Statistics show that about 40,000 women die in a year because of breast cancer, which is one in every 13 minutes a day. The importance of
detecting the disease with the help of Artificial Intelligence is the need of
the hour. Cautioning that breast cancer has become the most common disease among women both in the developed and the developing countries in the world in the past few years, Subash Kumar, a Computer
Science Engineering graduate with around 12 years of experience in the field of data science, Artificial
Intelligence machine learning- deep learning, from Chennai, claims that he has developed an easy way of detecting and curing the same.
The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) machine learning Technology with deep learning
algorithms to whole-slide pathology images can potentially improve the diagnostic accuracy of breast cancer at a very early stage.
Some scholars have assessed the performance of automated deep learning algorithms at detecting metastases in the tissue of women with breast cancer and compared results with pathologists’ diagnoses.
In the setting of a challenge competition, some deep learning algorithms achieved better diagnostic
performance than pathologist’s results. In short, algorithm performance was comparable with an expert pathologist interpreting the
whole-slide images without time constraints. “Hence, this experiment has shown that deep learning algorithms could identify the problem with accuracy.
This approach would significantly reduce the workload of pathologists and improve the management decisions on whether
or not to administer therapy, perform a surgical intervention, etc. Overall, then, this interesting result shows the potential of Artificial Intelligence applied in cancer imaging for the
detection of breast cancer tissues in women,” says Kumar. Kumar claims he has developed a simple machine-learning model using the University of Wisconsin data that is available in
public for education capacity. This model predicts the presence of breast cancer with an accuracy of 91 percent.
The continuous development of technology in the medical field will save countless lives and the overall quality of human life continues to improve over time, he says. He is
presently working for USA’s government projects from Maryland near Washington DC. His areas of interest and research are machine
learning, statistics and deep learning in the field of medicine. He has received an active membership from
the world’s first and largest professional organisation dedicated
to advancing cancer research called
American Association for Cancer Research (AACA), for his contribution and research on identifying cancer using machine-learning methods. This membership is awarded to qualified scientists of any nation who have made substantial contributions to cancer research.
Time to take a green approach ?
Shifting to a plant-based diet and lowering stress can mitigate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord. It has, until now, been considered a life-long condition.
While nearly one million people in the US over the age of 18 years live with MS, and 2.3 million people globally have the condition, its causes remain a mystery. Women are two to three times more likely than men to receive an MS diagnosis, and most people with MS are 20-50 years old.
The flightiness of MS and the non-specific nature of its symptoms make it difficult to diagnose, and there is currently no hope of a cure. But experts are now finding emerging evidence that diet changes and reducing stress can cut symptoms and avoid serious disability.
A charity, Overcoming MS, has developed a lifestyle programme based on plant-based diet, regular exercise, getting enough vitamin D and using stress reduction techniques.
Linda Bloom, chair of Overcoming MS, said, “We aim to give sufferers some realistic hope when they may have none and give them the best chance to get better or even recover from MS, like me.”
Want to keep the gut healthy ? Here is what you should do
Want to keep the gut healthy ? Here is what you should do
Of all the organs in our body, the gastrointestinal tract, aka the gut, is one of the most neglected ones. And
surprisingly, it is a crucial organ that controls a wide range of bodily functions ranging from developing
a healthy immune system to disease control and optimal mental health. It has been proven by numerous medical studies in the last couple of years that gut health is essential for overall well-being.
The gastrointestinal tract (GI) in a healthy human body houses billions of micro-organisms including beneficial bacteria and fungi creating a system of ‘micro-biome’. It has a
strong influence on a range of aspects: reducing internal bodily inflammation which prevents various
life-threatening diseases and disorders like cancer, asthma and other auto-immune disorders from happening in the first place.
It also helps in maintaining healthy appetite, developing healthy skin and
hair, effectively aiding the crucial battle of optimal weight management, among others.
There are several factors in our lives which makes it even harder for us to
maintain a healthy gut namely,
• Irregular lifestyle •Lack of adequate sleep
•Unhealthy diet • Excess amount of stress
Here are some helpful suggestions:
Holistic wellness
The way we live on a day-to-day basis has an enormous impact on our holistic physical as well as mental health. Thanks to our hectic work hours and sedentary lifestyle, most
of us are predetermined to live a life far from the ideal scenario, and the situation worsens furthermore with
our reluctance to indulge in any form of physical activity.
