Diabetes linked to different forms of cancer in males vs. females

Previous research has suggested a link between the presence of diabetes and a person's risk of cancer. Now, a large study in a Chinese population shows that type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of cancer — though females and males seem to be more at risk of different forms.
Males and females with type 2 diabetes are more at risk of different forms of cancer.
Earlier this week, Medical News Today reported on a study showing that people who have cancer and
diabetes may have an increased risk that their malignant tumors will spread.
The study, which explains the likely biological mechanism underlying this risk, was spurred by other research suggesting a link between diabetes and cancer.
Now, investigators — many from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, in China — have published the results of an analysis conducted using the medical data of a large Chinese cohort. The research paper, the first author of which is Jiying Qi, appears in the
Journal of Diabetes.
The researchers also note that their country has a very high prevalence of both diabetes and prediabetes, as reports have shown .
The team identified 410,191 adults — aged between 20 and 99 — who had a diagnosis of
type 2 diabetes between July 2013 and December 2016. At that time, none of these people had cancer.
Qi and colleagues followed the medical records of these individuals through to December 2017, to see which people developed cancer and what form of cancer their doctors diagnosed.
Significantly higher risk of cancer
By the end of 2017, the researchers had identified 8,485 cases of cancer among the initial cohort, and the investigators soon realized that males with type 2 diabetes and females with the same condition had a higher risk of distinct types of cancer.
The researchers found that, among people with type 2 diabetes, males had a 34% higher risk of cancer than their healthy peers, and females had a 62% percent higher risk. Males with type 2 diabetes were more at risk of as many as 11 different forms of cancer, while females were more at risk of 13 different forms.
More specifically, males with type 2 diabetes had an 86% increase in the risk of prostate cancer , compared with their healthy counterparts.
They also had a significant risk of leukemia , skin cancer , thyroid cancer, lymphoma , kidney cancer ,
liver cancer , pancreatic cancer , lung cancer ,
colorectal cancer , and stomach cancer .
However, males with the metabolic condition appeared to have a lower risk of developing esophageal cancer.

Depression and constipation: What's the link?

Chronic constipation often accompanies depression. Using a mouse model, researchers investigated why this relationship might occur. They have also tested an experimental drug with encouraging results.
Depression and constipation often go hand in hand.
Over the years, scientists have found strong links between psychiatric disorders and an increased risk of constipation , particularly in older adults.
Around one-third of people with depression experience constipation and, according to some reports, it plays a significant role in reducing the perceived quality of life of these individuals.
Some depression medications are known to reduce gut motility and slow bowel movements, but researchers believe that this fact alone cannot explain all cases of constipation.
Recently, a group of researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York decided to investigate this question in more detail. Specifically, they were interested in the role of the neurotransmitter serotonin.
Study lead Dr. Kara Gross Margolis explains why she and her colleagues were interested in this topic.
"Ultimately, many patients with depression are faced with limited treatment options and have to suffer with prominent [gastrointestinal] dysfunction," she said.
What do we already know?
Some scientists refer to the stomach as our " second brain." Perhaps surprisingly, it has more neurons than the spinal cord, and it operates with a similar suite of neurotransmitters as the brain.
The researchers behind the latest study were particularly interested in serotonin because people with depression are thought to have lower levels of this neurotransmitter in their brain. Also, neurons in the gastrointestinal (GI) system use serotonin.
The scientists have published their findings in the journal Gastroenterology .
Firstly, they wanted to understand whether reducing the level of serotonin in the guts of mice might induce constipation.
To investigate, they used a mouse model of depression (MDEP) — these mice have a gene mutation that researchers have linked with severe depression in humans.
The mutation reduces levels of serotonin production by 60–80% and induces depression-like behaviors in mice.
Reducing serotonin in the gut had several effects; the scientists showed that it lowered the overall number of neurons, caused the gut lining to deteriorate, and reduced the speed of movement through the gut.
Dr. Margolis explains, "Basically, the mice were constipated, and they showed the same kind of GI changes we see in people with constipation."
Testing a slow-release drug
In the next phase of the study, the scientists tested an experimental drug; the drug (5-HTP SR) produces a slow-release of 5-HTP, which is an amino acid and a precursor of serotonin.
They divided the mice into four experimental groups:
normal (control) mice fed standard chow
normal (control) mice fed standard chow plusHTP SR
MDEP mice fed standard chow
MDEP mice fed standard chow plus 5-HTP SR
In the latter of these four groups, 5-HTP SR boosted levels of serotonin in the mice's gut; the drug also relieved the symptoms of constipation — gut motility returned to normal.
Aside from the new insight into a constipation–depression relationship, the researchers also add to the field of neurogenesis where the body generates new neurons from stem cells .
Interestingly, 5-HTP SR boosted the number of neurons in the gut, increasing them back to normal levels.
Scientists know that neurogenesis occurs in the brain and, although they have also seen it happening in the gut before, it is a relatively new area of study.
RELATED ARTICLE
How ketamine can change the brain to fight depression
A recent study shows how ketamine alters brain circuits to remove depression-like symptoms.
READ NOW
The authors wonder whether promoting neurogenesis in the gut might also help treat constipation that is unrelated to depression.
"We see a reduction of neurons in the GI tract with age, and that loss is thought to be a cause of constipation in the elderly," explains Dr. Margolis. "The idea that we may be able to use slow-release 5-HTP to treat conditions that require the development of new neurons in the gut may open a whole new avenue of treatment."
Two of the study's authors — Marc Caron, Ph.D., and Jacob Jacobsen, Ph.D., — designed the slow-release 5-HTP that the research team used in these experiments.
In a press release that Columbia University Irving Medical Center published, it explains that Jacobsen and Caron "hold equity in Evecxia Therapeutics, a company founded to develop a slow-release 5-HTP drug for the management of serotonin-related disorders."
Although an immediate-release version of 5-HTP is already available, it has not demonstrated the same benefits. The reason for this is that, although the precursor still converts into serotonin in the same way, the body quickly breaks it down and, therefore, it cannot impart any benefits.
The experimental slow-release version shows more promise. As such, the researchers plan to continue their work into potential uses for this drug and, eventually, move it into human trials.

