Going vegan for eight weeks was found to be linked to lowering <keyword id="20730859" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="biological-age" source="keywords">biological age</keyword>, according to a study published in the journal BioMed Central (BMC) Medicine. Researchers looked at the molecular effects of the <keyword id="20041126" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="plant-based-diet" source="keywords">plant-based diet</keyword> that abstains from consuming animal food products, such as dairy. The diet largely includes eating fruits and vegetables, along with grains, beans and nuts. <br /><br />The researchers, including those at <keyword id="20089812" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Stanford-University" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Stanford University" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Stanford University">Stanford University</keyword>, US, found that consuming the plant-based diet was related with changes in how a gene expressed itself, or gene behaviour, without changing the DNA itself. Specifically, they looked at <keyword id="21419638" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="DNA-methylation" source="keywords">DNA methylation</keyword>, known to be able to "turn off" or "silence" a gene, thereby not allowing it to express itself. <br /><br />Higher levels of DNA methylation is associated with a higher biological age. It is one of the epigenetic processes, which affect the behaviour of a gene by altering its environment. <br /><br />For eight weeks, the team followed 21 pairs of adult identical twins -- one half of each pair consumed an omnivorous diet, including meat, eggs and dairy, while the other consumed a vegan one. Identical twins share a significant amount of their genetic makeup. <br /><br />On average, the participants were aged 40 years and had a body mass index (BMI) in the overweight category. About 77% of the group were women. <br /><br />After eight weeks, the researchers observed a 'younger' heart, liver, inflammatory and metabolic system among the participants consuming the <keyword id="20703587" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="vegan-diet" source="keywords">vegan diet</keyword>. These changes were not seen in those eating the omnivorous diet. <br /><br />However, the authors cautioned that the extent to which these changes could be attributed to their diets was unclear. <br /><br />They noted that on average, the individuals on the vegan diet lost two kilograms more compared to those on the omnivorous diet. The results suggest that the weight loss could have contributed to lowering of the biological age in the vegan group, the researchers said. <br /><br />Reacting to the study, Tom Sanders, a professor emeritus of Nutrition and Dietetics at King's College London, and not involved in the study, said that the findings might be favourable for vegans in terms of ageing. <br /><br />However, the diet can come with <keyword id="21204758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="micronutrient-deficiencies" source="keywords">micronutrient deficiencies</keyword>, which often take years to exert harmful effects, Sanders said. "For example, unless a vegan diet is supplemented with vitamin B12 they develop vitamin B12 deficiency that causes chronic and often insidious damage to the nervous system," Sanders said. <br /><br />Long-term studies of vegans also find adverse effects on bone density, probably caused by very low calcium and barely adequate protein intakes, Sanders said.

Eight-week vegan diet linked to lower biological age, study finds

Mumbai, Jun 20 () The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has decided to shut shops dealing in non-essential items in containment zones in north Mumbai as the number of COVID-19 cases in the region is growing at 3 per cent against the metropolis' average of 2.05 per cent, an official said on Saturday. <p>Only shops dealing in grocery, medicines etc would be allowed to remain open in containment zones between Andheri and Dahisar in the western part and Bhandup to Mulund on the central line of the metropolis, an official said. </p><p>He added that a meeting on the implementation of the order was held with Mumbai police on Friday. </p><p>It was also decided to seal an entire building under the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme in the western suburbs as against just a floor earlier due to rise in the number of cases there, the official said. </p>There are also plans to restrict movement of people in containment zones by sealing buffer zones around them as well, said sources. KK BNM BNM

COVID-19: BMC to tighten restrictions in north Mumbai

