.According to the apex body of laughing clubs in the state, their membership is growing steadily even though the economy is in the doldrums.
“The number of members in the 15-20 laughing clubs in the city proper is increasing 5 per cent every year. The rate in greater Calcutta is about 15 per cent,” said Jyotirmoy Sengupta, the secretary of the Laughing Academy of Eastern India, the apex body.
“I request anyone who is depressed or stressed because of the economic turmoil to join a laughing club and feel the difference. Many have overcome depression with laughter. Also, when you start the day with a laugh, the mind is relaxed and fresh, which may help in tackling professional challenges better,” he added.
Psychologists agree. “When one laughs, chemicals are released in the brain. This leads to a feeling of happiness. For example, when one is unhappy, thinking about something pleasant may lift the mood,” said psychologist Moharmala Chatterjee.
According to Sengupta, psychologists have found that the body doesn’t know the difference between a forced and a real laugh and “releases endorphins to relieve stress as a natural physiological response to the physical act of laughing”.
The potential for professional benefits is perhaps making more young people join laughing clubs, which mostly have elderly members.
Promotional activities by the clubs, such as a daylong programme at Rabindra Sarobar stadium on Sunday, also attract the young. The academy plans to visit schools to draw more students.
Members, whether young or old, vouch for laughter therapy. “I have been a member of a laughing club for 10 years and have benefited immensely. I am physically fit and haven’t had to visit the doctor much, except when I had malaria. Whenever I am depressed or stressed laughing cheers me up. In fact, if I miss my morning laughter session, I feel very sad,” said Banani Chakraborty, a working woman in her 40s.
A pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan is a pair of nuclear scan tests that use inhaled and injected material to measur breathing (ventilation) and circulation (perfusion) in all areas of the lungs.
The ventilation-perfusion scan is a nuclear scan so named because it studies both airflow (ventilation) and blood flow (perfusion) in the lungs. The initials V-Q are used in mathematical equations that calculate airflow and blood flow. The purpose of this test is to look for evidence of a blood clot in the lungs, called a pulmonary embolus, that lowers oxygen levels, causes shortness of breath, and sometimes is fatal.
Why is the Test Performed?
*The ventilation scan is used to evaluate the ability of air to reach all portions of the lungs.
*The perfusion scan measures the supply of blood through the lungs.
*A ventilation and perfusion scan is most often performed to detect a pulmonary embolus. It is also used to evaluate lung function in people with advanced pulmonary disease such as COPD, and to detect the presence of shunts (abnormal circulation) in the pulmonary blood vessels.
How is the Test Performed?
*A Pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan is actually two tests that may be performed separately or together.
*The perfusion scan is performed by injecting albumin into a vein. The patient is immediately placed on a movable table that is positioned under the arm of a scanner. The lungs are scanned to detect the location of the radioactive particles as blood flows through the lungs.
*The ventilation scan is performed by scanning the lungs while having the person inhale gas. A mask is placed over the nose and mouth, and the patient is asked to breathe the gas while sitting or lying on the table beneath the arm of the scanner.
How to Prepare for the Test?
*No special diet, medications, or fasting are necessary before the test.
*A chest x-ray is usually performed prior to or following a ventilation and perfusion scan.
*The patient usually signs a consent form and is asked to wear a hospital gown or comfortable clothing without metal fasteners.
About one hour before the test, a technician places an IV in your arm. A slightly radioactive version of the mineral technetium mixed with liquid protein is injected through the IV to identify areas of the lung that have reduced blood flow.
What happens when the test is performed?
The test is performed in the radiology department of a hospital or in an outpatient facility. You are asked to put on a hospital gown. Once you are ready, multiple pictures of your chest are taken from different angles, using a special camera that detects the radionuclide. For half of these pictures, you are asked to breathe from a tube that has a mixture of air, oxygen, and a slightly radioactive version of a gas called xenon, which can be detected by the camera, and which measures airflow in different parts of the lung. For the other half of the pictures, the camera tracks the injected radionuclide to determine blood flow in different parts of the lung. A blood clot is suspected in areas of the lung that have good airflow but poor blood flow. Except for the minor discomfort of having the IV placed, the test is painless. It usually takes less than one hour.
