Page 115 - Health Medical Pharma

AI can make eye doctors more effective: Google

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, diagnosing diseases has become faster with greater accuracy. A new study from the Google AI research group shows that physicians and algorithms working together are more effective than either one alone.

Plant cellulose could be used for healthy bone graft

In a new finding, researchers have developed what could be the bone implant material of the futureIt's made by treating nanocrystals derived from plant cellulose so that they link up and forms a strong but lightweight sponge - technically speaking, an aerogel - that can compress or expand as needed to completely fill out a bone cavity. The study was published in Journal Acta Biomaterialia."Most bone graft or implants are made of hard, brittle ceramic that doesn't always conform to the shape of the hole, and those gaps can lead to poor growth of the bone and implant failure," said study author Daniel Osorio, a PhD student in chemical engineering at McMaster. "We created this cellulose nanocrystal aerogel as a more effective alternative to these synthetic materials."For their research, the team worked with two groups of rats, with the first group receiving the aerogel implants and the second group receiving none. Results showed that the group with implants saw 33 per cent more bone ...

Culture may affect gender difference in risk taking

The different approaches to risk taking might not be inherent and could be shaped by culture and social environment, according to a study.

Zydus Cadila gets USFDA nod to market generic antiviral ointment

Drug firm Zydus Cadila Tuesday said it has received final nod from the US health regulator to market antiviral Acyclovir ointment in the American market. The company has received the final approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to market generic Acyclovir ointment USP 5 per cent, Zydus Cadila said in a filing to the BSE. The product will be manufactured at the group's topical manufacturing facility at Ahmedabad, it added. The ointment is a generic version of Zovirax ointment in the same strength, Zydus Cadila said. Acyclovir is an antiviral drug which stops the growth of certain viruses. It is used to treat the first outbreak of genital herpes infection and to treat non-life threatening herpes infections of the skin and around the mouth in people with a weakened immune system, it added. The group now has 257 approvals and has so far filed over 350 abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) since the commencement of its filing process, Zydus Cadila ...

Inflammation links heart disease and depression: Study

As part of a recent study, researchers have found links between heart disease and depression.According to the findings, people with heart disease are more likely to suffer from depression, and the opposite is also true.The study also suggests that while inflammation is a natural response necessary to fight off infection, chronic inflammation - which may result from psychological stress as well as lifestyle factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol intake, physical inactivity and obesity, is harmful.The link between heart disease and depression is well documented. People who have a heart attack are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing depression. Yet scientists have been unable to determine whether this is due to the two conditions sharing common genetic factors or whether shared environmental factors provide the link."It is possible that heart disease and depression share common underlying biological mechanisms, which manifest as two different conditions in two different ...

Alcoholism successfully reversed in mice

Scientists claim to have successfully reversed the desire to drink in alcohol-dependent rats, paving the way for future therapies to treat alcoholism in humans. The team was able to use lasers to temporarily inactivate a specific neuronal population, reversing alcohol-seeking behaviour and even reducing the physical symptoms of withdrawal. "This discovery is exciting -- it means we have another piece of the puzzle to explain the neural mechanism driving alcohol consumption," said Olivier George, an associate professor at Scripps Research Institute in the US. Although the laser treatment is far from ready for human use, George believes identifying these neurons opens the door to developing drug therapies or even gene therapies for alcohol addiction. "We need compounds that are specific to this neuronal circuitry," said George, senior author of the study published in the journal Nature Communications. Previous research at Scripps Research has shown that transitioning from casual ...

Nearly four in 10 HIV spreaders in US unaware of infection

Almost 40 per cent of new HIV cases in the US occur because people do not know they are infected, while a similar proportion know but are not in treatment, a new study has said. The report released Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is based on 2016 data and aims to bolster a strategy outlined by President Donald Trump to end the epidemic within 10 years. The strategy has two main strands: far more widespread screening, and enabling the infected better access to treatment from the moment they test positive. The study found that 38 per cent of infections came from HIV-positive people who were unaware of their status, and 43 per cent from people who knew they were infected but took no anti-retroviral drugs. The remaining infections came from people who were receiving HIV treatment but were not yet "virally suppressed." The CDC blamed financial, social and other reasons for people not using medication, which these days typically comes in the form of a daily ...

IMA releases Health Manifesto, urges political parties to prioritise healthcare

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has released its 'Health Manifesto' and urged all political parties to give priority to the health sector.The IMA manifesto contains various suggestions to improve public health, change policy directions, streamline medical education and improve medical research."There is insufficient funding in the healthcare sector and the GDP in healthcare is at a dismal rate of 1.2 per cent. The out of pocket expenditure is one of the highest for our country and every year over 3.3 per cent of people are pushed below the poverty line due to expenditure on health," said IMA president Dr Santanu Sen here on Monday."In order to improve the overall healthcare sector and cope up with the out of pocket expenses, the GDP must be increased to at least 5 per cent," added Dr Sen.He said that the IMA will soon launch a countrywide 'Health First Campaign' to propagate the manifesto amongst the candidates, political parties and the public. The local units of IMA will ...

Ukraine measles outbreak kills 11, infects 30,000

Eleven people have died and more than 30,000 have been infected this year in a major outbreak of measles in Ukraine, the European country worst hit by the disease, Kiev said Monday. The latest victim was a nine-year-old girl who died from complications Saturday after contracting the highly infectious disease, the health ministry said. Some 30,500 people, including 17,000 children, have been infected so this year. Authorities blame a combination of factors including shortages of vaccine and cuts to health services amid an economic slowdown exacerbated by a five-year conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Anti-vaccination sentiment, often driven by online campaigns spreading false information about the alleged risks, also plays a role. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a 95-percent vaccination rate to prevent mass hospitalisations and fatalities. But in Ukraine, just 42 percent of one-year-olds had been vaccinated as of end-2016, according to the United

'Race for 7' organised in Delhi to raise funds for rare diseases' patients

A multi-city run cum walk was organised by the Organisation for Rare Diseases India (ORDI) in the city to raise funds for patients of rare diseases in India. According to the organisers, 'Race for 7', a first-of-its-kind event symbolically represents 7,000 rare diseases with 7,000 people running for seven kilometers to represent the average number of years it takes to diagnose a rare disease. The run was organised in the national capital on Sunday. It will be conducted in nine more cities - Bengaluru, Mysuru, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Bikaner, Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi over the next few days. Several rare disease patients and their families will participate in 'Race for 7' to draw attention to the challenges they face and the need for governments and other institutions to recognise their unique needs and create enabling policies and a more supportive environment for them, Prasanna Shirol, founder director of ORDI, said. The theme for Rare Disease Day this year is ...

Painkillers during pregnancy does not up asthma risk in kids: Study

Taking paracetamol or other painkillers during pregnancy does not increase the risk of asthma in children, according to a study of almost 500,000 women. The research, which uses prescription data on painkillers, supports earlier findings that women taking paracetamol during pregnancy are more likely to have children who develop asthma. However, it also suggests that the painkillers are not the cause of this increase. Rather, some unidentified factor is linked to use of these drugs and to asthma risk. The research, published in the European Respiratory Journal, should give women reassurance to take painkillers during pregnancy when they are prescribed by a doctor. Seif Shaheen of Queen Mary University of London in the UK was the first scientist to discover a link between paracetamol use during pregnancy and an increase in the risk of asthma in children. "This link has now been seen in a number of studies in different countries, but until now there has been very little research on use ..

Hiranandani Parks 30-bedded hospital begins ops near Chennai

: Hiranandani Group Monday said it has commenced operation of its 30-bedded multi-specialities Hiranandani Parks Hospital at neighouring Oragadam here. The Group currently runs hospitals in two locations - Powai, Mumbai and the other in Thane. Oragadam is the third such location, a press release said. The hospital would provide medical care options to the Oragadam-Sriperumbudur region and also to residents on the periphery of Chennai. Hiranandani Group CEO Dr Niranjan Hiranandani said the company was committed to the aim of creating a better life for communities since its inception. "The Hiranandani Parks Hospital marks a significant step in this direction. It is our endeavour to provide the finest healthcare facilities with expert healthcare professionals and latest equipment", he said. The Hiranandani Parks Hospital is designed to be one of the leading and most preferred healthcare service providers in Chennai, he added.

Coffee compounds may reduce prostate cancer risk

Besides being the perfect morning drink, coffee may also play a role in delaying prostate cancer, finds a study, which may pave the way for treating drug-resistant cancer.

Painkillers in pregnancy won't cause asthma in kids

Taking paracetamol or other painkillers during pregnancy is not responsible for increase in the risk of asthma in children, finds a study of nearly 500,000 women.

Musharraf in Dubai hospital after 'reaction' (Lead, correcting Intro)

Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has been shifted to a hospital in Dubai after suffering a reaction from a rare disease for which he is already under treatment, the media reported.

Sugary drinks associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases

Here's another reason to cut down those sugar-sweetened drinks from your daily diet. According to a recent study, sugary drinks may be associated with an increased risk of death from cardiovascular diseases.Frequently drinking sugar-sweetened drinks, such as sodas and sports drinks, was associated with an increased risk of death from cardiovascular diseases and, to a lesser extent, cancers, according to new research published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.Among study participants the risk of death rose as people drank more sugar-sweetened drinks. In addition, substituting one sugary drink a day with an artificially sweetened drink was associated with a slightly lower risk of dying, but drinking four or more artificially sweetened drinks a day was associated with a higher risk of death among women. This finding is not considered as strong as the association between sugary drinks and a potential link to an increased risk of death and needs to be confirmed ...

Fibromyalgia accurately spotted in an experimental blood test

In a first, researchers have found that fibromyalgia can reliably be detected in blood samples which could possibly lead to a simple and fast diagnosis.In the study that appears in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, researchers from The Ohio State University report success in identifying biomarkers of fibromyalgia and differentiating these from a handful of other related diseases.The discovery could be an important turning point in care of patients with a disease that is frequently misdiagnosed or undiagnosed, leaving them without proper care and advice on managing their chronic pain and fatigue, said lead researcher Kevin Hackshaw, a professor in Ohio State's College of Medicine and a rheumatologist at the university's Wexner Medical Center.Identification of biomarkers of the disease--a "metabolic fingerprint" like that discovered in the new study--could also open up the possibility of targeted treatments, he said.To diagnose fibromyalgia, doctors now rely on patient-reported ...

Musharraf shifted to Dubai hospital after 'reaction'

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Pervez Musharraf has been shifted to a hospital in Dubai after suffering a reaction from a rare disease for which he is already under treatment, the media reported.

New cardiac index outperforms current tools in predicting death after admission

A new tool has been devised for heart disease patients that is better at predicting death after hospital admission vis-a-vis current indexes.Dr Marc Jolicoeur, Montreal Heart Institute, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, said: "This cardiac-specific tool or index to predict death outperforms current general indexes used to predict death."The study has been published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ)."The other available tools are good for all patients, but we developed one that is better, specifically for cardiac patients."Current indexes already exist to help predict the likelihood of death and are widely used in clinical settings, although these are not disease-specific, and accuracy for patients with cardiac issues has not been widely investigated.Researchers analysed administrative data on cardiac patients admitted to the Montreal Heart Institute to create and test an index, the Cardiac-Specific Comorbidity Index, to help predict death both in-hospital and .

Former Pak prez Musharraf hospitalised after reaction from rare disease

According to the party, the former president has been advised complete bed rest by doctors till his full recovery.