A new analysis based on the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) developed by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) has shown that an average citizen living in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) region could lose about seven years of life expectancy because the air quality in the area failed to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guideline for fine particulate pollution. 

Announcing the findings, researchers associated with the study said the huge impact on life expectancy was due to a 72 percent increase in pollution from 1998 to 2016 in the region. In 1998, the impact on people’s lives would have been half of what it is today, with residents losing a lower 3.7 years of life expectancy.

“Air pollution is a challenge through much of India. However, the high levels of particulate pollution in the Indo-Gangetic Plain region, which includes Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, stand out,” researchers said. In 1998, citizens living outside of the region would have seen their lives cut short by 1.2 years relative to what it would have been if air quality met the WHO guideline. That number has grown to 2.6 years—also worsening but much more modest than what has happened in the IGP, they said.

The findings were announced at a programme here today where the full platform of the Index was made accessible in Hindi. 

The researchers have also found that if India succeeded in meeting its goals under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and achieved sustaining pollution reductions of about 25 percent, it could help extend the life expectancy of an average Indian by 1.3 years and those living in the IGP by about 2 years.  (India Science Wire)

A new report by the World Health Organization offers guidance and tools for urban leaders to tackle some of the leading causes of death in cities.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – like heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes – kill 41 million people worldwide every year, and road traffic crashes kill 1.35 million.

“Over half the world’s people live in cities, and the numbers are rising,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“City leaders take decisions that impact on the health of billions, and for cities to thrive, everyone needs access to services that will improve their health – public transport, safe, clean and attractive outdoor spaces, healthy food, and, of course, affordable health services.” The report, titled ‘The Power of Cities: Tackling Non-Communicable Diseases and Road Traffic Injuries’ is geared towards mayors, local government officials and city policy planners.

Funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, it highlights key areas where city leaders can tackle the drivers of NCDs, including tobacco use, air pollution, poor diets and lack of exercise, and improve road safety.

“By replicating the most effective measures on a global scale, we can save millions of lives,” said WHO Global Ambassador for NCDs and injuries, and three-term New York City Mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg.

“We’re working to raise awareness among city leaders and policy makers about the real gains that can be achieved when effective programs are in place.”

From anti-tobacco actions in Beijing and Bogor, to road safety initiatives in Accra and Bangkok, a bike sharing scheme in Fortaleza, and actions to create walkable streets for seniors that have reduced elderly pedestrian deaths by 16% in New York City, the report aims to share knowledge between urban policy planners.

Of the 19 case studies cited, 15 are from developing countries, where 85% of premature adult deaths through NCDs take place, and over 90% of road traffic fatalities are recorded. Over 90% of future urban population growth will be in low or middle-income countries, and seven of the world’s 10 largest cities are in developing countries.

The initiatives cited in the report are similar to those implemented under the Partnership for Healthy Cities initiative, a joint WHO, Bloomberg Philanthropies and Vital Strategies initiative that brings over 50 cities together to share policies and plans on tackling NCDs and injuries.

The network, led by Mr Bloomberg, has helped ensure 216 million people are covered by at least one intervention to protect them from NCDs and road traffic injury since 2017.

Some 193 countries have committed to reducing premature deaths from NCDs by a third by 2030, and halving road traffic deaths and injuries by 2020, through the Sustainable Development Goals.

A new study has highlighted that Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), the grassroots level health workers, can deliver care for non-communicable diseases also if they were provided with appropriate training and were paid adequately.

At present, though ASHAs are identified as part of the National Program for Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes, Cancer, and Stroke at the policy level, they are not recognized as part of its formal service delivery team on the ground. 

The study found that ASHAs feel overburdened, as they are work as part-time volunteers in the health system and deliver several activities under the programme on top of their routine primary care workload, without receiving remuneration for the non-communicable disease – related activities. The George Institute for Global Health conducted the study in Andhra Pradesh.

Lead author of the study, Marwa Abdel-All, said the study has also highlighted the importance of monitoring and support, with evaluation and career development options for ASHAs. “We found adequate recognition and integration of the community health workers into the health system, functional infrastructure, and clear role description to be key enablers to optimize their efficiency. The central government should commit itself towards the development and capacity building of ASHAs for non-communicable disease control”, she added.

