Cure cancer in just two hours?

A recent research says a radioactive 'paste' could cure skin cancer in a couple of hours. BT gets experts to talk about it...

Recent research has found that some skin cancers can be cured in just a matter of two hours. Researchers have developed a radioactive 'paste' that can destroy tumours caused by skin cancers without surgery or conventional radiotherapy. The treatment, however, is not suitable for malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Experts say there are minimal side effects and the treatment does not even leave a scar. The breakthrough therapy, which has been used on 700 patients in Italy with a success rate of up to 95 per cent, could be available abroad within two years. The new technique can treat basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The vast majority of those who suffer the less dangerous forms have surgery to remove the affected tissue. Other treatments include radiotherapy and 'freezing' of the tumours if they are small and superficial.

But an estimated three per cent of patients have deep tumours that are difficult to remove surgically because they are on sensitive areas such as the eyes, nose or ears. Others cannot have surgery due to age or medical conditions. These patients are given radiotherapy that often results in serious side-effects. For the new technique, Italian researchers harnessed rhenium-188, a radioactive isotope that was previously rare and expensive. But now it is being supplied in quantities large enough to treat thousands of patients a week by nuclear physicists at the British-funded Institut Laue-Langevin in France. The treatment, which is said to be painless, involves putting a piece of surgical foil on the tumour area, painting on the radioactive paste and removing it one or two hours later. Researchers believe that the radiation causes healthy skin to re-grow, so there is no scarring. In the Italian trial, 85 per cent of patients were cured after one treatment and up to 95 per cent after three treatments. Oliver Buck, chief executive of the German technology firm ITM which developed the therapy, said, "This means that patients with large and difficult-to-treat tumours not only have hope but keep their quality of life under what would otherwise be dire conditions." Trials are now being held in Germany and Australia, and Buck believes the treatment could be licensed in Britain within two years.

Dr Prasad Raj Dandekar, Consultant Radiation Oncologist: Rhenium-188 is a good radioactive isotope for medical purpose due to its high energy beta particle emission and short half life. In the past it has been used to treat bone metastases from various cancers, skin cancers and even osteoarthritis. The current research in focus is the first time it has been used as a paste to treat skin cancers. This is a significant leap in the treatment of non melanoma skin cancers (NMSC). Fortunately, skin cancers are very rare in India (less than one per cent of all cancer patients). In skin cancer patients in our country, squamous cell cancer is more common than basal cell cancer. Since this is a very rare condition in India, this research will not be able to make a great impact in the cancer cure rates in India. Another problem with patients in India is that due to lack of awareness about skin cancer, patients present to doctors at a much later stage. In the western population, due to high awareness about skin cancer, the patients present to doctors at a very early stage, when the cancer is less than five mm in size. Since most of our patients present late, this Rhenium-188 therapy will not be applicable in them. Most of them will have to under go surgery and radiotherapy for the cure. I hope that such simple and effective treatments are developed for more serious cancers such as head and neck cancers which are a major health hazard in India.

Dr Abhijit Desai, Dermatologist: This is a new modality, but no scientific study has yet been done. The isotope Rh 188 holds a lot of promise in treating various forms of cancer, like bone metastases and liver cancers or skin cancers. But, as yet, reliable stage III studies have not yet been completed to evaluate efficacy and potential side effects both short and long term. The commonest skin cancer in India is melanoma where this drug is of no use.

Dr Ashish Vijay Bakshi, Consultant Medical Oncologist and Hemato-Oncologist: This is a new form of treatment for basal and squamous cell carcinomas of skin. These tumours are fairly common in our country and are traditionally treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy with good results. There is a subgroup of patients where because of medical or technical reasons these treatments are not possible. In such cases we use topical Chemotherapy Agents. The rhenium therapy is a new treatment option for patients with early stages of cancer. Although the early results of this therapy are encouraging with good long-term disease control as a standalone treatment modality, they will require evaluation in large scale trials before it can be recommended in routine use.