How Will the Test Feel?
The table may feel hard and/or cold. There may be a sharp prick during injection of material into the vein for the perfusion portion of the scan. The mask used during the ventilation scan may give you a claustrophobic feeling. You must lie still during scanning. The injection usually does not cause discomfort.
Many people worry when they hear that the liquid and gas used in this test are slightly radioactive. In truth, the radioactivity you are exposed to in this test is so small that there are no side effects or complications, unless you are pregnant.
*Risks are essentially the same as for x-rays (radiation) and needle pricks.
*There is a small exposure to radiation from the radioisotope. The radioisotopes used during scans are short lived, with almost all radiation gone in a few days. However, as with any radiation exposure, caution is advised during pregnancy or if a woman is breastfeeding. No radiation is emitted from the scanner; it detects radiation and converts it to a visible image.
*There is a slight risk for infection or bleeding at the site of the needle insertion. The risk with perfusion scan is no different than for placement of an intravenous needle for any other purpose.
*It is extremely rare, but a person may develop an allergy to the radioisotope, which may include serious anaphylactic reaction.
Must you do anything special after the test is over?
Nothing
How long is it before the result of the test is known?
The results are usually available within a few hours, because the test is done only when you are suspected of having a potentially life-threatening condition (pulmonary embolus). Your doctor can interpret the pictures to determine whether your probability of having a blood clot in your lungs is high, low, or intermediate. If the probability is high, usually yourdoctor will order bloodthinning medicine. If it is low, he or she may not give immediate treatment, but will want to examine you again in a short time. If you face an intermediate risk, or if the V-Q scan cannot be clearly interpreted, your doctor may order a pulmonary angiogram (see page 8) to help determine whether you have a blood clot. This test is more definitive than a V-Q scan, but because it is more difficult and risky, the V-Q scan usually is done first.
Indoor plants can reduce formaldehyde levels in the air, according to a new study.
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The sources of the toxic gas formaldehyde are building materials including carpeting, curtains, plywood, and adhesives.
As it is emitted, it deteriorates the air quality, which can lead to ‘multiple chemical sensitivity‘ and ‘sick building syndrome‘, medical conditions with symptoms such as allergies, asthma, and headaches.
In the study, lead author Kwang Jin Kim of Korea‘s National Horticultural Research Institute compared the absorption rate of two types of houseplants, Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) and Fatsia japonica, an evergreen shrub.
During the study, equal amounts of formaldehyde were pumped into containers holding each type of plant in three configurations: whole, roots-only with the leafy portion cut off, and aerial-only, with the below-ground portion sealed off, leaving the stem and leaves exposed.
The results showed the combined total of aerial-only and roots-only portions was similar to the amount removed by whole plants. Complete plants removed approximately 80 percent of the formaldehyde within 4 hours.
Control chambers pumped with the same amount of formaldehyde, but not containing any plant parts, decreased by 7.3 percent during the day and 6.9 percent overnight within 5 hours. As the length of exposure increased, the amount of absorption decreased, which appeared to be due to the reduced concentration of the gas.
Aerial parts of reduced more formaldehyde during the day than at night. This suggests the role played by stomata, tiny slits on the surface of the leaves that are only open during the day.
The portion of formaldehyde that was reduced during the night was most likely absorbed through a thin film on the plant’s surface known as the cuticle. Root zones of ficus removed similar amounts between night and day. However, japonica root zones removed more formaldehyde at night.
Researchers consider micro-organisms living among the soil and root system to be a major contributor to the reduction. Japonica was planted in larger pots than the ficus, which may account for the lower night reduction rate of the latter.
Household consumer products injure 33.1 million people in the United States every year. These incidents cost $800 billion in related expenses from death, injury or property damages. And many scientists are starting to believe that, in particular, the chemicals found in a wide variety of the goods you use every day may be more toxic than previously thought. Here are 10 of the most common products that may be hazardous to your health:
Since moths chew holes through clothing and other textiles, people pack away these stinky repellents to kill them. But studies on one active ingredient in some repellents, paradichlorobenzene, found that it can cause cancer in animals. Other types of moth balls use naphthalene, which after prolonged exposure can damage or destroy red blood cells, and which can also stimulate nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Ninety percent of households in the United States use some form of pesticide, a broad term that encompasses a variety of chemical formulas that kill everything from tiny microorganisms up to rodents. In 2006, the American Association of Poison Control Centers received nearly 46,000 calls regarding children under 5 years old who had been exposed to potentially toxic levels of pesticides.
