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Viruses are a critical driver of human evolution

Saadeqa Khan
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Viruses are a critical driver of human evolution

From Athens flue pandemic to the black-death and AIDS, these vast volumes set to offer a sociocultural, historical, and medical look at infectious diseases and their place in human history, from Neolithic times to the present. Nearly 300 centuries cover specific diseases like AIDS, Influenza, Malaria, Ebola, SARS, Corona, and now COVID19.

In the realm of infectious disease, a pandemic is a worst-case scenario when an epidemic spreads beyond a countries borders and causes an overwhelming threat or death toll worldwide or some major parts around the globe. Though contagious diseases enlisted during pre-historic nomadic groups, nearly 10,000 years ago, when men started building communities, it resulted in a slight rise in epidemic outbreaks like Malaria, Plague, Leprosy, Influenza, smallpox and other fatal diseases. Over time, the more civilized humans become, building extensive infrastructure and forging trade routes to connect with the cities in different regions of the world, the more likely the pandemics become.

The primeval recorded pandemic occurred during 431- 450 BC when two power states in ancient Greece, Athens, and Sparta assaulted each other. After the disease passed through Libya, Ethiopia, and Egypt, and Athens, nearly two-thirds of the Athens’ population, died due to this epidemic outbreak.

A painting that depicts the horrors of plague in Italy in the 17th century
A painting that depicts the horrors of plague in Italy in the 17th century

Scientists and researchers have agreed on that the widespread occurrence of disease over what might typically be expected in a geophysical region. Throughout the history, the plague has been a significant threat to humanity, caused havoc and the most substantial death toll from 165 A.D. to 541 A.D. It not only changed the course of emperor’s plans of massive economic struggle but at the same time, it credited with creating an apocalyptic atmosphere that spurred the rapid spread of Christianity and resulted in substantial social, moral and geographical changes.

Decades later, in the 11th century, leprosy overgrew into a pandemic in Europe. Though leprosy is slow-developing disease results in sores and deformities, now known as ‘Hanson’s disease,’ it still grips millions of people each year and could be fatal if not treated at the initial stage with antibiotics.

Bubonic plague or Black Death is another pandemic that was responsible for the death of one-third of the global population in the late 12th and 13th centuries. It kick-started in Asia and through caravans spread through Sicily and entered in Europe. Meanwhile, England and France were so incapacitated by the plague that these countries called the cessation of hostilities. Still, the pandemic caused massive economic and demographical changes and resulted in the collapse of the British feudal system. The re-occurrence of the bubonic plague in the next two centuries killed 50 million people, around 26% of the total global populace.

In 2019, research revealed that the death of some 56 million native Americans during the 16th and 17th centuries, mainly through pandemics and many had altered earth’s climate and vegetation growth on previous tilled lands, drew more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and caused a severe cooling effect. Correspondingly, 18th, and 19th centuries have widely been recognized for cholera, plague, measles, HIV/AIDS, and different types of harmful flu. Only Asian flu spread in 1957 in China and U.S. caused an estimated death toll of about 1.1 million, while AIDS killed 35 million people around the globe so far until it first appeared in 1920, and a cure is yet to be found.

So, with this rough bit of pandemic history, what does this recent Coronavirus outbreak holds on? While we are benefiting with the hype of biotechnology and artificial intelligence, a pandemic seems a little bit strange and disgusting. The recent COVID19 outbreak shows that men still need to learn the safest battle against pandemics/viruses.

The constant battle between pandemic and humanity has long been recognized as a critical driver of social, moral, economic, and geographical changes that lead to human evolution. In the past, scientists have not had the tools to look at the patterns of these pathogens and their hosts, but now they are applying big data analysis to unveil the extent of viruses’ impact on the evolution of living beings specifically on humans and mammals.

History tells us that whenever a pandemic occurred at some point in evolution, the population that was targeted by an epidemic either adapted or went extinct. The protein performs a vast array of functions that keep our cells ticking, a few small tweaks in protein shape and composition had helped humans to compete with the viruses when they hijacked an organism’s body to replicate and spread.

A recent study shows that by learning which part of the cell has been used to fight against viruses in the past without detrimental effects on the organism, we can find insight on the pressure point that will lead to investigating more sophisticated and effective therapies.

Also, read the Editorial; The child abuse and mental health

FOOD FOR THOUGHT (LITERALLY!)

Aniqa Mazhar
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT (LITERALLY!)

Have you ever noticed a link between what you eat and how it affects your mood and thoughts? I’m pretty sure a refreshing fruit drink or a nice plate of delicious food boosts your mood and does wonders. On the other hand, if you eat CRAP for several days continuously, you’ll definitely feel cranky, have negative thoughts littering your head and severe mood swings.

The term of Nutritional Psychiatry was recently coined in 2015 and focuses on the development of detailed and strong evidence linking diet and mental health. In recent studies, there is growing evidence that a nutritious and balanced diet may help to cure mental disorders like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, dementia, and ADHD. Recently, the link between a good diet and physical health was quite well-established, but now the link between a healthy diet and good mental health is also on its way to being a strong one.

Protective factors for Mental Health

Let’s discuss what we mean by a healthy diet.

A healthy diet is one that contains a balanced amount of all the nutrients that we require for the proper structure and function of our body. It must contain a proper portion of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fiber and water.

According to researchers, the Mediterranean diet is best for fighting depression and overall physical and mental health. This kind of diet is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, methyl folate and s-adenosylmethionine, all of which help to lower depression. These good fellas can be found in several healthy foods like fruits, vegetables especially potatoes, whole grains, cereals, beans, pulses, nuts, seeds, olive oil, meat, eggs, and dairy products.

