Page 352 - Health Medical Pharma
'Some sleeping pills may increase Alzheimer's risk'
Regular use of benzodiazepines, a class of drugs commonly prescribed to treat insomnia and anxiety, may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study. The risk increase was similar with both benzodiazepines and related Z drugs, said researchers from the University of Eastern Finland. Even though the increased risk for Alzheimer's disease was small, the threshold for prescribing benzodiazepines and related drugs should be high enough due to their several adverse effects and events, such as falls, they said. These medications are commonly used for sleep problems, but their effectiveness for this indication diminishes over weeks or months. However, the risk of adverse events remains in longer-term use, according to the results published in the journal Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. The study cohort included 70,719 persons from Finnish community with newly diagnosed Alzheimer's disease in 2005-2011. Many chronic disorders, substance abuse, socioeconomical position and ...
Sleeping pills linked to Alzheimer's disease risk: Study
Regular intake of benzodiazepines, widely used to treat insomnia and anxiety, may be associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, a study has warned.
C'garh governor hospitalised after complaining of uneasiness
Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Dass Tandon was admitted to a hospital here today after he complained of uneasiness, an official said. Tandon, 90, felt uneasy this morning following which he was rushed to the state-run Dr B R Ambedkar Memorial Hospital here, the governor's secretary, Surendra Kumar Jaiswal, told PTI. He has been kept in the hospital's critical care unit and is under observation, Jaiswal said, but did not divulge any further details. Tandon, one of the founder members of the Jansangh which later became the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), became the governor of Chhattisgarh in July 2014. During his long political career, he has served on various posts, including as deputy chief minister of Punjab. The six-time MLA was also jailed from 1975 to 1977 during Emergency.
E-cigarette vapour disables lung's protective cells
E-cigarette vapour disables key immune cells in the lung that keep the air spaces clear of potentially harmful particles, say scientists who warn that vaping may be more harmful than traditional smoking. The vapour impairs the activity of alveolar macrophages, which engulf and remove dust particles, bacteria, and allergens that have evaded the other mechanical defences of the respiratory tract. The findings, published online in the journal Thorax, suggest that while further research is needed to better understand the long term health impact of vaping, e-cigarettes may be more harmful than we think, as some of the effects were similar to those seen in regular smokers and people with chronic lung disease. Vaping is increasing in popularity, but most of the current body of research has focused on the chemical composition of e-cigarette liquid before it is vaped. Researchers from University of Birmingham and Swansea University in the UK devised a mechanical procedure to mimic vaping and ..
High salt intake calls for salt reduction strategy: PHFI
Salt intake among adult Indians has been found to be high and exceeding the levels recommended by the World Health Organisation, according to a recent study conducted by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). Scientific evidence indicates that high dietary salt intake has detrimental effects on blood pressure and associated cardiovascular disease (CVD), said Dr Sailesh Mohan, additional professor at PHFI, who led the study. The study, which was conducted in Delhi, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh, covered around 1,395 adults in rural and urban areas. The study found that salt intake in Delhi and Haryana was 9.5 gms per day and 10.4 gms per day in Andhra Pradesh as against less than 5 gms recommended by WHO. The researchers examined salt excretion by collecting 24 hours urine samples from the study participants over a period from 2016-17. The researchers of the study reported that high salt intake requires a India-specific salt reduction strategy by the government to control the ...
Blood test can help detect this rare cancer
Turns out, a rare cancer known as myeloma could be caught early using simple blood tests.According to a new study, myeloma could lead to GPs using simple blood tests to improve early diagnosis. The study investigated the best combination of blood tests that could be used to diagnose myeloma in GP practices.The research was a collaboration between the University of Oxford, the University of Exeter and Chiddenbrook Surgery, Crediton, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).Researchers investigated how useful a number of different measures were for indicating the presence of the disease, and suggested what combinations of these tests were sufficient to rule out the disease, and to diagnose it, saving the patient from the worry of specialist referral.Blood tests of 2703 cases taken up to five years prior to diagnosis were analysed and compared with those of 12,157 patients without cancer, matching cases with control patients of similar age amongst other relevant ...
