Tag: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

World Cancer Day 2024: Meaning, types, causes, prevention and everything you need to know

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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World Cancer Day is observed on February 4 to educate the masses regarding the intensity of the disease. The day aims to create awareness, including the prevention of cancer. Cancer is a large group of diseases that can impact different organs or tissues altogether. In other words, cancer is a disease wherein it affects the body by growing cells abnormally which then divides uncontrollably.

Let us take a brief look into the types, causes, symptoms, and prevention of this life-threatening disease.

Types of cancer

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are over 120 types of cancer and related hereditary syndromes. Based on its formation and diagnosis, the treatment of the same is undertaken by the doctors. Here are some of the most crucial and common cancers across the world:

Bladder cancer is caused by smoking, genetic mutations, and even exposure to certain chemicals.
Breast cancer has become one of the most common kinds of cancers found across the globe. It is caused due to several lifestyle practices as well.
Liver cancer is yet another common one that can be prevented through vaccines against hepatitis B and avoiding drinking much.
Lung cancer is also a kind of disease that occurs mainly due to smoking, polluted environment, and other environmental causes.
Skin cancer has recently become very common because of the exposure to the ultraviolet or UV rays.

Symptoms and causes of cancer

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cancer is caused by the transformation of normal cells into tumour cells in a multi-stage process. It generally progresses from a pre-cancerous lesion to a malignant tumour. These changes are caused by an interaction between a person’s genetic factors and three major categories of external agents. They are:

The physical carcinogens, such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation;
The chemical carcinogens including asbestos, components of tobacco smoke, alcohol, aflatoxin, and arsenic;
The biological carcinogens, such as infections from certain viruses, bacteria, or parasites.

Prevention of cancer

All types of cancer are not possible to prevent as most of them are caused by one or the other reasons. However, one can consider avoiding the habit that can hamper the human body from the core. According to WHO, there are certain practices that one can follow in the prevention of cancer. They are:

Avoid the intake of tobacco and reduce the consumption of alcohol.
By maintaining a healthy body weight and following a suitable diet including fruit and vegetables.
By including physical activities such as walking, running, and exercise in daily lifestyle.
By avoiding exposure to ultraviolet radiation and using sun protection measures.
By considering getting routine check-ups.

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World Stroke Day 2023: Significance, symptoms and preventive measures

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Transient ischemic attacks or cerebrovascular conditions are commonly known as strokes. The fatal health condition is prevalent in many countries and needs immediate medical attention. In order to promote awareness regarding strokes, October 29 is observed as World Stroke Day.

Besides creating awareness, the day is observed to highlight the risk factors and what can be done in the crucial moments immediately after someone suffers a stroke.

A stroke is a life-threatening condition that happens when a part of the human brain does not get enough blood flow. This phenomenon commonly occurs when there is a blocked artery or there is bleeding in the brain. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stroke is a major issue behind the deaths in the United States. Every year, over 795,000 people suffer from strokes in the United States.

There are two major causes of stroke such as a blocked artery (ischemic stroke) or the leaking or bursting of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). Other than that, some people may also have a temporary disruption of blood flow to the brain, which is known as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA).

In order to avoid a serious emergency, one needs to know the possible signs and symptoms of a stroke. The sooner a person gets care after having a stroke, the better the result. Some major symptoms include:

Paralysis or numbness in specific areas of limbs.
Trouble in speaking and slurred speech or understanding.
Confusion, disorientation or lack of responsiveness.
Trouble in walking, loss of balance and coordination.
On the other hand, as it is a life-threatening situation, we can be more cautious in order to avoid any emergency. It’s important to quit smoking and limit the use of alcohol to prevent strokes. Additionally, a health examination on a regular basis could help to avoid strokes.

World Stroke Day 2023: History and Significance

The World Stroke Organization (WSO) established the annual event of World Stroke Day in 2006. The organization later declared the stroke as a public health emergency in 2010. The day promotes actions that are necessary for enhancing stroke prevention and access to acute treatment.

World Stroke Day 2023: Theme

World Stroke Day is celebrated with a specific theme selected by the World Stroke Organization every year. For 2023, WSO has designated, ‘Together we are Greater Than Stroke’ as the theme.

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CDC warns of deadly flesh-eating bacteria spreading along US coastlines

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to raise awareness about the recent surge in fatal Vibrio vulnificus (V. vulnificus) infections in the United States. These infections, including both wound and foodborne cases, are increasingly prevalent, particularly in coastal regions with warming sea surface temperatures.

At least 12 people have died due to the bacteria this year, per an Axios report.

