Plastic waste management-A new study

Millions of tonnes of plastic waste, mainly package material is generated world-wide. About 10% of the waste gets recycled and the rest presents an environmental challenge in terms of water contamination and animal poisoning. Plastic is not degradable and hence needs to be stored for longer periods of time and is not environmental friendly. The major constituent in plastic material is polystyrene.

A Stanford Report (Sept. 29, 2015) indicates that an ongoing research in collaboration with researchers in China on plastic-eating worms may offer a solution for safely biodegrade various types of plastic.

The tiny worm, which is the larvae form of the darkling beetle can survive on a diet of Styrofoam and other types of polystyrene.

The study has opened a new door to the management of global plastic waste problem. It is long time to go before the research (in milligram levels) can be put into actual application in massive scale for plastic waste management. This needs to be addressed quickly to protect our environment, including marine life

University of Texas cancer study links meat to kidney cancer

Dr. Xifeng Wu and her team at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre investigated the effect of grilled or barbecued meat on the increased risk of kidney cancer. Grilling and barbecuing meat produces carcinogenic organic compounds which increases the kidney cancer risk. It is estimated that 61,000 Americans will be diagnosed with kidney cancer yearly.

American Cancer Society points out the recent IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) report that processed meats such as sausages and bacon cause cancer. There is also a genetic component of population groups with high risk of kidney cancer and the meat eating only increases the risk. 

This is an important finding which is going to be discussed for a while. The western countries where grilled and barbecued meat is increasingly used will find it difficult to stay away from this dietary component and will continue with the habit. Like alcohol which is proven carcinogenic but still used worldwide, eating processed meat also will be continued knowing that they are cancer causing! Who cares for the research findings? 

Wireless pacemaker – a new development

A pacemaker is used to restore heart’s rhythm by sending tiny electrical impulses to the heart. Millions of people world-wide who are suffering from slow or irregular heart rhythm, are able to live more active lives due to the restoration of heart rhythm. Roughly 200,000 people in US alone get a pacemaker. These pacemakers have wires (one or two insulated leads) which carry impulses from the pacemakers implanted by surgical incision outside the heart, under the skin.

The new development is a miniature pacemaker (typically Micra TPSystem) fully self-contained, has no leads. and can easily implanted in the heart, with minimum invasive surgery. It is delivered through a catheter inserted in the femoral vein to the inside of the heart. International clinical trials demonstrates high implant success.

Questions to be answered are: the cost, failure rate, removal of the failed pacemaker from the heart and the actual battery life. This is a very good development and efforts should be made to make this novel device affordable, cost-wise.

(This is only for information, Always talk to your healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs).