals. In fact, according to a CDC study from February 2021, 59 percent of COVID-19 transmission occurs from asymptomatic spread. The committee makes another dangerous claim that mask wearing—both surgical and N95—is harmful and has a negative impact on healthcare workers’ performance. In the evidence review portion of the presentation titled, “Mask Adverse Events,” the committee cites several negative outcomes of mask wearing such as “headaches,” “difficulty breathing,” “acne,” “perspiration,” “difficulty talking,” and “work interference.” No reference is made to the “Adverse Events” from COVID-19 infection, such as multi-system organ failure, disability and death. Mehring Books COVID, Capitalism, and Class War: A Social and Political Chronology of the Pandemic A compilation of the World Socialist Web Site‘s coverage

Jul 01

China won’t require COVID-19 testing for incoming travelers starting Wednesday

TAIPEI, Taiwan — China will no longer require a negative COVID-19 test result for incoming travelers starting Wednesday, a milestone in its reopening to the rest of the world after a three-year isolation that began with the country’s borders closing in March 2020. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced the change at a briefing in Beijing on Monday. China in January ended quarantine requirements for its citizens traveling from abroad, and over the past few months has gradually expanded the list of countries that Chinese people can travel to and increased the number of international flights. Beijing ended its tough domestic “zero COVID” policy only in December, after years of draconian curbs that at times included full-city lockdowns and lengthy quarantines for people who were infected. The restrictions slowed the world’s second-largest economy, leading to rising unemployment and rare instances of unrest. As part of those measures, incoming travelers were required to isolate for weeks at government-designated hotels. Protests in major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Nanjing erupted in November over the COVID curbs, in the most direct challenge to the Communist Party’s rule since the Tiananmen protests of 1989. In early December, authorities abruptly scrapped most COVID controls, ushering in a wave of infections that overwhelmed hospitals and morgues. A U.S. federally funded study this month found the abrupt dismantling of the “zero COVID” policy may have led to nearly 2 million excess deaths in the following two months. That number greatly exceeds official estimates of 60,000 deaths within a month of the lifting of the curbs. During the years of “zero COVID,” local authorities occasionally imposed snap lockdowns in attempts to isolate infections. People were trapped inside offices and apartment buildings. In some cases widely discussed on social media, authorities sealed residents’ doors with wires and bolts to try to stop the virus from spreading. From April until June last year, the city of Shanghai locked down its 25 million residents in one of the world’s largest pandemic-related mass lockdowns. Residents were required to take frequent PCR tests and had to rely on government food supplies, often described as insufficient. Throughout the pandemic, Beijing touted its “zero COVID” policy -– and the initial relatively low number of infections -– as an example of the superiority of China’s political system over that of Western democracies. ___ Associated Press news assistant Caroline Chen in Beijing contributed to this report.

Jul 01

Thailand’s Kunlavut spills blood to win badminton world crown

Copenhagen (AFP) – Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn spilt blood, sweat and finally tears as he became badminton world champion after an attritional 19-21, 21-18, 21-7 victory over Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in Copenhagen. Issued on: 28/08/2023 – 05:12Modified: 28/08/2023 – 05:10 2 min Advertising Read more The 22-year-old world number three, who was runner-up a year ago, is the first Thai to win the men’s singles title at the World Championships. World number four Naraoka, also 22, put Kunlavut through an excruciating match of marathon rallies that lasted 109 minutes on Sunday — one of the longest men’s singles matches ever. Kunlavut’s blood had to be wiped off the court several times as he threw himself around to keep the shuttle alive in a series of lengthy rallies. “I’m very happy, this has been a dream for me since I was a child,” said an emotional Kunlavut. Kunlavut Vitidsarn has his wounds patched as his blood is mopped from the court during the badminton men’s singles final © Mads Claus Rasmussen / Ritzau Scanpix/AFP “When I was young I’d promised my coach that I would get the gold medal. He passed away and I dedicate this gold medal to him. “I had three targets when I was young — Olympic Games, world championships and All England (championships). Now I have achieved one of those, so two are left.” It was the second longest world championships men’s singles final, eclipsed only by the 124-minute epic between China’s Sun Jun and Denmark’s Peter Rasmussen in the inaugural world championships in 1977. “I needed to be prepared for a long match with Kodai,” added Kunlavut. “We know each other’s game because we have played since our junior days. You have to be very patient with him and it was very tiring, so I didn’t have any energy left to celebrate.” South Korea’s world number one An Se-young enjoyed a more straightforward march to the women’s singles title when she beat Spain’s Carolina Marin 21-12, 21-10 in the final. The top seed, who becomes South Korea’s first women’s world champion in the 46-year history of the event, sped to the title in just 42 minutes. An Se-Young of South Korea celebrates becoming world champion © Mads Claus Rasmussen / Ritzau Scanpix/AFP “I am the champion. I am so happy today,” An said. “I think I played well today because I enjoyed myself out there. I had so much fun.” © 2023 AFP

Jul 01

UK to host Kentucky Blood Center Back-to-School Blood Drive

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 28, 2023) — University of Kentucky students, faculty and staff can start the school year off on the right foot by donating blood and saving local lives. Kentucky Blood Center will be on the University of Kentucky campus Aug. 28 to Sept. 1 to collect lifesaving blood products for more than 70 Kentucky hospitals, including UK HealthCare. Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., KBC will be stationed in Ballroom A at the Gatton Student Center. Additionally, for students on the south side of campus, KBC will have a bloodmobile outside the William T. Young Library on Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. All donors will be thanked for their time and donation with a free “Give Local” T-shirt, a $5 Starbucks gift card and a One Hour Bounce Back Card from Main Event. A Bounce Back Card is good for 60 minutes of free arcade play at Main Event. Donors can schedule their appointment in advance at kybloodcenter.org/uk-back2school-drive-2023 or call 800-775-2522. Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are welcome. A single donation – which takes less than an hour from registration to refreshment – can save up to three lives, serving as a lifesaver for patients with cancer, life support for trauma victims, a vital supplement for organ transplants and surgeries, a resource for fighting diseases, and so much more. One in four people will need a blood transfusion in their lifetime. Kentucky Blood Center is the exclusive provider of lifesaving blood for UK Healthcare. Blood donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, be in general good health, show a photo I.D. and meet additional requirements. Sixteen-year-old donors must have a signed parental permission slip, which can be found at kybloodcenter.org. About Kentucky Blood Center Celebrating 55 years of saving lives in Kentucky, KBC is the largest independent, full-service, nonprofit blood center in Kentucky. Licensed by the FDA, KBC’s sole purpose is to collect, process and distribute blood for patients in Kentucky. KBC provides services in 90 Kentucky counties and has donor centers in Lexington, Louisville, Frankfort, Pikeville, Somerset and the Tri-County area.

Jul 01

T-CURX GmbH Announces Appointment of Two Industry Leaders to its Board of Directors