Naira Marley, Zlatan Ibile, Rahman Jago, others going to court from detention – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has provided an update on the arrest and detention of rising artistes, Naira Marley, real name Afeez Fashola and Omoniyi Temidayo Raphael aka Zlatan Ibile.
They were arrested along with Tiamiu Abdulrahman Kayode aka Rahman Jago, Adewunmi Adeyanju Moses and Abubakar Musa.
Tony Orilade, EFCC Head of Media,on Sunday that the suspects were still in detention and will be arraigned soon.
“They are still with us and expectedly will be arraigned in court this week. No date has been fixed yet but as soon as I confirm, I’ll let you know”, the spokesman said.
In a statement on Friday, EFCC explained that the accused were picked up in “connection with alleged case of internet fraud and money laundering. Intelligence report had also linked them to cybercrime offences”.
“Their arrest followed an early morning raid on Friday, May 10, 2019, at 9, Gbangbola Street, Ikate, Lekki, Lagos.
“At the point of arrest, the Commission found and recovered a number of items, including laptops, from the suspects.
“They have so far volunteered useful information about their involvement in the alleged criminal activities, even as investigations continue.”
Marley, some days ago, called on Nigerians to pray for Yahoo boys rather than condemn them.
In a viral video, the “Issa goal” crooner said
Yahoo boys are the reason money circulates to the common man.

UNILORIN announces those to get automatic admission

The Vice-Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Prof. Suleiman Age, on Friday expressed the institution’s readiness to grant admission to athletes who distinguished themselves during the 5th National Youth Games (NYG).
The Vice-Chancellor made the promise while hosting Directors of Sports from 23 states of the federation, as well as other sports stakeholders.
The group and some officials of the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development were in Ilorin for a Joint Technical Meeting of the 5th NYG scheduled for September.
“Unilorin s always open to hosting national and international sports competitions and events,” the Vice-Chancellor said.
The Director of Grassroots Sports Development Department, Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, Dr Ademola Are, in a speech said the Ministry would continue to play its role in the organisation of the NYG.
The delegates had earlier undertaken an inspection visit to the various venues and accommodation facilities earmarked for the Games.
While reacting, they commended the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development for the sustained hosting of the Games.
They also commended the Vice-Chancellor and management team of University of Ilorin for their hospitality and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Games’ next five editions.
The delegates, during their meeting, approved the list of sports and events for the Games and resolved to include mixed doubles events for badminton, table tennis, Ayo, darts and tennis.
They also included team event for chess and are to get clarifications on the heavyweight categories in kung-fu and taekwondo.
The delegates also approved the timelines for the NYG and resolved that online accreditation would take place in various states and the FCT.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the screening of athletes would hold on Sept. 9.

