WHO urges cross-border aid delivery between Turkey, Syria

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WHO urges cross-border aid delivery between Turkey, Syria

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged governments and civil society to work together to ensure cross-border delivery of humanitarian aid between Turkey and Syria and within Syria itself.

The WHO’s Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, called the earthquakes “the worst natural disaster” in the region in a century, and emphasized the importance of all parties cooperating on aid delivery, Xinhua news agency reported.

“The needs are huge, increasing by the hour. Some 26 million people across both countries need humanitarian assistance,” said Kluge during a press conference on Tuesday.

Turkey has suffered cataclysmic casualties, Kluge underlined, with more than 31,000 deaths and 100,000 people injured due to the earthquakes. An additional one million people are estimated to have lost their homes and are currently living in temporary shelters.

Meanwhile, almost 5,000 people have died in northwest Syria across the border, and the death toll is expected to rise.

The WHO also warned that there were growing concerns over health risks related to cold weather, hygiene and sanitation, and the spread of infectious diseases. Meanwhile, with 80,000 people currently hospitalized, the Turkish health system, is under enormous strain — after suffering significant damage in the disaster.

The WHO has launched an appeal for $43 million to help with the earthquake response, and Kluge said this amount was likely to double in the coming days due to the huge scale of need.

According to Kluge, the funds would be used to assist the most vulnerable by providing trauma care, essential medicines, and mental and psychosocial support. They would also be used to ensure the continuity of routine health services.

Taaraka Ratna continues to be in critical state at B’luru hospital

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Taaraka Ratna continues to be in critical state at B’luru hospital

Telugu actor and politician Nandamuri Taaraka Ratna continued to be in a critical state on ventilatory and other support in Bengaluru’s Narayana Institute of Cardiac Sciences (Narayana Hrudayalaya) on Monday, the hospital said.

“We would like to clarify certain media reports, and state that he has not been put on any ECMO support till now. His family is constantly updated about his condition. Any changes to his clinical condition will be notified as required. We request that the public continue to support us in providing privacy and uninterrupted treatment,” a hospital statement said.

The famous Telugu actor and Telugu Desam Party leader suffered cardiac arrest in Andhra Pradesh’s Kuppam on January 27 and was shifted to a hospital there. He was transferred to Narayana Hrudalaya via road on January 28.

On arriving at the hospital, higher-level diagnostics showed that his condition was highly critical due to cardiogenic shock after the myocardial infarction.

Telugu superstars Nandamuri Balakrishna and Junior NTR visited him as well as his family and TDP chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

90% reduction in Covid deaths after booster dose: Study

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90% reduction in Covid deaths after booster dose: Study

In people with multiple health conditions, a booster (third) dose of a Covid vaccine was associated with a 90 percent reduction in death when compared to two doses, a new study has shown.

“We found a substantially reduced risk of Covid-19 related death in adults with multimorbidity who received a homologous booster dose of BNT162b2, an mRNA vaccine, or CoronaVac, an inactivated whole-virus vaccine,” said Dr. Esther Chan of the University of Hong Kong, with co-authors, in the study.

The team of researchers compared data on people aged 18 years or older with two or more chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, who received a booster dose between November 11, 2021, and March 31, 2022, compared to people who received only two doses, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

The study included 1,20,724 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine recipients (87,289 of whom received a booster) and 1,27,318 CoronaVac recipients (94,977 who received a booster).

CoronaVac recipients died at a higher rate than Pfizer-BioNTech recipients, said the study.

Moreover, the study’s findings “highlight the potential benefit of booster vaccination, particularly in vulnerable populations living with multi-morbidity, and support the recent focus on older people and those with chronic conditions for future SARS-CoV-2 vaccine booster doses beyond the first booster”.

“Our findings suggest that this timely, massive public health measure has plausibly played a pivotal role in lowering the mortality rate amid the epidemic, especially among people living with multimorbidity,” said Francisco Lai, first author and a scientist at the University of Hong Kong with coauthors.

The study further suggests that the robust results will contribute to the evidence base that getting boosted provides strong protection against death from Covid-19.

“As the data on SARS-CoV-2 vaccination records used for this study was provided by the sole operator of vaccine roll-out in Hong Kong, with a unified recording system, and with linked clinical records provided by a territory-wide public health care provider, our data should be highly reliable and representative,” the authors said.

Researchers working on Covid vaccine that people can drink

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Researchers working on Covid vaccine that people can drink

Researchers are working on a Covid-19 vaccine that people may drink instead of receiving with a needle, expanding their focus onto mucosal vaccines, which include nasal vaccines as well as “swish and swallow” oral vaccines.

The vaccine, called QYNDR, completed its phase 1 clinical trial and is currently waiting on more funding to conduct the more detailed, advanced trials that could actually bring the vaccine to market, reports CNET.

“The QYNDR vaccine is pronounced ‘kinder’ because it’s a softer way to deliver a vaccine,” Kyle Flanigan, founder of QYNDR’s maker, US Specialty Formulations, was quoted as saying.

Moreover, the report said that promising clinical trial results from New Zealand offer hope that QYNDR will be a viable option for protection against the string of Covid-19 variants circulating now.

“It’s really challenging to have a vaccine survive making it through your digestive system,” Flanigan said.

“We were able to figure out how to get a vaccine past the stomach and into the gut and have it be effective and induce the appropriate response,” she added.

Scientists are hopeful that mucosal vaccines will not only protect against severe diseases and death, as revolutionary mRNA vaccines and boosters have but also ward off infections, the report said.

Different from traditional vaccines, mucosal vaccines enter through our mucous membranes, either through our nose (as in the much-discussed nasal Covid-19 vaccine) or through our gut (as in the orally suspended QYNDRs).

Mucosal vaccines have been supported as viable, or even preferable, options for combating Covid-19 infections due to the different types of immunity they produce and the fact that it begins right where the virus enters our bodies, the report mentioned.

US records over 25 mn flu illnesses this season: CDC

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US records over 25 mn flu illnesses this season: CDC

There have been at least 25 million illnesses, 270,000 hospitalizations, and 17,000 deaths from flu so far this season in the US, according to the latest estimates released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

More than 6,300 people were hospitalized due to flu in the US in the latest week ending January 14, CDC data showed on Friday.

Six influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported this week, for a total of 85 pediatric flu deaths reported so far this season, Xinhua news agency reported.

The CDC urged the public to get flu shot annually to prevent infection and serious outcomes.

US experimental HIV vaccine regimen safe but ineffective: Study

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US experimental HIV vaccine regimen safe but ineffective: Study

A US investigational HIV vaccine regimen was safe but did not provide protection against HIV acquisition, according to a statement from the US National Institute of Health (NIH).

The trial, called HPX3002/HVTN 706 or “Mosaico,” began in 2019 and involved 3,900 volunteers aged between 18 to 60 years in Europe, North America, and South America, Xinhua news agency reported.

The trial was conducted by the HIV Vaccine Clinical Trials Network funded by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, based at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle.

The experimental vaccine regimen was developed by Janssen. It was based on “mosaic” immunogens — vaccine components featuring elements of multiple HIV subtypes — with the goal of inducing immune responses against a wide variety of global HIV strains, according to the NIH on Wednesday.

Meditation alters gut microbes in Buddhist monks for better mental health

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Meditation alters gut microbes in Buddhist monks for better mental health

Gut microbes found in Buddhist monks have been linked to lower risks of anxiety, depression, and even cardiovascular disease, thus lowering the risk of mental ill-health as they grow older.

A study, published in the open-access journal General Psychiatry, found that regular deep meditation, practiced for several years, may help to regulate the gut microbiome and potentially lower the risks of physical and mental ill-health.

“Collectively, several bacteria enriched in the meditation group have been associated with the alleviation of mental illness, suggesting that meditation can influence certain bacteria that may have a role in mental health,” the researchers wrote.

These include Prevotella, Bacteroidetes, Megamonas, and Faecalibacterium species.

To reach this conclusion, the researchers analyzed the stool and blood samples of 37 Tibetan Buddhist monks from three temples and 19 secular residents in the neighboring areas.

None of the participants had used agents that can alter the volume and diversity of gut microbes, like antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, or antifungal drugs in the preceding 3 months.

Stool sample analysis revealed significant differences in the diversity and volume of microbes between the monks and their neighbors.

Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes species were dominant in both groups, as would be expected.

But Bacteroidetes were significantly enriched in the monks’ stool samples, which also contained abundant Prevotella and a high volume of Megamonas and Faecalibacterium.

Research shows that the gut microbiome can affect mood and behavior through the gut-brain axis.

Blood sample analysis showed that levels of agents associated with a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease, including total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B, were significantly lower in the monks than in their secular neighbors by their functional analysis with the gut microbes.

The researchers suggest that the role of meditation in helping to prevent or treat psychosomatic illness definitely merits further research.

“These results suggest that long-term deep meditation may have a beneficial effect on gut microbiota, enabling the body to maintain an optimal state of health,” they said.

Covid-19 during pregnancy increases serious health risks: Study

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Covid-19 during pregnancy increases serious health risks: Study

Pregnant women with Covid-19 infection face seven times increased risk of dying and a significantly elevated risk of being admitted to an intensive care unit or suffering from pneumonia, a new study has shown.