Simple steps such as maintaining a schedule for all our daily activities like professional work, leisure, exercise and time for relaxation including occasional time offs (break from social media as well) can drastically reduce the gut-related
complications, and get us much closer to achieving a healthy immune system.
Adequate sleeping hour
Sleep or the lack of it may completely create havoc in our immune system. Working men and
particularly women in the traditional Indian societies are more susceptible
to the nasty consequences of sleep deprivation over a prolonged period, due to work space as well as household responsibilities.
It is essential to aim for at least seven to eight hours of shuteye every night with an uncompromising sleeping pattern, to exploit the benefits of a balanced immune system.
Balanced diet
Perhaps, the single most important aspect of maintaining a healthy gut is also the surest way to wreck it. Munching on ready-made
or junk food is all right once a while, but relying on readily made/processed foods for long may most certainly result in a damaged
intestine. It has been well documented that standard food habits in a typical Indian household whether urban or semi-rural is far
from ideal.
Diets rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, fishes/seafood, healthy fats have been (e.g., Mediterranean diet), have been proven (supported by various scientific studies and
researches) to be extremely beneficial for our gut micro-biome.
Stress
Irrespective of socio economic background, professional preferences, age group, etc., stress is a common aspect in the life of every individual. It may not be in our hands to limit the volume of stress, but
there are some steps that can be incorporated to restrict the damages caused by it, namely light exercising, short mindful meditation, active socializing post-work daily, to name a
few.
Here are some things you can inculcate for better health:
• Cut back on sweets as well as fried and fatty foods. Fatty foods are one
of the main reasons for bloating. Fat slows down the process of emptying the stomach, which may result in increasing your sensation of fullness.
• Do not overeat, and make sure to include plenty of fibre-rich vegetables, sprouts and fruits in your diet.
• Chew your food thoroughly when you eat. Do not gulp down either food
or liquids.
• Avoid stimulants like alcohol, caffeine, sugars, carbonated drinks and white flour.
• Keep yourself hydrated, by drinking at least three litres of clear water
every day. Dehydration slows down the lymphatic system and inhibits the removal of waste from your body.
• Herbal teas are good for boosting digestive health. Chamomile, ginger, peppermint, green tea, dandelion root and lemon tea have been shown to aid in healthy digestion.
• Drink two glasses of water when you wake up, followed by a cup of green tea with lemon juice. It will
aid in good bowel movement, and help avoid constipation.
Scientists find brain’s machanism that naturally combat overeating ?
Scientists find brain’s machanism
that naturally combat overeating –
Researchers have identified a specific circuit of nerves in the brain involved in impulsive feeding behaviour, an advance that may lead to drugs for addressing overeating.
The researchers, including those from the University of Georgia (UGA) in the US, said impulsiveness or responding without thinking about the consequences of an action is linked to excessive food intake, binge eating, weight gain, and obesity, along with several psychiatric
disorders such as drug addiction, and excessive gambling.
In mice brains, they assessed a subset of cells that produced a chemical messenger molecule called melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH).
The researchers said the hormone is produced in a brain area called hypothalamus a small region at the base of the brain that plays a
crucial role in many important functions, such as releasing hormones and regulating body temperature.
In the current study, published in the journal Nature Communications, the researchers
activated cells in the hypothalamus which produced MCH.
They found that the animals became more impulsive in their behaviour around food. To test the effects of the brain stimulation,
the scientists trained rats to press a lever to receive a “delicious, high-fat, high-sugar” pellet.
But the rat had to wait 20 seconds between lever presses, the study noted.
If the rat pressed the lever too soon, it had to wait an additional 20 seconds.
The researchers also activated a specific pathway in the brain’s nerve connections from the hypothalamus to a region called the hippocampus involved with learning and memory function.
They found that the MCH doesn’t affect how much the animals liked the food, or how hard they were willing to work for it.
Instead, they said the circuit acted on the animals’ inhibitory control, or their ability to stop
themselves from trying to get the food.