Super Eagles Can Have Another 'Leon Balogun' In West Ham 20-Year-Old Star

Super Eagles centre-back Leon Balogun pledged his international future to Nigeria in 2014 under Stephen Keshi's watch despite his eligibility to play for Germany.
Unfortunately, the decision came too late as he was already in his mid 20s, which means he has limited time with the Super Eagles.
Balogun is currently in the later stage of his career and Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr should commence his search for a young defender with great quality as the player's possible replacement.
Rohr shouldn't look at any player other than West Ham youngster Olatunji Akinola who seems to be the perfect man to replace the 30-year-old defender.
Akinola, 20, joined the Hammers since he was eight years old and has featured for the Hammers U23 team this season.
The highly-rated defender has massive potentials to becoming a key player in the Super Eagles setup in nearest future.
Akinola can equally turn out to be an upgrade to Leon Balogun due to his ability to feature in any position at the back of the pitch which is obviously missing in Balogun's game.
Having played in 11 Premier League 2 games this season, the youngster already has a considerable amount of experience needed to become a top class defender, and he could be part of Manuel Pellegrini's team for next season.
Nigeria should make a move for his service now that he's very young to avoid repeating the same scenario that happened with Leon Balogun, who had his international debut at the age of 25.
Ibukun Italoye

Nigerian farmers to obtain free advisory on cassava production

Nigerian farmers can now access extension and advisory services related to weed control, best planting practices and other aspects of cassava production on their cell phone free of charge, thanks to the African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI).
The mobile telephony service is powered by Airtel using the 3-2-1 Service of Viamo. Farmers with Airtel sim cards who want to access the service and get good advice on cassava production can simply dial 3-2-1 and listen to all the information they need to make the most out of cassava production.
Alfred Dixon, IITA Director for Development & Delivery, said the use of mobile phones would give farmers, especially women, access to the knowledge they need to improve their livelihoods.
“The mobile approach will also enable the recommendations contained on the ‘Six Steps to Cassava Weed Management and Best Planting Practices’ to reach the hard-to-reach terrains in Nigeria,” he added.
The cassava information on weed control and best planting practices on the 3-2-1 service are the combined recommendations from the now merged IITA Cassava Weed Management Project (CWMP), and the IITA African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI).
The recommendations from these projects were validated during a stakeholders’ meeting involving the National Root Crops Research Institute (Umudike), and the two premier universities of agriculture in Abeokuta and Makurdi. State extension agencies from Abia, Benue, Ogun and Oyo were also part of the initial message development. There were also development partners such as GIZ, Catholic Relief Services, and the Market Development in the Niger Delta project (MADE) who gave useful insights into the message development process.
Pieter Pypers, ACAI Coordinator, said the release of evidence-based messages on the 3-2-1 service provides farmers the tools they need to improve cassava yield and make more profits.
Harriet Blest, Country Manager of Viamo, said they were excited to work with IITA in the framework of ACAI to transform cassava in Nigeria using the 3-2-1 service of Airtel.
With a subscriber base of 43.1 million, Airtel is one of the top three telecommunication companies in Nigeria, according to data reported by Nigeria’s leading newspaper, the Punch.
Godwin Atser, Digital Extension & Advisory Services Specialist with IITA, who coordinated the messages with Viamo, said the development was a new dawn for cassava farmers.
“This move will complement the extension work we are doing in Nigeria by offering farmers the information they need in real time. All that farmers need to do is to dial 3-2-1 and listen to how to grow cassava,” he added.
In the days ahead, IITA-ACAI and Viamo plan massive awareness so farmers can take advantage of the information on the 3-2-1 space to improve their livelihoods.

Check out what Nigeria law said about prostitution

Following the recent arrests of women in Abuja clubs, lawyers across Nigeria have shed light on the position of the law on the raids and the effect on nightlife in the federal capital city.
Often, officials have labelled the arrested women as prostitutes, a factor they have used to justify the arrests.

A few weeks ago,how some officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) raided a popular night club, Caramelo, and arrested 34 female nude dancers.
Two weeks after, another set of 70 women was arrested from different night clubs in Abuja and detained at Utako police station.
The acting police spokesperson in Abuja, Danjuma Tanimu, said the women were arrested for “hanging around nightclubs” in Abuja.

Some of the women were later released on bail while 32 others were charged to a mobile court.
Out of the 32 women presented before the court, 27 were convicted and sentenced to one month in prison for prostitution..

However, some of the women accused police officers of raping them in exchange for their freedom. The police have pledged to investigate the allegations.
The Public Relations Officer of the Social Development Secretariat of the FCTA, Sunday Shaka, later told PREMIUM TIMES that clubbing is not illegal in Abuja.
Mr Shaka, however, defended the arrest of the women, accusing some of them of dressing “provocatively.”

