Knowledge Update

Washington, April 18 (IANS) An increased risk of autism among children of women who took antidepressants during pregnancy may actually be the result of maternal mental illnesses, according to new research.

Up to 15 per cent of women have depression during pregnancy and antidepressants are a popular treatment choice for those with depression, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, there has been a long-standing debate about whether expectant mothers with depression should take antidepressants.

In a paper published by the US journal JAMA Pediatrics, Antonia Mezzacappa of the Bicetre University in France and colleagues reviewed and analysed 10 studies that have explored associations between fetal exposure to antidepressants and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

"Based on our meta-analyses, there is a significant association between ASDs and prenatal maternal use of antidepressants. However, it appears to be more consistent during pre-pregnancy than each trimester," the study noted.

The study also found that the association was weaker when past maternal illness of the mother was controlled for.

As a result, the study said the public health implications of the possible risk for ASDs as a result of antidepressant exposure during pregnancy are "difficult to assert or to refute, especially as we also observed an association with preconception exposure."

"The increased risk for ASDs in children exposed in utero could well be related to maternal depression or other psychiatric disorders rather than to antidepressant medications per se," it concluded. 

Irene Petersen, a researcher at the University College London, who was not involved in the study, said it's tricky to study the exposure on antidepressants in pregnancy and the risk of ASDs, as the effects of drug treatment are often difficult to be separated from other risk factors such as maternal illnesses.

"The findings from this review suggest that antidepressant treatment may be a 'marker' of women who may have an elevated risk of giving birth to a child with ASD," Petersen said.

"However, I would be very cautious about reaching a conclusion that antidepressants treatment in pregnancy itself is causing autism. With the existing evidence, we still cannot exclude the possibility that it is maternal illnesses linked to ASD -- and not the antidepressants," he added.

New York, April 18 (IANS) Anti-inflammatory properties in a cannabis compound could help treat itching and a wide-range of other skin diseases, say researchers.

The new study, published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, summarises the current literature on the subject and concludes that pharmaceuticals containing cannabinoids may be effective against eczema, psoriasis, atopic and contact dermatitis.

"Perhaps the most promising role for cannabinoids is in the treatment of itch," said the study's senior author Robert Dellavalle, Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the US.

In one study, eight of 21 patients who applied a cannabinoid cream twice a day for three weeks completely eliminated severe itching or pruritus. The drug may have reduced the dry skin that gave rise to the itch, Dellavalle said.

The primary driver in these cannabinoid treatments could be their anti-inflammatory properties, he added.

In the studies reviewed, the researchers found that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) the active ingredient in marijuana, reduced swelling and inflammation in mice.

At the same time, mice with melanoma saw significant inhibition of tumour growth when injected with THC.

"These are topical cannabinoid drugs with little or no psychotropic effect that can be used for skin disease," Dellavalle said.

Still, Dellavalle cautioned that most of these studies are based on laboratory models and large-scale clinical trials have not been performed.

New York, April 17 (IANS) Hospitalisation for heart attacks and strokes is less common among people living in areas that restrict trans fats in foods compared to residents in areas without restrictions, new research has found. "Our study highlights the power of public policy to impact the cardiovascular health of a population," said lead author Eric Brandt from Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, US. Trans fatty acids, or trans fats, are commonly found in fried foods, chips, crackers and baked goods. Eating even minimal amounts is linked to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. Some communities in the US -- most notably New York City -- have eliminated the use of trans fats in restaurants and eateries in recent years. To study the impact of restricting trans fats, researchers compared outcomes for people living in New York counties with and without the restrictions. Using data from the state department of health and census estimates between 2002 and 2013, the researchers focused on hospital admissions for heart attack and stroke. They found that three or more years after the restrictions were implemented, people living in areas with the bans had significantly fewer hospitalizations for heart attack and stroke when compared to similar urban areas where no limits existed. The decline for the combined conditions was 6.2 per cent, said the study published in the journal JAMA Cardiology. "It is a pretty substantial decline," Brandt said. "The results are impressive, given that the study focused on trans fatty acid bans in restaurants, as opposed to complete bans that included food bought in stores," senior author Tamar S. Polonsky, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago, added. "If we enact a more complete restriction on trans fatty acids, it could mean even more widespread benefits for people," Polonsky said.

​Beijing, April 17 (IANS) China's economy got off to a strong start in the first quarter, with the GDP growing at 6.9 per cent year-on-year, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday.