Appointment of industry veterans, Dr. Hans-Peter Gerber, PhD, as Chairman and Dr. Bernd Eschgfäller, PhD, as independent Board member. Strengthens T-CURX’s Board to accelerate the commercialization of its proprietary CAR-T technologies and CAR-T pipeline programs. WÜRZBURG, Germany, August 28, 2023 / B3C newswire / — T-CURX GmbH (“T-CURX” or the “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of next-generation CAR-T cell therapies for cancer patients, today announces the appointments of Dr. Hans-Peter (HP) Gerber, PhD, as Chairman and of Dr. Bernd Eschgfäller, PhD, as an independent Board member. Both appointments are effective immediately. The addition of these two high-profile industry experts will significantly bolster the network and the commercial expertise of T-CURX’s Board of Directors, which also includes representatives of T-CURX’s investors and co-founders. Dr. HP Gerber has a strong industry background with prior leadership and senior management positions at industry leading organizations including Genentech, Seattle Genetics (now Seagen) and Pfizer. More recently, he has been Chief Scientific Officer of a number of biotech companies, including MPM-backed Maverick Therapeutics, acquired by Takeda, and cell therapy company 3T Biosciences, where he was involved in the company’s $40 million Series A fundraising in 2022. HP also served as independent Board member of NBE-Therapeutics, where he was instrumental in the company’s successful acquisition by Boehringer Ingelheim. Dr. Bernd Eschgfäller is an industry-experienced cell therapy expert who joins T-CURX from Novartis, where most recently he was Head of Customer Operations, Cell & Gene Therapy Europe. In his 20+ year career, he has held leadership positions across operations, commercial and development at Novartis. Bernd is an internationally-recognized leader in the field of CAR-T therapy development and the commercialization of CAR- T cells. He co-led the design of the commercial model for cell therapies at Novartis and was an instrumental member of the European Cell & Gene Leadership Team responsible for the launch and commercialization of Kymriah®, the first FDA-approved CAR-T cell product. Dr. Ulf Grawunder, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of T-CURX, commented: “I am excited to welcome HP and Bernd to T-CURX’s Board of Directors. Both are extremely well-connected, high-caliber industry veterans with a wealth of commercial and technical expertise in oncology, specifically in the development of cellular therapies. The appointment of these two high-profile industry veterans underlines the significant potential of T-CURX and its groundbreaking innovations in CAR-T development.” Dr. HP Gerber, Chairman of T-CURX, commented: “I am delighted to join T-CURX’s Board of Directors as its Chairman and work with the Company’s impressive team to leverage its CAR-T technologies and clinical pipeline. I am impressed with the quality of the science and technology that is being commercially translated at T-CURX by an outstanding, growing operational team built in a short period of time. I look forward to bringing the transformative innovations of T-CURX in the CAR-T cell space to many cancer patients in the future.” Dr. Bernd Eschgfäller, Board Member, commented: “I am thrilled to join the Board of T-CURX, to leverage my expertise in CAR-T cell development and commercialization to accelerate the Company’s future development. I have followed the innovative work of Prof. Michael Hudecek, T-CURX’s co-founder, for many years, and I am excited to help T-CURX’s talented team to commercially translate their excellent science and technology for the benefit of patients in need of improved therapies.” The appointments of Dr. Gerber and Dr. Eschgfäller follows the strengthening of T-CURX’s management team over the past year with the appointments of Dr. Ulf Grawunder as Chief Executive Officer in October 2022, Tom Loeser as Chief Financial Officer in December 2022, and Prof. Michael Hudecek as Chief Medical Officer and Dr. Karl Schumacher as Chief Clinical Officer in June 2023. About T-CURX T-CURX GmbH (“T-CURX”) is a private biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing and commercialising next generation CAR-T cell therapies in cancer indications of high medical need. Based in Germany, the Company´s proprietary CAR-T technologies were developed in the labs of co-founder Professor Michael Hudecek at Universitätsklinikum Würzburg and are centered around a novel Sleeping Beauty (“SB”) Transposon gene transfer technology, which is exclusively licensed to T-CURX.T-CURX leverages several cutting-edge CAR-T engineering technologies, including virus-free transposon based genetic engineering and a highly flexible and modular CAR format. This provides unparalleled flexibility, efficacy, safety, but also scalability for developing CAR-T cells at significantly lower costs than conventional lentivirus-based CAR-T cell manufacturing. With an ambition to democratize transformative personalized CAR-T immunotherapies, T-CURX has a development pipeline of four CAR-T programmes. The Company’s first product is currently in Phase I clinical development whilst the second CAR-T programme, a novel target, is ready for a Clinical Trial Application (CTA). Contacts T-CURX GmbHUlf Grawunder, Chief Executive OfficerThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.+49-(0)-931-250-99-712 Media enquiries This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. FTI Consulting (PR adviser to T-CURX)Simon Conway, Natalie Garland-Collins, Alex DavisThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.+44-(0)-20-3727-1000 Keywords: Leadership; Organization and Administration; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen; Immunotherapy; T-Lymphocytes; Genetic Engineering; Transposases; Neoplasms; Humans; Biotechnology; Germany Published by B3C newswire

Jul 01

Why Zika Virus in news?