Talking with children can strengthen their language skills
Talking with children from an early age can help them develop brain regions critical for language and promote their ability to quickly learn new words, a study has found. The study, published in the journal JNeurosci, showed that young children who are regularly engaged in conversation by adults had improved language skills regardless of their socioeconomic status. Researchers including those from Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US conducted a study on 40 four- to six-year-old children and their parents of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. They measured conversational turn-taking over a weekend using in-home audio recording devices. The study found that greater conversational turn-taking was related to stronger connections between Wernicke's area and Broca's area - brain regions critical for the comprehension and production of speech. Although decades of research have established a relationship between socioeconomic status and children's brain ...
E-cigarette vapour disables protective cells in lungs
An experimental study has revealed that e-cigarette vapour boosts the production of inflammatory chemicals and disables key protective cells in the lung that keep the air spaces clear of potentially harmful particles.The vapor impairs the activity of alveolar macrophages, which engulf and remove dust particles, bacteria, and allergens that have evaded the other mechanical defences of the respiratory tract.The findings prompted the researchers to suggest that while further research is needed to better understand the long-term health impact of vaping on people, e-cigarettes may be more harmful than we think, as some of the effects were similar to those seen in regular smokers and people with chronic lung disease.Vaping is increasing in popularity, but most of the current body of research has focused on the chemical composition of e-cigarette liquid before it is vaped.To find out how vaping might change this chemical soup, and what impact this might have, the researchers devised a ...
Here's how cannabis harms the brain
The long-term use of either cannabis or cannabis-based drugs harms the brain, impairing memory, a new study has found.The study, led by Ana Sebastiao in collaboration with Neil Dawson and his team at the University of Lancaster, showed how long-term use of either cannabis or cannabis-based drugs impairs memory.It also revealed the implications for both recreational users and people who use the drug to combat epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and chronic pain.Through the legalisation in several countries of cannabis or cannabis-based drugs, there is an increased number of long-term users and more potent varieties are available for recreational users. It is already known that heavy, regular cannabis use increases the risk of developing mental health problems including psychosis and schizophrenia. However, there is still little understanding of the potential negative side effects of long-term cannabinoid exposure.Researchers studied the effects of a specific cannabinoid drug and found that ...
This antibody stops the body to fight HIV
Scientists have for the first time highlighted a new type of antibody called immunoglobulin G3 (IgG3) that stops the immune system's B cells from doing their normal job of fighting pathogens in certain people living with HIV.This phenomenon appears to be one way the body tries to reduce the potentially damaging effects of immune-system hyperactivity caused by the presence of HIV, according to the investigators, but in so doing, it also impairs normal immune function.The research was led by scientists in the Laboratory of Immunoregulation and the Laboratory of Immunogenetics at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.The investigators made their discovery by analysing blood samples from 83 HIV-uninfected, anonymous donors and 108 people who were living with HIV at various stages of infection. The people living with HIV came from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds. Some of these people were being treated for ...
Vaping damages vital immune system cells: Study
Vaping can damage vital immune system cells and may be more harmful than previously thought, a study suggests.
New delivery methods can combat cancer
Although chemotherapies have been highly useful as targeted treatments for cancer, researchers have discovered some new methods to treat cancer and other disorders.Scientists at the University of Missouri demonstrated that specialized nucleic acid-based nanostructures could be used to target cancer cells while bypassing normal cells.Using a molecular process that mimics a highly-accelerated form of natural evolution, the team of researchers sought out nucleic acid ligands or aptamers. Because of their three-dimensional structures, aptamers can be trained to bind to certain target molecules with high affinity and selectivity. When the target is a cancer-associated receptor, these aptamers can be used as molecular tools to recognize specifically diseased cells.The team then 'loaded' the aptamers with large, fluorescent RNAs generating nucleic-acid nanostructures. Upon incubation with target cancer and non-target cells, only malignant cells were illuminated by the nanostructure showing ..
