Page 197 - Health Medical Pharma

Robotic system can help paralysed patients regain hand movement

Scientists have developed a system that can read brain signals to help users control an artificial hand just by thinking -- an advance that could help stroke patients regain the ability to move their fingers. Spinal injuries or stroke often leaves a person partially paralysed. Such disabilities leave them disconnected from their families and community. "We want to give them a life where, using the technology, they can fulfill their basic needs, such as getting a glass of water or typing on the screen," said Dr Haider Raza, from University of Essex in the UK, one of the scientists who worked on the system. The team, which includes researchers from Indian Institute Technology (IIT) Kanpur, developed a brain-computer interface (BCI) that can 'read' a person's brain waves and convert them to computer signals. Their research was recently published in the Journal of Biomedical and Health informatics, Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental systems, and Journal of Neuroscience ...

Cadila Healthcare gains after USFDA nod to market acne drug

Cadila Healthcare rose 1.15% to Rs 348.60 at 9:26 IST on BSE after the company said it received final approval from the US drug regulator to market Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel.

Youth whose HIV positive blood was transfused to pregnant woman dies at TN hospital

A 19-year-old youth, who had consumed rat poison on learning that a pregnant woman who had received his HIV positive blood had contracted the virus, died here on Sunday, hospital authorities said. He had been undergoing treatment at Government Rajaji Hospital here for three days and died of Gastro Intestinal (GI) bleeding, they said. Actually he was stable. But the poison he consumed has a propensity to cause bleeding anytime. There was GI (stomach) bleeding early today and he vomited blood, S Shanmugasundaram, dean of Madurai Medical College and Government Rajaji Hospital told reporters. After he vomited, though the patient was treated as per protocol, which includes transfusion of four units of blood, he succumbed to the poison, the dean said. A worker at a firecracker unit in nearby Sivakasi and a native of Ramanathapuram district's Kamuthi village, the youth had consumed the poison on Wednesday. He was admitted to Government Rajaji Hospital on Thursday after preliminary treatment

Here's how gut bacteria can curb harmful effects of high BP

To a large extent our well-being depends on what bacterial guests in our digestive tract consume as researchers have found that beneficial gut microbes can produce from dietary fibre a fatty acid called propionate which can protect against the harmful consequences of high blood pressure.

Here's how the brain enables us to rapidly focus attention

Researchers have discovered a key mechanism in the brain that may underlie our ability to rapidly focus attention.Our brains are continuously bombarded with information from the senses, yet our level of vigilance to such input varies, allowing us to selectively focus on one conversation and not another.Stephen Williams, lead researcher of the study, "If we want to give our full concentration, something happens in the brain to enable us to focus and filter out distractions. There must be a mechanism that signals the thing we want to focus on."Research has shown that the electrical activity of the neocortex of the brain changes when we focus our attention. Neurons stop signalling in sync with one another and start firing out of sync.This is helpful, says Williams, because it allows individual neurons to respond to sensory information in different ways. Thus, you can focus on a car speeding down the road or on what a friend is saying in a crowded room.It's known that the cholinergic ...

Sleeping in contact lenses can cause dangerous eye infections

Going to sleep without removing your contact lenses can cause serious eye infections that may ultimately result in blindness, scientists warn. Six reports published in the journal Annals of Emergency Medicine showed that improper care or wear can lead to infections of the cornea like microbial keratitis. "Sleeping in your contact lenses is risky and can lead to infections, or in some cases, permanent damage," said Jon Femling, assistant professor at University of New Mexico in the US. "Falling asleep, or even napping, without removing your contact lenses can significantly increase the likelihood of serious health problems," said Femling. In one case, a man evaluated for eye redness and blurry vision reported sleeping in contact lenses 3-4 nights per week and swimming with them. He was treated for bacterial and fungal microbial keratitis. Another instance outlines an adolescent girl who slept in lenses purchased without a prescription at a chain drug store. She developed a corneal ...

