Category Health & Medical

THE CURIOUS CASE OF EMM NEGATIVE

India has reported its first case of EMM negative blood. What is unique about the type? Why does it not find a place in the existing blood groups?

IN SCHOOL DESK

One of the first things that schools ask when students enroll is their blood group. This crucial information is added to the identity card and student files so that, in case of a medical emergency, the information is available at hand. But can you imagine a scenario when a lab is unable to identify your blood group because it is extremely rare? That’s what happened when a 65-year-old man in Gujarat who had gone for cardiac treatment, tried to find out his blood group.

Even specialists were left puzzled as his blood sample did not seem to match others. The patient needed to know his blood group in order to have a compatible donor who could give him blood for a heart surgery. Only after a long ordeal ending with his blood sample being sent to the United States for testing, did the man find out that he had EMM negative blood. He is the first recorded case in India to have such a blood type and the tenth in the world. The blood group has been assigned with the symbol ISBT042.

What are blood types?

Blood is characterised into types to prevent adverse reactions during blood transfusions. In general, we know of the blood types A, B, O or AB. Further, these groups take on a negative or positive factor.

However, there are 42 different types of blood systems, including A, B, O, Rh, and Duffy. The names come from the ABO antigens, which are basically protein molecules that are found on our red blood cells. In most blood groups, EMM is present. But there are rare cases where EMM is negative.

In the case of the Gujarat man, even his children’s blood samples were not a perfect match and he could have had a reaction if their blood was given to him.

Why is the ISBT042 blood type so rare?

Understanding the Emm antigen has been a struggle even for scientists. But by studying those with the blood type and comparing their samples with those of relatives, scientists have found that a deletion in a gene could be responsible for the blood type. People with EMM negative blood group can’t donate blood to anyone or accept blood from anyone.

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WHY IS STRONG TEA NOT GOOD FOR HEALTH?

Besides theine and certain aromatic substances, tea contains a substance called tannin. It is an astringent acid that can dry up the digestive juices and cause indigestion. Tannin is present in strong tea and tea that has been standing for a long time. After pouring boiling water on the tea leaves or tea bags, three minutes is enough to extract most of the flavour and aromatic substances. That is when the tea should be poured into the cup for drinking, for, it will not contain harmful amounts of tannin. The longer the tea infuses, the more tannin will be present.

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What is ASMR (AUTONOMOUS SENSORY MERIDIAN RESPONSE)?

It refers to the tingling sensation one experiences due to various kinds of feel-good sounds.

Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a term that describes a spontaneous, enjoyable, and relaxing tingling sensation that begins in the scalp and radiates down the spine to your upper back shoulders, and legs. The sensation is triggered by various stimuli such as gentle whispering, brushing hair, soft finger tapping, crumpling or folding of paper, etc. The term was coined by Jennifer Allen in 2010 when she formed a Facebook group dedicated to ASMR. It is colloquially known as ‘brain massage, head tingle, brain tingle’, or ‘spine tingle. ASMR is being currently studied by scientists and psychologists.

According to an ongoing online survey, ASMR is experienced by people of all ages across the globe irrespective of race or culture, suggesting it is a sa biological response. So far scientists can’t explain why it works for many people or why it doesn’t affect some people. ASMR has, of late, become a YouTube phenomenon with millions of ASMR videos flooding the Internet. They feature someone talking softly, making soothing sounds, gently scratching various surfaces with fingernails, etc. People watch these videos to induce sleep or relaxation. However, professionals caution against depending much on ASMR, as its drawbacks, if any are yet to be fully ascertained.

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WHAT IS RED LIST INDEX?

Put together by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the IUCN Red List tells us how likely it is for a species to go extinct (such as EN – endangered, VU vulnerable, etc.). But the list does not offer insights into meaningful trends in the status of biodiversity. To address this, the Red List Index (RLI) has been created to show trends in the status of groups of species based only on genuine improvement or deterioration. Right now, RLI is available for birds, mammals, amphibians, cycads (vascular plants), and corals.

Sampled approach

Producing indices of change in extinction risk by comprehensively assessing whole species groups, while feasible for well studied groups with relatively few species, is not suitable for all taxonomic groups. Assessing every species in the larger and lesser known groups which comprise the majority of the world’s biodiversity, such as fungi, invertebrates (particularly insects) and plants, is not practical.

The Red List Index (sampled approach) (SRLI) has been developed in order to determine the threat status and also trends of lesser-known and less charismatic species groups. It is a collaboration between IUCN members and is coordinated through the Institute of Zoology (IoZ), the research division of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). The SRLI is based on a representative sample of species selected from taxonomic groups within animals (invertebrates and vertebrates), fungi and plants.

Assessment of the selected species will provide baseline information on the current status of biodiversity. Reassessment at regular intervals will identify changes in threat status over time to provide a more broadly representative picture of biodiversity change.

Applications

The aim is that the SRLI will aid in the production of a global biodiversity indicator capable of measuring whether the rate of biodiversity loss has been reduced. In addition, it will help to develop a better understanding of which taxonomic groups, realms or ecosystems are deteriorating the most rapidly, why species are threatened, where they are threatened, what conservation actions exist and which actions are needed. The aim is to provide policy makers, resource managers, scientists, educators, conservation practitioners and the general public with more thorough knowledge of biodiversity change and further tools with which to make informed decisions.

In April 2002 at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), 188 Nations committed themselves to actions to: “… achieve, by 2010, a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national levels…” The RLI has been adopted by the CBD as one of the indicators to measure progress towards this important target, and specifically to monitor changes in threat status of species.

Credit : Wikipedia

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WHAT IS MONKEYPOX?

Monkeypox is a zoonotic virus, which transmits disease from animals to humans, with symptoms very similar to smallpox but less severe. Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which is usually mild and from which most people recover in a few weeks. It is related to smallpox, which killed millions around the world every year before its eradication in 1980, but has far less severe symptoms. The virus does not spread easily between people and the risk to the wider public is said to be very low.  Outbreaks of the virus have been found in Europe, Australia and America. * The symptoms often include a fever and rash – but the infection is usually mild and clears up on its own, lasting between 2 and 4 weeks.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the virus can be contained with the right response in countries outside of Africa where it is not usually detected.

MONKEYPOX ORIGINS

  • Discovered in 1958  in colonies of research monkeys. First human case identified in 1970 in Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • Occurs mostly in remote parts of Central and West Africa
  • Virus has two main types – West African strain thought to be milder than Central African variant

HUMAN-TO-HUMAN TRANSMISSION

  • Via respiratory droplets – requires prolonged face-to-face contact
  • Close contact with body fluids or lesions, or by touching contaminated clothing or bedding

GENERAL SYMPTOMS

Incubation: Time from infection to symptoms can range from 5-21 days.

Initial illness: Fever, headache, muscle aches, swellings, exhaustion.

Itchy rash: May develop on face, then spread to hands and feet.

Lesions: Go through various stages until scabs form and fall off. Lesions can cause scarring.

Outcome: Illness typically lasts for 2-4 weeks. In Africa, monkeypox has been shown to be fatal in up to 1 in 10 people who contract disease.

Treatment: Smallpox vaccine proven to be 85% effective against monkeypox. Antiviral drugs could help relieve symptoms.

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WHO WAS KARL LANDSTEINER?

Austrian biologist Karl Landsteiner (1868-1943) is mostly known for his pioneering work in the classification of blood groups. However, he was also responsible for many other discoveries in the field of medicine that have helped improve immunity and health.

Born in Vienna, Karl lost his father at an early age and was brought up by his mother. After his schooling, he studied medicine at the University of Vienna and later took up research in the field of organic chemistry. He worked under many renowned chemists of the time. During his research at the Institute of

Hygiene in Vienna, Karl became interested in the   mechanisms of immunity and the nature of antibodies. He soon published his first article on serology- the study of blood.

At the time, blood transfusion was considered risky as it led to fatal blood clotting in the recipient’s body. Landsteiner was the first to suggest that blood transfusion may be unsuccessful because an individual’s blood might not be compatible with that of another. In 1901, he classified blood types into three groups-A, B and C (later called O). This enabled donors and recipients to match their blood types before transfusions.

A few years later, guided by his work, the first successful blood transfusion was carried out by a doctor in New York. During World War I, the lives of many soldiers were saved due to transfusion of compatible blood.

Landsteiner was also instrumental in the discovery of the polio virus. It was earlier believed that polio was caused by a bacterium. With the help of bacteriologist Erwin Popper, Landsteiner not only proved that polio was caused by a virus but also traced the manner of its transmission. Their discovery made possible the development of a vaccine for polio.

Later, when he moved to New York, Karl teamed up with noted biologist Alexander Wiener to identify the Rh (rhesus) factor that relates human blood to that of the rhesus monkey. The Rh factor, which occurs when the mothers  blood is incompatible with that of the foetus, was believed to be responsible for a fatal infant disease.

Landsteiners discovery of blood groups and studies on the subject earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1930.

Though he was much sought-after as a world authority on the mechanisms of immunity, Landsteiner shunned publicity and preferred a quiet life away from the public gaze. On June 26, 1943, he died following a coronary seizure, while still at work in his laboratory.

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