People who sit for long hours in office and those who travel long distances quite frequently are more susceptible to impotency

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: Sedentary employees and frequent travellers beware! According to a research study by a team of city doctors, people who sit for long hours in office and those who travel long distances quite frequently are more susceptible to impotency or loss of sexual vigour than the people on the move.
The study conducted by the Assisted Conception Services Unit of Mahavir Hospital and Research Centre and the Institute of Genetics and Hospital for Genetic Diseases revealed that the sperm count had come down by about 45 per cent in sedentary employees (47.9 mill/ml) as compared with the control group (80.75 mill/ml). In case of frequent travellers the count recorded was 66.23 mill/ml.
The doctors took three groups of men for the study - a controlled group with just 0.5 hrs of mean seated hours in travel per day, people who travel for 4.25 hrs a day and sedentary employees with sit in offices for 7.9 hrs a day on an average. The normal morphology of semen was 57.25 per cent in the control group, 39.75 in long distance travellers and 38.67 in sedentary workers. The hypo-osmotic swelling test showed a percentage of 56, 54 and 50 in these groups respectively.
"Thermo-regulation in testis is important for normal development and maturation of spermatozoa. Semen is produced at a temperature lower than that of the normal body temperature. Even slight elevations in testicular temperature may have a profound impact on sperm quantity, quality and its fertilising potential. Those who remain seated for long hours have increased scrotal temperature and hence defect in semen quality", says fertility expert Roya Roazati who conducted the research study along with eminent geneticist PP Reddy and Rubina Mujtaba.
Frequent long distance travellers and sedentary workers showed significant impairment in spermatogenesis, percentage sperm motility and normal morphology, particularly sperm head morphology. The sperm quality of sedentary employees is worse than that of the long distance travellers as the former spend more hours in chairs. However, the impact of environmental pollution is more on travellers than on sedentary employees.
According to her, the increased testicular temperatures, a result of prolonged seating, may be a factor directly responsible for the deterioration of semen quality and consequently infertility.
Testis is more vulnerable to heat than any other part of the body. The importance of precise thermo-regulation of the testis is evidenced by the fact that even slight elevations in scrotal temperature are associatied with infertility.
"Long distance sedentary travellers, travelling for more than 200 km or more than three hours a day and sedentary workers spending more than six hours a day seated at work could be victims of impotency", the study pointed out.
The doctors took a detailed history of couples attending the Assisted Conception Services Unit and those couples with a male factor problem but normal female profile. Normospermic men with no evidence of male factor infertility, a non sedentary occupation and time lesser than one hour in travel were taken as controls. All men underwent a thorough clinical evaluation by an urologist to rule out any associated clinical pathology. In all 45 cases were studies and semen samples were analysed after a prescribed three day period of abstinence, for sperm count, motility, morphology, vitality, hypo-osmotic swelling test and the presence of immature germ cells as part of the investigation into their infertility.

Men exposed to industrial fumes are at risk of losing their reproductive strength

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: Men exposed to industrial fumes are at risk of losing their reproductive strength with the quality and count of their sperm being significantly affected.
According to a joint research study by city-based Institute of Genetics, Mahavir Hospital, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology and Owaisi Hospital and Research Centre, men exposed to industrial fumes containing nickel and chromium, showed decreased vitality and significantly higher percentage of defects in sperm.
The study, however, found that smoking did not show any effect on semen parameters in industrial workers and welders as also in the control group. Though there was no significant difference in the volume of ejaculated semen of men exposed to fumes and those in the control group, the former had a lower sperm count (almost half), rapid linear progressive motility, and slow progressive motility when compared to control men.
The percentage of normal sperm was also low in the exposed group. They also showed higher percentage of defects in the head and mid-piece of sperm.
Research team member Dr Roya Rozati points out that men exposed to nickel and chromium had a large number of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa in their ejaculates. The levels of these metals in blood was also higher than that of the control group.
"There was a significant positive correlation between the percentage of tail defects and blood nickel and chromium concentration in male welders. Sperm vitality decreased with increasing chromium concentration", Dr Roya told this correspondent.
The study covered 57 employees of an industrial welding plant. The workers have been exposed to two to 21 years to welding fumes. The control group also consisted of 57 subjects, not exposed to known harmful chemicals. Forty-five per cent of the men in the study were smokers and 32 were alcohol consumers. Sperm samples were obtained after a three-day period of sexual abstinence.
Heavy metals nickel and chromium are widely distributed in the work place. Nickel is extensively used in the plating industry, sometimes in combination with other metals. It is also used in electroplating, welding, flame cutting, flame spraying, and mould making. Nickel is also used in the manufacture of jewellery, coinage, cutlery, cooking utensils and dental or surgical prostheses. Chromium is used in metallurgy, chrome plating, welding, chemical industry, textile manufacture, wood preservation, photography and photoengraving, refractory industry and cooling system.
Nickel crosses the placental barrier, directly affecting the developing embryo or foetus in experimental animals. Spermatotoxic effects of nickel in mice have also been observed.