(With inputs from IANS)

Healthy Diets: Must-eats for Men

Tomatoes: This popular fruit has many benefits for men. Lycopene (a phytochemical) is known to lower cholesterol, cut risk of colorectal cancer and heart disease. Studies show that men who regularly eat food rich in lycopene have lesser chances of developing prostate cancer.

Brazil Nut: Snacking on nuts in general is good for the heart and skin. Brazil nuts, however, are particularly good for men as they have a high selenium content, which is known to enhance sperm health and motility. Selenium also helps reduce LDL or bad cholesterol and acts as mood enhancer.

Cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sproutare some important veggies that every man must include in his diet. These veggies are known to contain cancer-fighting chemicals, which are known to cut risk of prostate and colorectal cancer in men. So add them in plenty in your daily diet.

Eggs: If you’re prone to hair loss, then look no further. Eggs, an excellent source of protein and biotin (vitamin B7) boosts hair growth. Additionally, egg yolks are a good source of iron, which research suggests helps alleviate hair loss caused by anaemia.

Blueberries: Blueberries have been linked to reduced risk of prostate cancer, owing to high levels of proanthocyanidins (a subtype of flavonoids). The benefits of blueberries does not end there, research also suggests that this fruit can reduce risk of heart disease, age-related memory loss and type-2 diabetes — all of which – typically effect more men than women.

Pomegranate: Packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and studies show that eating pomegranate regularly can help lower cholesterol, a problem common to many men. Many studies also suggest that drinking a glass of pomegranate juice daily ca slow down the progress of prostate cancer

Garlic: Garlic’s heart health boosting properties are well known, it helps lower cholesterol, reducing chances of blockage. Further, research findings published in the Journal of National Cancer Institute suggests that regularly eating garlic and onions cuts risk of prostate cancer. So include them in your diet today.

Apple cannot sell iPad tablets in China

SHANGHAI: Apple's dispute over the iPad trademark deepened Monday after the Chinese company that claims ownership of the name said it won a court ruling against sales of the popular tablet computer in China.

Xie Xianghui, a lawyer for Shenzhen ProviewTechnology, said the Intermediate People's Court in Huizhou, a city in southern China's Guangdong province, had ruled on Friday that distributors should stop selling iPads in China.

The ruling, which was also reported widely in China's state media, may not have a far-reaching effect. In its battle with Apple, Proview is utilizing lawsuits in several places and also requesting commercial authorities in 40 cities to block iPad sales.

Apple Inc said in a statement Monday that its case is still pending in mainland China. The company has appealed to Guangdong's High Court against an earlier ruling in Proview's favor.

Apple insists it holds the trademark rights to the iPad in China.

"We bought Proview's worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 10 different countries several years ago. Proview refuses to honor their agreement with Apple in China and a Hong Kong court has sided with Apple in this matter,'' said Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu.

Calls to the court in Huizhou rang unanswered.

A letter to Proview's chairman Rowell Yang from the Beijing office of the law firm King & Wood, which is representing Apple, accused Proview of breaching "principles of good faith and fair dealing" and of making "false and misleading" statements.

Proview, a maker of LCD screens which is based in Guangdong, has asked regulators to seize iPads in China in a possible prelude to demanding a payout from Apple. A Shanghai court is due to hear a similar case on Wednesday.

So far, iPads have been pulled from shelves in some Chinese cities but there has been no sign of action at the national level.

Shenzhen Proview Technology is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Proview International Holdings. It registered the iPad trademark in China in 2001 and says the name was used for a computer described as an "Internet Personal Access Device" that employed touch panel technology.

The company says it plans to ask China's customs agency to block imports and exports of iPads.

Apple contends that it acquired the iPad name when it bought rights in various countries from a Proview affiliate in Taiwan in 2009 for 35,000 British pounds ($55,000). Proview won a ruling from a mainland Chinese court in December that it was not bound by that sale.

Proview International's shares have been suspended from trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since August 2010 and reports say it is deep in debt. It will be delisted in June if it cannot show it has sufficient assets, business operations and working capital.