Mumbai, Jun 22 () The city civic body will operate 50 mobile dispensaries in northern suburbs of Mumbai, which have emerged as the new COVID-19 hotspots, under an initiative launched on Monday that is aimed at curbing the spread of the infection in the metropolis and bring cases to zero. <p>The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) launched Mission Zero rapid action plan under its "Chase the Virus' drive. </p><p>Under the programme, that covers Borivali, Dahisar, Malad, Kandivali, Bhandup and Mulund suburbs of North Mumbai, the BMC will run 50 mobile dispensary vans which will go to different localities to conduct preliminary check-ups for 2 to 3 weeks to identify and treat COVID-19 patients. </p><p>At a function organised at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex in suburban Andheri, BMC commissioner I S Chahal along with other dignitaries launched the "Mission Zero" rapid action plan that will be implemented under public- private partnership with the Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana, Desh Apnayen, CREDAI-MCHI and Bill Gates Foundation. </p><p>"Under the 'Mission Zero' rapid action plan, 50 mobile dispensary vans with doctors and medicines will visit Mulund, Bhandup, Andheri, Malad, Borivali, Dahisar and Kandivali to conduct preliminary examination of patients," the BMC said in a release. </p><p>The private organisations associated with the plan are going to provide vans, doctors and medicines, while the civic body will take care of swab testing and quarantine facilities, among other things, it said. </p><p>The BMC said it aims to increase the current average case doubling rate of 36 days to 50 days. </p><p>However, in certain parts of the city like Malad (P/North Ward), Borivali (R/Central Ward), Dahisar (R/North Ward), Kandivali (R/South Ward), Bhandup (S Ward) and Mulund (T Ward), the duration of doubling rate was between 19 to 24 days as on June 21. </p><p>Hence, it has been decided to implement a rapid action plan to bring down the number of positive cases in the city to zero, said the civic body which is spearheading Mumbai's response to the coronavirus pandemic. </p><p>"The rapid action plan will boost the efforts already in place. With the onset of monsoon, the plan is particularly critical for timely detection and treatment of patients with coronavirus and other ailments," the release stated. </p><p>The civic body said after checking by mobile dispensaries, all COVID-19 suspects will be immediately isolated and swab tests conducted in the area they reside in. </p><p>"This will lead to early detection and timely treatment of those infected, and at the same time, public awareness will also be created to empower citizens with correct information regarding the virus," the BMC said. </p>Till June 21, Mumbai had recorded more than 66,000 COVID-19 cases. KK RSY RSY

COVID-19: BMC to operate 50 mobile dispensaries in suburbs

<keyword id="14117895" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Non-coffee-drinkers" source="Orion">Non-coffee drinkers</keyword> who sat for six or more hours a day were found to be almost 60% higher <keyword id="22174767" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="risk-of-dying" source="keywords">risk of dying</keyword> as compared to <keyword id="2026305" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="coffee-drinkers" source="Orion">coffee drinkers</keyword> sitting for less than six hours. This was revealed in a research published in the journal BioMed Central (BMC) Public Health. This indicates an increased risk of dying in <keyword id="22174766" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sedentary" source="keywords">sedentary</keyword> people who were not consuming <keyword id="20121157" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="coffee" source="keywords">coffee</keyword>, but not among those drinking coffee, researchers following over 10,000 adults in the US for up to 13 years said. <br /><br />The researchers at the Medical College of Soochow University's School of Public Health in China also found that sedentary coffee drinkers were at a 24% lower risk of death as compared to non-coffee drinkers sitting for at least six hours a day. The result, not featuring in the study, was calculated at The <keyword id="19991946" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="washington-post" source="keywords">Washington Post</keyword>'s request, according to the media website's report. <br /><br />"The benefits of <keyword id="20931" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="coffee-consumption" source="Orion">coffee consumption</keyword> in improving overall survival in adults compared to sedentary behaviour are manifold," the authors wrote in the study. Consuming coffee lowers risk of metabolic problems which is known to worsen inflammation, which, in turn contributes to heightening <keyword id="22174768" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="death-risks" source="keywords">death risks</keyword> because of sedentary behaviour, they said. <br /><br />In their study, the authors found that the risk of dying from any cause was lowered by 33% amongst a fourth of all the participants who consumed highest amounts of coffee as compared to non-coffee drinkers. <br /><br />The results were consistent with those from previous studies, which have found a link between drinking more coffee and a lowered risk of dying from any cause and <keyword id="19898369" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heart-disease" source="keywords">heart disease</keyword>, they said. Compounds present in coffee, including caffeine and polyphenols, are <keyword id="20115043" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="anti-inflammatory" source="keywords">anti-inflammatory</keyword> in nature. However, how exactly coffee works in the body to lower risk of dying is still unclear, the researchers said. <br /><br />Further, the team also found that sitting for more than eight hours a day was linked with over 40% higher risk of death from any cause and almost 80% higher risk of dying due to heart disease. For their analysis, the researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which follows Americans' health and nutrition.<br />

