If you love tea, keep on sipping the beverage, as it has many benefits for your health. A recent study discovered a new advantage for tea drinkers. Consuming the brew regularly is associated with a smaller risk of glaucoma, a condition which might lead to blindness.

Glaucoma is among the most popular causes of blindness

If the fluid present in your eye starts putting too much pressure on your optic nerve, you might suffer vision impairment. This is glaucoma, and it represents one of the main causes of blindness in the world. A team of researchers from Brown University and the University of California decided to look at the most recent data on the disease, and identify the correlations it holds with different factors.

For this study, researchers designed special interviews for the participants, where they questioned them on their consumption of coffee, soft drinks, iced and hot tea. Then, they performed some examinations of their health condition. The study collected over 10,000 people, but 1,678 of them could provide information on the consumption of these beverages.

Caffeinated tea protects your vision

By comparing the results regarding the beverages and the eye tests, they discovered that 5 percent of the 1,678 people developed glaucoma. Those who drank one cup of hot tea per day had a 74 percent smaller chance of developing the eye condition. Of course, the researchers had accounted for other factors which could have influenced the disease.

However, this correlation was viable only in the case of caffeinated tea. Other drinks, including decaf tea, were not related with the glaucoma risk. However, the study comes with several limitations. It didn’t account for the type, quantity, and method of brewing used by the participants. Also, the methods used for testing are a bit too statistical in nature.

The study was published in the British Medical Journal of Ophthalmology.
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Although many doctors are skeptical about recommending medical marijuana for patients with psychosis, it turns out one of its components can constitute a revolutionary treatment for them. A team of researchers developed a clinical trial on cannabidiol (CBD), and discovered it has the opposite effects the psychoactive component THC.

Medical marijuana wasn’t usually prescribed for psychosis

Researchers found medical marijuana was effective for many diseases and ailments. However, they refrained from prescribing it to patients with psychosis. It’s well known that cannabis might cause anxiety and paranoia, mainly because of THC. Therefore, it seemed impossible that the plant could treat hallucinations.

However, CBD is different. This substance is not psychoactive, meaning that it doesn’t cause the typical ‘high’ feelings associated with cannabis consumption. Also, it’s widely used in various treatments. Therefore, researchers decided to test it as therapy for mental health conditions, including psychosis, epilepsy, or other neurological diseases.

CBD works as a great additional therapy to antipsychotics

The typical treatment recommended for the hallucinations and paranoia associated with psychosis are antipsychotic drugs. However, they aren’t always effective, and can often lead to the development of side effects. This medicine blocks the dopamine receptors, but dopamine isn’t the only one affected in this condition.

Therefore, researchers decided to test CBD and target different neurotransmitters. They selected 83 patients coming from countries like UK, Poland, and Romania, and split them in two groups. One was given CBD, while the second received a placebo. The first group saw an improvement in their condition, as well as in their cognitive abilities.

However, all patients continued taking their antipsychotic medication as the trial lasted. This means CBD can works as an additional treatment to the traditional one. However, the findings are still significant, and might offer a great improvement to the classical psychosis treatments. The study was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
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A Russian bodybuilder became popular on social media due to his extremely enlarged biceps. He claims this happened after he injected a homemade solution containing synthol, an enhancement oil. However, this method is extremely dangerous, and doctors advise him to stop doing it if he wants to avoid experiencing side effects.

The Russian Popeye increased his biceps with homemade synthol

Kirill Tereshin, 21, is a bodybuilder and a former soldier and, due to his appearance, people nicknamed him ‘The Russian Popeye’. This summer, he finished his military service, and he started injecting the enhancing chemical. Only ten days later, his biceps became about 10 inches bigger than before.

However, this is one dangerous procedure, and the doctors are concerned. If he continues this self-injecting, the synthol might cause him to become paralyzed. In fact, Tereshin admitted his arms ‘started to fall off’, and that he was advised to stop the injections, so that he won’t have to have his arms amputated.

This substance is dangerous, and puts the man at risk of amputation

This synthol he uses is 100 percent homemade. To manufacture it, he used benzyl alcohol, lidocaine, and olive oil. As a result, his arms started losing color. However, he has no intention to stop using the substance. He said he would cease only when he reached his target of 27 inches.

In fact, the amputation scenario is not even the worst. A Russian doctor explained that, even after losing his hands, he could remain at risk of developing abscesses and extreme inflammation. From there to a stroke is only a small step. Not even stopping now can save him, as the synthol will remain in his body for five or seven years.

Synthol is usually sold for bodybuilders and people who want to increase certain parts of their bodies. However, better solutions exist, which can increase the strength of the muscles. Therefore, doctors usually advise people to use other methods.
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Every year, almost 800,000 people in the world commit suicide, while many others survive such an attempt. Health experts worldwide are trying to find a solution to this serious situation and decrease suicide rates. Meanwhile, an Australian doctor invented a 3D-printable suicide machine, which helps people take their lives.

The creator of this controversial suicide machine is Philip Nitschke, who is also nicknamed Dr. Death. Nitschke is the author of a book called The Peaceful Pill, and founded an organization which supports suicide and voluntary euthanasia. He thinks his new invention might turn out helpful for some people who want a way to pass away peacefully.

The doctor thinks anyone should decide when to live or die

At first, Nitschke supported euthanasia for terminally ill people, or for those who were in great pain. Then, he thought that any person should be able to decide when they should live or die. Therefore, this suicide machine should help people end their lives whenever they feel like they no longer belong among the living.

The device is called the Sarco capsule, and was developed in the Netherlands. The doctor chose this country on purpose, since assisted suicide is legal there. However, the machine doesn’t require assistance from a doctor or from other medical professionals. Also, it’s not so easy to obtain the permission to use it. People who apply for the suicide machine treatment had to fill in an online questionnaire, which establishes their mental state.

The suicide machine doesn’t require medical assistance

The suicide machine is made of 3D-printed components. Some of them are reusable, while the detachable coffin is not. Once a person enters this coffin, it gets quickly filled with liquid nitrogen. In two minutes, the person starts feeling dizzy and, several minutes later, they lose consciousness. Then, it only takes two minutes for them to die.

However, it might happen that a person changes their mind as soon as they step into the machine. Nitschke thought of it as well, so the device comes with a window which can be open, allowing the victim to get oxygen. Also, it has a stop button which can be pressed anytime.

There’s no need to mention that this suicide machine is extremely controversial. Assisted suicide is illegal in most parts of the world, so 3D-printing a machine which anyone can use for such purposes sounds outrageous.
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Sex counts as physical activity, so you definitely burn some calories while doing it. In case you’re wondering how many calories you burn, or how long and intense your lovemaking sessions are, a British company will help you find out. British Condoms created a smart condom which acts as a wearable device, measuring the calories you burn or assessing your performance.

The smart condom performs a lot of measurements during your sex sessions

The i.Con Smart Condom is one of the best gadgets you have to use if you want to brag with your sexual skills. However, apart from measuring the duration and frequency of your sessions, the device can really be useful. If you’re willing to lose weight, the condom tells you how many calories you have burned during a session, but it can also detect a sexually transmitted disease.

The name of smart condom might be a little too much for the wearable, since it doesn’t actually look like a condom. It looks like a small bracelet which men have to fit at the base of their penis, so they have to wear an actual condom as well to make sure they stay protected. Then, the bracelet records all kinds of data, which are sent to the smartphone it is connected to.

The data remains anonymous, but you can always share it

The smart condom is resistant to water, can be reused, and doesn’t bother the wearer during his sexual sessions. It performs a series of measurements, such as girth, speed, or duration, apart from the medically-related data. Also, the main purpose of the tool is to make a man’s sex life better.

If wearers want the smart condom to start recording data, they have to charge it. One mini USB port allows you to connect it to a computer and, in about an hour, it’s fully charged. The battery drains in about six or eight hours, so there’s plenty of time to use it.

Once your data is collected, it remains anonymous and only you can access it. However, if you want to brag with your outstanding performances, you can always choose to share it with your friends.

COUNCIL CHRONICLE – A new study claims that bullied kids are more likely to turn to violence. The research paper, published in the journal Pediatrics, reveals that kids who are bullied feel the need to defend themselves or even to get revenge on those who hurt them.

Bullied Kids, More Prone to Violence?

The authors of this new research used data from the CDC. This was collected from more than 15,000 students. The scientists observed that 20 percent of them were bullied children or teenagers. Also, the study team noted that 4 percent of the students mentioned that they brought weapons to school sometime in the last month. This nationwide study suggests that almost 200,000 bullied kids carried a knife or a gun to school over a period of just a month.

The authors mentioned that bullying was not the only thing which drove teens to violence. They discovered that a combination of three factors is responsible for their violent behavior. Injuries or physical threats from a classmate, skipping school because they felt unsafe there, and physical fights were the three risk factors that could prove to be fatal.

Previous research already showed that bullied kids are more likely to bring weapons to school, but this new analysis found other factors that, when combined with bullying, could lead to violence. If a bullied child also presents these three risk factors, the probability they would carry a weapon to school was of 46 percent.

The researchers also observed a gender discrepancy. Although girls were more likely to be bullied, boys that suffered the same treatment were three times more likely to carry arms to school. The study team mentioned that this problem needs to be addressed soon, until something worse happens. Bullying needs to be stopped by means that involve both the parents and the school. Bullied kids need to go to therapy to prevent them from resorting to violence.

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A new study discovered a new method to help patients with schizophrenia cope with their debilitating symptoms. The method consists of talking to an avatar which appeared on the screen of a computer. This therapy proved effective for those patients struggling with hallucinations and who were hearing voices.

The avatar gives a face to the schizophrenia voices

Hallucinations and voice hearings are extremely common among schizophrenia patients, and the standard treatment methods aren’t always effective. Therefore, researchers decided to start a trial on 150 people and test this avatar method. In the end, they found out that the group who received the experimental treatment returned better results than the group who only underwent counselling.

Even if patients take medication, they can still continue to hear voices. Such a symptom is extremely disturbing, as it greatly affects the people’s quality of life. Therefore, researchers from University College and King’s College London split a group of 150 people in two.

All of the participants had been hearing voices for over a year. The first group received the avatar therapy, while the second stuck to counselling. This first group had to create an avatar for the voice they kept hearing, where they could imagine how it might look like. Afterwards, together with their therapist, they started a three-way confrontation with this image.

It’s easier to confront the hallucinations by seeing who produces them

The patients were encouraged to defy the avatar and learn how to control it. This way, they were capable to control the voices in their heads as well, and saw significant improvements as compared to the counselling group. What helped them was the fact that they could also see where the voice came from, and it was easier to stand out to it.

Twelve weeks later, seven patients in the avatar group reported that their hallucinations had disappeared completely. However, after 24 weeks, both groups reached the same improvement level. This means the avatar method is quicker, while counselling works a little slower but towards the same goal.

The study has been published in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry.
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COUNCIL CHRONICLE – Researchers introduced a new robot that can help hearts pump blood. The device was presented in a new paper released in the journal Science Robotics. Scientists mentioned that this new robot cradles the heart and that it uses a probe to anchor the wall that separates the lower chambers of the heart. It is also capable of manipulating just a particular chamber.

The New Robot and its Use in Cardiology

Its developers stated that this device could help the heart function optimally without needing a transplant. Nowadays, doctors can use a ventricular assist device that assists the heart in pumping normally. This is an external device that helps blood circulate when the heart fails to do it on its own. There is a problem as, for the devices to work and the blood to flow, patients need to take blood thinners.

In comparison, this new robot works into the heart and encourages the normal functioning of the organ. The flesh is not irritated by the device because it is soft and it conforms to the organ. The robotic assistance is also activated pneumatically. This way, the heart is manipulated in a gentler way.

The other part of the robot enters the heart and gets anchored to the walls that separate the ventricles and ensures the robot’s efficiency. Without it, the heart won’t be able to replicate regular heartbeats.

When presenting the device, the scientists attached it to a pig’s heart. For the new robot to be taken into consideration and approved by doctors, researchers need to use it on an animal for several months. This way, they can demonstrate that the robot is functional and that it can help people as well. If this device is going to be approved, a lot of people might stop needing a transplant.

“We’ve combined rigid bracing with soft robotic actuators to gently but sturdily help a diseased heart chamber pump blood effectively,” states Nikolay Vasilyev, a cardiac surgeon involved with the study.

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For a long time, drinkers kept believing that they can feel differently according to what they drink. Now, a recent study came with scientific proof to support these claims. The type of alcohol you choose to drink has a huge influence on your mood once you get drunk.

During the long history of drinking, people kept blaming their choice of alcohol for different mood changed they suffered. However, scientists tended to be skeptical. Each drink contains different flavors and chemicals which make it stand out from the others but, in the end, they are all combinations of water and ethanol.

This is why researchers decided to delve deeper into the problem, and started a study on the relation between your choice of alcohol and mood. This research, published in the journal BMJ Open, found the evidence scientists were looking for. It turns out different drinks lead to different effects and mood changes.

There is a clear pattern correlated with different types of alcohol

However, researchers couldn’t explain what triggers different reactions according to the type of drink. It might not be the choice of alcohol itself which influences the mood, but rather people’s expectations about how they should feel. Also, if they choose a drink because they want to feel happy or relaxed, they might do all the work themselves.

For this study, researchers used data collected during the Global Drug Survey, which questioned around 30,000 people coming from 21 countries, with ages between 18 and 34. The results didn’t account for differences in types of beer or types of spirits, but some clear patterns were present.

Around 30 percent of drinkers linked spirits with aggression, 53 percent of them associated red wine, but also beer, with relaxation. Sixty percent of them also found red wine tiring, but only 18 percent thought the same about white wine. Spirits don’t only increase aggression, but make people feel more confident, energetic (59 percent), and sexy (42 percent).
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A new research explored the sexual practices performed by young people, and discovered they engaged in a more diverse range of activities than they did 20 years ago. This calls for some serious action we need to take. Instead of following the old guidelines, sexual education classes should fit today’s habits, so that people could avoid unpleasant events.

Teenagers experiment more sexual practices nowadays

A team of researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine started exploring the sexual habits of young people with ages between 16 and 24. This is how they discovered the number of people engaging in sex acts has increased since early 1990s. Moreover, young people are now trying a wider range of sexual practices.

During early ages, people usually tried mostly vaginal intercourse, and sometimes they reported engaging in oral sex. Now, the youth has started experimenting more, and a higher number of teenagers aged between 16 and 18 started trying not only more oral sex, but also anal sex. However, if you don’t have much experience, these practices can go wrong, so we should start adapting the sexual education classes.

The study calls for more modern sexual education classes

To come up with these results, researchers compiled the data recorded by the National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. These surveys are performed every 10 years since 1990, and have so far gathered over 45,000 respondents. The results highlighted a major change which has occurred over the past 20 years.

This is the first comprehensive study on the evolution of sexual trends among teenagers, but there’s more to it than this increasingly progressive mentality among the young. This phenomenon highlights the need for modern sexual education, which can adapt according to the real habits of teenagers. If we teach them about all the practices they can engage in, there are fewer chances for them to have an unpleasant experience.

The study has been published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
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