Page 360 - Health Medical Pharma

DMK patriarch Karunanidhi dead

DMK president M Karunanidhi died here today after prolonged illness, the city hospital where the leader was admitted, said. The 94-year old leader's end came at 6.10 p.m. "With deep anguish we announce the demise of our beloved Kalaignar M Karunanidhi on 07.08.2018 at 6.10 pm. Despite the best possible efforts by our team of doctors and nurses to resuscitate him, he failed to respond. "We profoundly mourn the loss of one of the tallest leaders of India and we share the grief of family members and fellow Tamilians worldwide," a press release by Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, Executive Director of Kauvery Hospital, said. The veteran of Dravidian politics was shifted to the hospital on July 28 from his Gopalapuram residence following a dip in his blood pressure and he was under treatment in the Intensive Care Unit ever since.

Permanent solutions for a more beautiful you this monsoon

Along with the cold dusty damp weather of the monsoon season, the climate also brings skin-related issues which makes the skin look dull. To conquer these facial battles, and bring back the freshness, the use of dermal fillers is the current rage in the skin care market.

Novel nanoparticles can help detect cancer without biopsy

Scientists have developed nanoparticle-based imaging technique that can detect various types of breast cancer, and other diseases, without the need for extracting tissue samples from the patient. The research, published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, opens up a new avenue in minimally invasive disease diagnosis. "The use of nanoparticles for bio-imaging of disease is an exciting and fast-moving area of science," said Yiqing Lu from Macquarie University in Australia. "Specially designed nanoparticles can be placed in biological samples or injected into specific sites of the body and then 'excited' by introduced light such as that from a laser or an optical fibre," Lu said. "Disease biomarkers targeted by these nanoparticles then reveal themselves, by emitting their own specific wavelength signatures which are able to be identified and imaged," he said. A major limitation however is that only a single disease biomarker at a time is able to be distinguished and quantified in the ..

MAHE researchers discover biomolecules preventing insulin effects on blood vessels in diabetic individuals

Insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas, plays an important role in stimulating the muscle, fat, and liver cells to consume glucose and produce energy. In addition to this, insulin also carries out specialised functions in cells such as the endothelial cells, which line the blood vessels throughout the body.In individuals with diabetes who respond differently to insulin (insulin-resistant conditions), these endothelial cells do not function and lose their tone and elasticity which may further lead to diabetes-associated vascular complications such as kidney damage, loss of vision, stroke, heart disease and erectile dysfunction.Dr. Vinod Bhat, Vice-Chancellor of MAHE, said, "MAHE is supporting molecular genetics program as there is plenty to discover to the benefit of patients. Majority of T2D subjects suffer from vascular diseases and it is important to study vascular endothelial cells in order to identify newer therapeutic interventions to restore normal function of the ...

Breast-feeding tips for new moms

Considered an elixir for your baby, breast milk and breast-feeding play a key role in your childs development. Over the years, the health benefits of breast-feeding have been emphasised to create awareness about the impact of nursing on the overall development of your baby.

New compound may reverse human cell ageing: Study

Scientists have developed a novel compound which they say can reverse ageing in human cells, and may lead to "anti-degenerative" drugs. In a laboratory study of endothelial cells - which line the inside of blood vessels - researchers at the University of Exeter in the UK tested compounds designed to target mitochondria, the "power stations" of cells. The compounds - AP39, AP123 and RT01 - have been designed to selectively deliver minute quantities of the gas hydrogen sulphide to the mitochondria in cells and help the old or damaged cells to generate the 'energy' needed for survival and to reduce senescence. In the samples used, the number of senescent cells - older cells that have deteriorated and stopped dividing - was reduced by up to 50 per cent. The team also identified two splicing factors - a component of cells - that play a key role in when and how endothelial cells become senescent. The findings raise the possibility of future treatments not only for blood vessels - which ...

Nanoparticles can help detect cancer sans biopsy

Using coded nanoparticles, a research team has developed a method to detect and diagnose cancers.

New compounds to reverse human ageing developed

British researchers have developed new compounds that can potentially reverse key aspects of the ageing of human cells.

Elite Pharmaceuticals receives USFDA approval for methadone hydrochloride tablets

Methadone is indicated for the management of pain severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock long-term opioid treatment and for which alternative treatment options are inadequate. Methadone can also be used for maintenance treatment of opioid addiction (heroin or other morphine-like drugs) in conjunction with appropriate social and medical services.

Karunanidhi extremely critical, unstable

Ailing DMK president M Karunanidhi is extremely critical and unstable, a city hospital where he is being treated for the 11th day today said. "There has been significant decline in the clinical condition of Kalaignar M Karunanidhi over the last few hours. Despite maximum medical support, his vital organ functions continue to deteriorate. "His condition is extremely critical and unstable," Hospital Executive Director Dr Aravindan Selvaraj said in a bulletin. Karunanidhi was admitted to the hosptial on July 28 following a dip in his blood pressure. He is in the ICU ever since.

Karunanidhi's condition extremely critical: Hospital

The condition of DMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi is "extremely critical and unstable", the Kauvery Hospital said on Tuesday evening.