Sedentary, non-coffee drinkers at 60% more risk of dying! Know all about it here

<ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Foods that boost the <keyword id="31457" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="immune-system" source="Orion">immune system</keyword> include citrus fruits, leafy green vegetables, and yogurt.</strong></li><li><strong>Many of these foods contain vitamin C and vitamin A, which help support immune function. </strong></li><li><strong>You can also add ginger, garlic, and turmeric to your food to gain additional immune benefits. </strong></li></ul><p>The foods you eat can help support your immune system and keep you healthy. </p><p>"What we eat is really central to our overall <keyword id="11894571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">health</keyword>, and that includes the immune system," says<a href="https://www.lacare.org/providers/thepulse/get-know-la-cares-registered-dietitians" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Janine Souffront</a>, RDN, a registered dietitian and supervisor of Health Education for L.A. Care Health Plan. "Eating healthy, nutrient-rich foods, can help your body fight off illness."</p>Related Article Module: Why it's important for you to get a flu shot - and when, where, and how to do it<p>Of course, you won't be able to rely on these foods or nutrients as a miracle cure for sickness. But on top of preventative behaviors - like <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-long-should-you-wash-your-hands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">washing your hands</a> often and getting a <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-effective-is-the-flu-shot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flu shot</a> - these healthy foods may help reduce your risk of contracting illness. </p><p>"While there is not one food or supplement that can straight-on prevent illness, you can support your immune system by including foods with nutrients that play a role in tissue health and integrity," Souffront says. </p><p>The following foods can contribute to a strong immune system: </p><h2>1. Citrus fruits</h2><p>Citrus fruits like oranges or grapefruits are packed with <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-does-vitamin-c-do" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vitamin C</a>, which is well-known for immune support. Adult women should get<a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-Consumer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 75 mg</a> of vitamin C per day, while men should get 90 mg.</p><p>Here's how much vitamin C you can get from common citrus fruits:</p><ul><li>One medium orange<a href="http://www.fao.org/3/x2650t03.htm#:~:text=Citrus%20fruits%20are%20a%20particularly,Whitney%20and%20Rolfes,%201999)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"> provides</a> about 70 mg</li><li>One grapefruit provides about 80 mg</li><li>One lemon provides about 30 mg</li></ul><p>To support the immune system, vitamin C helps the body repair tissue and <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-does-vitamin-c-do-for-the-skin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">keeps skin</a> and blood vessels healthy. In addition, vitamin C is an important <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-are-antioxidants-good-for" target="_blank" rel="noopener">antioxidant</a>, a substance that prevents cell deterioration and improves immune function. </p> <p>A<a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2018/1837634/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 2017 review</a> published in Biomed Research International found that taking 1 gram (1,000 mg) of vitamin C per day reduced the duration of a <a href="https://www.insider.com/common-cold-symptoms-treatment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cold</a> by 8% in adults and 18% in children. And while it can't necessarily prevent you from getting a cold, it may help your ability to fight it. </p><p>"Contrary to popular belief, it is unlikely that vitamin C will keep you from getting a cold but there is some limited evidence that high doses of vitamin C may decrease the <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-long-does-a-cold-last" target="_blank" rel="noopener">length of cold symptoms</a>," Souffront says.