The constant raids and arrests at nightclubs have led many residents of the city to question what is legal or illegal in the Nigerian capital, especially as many of the arrested women have been accused of prostitution.
What the law says about prostitution
An Abuja-based lawyer, Oyero Ezekiel said no law directly bans prostitution in Nigeria.
“This is an issue that has been raging for some time now. There’s actually no law that directly bans prostitution as the case may be in Nigeria.
“However, it is important to note that the Criminal Code criminalises “procuring and other related offences,” which although may have a slight affiliation to prostitution, are not one and the same.
“A careful perusal shows the following sections of the Criminal Code (sections 223, 224 and 225A) only outlaw procuring, defilement by threat and administration of drugs on girls and women,” Mr Ezekiel said
Joseph Felix, a Jos-based lawyer, also said there is no general law against prostitution in Nigeria.
However, he said, “Issues like prostitution, indecent dressing and sexual assaults do not necessarily need a law to say they are prohibited.
“When they become prevalent, what the government does is to create a form of indictable offence. You may not try them for prostitution but you may try them for illegal assembly,” he said.
Another lawyer, Johnson Omede, said while there is no place in the Constitution that prohibits prostitution, there are other laws that the constitution has empowered that provided for the crime.
“There is also the Penal Code Act of FCT, 1990 that provides against prostitution. It defines prostitutes as vagabonds. And whoever is convicted, has been found guilty of this offence, will be imprisoned for one month or a fine or both,” he said.
Francis Uchenobarim, a lawyer, agreed with Mr Omede. He said: “There is a section of the penal code that prohibits prostitution.
“In as much as the penal code has made these provisions, the Constitution is still clear on the right to freely associate with anybody.
“That is Right to Freedom of Association as contained in the Constitution. If we are to follow this Constitution, that means as a Nigerian, you are free to meet with whoever you want to meet with.
“Therefore, the Penal Code that penalises people meeting with prostitutes or prostitutes meeting with other people might fail if tested in the court,” he said
Prostitution and the law
No particular part of the Constitution prohibits prostitution in Nigeria.
However, sections 223 of the Criminal Code states that: “Any person who procures a girl or woman who is under the age of eighteen years to have unlawful carnal connection with any other person or persons, either in Nigeria or elsewhere;
“Or procures a woman or girl to become a common prostitute, either in Nigeria, or elsewhere;
“Or procures a woman or girl to leave Nigeria with intent that she may become an inmate of a brothel elsewhere;
“Or procures a woman or girl to leave her usual place of abode in Nigeria, with intent that she may, for the purposes of prostitution, become an inmate of a brothel, either in Nigeria or elsewhere; is guilty of a misdemeanour, and is liable to imprisonment for two years.
“A person cannot be convicted of any of the offences defined in this section upon the uncorroborated testimony of one witness.”
The offender may be arrested without a warrant.
FCT Penal Code Act criminalises prostitution, solicitation
Chapter 532 of the Penal Code Act, Federal Capital of Abuja, 1990 criminalises prostitution and solicitation of prostitutes.

The law states that:
“An ‘Idle person’ shall include a common prostitute behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in a public place or persistently importuning or soliciting persons for the purpose of prostitution.
“The term vagabond shall include any male person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earning of a prostitute or in any public place solicits or importunes for immoral purposes; and
“Whoever is convicted as a vagabond shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to four hundred and fifty naira or both.”
However, while the Abuja law criminalises prostitution and solicitation of prostitutes, no men have been arrested for either prostitution or solicitation.
The Minister of FCT, Mohammed Bello, could not be reached for his comments at the time of filing this report.
His spokesperson, Mr Abubakar requested a letter from the organisation before he would respond to questions.

How ulcer patients should observe Ramadan – Expert

A Consultant Plastic Surgeon with the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ismail Adigun, says ulcer patients can observe Ramadan fast by avoiding foods that cause them problems.
Mr Adigun told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Saturday in Ilorin that ulcer patients should be able to realise the type of food that precipitates the ulcer in them.
He said that some ulcer patients react to fried foods, while some react to roughage foods such as garri.
The official advised people to reduce the consumption of hot, spicy and acidic-containing foods as they tend to irritate the digestive tract.
According to him, the best alternative for ulcer patients who want to fast is to vary their food intake throughout Ramadan to include all the essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins and fibres.
He warned against fried, fatty and acid-containing foods and fruits such as citrus fruits like lemons, limes, grapefruits, and oranges, along with tomato-based products contain acids.
“Therefore, patients should be moderate when breaking their fast, eating in smaller portions, but more frequently.
“For instance, start off with dates and light food before giving it a rest, later it can be followed by the main meal,” he said .
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which it is obligatory for all healthy adult Muslims to fast during daytime.
According to Islamic rules, those who cannot fast due to illness or who have severe discomfort during fasting are exempted from Ramadan fast. (NAN)

JAMB should probe UTME results now!