​Tokyo, April 17 (IANS) People who possess a greater understanding of finance tend to accumulate more assets and income during their lifetime, and therefore they are less likely to fret about life in their twilight years, suggests new research.

Beijing, April 17 (IANS) Almost one million foreign nationals worked on the Chinese mainland in 2016, the media reported on Monday.

In the 1980s, less than 10,000 foreigners came to China for work each year, Zhang Jianguo, head of China's State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs said on Sunday during

​New York, April 17 (IANS) Google is reportedly building an overhauled version of its Google Earth that will be unveiled during an Earth Day event in New York City on April 18, a media report said.

According to a report in Express.co.uk on Monday, Google has sent invitations for an Earth Day-themed event to be held at Whitney Museum of Art in New York City.

Google Earth is a virtual globe that allows users to trawl satellite images of the planet's surface. It uses image resolutions that range between 15m to 15cm. One can search any area on the earth through Google Earth. 

It is assumed that the new version of Google Earth would replace its Google Maps app.

In 2008, Google included its Street View feature that offers a panoramic view from eye-level of streets across the world, in Google Maps.

A dramatically revamped version of Google Earth could bring in more functionality from Google Maps, including traffic reports and local listings, the report said.

​New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) It's best to wear natural fabrics to beat the heat and to keep skin problems at bay, say experts. Vandana Anurag, Founder of The Parisian Boudoir and Salesh Grover, Business Head at OSL Luxury Collections, have shared ways in which you can deal with sweat: * Loose clothes don't touch your body and allow your body to breathe. Believe it or not, but loose fitting apparel like peplum tops, flowy tops or loose pants will always keep you cooler than a pair of skin tight tank and fit denims. * Keep yourself cool by switching to breathable and sweat absorbing fabrics. Always dress up in clothes with natural fabrics it will keep your temperature low. * Avoid wearing dresses with embellishments as they weigh down your clothes and leads the fabric to touch your skin, trapping the body heat. Embellishments also don't let air pass through the fabric, thus causing sweating. * Wearing a light coloured and relaxed fit T-shirt can save you from sweating. They can be played around in different styles. * Summer style is incomplete without chinos and denim shorts. When it comes to shorts, fit and length is the key. You can pair up denim shorts with cotton Polo T-shirt to get the comfort and style.

​New York, April 16 (IANS) Customers who need to replace their fourth generation iPad will now get a newer and more capable iPad Air 2 as a substitute from Apple Stores and authorised service providers, a media report said. Apple is doing this because the company has no stock left of the aging and now discontinued fourth generation iPad, 9to5Mac website reported on Saturday. Apple has also asked its staff to inform customers of the replacement unit's colour and capacity. The iPad Air 2 introduced a new gold colour option, and has 32GB and 128GB storage options while 16GB and 64GB models were discontinued. For that reason, the users may receive a slight upgrade in storage when getting a replacement in addition to the device's newer and more powerful internals overall.

​London, April 16 (IANS) Turning 25? This may be the best time of your life, as according to a study, 25 is the golden age when humans can outsmart computers.

The study showed that people's ability to make random choices or mimic a random process, such as coming up with hypothetical results for a series of coin flips, peaks around age 25.

At their peak, humans outcompete many computer algorithms in generating seemingly random patterns, an ability that arises from some of the most highly developed cognitive processes in humans and may be connected to abilities such as human creativity, the researchers said, in the paper published in the journal PLOS Computational Biology.

"This experiment is a kind of reverse Turing test for random behaviour, a test of strength between algorithms and humans," said Hector Zenil from the Algorithmic Nature Group in France.

"25 is, on average, the golden age when humans best outsmart computers," added Nicolas Gauvrit from the Algorithmic Nature Group.

Previous studies have shown that ageing diminishes a person's ability to behave randomly. However, it had been unclear how this ability evolves over a person's lifetime, nor had it been possible to assess the ways in which humans may behave randomly beyond simple statistical tests.

For the study, the team assessed more than 3,400 people aged four to 91 years old, who were asked to perform a series of online tasks that assessed their ability to behave randomly.

The scientists analysed the participants' choices according to their algorithmic randomness, which is based on the idea that patterns that are more random are harder to summarise mathematically.

After controlling for characteristics such as gender, language, and education, they found that age was the only factor that affected the ability to behave randomly. This ability peaked at age 25, on average, and declined from then on, the researchers noted.