Zika virus, initially identified in Uganda in 1947, is primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which are active during the day. While many infections are asymptomatic, those who show symptoms typically experience rash, fever, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache for around 2-7 days. Pregnancy and Microcephaly Zika infection during pregnancy can lead to microcephaly and congenital malformations in infants. Congenital Zika syndrome encompasses clinical features like limb contractures, high muscle tone, eye abnormalities, and hearing loss. Roughly 5-15% of infants born to Zika-infected mothers exhibit related complications, including those resulting from asymptomatic infections. Neurological Complications Zika virus is also linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome, neuropathy, and myelitis, predominantly in adults and older children. Ongoing research investigates these neurological effects and their impact on pregnancy outcomes. Epidemiology and History From sporadic infections in Africa and Asia during the 1960s-1980s, Zika outbreaks emerged globally from 2007. The virus’s association with microcephaly and neurological disorders gained attention with the epidemic in Brazil in 2015. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika-related microcephaly a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in February 2016, with confirmation of the causal link. Global Trends While Zika cases decreased globally after 2017, low-level transmission persists in parts of the Americas and other endemic areas. The virus also spread to Europe and India. Notably, 89 countries and territories have reported mosquito-transmitted Zika infection, yet global surveillance remains limited. Transmission and Diagnosis Aedes mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti, primarily transmit Zika virus in tropical and subtropical regions. Transmission can also occur through maternal-fetal transfer, sexual contact, blood transfusion, and possibly organ transplantation. Diagnosis relies on laboratory tests due to cross-reactivity with related flaviviruses like dengue. Treatment and Prevention No specific treatment exists for Zika virus infection. Symptomatic patients are advised to rest, hydrate, and manage symptoms with antipyretics and analgesics. Pregnant women in transmission areas should seek medical care for testing, information, and counseling. Prevention hinges on avoiding mosquito bites through clothing, window screens, repellents, and nets. Eliminating mosquito breeding sites and controlling vectors are also crucial. No Zika vaccine is available, but research continues in this area. Prevention of Sexual Transmission Sexual transmission can occur, necessitating counseling for individuals with Zika virus infection and their partners. Safer sex practices, condom use, and contraceptive options are recommended to mitigate risks, especially for pregnant women. WHO’s Response The WHO supports countries in outbreak confirmation, offers technical guidance on managing mosquito-borne diseases, develops tools and strategies, provides training, and publishes guidelines for member states to enhance surveillance, diagnosis, and control of Zika virus. Find More Miscellaneous News Here

Jul 01

Ultra-processed foods increase risk of cardiovascular diseases, studies find

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Foods in the typical British diet may increase the risk of deadly cardiovascular diseases, two new studies have found. In twin presentations to the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology in Amsterdam, researchers revealed the consumption of ult,ra-processed food (UPF) such as cereals, fizzy drinks and fast food, significantly raises the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. Food campaigner Henry Dimbleby said the results should serve as a “wake-up call” for the UK. Britain is particularly bad for ultra-processed food. It is storing up problems for the future. If we do nothing, a tidal wave of harm is going to hit the NHS Henry Dimbleby He told The Guardian: “Given that UPF represents 55% of our diet, that should be a wake-up call. “If there is something inherent in the processing of foods that is harmful, then that is a disaster. “Britain is particularly bad for ultra-processed food. It is storing up problems for the future. If we do nothing, a tidal wave of harm is going to hit the NHS.” The Guardian reports Anushriya Pant, a researcher involved with one of the studies, told reporters in Amsterdam that many people are unaware of what foods may be putting them in danger. She said: “It could be that foods you think are healthy are actually contributing to you developing high blood pressure.” She added that many people assumed some UPF, such as store-bought sandwiches, wraps, soups and low-fat yoghurts, were healthier choices when compared to junk food. Ms Pant and her fellow researchers from the University of Sydney studied the impact of the increased consumption of UPF on more than 10,000 middle-aged women during the last 15 years. They found that 39% of women were more likely to develop high blood pressure when compared with those with the lowest intake of ultra-processed food. The second study, presented by Yang Qu on behalf of the researchers at China’s Fourth Military Medical University, found those who ate the most UPF were nearly 25% more likely to suffer from a heart attack, stroke, or angina. Additionally, researchers found increasing the intake of UPF by a mere 10% saw the risk of heart disease jump significantly. The team also discoveredthose who had less than 15% of their diet made up of UPF were the least at risk of suffering from heart-related medical problems.