A low-calorie diet is also helpful for the maintenance of a healthy mind. Researchers noted in a study that healthy people who reduced their calorie intake by 25% for 6 months also had reduced depressive symptoms. Similar studies show that intermittent fasting helps in relaxing one’s mind and ridding it of depression, anxiety and mood disturbances.

 Dietary Recommendations:

• Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day

• Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates; choosing wholegrain versions where possible

• Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks); choosing lower fat and lower sugar options

• Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily)

• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat in small amounts

• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of fluid a day. If consuming foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar have these less often and in small amounts

NUTRIENT EFFECT OF DEFICIENCY FOOD SOURCES
Vitamin B1 Poor concentration and attention Whole grains, vegetables
Vitamin B3 Depression Whole grains, vegetables
Vitamin B5 Poor memory, stress Whole grains, vegetables
Vitamin B6 Irritability, poor memory, depression, stress Whole grains, bananas
Vitamin B12 Confusion, poor memory, psychosis Meat, fish, dairy products, eggs
Vitamin C Depression Vegetables, fresh fruit
Folic acid Magnesium Selenium     Zinc Anxiety, depression, psychosis Irritability, insomnia, depression Irritability, depression     Confusion, blank mind, depression, loss of appetite, lack of motivation Green leafy vegetables Green veggies, nuts, seeds Wheat germ, Brewer’s yeast, liver, fish, garlic, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, whole grains Oysters, nuts, seeds, fish

Emerging New Fields

Nutritional Psychiatry: a growing discipline that focuses on the use of food and supplements to provide these essential nutrients as part of an integrated or alternative treatment for mental health disorders. But nutritional approaches for these debilitating conditions are not widely accepted by mainstream medicine.

Nutritional Psychology: the science of how nutrients affect mood and behavior. This field examines the relationship between food and our internal experience, illuminating the biophysiological mechanisms, influenced by our nutrient intakes that underlie mood and behavior.

Nutritional neuroscience: the scientific discipline that studies the effects various components of the diet such as minerals, vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, fats, dietary supplements, synthetic hormones, and food additives have on neurochemistry, neurobiology, behavior, and cognition.

The role of diet in relation to specific mental health disorders

Depression Diet has emerged as a therapeutic approach seen directly in the work of Adult Mental Health Dietitians, who work with people who experience mental health problems to improve knowledge and awareness of nutrition. A recent study exploring the correlation between low intakes of fish by country and high levels of depression among its citizens found that those with low intakes of folate, or folic acid, were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with depression than those with higher intakes. Similar conclusions have been drawn from studies looking at the association of depression with low levels of zinc and vitamins B1, B2 and C, as well as studies looking at how standard treatments have been supplemented with micronutrients resulting in a greater reduction in symptoms in people with a diagnosis of depression and bipolar disorder.

Schizophrenia The Dutch Famine Study and 1960s Chinese famine found that severe famine exposure in early pregnancy leads to a two-fold increase in the diagnosis of schizophrenia requiring hospitalization in both male and female children. Studies have found that people with schizophrenia have lower levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in their bodies than the general population and that antioxidant enzymes are also lower in their brains.

Dementia Many studies have shown a positive association between a low intake of fats, and high intake of vitamins and minerals in the prevention of certain forms of dementia. One study looking at the total fat intake of 11 countries found a correlation between higher levels of fat consumption and higher levels of dementia in the over 65s age group. A long-term population-based study found that high levels of vitamin C and E were linked to a lower risk of dementia, particularly among smokers, with similar findings in other studies focused on different population groups.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Clinical research has reported the benefits of essential fatty acids and minerals such as iron. Deficiencies in iron, magnesium, and zinc have been found in children with symptoms of ADHD, and studies have consistently shown significant improvements with supplementation when compared with placebo, either alongside normal medication or as stand-alone treatments.

How much role does food play in Mental Health?

If you’re showing concern about what’s on your plate and expect that it is sufficient to support your mental health and cure your mental disorders, you are again wrong. It is just a supporting factor for a healthy mind along with others. A good diet has the added benefit of counteracting the adverse physical health effects associated with many mental health problems and some treatments.  Along with a substantially healthy diet, you need to exercise, relax, manage time and stress, etc. we believe that the role of a nutritionist is only to tackle obesity, but we underestimated the potential that food has to cure moods and mental ailments. There is an urgent need for policy-makers, practitioners, industry, people who experience mental health problems and the wider public to recognize and act on the role that nutrition plays in mental health.

To achieve parity between mental and physical health, it is vital that the public is informed about the type of diet that will promote their mental health in the same way food is promoted for physical health reasons. Of equal importance will be understanding the mediating role that mental health plays in our lifestyle choices, including our diet. However, the wider impact can be achieved by national and local policy, well beyond individual actions.

Main source: Wikipedia, mentalhealth.org.uk, health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327335

Also Read: Cancer Antioxidants

Cancer Antioxidants

Aniqa Mazhar
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Cancer Antioxidants

Cancer is a group of diseases that guide millions of people to their graves every year worldwide. An astonishing number of 9.6 million deaths were recorded annually throughout the globe for 2018.

Fortunately, with every challenge, there is a way to counteract it, as well. Antioxidants, if part of one’s diet, can help to prevent cancer to an extent. As they say, prevention is better than cure.

Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, which is a chemical reaction that produces free radicals. Also known as reactive oxygen species, free radicals act as villains, attacking DNA in cells and meddling around with its nitrogenous bases. Mutations, if continuously gathered, may alter the process of normal cell division and the tumor may develop into a cancer

Sources of antioxidants

Antioxidants are naturally overflowing in fruits and vegetables, as well as some other foods. To be specific, here are some examples of these little heroes and where they come from;

  • Allium Sulphur compounds in leeks, onions, and garlic.
  • Anthocyanins in eggplant, grapes, and berries.
  • Beta-carotene in pumpkin, mangoes, apricots, carrots, spinach, and parsley.
  • Catechins in red wine and tea.
  • Copper in seafood, lean meat, milk, and nuts.
  • Cryptoxanthins in red capsicum, pumpkin, and mangoes.
  • Flavonoids in tea, green tea, citrus fruits, red wine, onions, and apples.
  • Indoles in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower.
  • Isoflavonoids in soybeans, tofu, lentils, peas, and milk.
  • Lignans in sesame seeds, bran, whole grains, and vegetables.
  • Lutein in green, leafy veggies and corn.
  • Lycopene in tomatoes, pink grapefruit, and watermelon.
  • Manganese in seafood, lean meat, milk, and eggs.
  • Polyphenols in thyme and oregano.
  • Selenium in seafood, offal, lean meat, and whole grains.
  • Vitamin A in the liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, and egg yolks.
  • Vitamin C in oranges, blackcurrants, kiwifruit, mangoes, broccoli, spinach, capsicum, and strawberries.
  • Vitamin E in vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
  • Zinc in seafood, lean meat, milk, and nuts.
  • Zoochemical in red meat, offal and fish, and derived from the plants that animals eat.

Antioxidant supplements

Antioxidants are oozing in surplus in our diet already, so is it worth taking additional supplements? It has been found that if people are not deficient in antioxidants and still take other supplements, they are just throwing their money down the drain. Since supplements contain a concentrated dose, approximately 70 to 1660 percent of the daily value of nutrients, they can prove to be rather harmful. The latest scientific research suggests that large doses may prevent cancer cells from free radicals as well, therefore encouraging their growth and spread.

“There now exists a sizeable quantity of data suggesting that antioxidants can help cancer cells much like they help normal cells,” says Zachary Schafer, a biologist at the University of Notre Dame.

An explanation for this could be that when the body is given extra antioxidants, its tumor cells get to keep more of the extra antioxidants that they already make themselves. The batteries can store the surplus, improving their ability to survive damage.

Ideas about cancer and antioxidants

Let’s look at what nutritionists have to say about antioxidants in general and their link with cancer.

  1. A diet that could ward off disease really doesn’t look that different from the healthy foods you should be eating anyway,” says Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Ph.D., associate director for Cancer Prevention and Control at the University of Alabama’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. “That means plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains and lean meat or fish.”
  2. A variety of chemicals from plants known as phytochemicals can protect cells from harmful compounds in food and in the environment, as well as prevent cell damage and mutations”, says Jed W. Fahey, ScD, MS, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and its School of Medicine who studies how cruciferous vegetables help protect against disease.
  3. A plant-based diet is more likely to produce good health and to reduce the risk of heart problems, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, gallstones, and kidney disease sharply.” Says T. Collin Campbell, an American biochemist specializing in the effects of nutrition on long-term health and is a professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University.
  4. Three of the most beneficial, longevity-promoting anti-cancer foods are green vegetables, beans, and onions.” Says Joel Fuhrman, an American celebrity doctor who graduated from Perelman School of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
  5. Lung cancer cells use antioxidants, endogenous or dietary, to spread in the body by activating a protein BACH1 and increasing the uptake and usage of sugar, Swedish and American researchers at Karolinska Institute report in two individual studies, one published in the famous journal Cell.

To conclude, I would like to highlight that an excess of everything is harmful, so care must be taken to remain within limits. Antioxidants play an important role in scavenging free radicals, which can cause cancer, but if taken excessively, they can also be used by tumor cells to strengthen and spread in the body.

Also Read: New studies show that plant-based meals are more healthy

CRISPR: A Short History

Khola Abid
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CRISPR: A Short History

Imagine a world where a genome is in your hand, and you are turning its genes on and off just like your fan switch. Envision a land of fantasy where you would be able to change the color of your hair within a blink of a second. Just think for a moment that you are sitting on the ground and trying to rewrite your whole genome. Who would not jump at the chance to do so?

Lo and behold!

CRISPR is here to revolutionize your world. This far-reaching technology can alter your genetic makeup just within thirty dollars. While the invention remains preliminary at this point, one has to understand the long history behind its inception.

Japanese scientists discovered CRISPR even before 1987, but the repeated sequences of DNA (CRISPR) were so enigmatic that they could not understand what they had discovered. A team of scientists was sequencing the IAP gene (better known as the gene of E. Coli bacterium). For a better understanding of the IAP gene, a team sequenced its nearby DNA, and all got stuck when they observed these repeated sequences. In essence, five identical segments of DNA were separated by thirty-two unique spacers. This seemed like more than a puzzle; one of them wrote: “The biological significance of these sequences is not known.”

Microbiologists of that era were also confounded by these repeated and identical sets of sequences. They were not clear if these sequences confined to the only type of bacterium. However, with the advent of technology, it was revealed by meta-genomics that these identical sequences exist in other types of a bacterium as well. 

Scientists felt a dire need to give a name to these sequences so that they could communicate about them. Rudd Jansen came up to meet the need and coined the term CRISPR. Jansen’s team noticed that CRISPR carries a specific gene in its neighborhood; they called it the CRISPR associated gene (“Cas” for short). A Cas gene encodes a Cas enzyme that acts as a molecular scissor and snips the DNA into its fragments.

Japanese scientists discovered CRISPR even before 1987, but the repeated sequences of DNA (CRISPR) were so enigmatic that they could not understand what they had discovered. (Image Credit: istock.com/Panuwach)
Japanese scientists discovered CRISPR even before 1987, but the repeated sequences of DNA (CRISPR) were so enigmatic that they could not understand what they had discovered. (Image Credit: istock.com/Panuwach)

Before knowing that Cas behaves as a molecular scissor, scientists were puzzled about it. Their efforts got a fruit when three teams of scientists found spacer sequences, and these sequences were the exact copies of viral genomes. To quote Eugene Koonin, it was then that “the whole thing clicked.”

