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New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) Developing antidepressant medications that target cells in the gut may open a novel path towards effective treatment of mood disorders like depression and anxiety, finds a study. Targeting gut cells may open new ways to reduce depression and anxiety.

New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) Developing antidepressant medications that target cells in the gut may open a novel path towards effective treatment of mood disorders like depression and anxiety, finds a study.

These gut-targeting medications may also lead to fewer cognitive, gastrointestinal, and behavioral side effects for patients and their children than current treatments.

“Antidepressants like Prozac and Zoloft that raise serotonin levels are important first-line treatments and help many patients but can sometimes cause side effects that patients can’t tolerate,” said Mark Ansorge, Associate Professor of clinical neurobiology at Columbia University Vagelos.

Ansorge noted that the study, published in the journal Gastroenterology, suggests that limiting these drugs “to interact only with intestinal cells could avoid these issues”.

Further, the team noted that the novel approach may also help pregnant women, without exposing the child.

Antidepressants that raise serotonin (called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs) — the first-line pharmacological treatments for anxiety and depression for over 30 years — are known to cross the placenta and increase problems related to mood, cognitive, and gastrointestinal later in childhood.

On the other hand, leaving depression untreated during pregnancy “also comes with risks to the children,” Ansorge said. “An SSRI that selectively raises serotonin in the intestine could be a better alternative.”

Notably, Serotonin is also produced outside the brain, largely in cells that line the intestines. “In fact, 90 per cent of our bodies’ serotonin is in the gut,” said the team.

This knowledge raises the possibility that increasing serotonin signaling in the gut may impact gut-brain communication and ultimately mood, they noted while testing its possibility in mice.

They found that increasing intestinal serotonin reduces anxiety, and depressive behaviors in mice

“These results suggest that SSRIs produce therapeutic effects by working directly in the gut,” Ansorge said.

The animals also displayed none of the cognitive or gastrointestinal side effects commonly seen in patients taking SSRIs or in mice with increased serotonin signaling throughout their entire bodies.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 22 (IANS) The 55th GST Council meeting has unveiled a series of pivotal recommendations designed to deliver targeted relief, streamline compliance processes, resolve industry ambiguities and promote trade facilitation, experts said on Sunday.

Among the key proposals is a retrospective amendment to the blocked credit provisions, which now replaces the term “plant or machinery” with “plant and machinery” in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Safari Retreats case.

“This distinction clarifies the eligibility for Input Tax Credit (ITC) based on the usage of the two terms. Furthermore, the amendment to the Input Service Distributor (ISD) provisions will incorporate inter-state reverse charge mechanism (RCM) transactions, providing much-needed clarity within the ISD framework,” said Krishan Arora, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat.

Addressing long-standing uncertainties, the Council has clarified that vouchers are neither to be classified as goods nor services. Similarly, goods stored in a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) or Free Trade and Warehousing Zone (FTWZ) prior to export clearance or supply to the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) will not be considered as a supply of goods or services, aligning the treatment of SEZ/FTWZ and customs bonded warehouses.

In a bid to enhance accessibility to appellate mechanisms without undue financial burden, the Council has also proposed reducing the pre-deposit requirement from 25 per cent to 10 per cent, specifically in cases involving penalties.

“Additionally, the introduction of a track and trace mechanism for commodities prone to evasion signals a significant step toward bolstering transparency within the GST regime,” said Arora.

Other noteworthy recommendations include a reduction in the GST rate on fortified rice kernels to 5 per cent, and the full exemption of gene therapy from GST, making essential goods and advanced medical treatments more affordable.

“The exemption on gene therapy for life-saving measures is welcome since the costs associated with such therapy are significant and sometimes out of reach of the person, who needs it. The GST exemption would bring it within reach of more people,” said Gyanendra Tripathi, Partner and Leader (West), Indirect Tax, BDO India.

The clarification that no GST is applicable to penal charges levied by banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) for non-compliance with loan terms will ease the financial burden on borrowers.

Similarly, the exemption of GST on contributions made by general insurance companies to the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund is expected to lead to lower motor insurance premiums, benefitting vehicle owners.

According to Tripathi, a concept note to simplify the process of GST registration for small assessees is again a welcome step since there is variance in the documentation requirements for registrations in different locations and it is hoped that the registration process is uniformly prescribed, for smaller as well as large assessees.

Collectively, these measures underscore the Council’s commitment to fostering a more business-friendly environment, ensuring fairness, and enhancing clarity within the GST framework, experts noted.

—IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) The early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as colon cancer, incidence rates among adults aged 25-49 are rising across the globe, but India shows the lowest rate among 50 countries, according to a new study.

The research, published in the journal The Lancet Oncology, showed early-onset CRC are rising in 27 of 50 countries/territories worldwide. Of these 20 have seen a faster rise in early-onset. In 14 other countries, including the US, rates are increasing in young adults while stabilising in those 50 years and older.

India, on the other hand, has shown the lowest incidence rate both in terms of early onset and among older adults.

“The increase in early-onset colorectal cancer is a global phenomenon,” said lead author Dr. Hyuna Sung, senior principal scientist, of cancer surveillance research at the American Cancer Society. Sung stated that the trend was previously seen only among high-income Western countries, but now it’s widespread.

The study aimed to examine contemporary CRC incidence trends in young versus older adults using data through 2017 from 50 countries/territories.

Chile, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Ecuador, Thailand, Sweden, Israel, and Croatia reported a faster rise in early-onset CRC among men than women. However, young women experienced faster increases in England, Norway, Australia, Türkiye, Costa Rica, and Scotland.

In 13 countries with increasing trends in both age groups, the annual percentage increase in young compared to older adults was larger in Chile, Japan, Sweden, the Netherlands, Croatia, and Finland, smaller in Thailand, Martinique, Denmark, Costa Rica, and similar in Türkiye, Ecuador, and Belarus.

For the last five years, the incidence rate of early-onset CRC was highest in Australia, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, the US, and the Republic of Korea (14 to 17 per 100,000) and lowest in Uganda and India (4 per 100,000).

Sung urged the need for innovative tools to prevent and control cancers linked to dietary habits, physical inactivity, and excess body weight.

The expert also called for raising awareness of the trend and the distinct symptoms of early-onset colorectal cancer such as rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, altered bowel habits, and unexplained weight loss among young people to boost diagnosis.

–IANS

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