Proview has filed a trademark-violation lawsuit that goes to court Wednesday in Shanghai. In the meantime, China's mass media is abuzz with speculation over the case.

"The iPad trademark case: Who cheated who?'' quizzed a story in Monday's edition of the 21st Century Business Herald. Apple, based in Cupertino, California, points to a Hong Kong court ruling in July that said Proview had acted with the intention of "injuring Apple."

According to that ruling, Apple set up a company in Britain to buy the iPad trademark from owners in various markets without revealing Apple was the purchaser.

Proview has accused Apple of acting dishonestly when it bought rights to the iPad name from Proview's Taiwan affiliate. A Hong Kong court document shows that once the dispute arose, Proview demanded $10 million for the iPad name in China. But Hong Kong's legal system is separate from the mainland's.

Eat desserts for breakfast, get slim

Those with a weakness for sweets can now include cookies and cake in a 600 caloriebreakfast menu with some proteins and carbs to shed weight in a pleasurable way and also stay slim.

Attempting to avoid sweets entirely can create a psychological addiction to these same foods in the long-term, explains Daniela Jakubowicz, professor at Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine, who led the study.

Over the course of a 32-week-long study, participants who added dessert to their breakfast - cookies, cake, or chocolate - lost an average of 40 pounds more than a group that avoided such foods, the journal Steroids reports.

What's more, they kept off the pounds longer. A meal in the morning provides energy for the day's tasks, aids in brain functioning, and kick-starts the body's metabolism, making it crucial for weight loss and maintenance, according to aTel Aviv statement.

And breakfast is the meal that most successfully regulates ghrelin, the hormone that increases hunger, explains Jakubowicz. While the level of ghrelin rises before every meal, it is suppressed most effectively at breakfast time.

These findings were based on 193 clinically obese, non-diabetic adults, who were randomly assigned to one of two diet groups with identical caloric intake - the men consumed 1,600 calories daily and the women 1,400.

However, the first group was given a low carbohydrate diet including a small 300 calorie breakfast, and the second was given a 600 calorie breakfast high in protein and carbohydrates, always including a dessert item (i.e. chocolate).

Halfway through the study, participants in both groups had lost an average of 33 pounds per person. But in the second half of the study, results differed drastically.

The participants in the low-carb group regained an average of 22 pounds each, but participants in the group with a larger breakfast lost another 15 pounds each.

At the end of the 32 weeks, those who had consumed a 600 calorie breakfast had lost an average of 40 pounds more per person than their peers.

Jakubowicz conducted the study with Julio Wainstein and Mona Boaz from Tel Aviv and Oren Froy of Hebrew University Jerusalem.

I will not shut down Kingfisher Airlines: Vijaya Mallya

NEW DELHI: Beleaguered Kingfisher Airlines' promoter Vijay Mallya said tonight that he will not shut down the private carrier which struggled to stay afloat after further large-scale flight disruptions and resignation of pilots. "Closing down is not an option. It will not happen. Government does not want it to happen. It is not in national interest," Mallya said in his first public reaction to the latest crisis that has gripped his cash-strapped airline. "Why should we give up as long as we get help. Help is not bailout. We have asked banks to consider our proposal to provide more working capital," he said, making it clear that the airline has never asked for a bailout from the government.

In the context of getting help, the liquor baron referred to the government's decision to allow direct jet fuel imports by the airlines and permit foreign carriers to pick up stake in them. He had lobbied hard with the government on both these issues. Mallya claimed that the entire issue of bailout was of "media making".

Asked about sudden disruption in Kingfisher flights, the UB Group chief said the bank accounts of the airline were frozen "very suddenly" by the Income Tax authorities over non-payment of tax dues.

"The abrupt disruption was unfortunate because our bank accounts were suddenly frozen by tax authorities. I don't deny we have taxes due. The bottomline is we requested for time to pay these dues," Mallya said.

"It was the very sudden attachment of our accounts that obviously crippled us," he said.

Kingfisher, which suffered a loss of Rs 1,027 crore in 2010-11 and has a debt of Rs 7,057.08 crore, posted a Rs 444 crore loss in third quarter this fiscal.