</p><h2>2. Leafy green vegetables</h2><p>Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens are high in <a href="https://www.insider.com/vitamin-a-benefits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vitamin A</a>, which is important for immune function. Men need a<a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> recommended</a> 900 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin A each day, while women need 700 mcg. Here's how to get the recommended daily dose:</p><ul><li>One cup of raw spinach<a href="https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Spinach,_raw_nutritional_value.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> contains</a> 469 mcg</li><li>One cup of cooked kale <a href="https://tools.myfooddata.com/nutrition-facts/11234/wt1/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contains</a> 190 mcg </li><li>One cup of collard greens <a href="https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Collards%2C_raw_nutritional_value.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contains</a> 90 mcg</li></ul><p>According to a<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6162863/#:~:text=Vitamin%20A%20(VitA)%20is%20a,role%20in%20enhancing%20immune%20function." target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 2018 study</a> published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, scientists know that vitamin A is important for the immune system, but they don't understand exactly why. They believe that vitamin A affects bone marrow production. Bone marrow produces immune cells like<a href="https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Lymphocyte" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> lymphocytes</a>, a type of white blood cell that can help fight off infections. </p><p>A<a href="https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/77/8/584/5509465" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 2019 study</a> published in <keyword id="52652" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="nutrition" source="Orion">Nutrition</keyword> Reviews found that leafy greens are also rich in dietary nitrate, an organic compound that has anti-inflammatory properties and can help regulate the immune system.</p><h2>3. Red bell peppers </h2><p>Red bell peppers are especially beneficial for immune health. The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-020-0635-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> paper</a> in April 2020 recommending red bell peppers as part of a healthy quarantine <keyword id="11892706" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="diet" source="Orion">diet</keyword> because of their content of vitamin A and C. </p><p>"Red bell peppers are good for the immune system because they have both vitamin A and C, and beta carotene," Souffront says. "Vitamin C has important healing benefits and antioxidants. Beta carotene helps the body make Vitamin A, which protects against infections."</p><h2>4. Yogurt </h2><p>Yogurt is a great source of protein, Souffront says, which can help keep your bones and skin healthy. "Healthy tissues are the first barrier against infections," she says. When your skin is healthy, it keeps out harmful bacteria or viruses, for example. </p><p>In addition to providing protein, most yogurts contain live culture, which are bacteria that improve the health of your gut<a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/microbiome/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> microbiome</a>. A<a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-immunol-032713-120238" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 2015 study</a> published in the Annual Review of Immunology concluded that the health of the gut microbiome impacts immune function and contributes to a person's ability to ward off infection.</p><p>"Yogurt and kefir are good sources of probiotics, which can also have a positive effect in the immune system by keeping up the 'good' bacteria and down the 'bad' bacteria in the intestinal tract," Souffront says. </p><h2>5. Green tea </h2><p>"Green tea is very high in catechins and polyphenols, antioxidants that help prevent cell damage," Souffront says. "Healthier cells in general will allow the body to have a better immune response."</p><p>For example, a<a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.6b01115" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 2016 study</a> published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that green tea catechins can improve the response of t-cells, which are cells that attack viruses. Increased t-cells are<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10762/#:~:text=Cell-mediated%20immune%20responses%20involve,constitutes%20a%20primary%20immune%20response." target="_blank" rel="noopener"> associated</a> with an improved immune response. A<a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/2018/1264074/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 2018 study</a> published in the Journal of Immunology Research also found that polyphenols help the body signal when an immune response is needed. </p><h2>6. Ginger </h2><p>Ginger has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. A<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 2013 study</a> published in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine found that ginger supports the immune system and may even be effective at preventing cancer. </p><p>A<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352385918300598" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 2019 study</a> published in the Journal of Nutrition &amp; Intermediary Metabolism looked at the effect of 8.3 grams of ginger extract on smokers and non-smokers. Both groups had immune system improvements, though from different causes. The smokers experienced more lymphocytes. The non-smokers had increased immunoglobulin M, a type of antibody. </p><p>However, Souffront recommends sticking with fresh ginger. "The whole food source ginger is more effective than supplements," she says. "For that reason, using fresh ginger in cooking or teas is best."</p><h2>7. Garlic </h2><p>"For centuries, people have touted the health benefits of garlic, with suggestions that it can help with heart disease, high cholesterol, and colds and flu," Souffront says. </p> <p>The health benefits of garlic are rooted in<a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Allicin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> allicin</a>, a compound that is released when garlic is chopped or crushed. "Allicin and the antioxidants inside garlic help fight off infection and support the immune system," Souffront says. </p><p>A<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405457717302590" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 2018 study</a> published in Clinical Nutrition found that garlic extract boosted the immune system for obese adults. In the randomized, double-blind study, a group of 51 adults were given 3.6 grams of aged garlic extract or a placebo for 6 weeks. At the end of the six weeks, the garlic group had lower inflammation and better distribution of immune system cells. </p><p>In addition, a<a href="https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/146/2/433S/4584824" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 2016 study</a> published in the Journal of Nutrition examined a group of 120 healthy participants that were given 2.56 grams of aged garlic extract or a placebo for 90 days. The garlic and placebo groups reported the same amount of illnesses, but the garlic group reported fewer symptoms, reduced illness severity, and fewer days of school or work missed.  </p><h2>8. Turmeric</h2><p>Turmeric's immune benefits are linked to<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5664031/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> curcumin</a>, the component that gives it its deep yellow color, Souffront says. </p> <p>"Curcumin seems to have the ability to modulate the immune system by activating some of the immunity related cells and dampening the effect of some pro-inflammatory compounds," Souffront says. </p><p>An<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jyoti_Prakash_Sahoo/publication/343430489_Turmeric_Haldi_-_A_strapping_strategy_for_enhancing_the_immune_system_to_reduce_the_effect_of_SARS-CoV-2/links/5f299786a6fdcccc43abcbe3/Turmeric-Haldi-A-strapping-strategy-for-enhancing-the-immune-system-to-reduce-the-effect-of-SARS-CoV-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> August 2020 report</a> published in Food and Science reports concluded that turmeric could be a helpful immune booster. It can be easily added to teas or incorporated into recipes like curry. </p><h2>Insider's takeaway</h2><p>No dietary approach can ensure that you won't get sick. However, eating a well-rounded diet that incorporates the foods and nutrients mentioned above can help you stay healthy. Just remember not to each too much of these foods - for example, it is possible to have <a href="https://www.insider.com/vitamin-a-toxicity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">too much vitamin A.</a></p><p>Plus, it's important to take other steps to boost your immunity, Souffront says. </p><p>"Diet alone cannot boost your immune system," she said. "You can also support your immune system by supporting your body through an overall healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity, plenty of sleep, and managing stress, along with balanced nutrition."</p><h2>Related articles from <a href="https://www.insider.com/health-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Health Reference</a>:</h2><ul><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-boost-immune-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to boost your immune system through diet and lifestyle changes</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/herbs-to-boost-immune-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4 herbs that may help boost your immune system naturally</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/vitamins-for-immune-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4 vitamins that boost your immune system and how to get enough in your diet</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/what-are-fat-soluble-vitamins" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The different types of fat-soluble vitamins - and how to get enough of them</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/does-alcohol-weaken-the-immune-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Does alcohol weaken the immune system? Yes, if you drink too much</a></strong></li></ul>

8 foods that boost your immune system and can help keep you healthy

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5dd6bf58fd9db25f4d734df4-1010/china organs thumb 2.jpg" border="0" alt="China organs thumb 2" data-mce-source="BMC Medical Ethics/Business Insider" data-mce-caption="An annotated graph showing organ donation data, as produced by researchers in a medical journal." /><p class="source"><span>BMC Medical Ethics/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">An annotated graph showing organ donation data, as produced by researchers in a medical journal.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>A new report claims that China faked its organ transplant donation data to mislead the international community.</strong></li><li><strong>It follows separate allegations that China's unusually high availability of transplant organs comes from harvesting them from persecuted groups like the Uighur Muslims of the Xinjiang region.</strong></li><li><strong>Researchers writing in the BMC Medical Ethics periodical pointed out that China's official organ donation figures almost exactly mirror a mathematical formula.</strong></li><li><strong>This strongly suggests that the data has been faked, the researchers said.</strong></li><li><strong>China was at a recent UN event <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-harvesting-organs-of-uighur-muslims-china-tribunal-tells-un-2019-9">accused of harvesting organs en masse</a> from Uighurs and other groups. China has strongly denied this.</strong></li><li><strong>A campaigner for the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China said the data "appears to be part of an elaborate cover up that disguises the state-run mass murder of innocent people."</strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></strong></li></ul><p>Medical experts have accused China of producing fake organ transplant donation data to mislead the international community, further fueling allegations that it is harvesting organs from persecuted minorities.</p><p>The authors, writing in the journal BMC Medical Ethics, presented evidence of what they call "systematic falsification and manipulation of official organ transplant datasets in China."</p><p>Neither the Chinese Ministry of Health nor its embassy in London responded to repeated requests for comment from Business Insider.</p><p>The official Chinese figures suggest a strong yearly growth in voluntary organ donations, which could explain the apparent ease with which patients in China are able to be matched with organs when in need of transplants.</p><p>Waiting times for organ transplants in China are often a matter of weeks, or even days, a feat few other countries can match.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d8b34242e22af259549e754-2000/gettyimages-133578816.jpg" border="0" alt="Members of Falun Gong spiritual movement meditate" style="color: #000000;" data-mce-source="Jewel Samad / AFP / Getty" data-mce-caption="Members of Falun Gong spiritual movement meditate" data-link="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/members-of-falun-gong-spiritual-movement-meditate-at-the-news-photo/133578816?adppopup=true" /><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/members-of-falun-gong-spiritual-movement-meditate-at-the-news-photo/133578816?adppopup=true">Jewel Samad / AFP / Getty</a></span></p><p class="caption">Members of Falun Gong spiritual movement meditate.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>However, according to the three researchers behind the report, the figures are literally too good to be true.</p><p>The data, they say, closely matches the quadratic formula, which, when plotted on a chart, gives a steady upward swing.</p><p>They say that the Chinese data matches the equation so closely as to almost guarantee that it was generated artificially rather than collected in the real world.</p><p>The accusation has resurfaced questions of where China could be getting the organs from, if not volunteer donors. It has admitted previously harvesting organs from prisoners executed in its justice system, but <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-rights-organ-harvesting/un-urged-to-investigate-organ-harvesting-in-china-idUSKBN1W92FL">said it stopped in 2015</a>.</p><h2>'Systemic falsification and manipulation'</h2><p>The report was produced by Matthew Robertson, Raymond Hinde, and Jacob Lavee. They are, respectively, experts in social science, statistics, and medicine.</p><p>Their report claims China is continuing to use involuntary donations, but disguising many of them as voluntary.</p><p>"A variety of evidence points to what the authors believe can only be plausibly explained by systematic falsification and manipulation of official organ transplant datasets in China," the report concluded.</p><p>"Some apparently nonvoluntary donors also appear to be misclassified as voluntary. This takes place alongside genuine voluntary organ transplant activity, which is often incentivized by large cash payments."</p><p>The central piece of evidence for China's alleged falsification is the dataset from the official China Organ Transplant Response System (COTRS), which follows the quadratic formula.</p><p>"The analysis of both datasets suggests human-directed data manufacture and manipulation," the report says.</p><p>"Contradictory, implausible, or anomalous data artefacts were found in five provincial datasets, suggesting that these data may have been manipulated to enforce conformity with central quotas."</p><p>Total donors in China, as well as the number of available kidneys, and the number of available livers, the paper's authors say, comply almost perfectly to three separate quadratic equations.</p><p>The quadratic formula expresses a relationship between three known quantities - A, B, and C - and an unknown quantity, X.</p><p>It is most often written as <strong>AX<sup>2</sup> + BX + C = 0.</strong></p><p>The chart below illustrates the rise in organs donated and overall donors in China since 2010, according to COTRS data.</p><p>The chart contains two elements.</p><ul><li>The first is a series of points showing donations, drawn in three different colors for different donations.</li><li>The second is a series of lines - in matching colors - which the researchers generated mathematically.</li></ul><p>Their point is that each colored line matches the data points so closely as to suggest that the data is fake.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5dd4182c7eece5670e36e735-1353/screenshot 2019-11-19 at 162755.png" border="0" alt="Screenshot 2019 11 19 at 16.27.55" data-mce-source="BMC Medical Ethics" /><p class="source"><span>BMC Medical Ethics</span></p><p class="caption">A graph showing Chinese organ donation data conforming almost exactly to a the quadratic formula.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>'Exposes the lies and deception'</h2><p>The report was seized upon by the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China, an Australian human-rights charity made up of lawyers, academics, and medical professionals, which campaigns to raise awareness of what it says is widespread organ harvesting in China. </p><p>Susie Hughes, its executive director, said: "This report exposes the lies and deception that mark China's so-called transplant 'reforms.' The falsification of the China Organ Transplant Response System (COTRS) data appears to be part of an elaborate coverup that disguises the state-run mass murder of innocent people for their organs in China." </p><p><a href="https://chinatribunal.com/">The ICETA is behind the China Tribunal</a>, an independent body that was created to investigate organ harvesting in China, which concluded in June that the country has harvested thousands of organs from persecuted minorities.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5ca76e46569b557ba82551ba-1200/china uighur turkey protest.jpg" border="0" alt="china uighur turkey protest." data-mce-source="Murad Sezer/Reuters" data-mce-caption="A masked Uighur boy takes part in a protest against China, at the courtyard of Fatih Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2018." /><p class="source"><span>Murad Sezer/Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">A masked Uighur boy takes part in a protest against China, at the courtyard of Fatih Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2018.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-harvesting-organs-of-uighur-muslims-china-tribunal-tells-un-2019-9?r=US&amp;IR=T">At a September appearance in front of the United Nations Human Rights Council</a>, China Tribunal lawyer Hamid Sabi said that the Chinese government was taking hearts, kidneys, lungs, and skin from groups including Uighur Muslims and members of the Falun Gong religious group.</p><p>"Forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience, including the religious minorities of Falun Gong and Uighurs, has been committed for years throughout China on a significant scale," Sabi said.</p><p>Sabi was presenting evidence from a summary of <a href="https://chinatribunal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/China-Tribunal-SHORT-FORM-CONCLUSION_Final.pdf">the tribunal's final report</a>, published in June, <a href="https://chinatribunal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ChinaTribunal_-SummaryJudgment_17June2019.pdf">which claimed</a> that a "very substantial number" of prisoners were "killed to order" by the Chinese government.</p><p>They were "cut open while still alive for their kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, cornea and skin to be removed and turned into commodities for sale," the report said.</p><p>It was led by Sir Geoffrey Nice, a British lawyer who was the lead prosecutor in the trial of Slobodan Milosevic, the former Yugoslavian president.</p><p>During a speech in London in October, Nice described China's actions, in the eyes of the tribunal, as "mass atrocity killings" and "crimes against humanity."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/safest-walk-ice-penguin-2017-2">The safest way to walk on ice is to impersonate a penguin</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/1Owa3Ngp-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

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