Jul 01

Should You Let Araj Oblodra Take Your Blood in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Baldur’s Gate 3 is populated by a great many NPCs. Some are friends, some are foes, and some are of uncertain allegiance. One character you’ll encounter is Araj Oblodra, who expresses an interest in taking your blood. But is it a wise idea to let her? If you’re wondering whether you should let Araj Oblodra take your blood in Baldur’s Gate 3, here’s the answer. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Letting Araj Oblodra Take Your Blood in BG3 Araj Oblodra is an NPC you meet in Moonrise Towers and is probably a Drow. Why probably? Because there’s something a little off about her, and she could be something else entirely. Killing her doesn’t reveal anything, but even if she’s not technically undead, she’s not your run-of-the-mill dark elf. Should that make you suspicious? Absolutely. But the good news is there’s no disadvantage from giving her your character’s blood. And the advantage is that you’ll get a potion, an Elixir, in return. Each of these has unique effects depending on the race that donated. How to Give Her Your Blood Donating blood is pretty simple. Just go up to her and she’ll talk about wanting your blood. Follow that conversation and say yes to giving her your blood. She’ll give you an Elixir in return. You can only do that once, as she’ll turn you down if you try again. But if you switch to another character and speak to her you’ll, again, be able to trade blood for another Elixir. It’s worth doing this for each member of your party, even characters at your camp you’ve never used. Just fast travel to your camp, get them to join you, and have them donate. Even though the Elixirs come from a specific race’s blood, eg Elixir of Tiefling Vice, they can be used by any character. Should You Force Astarion to Drink Araj Oblodra’s Blood in BG3 Araj will, after you’ve donated blood for the first time, offer you another deal. If Astarion drinks her blood, she’ll give you a powerful potion, one that has a permanent effect. The potion, as you later discover if you go ahead with the deal, raises the drinker’s strength by two. This is a permanent change. Elixirs last until you have a long rest, but the potion you get for this deal lasts forever and can be drunk by anyone. What’s the catch? Simply that Astarion doesn’t want to drink her blood, and you’ll have to talk him into it. There’s no persuasion roll involved. You can just tell him to do it and he will. But if you do force him to drink her blood, you’ll get disapproval points from Astarion. Conversely, if you tell him you respect his choice, you get approval points. So really, it’s up to you. Are you willing to lose some of Astarion’s respect in return for two extra strength points? There are no other negative effects. Astarion remarks that her blood tastes disgusting, fetid, and corrupted, but it doesn’t damage him physically. There’s also a little extra dialogue later, but it won’t absolutely ruin whatever relationship the two of you have. Araj’s initial demeanor suggests being bitten has always been a fantasy, but that may be a smokescreen. She briefly talks about using the bite to brew something up, making use of whatever Astarion’s bite introduced into her veins. But I haven’t yet seen if Baldur’s Gate 3 address that. So, there are no major drawbacks to letting Araj Oblodra take your blood in Baldur’s Gate 3, but going further will incur Astarion’s disapproval. If you have other questions about the game, make sure to look through our full set of guides for more answers.

Jul 01

BR-6002 by Boryung Pharmaceutical for Cardiovascular Disease: Likelihood of Approval

<!– –> GlobalData tracks drug-specific phase transition and likelihood of approval scores, in addition to indication benchmarks based off 18 years of historical drug development data. Attributes of the drug, company and its clinical trials play a fundamental role in drug-specific PTSR and likelihood of approval. BR-6002 overview BR-6002 is under development for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, gastric ulcers and duodenal ulcers. It is administered through oral route. Boryung Pharmaceutical overview Boryung Pharmaceutical (Boryung)is a pharmaceutical company. It manufactures and distributes pharmaceutical products including cardiovascular, anticancer and gastrointestinal drugs. The company offers products such as kanarb, kanab plus, dukarb, dukaro, akarb, VCS inj, velkin injection, alimxid injection, effcil injection, oxalitin, neoplatin, EP mycin and AD mycin. Boryung gastrointestinal includes gelfosM for the treatment of hypogastric acidity, heartburn, gastric and duodenal ulcer, gastritis, gastralgia and nausea. The company also provides marketed API. Boryung is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. For a complete picture of BR-6002’s drug-specific PTSR and LoA scores, buy the report here. This content was updated on 1 January 1970 Sign up for our daily news round-up! Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights. GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article. GlobalData’s Likelihood of Approval analytics tool dynamically assesses and predicts how likely a drug will move to the next stage in clinical development (PTSR), as well as how likely the drug will be approved (LoA). This is based on a combination of machine learning and a proprietary algorithm to process data points from various databases found on GlobalData’s Pharmaceutical Intelligence Center. Share this article