Maintaining that Kingfisher's financial crunch was reflective of the prevailing state of the aviation industry, Mallya said "we have to make payments every day. Payments are to be made for spare parts, to customs, fuel dues, airport dues. So the ability to operate the bank account is critical".

"Once we are choked, we obviously have problems. I tried to resolve and negotiate with the tax authorities and tried to agree on a payment plan which is comfortable for both. Our accounts should be de-frozen so that we can continue normal operations. We have the money in the accounts and money is flowing in," Mallya said.

Asked why the airline did not inform aviation regulator DGCA about flight cancellations, he said "if your bank account is frozen suddenly, obviously you don't have advance notice by which to notify DGCA. It is self-explanatory.

"With the accounts frozen, the problem started then and there. We didn't have time to notify anyone. It was only subsequently that we notified the DGCA. We conveyed to DGCA defining the circumstances we were having to suffer," he said.

Almost 40 flights were cancelled by the airline, including those to Bangkok, Singapore,Kathmandu and Dhaka, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at various airports across the country. The cancellations included 14 flights from Mumbai, seven from Kolkata and six from Delhi.

Fresh woes for Kingfisher, govt rules out bailout

Wobbling on top of large-scale flight disruptions, beleaguered Kingfisher Airlines faced further problems with 34 pilots quitting and a large number of staff being put on notice even as the government today ruled out any bailout for the airline.

The resignation of the pilots have taken the total number of those who have quit to about 80 since last October, industry sources said today.

Reports also suggested that a large number of ground staff, mostly on contract, were also put on notice by the cash-strapped carrier and their contracts not renewed.

However, there was no confirmation from the airline about these resignations. Kingfisher has been suffering from a severe cash crunch that has culminated into the Income Tax authorities freezing its bank accounts last week on grounds of non-payment of tax dues.

Meanwhile ruling out any bailout, civil aviation minister Ajit Singh told reporters here, "Government cannot go around asking banks to lend money (for private airlines)".

"No, government is not going to have any bailout," he added.

"As far as Kingfisher or any other private airline is concerned, they have to present their business plan to the banks and if they (banks) are satisfied with that, and if it is within RBI guidelines, then they will lend money," he said.

Over 30 flights were cancelled today, including those to Bangkok, Singapore, Kathmandu and Dhaka, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at various airports across the country.

Today's cancellations included 14 flights from Mumbai, seven from Kolkata and six from Delhi.

Concerned over the sudden cancellations and passenger inconvenience, aviation regulator DGCA summoned the airline's CEO Sanjay Agarwal and top officials to appear before them tomorrow to explain the large-scale disruptions in the operations and the reasons.

Green Tea – Everything You Need To Know

There are several benefits of green tea which have been deduced by scientists, nutritionists and reputable health care professionals. Most of these benefits are accrued from powerful antioxidants popularly known as catechins which are known for scavenging the cells for the presence of free radicals that might damage DNA and hence cause complications such as blood clots, cancer and blocked arteries. It comes with minimal processing and for this reason, it is advisable to steam rather than ferment the leaves. Some of the major benefits of green tea are as highlighted below.

Reduces the Risk of Cancer

There are several studies which have been carried out on humans and which indicate that indeed, it destroys cancerous cells. This is attributed to the high level of EGCG which is also known as the active ingredient. This ingredient kills any cells that showcase inappropriate growth. A study carried out in Japan in 500 women suffering from Stage I and II breast cancer indicate that by increase of green after and prior to surgery lowers recurrence. There are also studies that show a correlation between lung cancer and intake of the same. These indicate that by increasing intake, you can enjoy the benefits of green tea.

Stabilize Cholesterol Levels

This is ranked among the major benefits of green tea. Researchers believe that cholesterol levels can be easily lowered by increasing intake of this tea. This is because it lowers the absorption of cholesterol into the digestive tract and instead, increases the rate with which it is excreted. Since the body still requires a certain amount of cholesterol for the purpose of building cell membranes, creating hormones and insulating your nerve fibers, benefits of green tea also come in handy. This is because it ensures that LDL conversion of dangerous cholesterol that is in oxidized form does not take place. Additionally, it also ensures that your arteries are kept clean and this reduces cases of heart attack and stroke.