Prof Vivek Jha, Executive Director of The George Institute India said, “as the range of services provided by ASHAs expands, there will be a debate on whether to increase their numbers or to create a separate cadre specific to non-communicable diseases. However, in empowering ASHAs for more responsibilities, knowledge, and skills, it is important that they get remunerated for the services and continue to be embedded in the community so that they leverage the strong relationship that is necessary to effectively provide healthcare across the life course”. The study results have been published in the journal Human Resources for Health. (India Science Wire)

Famous Youtuber Mohammed Abdullah Al Araimi is moving ahead to India for his upcoming short movie which he will work with Indian Talents. Mohammed Abdullah today owns one of the top YouTube channels in the world with maximum views and likes also making him a digital sensation. His content truly is the king of the digital market with maximum viewers generated.

He is the top-rated YouTuber and an ace fashion and lifestyle photographer who also is a travel junkie this time get a lens for India.

He has travelled to a number of destinations like Los Angeles, San Diego, Spain, Greece etc and is currently busy shooting for her upcoming short film based on India naming ‘New India’ which will be out later this year. He states that ‘India is one of my most favourite countries and it would give me tremendous joy and pleasure to make a movie in the country.

His journey has not been an easy one having to face a number of hurdles but leaving no stone unturned. He had an aim and was on to complete it by any means making him one of the top YouTuber in the world.

He soon will be shooting for a short film Vibrant India and Young India in where the streets and the culture of this country will be put forth in an extraordinary manner.

He today owns one of the top YouTube channels in the world with maximum views and likes also making him a digital sensation. His content truly is the king of the digital market with maximum viewers generated.

Mohammed Abdullah Al Araimi is the top-rated YouTuber and an ace fashion and lifestyle photographer who also is a travel junkie this time get a lens for India.

NEW DELHI: As more than 20 European Union MPs visited Jammu and Kashmir – the first international group to do so since the government ended special status to the state – the organiser of the event is in the spotlight. Letters inviting the MPs went from Madi Sharma, who describes herself on Twitter as a Social Capitalist, International Business Broker and Education Entrepreneur.

The visit, described as private, is sponsored by the International Institute for Non-Aligned Studies, a think tank, according to Madi Sharma’s letters. Its office in Delhi was locked this morning.

Madi Sharma was present when the European MPs met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Monday. NDTV has accessed her email exchanges with Liberal Democrat MP Chris Davies, who alleges he was dropped from the visit after he asked for unfettered access in Kashmir.

“I am organising a prestigious VIP meeting with the Prime Minister of India, His Excellency Narendra Modi and it is my privilege to offer this invitation to you. As you will be aware Prime Minister Modi had a land slide victory in the recent elections in India and is planning to continue on his path of growth and development for India the country and its people. In that respect, he would like to meet influential decision makers from the European Union,” wrote Madi Sharma in a letter on October 7.

The mail said the meeting with the Prime Minister “is scheduled for October 28, the visit to Kashmir on 29 and a press conference the next day (today)”.

“The visit will be of a small group of cross party, pan European politicians on a three-day visit (flight and accommodations will be covered and are sponsored by the International Institute for Non-Aligned Studies). Your participation will be as our VIP guest and not in an official capacity as a delegation of Members of the European Parliament,” said the mail from Ms Sharma.

Mr Davies wrote back the next day that he was happy to accept the invite “on the condition that during my time in Kashmir I shall be free or go wherever I wish, and talk to whoever I wish, unaccompanied by military, police or security forces, but accompanied by journalists and television crews.” He asked for a guarantee in writing.

Ms Sharma replied that a “little security” may be necessary and also suggested that they meet for further discussions.

Mr Davies said when he tried to fix this appointment, he was told he could not be included in the group travelling to India.

“I apologise that I cannot take any more MEPS at this stage and therefore I will cancel our meeting for Thursday… ,” Ms Sharma wrote in an email on October 10.

Mr Davies claimed he was barred because he had asked to be allowed to move around freely and speak to local people. “I am not prepared to take part in a PR stunt for the Modi government and pretend that all is well. It is very clear that democratic principles are being subverted in Kashmir, and the world needs to start taking notice,” he said.

