Impacts of genetics on snacking patterns

Researcher Elie Chamoun investigated whether genetic variants in taste receptors related to sweet preference, fat taste sensitivity and aversion to bitter green leafy vegetables influence the snacks chosen by children. He found that nearly 80 per cent of children in the study carried at least one of these potential at-risk genotypes that could predispose them to poor snacking habits.

Chidren are eating a lot more snacks now than they used to, looking at how genetics can be related to snacking behaviour, it  is important to understanding increased obesity among children, the study looked at connections between the genes of the three at-risk taste receptors and linked them to snacking patterns among children.

The study entailed tracking the day-to-day diets of children and found that one-third of the children's diets were made up of snacks, children with a sweet tooth, who have the gene related to sweet taste preference, ate snacks with significantly more calories from sugar. The children with the genetic variant related to fat taste sensitivity were found to consume snacks with higher energy density.

People with this genetic variant may have low oral sensitivity to fat and therefore consume more fatty foods without sensing it. Higher-energy density snacks, such as cookies with lots of sugar and fat, have a higher number of calories for their weight. The children with the genetic variant related to avoiding bitter vegetables also consumed snacks with high energy density.
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Effectiveness of cervical cancer vaccine

A vaccine that can eradicate the majority of cervical cancer cases shows long-term effectiveness, researchers examined different women in different countries after taking the vaccine the results showed that vaccination with Gardasil 9 can reduce 90 percent of cervical cancers.

The vaccine is unique in its ability to prevent certain cancers. HPV infections cause global disease and deaths. Routine screening by Pap smears or tests for HPV infection has reduced death rates. Vaccination against the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus HPV prevents some cancers.

The vaccine immunizes against nine genotypes of HPV known to cause cervical cancer, as well as vulvar, vaginal and anal cancers and genital warts caused by HPV.

Gardasil vaccine targets the two HPV genotypes that caused about 70 percent of cervical cancer and two other genotypes that cause genital warts. Gardasil 9 targets those four genotypes and five others. Both vaccines are prophylactic, meant to be given before females or males become exposed to HPV infection through intimate contact.

Women were followed for efficacy at preventing disease for up to six years after the first vaccine shots, and they were followed for production of infection-halting antibodies against the nine genotypes of HPV for more than five years.

They were followed by gynecological examination for evidence of infections or disease, and their blood sera were tested for antibody levels against HPV.
Gardasil 9 showed 97.4 percent efficacy to prevent infections and disease caused by the five additional HPV genotypes not included in the four-valent Gardasil vaccine. Gardasil 9 vaccination produced similar antibody protection against the four HPV genotypes in Gardasil.
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Mavyret for treating chronic hepatitis C

Mavyret is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with chronic hepatitis C virus HCV genotypes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 infection without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis. It contains two medicines: glecaprevir and pibrentasvir.

If you have ever had hepatitis B virus infection, the hepatitis B virus could become active again during or after treatment of hepatitis C virus with Mavyret. Hepatitis B virus becoming active again may cause serious liver problems including liver failure and death.

The common side effects are headache and tiredness.

The active ngredients in Mavyret are: glecaprevir and pibrentasvir

Inactive ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, copovidone (type K 28), croscarmellose sodium, hypromellose 2910, iron oxide red, lactose monohydrate, polyethylene glycol 3350, propylene glycol monocaprylate (type II), sodium stearyl fumarate, titanium dioxide, and vitamin E (tocopherol) polyethylene glycol succinate.
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