The decision of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board ( JAMB ) to probe the certificates of candidates in the last ten years is very timely and quite necessary .
For a system that has become so inundated with examination malpractices and cheating that they have become the norm , the plan to institute a probe is a bold move that recaptures the long forgotten essence of quality control .

Besides being a deterrent to future cheats , this probe has the potential of curbing long- term social and humanitarian effects of the thriving industry of examination fraud on the society .
The head of Media and Information of JAMB , Fabian Benjamin , who disclosed this decision stated that the probe had begun and a software had been purchased for that purpose .
Should the probe be carried through as planned , the implication would be that persons who are found to have cheated in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ( UTME ) to gain university admission and have graduated or carried out their National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC) programme, would be arrested and have their certificates invalidated.

there has been a rise in the performance rates of many candidates in the UTME . This is especially in places and schools where it should be relatively difficult for students to excel that well given the inauspicious environment for learning .
In support of this feeler , one curious observation that might have necessitated this probe is the claim of some examiners that the rising moral deficit and intellectual deficiencies recorded in the institutions of higher learning seem inconsistent and inversely proportional to the acclaimed successes of candidates in the UTME .
It is gratifying to know that JAMB has woken up from the shackles of mediocrity , which years of obnoxious policies and administrative indifference have placed it .
At a time when many well- meaning Nigerians have given up on our distressful tertiary educational system , the authorities seemed to have acted decisively . It was as if JAMB suddenly came to the awareness that the university, being a citadel of learning and research producing the critical, cultivated , and problem - solving think- tank of a given society , must be purged of virulent agents of civilisation .
While we commend JAMB ’ s initiative , our counsel is that there should be diligent , impartial and thorough probing of the entry certificates of candidates .
All forms of malpractices , in whichever part of the country they might have been perpetrated , must be subjected to serious scrutiny .

Already, no fewer than a hundred candidates of the UTME have been arrested for various examination practices nationwide , even as JAMB cancelled results in two centres in Abia State .
Besides , the probe should be transparent and must be devoid of witch- hunting. It should not be seen or even suspected as being an exercise targeted at candidates from certain parts of the country. Should that happen, it may discredit the laudable objective of quality control , and create distrust amongst Nigerian youths .
Nigerians should join hands with other stakeholders in salvaging tertiary education by supporting this new move by JAMB .
One way of carrying out this support is to report unscrupulous activities of persons and institutions that encourage cheating and other examination malpractices . It is common knowledge that many schools , institutions and even parents and guardians are accomplices in this ignoble activity.
Many of the study centres springing up in dingy and inhospitable places in town have been indicted as ‘ miracle centres ’ where students pass the UTME with flying colours . This is a tragedy .
In this regard, JAMB , in concert with other examination regulatory groups and law enforcement operatives should investigate and prosecute suspected schools and examination centres that have turned examination malpractices into an industry .
Where they are found culpable , diligent investigation should identify individual culprits and masterminds, and so they should be prosecuted .
Beyond the fact that this probe would serve as a deterrent, it is also necessary for personal moral purgation , corporate moral sanity and social reforms .
Our regulatory bodies should not , and cannot , afford to condone willful falsehood and mendacity because in time to come today ’ s cheats and forgers of certificates may end up occupying positions of trust such as judges and accountants .
When unrepentant cheats and incurable forgers occupy such positions of authority, one can imagine the kind of pestilential influence they would have on public morality .
Any society that treats cheats and forgers with kid gloves is mortgaging the future of its moral institutions and the positively progressive development of its youth . The consequences are grave.
No foreign investor would want to stop over in that society as the international community will not respect any products from there. This is a reproach we must not tolerate .

Samsung Galaxy S10 5G variant goes up in flames

We all remember the Galaxy Note 7 incident that forced Samsung to take a hard look at its quality control and caused the company a loss of more than $19 billion.

While Samsung did assure that they have taken measures to prevent it from happening again, a new story claims that Galaxy S10 5G went up in flames after getting hot. The incident happened in South Korea and the owner claims that the device just went into flames.

Samsung, on the other hand, has dismissed the case saying the incident happened because of an “external impact,” not an internal issue. We don’t have more details surrounding the incident at the moment but it seems like Samsung is too confident about their quality control and have denied the claims. The good thing, for Samsung, is the fact that this is an isolated incident so Samsung might be right here. However, seeing Samsung’s track record we can’t dismiss that the incident happened because of the carelessness of the owner.