Speaking to NDTV, Mr Davies said he found the invite very unusual. “It would seem that they have government approval and they are trying to ensure that the government’s message is communicated,” he said.

“Will the Prime Minister tell as to who is Madi Sharma? Why and in what capacity is Madi Sharma fixing an appointment of Prime Minister with a delegation of EU MPs on a personal visit and why is Government of India facilitating it? Where is the money to finance the entire trip coming from? Why has Ministry of External Affairs been totally sidelined? The truth is that this is the biggest diplomatic blunder in India’s history,” said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

Twenty-three European Union MPs toured Srinagar on Tuesday and addressed select media today. They travelled in bullet-proof vehicles with heavy security, stayed in a five-star hotel and interacted with army officials and some local leaders. The roads were deserted and shops were shut.

This is the first such visit since the government announced the end of special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and split the state into two union territories. Alongside the surprise announcement, hundreds of politicians in the state were detained and a security and communication lockdown was enforced to avoid any violence or protests.

Opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi – whose delegation was turned back from the Srinagar airport – have questioned why European lawmakers were allowed amid such restrictions but opposition politicians in India were not.

AFP has reported that the European Parliament and European Union hierarchy were not involved in this visit. Several European embassies in Delhi were unaware of the visit until Monday, the agency reported. It also quoted an unnamed EU official in India as saying the visit was not official and the lawmakers had come at the invitation of an NGO.

Source – NDTV

Capsaicin, an active ingredient of chilli, is known to have anti-obesity or fat reducing properties. Now Indian scientists have figured out how this property of capsaicin can enhance the effect of obesity-related hormones.

Researchers of CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) here have found that capsaicin – the hot factor present in chillies – could increase the effect of obestatin and thus help reduce fat in the body. Obestatin is a hormone that sends ‘stop eating’ signals.  

The hormone, produced in the digestive system, affects food intake by signaling through the brain. It affects accumulation of glycerolipids through what biochemists term as PPAR-gamma signaling.  It is one of the many satiety factors that send messages to the brain saying the belly is full. The capsaicin seems to increase the effect of obestatin, explained Dr. Uma V. Manjappara, the lead scientist.

Capsaicin helps reduce fat by goading cells to increase secretion of catecholamines, which bind to the proteins called beta-adrenergic receptors that trigger higher rate of metabolism.  This triggers browning of adipose tissue, thus reducing the obesity.  Hence, it is also considered a nutraceutical or a beneficial drug in the food.

“We thought that if both the hormone and nutraceuticals are fed together, the latter can act in unison with obestatin and enhance the fat digestion further,” said Dr. Manjappara.  This premise was tested in cultured fat cells called 3T3-L1 cells which are generally used in studying obesity. 

The team cultured 3T3-L1 cells in the presence of either obestatin or obestatin along with capsaicin and genistein.  Genistein is another nutraceutical that is present in soya bean and that affects fat accumulation. The team compared the effects of capsaicin and genistein with or without obestatin after 14 days for various parameters like proportion of cells completing their growth to adipocytes and accumulation of triglycerides.

“Fourteen days are required for the immature fat cells to grow and become mature fat cells,” says Dr. Uma. The team also studied activity of lipases, a class of enzymes that is involved in the digestion of fats.  Capsaicin and genistein are known to increase the production of hormone sensitive lipase, lipoprotein lipase and the production of the PPAR-gamma proteins. 

“In all the experiments, the ability of both capsaicin and genistein to increase the production of hormone sensitive lipase, lipoprotein lipase and the upregulation of the PPAR-gamma receptor were seen. This means effect of both additives is beneficial. But when capsaicin or genistein were added along with obestatin, the amount of triglycerides produced in the cells were 20-25 percent lower than when obestatin alone is used,” explained Dr Manjappara. 

The combination seems to work better than obestatin alone or either of the nutraceuticals.  Why is it so is still a not well understood? However, ‘that the capsaicin and genistein could still increase the level of lipases in the cells could be the reason that extra fat was metabolized in cells with these two additives’, says Dr. Manjappara.

The research findings were published in a recent issue of journal Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics. The team consisted of Dr. Uma Manjappara and her student Musunuru Suneel Kumar Reddy. (India Science Wire)

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has called on the TB Alliance (TBA), a non-profit TB drug development organisation, and its commercial partner pharmaceutical corporation Mylan, to further lower the price of pretomanid drug, as it is just one part of a regimen of multiple drugs that people need.

The Global Drug Facility has just announced a price of US$364 for a six-month treatment course of pretomanid, only the third new drug developed for TB in half a century. Pretomanid was approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration in August 2019. Pretomanid was developed by the TB Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation, funded by governments (e.g. Australia, Germany, the UK and the US) and philanthropic sources. It is the first TB drug to be developed and approved as part of a ready-to-use treatment regimen (BPaL: bedaquiline + pretomanid + high-dose linezolid) for people with extensively drug resistant (XDR)-TB, treatment-intolerant, or nonresponsive multidrug-resistant pulmonary TB. This new regimen has the potential to dramatically shorten treatment length to six months, greatly reduce the number of pills required, and helps increase XDR-TB cure rates from the abysmal 39%.

In light of the price reduction announcement, the lowest global price for a 6-month course of BPaL regimen is US$1,040, which is double what MSF is calling for. MSF has been calling for the price of a complete DR-TB treatment course to be no higher than $500 per person.

Researchers from the University of Liverpool have estimated that generic versions of pretomanid could be produced and sold at a profit for less than $1.35 a day, or less than $35 a month, a statement issued by MSF has said.

The high price of one of the other newer TB drugs, bedaquiline, at $400 for a six-month treatment course will also impede the uptake of the BPaL regimen in high TB burden countries. MSF has launched a global campaign calling on pharmaceutical corporation Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to lower the price of bedaquiline to no more than US$1 per day ($200 for six months, or half of what J&J currently charges). 

Furthermore, the TB Alliance must also support or carry out research to address outstanding medical questions concerning the safety and efficacy of its drug independent of the BPaL regimen and in comparison to another drug in the same class, as well its suitability for different populations including children, pregnant women, and people living with HIV receiving the antiretroviral dolutegravir, the statement has said.

The President has appointed Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde, Judge of the Supreme Court as the next Chief Justice of India with effect from November 18, 2019.

Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde has been a Judge of the Supreme Court since April 12, 2013. Earlier he served as the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court for about six months since October 16, 2012. He has also been an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court from March 29, 2000 and a Permanent Judge from March 28, 2002.

Justice Bobde, born on April 24, 1956, was enrolled as an Advocate on September 13, 1978. He started his practice at the High Court Bench at Nagpur and the District Court at Nagpur and occasionally at the High Court at Bombay and the Supreme Court of India in civil, constitutional, labour, company, election and taxation matters. He specialized in constitutional, administrative, company, environmental and election laws.

The Alliance Against Conflict of Interest (AACI)—an alliance of organisations and individuals working in various sector aimed at having a legal protection from conflict of interests in all sectors in public policy – has asked the government and the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to recall its role as the regulator and move away from voluntary pledges and self-regulation towards stronger public policies and programmes to protect public health; including a law to identify, prevent and manage conflicts of interest.

As the private sector is well represented on the Authority by law, so there is no need to have other formal arrangements with private companies in fulfilling the mandate of FSSAI.

Responding to the Executive Director (Compliance Strategy), FSSAI on the Authority’s draft of the “Working with the Private Sector’’, the Alliance has said the Authority should be focussed on preventing an undue influence of business sector /private sector on public policies. “FSSAI should follow basic set of principles enshrined in the constitution of India, guidelines for prevention /management of conflicts of interest and follow its own law. By not doing so, its credibility will be put at stake. Keeping independent from commercial interests is an important task for FSSAI,’’ it said.

Having read the draft of the “Working with the Private Sector”, the Alliance has said: “it sounds more like a facilitating the work of private sector to interfere in the public policy making rather than protecting the health and wellbeing of the consumers. Here we give the example of Singapore, which is very fresh action banning the advertisements that promote high sugar drinks; a more clear action expected from a regulatory body. With the proposed participation partnership with the food industry in the regulatory planning, is a fundamental and institutional conflicts of interest.’’