'New class of drugs may cut cardiovascular disease risk'

Scientists have designed a potential new class of drugs that may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by targeting a specific microbial pathway in the gut. Unlike antibiotics, the new class of drugs prevents microbes from making a harmful molecule linked to heart disease without killing the microbes, which are part of the gut flora and may be beneficial to overall health. The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, found that the new drugs reversed two major risk factors for cardiovascular disease - increased platelet responsiveness and excessive clot formation - in mice, They did so by lowering levels of TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide), a gut bacteria byproduct that forms during digestion, said researchers from Cleveland Clinic in the US. High levels of TMAO in the blood have been shown to be a powerful tool for predicting future heart attack, stroke and death risks, they said. TMAO is produced when gut bacteria digest choline, lechithin and carnitine, nutrients that are .

Novel vaccine proven effective against Zika virus

A uniquely designed experimental vaccine against Zika virus has proven powerful in mice, scientists have found, paving the way for preventing the infection that causes babies to develop serious birth defects. The vaccine, developed by researchers at Ohio State University in the US employs an uncommon two-pronged approach to fighting the virus, which is spread by mosquitoes and is most serious for pregnant women and their foetuses. The single-dose vaccine, carrying the genes for two or three Zika proteins, proved effective in triggering an immune response that prevented later infection by Zika virus, researchers said. "In this study, the vaccine was potent, safe and highly effective, at least in the short term. There's a long way to go, but we think this is a promising candidate for a human vaccine," said Jianrong Li, a professor at Ohio State, who led the study published in the journal Nature Communications. Babies born to Zika-infected mothers are sometimes born with a birth defect ..

People saving up to 90% on medicines, surgicals under PMBJP: Govt

People are saving up to 90 per cent on medicines, surgicals and consumables under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), Parliament was informed today. As on July 31, 2018, 3,894 PMBJP Kendras are functional in 34 states/UTs of the country, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh L Mandaviya said in a reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. "Generally generic medicines are less expensive. Medicines, surgicals and consumables under the PMBJP are providing 50-90 per cent savings to all," he added. For 36 products, the savings are between 90-99 per cent, while for 130 products, savings are between 80-90 per cent, he added. The savings for 73 products are between 70-80 per cent, while that are between 60-70 per cent for 80 products. The savings are between 50-60 per cent for 383 products under the scheme, Mandaviya said. "In order to ensure good quality of medicines under the PMBJP, medicines, surgicals and consumables are procured from more than 150 ...

Study discovers compounds that can reverse cell ageing

In a breakthrough study, researchers have developed new compounds that could reverse human cell ageing. The study was performed at the University of Exeter.Professor Lorna Harries said that the goal was to help people stay healthier for longer. She added, "This is about health span and quality of life, rather than merely extending lifespan."In a laboratory study of endothelial cells - which line the inside of blood vessels - researchers tested compounds designed to target mitochondria (the "power stations" of cells).In the samples used in for the research, the number of senescent cells (older cells that have deteriorated and stopped dividing) was reduced by up to 50 percent. The Exeter team also identified two splicing factors (a component of cells) that play a key role in when and how endothelial cells become senescent.The findings raise the possibility of future treatments not only for blood vessels - which become stiffer as they age, raising the risk of problems including heart ...

Experimental vaccine shows potential against Zika virus

An experimental single dose vaccine against the Zika virus has proven to be powerful in mice, new research has found.

Exercise may reduce irregular heartbeat risk in obese people

Atrial fibrillation is a condition that can make your heart race and put you at risk for stroke. But people who are obese are more prone to it and can reduce it if they exercise regularly.

Turmeric extract can be used to kill cancer cells: Study

Extracts of turmeric - a condiment commonly used in Indian cuisine - can be rendered soluble and delivered to tumours to kill cancer cells, scientists say. Turmeric is known for its therapeutic effect and as a way to kill germs present in raw meat. Recently, scientists have also discovered that curcumin, a naturally occurring substance isolated from turmeric, is an effective agent for killing cancer cells. "Until now, however, curcumin is what we call in pharmaceutical science as a 'false lead' - it is therapeutic, but the full effect can't be utilised because it's poorly soluble in water," said Dipanjan Pan, an associate professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the US. "When you try to deliver a drug, it requires solubility in water, otherwise it won't flow through the bloodstream," said Santosh Misra, a post-doctoral researcher working with Pan. Researchers including those from the University of Utah in the US created a sophisticated metallocyclic complex using

'Stress can make you better at processing bad news'

Feeling stressed or anxious makes people more able to process and internalise bad news, a study has found. The research, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, reveals that a known tendency of people to take more notice of good news than bad news - the optimism bias - disappears when people feel threatened. "Generally, people are quite optimistic - we ignore the bad and embrace the good. And this is indeed what happened when our study participants were feeling calm; but when they were under stress, a different pattern emerged," said Tali Sharot from University College London in the UK. "Under these conditions, they became vigilant to bad news we gave them, even when this news had nothing to do with the source of their anxiety," Sharot said. In the lab, half of the 35 participants were told at the start that they would need to deliver a speech on a surprise topic in front of a panel of judges after completing a task - thus elevating their stress levels. The other half was told they .

Scandal-hit Chinese vaccine maker Changsheng started falsifying records in 2014: Xinhua

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Changsheng Bio-technology Co Ltd, a vaccine maker at the centre of a safety scandal in China, began falsifying production records for its rabies vaccine in April 2014, state news agency Xinhua reported on Tuesday.