This faux wood takes bits and pieces of logs and wood leftovers and combines them together. Pressed wood products include paneling, particle board, fiberboard and insulation, all of which were particularly popular for home construction in the 1970’s. However, the glue that holds the wood particles in place may use urea-formaldehyde as a resin. The U.S. EPA estimates that this is the largest source of formaldehyde emissions indoors. Formaldehyde exposure can set off watery eyes, burning eyes and throat, difficulty breathing and asthma attacks. Scientists also know that it can cause cancer in animals. The risk is greater with older pressed wood products, since newer ones are better regulated.
Indoor carpeting has recently come under greater scrutiny because of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with new carpet installation. The glue and dyes used with carpeting are known to emit VOCs, which can be harmful to your health in high concentrations. However, the initial VOC emissions will often subside after the first few days following.
A 2007 study found that some laser printers give off ultra fine particles that can cause serious health problems. Another study confirmed that laser and ink-jet printers can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ozone particulates. All of these have been linked with heart and lung disease.
In 1991, the U.S. government declared lead to be the greatest environmental threat to children. Even low concentrations can cause problems with your central nervous system, brain, blood cells and kidneys. It’s particularly threatening for fetuses, babies and children, because of potential developmental disorders. Many houses built before 1978 contain lead paint. Once the paint begins to peel away will, it release the harmful lead particles that you can inhale.
Air fresheners and cleaning solutions, when used excessively or in a small, unventilated area, can release toxic levels of pollutants. This comes from two main chemicals called ethylene-based glycol ethers and terpenes. While the EPA regards the ethers as toxic by themselves, the non-toxic terpenes can react with ozone in the air to form a poisonous combination. Air fresheners in particular are linked to many volatile organic compounds, such as nitrogen dioxide, and some fresheners also contain paradichlorobenzene, the same chemical emitted by mothballs.
Canada has taken the first steps to outlaw the sale of baby bottles made from polycarbonate plastics, which are the most common type on the market. It has done so because the plastics are made with a chemical called bisphenol-a (BPA). BPA has a structure very similar to estrogen and for that reason is referred to as a “hormone disruptor.” Hormone disruptors can interfere with the natural human hormones, especially for young children.
Commonly used in mattresses, upholstery, television and computer casings and circuit boards, flame retardants use polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs for short. Two forms of PBDEs were phased out of use in manufacturing in the United States in 2004 because of related health threats, but the products containing them linger on. Studies have linked PBDEs to learning and memory problems, lowered sperm counts and poor thyroid functioning in rats and mice. Other animal studies have indicated that PBDEs could be carcinogenic in humans, although that has not yet been confirmed.
Phthalates, also called plasticizers, go into many products including hair spray, shampoos, fragrances, and deodorants. Phthalates bind the color and fragrance in cosmetic products, and are also used to increase the durability and flexibility of plastics. Like BPA, these hormone-like chemicals are linked to reproductive and developmental problems in animals. Because of these findings, California and Washington state have banned the use of phthalates in toys for younger children.
Botanical Name:Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don (Apocynaceae) Family: Apocynaceae Genus: Catharanthus
G.Don Syn: Lochnera rosea (L.) Spach, Vinca rosea L. English names:Madagascar periwinkle, Old maid, Red periwinkle. Vernacular names:Ben: Nayantara; Hin : Sada sawagon; Lad: Swet chandu; Mal: Mar: Ushamalari;Sadaphul; Ori : Ainskati; Pun: Rattanjot; Tam: Sudukadu Mallikai; Tel: Billaganneru.
Trade name: Nayantara. Habitat:A native of West Indies; commonly grown in gardens throughout India;Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Description:An evergreen shrub, it grows to a height of 1m with a spread of 1m. The stem is short, erect and branching; the leaves are glossy gree, oval, 5cm long and opposite acuminate; the flowers are soft pink, tinged with red, 5 petalled, open, tubular and 4cm across, appearing in spring and autumn.
