Page 301 - Health Medical Pharma
Antibiotics overuse can may do more harm than good
Antibiotics may kill the body's "good" bacteria that maintain immune cells and keep infections at bay, say scientists including those of Indian origin, warning that the overuse of these medicines can do more harm than good. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, found that natural defenses were very effective in reducing infection and unwanted inflammation -- and antibiotics can prevent such natural defenses. Researchers, including Natarajan Bhaskaran and Shivani Butala from Case Western Reserve University in the US, examined "resident" bacteria, their fatty acids and their effect on certain types of white blood cells that combat infections in the mouth. They looked at the "short-term maintenance" of Tregs and Th-17 cells in fighting fungal infections, such as Candida, in a laboratory setting. "We set out to find out what happens when you don't have bacteria to fight a fungal infection," said Pushpa Pandiyan, an assistant professor at Case Western. "What we ...
Vaccine for 'traveller's diarrhoea' in the offing
In an effort to develop a preventive vaccine against traveller's diarrhoea, scientists have discovered how the bacteria behind the disorder works to cause infection. Researchers, including those from the University of Georgia in the US, analysed samples taken directly from citizens who volunteered to become infected with the bacteria called Enterotoxigenic E coli, or ETEC, a major cause of traveller's diarrhoea. "If we can understand how ETEC causes disease, we can develop new vaccines to prevent infections," said Stephen Trent, a professor at the University of Georgia. Ingesting contaminated food or water can lead to ETEC infection, which can cause diarrhoea for up to a week, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Considering the fact that up to 200 million people become infected annually, an estimated one billion days of human productivity are lost every year due to ETEC infections, researchers said. Visiting the doctor to ...
Higher BMI may lower your mental, physical health
There is a growing need to prevent obesity as a new study has found that higher body mass index (BMI) may impact your mental as well as physical health.
Tahira my biggest inspiration: Ayushmann
Actor Ayushmann Khurrana says his wife Tahira, who has been detected with pre-invasive breast cancer, is his biggest inspiration.
Brain marker behind aggression in some toddlers identified
If your toddler gets implusive often while playing with other kids, do not give him or her a rough look as scientists now report a brain marker that is associated with aggression in some children.
Quest for a healthy skin at 50
As you get older, your diet, lifestyle and hormones become evident on your skin. The wrinkles, loss of elasticity, dark circles and blemishes can be a shock when we loom in the mirror therefore, you need to give your skin a little more care in the 50s than you probably do in your 20s or 30s.
Genetic testing may help in discovering cancer-related gene
According to a recent study, genetic testing can play a substantial role in medical management by uncovering changes in genes that are associated with an increased risk for hereditary cancers.The conclusion of the research is based on a study that reviewed genetic testing results from 1.45 million individuals and found that nearly 25 per cent of "variants of uncertain significance" were subsequently reclassified -- sometimes as less likely to be associated with cancer, sometimes as more likely.When variations from the norm are discovered in a gene, the variants are classified as "benign," "likely benign," "variant of uncertain significance," "likely pathogenic," or "pathogenic."Dr. Theo Ross, senior author of the study, said, "If a variant is reclassified to being pathogenic, then it matters to the patient.""For example, if they have a broken Lynch syndrome gene, then they need different care from their doctor such as having colonoscopies at an earlier age or more frequently, ...
Increased BMI maybe harmful for mental wellbeing
Turns out, there is an increasing need to prevent obesity because of the consequences for mental and physical health.The study explored the impact of aspects of physical health, such as body weight, heart health and blood pressure, to see whether a wide age range of individuals with poorer physical health went on to be less happy and less satisfied with their lives.Previous studies have shown that individuals who are happier and more satisfied with their lives tend to have better physical health and live longer than those who have lower mental wellbeing. But these studies leave the classic chicken and egg question - which comes first?Using a technique called Mendelian randomization, the researchers asked whether poorer physical health causes lower mental wellbeing, or whether individuals with lower mental wellbeing are more likely to go on to have later problems with their physical health.This technique provides evidence of the direction of causation by using genetic variants that ...
What causes traveller's diarrhoea?
Millions of people, every year, have their vacations and business trips ruined when they get 'traveller's diarrhoea' during travelling.A major cause of this is a bacteria called Enterotoxigenic E. coli, or ETEC. Researchers have discovered how the bacteria work to cause the disease, in an effort to develop a preventive vaccine for travellers.The researchers studied samples taken directly from citizens who volunteered to become infected with ETEC.Ingesting contaminated food or water can lead to ETEC infection, which can cause diarrhoea for up to a week. Considering the fact that up to 200 million people become infected annually, an estimated 1 billion days of human productivity are lost every year due to ETEC infections.Visiting the doctor to get vaccinated before a trip can prevent travellers from catching a disease. Unfortunately, there are no available vaccines to prevent ETEC infections, so travellers must constantly be concerned about what they eat and drink while on vacation.The .
