Page 252 - Health Medical Pharma
World's largest brain-like supercomputer switched on for first time
The world's largest supercomputer designed to work in the same way as the human brain has been switched on for the first time. The newly formed million-processor-core Spiking Neural Network Architecture (SpiNNaker) machine is capable of completing more than 200 million million actions per second, with each of its chips having 100 million transistors. To reach this point it has taken 15million in funding, 20 years in conception and over 10 years in construction, with the initial build starting way back in 2006, according to a statement. The SpiNNaker machine, designed and built in The University of Manchester in the UK, can model more biological neurons in real time than any other machine on the planet. Biological neurons are basic brain cells present in the nervous system that communicate primarily by emitting 'spikes' of pure electro-chemical energy. Neuromorphic computing uses large scale computer systems containing electronic circuits to mimic these spikes in a machine. SpiNNaker ..
Coronary calcium tests better predictor of heart attack risks
Checking calcium levels of arteries which surround and supply blood to the heart could better predict the risk for a heart attack than standard risk-assessment equations used in medical practice, according to a study.
Yoga based rehab prog as safe and beneficial as conventional therapy in cardiac patients
A yoga-based rehabilitation program in patients with heart attack is as safe and beneficial as the conventional cardiac rehabilitation therapy, says a new study. The results of the five year study were presented in the American Heart Association Scientific Session in Chicago on Saturday. It was funded by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and Medical Research Council (UK). The study compared the effectiveness of Yoga based Cardiac Rehabilitation (Yoga- CaRe) with Enhanced Standard Care (ESC) in patients with heart attack on clinical outcomes like death, recurrent heart attacks, stroke, heart related emergency hospital admissions and quality of life, said Dr Ambuj Roy, Professor of Cardiology at the AIIMS. The study found that Yoga-CaRe has the potential to be an alternative to the conventional cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs and address the unmet needs of CR for patients in India and other countries. The study was conducted in 24 centres in India and covered close .
Coronary calcium level can predict coronary heart disease risk better
According to a recent study, testing a patient's coronary calcium levels is a better predictor of blocked coronary arteries at risk for a heart attack.The study was presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2018."With coronary calcium, we're looking at a marker indicating the actual presence of anatomic disease -- we're not just looking at probabilities of disease based on a patient's standard risk factors. The risk factors are worth knowing, but they don't tell whether or not you actually have the disease," said Jeffrey L. Anderson.Cardiovascular disease remains the greatest cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, and determining who's most at risk continues to be suboptimal, said Dr. Anderson.In the study, researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute identified 1,107 symptomatic patients who presented to the healthcare system without any known coronary artery disease and who had a PET-stress test to measure coronary flow, ...
Most Salmonella resistant to different antibiotics: Study
Majority of the strains of Salmonella -- a bacteria that causes foodborne diseases -- are resistant to different classes of antibiotics, scientists say. Researchers from University of Sao Paulo in Brazil sequenced and investigated the genomes of 90 strains of a specific serovar of Salmonella enterica known as S Typhimurium. The 90 strains were isolated between 1983 and 2013. They provide a portrait of the epidemiology of salmonellosis in Brazil in the last 30 years, coming from all regions of the country and having been collected from patients with foodborne infections or from contaminated food such as poultry, pork, or lettuce and other vegetables. "From humans, we received samples of blood, brain abscesses, and diarrheic faeces," said Amanda Aparecida Seribelli from University of Sao Paulo. When the action of antibiotics in each of the 90 strains was tested, it was discovered that the vast majority were resistant to different classes of antibiotics that are part of the arsenal of ...
Overtreating hypothyroidism patients may increase risk of stroke
According to a new study, for patients who take medication to treat hypothyroidism, being treated with too much medication can lead to an increased risk of Atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder associated with stroke.The findings were presented by researchers from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City at the American Heart Association Scientific Session conference in Chicago."We know patients with hypothyroidism have a higher risk of atrial fibrillation, but we didn't consider increased risk within what's considered the normal range of thyroid hormones. These findings show we might want to reconsider what we call normal." said lead researcher Jeffrey L. Anderson.For the study, researchers surveyed the electronic medical records of 174,914 patients treated at Intermountain Healthcare facilities whose free thyroxine (fT4) levels were recorded and who were not on thyroid replacement medication. Researchers then took what's considered a normal ...
Salmonella resistant to different antibiotics: Study
Salmonella, a common bacteria that causes foodborne diseases, are resistant to several antibiotics used to treat infections, suggests new research.
Pedal desks may reduce health risks of sedentary workplace
Pedal desks can help sedentary employees achieve their health goals, and lower the risk of diseases linked to physical inactivity, such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease, a study has found. Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the US found that pedalling while conducting work tasks improved insulin responses to a test meal. Insulin levels following the meal were lower when sedentary workers used a pedal desk compared to a standard desk. In addition, work skills were not decreased in the pedalling condition. Researchers said that pedal desks "could have the potential to achieve public and occupational health goals in sedentary work environments." They point out that physical inactivity and sedentary work environments have been linked to higher rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease through insulin resistance and other mechanisms. "Instead of approaching the problem by trying to squeeze intermittent activity into a largely sedentary work routine, we ...
Govt taken initiatives to solve problems of tea tribe
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Saturday asserted that his government has initiated several initiatives for the tea tribe communities to solve their various problems to some extent. People belonging to the tea tribe community have contributed immensely to the growth of the economy of the state and it is due to their dedication, Assam tea has etched its name in the global market, Sonowal said. He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a pre-examination coaching centre for civil service examination 2018 for aspirants from the tea tribes community. He said this imparting pre-examination coaching is one of the many programmes that state government has undertaken for the socio-economic and educational development for the people of the community. He urged the 50 students who have been shortlisted for the pre-examination coaching to work hard and become successful in their endeavour and be a source of motivation for other students to emulate them.
