One Day MD

KUALA LUMPUR: Stem cell therapy holds out great promise for treating blood cancer and other disorders, but the number of registered donors in Malaysia is very low, says the Health Ministry. Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the Malaysian Stem Cell Registry (MSCR) which was established 19 years ago only listed 28,291 donors so far. “With this small number in the registry, matching donors were found (only) in 16 cases, ” he said. Among the diseases that could be cured through stem cell therapy are thalassaemia, leukaemia, bone marrow disorder, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, he added when opening the inaugural World Marrow Donor Day celebration in Malaysia at the Ampang Hospital on Thursday (Sept 19). This year's theme is “Be the match, be a donor”. Dr Dzulkefly noted that Asians only made up 15% of the 34 million registered stem cell donors worldwide, and the bulk of Asian donors are Chinese. “Hence, the chances of a Chinese patient finding a matching do

DNA profiling is a forensic technique in criminal investigations, comparing criminal suspects' profiles to DNA evidence so as to assess the likelihood of their involvement in the crime. It is also used in parentage testing, to establish immigration eligibility, and in genealogical and medical research. (Read more: Wikipedia ) In the area of wellness and nutrigenomics, DNA profiling can also be used to determine your current health status and your risks for acquiring certain diseases in the future. What is DNA? DNA is an abbreviation for D eoxyribo Nucleic Acid. It is present in every cell in the body except red blood cells. DNA is a fundamental building block for an individual’s entire genetic make-up where half of the genetic, maternally is inherited from the biological mother and another half from the biological father. Everyone’s DNA is unique except for identical twins We have compiled essential information related to DNA profiling in Malaysia. DNA Profil

THE STAR - There's more to healthy eating than just eating your greens – a new DNA test can help you pinpoint the type of fruits and vegetables that may just have better chemistry with your genes. The test is based on nutrigenomics , a branch of science that studies how diet and nutrition influences our genetic make-up. Despite our physical differences, all human beings are 99.9% genetically identical. It is the remaining 0.1% where changes in the inherited genetic variants may occur. In essence, you are what you eat. But whether drinking coffee is good or bad depends on your genes. Knowing for sure whether your body is poorer at metabolising certain substances, like caffeine or nicotine, means that you can now do something about preventing that disease that may come a-calling in the future, especially if you are predisposed to certain health risks. And it’s not just about eliminating the junk like high-fat foods and alcohol. For some people, having that extra serving

NST - You and your friend have been on the same diet for months. While she is losing weight, you are putting on the kilos despite following every step consistently. It turns out that your genes are the determinant factor. Two people can be on the same diet but due to their genetic makeup, their bodies will respond differently. In 2003, the Human Genome Project identified between 20,000 and 25,000 genes and determined the sequence of the three billion chemical base pairs of the human genome. Of these base pairs, 97 to 99 per cent is identical among any two given individuals. Which means, the fundamental processes of food metabolism in every human body are largely the same. However, the one to three per cent genome difference in some people makes them respond differently to the different types of food. In recent years, researchers are looking into nutrigenomics , a study on how genes and nutrients interact at the molecular level. The study revealed that a person’s genetic make-

Ever wondered how much does it cost to have a plastic surgery procedure in Korea? Image Credit: MISOODA Find out plastic surgery prices in Korea below.  Although the numbers are everywhere on the internet, we have compiled and organised the information accordingly (by hospital / clinic) in one place. The pricing information below is based on the published prices from major centres and pricing information available on blogs and the internet. Please note that the below mentioned price list is the average price of affiliated clinics and hospitals. In order for you to get a personalised quotation, please contact the clinic directly. Here is the list. Eye JK Plastic Surgery Incisional Double eyelids surgery: USD 2,286 (min) - USD 3,429 (max) JK Plastic Surgery Double Eyelids Revision: USD 2,286 (min) - USD 5,143 (max) Beauty Line Epi, Lat epi, Lower epi-canthoplasty: USD 1,143 (min) - USD 1,714 (max) Flora Aesthetic Clinic Ptosis: USD 2,286 (min) - USD 3,429 (max) Nose Grand P