2 NIPER's faculty members included in CDSCO's expert panel to evaluate herbal drugs
Two faculty members of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) here have been included in an expert panel set up by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to evaluate new herbal drugs for their regulatory approval. Arvind K Bansal, the head of NIPER's Pharmaceutics Department and Saranjit Singh, the head of its Pharmaceutical Analysis Department are among the 12 experts who will evaluate the manufacturing, purification, quality control and toxicological data of the new herbal drugs, also called phyto-pharmaceuticals, said NIPER in a statement. The expert panel is mandated to advise the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on evaluation of "chemistry-manufacturing control data" including identification, authentication and source of plants used for extraction, purification, formulation and manufacturing of herbal drugs for their approval. The expert committee would also be engaged in the preparation of guidelines for marketing approval ..
Prenatal Tdap vaccination does not increase autism risk: Study
Administering Tdap vaccination -- tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis -- to pregnant women may not increase children's risk of developing autism spectrum disorder, claims a study of more than 80,000 children born.
Antisocial teens 5 times more likely to die young: Study
Adolescents with conduct disorder and substance use problems are five times more likely to die prematurely than their peers, with roughly one in 20 dying by their 30s, according to a study. The research, published in the journal Addiction, suggests that while drug and alcohol use among adolescents draws more attention, antisocial behaviour - including rule-breaking tendencies - may be a more powerful predictor of early mortality. "This research makes it clear that youth identified with conduct problems are at extreme risk for premature mortality, beyond that which can be explained by substance use problems, and in critical need of greater resources," said Richard Border, a graduate student at the University of Colorado Boulder in the US. Researchers looked at death rates among 1,463 adolescents who had been arrested or referred to counselling for substance use problems or "conduct disorder." It is a mental health disorder characterised by rule-breaking, aggression towards others, ...
Dr Reddy's eyeing European market for cancer drug
Natco Pharma today said its co-development and marketing partner Dr Reddys Laboratories Ltd has filed an application with the European Medicines Agency for marketing a cancer drug in Europe. In a press release here, Natco said the duxorubicinhydrochloride liposome injection, a therapeutic equivalent to the generic version of Jessens Doxil, is for intravenous use for treating metastatic breast cancer, advanced ovarian cancer and progressive multiple myeloma. The Doxil brand of 2mg/ml had sales of approximately USD 130.5 million in Europe, for the 12 months ending December 31, 2017, Natco said citing market reports. The shares of Natco closed at Rs 769.35 per share down 1.12 per cent while Dr Reddys closed at Rs 2247. 15 up at 1.49 per cent over the previous close on BSE.
Over 34,000 infected with dengue in Sri Lanka
The number of people suffering from dengue in Sri Lanka has increased to over 34,000 so far this year, with Colombo reporting the highest number of infected patients, official statistics revealed on Monday.
Video games may boost empathy in kids: Study
A video game designed to boost empathy in children may lead to greater connectivity in brain networks related to prosocial behaviour, scientists say. A study, published in the journal npj Science of Learning, shows that, in just two weeks, middle schoolers who played such a video game showed greater connectivity in brain networks related to empathy and perspective. Some also showed altered neural networks commonly linked to emotion regulation, a crucial skill that this age group is beginning to develop, researchers said. "The realisation that these skills are actually trainable with video games is important because they are predictors of emotional well-being and health throughout life, and can be practiced anytime - with or without video games," said Tammi Kral, a graduate student at the University of WisconsinMadison in the US. Empathy is the first step in a sequence that can lead to prosocial behaviour, such as helping others in need. On average, youth between the ages of eight and .
Coronary artery compression in kids is dangerously common: Study
The incidence of compression of the heart muscle and coronary arteries in children fitted with pacemakers may be slightly more common than previously believed, say cardiologists advocating stricter monitoring to identify and prevent complications.
Autistic women twice likely to repeat pregnancy within a year
Women with developmental disabilities such as autism or Down syndrome are two times more likely to have another baby within a year of their first delivery, a study has found. The research Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences indicates that such women lack access to reproductive health care, such as pregnancy planning and contraception. Rapid repeat pregnancy within one year of a previous live birth is associated with smaller babies, preterm birth, neonatal death and other adverse effects. About one in 100 adults have an intellectual or developmental disability, such as autism-spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome and other nonspecific conditions that cause intellectual and developmental limitations. Researchers analysed data on 2,855 women with intellectual and developmental disabilities compared with 923,367 women without such disabilities who had a live birth between 2002 and 2013. They found that 7.6 per cent of women with these disabilities had another ...