Human-elephant conflict kills 1,713 people; unique pathways of eye cancer; leprosy in spotlight

1. Human-elephant conflict kills 1,713 people, 373 pachyderms in 3 years - Article from Hindu

Pachyderms : A very large mammal with thick skin, especially an elephant, rhinoceros, or hippopotamus

Electrocution is a leading cause of elephant deaths; factors, including habitat disturbance, cause for rise in conflict, Minister tells Parliament

Data presented by him showed that the highest numbers of human casualties had occurred in West Bengal (307 deaths), followed closely by Odisha (305).

Read More: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/human-elephant-conflict-kills-1713-people-373-pachyderms-in-3-years/article26225515.ece

2. IIT Madras identifies unique pathways of eye cancer

Retinoblastoma is a childhood tumour, affecting single or both the eyes. 

Unlike health cells which use carbohydrate for energy and survival, the tumour tissue preferentially uses amino acids instead.

Read More: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/iit-madras-identifies-unique-pathways-of-eye-cancer/article26224745.ece

3. As new cases rise, leprosy in spotlight

The rise in the number of recorded leprosy cases from 86,147 (in 2013-14) to 90,709 (2017-18), reported a decade and a half after India was declared leprosy-free in 2005, has turned the spotlight on the hotspots for the disease.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has set the goal of zero children with leprosy and deformities by 2020, and less than one patient per million for other newly diagnosed patients.

Today, though, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra remain the ‘hotspots’ from which maximum prevalence was detected last year.

Read More: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/as-new-cases-rise-leprosy-in-spotlight/article26227028.ece