Epidemic Act: Medical arrests if people do not cooperate

2009
Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, June 13: The fall in temperatures with the onset of rainy season may create a conducive atmosphere for the human influenza virus or swine flu to spread fast through human-to-human contact in the State, even as the State government declared that the Epidemic Act is in force.

Health experts warn that the low temperatures may also aid secondary infection through bacteria, which will make things further complicated. The H1N1 virus does not survive in high temperatures (above 40 degrees C) but the virus may take advantage of the Southwest monsoon to express its potent virulence.

"So far all the cases that have been reported in India are of viral infection, which is not generally life threatening. But the cool weather may aid bacterial infection in swine flu patients. And if this happens, both the virus and the bacteria will create severe health complications, including death," said senior chest physician Dr OA Sarma.

Dr Sarma, who worked as the superintendent of AP Chest Hospital, Hyderabad, told this correspondent that there might be pneumococcal, streptococcal and staphylococcal bacterial infection in swine flu patients. "We have to ensure that there's no secondary infection in these patients," he said.

Meanwhile, the State government has declared that the Epidemic Act of 1897 is already in force in the State and those refusing to cooperate with the authorities may face "medical arrests". The Delhi State government has already announced promulgation of the Act while the Tamil Nadu government had threatened to implement the British Era legislation.

"We have been regularly enforcing the Epidemic Act to act against traders, hoteliers etc who refuse to comply with hygienic conditions. So far there have been no cases of resistance from swine flu patients or suspects. If anyone refuses medical treatment or quarantine we will act under the Epidemic Act," said Principal Secretary (health) Dr LV Subrahmanyam.

The Union Civil Aviation Ministry has agreed in principal to install thermal scanners at international airports to separate out swine flu patients. The scanners detect the body temperature and those with abnormal body temperature (above 98.4 degrees F) will be medically examined for swine flu symptoms.

The country's first thermal scanners will be operational in Mumbai in a day or two. With half of the swine flu cases reported in the country being from Hyderabad, the city airport will also get thermal scanners. "There's
a proposal with the Union Civil Aviation Ministry," an official of GMR airport said.

Crida warns of severe climate change impact on agriculture in India

2009
Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, June 12: Climate change will severely affect agricultural production in Andhra Pradesh with a fall in yield ranging from eight to 30 per cent, according to city-based Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture.

Crida has conducted studies on the effect of climate change on sorghum production. Says B Venkateswarlu, Crida director, "rainfed sorghum yields in Rayalaseema may reduce eight to 10 per cent by 2020 and 18 to 30 per cent by 2050 and 2080
respectively. In Telangana region the productivity of sorghum will reduce by three, five and 10 per cent by 2020, 2050 and 2080".

Referring to the estimation of water surplus amounts in different regions of the State during 2020 and 2050 compared with the present levels, Crida warns that water surplus availability may reduce by five to nine per cent and 10 and 15 per cent in north Telangana regions during the period. In north coastal regions the availability may reduce by 14 to 49 per cent and 41 to 100 per cent in 2020 and 2050 respectively. This means reduction in runoff into river flows.

