Page 173 - Health Medical Pharma

Zinc deficiency may cause high blood pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) may be caused by lower than normal zinc levels, which alter the way in which kidneys handle sodium, a new study finds.The study has been published in the online edition of American Journal of Physiology--Renal Physiology.Zinc deficiency is common in people with chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Those with low zinc levels are also at a higher risk for hypertension.The process of sodium cotransporter in which kidneys either excrete sodium into the urine or reabsorb it into the body also plays a role in blood pressure control.It turns out that less sodium in the urine typically corresponds with higher blood pressure. Recent research has suggested that zinc may help regulate proteins that in turn regulate the NCC, but a direct link between zinc-deficiency-induced hypertension has not been examined.In the study, researchers compared male mice with zinc deficiency to healthy controls with normal zinc levels. They saw the

Male infertility related to gene composition

A recent study saw scientists trying to explain the importance of a gene in regulating the production of fully-functioning sperm.For the first time, experts have identified the role of the gene, RBMXL2, which is very similar to a possible infertility gene found on the Y chromosome found only in men. This provided a model for the team to manipulate as the Y chromosome itself is very difficult to analyse.The study, published today in the Journal of eLife, sheds light on why some men may be infertile as RBMXL2 has been shown to be essential to make sperm.Scientists found that deleting the RBMXL2 gene from chromosome 11 blocked sperm production and this paves the way for further exciting research in this area."Male infertility is a poorly understood topic, and this study helps us to understand why some men might become infertile. This is important since many couples suffer from infertility and it can cause psychological stress, and also have economic consequences in some countries as it ..

China clones five gene-edited monkeys for human disease research

Scientists in China have cloned five monkeys after editing genes to induce several human diseases like Alzheimer's that they claim will help in medical research, an advance which is likely to raise fresh ethical concerns about gene-editing. The announcement follows the recent confirmation that the world's first gene-edited human babies have been born in China, following an "unauthorised experiment" that has caused widespread disquiet in the scientific community. Chinese scientists have cloned five monkeys from a gene-edited macaque with circadian rhythm disorders that are linked to sleep problems, depression and Alzheimer's disease, the official Xinhua news agency said on Thursday. It is the first time multiple clones had been made from a gene-edited monkey for biomedical research, the news agency said. Chinese Scientists made the announcement of the monkey cloning on Thursday with two articles published in National Science Review, a top Chinese journal in English. The cloned monkeys .

Bengaluru doctor offers free angioplasty to poor patients (IANS Special)

At a time when only the rich can afford and have access to quality healthcare in India, a doctor in a private hospital in this tech hub is offering free angioplasty to the poor, who are no less deserving for it.

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals gets USFDA tentative approval for Topiramate Extended Release Capsules

Glenmark's current portfolio consists of 148 products authorized for distribution in the U.S. marketplace and 54 ANDA's pending approval with the U.S. FDA. In addition to these internal filings, Glenmark continues to identify and explore external development partnerships to supplement and accelerate the growth of its existing pipeline and portfolio.

Delhi: Huge tumour removed from 18-year-old's thigh after over 9-hour surgery

An 18-year-old man received a new lease of life after undergoing an over nine-hour-long surgery for removal of a huge tumour in his thigh at a city hospital, doctors said Wednesday. Praveen Kumar Gupta was admitted to the department of orthopaedics at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on December 26, 2018 with huge swelling in his left thigh, they said. Examination revealed that there was a huge tumour of 37 cm x 18 cm x 12 cm size, which was affecting the hip and the full length of back of the thigh. The swelling first appeared in 2012 and had increased gradually, a hospital spokesperson said. Because of the size of the swelling and the excruciating pain it caused Gupta was not able to walk or sit properly. Due to pressure on the nerves and blood vessels, there was weakness and loss of sensation in the limb, doctors said. The patient approached many hospitals which had advised amputation of the leg, but he was not ready for it, they said. The challenge was not only to successfully remove this ..