Boost the Immune System

Catechins have also proven to have a major impact on positively impacting the immune system. Research indicates there it comes with a compound known as theanine which boosts activity of Gamma Delta T Cells and hence, delivering the benefits of green tea that make it possible to enjoy the benefits of having a strong immune system. Individuals who take 600ml of this tea on a daily basis have high antibacterial proteins.

Weight Loss

Weight loss is also ranked among the benefits of green tea. It fights obesity and lowers the level of LDL cholesterol. It also contains some polyphenols which come in handy for the purpose of dissolving triglycerides which is found in the liver and the small intestine. This is mostly comprised of fats and sugars and is responsible for the excess fats. EGCH is popularly known for stimulating the metabolism rate and when combined with the caffeine found in green tea, the nervous system (central) is forced to release fats to the bloodstream. This is then used for the purposes of fueling and burning off excess fats.

Upgraded tablet PC Aakash not to cost more: Sibal

New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) Communications Minister Kapil SibalMonday said an upgraded version of the tablet PC "Aakash", supplied primarily to students at less than Rs.2,450 ($49) a piece, would not be hiked.The minister, who also holds the education portfolio, said two state-owned technology companies had been roped in to manufacture the upgra1ded version. He admitted there were problems with Datawind, the original developer of the tablet."There have been some problem with Datawind I must confess. Therefore, I have got into the act. IT Ministry has got C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) and ITI (Indian Telephone Industries) into the act and I am going to ensure that this product is fully indigenous and truly an Indian product," said Sibal.Datawind has come under criticism for missing delivery deadlines and its failure to provide a proper customer service platform.The government was also unhappy after various faults were detected in the tablet and officials had indicated that the government may not extend the contract for manufacture of more tablets to Datawind."There have been some hiccups in the way. Remember when you do a project of this nature and when your dream is as big as this, things are never that smooth," said Sibal.The minister also welcomed competition from private players for producing ultra low-cost tablets."I think its a great thing if there is competition. Ultimately my objective is to get a quality product in the hands of the children."

The modern day Gabbar Singh who tweets and studies at SIBM Pune

If you are one of those people who are hooked on to social networking sites, you may know the Twitter handle@GabbbarSingh fairly well. Its owner is the Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), Pune MBA student Abhishek Asthana who already has 16,000 plus followers for his humorous Twitter avatar.

Abhishek thought of the idea in January 2010, when he thought of writing a blog post about the movie Sholay. “I thought of this funny situation where the Sholay cast joins Twitter and they start tweeting to each other in their style. I needed screenshots of the tweets, but as photoshopping looked like a lot of work, I thought of creating a Twitter account, tweeting some stuff and taking screen shots of it and then posting on my blog. But after tweeting, within five minutes I had got some 50 new followers and by the end of the day that number was 400.”

“That’s how @GabbbarSingh was born, or should I say, reincarnated,” says Abhishek.

Why MBA?

Abhishek was earning a good salary, while working as a software engineer in 2009 at Samsung R&D in the mobiles division at Bangalore. But he left it when he felt that he was not getting enough credit for work that he thought was due to him.

“That is when I decided to do an MBA, so that I have greater control over things and ultimately become a marketing manager,” he says.

From being a techie to a blogger to Gabbar Singh

“I took the Common Admission Test (CAT) in 2009 and it was a disaster. That is the time I wanted to be away from Facebook, because everyone around me was talking about the test. I started blogging and wrote a few satirical pieces,” narrates Abhishek. His writing got noticed and he started freelancing for the JAM magazine, a youth newspaper in Mumbai. “It was then, that I came up with the concept of blogging about the Sholay characters tweeting to each other. When I tried making a fake Gabbar Singh account, I saw that it was already taken. So I had to write Gabbar with three b’s (@GabbbarSingh). Fake accounts of celebrities were not so much in vogue in India that time. I began tweeting in English and people found Gabbar, a desi robber tweeting in English, extremely funny and amusing,” he recalls.

Abhishek enjoys the anonymity (not anonymous anymore, though). In Bangalore, a colleague actually asked him to follow @GabbbarSingh on Twitter, “Because apparently he tweets really funny stuff.” Abhishek came back to the room and laughed it out. In due course however, people found out that he was ‘the one’.

During his summer placements at SIBM Pune, he faced a similar situation. “This FMCG company and one of the panelists asked me if I used Twitter, and if I did, what was my Twitter handle. When I said it was @GabbbarSingh, he said, ‘Hey I follow you!’ That was an amazing moment,” laughs Abhishek.

Fun during the Commonwealth Games 2010

“Before the Commonwealth Games (CWG) mismanagement fiasco broke out, we (Faking News, @Gkhamba and @GabbbarSingh) came together to start a new Twitter handle called @CWG2010PR, a parody account which claimed to be the unofficial PR channel of the CWG 2010,” says Abhishek. It started tweeting funny, sarcastic one-liners and earned some 3,000 followers in a matter of just three days.

“A lot of foreign correspondents started following the handle and it got mentioned in the print media. In the end, we ended up getting an offer from a national news channel to get featured. We decided against it, and we ended after the CWG opening ceremony,” he adds. Many people tried to guess who the people behind @CWG2010PR were but no one managed to. “Some people almost caught us when we used to retweet the @CWG2010PR tweets from our respective Twitter accounts so often,” smiles Abhishek.

The Gabbar Singh in real life

Funnily, Abhishek is a far cry from Gabbar Singh. He is tall and lanky, with hair falling on his forehead and is clean shaven too. He does not want to make writing his career, though. “Your dessert, however tasty it might be, cannot be your main course. If I took up my hobby as my career, then what will I do in my free time?”

Abhishek has written few episodes of the Internet late night show ‘JayHind’ (from the makers of the Shekhar Suman-starrer popular show ‘Movers & Shakers’). During the IPL 2011, he was one of the 12 people in the country who were involved in promoting Star Movies’ programme ‘Star league’ on Twitter. Abhishek regularly gets mentioned for his tweets in all the leading newspapers, and these days he also consults startups on their digital marketing strategies.

So after such ‘unusual’ success, where does Gabbar Singh go next? “Well, I am a marketing guy and with the help of my popular @GabbbarSingh account, I can get a huge sample size of 15,000 plus people, who I can use for market research. Whenever I have done that, I have got at least a hundred responses in five minutes,” he says.

There are celebrities like Konkona Sen Sharma and Gul Panag following his account. Gul Panag told PaGaLGuY that she followed him because “He is witty and he comments on current affairs and technology. What else does one need?”

“My long term plan is to sleep an extra hour, peacefully, after the alarm snooze button is pressed for the first time,” he smiles and signs off.

Some popular one-liners from the @GabbbarSingh Twitter account

• Tweeting about changing the nation is like a Constructor worker ‘working from home’.
• Sarcasm is like electricity, half of the villagers are yet to get it.
• No matter how much you achieve in life, someday a guy will wrap samosas with your obituary.
• Facebook will be much more interesting if only they let you decide, which part of the body, you wanna Poke.
• Sonam Kapoor plays Farmville on her Daddy’s chest.
• Orkut sending you weekly updates is like that Gaaon ke chacha writing you postcards to come visit.
• When your doctor asks you “Do you drink?”. Optimism is assuming that he wants to offer you his scotch
• Continuously updating your FB status while watching a sports match is like making notes while smooching.
• Absence from Facebook is like absence from a prison. If you don’t see the person, assume he’s doing good with his life.
• Comparing Coke Studio Pakistan with Coke Studio India is like comparing Kapil Dev with Kapil Sibal.
• Love is two ‘invisible’ people chatting on Gtalk.
• When in doubt, append a ‘:P’.
• No of hours you spend wearing shorts in a day/No. of hours wearing trousers = work life balance index.