We find this guideline in present form creates conflicts of interest at FSSAI, the response said while pointing out that the current draft fails to provide an answer to prevention of conflicts of interest at all, which is worrying. “Food industry has no business to be part of implementing nutrition action. Going by this principle food industry should not be sitting on any table that talks about HOW nutrition/food/diet action be implemented,’’ the AACI has said.

Drawing attention towards the studies mentioned in the draft note of FSSAI, the Alliance has said that the analyses were conducted in 2014. Findings indicated that no significant improvement in the overall nutritional quality of foods marketed to children has been achieved since industry self-regulation was adopted. In 2013, 80.5% of all foods advertised to children on TV were for products in the poorest nutritional category, and thus pose high risk for contributing to obesity.

“The lack of significant improvement in the nutritional quality of food marketed to children is likely a result of the weak nutritional standards for defining healthy foods employed by industry, and because a substantial proportion of child-oriented food marketers do not participate in self-regulation. The lack of success achieved by self-regulation indicates that other policy actions are needed to effectively reduce children’s exposure to obesogenic food advertising.”

AACI believes that FSSAI may in fact ‘interact’ with or sought opinion from food industry on some minimum standards e.g. to facilitate implementation of the regulations such as labelling or marketing or else related to maintaining safely of food and ensure that no damage is done to public health. Therefore, to keep public interest in the centre, and ensure full accountability and transparency, we like to quote here “FSSAI is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety”.

Drawing attention to the Supreme Court of India’s order directing that scientific panels of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) should not have representatives of the industry but independent experts in consonance with the section 13(1) of the FSSAI Act 2006, the Alliance has said honouring the spirit of the judgement, therefore, question does not arise that FSSAI violates its own law by including representatives of the food industry in the CAC or other frameworks.

Pointing out that the FSSAI’s primary role is to ensure availability of safe foods to the consumers through development of robust standards and monitoring their compliance, the Alliance has asked the Authority to work according to these principles and ensures that conflicts of interests are avoided by a process in writing in its functioning. When FSSAI assesses that conflicts of interest is not avoidable, it must manage it to protect public health. The food industry continues to make pledges, but is reluctant to follow regulations. With increasing evidence of risks to public health due to high sugar and high salt foods as well as ultra-processed foods, there is a need to have a non-partisan, uncompromised regulator of food Safety and standards in India. This is crucial to thwart the market’s influences on the way people eat by having adequate safeguards on package labeling, advertising and pricing, it said.

Further, FSSAI should not only follow the public interest principles, it should seem to follow as well. Having any partnership of any kind with food industry is highly troublesome for public health. Such association is normally meant for manipulation by the food industry.

To resist, FSSAI can only work through sound principles of avoiding conflicts of interest but not partner with the industry. The FSSAI and other Government of India departments have to ensure regulation for safety of food and inform people what is right.

The FSSAI should strengthen its institutional capacity to identify/ assess potential conflicts of interests as well as manage by exclusion from participation. When a Public Private Partnership or any committee decides to invite partnership with the private sector, FSSAI should ensure an independent assessment and evaluation of the work done and make it transparent, it said.

Actor and director Gagan Summy from Sonipat Haryana have been running one of the top YouTube channels of the country which is about to join the ace digital league. His journey has not been an easy one having to face a number of hurdles but leaving no stone unturned Gagan had an aim and was on to complete it. 

Gagan Started His YouTube Channel In 2016 With A Hope To Spread Smile Across The Country But Soon His Videos Got Viral On YouTube He Has His Many Viral Videos For Which He His Known. Video Named Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover Got Viral On You Tuber And Crossed 17 Million Views and Another Video Title Desi Hu Gareeb Nahi again Got so Much Love From The People with 12 Million views. Gagan Summy YouTube Channel Have Crossed 800K Subscribes. Today he has achieved a commendable position in the digital market world and has a number of big-budget projects in the pipeline.YouTube content creation has always been a task to accomplish having tremendous competition in the market but the ones gaining excellence in this field would succeed.