Tea gardens' plea for advancing resumption dates rejected

Following a request from six north Bengal tea gardens for advancing the dates for resumption of plucking operations, an expert committee of the Tea Board rejected their plea after inspection, an official said on Wednesday.

Jaitley undergoes surgery, advised two-week rest

Union Minister Arun Jaitley has undergone surgery at a hospital in New York on Tuesday, sources said. He has been advised at least two weeks rest by the doctors, they added. Jaitley, 66, travelled to the US on January 13. He underwent tests for soft tissue cancer this week, sources said. On Wednesday, Railways and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal was given the additional charge of Finance Ministry during Jaitley's absence.

More access to information reduces unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions: Study

A new study now finds that providing more information about how doctors prescribe drugs could reduce problems associated with overprescription.The study was published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.According to the study, in 2016, the National Health Service described the resistance to antibiotics as "one of the most significant threats to patients' safety worldwide."While antibiotics are often the go-to prescription for many primary care cases, researchers estimate that as much as 23 per cent of these prescriptions could be inappropriate and higher antibiotic consumption can lead to drugs becoming ineffective at combating infections.In 2013, the Chief Medical Officer for England presented a 5-year plan to combat antibiotic consumption. One part of this plan is a publicly funded service creating a website that provides doctors with prescribing data by practice and by month.Researchers have now set out to determine if there was a measurable impact from the antimicrobial ..

Patient with largest in-situ tumour undergoes successful surgery at Ganga Ram

An 18-year-old patient who was carrying a tumour weighing 12 kg underwent a successfull surgery at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) in Delhi, making it the largest in-situ (inside body) so far, said the hospital authorities.

New smartphone app to help you quit smoking

Researchers have developed a new smartphone-based app that can track if you smoke a lot and can help you quit.

French watchdog sounds alert over chemicals in diapers

A French public health watchdog issued a warning Wednesday about the risks of several chemicals found in disposable nappies, particularly artificial perfumes, leading the government to demand that manufacturers withdraw them from their products. The Anses health body stressed there was no medical study which had proved health problems caused by disposable diapers. But "we cannot exclude a risk... because we have recorded some substances that are above healthy limits," the deputy director of the Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (Anses), Gerard Lasfargues, told AFP. The chemicals identified in the study -- described as the first of its kind -- include two artificial perfumes as well as other complex aromatic products that are refined from oil, and potentially dangerous dioxins. The French government called a meeting of nappy manufacturers on Wednesday morning and gave them 15 days to remove the products identified by the watchdog. "I want to reassure ...

Govt to form panel on affordable medicines, health products

The government will constitute a standing committee on affordable medicines and health products that would act as a recommending body to the national drug pricing regulator with respect to prices of drugs and health products. The committee will have Member Health of Niti Aayog as its Chairman, an order by the Department of Pharmaceuticals said. "The committee shall be a recommending body to National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) regarding prices of drugs and health products", it added. The committee may take a matter for examination, suo-moto or on the recommendations, requests of Department of Pharmaceuticals, NPPA and Department of Health and Family Welfare, the order said. The other members of the committee will be Chief Economic Advisor of Ministry of Finance, Secretary of Department of Health Research, NLEM Vice-Chairperson, Joint Secretary of Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, DG of Health Services in Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, it added. The ...

Exercise before surgery can protect muscle, nerves: Study

Exercise can protect both muscle and nerves from damage caused by the restoration of blood flow after injury or surgery, a study has found. Researchers from the University of Virginia (UVA) in the US are working to better understand how the body is damaged by the restoration of blood flow -- known as ischemia reperfusion injury. They are also trying to find ways to improve outcomes for people who suffer it, including surgery and trauma patients and soldiers injured on the battlefield. The new finding, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. shows that pre-injury exercise has substantial benefits in terms of preserving both muscle and nerve. "Exercise-trained mice had a much better recovery, evidenced by less nerve damage, less muscle damage and less reduction of contractile function [in the muscle] immediately after injury and days later," said Zhen Yan, the director of the Center for Skeletal Muscle Research at UVA. Because of the damage caused by reperfusion injury, ...