According to the study published in BMJ Global Health, Covid-19 during pregnancy also increases the risk that the baby will need to be admitted to intensive care.

“This study provides the most comprehensive evidence to date suggesting that Covid-19 is a threat during pregnancy,” said Emily R. Smith, lead author of the study, and an assistant professor of global health at the US-based George Washington University.

“Our findings underscore the importance of Covid-19 vaccination for all women of childbearing age,” she added.

Moreover, the researchers found that compared to uninfected pregnant women, pregnant women with Covid-19 infection had more than three times the risk of being admitted to an intensive care unit.

People with Covid-19 who need ICU care are also more likely to die.

Covid-19 can impair breathing ability, and in severe cases, patients require mechanical ventilation to survive, the study showed.

There is also an about 23 times higher risk of developing pneumonia, a potentially life-threatening complication of Covid-19, and an over 5 times higher risk of thromboembolic disease (blood clots) that can cause pain, swelling, and other life-threatening issues in Covid-19 infection.

Smith points out that, despite the very serious health risks, more than 80 countries still do not recommend that all pregnant and lactating women receive the Covid vaccine.

US researchers eye developing mucosal vaccines for respiratory viruses

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US researchers eye developing mucosal vaccines for respiratory viruses

US researchers are exploring the challenges and outlining approaches to develop mucosal vaccines for respiratory viruses, according to a statement from the US National Institute of Health (NIH).

Vaccines that provide long-lasting protection against influenza, coronaviruses, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have proved exceptionally difficult to develop, said the NIH on Wednesday.

Flu, RSV, SARS-CoV-2, and “common cold” coronaviruses share several characteristics that enable them to cause repeated re-infections, including very short incubation periods, rapid host-to-host transmission and replication in the nasal mucosa rather than throughout the body, Xinhua news agency reported.

The next generation of improved vaccines for mucosa-replicating viruses will require advances in understanding on several fronts, according to NIH researchers. More must be learned about interactions between flu viruses, coronaviruses, and RSV and the components of the immune response that operate largely or exclusively in the upper respiratory system.

Over time, these interactions have evolved and led to “immune tolerance,” wherein the human host tolerates transient, limited infections by viruses that are generally non-lethal to avoid the destructive consequences of an all-out immune system attack, according to the researchers.

Mucosal immunization appears to be an optimal route of vaccination for the viruses of interest, according to the NIH.

However, to develop useful mucosal vaccines, significant knowledge gaps must be filled, including finding ideal vaccine formulations; determining dosage size, frequency and timing; and developing techniques for overcoming immune tolerance.

Teens with optimistic, happy feelings may lead to better health in adulthood

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Teens with optimistic, happy feelings may lead to better health in adulthood

Teenagers with the feeling of optimism, happiness, self-esteem, belongingness, and love, were more likely to reach their 20s and 30s in good cardiometabolic health compared to teens with fewer of these positive psychological assets, a new study has shown.

According to the study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, fostering positive psychological assets in teenagers may help prevent cardiometabolic disease in adulthood and may also play a role in addressing health inequities.

The study mentioned that the way teens — especially Black youth — feel about their lives may impact their cardiometabolic health risk as adults.

“We learned a lot in the last few decades about the impact of discrimination and other social risks youth of color face that may explain their elevated rates of cardiometabolic disease, however, much less attention is paid to the inherent strengths they possess and the ways those strengths may be leveraged to advance health equity,” said lead study author Farah Qureshi, ScD, MHS, an assistant professor at the US-based Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Researchers identified five mental health assets associated with better cardiometabolic health outcomes based on survey responses when participants were teenagers: optimism, happiness, self-esteem, belonging, and feeling loved.

The study found that about 55 percent of youth had zero to one positive mental health asset, while 29 percent had two to three assets and 16 percent had four to five assets.

As young adults, only 12 percent of participants maintained cardiometabolic health over time, and white youth were more likely to maintain good health later in life compared to Black or Latino youth.

Teens with four to five positive mental health assets were 69 percent more likely to maintain positive cardiometabolic health as young adults.

While psychological assets were beneficial to all racial and ethnic groups, Black youth experienced the greatest health benefits, according to the study.

Black teens also reported having more positive mental health assets than the youth of any other racial or ethnic group.

Despite having the most assets and reaping the most health benefits from them, there were still racial disparities in cardiometabolic health in adulthood. Black individuals were the least likely to maintain good cardiometabolic health over time, said the study.

“This work suggests that early investments in youth mental health may be a critical new frontier in the advancement of cardiometabolic health equity,” Qureshi said.

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