Catharanthus coriaceus Markgr. Madagascar: A native of tropical Africa and Madagascar, it prefers rich, well drained, moist soils in a protected, sunny position, and is drought and frost tender.
Propagation is by seed and by cuttings.
A small herb or subshrub, up to 75 cm high; leaves elliptic-ovate to oblong, 4-10 by 2-4 cm, glabrous to puberulous, base acute or cuneate, apex obtusely apiculate, lateral nerves 10-12 pairs, petiole 1.0-1.5 cm; flowers in axillary or terminal cymes; solitary or paired, shortly pedicellate, pink or white or white with pink or yellow ring in orifice region; mericarps 3-4 by 0.3 cm, puberulous.
Flowering and Fruiting: throughout the year.
Catharanthus (Madagascar Periwinkle) is a genus of eight species of herbaceous perennial plants, seven endemic to the island of Madagascar, the eighth native to the Indian subcontinent in southern Asia.
Species :
Catharanthus coriaceus Markgr. Madagascar.
Catharanthus lanceus (Bojer ex A.DC.) Pichon. Madagascar.
Catharanthus longifolius (Pichon) Pichon. Madagascar.
Catharanthus ovalis Markgr. Madagascar.
Catharanthus pusillus (Murray) G.Don. Indian subcontinent.
Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don. Madagascar.
Catharanthus scitulus (Pichon) Pichon. Madagascar.
Catharanthus trichophyllus (Baker) Pichon. Madagascar.
Ecology and cultivation: Plains from the coasts, in wastelands, fallow fields, less on the hills 800-1400 m, also widely cultivated.
The species are self-propagating from seed; the seeds require a period of total darkness to germinate. Cuttings from mature plants will also root readily.
One species, C. roseus, has been widely cultivated and introduced, becoming an invasive species in some areas.
Medicinal Uses:
C. roseus has gained interest from the pharmaceutical industry; the alkaloids vincristine and vinblastine from its sap have been shown to be an effective treatment for leukaemia. Although the sap is poisonous if ingested, some 70 useful alkaloids have been identified from it. In Madagascar, extracts have been used for hundreds of years in herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes, as hemostatics and tranquilizers, to lower blood pressure, and as disinfectants. The extracts are not without their side effects, however, which include hair loss.
In 1923, considerable interest was aroused in the medical world by the statement that this species of Vinca had the power to cure diabetes, and would probably prove an efficient substitute for Insulin, but V. major has long been used by herbalists for this purpose. Vincristine, a major chemotherapy agent for leukemia, and vinblastin (for Hodgkin’s disease) are derived from the plant. The anti-cancer constituents are very strong and should only be taken under the supervision of a qualified health care practitioner. Use as a fluid extract. It has also been used in traditional herbal medicine to treat wasp stings (India), stop bleeding (Hawaii), as an eyewash (Cuba), and to treat diabetes (Jamaica); contains the alkaloid alstonine which can reduce blood pressure.
Vinca alkaloids:
Vinca alkaloids are anti-mitotic and anti-microtubule agents. They are nowadays produced synthetically and used as drugs in cancer therapy and as immunosuppressive drugs. These compounds are vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine and vinorelbine. Periwinkle extracts and derivatives, such as vinpocetine, are also used as nootropic drugs.
Catharanthus lanceus contains up to 6% yohimbine in its leaves
Indian Traditional use:BODO: (i) Plant: in cancer, diabetes, (ii ) Leaf: in menorrhagia; LODHA : (i) Root-paste: in septic wounds, (ii) Root-decoction (with paste of long peppers) : in fever, (iii) Leaf-juice: in blood dysentery, (iv) Leaf-decoction: to babies in gripping pain; SANTAL : (i) Latex: in scabies, (ii) Seed-powder (with decoction of black pepper) : in epilepsy; ETHNIC COMMUNITIES OF EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT:Root: in cancerous wounds.
Modern use: Plant-extract: antimitotic; Root (alkaloids) : in cancer, and as emetic, hypotensive, sedative and antiviral.
Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider
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