Vibrio bacteria, responsible for approximately 80,000 illnesses annually in the US, pose a significant health risk, with V. vulnificus being a particularly dangerous strain. Recent reports indicate that this bacterium is causing severe infections, with a mortality rate of approximately one in five individuals affected.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of bacterial infection include diarrhea, stomach cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Severe cases are characterized by necrotizing skin and soft tissue infections, often requiring intensive care or surgical intervention.

Causes

Vibrio bacteria are commonly found in coastal waters, including salt and brackish water. Infections typically occur through the consumption of raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters. Additionally, direct contact between open wounds and water contaminated with Vibrio could put individuals at risk.

People with underlying health conditions, including liver disease, diabetes, and compromised immune systems, are at higher risk of V. vulnificus infection.

Prevalence

Rising coastal water temperatures have created a favorable environment for the bacteria to thrive, especially during the summer months. The Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast, in particular, have seen a significant uptick in cases. Several East Coast states, such as Connecticut, New York, and North Carolina, have also reported severe and fatal V. vulnificus infections, many of which were linked to exposure to coastal waters or consumption of seafood.

Prevention

To address this growing concern, healthcare providers are urged to consider V. vulnificus as a potential cause of infection in patients with wounds exposed to coastal waters, especially those at higher risk. The CDC has also advised that:

• Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial.
• Laboratories should report suspected cases to public health authorities for further investigation.

Treatment

For those affected by V. vulnificus infections, early treatment is essential. The CDC recommends blood cultures in addition to wound and hemorrhagic bullae cultures if the patient has a a fever, hemorrhagic bullae or signs of sepsis. Bullae are large blisters on the skin that are filled with clear fluid.

To improve survival skills, the CDC recommends early antibiotic therapy and surgical intervention. Recommended antibiotics include Doxycycline and a third-generation cephalosporin. Severe cases might require aggressive debridement i.e. treating the skin wound, fasciotomy or amputation of the infected limb.

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COVID-19: US epidemiologist highlights risks of XBB variant, accuses CDC of hiding data

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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COVID-19 infection rates are soaring across China, the United States, Japan and many more countries and experts have been cautioning against the rise of further new variants that can risk global communities. One such variant is the XBB15, which is now spreading across the US, especially in New York and the New England region, explained epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding.

In a series of tweets, the expert has stated that the recombinant XBB15 variant is the “next big one”. The expert states that the variant is more evasive and more infectious than older Omricon subvariants XBB and BQ.

ALSO READ: Malaysia, Japan to screen travellers from China to curb COVID-19

“Unreleased data shows XBB15, a super variant, surged to 40 percent US (CDC unreported for weeks!) and now causing hospitalization surges in New York/New England,” Feigl-Ding said. “Multiple models show #XBB15 is much worse in transmission R-value and infection rate than previous variants — faster by LEAPS and BOUNDS.”

⚠️NEXT BIG ONE—CDC has royally screwed up—unreleased data shows #XBB15, a super variant, surged to 40% US (CDC unreported for weeks!) & now causing hospitalization surges in NY/NE.➡️XBB15–a new recombinant strain—is both more immune evasive & better at infecting than #BQ & XBB.🧵 pic.twitter.com/xP2ESdnouc

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) December 30, 2022

Feigl-Ding said that the data showed the XBB15 variant was 120 percent faster than the BQ.1 sub-lineage of COVID-19, which was previously the fastest-spreading variant. Interestingly, Feigl-Ding accused the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of hiding the data about the subvariant for weeks even as it was causing a surge in infections. The expert stated that the recombinant was likely of American origin and had emerged in New York around October. Feigl-Ding also said that this was likely the cause behind the high number of COVID-19 cases in New York, which have not come down like in previous waves.

ALSO READ: Covid might not go away but no major outbreak likely in India

Feigl-Ding went on to explain how the variant is worse than older variants. He summarised that XBB15 was “one of the most immunity-evasive variants to date” and “one of the best variants for entry and invading human cells,” appeared to “spread much faster than old XBB or BQ variants”, and is causing a large number of “hospitalisations wherever it’s dominant.”

He also stated that since XBB15 was a recombinant variant, he wasn’t sure how effective existing vaccines developed for the Omicron variant were going to be.

ALSO READ: COVID-19 in India: RT-PCR now mandatory for flyers arriving from these countries — Check revised rules here

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Explained: Why the infection caused by brain-eating amoeba is fatal

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A South Korean man in his 50s died due to an infection caused by the ‘brain-eating amoeba’ or Naegleria fowleri on Monday, according to The Korea Times. The authorities said that the man had recently returned from Thailand where he possibly got infected. He died 10 days after showing symptoms of the rare yet fatal infection.