Koonin was baffling about CRISPR/Cas9 for years by then. As he learned that these repeated sequences are nothing but a viral genome, he hypothesized that the presence of CRISPR/Cas9 in a prokaryote is full-blown evidence of past viral attacks. 

Naturally, when a bacterium survives the viral attack, it opens up its genome and incorporates the broken fragments of viral DNA into its nucleic acid as spacers; this preserves the genetic ID of an attacker in its DNA. Unlike humans, bacteria can pass this acquired genetic code to its subsequent generations. This acquired genetic code is altogether CRISPR. 

Koonin argued that CRISPR meets the requirements of Lamarckian inheritance.

In those days, Blake Wiedenheft joined Doudna’s lab to explore the structure of the Cas enzyme. They explored that the CRISPR/Cas9 can be used as a human genome editor. Results published.

But the Bio-hackers’ community brutally misused this discovery. Josiah Zayner went as far as to hack himself in public by injecting DNA bearing CRISPR. He proclaimed: 

 “It is the first time in the history of (the) earth that humans are no longer slaves to the genetics they are born with.”

There is no doubt that the routine use of CRISPR can end the era of genetic abnormalities. Aging can be delayed, but would it be worth it? Mysteries are yet waiting to be resolved.

Also Read: Einstein and Hawking: Great Minds of Two Eras

Movies that brilliantly portray Mental Disorders

Maham Maqsood
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Movies that brilliantly portray Mental Disorders

Hollywood has made its fair share of psychological pieces over the years. It is to be admitted that the genre is tough to tackle and the theme is highly sensitive. Sometimes movies can perfectly capture the delicacy of the human conditions, and other times, they just simply miss the point. Here are some of the movies that managed to do the former and showed us the different and unconventional side of what mental disorders really are. 

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

This list can’t begin without the mention of the 1975 masterpiece One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which is adapted from the novel of the same name by Ken Kesey. A stellar cast featuring some of the best performances of legendry actors like Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher, this movie has not just made an impact on the movie industry but has also thrown light on the bitter reality of the lives of those who suffer from mental illnesses. The psychological drama mixes different themes, with a focus on the handling and treatment of patients in mental institutions. Mac (Nicholson) is a criminal in defiance of the system and with his fellows, some of whom don’t seem to belong there, try to fight back and break free. 

It was hailed as an impactful and significant piece by the United States Library of Congress and was even preserved by the National Film Registry. The strong and eye-opening movie also won several Academy Awards, including Best Picture. 

Girl, Interrupted

Girl, Interrupted is an extraordinary story that is also based on the novel of the same name by Susanna Kaysen. It has some of the best female performances of all time, and Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder bring to screen what it means to be a crazy person. All are suffering from mental disorders, though with contrasting traits from each other. This 1999 classic depicts how the ‘crazy’ people are born through suffering and loss, and their worlds need to be addressed in a manner different than normal. 

Ryder plays Susana, suffering from the borderline personality disorder, who begins to contemplate her life and her choices when she is admitted into a mental institution where she meets many women, each with a problem of her own. She is upstaged by the loopy Lisa, played by Jolie, who is a fearless free soul and has tried to break free and escape the institution several times. All the patients comfortably engage with each other, as if trying to sort out others’ problems or to keep them happy in the gloomy environment, but in fact, everyone is broken at the core. The nurses are not always successful in taming them, and the constant mischief here and there irritates them a lot. The pacing of the movie feels just about right and gives a different look at the lives of the mentally troubled.

Black Swan

This 2010 psychological thriller shows a different side of mental illness, where one strives to achieve perfection or precision in a task and work but suffers from losing one’s self in the process. Natalie Portman stars as Nina Sayers, a ballerina who gets the role of a lifetime but suffers from hallucinations and an eating disorder, which significantly impedes her professional and personal life. It is not really clear whether her experiences are real or imaginary, and the film does a great job of mixing different genres. 

Along with highlighting psychological stress and its effects, Black Swan also addresses the issue of eating disorders, which are a common problem in the world of dance and fashion. One in particular called Anorexia nervosa is among the deadliest mental disorders and many succumb to it every year. Director Darren Afronsky masterfully uses inspiration from other classic pieces like The Double and incorporates them into the story sometimes subtlety and sometimes very clearly. For her spectacular performance in the movie, Natalie Portman also earned an Academy Award.

A Beautiful Mind

The biopic of John Nash, A Beautiful Mind, tells the story of the trials and tribulations and success of the acclaimed Nobel Prize-winning mathematician. It stays apt to the title and shows us the real life of a genius who unfortunately suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. Unlike other movies, where mental disorders can sometimes be glorified, the development and effects, shown in this piece, is relatable and genuine. Russell Crowe plays the lead and absolutely nails the role. 

The movie itself is quite inspiring and motivating and teaches us to consider our behavior towards such individuals. Many people around the world suffer from schizophrenia but, unfortunately, are not able to have proper care and are misunderstood by others. By addressing adequately to their needs and helping and hearing them out can make a significant impact in their lives and can help them showcase their talent and skills as well. 

Memento

Director Christopher Nolan is widely known for his work like the Batman Trilogy, Interstellar, etc. but one of his most underrated pieces is the 2000 psychological thriller Memento. It has a groundbreaking way of storytelling and a challenging timeline that invites the audience to think. Its story revolves around the character who has anterograde amnesia named Leonard, which is played by Guy Pearce. This disorder hinders the creation of new memories after one suffers from a severe psychological or physical attack.