“Activating this specific pathway of MCH neurons increased impulsive behaviour without affecting
normal eating for caloric need or
motivation to consume delicious food,” said Emily Noble, study co-author from UGA.
According to the researchers, understanding this circuit which selectively affects food impulsiveness can help develop therapeutics for overeating.
They said such treatment can help people stick to a diet without reducing normal appetite, or in making delicious foods less delicious.
MRI may Predict child’s IQ ?
MRI may Predict child’s IQ –
Researchers have used ensemble methods based on deep learning 3D analysis networks to answer the global Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) prevision challenge for children.
Importantly, they made predictions for both the fluid intelligence level and the target variable independent from age, gender, brain size or MRI scanner used.
MRI is a common technique used to obtain images of human internal organs and tissues. Scientists wondered whether the intelligence level can be predicted from an MRI brain image.
“Our team develops deep learning methods for computer vision tasks in MRI data analysis, amongst other things,” said study researcher Ekaterina Kondratyev from Skolkovo
Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) in Russia.
In this study, we applied
ensembles of classifiers to 3D of super precision neural networks: with this approach, one can classify an image as it is, without first reducing its dimension and, therefore, without losing valuable information,” said Kondratyeva.
The US National Institutes of
Health (NIH) database contains a total of over 11,000 structural and functional MRI images of children aged 9-10.
In 2013, NIH launched the
first grand-scale study of its kind in adolescent brain research, Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development, to see if and how teenagers’ hobbies and habits affect their further brain development.
NIH scientists launched an
international competition, making the enormous NIH database available to a broad community for the first time ever.
The participants were given
a task of building a predictive model based on brain images.
As part of the competition, the Skoltech team applied neural networks for MRI image processing.
To do this, they built a network architecture enabling several mathematical models to be applied to the same data in order to increase the prediction accuracy, and used
a novel ensemble method to analyse the MRI data.
In their recent study, Skoltech researchers focused on predicting the intelligence level, or the so called “fluid intelligence”, which characterises the biological abilities
of the nervous system and has little to do with acquired knowledge or skills.
Importantly, they made
predictions for both the fluid intelligence level and the target variable independent from age, gender, brain size or MRI scanner used.
The results of the study helped find the correlation between the child’s “fluid intelligence” and brain anatomy.
Intermittent fasting may provide health benefits ?
Intermittent fasting may provide health benefits
Intermittent fasting may
provide numerous health
benefits like controlling
blood-sugar levels, according to a review of studies which suggests the practice may help physicians guide
patients towards a better lifestyle.
The study’sauthor, neuroscientist Mark Mattson from Johns Hopkins University in the US, said intermittent fasting diets generally fall into
two categories daily time restricted feeding and the so-called 5:2 intermittent fasting.
The first kind Mattson said narrows eating times to 6-8 hours per day, and in the 5:2 fasting, he added that people limit themselves
to one moderate-sized meal two days each week. According to the review of studies, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, alternating between times of fasting and eating supports the health of the body’s cells.
Mattson said this probably happens by triggering an age-old adaptation called metabolic switching in which cells are tuned
to periods of food scarcity. The researchers said such a switch occurs when cells use up their stores of rapidly accessible, sugar-based
fuel, and begin converting fat into energy in a slower metabolic process. According to Mattson, the metabolic switch improves blood sugar regulation, increases resistance to stress, and suppresses inflammation.
Mattson also found four studies in both animals and people where intermittent fasting also decreased
blood pressure, blood lipid levels, and resting heart rates. Since many people around the world eat three
meals plus snacks each day, they may not experience the switch, or the suggested benefits, the neuroscientist said.
According to two studies which each assessed 100 overweight women, those on the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet lost the same amount of weight as women who restricted calories, but did better on measures of insulin sensitivity and reduced belly fat than those in the calorie reduction group.
Another study at the University of Toronto found that 220 healthy,
non-obese adults who maintained a calorie restricted diet for two years
showed signs of improved memory in a wide range of cognitive tests. With more studies on the effects of intermittent fasting, Mattson said the practice — or a pharmaceutical equivalent that mimics it — may lead to interventions that can stave
off degeneration of nerves seen in conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
“We are at a transition point where we could soon consider adding information about intermittent fasting to medical school curricula alongside standard advice about healthy diets and exercise,” Mattson said.
Swollen ankles aren’t always a sign of good news ?
It could be a sign of Heart failure.
Heart failure is a silent disease. Unlike heart attacks, it isn’t sudden. It’s a gradual weakening of the heart muscle, which results in reduced pumping the blood.
The good news is that heart failure, if detected in time can be managed with care and treatment.
If you or your loved one is experiencing :
- Tiredness while doing routine activities
- The need to use multiple pillows while trying to sleep
- Breathlessness
- swelling in the ankles
- sudden weight increase ( >1- 1.5 kgs) in 24 hours
- Frequent Coughing
You should visit a cardiologist today.
Go natural to heal rheumatoid arthritis ?
Go natural to heal rheumatoid arthritis –
Any patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis will
tell you that the condition
can be quite a challenge.
Intense pain, fatigue, disability and other debilitating symptoms are common with this autoimmune disease. Conventional medical
treatment for rheumatoid
arthritis involves Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and Disease-Modifying Anti rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs).Both these class of drugs can have serious side effects when taken over a long term including potential harm to the liver and kidneys. Naturopathy is one of the most effective systems of alternative medicine to deal with symptoms of arthritis.
Naturopaths favour a more patient-centric and holistic approach, taking into account physical, environmental, psychological and social factors before prescribing a course of treatment. They integrate
diet and yoga with a whole host of treatment such as hydrotherapy, therapeutic massage, mustard packs
immersion bath with Epsom salt, mud packs, enemas, acupuncture, biofeedback, and counselling to treat patients. Naturopaths are accredited physicians, and follow rigorous scientific principles to treat patients.
According to naturopathy, rheumatoid arthritis is the result of a combination of factors. These include, but are not limited to, food allergies, inflammatory properties, gut permeability, and others. The treatment encompasses various techniques designed to address all these factors.
Guidance on natural medication : One of the most common beliefs is that herbal medication is safe because they are natural. However, they can interact with other substances, both allopathic and natural. Naturopathic physicians make recommendations after reviewing your medical history.
Acupuncture : It involves inserting sterilised fine needles through the skin at specific points to various depths for pain relief. Most naturopaths are trained in acupuncture and use it to treat conditions that cause pain, including rheumatoid arthritis.
Diet : A naturopathy treatment may involve a process of food elimination to identify if and which food components are triggering your disease. You will be required to go on a limited diet until your symptoms improve.
Reducing the side effects of treatment: All medication has potential side effects and the drugs prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis are no exception. The digestive system is one of the main target areas when dealing with this disease. They focus on normalising bacterial flora. Probiotics, when taken according to prescription, are very effective in maintaining the bacterial balance in the gut. They also prescribe natural nutritional supplements like curcumin to
bring down the inflammation in the body.
Improving your overall health : Since rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic condition, it affects more
than just your joints. It may have an adverse effecton other organs, including your heart. By focusing on being as healthy as you can, you can battle the challenges posed by
rheumatoid arthritis. A naturopath can assist you in choosing the right natural remedies, vitamins, diet
and yogic exercise plan to improve the quality of your health.
Manage fatigue : One of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis includes intense fatigue, which is
sometimes exacerbated by the medication. Naturopathy has a lot of pain management regimens to help
combat fatigue, including but not limited to botanical and herbal supplements,chiropractic care, acupressure, hydrotherapy and a lot more.
Eating within 10 hour window may help stave off heart disease ?
According to a recent pilot study, a 10-hour time restricted eating intervention combined with traditional medications could lead to a new treatment option for metabolic syndrome patients who are at higher risk of diabetes.
Metabolic syndrome affects nearly 30pc of the US population and increases the risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. But lifestyle interventions such as adopting a healthy diet and increasing physical exercise are difficult to maintain and, even when combined with medicaion, are often insufficient to fully manage the disease. The study was published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
Researchers from the Salk Institute and the UC San Diego School of Medicine found that a 10-hour time-restricted eating intervention, when combined with traditional medications, resulted in
weight loss, reduced abdominal fat, lower blood pressure and cholesterol,and more stable blood sugar and insulin levels for participants.
The study could lead
to a new treatment option for metabolic syndrome of developing life-altering patients who are risk and costly medical conditions such as diabetes.