What is Naegleria fowleri?

Naegleria is a single-celled organism and one of its species is called Naegleria fowleri. The organism is so small that it can only be seen with a microscope. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Naegleria fowleri can infect humans, by entering through the nose. The amoeba was first discovered in Australia in 1965 and is commonly found in warm freshwater bodies, such as hot springs, rivers and lakes.

 ALSO READ: First death linked to brain-eating amoeba reported in South Korea

Where is Naegleria fowleri found?

Naegleria fowleri thrives in lukewarm water as it is a heat-loving (thermophilic) organism. It can be found in warm freshwater bodies such as lakes, rivers, natural hot springs, warm water effluents from industries or power plants, untreated geothermal drinking water sources, swimming pools and other recreational venues, which are poorly maintained.

How does Naegleria fowleri infect humans?

Naegleria fowleri gets in the body through the nose. This typically happens when people go swimming or diving into a freshwater body and the contaminated water gets into their nose. Through the nose, the amoeba passes up the nose to the brain, where it destroys the brain tissue by ‘eating it’ and causes a devastating infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), which is fatal in almost all cases.

Symptoms

In the early stages, symptoms of PAM may be similar to symptoms of bacterial meningitis. Initial symptoms usually start about 5 days after infection, but they can take up to 1 to 12 days to appear. Symptoms may include headache, fever, nausea and vomiting among others.

Later the symptoms can progress and patients may experience a stiff neck, confusion, lack of attention, seizures, hallucinations and they may even slip into a coma.

The disease progresses rapidly after the initial symptoms and usually causes death within about 18 days.

The fatality rate in PAM is very high. As per the CDC, only four people survived out of 154 known infected individuals in the US between 1962 and 2021.

Treatment

No effective treatment has been found for Naegleria fowleri as the infection caused by it progresses rapidly. Currently, doctors try to treat it with a combination of drugs, including amphotericin B, azithromycin, fluconazole, rifampin, miltefosine and dexamethasone.

Transmission

The infection caused by Naegleria fowleri cannot transmit from one person to another.

Prevention

A few precautions can be taken to reduce the risk of Naegleria fowleri infection. People should avoid diving into bodies of warm freshwater, and avoid putting heads underwater in hot springs or other untreated water bodies. Avoid digging in or stirring up the sediment in shallow, warm freshwater bodies of lakes, ponds and rivers. Use only treated and safe water for sinus rinsing and regular nasal rinsing.

ALSO READ: 23 monkeypox cases reported in India till December 8 this year, says minister

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First death linked to brain-eating amoeba reported in South Korea

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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South Korea reported its first death from infection caused by Naegleria fowleri or ‘brain-eating amoeba’ on Monday. A man in his 50s, died 10 days after displaying symptoms of the rare but lethal infection. It is suspected that the man was infected during a trip to Thailand, according to The Korea Times.

Authorities of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) confirmed that the deceased had stayed in Thailand for four months before returning to Korea on December 10 and he died after being infected with Naegleria fowleri.

The patient began to show signs of a brain disease, meningitis, which includes symptoms such as headaches, fever, vomiting, slurred speech, and stiffness of the neck, on the evening of his arrival. He was then transferred to an emergency room the next day and he passed away on December 21.

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Naegleria fowleri is a single-celled organism that lives in warm freshwater and is typically found in ponds, lakes and hot springs. If contaminated water is inhaled up the nose, Naegleria fowleri can cause a brain infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

The disease progresses rapidly and the first stage is marked by severe headaches, fever, nausea and vomiting. In the second stage, the patient can experience hallucinations, and seizures and can even slip into a coma.

The cause of the man’s death was determined by performing genetic tests on three different infections that cause Naegleria fowleri, as per the Korean health agency. The tests revealed that the man’s body contained a gene that was 99.6 percent identical to one discovered in a meningitis patient who suffered from the same infection abroad.

The infection is mostly fatal and as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 4 out of 154 people in the United States have survived infection from 1962 to 2021.

ALSO READ: Insurance regulator reaches out to life and general insurers on COVID-19 preparedness

For South Korea, this is the first known infection from the disease. The KDCA has not yet identified the precise method of transmission, but it has stated that the two main sources of infection are swimming in contaminated water and nasal rinsing with infected water.