The movie brilliantly creates a web of events that are connected, but the audience is unable to find the exact link until the very end. It rightly portrays the condition which is very brutal as the patients don’t usually recover and have to live miserably for the rest of their lives. 

Also Read: What do you turn on the TV for?

March’s supermoon dazzles in the sky

Scientia
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March’s supermoon dazzles in the sky

March 2020 has some great astronomical events according to the yearly calendar. The most recent one was the bright supermoon that appeared across different regions of the world on the 9th day of this month. As usual, astrophotographers did not disappoint and we were blessed with some beautiful images. See for yourself below!

The big moon in New Jersey. Credit: Patrick Lopes
The big moon in New Jersey. Credit: Patrick Lopes
New Yorkers were treated on 9th March with a supermoon, seen here above the Empire State Building
New Yorkers were treated on 9th March with a supermoon, seen here above the Empire State Building. Credit: Patrick Lopes
Bright Supermoon in Kazakhstan. Credit: Dmitry Dotsenko
Bright supermoon behind buildings in Kazakhstan. Credit: Dmitry Dotsenko
A fantastic shot taken in Curitiba, Brazil
A fantastic shot taken in Curitiba, Brazil by Guilherme Pupo
The lunar surface is clearly visible in this image by Roshan Bukhari.
The lunar surface is clearly visible in this image by Roshan Bukhari.
Behind the clouds. This image was taken by Rylan Dressendorfer in Arizona
Supermoon in an urban area
The Moon can be seen here in an urban area
The beautiful supermoon was also visible in the skies of Rawalpindi, Pakistan
The beautiful supermoon was also visible in the skies of Rawalpindi, Pakistan
A contrast image

There are several other astronomical events coming up. On June 21, an Annular Eclipse is expected. This occurs when the Moon is too far away from the Earth to completely cover the Sun.

On July 11, skywatchers and stargazers will have a special treat as there will be a planet parade. Several planets like Venus, Jupiter, etc. will be in conjunction appearing to perform a parade in the skies, hence the name.  On October 13, Mars will be at the closest opposition to Earth and will be well lit.  On December 14, a total solar eclipse is expected. This phenomenon occurs when the moon blocks out the Sun’s outer atmosphere. Many more are yet to come. Stay tuned!

Also Read: A rare Sun Dog baffles residents in China

WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT: THREATS TO A PEACEFUL MIND

Saher Shahid
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WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT: THREATS TO A PEACEFUL MIND

It has been estimated worldwide that 264 million people suffer from depression and anxiety symptoms, which lead to incapacity. A recent WHO-led study estimates that the global economy lost its productivity up to US$ 1 trillion per annum at the cost of depression and anxiety disorders in individuals. Workplace environment plays a crucial role in in-person performance in an organization. Not only does it determine the mental and physical wellbeing of the employee but overall productivity and performance of the organization. Rapid economic change is one of the most critical dimensions of today’s world. Backstage of this world economic globalization professional environment is requiring increasing workload, job insecurity, increasing stress, and other mental disorders. An abusive working environment may lead to physical and psychological health problems.

If the rhythm of change exceeds the production capacity of the workers to cope, adverse stress reactions can occur, including depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Also, the professional consequences like job dissatisfaction, decreased organizational commitment, reduced job performance, and absenteeism. Adverse stress reactions are not limited to the individual worker, but also may affect the worker’s family, and social circle. More attention is required to the psychosocial impact of both the psychosocial work and the physical work environment. Workplaces that promote psychological wellbeing and help their employers are more likely to reduce absenteeism, give rise in productivity, and benefit from associated economic gains.

Work-related risk factors 

Several risk factors for mental health that may be present in the working environment are lack of communication with co-workers, physical capability and daily functioning, work-related disturbances, individual skills, and abilities, along with overall governance and environment of the organization. For example, if a person is highly competent and active but the organization is offering a lack of resources those are essential for his work so it draws on as a non-supportive organizational attitude. 

Some risks may also be related to job types, such as inappropriate tasks for the person’s competencies and irrelevant workload. A few jobs may carry a higher personal risk than others which can have a negative influence on mental health and may cause a sort of mental disorder. Such threats could be outnumbered in cases like lack of teamwork or social support. One of the most common work-related stress that serves as risks to the health of workers recently reported is bullying and psychological harassment (also known as “mobbing”), and relate to both mental and physical issues. These problems could result in reduced productivity and slight staff turnover, and consequently have a negative impact on their family life and social interactions.

Several risk factors for mental health that may be present in the working environment are lack of communication with co-workers, physical capability and daily functioning, etc.
Several risk factors for mental health that may be present in the working environment are lack of communication with co-workers, physical capability and daily functioning, etc.

All these situations led to anxiety and depression, resulting in a person’s ability to complete physical job tasks, about 20% of the time, and reduces cognitive performance about 35% of the time. Only 57% of employees who report moderate depression and 40% of those who say severe depression receive treatment to control depression symptoms. According to reports, common mental sickness like anxiety and depression are affecting more than 350 million people around the globe. Although their symptoms consider as a part of the predictable range of emotional experience, clinicians recognize them as ailments when the symptoms intensify and persist over time. 

In fact, when symptoms like mood swings, loss of pleasure or interest in life, poor concentration, agitation, disrupted sleep or insomnia and disturbed appetite lasts for more than two weeks, a worker commonly diagnoses as major depression. Although, At its worst, major depression is disabling and give rise in the risk of suicide, mild and moderate depressions are also contribute to personal suffering as well as lousy performance. Even without a diagnosis of severe emotional distress are all symptoms that lead to worse work outcomes for men and women, with fatigue severely and explicitly affecting women. Anxiety disorders which are discrete from depression encompass severe and persistent symptoms of anxiety that cause distress and interfere with daily activities. As a whole, these are the most common mental disorders and involve conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia. An organization’s policy aimed at enabling people suffering from mental illnesses to remain in the workplace and providing more opportunities for sustained health care services and jobs. 