Newborns who died were critically ill: Hospital
All the 15 newborn babies who died at a government hospital in Assam over the past few days were "critically ill and had no chance of survival", a hospital spokesperson said Saturday. The mothers of all the deceased were 'unbooked' -- that is they had no medical records of their pregnancy, said Nilutpal Bhattacharjee, the public relations officer of the Jorhat Medical College Hospital (JMCH), where the deaths were reported from November 1-6. The number of babies admitted to the hospital's special care newborn unit (SCNU) was almost double its usual number at that time and the number of deaths was also proportionately high in tandem with increased admissions, the PRO said. Most of the mothers had delivered their babies within an hour after their arrival to the hospital, while three of them underwent caesarean sections in some other hospital. When the condition of the newborns turned serious, they were referred to JMCH, he said. The hospital report said the newborns were critically ill .
Nurses on strike at Delhi hospital for better pay
Around 300 nurses of a private hospital in Delhi are on a strike for the second day demanding minimum wages as per the Supreme Court recommendations. The nurses at the Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre in south Delhi have alleged that they had been forced to work for extra hours and were not being paid accordingly. Their other demands include maintenance of the nurse-patient ratio as per the norms of the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), annual increments, implementation of the maternity leave policy and insurance coverage, said a member of the nurses' union. The nurses have submitted their list of demands to the management, besides putting forth their complaints to Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain and the Nursing Council of India. "There is paucity of staff and the management makes the nurses work overtime and does not even pay for that," said Joldin, general secretary, United Nurses Association-Delhi. According to the nurses, ...
98-year-old Iraqi undergoes heart surgery at Gurugram
A 98-year-old man from Iraq underwent a bypass surgery at the Medanta hospital in Gurugram, a statement said on Saturday.
Ordnance blast in South-East Turkey kills 4 soldiers, leaves 20 injured: Erdogan
An ordnance blast at a military warehouse in the southeastern Turkish province of Hakkari has left four Turkish soldiers dead and around 20 others injured, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.On Friday, the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement that at least 25 people were injured, while searches for seven missing soldiers were underway. All of the injured soldiers were promptly taken to hospital."Four of our servicemen were killed in a blast at an ammunition depot in Hakkari, while around 20 are injured," Erdogan said during his address in Ankara.He went on to say that search and rescue operations continued.According to the administration of the Hakkari province, the blast was caused by faulty ordnance.
Foundation stone of cancer hospital laid in Ranchi
The foundation stone of a cancer hospital, being set up by the Jharkhand government with assistance from the Tata Trusts, was laid here on Saturday. The Ranchi Cancer Hospital and Research Center will come up within 12 to 18 months. State Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata laid the foundation stone of the hospital. "After two years, patients will not have to go outside the state after construction of this hospital. I know the difficulty and pain of the people who have to go outside for treatment," Das said at the programme. During the state's business summit "Momentum Jharkhand, 2017", the chief minister had urged Tata for construction of a cancer hospital here. The Tatas spend 80 per cent of its profits on welfare programmes and the industry should take inspiration from the Tata house, Das said. Tata Trust Chairman Ratan N Tata said the project of this scale has not been undertaken in India and the world. "It would be our hope that in 20/30 ...
Why grief is bad for the heart
Sleep disturbance among people grieving the recent loss of a spouse may put them at increased risk for cardiovascular illness and death, a study has warned.
AI tools may fail during key medical diagnosis: Researchers
In a first such warning when it comes to the role of Artificial Intelligence in making sense of critical health data, a team of US researchers has said AI in the medical space must be carefully tested for performance across a wide range of populations as the deep learning models may fall short.
Researchers develop affordable cellphone-based tool to detect HIV
A team of researchers has developed a portable and low-cost mobile diagnostic tool, utilising a cellphone and nanotechnology, that can detect HIV viruses and monitor their management in resource-limited regions.
This wearable biopatch can enhance drug delivery
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a new flexible and translucent base for silicon nanoneedle patches to deliver exact drug doses directly into cells and expand observational opportunities.
High BP, smoking makes women more prone to heart attack
According to a new study, high blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes makes women more prone to the risk of heart attack when compared to men.The rate of heart attacks in men remains three times higher than in women, according to researchers at the University of Oxford. But the study identified that those three individual factors -- smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure -- are more likely to be linked to heart attacks in women, showing the need for more awareness efforts targeted at women on the issue of heart diseases. The findings appeared in the journal BMJ.Nearly half a million British people enrolled in the UK Biobank were studied. They were between the ages of 40 and 69 and were recruited between 2006 and 2010. They were followed for an average of seven years by researchers. Of the 471,998 participants, none had a history of cardiovascular diseases. The researchers found that 5,081 of those people had their first heart attack during the course of the study, 28.8 per cent of ..
Grief linked to sleep disturbances
According to a study, the link between sleep disturbances and inflammation was two to three times higher for recently widowed people.The study, led by Rice University and Northwestern University, has been published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.People who have recently lost a spouse are more likely to have sleep disturbances that exacerbate levels of inflammation in the body and these elevated levels of inflammation may increase the risk of cardiovascular illness and death, found researchers.The study compared the self-reported sleep habits of recently widowed people to a control group. Both groups had sleep disturbances, such as insomnia.The researchers found that the link between sleep disturbances and inflammation was two to three times higher for the bereaved spouses.Corresponding author Diana Chirinos said the study suggests that these bereaved individuals are more susceptible to the negative health effects of poor sleep."The death of a spouse is an acutely stressful ...