The KDCA has asked people travelling overseas to take precautions as there are increasing numbers of infections in countries such as the United States, Southeast Asian nations and some European nations.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

COVID vaccine: CDC expands booster rollout, allows mixing shots

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Millions more Americans can get a COVID-19 booster and choose a different company’s vaccine for that next shot, federal health officials said Thursday.

Certain people who received Pfizer vaccinations months ago already are eligible for a booster and now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says specific Moderna and Johnson & Johnson recipients qualify, too. And in a bigger change, the agency is allowing the flexibility of mixing and matching” that extra dose regardless of which type people received first.

The Food and Drug Administration had already authorized such an expansion of the nation’s booster campaign on Wednesday, and it was also endorsed Thursday by a CDC advisory panel. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky had the final word on who gets the extra doses.

Were at a different place in the pandemic than we were earlier when supply constraints meant people had to take whatever shot they were offered, noted CDC adviser Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University.

She called it priceless to be able to choose a different kind for the booster if, for example, someone might be at risk for a rare side effect from a specific vaccine.

There still are restrictions on who qualifies and when for a booster. Starting six months past their last Pfizer vaccination, people are urged to get a booster if they’re 65 or older, nursing home residents, or at least 50 and at increased risk of severe disease because of health problems. Boosters also were allowed, but not urged, for adults of any age at increased risk of infection because of health problems or their jobs or living conditions. That includes health care workers, teachers and people in jails or homeless shelters.

The same booster qualifications apply to Moderna recipients. Moderna’s booster will come at half the dose of the original two shots.

As for recipients of the single-shot J&J vaccine, a COVID-19 booster is recommended for everyone at least two months after their vaccination. That’s because the J&J vaccine hasn’t proved as protective as the two-dose Moderna or Pfizer options.

The CDC panel didn’t explicitly recommend anyone get a different brand than they started with but left open the option saying only that a booster of some sort was recommended. And some of the advisers said they would prefer that J&J recipients receive a competitor’s booster, citing preliminary data from an ongoing government study that suggested a bigger boost in virus-fighting antibodies from that combination.

About two-thirds of Americans eligible for COVID-19 shots are fully vaccinated, and the government says getting first shots to the unvaccinated remain the priority. While health authorities hope boosters will shore up waning immunity against milder coronavirus infections, all the vaccines still offer strong protection against hospitalizations and death.

And CDC’s advisers wrestled with whether people who didn’t really need boosters might be getting them, especially young, otherwise healthy adults whose only qualification was their job.

Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University voiced concerns about opening those people to rare but serious side effects from another dose if they already were adequately protected.

I have my own concerns that we appear to be recommending vaccines for people who I don’t think need it, added Dr. Beth Bell of the University of Washington.

But she stressed that the vaccines work and that moving forward with the recommendations makes sense for the sake of being clear and allowing flexibility when it comes to boosters.

Despite the concerns by some members, the panels’ votes ended up being unanimous.

The vast majority of the nearly 190 million Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have received the Pfizer or Moderna options, while J&J recipients account for only about 15 million.

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Delta variant may spread as easily as chickenpox, cause more severe infection: Reports

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Delta variant of the coronavirus may cause more severe illness than all other known versions of the virus and spread as easily as chickenpox, media reports quoting an internal document from the US health authority said. The document from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines unpublished data that shows fully vaccinated people might spread the Delta variant, first identified in India, at the same rate as unvaccinated people, reports said. The contents of the document, a slide presentation, were first reported by The Washington Post on Thursday.

Dr Rochelle P Walensky, the director of the CDC, acknowledged on Tuesday that vaccinated people with so-called breakthrough infections of the Delta variant carry just as much virus in the nose and throat as unvaccinated people and may spread it just as readily, if less often. But the internal document lays out a broader and even grimmer view of the variant.

The Delta variant is more transmissible than the viruses that cause MERS, SARS, Ebola, the common cold, the seasonal flu and smallpox, and it is as contagious as chickenpox, according to the document, a copy of which was also obtained by The New York Times. The Delta variant — originally known as B.1.617.2 — might cause more severe disease, according to the document.

The immediate next step for the agency is to acknowledge the war has changed, the document said. The document’s tone reflects alarm among CDC scientists about Delta’s spread across the country, the NYT quoted a federal official, who has seen the research described in the document, as saying.

The agency is expected to publish additional data on the deadly variant on Friday. The CDC is very concerned with the data coming in that Delta is a very serious threat that requires action now, the official said.

There are roughly 35,000 symptomatic infections per week among 162 million vaccinated Americans, according to data collected by the CDC as of July 24 that was cited in the internal presentation. But the agency does not track all mild or asymptomatic infections, so the actual incidence may be higher.