 Benefits of a mentally healthy work environment

Organizations with positive work environments actively support the mental health of employees, leading to higher productivity, creativity, and satisfaction. This is the responsibility of every organization to provide a healthy, respectful, and sound environment to their employees with mental issues either when they are at work or return to a job after getting proper treatment. Mental stability and satisfaction not only improve the individual capacity to perform in a better way but also ultimately provide economic benefits to the organization. Research indicates that unemployment, particularly long term unemployment, lousy attitude from supervisors, and stress of work, can have a detrimental impact on mental health. A key element of achieving a healthy workplace is the formation of governmental legislations or rules, strategies. It’s policies, as mentioned by the European Union Compass work regarding mental health issues. A healthy working environment is one where all the workers working in any domain actively and effectively promote the working environment and protecting the health, security, and wellbeing of all employees.

Article 27 of The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) offers an officially binding global framework to promote and secure the rights of people with disabilities, notably including psychosocial disabilities. It develops that individuals with any form of psychosocial disability have the right to work, without any discrimination against should be treated equally and justly. They need to be provided with support in the workplace.

WHO response to mental health 

On an international level, WHO’s Global Plan of Action on Worker’s Health (2008-2017) and Mental Health Action Plan (2013-2030) sketch out essential principles, goals, and objectives to promote good mental health at the workplace. It also highlights the implementation strategies for an individual to support their mental health issues in their working domain. These strategies include: Listing down the social determinants of mental health, such as living standards, working conditions, activities for prevention, and promotion of psychosocial health. It also includes the development of health care services by improving access to evidence-based health care and reducing stigmatization and discrimination among individuals at the workplace. These all involve cost and benefits research on strategies to improve mental health points towards the net benefits of the organization. For example, a recent WHO based study estimated that for every US$ 1 invested in the treatment of common mental health disorders, it resulted in the return of US$ 4 in improved health and productivity.

Occupational wellbeing provision depends on the size of the organization

Occupational wellbeing

Occupational health or wellbeing is a specialist branch of medicine that primarily focuses on the physical and mental health of employees in the workplace.

Its aim is to prevent work-related illness and injury by:

  • Heartening safe working practices.
  • Working on ergonomics (studying how you work and how you could work better).
  • Observing the health of the workforce.
  • Aiding the management of sickness absence.
  • To ensure health and safety compliance work with your employer to implement policies.
  • For evaluation of mental health, conduct pre-employment health assessments of the individual.
  • Conduct health care promotion and education programs at the workplace.
  • Offer advice and counseling to employees around non-health-related problems.
  • Anticipate your employer with suggestions, ideas, and guidance around making sensible, settling in the working environment.

A road towards occupational wellbeing

Occupational wellbeing provision depends on the size of the organization. It can be conveniently provided by a nurse with professional health training. However, a range of specialists are most suitable and professionals for this purpose, including physiotherapists, hygienists, psychologists, ergonomic experts, occupational therapists, and specialist doctors. Occupational health is systematically provided at an employee’s workplace. Still, if the employer does not have a dedicated or regular job, they may need to travel to attend appointments with external providers.

A guide from the World Economic Forum highlights a few steps for organizational support in employers wellbeing

  • Knowledge and awareness regarding workplace environment and how it can be customized to promote better mental health for different employees.
  • Understanding and considering the opportunities and needs of individual employees will help in developing better policies for workplace mental health. 
  • Awareness and excess of sources of support and where employers can find help. 
  • Application and enforcement of health and safety policies and practices, including identification of distress or disturbances, determining harmful use of psychoactive substances, diseases, and providing resources and guidance to manage them.
  • Notifying personnel that the aid is available.
  • Building the confidence of the employees by involving them in decision-making, giving them a feeling of control and participation, and organizational practices that encourage healthy work-life balance.
  • Designed for the career development of employees. 
  • Acknowledging and rewarding the contribution of employees at every step.

Mental health is a fundamental domain not only for an individual, organization but for the society. It is, therefore, significant to highlight mental health issues at all levels, since people nowadays spend their maximum time at their workplace. Mental health issues measures should be delivered as part of integrated health care and wellbeing strategy that includes early identification, prevention, treatment, support, and rehabilitation. Professional health-care services or professionals should support organizations in implementing these interventions by all possible means in every working environment. Even when these health-care services are not available several changes in the working environment can make to promote and support mental wellbeing. The key to success is involving stakeholders and staff at all levels when providing protection, promotion, and support mediations and when monitoring their effectiveness.

SIMILAR POST: Busting myths of OCD

Women Scientists Who Dared to Discover

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Women Scientists Who Dared to Discover

For centuries, women have made important contributions to the sciences, but in many cases, it took far too long for their discoveries to be recognized — if they were acknowledged at all. And too often, books and academic courses that explore the history of science neglect the remarkable, groundbreaking women who changed the world. In fact, it’s a rare person, child or adult, who can name more than two or three female scientists from history — and, even in those instances, the same few names are usually mentioned time and again.

Now it is time to change that! In this blog post, we’re sharing the stories of some historic female scientists who blazed new trails in their disciplines. From determining the size of the universe to unlocking the secrets of the genetic code, these women have forever changed the way we see our world. And if you’d like to learn more about any of the featured women or introduce them to children and teens, after each profile we’ve shared several reading recommendations for different age groups, as well as other resources that celebrate these women of discovery.

Maria Merian
Maria Merian

Maria Merian (1647 – 1717)

Before German-born naturalist and scientific illustrator, Maria Merian began to study the life cycle of butterflies, most people believed that they were “born of mud,” spontaneously generated out of the earth. Her interest in insects was unusual; they were considered “vile and disgusting” and hardly worth study. She was also one of the first naturalists to observe insects directly, giving her remarkable insights into the way they really lived. Although she emerged as one of the leading entomologists of her day, since she wrote in German and not in Latin, the official language of science at the time, her remarkable discoveries about the metamorphosis of insects were ignored by many scientists. She also raised eyebrows by funding her own, unofficial expedition to Suriname where she described many new insects and plants; a highly unusual venture for a woman of the period to undertake. Even so, her impact on science is undeniable: many of her classifications are still valid today and her exquisite paintings of plants, animals, and insects have been widely admired throughout the centuries.

Marie Curie
Marie Curie

Marie Skłodowska Curie (1867 – 1934)

As the first woman in history to win a Nobel Prize — and the only person to win two Nobel Prizes in two different disciplines (chemistry and physics) — Polish-French physicist and chemist Maria Skłodowska Curie is one of the first names that comes to mind when thinking of women in science. When she and her husband Pierre Curie discovered radioactivity, it changed the way people saw the world forever: suddenly, it appeared that energy could appear as if by magic. She also discovered two elements, polonium and radium, and the element curium is named in her honor. The world’s first studies into the treatment of tumors took place under her direction and she founded the Curie Institutes in Paris and Warsaw, which to this day are leading medical research centers. Beyond her incredible individual contributions, Marie Curie has also left another enduring legacy — she has inspired generations of women to pursue their own dreams of scientific exploration and discovery.

Henrietta Leavitt
Henrietta Leavitt

Henrietta Leavitt (1868 – 1921)

Today, a computer is a machine, but in Henrietta Leavitt’s day, the term referred to a group of female astronomers who had been hired by Harvard to analyze data from their observatory. Edward Charles Pickering, who hired Leavitt, assigned her to look at variable stars: these stars brightened and dimmed at predictable intervals. Using the data provided to her, Leavitt identified and classified over 2,400 of these stars — and discovered that there was a relationship between the period and the luminosity of a particular type of variable stars, the Cepheids. This discovery changed the way astronomers saw the universe: not only did it allow scientists to measure the distance to remote galaxies, but it also paved the way for a new understanding of the structure and scale of the universe.

Helen Taussig
Helen Taussig

Helen Taussig (1898 – 1986)

Helen Taussig’s journey to a career as a physician wasn’t easy: she struggled with severe dyslexia, hearing loss from a childhood illness, and discrimination due to gender before she received her medical degree from Johns Hopkins in 1927. After overcoming these challenges, the American physician went on to found the field of pediatric cardiology. She is best known for discovering the cause of “blue baby syndrome,” a birth defect of the heart that had a very high mortality rate. After Taussig developed the concept for a repair procedure, she worked with two of her colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Hospital to design a technique that has saved the lives of thousands of babies. She continued her research work until the day of her death at the age of 87.

Barbara McClintock
Barbara McClintock

Barbara McClintock (1902 – 1992)

When the American geneticist Barbara McClintock took her first course in genetics at Cornell’s School of Agriculture in 1921, she was immediately fascinated and knew that she would remain “with genetics thereafter.” In 1948, she discovered that segments of genetic code in maize could change positions on their chromosomes — but since scientists didn’t believe that genes could change except by mutation, other researchers responded to her work with “puzzlement, even hostility.” While she continued researching controlling elements throughout her career, she stopped publishing papers about them in 1953. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that geneticists realized the significance of genetic transposition and the trailblazing nature of McClintock’s research. McClintock became the only woman to win an unshared Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983. She once said, however, that her greatest satisfaction in life was discovering a secret that no one else had known:  “If you know you are on the right track, if you have this inner knowledge, then nobody can turn you off,” she once said. “No matter what they say.”

Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall (b. 1934)

At a time when female scientists were often considered too fragile and emotional for fieldwork, Jane Goodall proved everyone wrong. The British primatologist is considered the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees after her 55-year-long study on the wild chimpanzees in Gomber Stream National Park in Tanzania. Goodall was the first person to observe tool creation and use — something previously thought to be exclusive to humans — in chimpanzees when they fished for termites with specially prepared sticks. Goodall is also a dedicated advocate and activist on behalf of animal welfare and conservation causes. Equally importantly, she has inspired generations as an example of women in science. Her dream of traveling to Africa as a child was laughable at the time “because we didn’t have any money, because Africa was the ‘dark continent’, and because I was a girl”; now, everyone knows about the watchful young woman who changed the definition of humanity.

Rita Levi-Montalcini
Rita Levi-Montalcini

Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909 – 2012)

Before Rita Levi-Montalcini could even complete her education, the Jewish Italian woman was already facing limitations on her career from fascism and anti-Semitic laws. And yet when World War II broke out, she chose to stay in Italy and created a makeshift laboratory in her home so she could continue her work. After the war, she moved to the US, where she and a colleague discovered nerve growth factor, a protein that regulates the growth of cells and plays a particularly important role in the development of tumors. However, it took almost 30 years before the discovery was fully recognized by the scientific community and she was granted the Nobel Prize in Medicine. By the time she died, Levi-Montalcini was the oldest living Nobel laureate — and the first Nobel Prize winner to live to 100.

Chien-Shiung Wu
Chien-Shiung Wu

Chien-Shiung Wu (1912 – 1997)

Chien-Shiung Wu was born in China, but at the recommendation of one of her supervisors, she set off for the US in 1936 to attend the University of Michigan for her Ph.D in nuclear physics. However, when she learned that women weren’t allowed to use the front entrance at Michigan, she changed her plans and attended University of California, Berkeley instead. As a part of the Manhattan Project during WWII, she helped develop the process for separating uranium metal into various isotopes. She is best known for conducting the Wu Experiment, which disproved a hypothetical physical law called the conservation of parity; her experiment paved the way for several of her colleagues to win the 1957 Nobel Prize in physics, although the Nobel Committee overlooked her contributions. In her later career, she also became outspoken about sexism in the sciences: “I wonder”, she asked at a 1964 symposium, “whether the tiny atoms and nuclei, or the mathematical symbols, or the DNA molecules have any preference for either masculine or feminine treatment.”