THE STAR - Most of us are in control of what we eat, but are we consuming all the right nutrients at the right amounts for our body? For example, while we all generally understand that a clean diet and frequent exercise will lead to weight loss, there is no one-size-fits-all diet that works for everyone as can be seen by the numerous diets out there. Perhaps some people need more calcium, while others may need to up their protein intake. Each body is different and this is where personalised nutrition can play a role. Just as how personalised medicine involves analysing your genes to determine which medicine is the most effective for your medical condition, personalised nutrition involves similar analysis to determine what foods can best achieve your health goals. India’s Expert Nutraceutical Advocacy Council chief founder and director Sandeep Gupta notes that consumers are constantly finding ways to monitor their health status. “We are entering an age of personalised nutrit

Nutrigenomics (also known as nutritional genomics) is broadly defined as the relationship between nutrients, diet, and gene expression [1]. In simple terms, nutrigenomics is the study of how genes and nutrients interact. The launch of the Human Genome Project in the 1990s and the subsequent mapping of human DNA sequencing ushered in the ‘era of big science’, jump-starting the field of nutrigenomics that we know today [2]. Although much of the early ‘hype’ around nutrigenomics has not yet come to fruition, the field remains nascent and fast-moving, with the potential to lay the foundations of truly ‘personalised nutrition’ approaches tailored to individuals [3]. It also poses both ethical and regulatory challenges. There is potential for personal data to be misused, in addition to the question of whether it is appropriate to screen for certain genetic phenotypic predispositions where no proven ‘treatment’ exists. A broad spectrum of stakeholders must therefore engage with the t

BBC - As we learn more about the diseases that affect us, we also get better at controlling them. But will we ever manage to overcome the most inevitable of afflictions – old age? The list of diseases humankind has managed to defeat is impressive – polio, typhoid, measles, tetanus, yellow fever, smallpox, diphtheria and chicken pox have been almost completely eliminated in many parts of the world. Vaccines and powerful drugs have allowed our species to fight back against the bacteria, parasites and viruses that threaten to kill us. But throughout history, humans have suffered from a condition that they have never been able to escape – ageing. As we get older, our cells stop working as well and can break down, leading to conditions like cancer, heart disease, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease. Together, ageing-related diseases are responsible for 100,000 deaths per day and billions are spent around the world trying to slow their steady march on our bodies.Some researchers, however, be

BBC - Clinics claim that expensive stem cell therapies can help patients with dementia, autism, multiple sclerosis and even cerebral palsy - and crowdfunding campaigns to pay for the treatments are increasingly common. But are the patients and the donors being misled about the benefits and the risks? Jay Shetty is 8 years old. He is smart and bright, says his mother Shilpa, even if he can’t do all the things his younger brother can. “Jay doesn’t sit up or use his hands much. He’s non-verbal and we don’t know how well he can see,” she says. “But he plays with us and tries to copy everything his younger brother Kairav does.” Jay has cerebral palsy. In his early years, Shilpa was desperate to find anything that might help him. Scouring the internet late each night, she read about a stem cell trial at Duke University in North Carolina but Jay wasn’t eligible. When Kairav was born in 2015, Shilpa and her husband stored their younger son’s umbilical cord blood, which was rich in blo

SEATTLE - RealSelf, the leading resource to research cosmetic treatments and connect with doctors, reveals the fastest-growing cosmetic treatments of 2019 and industry predictions for 2020 in its new 2019 Aesthetics Trend Report. According to the report, interest in revision and corrective procedures is increasing, with one nonsurgical and four surgical treatments ranking among the year's fastest-growing treatments. The cosmetic treatment with the highest year-over-year growth is the nonsurgical muscle toning treatment Emsculpt, which saw an increase of 450% compared to 2018. The 2019 Aesthetics Trend Report is based on traffic from consumers in the United States who researched cosmetic treatments on RealSelf.com between January 1, 2019, and October 31, 2019. On the Rise: Revision, Removal and Corrective Treatments One of the most notable trends from this year's report is the prevalence of treatments meant to correct or revise previous cosmetic surgeries. Hyaluronidase,