Facebook ads may help reduce cancer deaths: Study

Advertisements on Facebook and other popular social media platforms can encourage people to get a cancer screening, which would help patients spot the disease early enough to get timely treatment, scientists say. According to researchers, even with the recommendation of a primary care physician, people tend to procrastinate or simply forget to schedule an appointment for cancer screening -- a simple step that could save many lives. "The idea was to start a text messaging campaign for cancer prevention," said Andrea Dwyer, of University of Colorado in the US. Advertising including radio slots, Facebook promotions and even locally-posted flyers encouraged people in the community to text a given number to opt into information and reminders about cancer screening. Radio and flyers were largely unsuccessful in driving enrollment. However, Facebook advertising resulted in 22,600 Facebook users exposed to ads. "Facebook was a good mechanism. Engagement was high with Facebook ads, and those ..

Low Vitamin D intake found in asthma patients

The recent research has found a reduced Vitamin D intake in occupational asthma patients.Previously, Vitamin D intake was rarely evaluated in cases of occupational asthma regardless of it being an important part of nutrition.The main objective of this study was to assess the Vitamin D intake in occupational asthma patients and its relation with body mass index, co-morbidities related to Vitamin D deficit, lung function and quality of life.The researchers found a reduced Vitamin D intake in both obese and non-obese asthma patients. The study was published in JAMA Network Open.Lower intake was found in mild asthma group compared to severe asthma group. Regression analysis revealed a different pattern in the asthma groups. The Impact score in irritant asthma indicated a stronger relationship with BMI while the symptom score in allergic asthma group was closely associated with the Vitamin D intake.The researchers concluded that the relation between obesity and Vitamin D on clinical cores .

Snapchat Co-founder limits stepson's screen time

While many parents blame Snapchat for keeping their kids engaged on phones for a very long time, the popular messaging app's Co-founder Evan Spiegel limits screen time for his seven-year-old stepchild, the media reported.

Giving up alcohol may help quit smoking: Study

If quitting smoking is one of your New Year's resolutions, you may want to consider cutting back on your drinking too, scientists say. According to a study published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research, heavy drinkers who are trying to stop smoking may find that reducing their alcohol use can also help them quit their daily smoking habit. Heavy drinkers' nicotine metabolite ratio -- a biomarker that indicates how quickly a person's body metabolises nicotine -- reduced as they cut back on their drinking. Past research has suggested that people with higher nicotine metabolism ratios are likely to smoke more and that people with higher rates have a harder time quitting. Slowing a person's nicotine metabolism rate through reduced drinking could provide an edge when trying to stop smoking, which is known to be a difficult task, said Sarah Dermody, an assistant professor at Oregon State University in the US. "It takes a lot of determination to quit smoking, often several ...

Here's how physical aggression in children develops as they age

High physical aggression issues during adolescence may put children at increased risk of violent crime, social maladjustment, and alcohol and drug abuse.Children can exhibit physical aggression when they are very young but that behavior typically declines before and during elementary school.However, a small proportion of children have atypically high physical aggression problems into adolescence, which may put them at increased risk for violent crime, social maladjustment, and alcohol and drug abuse.This observational study of 2,223 boys and girls used information from mothers, teachers and the children to trace the development of physical aggression problems from infancy to adolescence. The analysis suggests the frequency of physical aggression increased from age 1½ to 3½ and then decreased until age 13.Trajectories for the development of physical aggression differed for boys and girls, and several risk factors were identified, including family characteristics when the child was an ..

US centre monitors person for possible Ebola exposure

An American who was providing medical assistance in Congo may have been exposed to the deadly Ebola virus and is being monitored at a Nebraska medical centre in the US. The University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha confirmed Saturday that it was housing the person in a secure area that is not accessible to other patients or the public. Spokesman Taylor Wilson says the person arrived Saturday afternoon. The medical centre is not providing any details to honour the person's request for privacy. The facility also is not identifying the person as a patient or when the person was in Africa. Officials say the person is not ill and has no Ebola symptoms but will be monitored for up to two weeks. The medical centre has a dedicated biocontainment unit and treated three Ebola patients in 2014.

Jaya panel counsel files plea flagging serious medical issues in her treatment

A petition has been filed before a Commission of Inquiry probing the death of former chief minister J Jayalalaithaa by its counsel, raising serious medical issues regarding her treatment at the Apollo Hospital. The hospital has, however, strongly refuted the allegations against it raised in the petition. Commission sources told PTI that the plea filed by the standing counsel for the commission seeks to implead Tamil Nadu Health SecretaryJ Radhakrishnan and former chief secretary P Rama Mohana Rao over their statements and depositions. A statement issued Saturday night by Apollo Hospital said it was served a copy of the petition dated December 27. "It is surprising that the commission is itself filing this petition against other parties," the hospital said, adding that the proceedings before the inquiry panel cannot be "accusatorial" in nature. The hospital said the plea before the panel referred to three senior doctors advising an angiogram on Jayalalithaa. "This is incorrect. It was .