The Blog originally posted on, A mighty Girl and posted here with prior permission.
Also Read, Katherine Johnson dies, a woman who broke barriers at NASA.

Green Balochistan Tree Plantation Campaign 2020 successfully concluded

Shamsullah Durrani
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Green Balochistan Tree Plantation Campaign 2020 successfully concluded

Balochistan’s Youth, a community-based volunteer group, planted trees in different areas of the province for the protection of the climate. Balochistan has been severely hit with the challenges posed by climate change and this was an effort to spread awareness among the masses.

According to the organization’s spokesperson, the campaign started from mid-February till the 30th of March 2020 and consisted of two phases. In the first phase, a group of volunteers recorded awareness messages on social media platforms such as Facebook with the hashtag “#GreenBalochistan #Tree #Plantation #Campaign_2020” and also distributed pamphlets on the public places such as shopping malls, religious places like masjids, and churches, etc.

In the second phase of the campaign, volunteers planted trees in different locations (schools, graveyards and street locality) of the province.

It was an initiative led and supported by community volunteers, to aware public about the emerging issue of global warming especially in Balochistan
The plantation campaign was an initiative led and supported by community volunteers, to aware public about the emerging issue of global warming especially in Balochistan

The organization’s founder stated that “We had started this campaign in 2018 and since then, we have been planting trees every year. Till now, we have planted more than 2,000 trees in different areas of the province. The main objectives and goals of this campaign were very clear; our main focus is educating people to at least plant one tree in their locality because, in this whole campaign, we urged on written and oral messages about the importance of planting trees and the recent challenges of climate change in the world. Specifically, in Balochistan which is facing severe climate changes which resulted in polluted air and shortage of water in the province”.

While talking to community and media persons, he added that it was an initiative led and supported by community volunteers, to aware public about the emerging issue of global warming especially in Balochistan, which is the poorest & largest province of Pakistan and is facing the severe climate change challenges these days in the forms of drought, flood, deforestation, water shortage, and degradation of agriculture, and livestock problems. These environmental challenges and problems have badly affected the province in various ways.

The Poster for the plantation campaign urging people to plant trees

First, the reduced rainfall in winter & moon soon season brought a drought situation in most of the districts of Balochistan. Second, the environmental changes also made the socio-economic situation worst. The province’s major economy is agriculture and livestock which was disrupted by floods & long spells of drought in the province. In the same way, such a hazardous situation also created more issues for people like poverty, scarcity of water health, food insecurity, and malnutrition, etc.

In context of democracy and human rights, climate change is a real challenge in the way of socio-economic development of a nation. In this regard, according to Global Climate Risk Index report 2018, Pakistan was ranked on 8th by most affected by climate change in last two decades. Especially Balochistan was affected the most by these changes and it disrupted the social and economic life of people. While achieving the target of SDG 13 (safety of healthy environment & protection) of the UN, the government of Balochistan needs a policy intervention at the provincial level.

In the final remarks, the volunteer leader said that it is the responsibility of every citizen to take part in community work and serve humanity. He hoped that next year, it will involve more community people and plant more trees in order to save our environment.

Also Read: Identification of soybean dust as an epidemic asthma agent in Kemari

Turtles on the beaches of Makran are at risk

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Turtles on the beaches of Makran are at risk

In recent years, the beaches of Makran were considered safe for aquatic life. Many of the world’s aquatic life species are found here. The beaches of Daran, Jewaani Tak, Ormara, Hiftilar Island and Pasni have been given the status of safe havens for a unique population of green turtles. Since these areas are far away from human populations, they are ideal for these unique turtles.

Sadly, dead bodies of these animals are now being unveiled in these areas. These areas no longer serve as sites of protection for these turtles. Since they are shy animals, they do not lay their eggs near areas where humans reside. They prefer places with no noise and light.

Biology experts say that only one out of thousand baby turtles are able to survive. This can lead us to ponder over the importance of turtles for ocean life. Experts say that their diet includes jellyfish and other water entities found near the coast. They also help in cleaning impurities in the water, which is crucial for the flourishing of other aquatic life. The average age of turtles is about 100 to 150 years, and they travel to a lot of countries in the world.

Biology experts say that only one out of thousand baby turtles are able to survive.

Due to the present discovery of carcasses on the coast of Makran, biologists are extremely worried. A few days ago, a dead turtle was found in the coastal area, Jaddi, of Pasni and Padi Zar of Gwadar. There are other unreported cases as well.

Biologists state that the main reason for the death of these turtles is Plastic nets and shoppers. Plastic does not degrade for 400 to 450 years. Since their main diet is jellyfish, they perceive these shoppers to be jellyfish by mistake and try to eat them. These get stuck in their stomachs and prove fatal.

Fishermen use these plastic nets in vast amounts. They frequently throw pieces of these nets in the ocean and turtles are captured in them. This leads to their death.

On the other hand, thousands of tourists visit the coastal areas of Makran daily and amply pollute the area by throwing plastic waste along the shore. On many occasions, turtles die when they come close to the littered shores.

Due to the lack of education and awareness, the local people do not consider the turtles to be important. Also, in far off areas, there is no one to rescue them. Secondly, the locals do not take the death of these turtles seriously either and make no efforts to protect them. No NGO or governmental authority is working for the protection of these rare turtles.

Also Read: An Exclusive Tour of the Pakistan Museum of Natural History

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