Infection with the Delta variant produces virus amounts in the airways that are tenfold higher than what is seen in people infected with the Alpha variant, which is also highly contagious, the document noted. The amount of virus in a person infected with Delta is a thousand-fold more than what is seen in people infected with the original version of the virus, according to one recent study.

The CDC document relies on data from multiple studies, including an analysis of a recent outbreak in Provincetown, Massachusetts, which began after the town’s Fourth of July festivities. Walensky told CNN that the Delta variant “is one of the most transmissible viruses we know about. Measles, chickenpox, this — they’re all up there.” And she said everyone in schools — students, staff and visitors — should wear masks at all times. “The measures we need to get this under control — they’re extreme. The measures you need are extreme,” Walensky said.

“The bottom line was that, in contrast to the other variants, vaccinated people, even if they didn’t get sick, got infected and shed virus at similar levels as unvaccinated people who got infected,” Walter Orenstein, who heads the Emory Vaccine Center and who viewed the documents, told CNN. But vaccinated people are safer, the document indicates.

“Vaccines prevent more than 90 percent of severe disease, but may be less effective at preventing infection or transmission,” it reads. “Therefore, more breakthrough and more community spread despite vaccination,” the document adds.

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CDC looking into reports of heart inflammation after Pfizer, Moderna vaccine 2nd jab

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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US health officials are investigating what appear to be higher than expected reports of heart inflammation in male teens and young adults after they get a second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. It’s not clear if the heart inflammation is caused by the shots and the reports still are rare, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It urges everyone 12 and older to get vaccinated.

As of May 31, the agency had 275 preliminary reports of such inflammation in 16- to 24-year-olds, CDC’s Dr Tom Shimabukuro told a government vaccine meeting on Thursday. That’s out of more than 12 million second-dose injections of the vaccines. The cases seem to occur more often in men and in younger people, and most already have fully recovered, he said.

This kind of heart inflammation can be caused by a variety of infections, including a bout of COVID-19, as well as certain medications and there have been rare reports following other types of vaccinations.

Also Read: Foreign vaccine update: Pfizer offers 5 crore doses this year, Moderna zero

The CDC’s vaccine advisory committee will meet on June 18 to further evaluate the possible risk.

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Fully vaccinated people not required to wear masks: CDC

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In the biggest indication that the United States is fast returning to pre-pandemic life, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said fully vaccinated people are no longer required to wear masks. The recommendation holds true for both indoors and outdoors, the CDC said.

Following the announcement on Thursday, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris appeared before reporters at the Rose Garden of the White House without wearing masks. ”I think it’s a great milestone. A great day. It’s been made possible by the extraordinary success we’ve had in vaccinating so many Americans so quickly,” Biden said.

Referring to the latest CDC guidelines, Biden said fully vaccinated people are at very, very low risk of contracting COVID-19. Therefore, if you’ve been fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask. But if you’ve not been vaccinated, or if you’ve been getting a two-shot vaccine and you’ve only had your first shot but not your second, or you haven’t waited the full two weeks after your second shot, you still need to wear a mask,” the President said.

He said 250 million vaccine shots have been given in 114 days. ”We are seeing the results. Cases are down in 49 of 50 states. New York Times has reported that hospitalisations are the lowest they’ve been since April of 2020, over a year ago, right after the start of the pandemic. Deaths are down 80 percent and also at their lowest level since April of 2020,” Biden said.

He said that the virus tragically rages in other countries. ”In less than four months, we’ve gone from 5.5 percent to nearly 60 percent of the adults in America with at least one shot in their arm. We’ve gone from stagnation to an economy that is growing faster than it has in nearly 40 years. We’ve gone from an anemic job creation to a record for job creation for a new administration,” Biden added.

In its latest guidelines, the CDC said fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.

Those travelling within the United States need not get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel. The CDC said the vaccines are effective at preventing the COVID-19 disease, especially severe illness and death. The vaccines reduce the risk of people spreading COVID-19, it said.

Also Read: Maharashtra extends lockdown till June 1: Know the restriction revisions

The guidance applies to COVID-19 vaccines currently authorised for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines. It can also be applied to COVID-19 vaccines that have been authorised for emergency use by the World Health Organization. This includes AstraZeneca/Oxford, the CDC said.

Also Read: Eli Lilly inks pacts for COVID-19 drug Baricitinib with Torrent Pharma, Dr Reddy’s, MSN Labs

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow