Page 327 - Health Medical Pharma
Colour-changing sensor detects eye damage
Scientists, including those of Indian origin, have developed a colour-changing contact lens that can detect a key marker of eye injury in minutes -- a time frame crucial to treating eye trauma. The researchers from University of Illinois in the US used the sensor, called OjoGel, to measure ascorbic acid levels in artificial tears and in clinical samples of fluid from patients' eyes. The gel laden with gold nanoparticles changes colour when it reacts with a teardrop containing ascorbic acid, released from a wound to the eye, according to the study published in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics. "We expect a significant potential impact of this biosensor for evaluating the eye in post-surgical patients as well as trauma patients," said Dipanjan Pan, a professor at the University of Illinois. Ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C, is found in high concentrations in the fluid inside the eye, called aqueous humour, but normally has very low concentration in tears. "Deep damage to .
All you need to know about sickle-cell disease
A new study sheds light on how sickle-cell disease occurs when deformed red blood cells clump together, blocking tiny blood vessels and causing severe pain and swelling in the affected body parts.Sickle-cell disease, also known as sickle-cell anemia, is a group of disorders that lead to deformation and break down of red blood cells.Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) analysed blood from patients with sickle-cell disease and revealed the process of cell clumping.Known as vaso-occlusive pain crises, the findings represent a step towards being able to predict when such a crisis might occur."These painful crises are very much unpredictable. In a sense, we understand why they happen, but we don't have a good way to predict them yet," said Ming Dao, a principal researcher and one of the senior authors of the study.The researchers found that these painful events are most likely to be produced by immature red blood cells, called reticulocytes, which are more prone ..
Children born through assisted reproductive technologies, vulnerable to hypertension
Turns out, that children who are born with the help of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) are more vulnerable to developing arterial hypertension in their formative years.Researchers at the University Hospital in Bern, Switzerland confirmed that the most common form of ART In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) intracytoplasmic sperm injection, can expose the gamete and embryo to a variety of environmental factors before implantation.Developed in 1978, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) has helped millions of individuals and families who are unable to conceive naturally. Currently, six million people residing in the world have been conceived using ART.Through a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, researchers discovered that ART adolescents had both a higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure than the control participants of natural conception at 119/71 mmHg versus 115/69, respectively."The increased prevalence of arterial hypertension in ART participants is what is ...
Citing mosquitoes, stray dog barks, Lalu seeks shifting to another ward in RIMS
Jailed RJD president Lalu Prasad, currently admitted in a Ranchi hospital for medical assistance, has complained about poor hygiene, mosquito menace and barking by stray dogs and requested he be shifted to another ward, a close aide of the former chief minister said Monday. RJD lawmaker and national general secretary Bhola Yadav told PTI that an application has been submitted to the director of the RIMS hospital, where Prasad is admitted, with the plea that he be moved to the 100-bed paying ward, which at present has only three patients. "We have cited the reasons also for making such a request. The waste pipe of a toilet close to his ward is clogged, emitting foul smell. This imperils the health of our leader who suffers from infections," Yadav, a close confidant of the RJD chief, said. Yadav, who has been beside the RJD supremo for most of the time since he was sent to jail in December last year, said the lack of hygiene also leads to the menace of mosquitoes which is another ...
India aims to attain highest possible level of health: Minister
Stressing that India has fast-tracked many initiatives aimed at achieving the tenets of universal health coverage, Union Minister J.P. Nadda on Monday said here that the country's objective is to attain the highest possible level of health.
Odisha CM inaugurates hospital in Balasore
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday inaugurated the Fakir Mohan Medical College and Hospital in Balasore and said that it would help achieve quality healthcare service and medical education in the region.Addressing a gathering during the inauguration ceremony, Patnaik said, "The hospital is a long cherished dream of the locals that has come true. This will help to achieve quality healthcare service and medical education in the region."Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwani Kumar was also present in the inaugural ceremony of the government-run hospital. He said, "The central government is taking steps to upgrade the district headquarters hospitals to provide quality health service."The medical college will serve the people of North Odisha as well as people from neighbouring state West Bengal.At least five medical colleges were approved by the Centre in Odisha's Baripada, Balangir, Koraput, Balasore and Puri. Out of this, four were already inaugurated ..
Draft policy proposes web-based application to provide info on thalassemia, sickle cell disease
A draft policy on the prevention and control of hemoglobinopathies, thalassemia and sickle cell disease proposes creation of a web-based application providing information in simple language about the complications and management of the diseases. Titled 'Prevention and Control of Hemoglobinopathies- Thalassemia, Sickle Cell Disease and variant Hemoglobins in India', the draft prepared by the Union Health Ministry also proposes training of Asha workers in rural areas to identify subjects with severe anaemia which could be likely to be due to thalassemia major or sickle cell disease, apart from advocating promoting research to develop innovative treatments. The policy also recommends setting up of a patient registry for thalassemia and sickle cell disease to obtain information on the number of persons affected and the number of carriers to estimate patients who require various services. Hemoglobinopathy is a kind of genetic defect that results in abnormal structure of one of the globin ..
Immense scope for medical tourism between India, Netherlands: Ayush Minister
There is an immense scope for cooperation in medical tourism between India and the Netherlands, Union Minister of State for Ayush Shripad Yesso Naik said today. The healthcare system in the Netherlands is one of the best in Europe, and there is a lot of potential to integrate traditional knowledge from India, he said at a seminar titled 'India-Netherlands collaboration in Healthcare, including Ayurveda' at Leiden. Ayush refers to traditional and non-allopathic medical systems in India. It includes ayurveda, yoga, unani, siddha, and homoeopathy. "India is the world's largest producer of generic medicine and there is wide scope for medical value travel to India, both in conventional and alternative medical treatments such as Ayurveda," Naik said at the seminar organised by the Indian Embassy here. Emphasising that the scope for cooperation in the health sector between the two countries is immense, he said, "India and the Netherlands can work together closely to promote healthy ...
Similar changes in patients with ADHD and emotional instability
A new study has found that in both Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and emotional instability disorders, the brain exhibits similar changes in overlapping areas, and the two types of conditions should be seen as related and attention should be paid to both during diagnosis.Clinical attention has shown that individuals with ADHD also demonstrate emotional problems, such as chaotic emotional responses, anxiety and depression. Yet the relationship between ADHD and impaired emotional regulation has not been identified, even though theories have been proposed that both conditions are rooted in a dysfunction in how the brain controls its information processing.The researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden substantiated the hypothesis by showing how both ADHD and a form of emotional instability trait (conduct disorder trait in children) exhibit similar, overlapping changes in the brain. The study included more than 1,000 adolescents."We can call them sibling ...
CBI probe needed in organ transplant scam: PMK
Former Union Minister and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the organ transplant scam in Tamil Nadu.
Priyanka Chopra advocates timely intervention for asthma
Actress Priyanka Chopra, who suffers from asthma, has partnered with Cipla Respiratory to create awareness about the condition and break the stigma surrounding its treatment. She has advocated timely intervention that can help one have a better quality of life.
'AI may help assess brain injury patients'
Chinese researchers say they have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model with medical imaging to accurately determine whether patients with severe brain damage might regain consciousness. Severe brain injury can lead to disorders of consciousness (DOC), said researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Some patients can recover from an acute brain injury, but others fall into chronic DOC, also known as a vegetative state. They cannot communicate or act consciously. Most doctors assess the chances of recovery based on three main indicators: the patient's age, the cause and the duration of the disorder, according to the research published in the international journal eLife. Studies have shown that patients with traumatic brain injury have a higher likelihood of recovery than those with non-traumatic brain injury, and young patients are more likely to have a favourable outcome than older ones. Doctors also observe patients' actions, with tests such as clapping hands or ...