"Largescale shifts in cropping patterns may take place in future. We need to use water more judiciously and several new agricultural technologies need to be developed to cope with climate change. Weather insurance has to be adopted on a massive scale in the country," Dr Venkateswarlu said.

Crop simulation models indicate that an increase of two degree Celsius in temperature during the rabi season may decrease the wheat yields by 15 to 17 per cent in wheat crop in Punjab region. Similarly for Gujarat region, two degree Celsius may decrease the wheat yield by 19 per cent under optimum irrigated conditions. In Chhattisgarh region, the increase in temperature by one to two
degree Celsius during the reproductive stage will reduce the yield by three to four quintals per hectare.

In Tamil Nadu during kharif season about 10 to 15 per cent decrease in rice yields is expected by 2020 due to increase in thermal regime, further reduction in yields up to 30 to 38 per cent is expected by 2050. In Orissa the rice crop yields are expected to fall by 10 per cent by 2020 compared to the yield levels of 2006, he
said.

Swine flu: Human Influenza virus may mutate further, turn lethal in India

2009
Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, June 12: The swine flu virus has the potential to mutate further
and become a lethal virus, warn the Union Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare. "It is also not known how this virus or a further mutated strain
would behave in Indian population," it said.

In its draft action plan, following the WHO updation of swine flu pandemic
level from phase 5 to phase 6 on a scale of six, the Union Health Ministry is
of the view that containment may not be possible at this stage. "Only
mitigation measures are needed now," the ministry noted.

Fourteen of the 15 swine flu cases registered thus far in India have been
"import" cases and only one case was of secondary spread. "The behaviour of
this mutant virus among the Asian population cannot be predicted. The virus
has the potential to mutate further and become a lethal virus," the Health
Ministry warned on Friday.

In view of the latest WHO guidelines, the government has decided to
increase surveillance mechanism at community level, ports and airports and
border crossings to detect early clusters of influenza like illness or severe
acute respiratory illness. It has also taken up a virological surveillance to
detect the circulating strains and any new strain that enters the country or that
gets established within the country.

As of now, India has a stock of 10 million capsules of oseltamivir. Some
stocks are also committed by pharmaceutical companies for exclusive use by
the Government. This drug is only available through the public health system
and its retail sale is banned as indiscriminate use may lead to development of
resistance.

The contacts of the positive cases in Delhi, Goa and Hyderabad are on
chemoprophylaxis and they are being monitored. As of now, no family or
social contacts has reported symptoms.

Nuclear submarine: India joins the elite club of nations with advanced technology vessels

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, June 10: India will join the elite club of four nuclear advanced nations when the country's first indigenously built nuclear-powered submarine will formally become operational on July 26.

Code-named "advanced technology vessel", the nuclear submarine has been on the Indian Defence agenda for more than four decades. Thevessel was first proposed after the Indo-Pak war in 1971. But thingsstarted moving fast in the last five years culminating in the country's first nuclear submarine. It will give an advantage to India over its nuclear rival Pakistan. The other nuclear neighbour China already
possesses such submarine vessels.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will inspect the submarine on July 26. The submarine has underwater ballistic missile launch capability.

The ballistic missile was tested last year. With the induction of this vessel, India would join the elite group of Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States which have nuclear-powered submarines.

Navy neither denied nor confirmed the test trial of nuclear submarine but admitted some activity and preparations were going on for the prime Minister's visit. This was the first of planned fleet of five each having a size of 6,000 tonnes. It will have a single-shaft nuclear power plant, build indigenously. It is said to have 9,400 tons displacement when submerged. The submarine is 124 meters long.

After the designs prepared by BARC failed to click, India secured reactor designs from Russia. The reactor, nicknamed "baby boomer" was first tested five years ago.

A long-running secret project, India's nuclear-powered submarine is a 6,000-tonne modified version of the Russian Charlie-II class vessel sources said.

Started in the 1970s, the project was to have a miniaturised nuclear reactor, for which Russia agreed to offer technical help. The 100MW electrical reactor is said to use highly enriched uranium.