Restoring memory function in Alzheimer's disease may now be possible

A study now finds that a new approach to Alzheimer's disease (AD) may eventually make it possible to reverse memory loss, a hallmark of the disease in its later stages.The study was published in the journal Brain.The research, led by University at Buffalo, scientists found that by focusing on gene changes caused by influences other than DNA sequences -- called epigenetics -- it was possible to reverse memory decline in an animal model of AD.Speaking about it, senior author Zhen Yan said: "In this paper, we have not only identified the epigenetic factors that contribute to the memory loss, we also found ways to temporarily reverse them in an animal model of AD".The research was conducted on mouse models carrying gene mutations for familial AD -- where more than one member of a family has the disease -- and on post-mortem brain tissues from AD patients.Yan further added, "We found that in Alzheimer's disease, many subunits of glutamate receptors in the frontal cortex are downregulated, .

Detecting prediabetes early may reduce risk of developing cardiovascular disease

A diagnosis of prediabetes should be a wake-up call for people to make lifestyle changes to prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to scientists at Wake Forest School of Medicine.Speaking about it, lead author of the study Michael P. Bancks said, "We know that having diabetes increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, so in our study we wanted to determine what the absolute risk or probability of developing heart disease was for people who were only at a pre-diabetic level of blood sugar."The study is published in the current issue of Diabetes Care.Prediabetes is indicated by a fasting blood sugar level between 100 and 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L), while a fasting blood sugar level of less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) is considered normal. A level of 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) and higher is the diagnostic threshold for diabetes, Bancks said.The study saw researchers using data from seven observational studies that included both white and black men and women who

In stress? Remember your romantic partner and keep BP down

Having a romantic partner present -- even in your mind -- can help you keep blood pressure down in daily stressful situations, say researchers.

Torrent recalls 16 lots of hypertensive drug from US due to

Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd has said it is voluntarily recalling 16 batches of Losartan potassium tablets from the US market due to an unexpected impurity found in an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufactured by the city-based Hetero Labs Limited. According to an announcement made by Torrent to the US Food and Drug Administration on January 22, the impurity detected in the API is N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA). NDEA is a substance that occurs naturally in certain foods, drinking water, air pollution, and industrial processes, and has been classified as a probable human carcinogen as per international Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classification. "Torrent is only recalling lots of losartan containing products that contain Nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) above the acceptable daily intake levels released by the FDA. To date, Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited has not received any reports of adverse events related to this recall," it said. Losartan is used to treat ...

New smartphone app may help you quit smoking: Study

Researchers say they have created a smartphone app that offers real-time monitoring of smoking-induced ageing, and may help smokers quit the habit. Smoking is one of the major life-shortening factors that leads to accelerated ageing and premature death, said scientists from Roswell Park Cancer Institute in the US. Quitting smoking increases lifespan and decreases biological age, as measured by DNA methylation, they said. The researchers created the mobile app, Gero Healthspan, that offers real-time monitoring of bioage changes in response to lifestyle interventions. People can also use it to explore how lifestyle changes such as diets, activities and supplements affect your predicted healthy life expectancy, researchers said. The study, published in the journal Aging, offers a way to track rejuvenating effect of smoking cessation in real time through the analysis of wearable data. The bioage acceleration caused by smoking can be detected through the analysis of physical activity ...

Swine flu kills 5 in Ludhiana

At least five people have died and over 15 have tested positive for swine flu this month in Ludhiana, Punjab according to officials.Dr Parvinder Pal Singh Sidhu, Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana told ANI, "32 cases of swine flu has been suspected in Ludhiana, out of which 18 are confirmed. Five people lost their lives after falling prey to this disease."The state government is conducting a door-to-door survey to get the latest count and is providing free treatment for swine flu in hospitals."We are providing details to the public about precautions they need to take to prevent swine Flu. I advise people not to hang out in crowded place during winters," Dr Sidhu said.Swine flu is a viral infection that affects the respiratory tract and caused mainly by transmission of the virus through respiratory droplets when people exhale, cough, sneeze, drip, etc.