Page 161 - Health Medical Pharma

Microbes help make coffee tastier

Certain microbes could make your cup of coffee tastier, say scientists who found that longer fermentation process lends a better taste. The research, published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, showed that lactic acid bacteria play an important, positive role in processing coffee beans. "A cup of coffee is the final product of a complex chain of operations: farming, post-harvest processing, roasting, and brewing," said Luc De Vuyst, a professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium. "There are several variants of post-harvest processing, among which wet processing and dry processing are the most common," said De Vuyst. Wet processing -- commonly used for Arabica and specialty coffees -- is the step that includes fermentation. "We carried out the research at an experimental farm in Ecuador through a multiphasic approach, encompassing microbiological, metabolomics, and sensory analysis," said De Vuyst. Fermentation was of particular importance. During extended ...

Low BMI in children can raise eating disorder risk later

Is your toddler underweight or malnourished? If yes, he or she could be at risk for developing anorexia nervosa in adolescence, warns a new study.

Exercise best defence against deep abdominal belly fat

Excercise can help you in the fight against internal, visceral fat that you cannot see or feel, but can lead to insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease and inflammation, suggests a study.

Trump names former doctor as assistant and medical adviser

President Donald Trump has appointed his former doctor to be his assistant and chief medical adviser. Saturday's announcement by the White House follows Trump's decision to re-nominate Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson for a second star due to inaction by the previous Congress. Jackson's original nomination was put on hold last year after Trump nominated him to head the Veterans Affairs Department. The Navy doctor withdrew following allegations of professional misconduct, which the Pentagon continues to investigate. Jackson has denied any wrongdoing. He led the medical team for Trump's physical exam last year and said the president was in excellent health and has "incredibly good genes." A White House official not authorised to publicly discuss personnel issues says Trump considers Jackson a trustworthy medical adviser and physician.

Here's how exercise is your best defense against abdominal fat!

Researchers know that the type of fat that you can measure with tape isn't the most dangerous but what is the most effective way to fight internal, visceral fat that you cannot see or feel? Turns out, exercise is your best friend when it comes to fighting against deep abdominal fat.The results of the study were published in the journal 'Mayo Clinic Proceedings'.Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center analysed two types of interventions - lifestyle modification (exercise) and pharmacological (medicine) - to learn the best way to defeat fat lying deep in the belly."Visceral fat can affect local organs or the entire body system. Systemically it can affect your heart and liver, as well as abdominal organs. When studies use weight or body mass index as a metric, we don't know if the interventions are reducing fat everywhere in the body, or just near the surface," said senior author and cardiologist Dr Ian J. Neeland.To find out, the researchers evaluated changes in visceral fat in ...

China disciplines 80 officials linked to major vaccine scandal

China's corruption watchdog on Saturday said it has disciplined more than 80 officials linked to a major vaccine scandal last summer that inflamed public fears over the safety of domestically produced drugs. Changchun Changsheng Biotechnology -- a major Chinese manufacturer of rabies vaccines -- was slapped with a USD 1.3 billion fine last October after it was found to have fabricated records. Four officials from the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), including a deputy director, have been handed over to prosecutors, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement Saturday. The brief statement did not say what they were alleged to have done. The graft watchdog also said it would "seriously deal with" more than 80 other provincial or local officials from multiple government organisations, without offering details. These officials have already been fired or demoted, it said. Authorities earlier said the faulty rabies vaccines did not enter the market. But ..

Katni: Women made to rest on floor after being operated

Patients undergoing sterilisations are being made to lay on the floor after being operated at the district hospital here.In the absence of a bed facility, a large number of women who had undergone the operation were seen resting on the floor after the procedure.Sharing grievance, attendant of one such patient blamed the absence of necessary facilities in the hospital and called it a great inconvenience.He said, "There is no facility over here. The patients are made to rest on the floor. There is no place for attendants to even stand near their patient. We are facing great inconvenience."Doctor Ashtosh Soni said, "Almost 40 sterilisations were done today. Rest everything is in front of you. Normally the patients are shifted in a ward but some repair work is going on there."A few days ago a similar case of public apathy came to light when a pregnant woman was denied treatment by the staff of a government hospital for not paying Rs 5,000 in Tendu Kheda in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district .

Delhi hospital felicitates sarpanches for raising cancer awareness

To raise awareness about cancer, especially among the rural population, a Delhi-based hospital has conducted a special drive to reach out to hundreds of village school teachers and sarpanchs. In the run up to World Cancer Day on February 4, the BLK Super Specialty Hospital organised a ceremony on Saturday to felicitate sarpanchs each of whom contributed to this campaign by sensitising 100 families in his village and convinced them to attend the Cancer Talks and the cancer screening camps organised by the hospital. The campaign which started in December, and so far has covered nearly 65 villages. Around 700 teachers in outer Delhi and Haryana actively contributed in spreading awareness about the disease in their villages and schools, a hospital official said. According to the official, the felicitation ceremony was attended by nearly 50 sarpanches from Jhajjar, Bahadurgarh, Badli, Khorkhoda, Rohtak, Sonipat, Gannaur and outer Delhi villages. Dr Surender K Dabas, Director of Surgical ..

Deve Gowda slips in bathroom, injures leg

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda sustained injuries on his right leg after he slipped and fell in the bathroom of his house.The 85-year-old Janta Dal (Secular) President was wounded in the leg and has difficulty in walking, the personal assistant to Deve Gowda said on Saturday. Deve Gowda's son Dr Ramesh visited his residence to check on his condition, following which the former Prime Minister was taken to a hospital near his Padmanabhanagar residence this morning.The hospital confirmed the injury as minor, with doctors attending to him stating that his right knee had a sprain and there was no fracture.

Nepal's fasting doctor ends 24-day-long hunger strike over medical reforms

Nepal's prominent surgeon and activist Dr Govinda KC, who was on fast-unto-death for nearly a month demanding reforms in the country's health care and medical education system, ended his 16th hunger strike on Friday after parliament endorsed a controversial medical education bill without necessary amendments sought by him. The 61-year-old senior orthopaedic surgeon was on a hunger strike for 24 days demanding reforms in the medical sector through amendment to a medical bill, which was tabled by the ruling Nepal Communist Party in parliament. He ended his hunger strike a day after the upper house of parliament endorsed the controversial National Medical Education Bill without necessary amendments. While announcing his decision to end the hunger strike, Dr KC said him continuing the strike would disrupt health service delivery and affect the general people. Nepal's doctors shut hospitals across the country on Friday, demanding that the government accept the demands of Dr KC. The Nepal .

Flu linked to stroke risk: Study

Catching flu could put you at increased risk of stroke for up to a year, finds a new study.

Rodents nibble on corpse in hospital morgue in MP's Ratlam

The corpse of a 45-year-old man was nibbled by rodents in the mortuary of a civic hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district, a senior official said Saturday. The man, identified as local resident Narayan Mali, had died late Friday night after suffering a heart attack while returning from Mandsaur by train, Jaora Sub Divisional Magistrate M L Arya said, adding that the body was brought by railway police to Jaora Civil Hospital, 35 kilometres from here. Arya had reached the hospital Saturday to assure protesting family members of Mali that the incident would be probed and action taken against those guilty. The family members Saturday morning found that Mali's face and fingers had been bitten by rodents, he said. District Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Prabhakar Nanawera said an inquiry has been ordered and the guilty would be punished accordingly.

Nanoparticles may promote cancer spread

Nanomedicines, considered as providing an efficient way to transcend the limits of standard cancer treatments, could also have unintended and harmful side effects like accelerating cancer spread, say researchers.

Vikrant Gugnani launches preventive healthcare portal UCare

Vikrant Gugnani, former CEO, Reliance Capital Asset Management Limited, has announced the launch of digital preventive healthcare safety and wellness services platform - UCare in India.Headquartered in Mumbai, UCare's platform combines a Fitbit, an ECG Machine, an App, along with services like 24x7 Ambulance, Discounted Diagnostics, Personal Safety and Assistance, Book a Ride for senior citizens, insurance cover and a HealthVault across Mumbai, Delhi- NCR, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Pune.The centralized platform has been launched with an aim to empower people to take care of themselves and their loved ones' health and safety at the touch of a button.The company aims to expand its footprint in all state capitals by April 2019. UCare services are available in a subscription plan online for Rs. 1099 per month for the one-year package and Rs. 899 per month for a two-year package. Within 7 days of signing up with UCare, the customer gets a free Fitbit and an ECG .

IIT-KGP to set up hub to tap MSMEs for affordable healthcare

IIT Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) will set up a research and technology development hub, which will focus on making healthcare more affordable and tap the potential of MSMEs in the medical sector. The Common Research and Technology Development Hub (CRTDH) is supported by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), and will come up at the IIT-KGP campus. The hub will address the issues of accessibility and affordability challenging the modern healthcare system through technological innovations, a faculty member said. "Another key area of focus will be supporting growth and development of precision manufacturing of innovative technologies through MSMEs, so that India can reduce its massive burden of imported healthcare technologies," Visiting Professor, School of Medical Science and Technology, IIT-KGP, Satadal Saha said here announcing the CRTDH project. Saha said access to quality primary healthcare remains a major challenge in rural parts of India, with over 80 ..

Himachal CM reviews swine flu measures

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday reviewed measures to tackle swine flu in the state that saw 10 deaths with the disease.

Common drug form helps treat child anxiety: Study

Researchers have found that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are very effective in treating children and adolescents with paediatric anxiety disorder.

Cervical cancer risk highest in middle-aged Indian women: Survey

Nearly 50 per cent of middle-aged women in India were found to have positive cases of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) -- the main risk factor for cervical cancer, says a report from SRL Diagnostics.

HealthSoul: making the right noise in creating a patient-empowered world

HealthSoul, one of the leading healthcare resource online portals, has made phenomenal advancements in helping people make informed choices in terms of choosing the perfect solution relating to health issues.Established in the year 2017 in Springfield, Illinois, USA, the Company has come a long way in establishing a name among the masses by facilitating them with all the necessary help they need during a medical crisis.Ever since its genesis, it has always worked towards the betterment of people by empowering them to take ideal healthcare decisions with the au fait information available on the web portal. With never leaving a stone unturned, the Company foresees a healthy world, where people can decide their desired healthcare services without getting lost in the wilderness of deceit and fraudulence.After a successful stint in the United States, the Company made its mark in India in 2018 and started its operations from a liaison office in Chandigarh. Within a span of one year, it has .

Apple to celebrate February as 'Heart Month'

Apple marks February as "Heart Month" during which the company will educate people about their heart health and bring an "Activity Challenge" for Apple Watch users.