New Delhi , July 20, 2018 :
A global consortium of researchers has developed an early warning system to alert authorities on the Caribbean island of Barbados when a dengue outbreak is likely to strike. The study, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, has shown that a period of drought, followed by intense rainfall four or five months later provide the optimum conditions for an outbreak of the disease.
They found that there is most likely to be an epidemic five months after a drought. However, if there is intense rainfall after the drought an outbreak is even more likely.
During periods of drought people tend to store water in containers, providingย an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, which lay their eggs in pools of standing water.
The researchers believe that after a drought people are more likely to leave water containers out. So, next time there is a period of intense rainfall there are more places for water to collect and therefore more breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Fenugreek and onion prevents cardio-vascular diseases
Scientists from CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore induced diabetic condition in mice. The animals were either given their normal diet or normal diet supplemented with fenugreek or onion, in combination or alone. By examining cardiac tissues, scientists reaffirmed that the cardiovascular health of mice fed with fenugreek and onion was better.
More production of ACE enzyme and AT1 of renin-angiotensin system receptor in cardiac tissues of diabetic patients is a known cause of heart-related disorders. Both the enzyme and receptor are produced less in mice supplemented with fenugreek and onion.
Fenugreek and onion individually were able to ameliorate heart-related disorders in diabetic rats, it was found that they worked better in combination. The research results have been published in journal Cardiovascular toxicology.
The fibre-rich fenugreek seeds and sulfur compound-rich onion are health friendly.
Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma Shri Awardee
Vice President CMAAO
President HCFI