'Combining 4 or 5 antibiotics may effectively kill bacteria'
Scientists say they have discovered thousands of four- and five-drug combinations of antibiotics that are more effective at killing harmful bacteria than thought. The findings, published in the journal npj Systems Biology and Applications, could be a major step towards protecting public health at a time when pathogens and common infections are increasingly becoming resistant to antibiotics. "There is a tradition of using just one drug, maybe two," said Pamela Yeh, an assistant professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the US. "We are offering an alternative that looks very promising. We shouldn't limit ourselves to just single drugs or two-drug combinations in our medical toolbox. "We expect several of these combinations, or more, will work much better than existing antibiotics," said Yeh. Working with eight antibiotics, the researchers analysed how every possible four- and five-drug combination, including many with varying dosages -- a total of 18,278 ...
India fast-tracked initiatives for universal health coverage: Nadda
Union Health Minister J P Nadda Monday said India has fast-tracked initiatives for universal health coverage (UHC) and his ministry is working "very hard" for effectively implementing the Ayushman Bharat scheme - the largest government-funded health scheme in the world. At the 71st session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia here, he said India supports the regional and global health agenda and stands ready to work with fellow member states and the international community to achieve the common goal of 'Health for All'. Ayushman Bharat rests on the twin pillars of Health and Wellness Centres for provision of comprehensive primary healthcare services and the Prime Minister's National Health Protection Mission for secondary and tertiary care to 100 million families. "Under the first pillar of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, we are reaching out to approximately 40 per cent of country's population roughly covering 500 million individuals, who will be provided an insurance ..
Dynacons Systems & Solutions bags contract worth Rs 58 crore
From Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai
Combining 4 or 5 antibiotics may help kill deadly bacteria
In a promising find, a team of biologists at the University of California-Los Angeles has discovered thousands of four-and five-drug combinations of antibiotics that are more effective at killing harmful bacteria than the prevailing views suggested.
New AI model helps assess brain injury in patients
Chinese researchers have built an artificial intelligence (AI) model with medical imaging that would help determine whether patients with severe brain damage might regain consciousness.
'Too much sitting may cause health risks'
Sitting for too long without taking a break may increase a wide range of health risks, even if one engages in recommended amounts of physical activity, scientists say. Further studies are needed to determine "the most effective and practical interventions for reducing habitual sitting," said Linda Eanes from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in the US. "Nurses have a pivotal role to play in increasing public awareness about the potential adverse effects of high-volume and prolonged uninterrupted sitting," Eanes said. In recent years, studies have shown a direct relationship between prolonged sitting and the risk of several chronic health conditions. Increased health risks have been reported both for high-volume sitting, such as sitting for seven or more hours per day, and for prolonged uninterrupted sitting, such as sitting for 30 minutes or longer without a break. The health risks of prolonged sitting are independent of whether the person participates in recommended physical .
'Toilet-cum-childcare' room at Srinagar airport; Union min steps in
Junior Civil Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha on Monday directed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to look into the allegations of a toilet being converted into a childcare room at the Srinagar airport. Sinha asked the AAI to follow up on the complaint by a person named Avinash Kaul, who posted about the matter on Twitter yesterday and tagged the Union minister. "@AAI_Official This is to bring to your notice the pathetic state of child care rooms at Srinagar and Jammu airports, the rooms are smelly, filthy and in Srinagar a toilet has been converted to a child care room. They are more of health hazards. @jayantsinha @sureshpprabhu," Kaul said. Kaul said there was no proper service despite all the airlines charging nearly Rs 1500 for infants. "I would like the authorities to take appropriate action and construct proper child care rooms at both the airports and also other places lacking these facilities." Posting a picture of the room, Kaul added, "This toilet cum child care room ...
Bihar: Man dies as ambulance fails to reach in time
A man died in Bagaha city of Bihar's West Champaran district after an ambulance of a sub-divisional hospital allegedly failed to reach him in time.Saral was referred in a critical condition for higher medical treatment to another hospital. However, the ambulance did not reach him in time which allegedly led to his death.Complaining lack of proper medical facility in hospital, one of Saral's relatives alleged, "There is no proper medical facility available in hospitals. The ambulance did not reach in time which indicates lack of medical facility. He eventually died because of the delay."When asked about the allegation leveled by the relative of the deceased, hospital in-charge SP Agarwal said, "we have demanded senior authorities to probe the matter.