Breastfeeding not solely responsible for infant's health
Breastfeeding is majorly correlated with positive health outcomes in infants, but it might not be the causal mechanism.Researchers from the University at Buffalo found that the benefits of breastfeeding, reported in the vast majority of prior research, could be influenced by the mother's characteristics, such as what they know about health and nutrition."It's important to understand that we are not trying to imply that just intending to breastfeed is what's leading to these health outcomes," said Jessica Su, co-author of the study. "What we found is that intending mothers had more information about nutrition and diet; they more frequently consulted their physicians; and had better access to information related to infant health than those moms who did not intend to breastfeed."This access to health care is an important policy focus. By channelising so much energy into getting moms to breastfeed, we miss something very important: that access to health care and the ability to take ...
Antibiotics do more harm than good
A new research shows that the body's microbes are effective in maintaining immune cells and killing certain oral infections.A team of researchers at Case Western Reserve University found that antibiotics actually kill the "good" bacteria, keeping infection and inflammation at bay.Scientists have long known that overuse of antibiotics can do more harm than good. For example, overuse can cause antibiotic resistance. But research into this phenomenon in oral health was uncharted territory.Researchers examined "resident" bacteria, their fatty acids and their effect on certain types of white blood cells that combat infections in the mouth. Specifically, they looked at the "short-term maintenance" of Tregs and Th-17 cells in fighting fungal infections, such as Candida, in a laboratory setting.They found that those natural defenses were very effective in reducing infection and unwanted inflammation-- and antibiotics can prevent such natural defenses."We set out to find out what happens when .
Many doctors in India miss TB signs: study
Many private sector doctors in India miss the signs of tuberculosis and therefore provide patients inadequate treatment, according to a new study published Tuesday involving people hired to act out the symptoms. Tuberculosis or TB, an airborne infection, remains a major public health issue in India, China and Indonesia, among other countries. It killed 1.7 million people in 2017, according to the World Health Organization, and a global health summit will be held at the United Nations on Wednesday to raise funds to eradicate the disease. But the primary care physicians who see patients when they start coughing are the weak link in the fight against the pandemic -- at least in the two cities where the study took place, the metropolis of Mumbai and eastern Patna. The experiment was financed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and led by a team of researchers from McGill University, the World Bank and Johns Hopkins University. The results were published in PLOS Medicine. It took ...
'Delhi AIIMS kept highest standards of meritocracy, learning: Minister
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here has maintained the highest standards of meritocracy and learning established at global platform, Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said on Tuesday.
Govt sets up Ayush Information Cell in Romania
To encourage practice of ayurveda, India has set up an Ayush Information Cell at its embassy premises in Romania to create awareness about the traditional Indian system of medicine, the government said on Tuesday.
Environment may affect intelligence genes in humans
Environmentally-induced epigenetic changes, such as stress and adverse life experiences, to our genetic material -- known as deoxyribonucelic acid (DNA) -- may have a greater impact on our intelligence, a new study has found.
TRA with a tech co develops fine leaf counting equipment using AI
Tea Research Association (TRA) has been focusing its research on the application of internet-based technologies and has developed an equipment using Artificial Intelligence (AI), in association with Agnext Technologies, for determining fine leaf count, an official said on Tuesday.
Meghwal inaugurates drug store under PMJAY
Union Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday inaugurated Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PMJAY) drug centre in Bikaner where generic medicines will be available. Meghwal said nearly 700 types of drugs will be available in the centre which is on the PBM Government Hospital premises. He said another such centre will soon be set up near Acharya Tulsi Cancer Research Institute. On the occasion, Meghwal said a solar power unit will be installed at PBM Hospital at a cost of Rs 3 crore, which will ensure uninterrupted power supply to the medical facility.
2 heart transplants in Kolkata within 24 hours
Two heart transplants were carried out in less than 24 hours in Kolkata, with a 600-km green corridor being set up from Patna to the city for the second one. Following a heart transplant on a 51-year-old man in a city hospital on Monday, another transplant was carried out on a young woman in another health facility. The 29-year-old woman from Howrah was suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy and was undergoing treatment at the hospital for the past one year, said a senior doctor involved in the operation. The heart for the second transplant was harvested from a 19-year-old youth, who was declared brain dead at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Patna, on Monday, after suffering an accident the previous day, the doctor said. His family gave the consent to donate their son's organs like heart, liver and kidneys. "A team of doctors from the city's hospital rushed to harvest the donor's heart and reached Patna at 10.15 am on Monday. A 608-km long green corridor was ...
Thai police hand over 100 kilos of marijuana for research
Thai police on Tuesday handed over around 100 kilograms of seized marijuana for medical research, as officials seek to produce pot-based medication. Sophon Mekthon, chairman of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization, said researchers chose high-quality marijuana from police to conduct medical research, selecting from batches of seized imported marijuana and taking some local strains of cannabis that police had recently confiscated. He said the marijuana varied in quality and type so researchers could observe which characteristics are most suitable for medicinal purposes. "The Government Pharmaceutical Organization intends to use marijuana, which is a plant that grows well in Thailand, for medical research and to develop it into medical marijuana extract and other pharmaceutical products of standardized quality," Sophon said in a statement, adding that the organization hopes to make cannabis-based medicine available to a wide range of people to replace other types of medicine that .