Drop virginity test from medical syllabus, Maha doc to MCI

A Maharashtra-based forensic medicine professor has submitted a report to the Medical Council of India (MCI) seeking removal of the "virginity test" from the medical curriculum, claiming it had no scientific basis. Dr Indrajit Khandekar, professor of forensic medicine at Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (MGIMS) in Maharashtra's Sewagram, has prepared a detailed report highlighting the unscientific basis of the "virginity test", reasons for seeking its removal from the syllabus and how it violates human rights and leads to gender discrimination. Khandekar said he submitted copies of the report to the MCI, Union ministries of health as well as women and child development and Maharashtra University of Health Sciences Registrar Dr K D Chavhan on December 26. The "virginity test" is an examination of female genitalia to determine whether a woman or girl has had vaginal intercourse. In rape cases this is done to identify whether the victim was habitual to sexual intercourse or ..

Patient recites Hanuman Chalisa as doctors remove brain tumour

A patient here kept on reciting Hanuman Chalisa for hours while doctors performed a surgery to remove tumour from his brain. The 30-year-old man was suffering from epilepsy seizures.Hulasmal Jangir, a computer accountant hailing from Bikaner initially hesitated when doctors apprised his that they would conduct brain surgery keeping him awake in the operation theatre. Later, he agreed as the doctors claimed that was the only way his speech would remain unaffected.The surgery took place on November 14 at Narayana Multispeciality Hospital here.This makes it amongst the first few reported cases in Rajasthan, wherein a unique neuro-surgical procedure - "Awake Craniotomy" or "Awake Brain Surgery" has been successfully performed.Jangir was suffering from epilepsy seizures since the last three months. Although biopsy results had confirmed Grade 2 Brain Tumor diagnosis, he was refused surgery at a few other hospitals citing enormous chances of loss of speech and possible paralysis upon ...

Wife of former England cricket chief Strauss dies

Ruth Strauss, whose cancer diagnosis prompted her husband Andrew Strauss to step down from his role as England's director of cricket, has died, her family announced in a statement on Saturday. The statement said Ruth had died aged 46 of the rare form of lung cancer she suffered from in her home country of Australia. Strauss, a former England cricket captain, announced in early October he was standing down permanently as the national side's director of cricket following a period of compassionate leave. Ruth was diagnosed with cancer during the Ashes in December 2017 and he took a break from his position earlier this year after she began a new course of treatment. "It is with great sadness and immense grief that we have to announce that Ruth passed away today as a result of her rare lung cancer," read the statement issued by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on behalf of the Strauss family. "Sam, Luca and I will miss her terribly. "Anyone who has met Ruth will know how loving, ..

Shiva Mills gets revision in credit ratings from CARE

Long term bank facilities - CARE BBB; Positive (Revised from CARE BBB; Stable)

Christmas meal linked to high cholesterol level: Study

While we all love to binge on rich, palatable Christmas meals, its consumption in large quantities may boost cholesterol levels, researchers have warned.

Microsoft, Taiwan AI Labs collaborate for genetic analysis

Microsoft and Taiwan AI Labs have collaborated and unveiled TaiGenomics -- an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based genetic analysis platform -- using Microsoft Azure Cloud computing and storage capabilities.

Moderate drinking may not be harmful for heart failure patients

Moderate drinking may not be harmful for people over 65 who have newly been diagnosed with heart failure, according to a recent study.The study, from Washington University School of Medicine, is published in JAMA Network Open.The study showed a survival benefit for moderate drinkers compared with those who abstained from alcohol. On average, survival for moderate drinkers was just over a year longer than abstainers, a difference that was statistically significant. However, the findings do not suggest that non-drinkers should start imbibing after a heart failure diagnosis, the researchers emphasised."My patients who are newly diagnosed with heart failure often ask me if they should stop having that glass of wine every night," said senior author and cardiologist David L. Brown. "And until now, I didn't have a good answer for them. We have long known that the toxic effects of excessive drinking can contribute to heart failure. In contrast, we have data showing that healthy people who ...