According to Satchidananda Panda, co-corresponding author and professor in Salk’s Regulatory Biology Laboratory, “We have found that combining time-restricted eating with medications can give metabolic syndrome patients the ability to
better manage their disease.”
“Unlike counting calories, time restricted eating is a simple dietary intervention to incorporate and we found that participants were able to keep the eating schedule,” said Panda.
Time-restricted eating
(eating all calories within a consistent 10-hour window) supports an individual’s circadian rhythms and can maximize health benefits, as evidenced by previous research published by the Salk team.
Circadian rhythms are the 24-hour cycles of biological processes that affect nearly every cell in the body. Increasingly,
scientists are finding that erratic eating patterns can disrupt this system and increase the risk for
metabolic syndrome and other metabolic disorders with such symptoms as increased abdominal fat, abnormal cholesterol or triglycerides, and high blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
The pilot study included 19 participants (13 men and 6 women) diagnosed metabolic syndrome
who self-reported eating during a time window of more than 14 hours per day.
Nearly 86pc of participants correctly logged their food using the app, indicating high compliance throughout the study.
Participants did not report any adverse effects during the intervention. To reduce food intake to the 10-hour window, most participants delayed their first meal and advanced their last meal each day, so meals were not skipped.
Although calories were not recommended to be reduced for the intervention, some participants did report eating less, likely due to the shorter eating window.
Overall, participants experienced improved sleep as well as a 3 to 4pc reduction in body weight, body mass index, abdominal fat and waist circumference. Major risk factors for heart disease were diminished as participants showed reduced blood pressure and total cholesterol. Blood sugar levels and insulin levels also showed a trend toward improvement.
6 ways to tweak your diet for better eating habits in 2020
6 ways to tweak your diet for better eating habits in 2020 ?
Now Explain:
(1) Get your proteins – Maximising protein consumption is at the top of the list, and rightly so, because this macronutrient is the basic building block of the skin, muscles, bones, and hair. Protein is also responsible for preserving the body’s muscle mass which keeps the metabolism running on full throttle. Moreover, protein staves off hunger by keeping us satiated for extended periods of time, which is a huge plus when it comes to avoiding mindless nibbling. To get enough of this valuable nutrient, it is recommended to include at least three ounces (85gms) of lean meat alongside every meal or at least half a cup of legumes. Greek yoghurt, egg whites, and peanut butter are the best bet for a healthy and protein-rich breakfast.
(2) MAINTAIN A FOOD LOG -Maintaining a food log is an effective way to hold yourself accountable for your dietary choices. It comes in quite handy during outings, which is the time when your diet is most likely to go off-track. Better food decisions can be made if we know what we are putting in our mouths. If notebooks are a hassle, use mobile applications.
(3) INCLUDE PLANTBASED FOODS -Fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes are known for their protective properties against type 2 diabetes, cancer and obesity. Eating plants doesn’t have to be an unbearable chore and can be made fun and simple by gradually adding veggies to your favourite meals, for example toss in some chickpeas into your salad instead of chicken and replace the meat in your taco with beans.
(4 )MINDFULNESS IS THE KEY – To avoid impulsive and excessive eating, it’s important to turn away the smartphones, laptops and other distractions while you consume your meals. Our body gives us subtle cues on hunger and satiety, which can only be picked up if we are mentally present during the whole eating experience.
(5) GIVE INTERMITTENT FASTING A GO – Intermittent fasting involves eating only during a window of a few hours, and abstaining from food for the rest of the day. This dietary approach has its own health benefits as the current body of research suggests. The fasting periods act as a safeguard against unnecessary snacking as you dedicate less time on eating each day. Fasting also pushes the body in a fat-burning mode in which the body starts mobilising ketones for energy instead of blood sugar once the liver runs out of its fuel reserves.
(6) BE CREATIVE WITH RECIPES -Eating healthy can turn out to be boring, and to combat the monotony, it’s best to try out new healthy recipes that are both delicious and nutritious. To seek out new preparations, you can scan through the food section in newspapers, cookbooks and the internet. Also, sharing your recipes on social media may encourage you to commit to this exciting venture, and also inspire others to join in.
Health4u 