Page 390 - Health Medical Pharma

Eating salamis, hot dogs can lead to manic episodes

Chemicals in processed meat snacks, such as salamis and hot dogs, can contribute to mania, an abnormal mood state characterised by hyperactivity, euphoria and insomnia. The study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, found that people hospitalised for an episode of mania had more than three times the odds of having ever eaten nitrate-cured meats than people without a history of a serious psychiatric disorder. Experiments in rats by the researchers from Johns Hopkins University in the US showed that mania-like hyperactivity after just a few weeks on diets with added nitrates. The study adds to evidence that certain diets and potentially the amounts and types of bacteria in the gut may contribute to mania and other disorders that affect the brain. "Future work on this association could lead to dietary interventions to help reduce the risk of manic episodes in those who have bipolar disorder or who are otherwise vulnerable to mania," said Robert Yolken, from the Johns Hopkins ..

Sun Pharma gets USFDA nod for cancer treatment injection

Drug major Sun Pharmaceutical Industries today said it has received approval from the US health regulator for its INFUGEM injection used for treatment of cancer. This is the first US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approval for a product from the company's Halol facility after receipt of Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) in June 2018, Sun Pharma said in a statement. The approval from the USFDA is for INFUGEM injection (gemcitabine in 0.9 per cent sodium chloride injection) 10 mg/mL, for intravenous use in a ready-to-administer bag, it added. Sun Pharma, North America CEO, Abhay Gandhi said, "We're pleased to add this novel product to our expanding oncology portfolio, as gemcitabine is one of the most commonly used cytotoxics in oncology practices." The technology used to formulate INFUGEM eliminates the risks associated with compounding, an extra step in the administration of cytotoxic infusion products, providing improved safety for healthcare professionals and cancer ...

Zydus Cadila receives four consecutive final approvals from USFDA

For Olanzapine Tablets USP, Glipizide Extended-Release Tablets, Voriconazole for Injection and Fluocinonide Topical Solution USP

Genetic change in gut bacteria alters host metabolism

A new study revealed that deleting a single gene in a particular strain of gut bacteria causes changes in metabolism and reduces weight.The study focuses on how the microbiome, a bacteria that lives in our body, affects our metabolism.The microbiome influences the development of obesity and metabolic diseases such as diabetes. But although, the specific ways in which the microbiome affects metabolism are harder to decipher. This is because the gut contains so many species of bacteria producing many different kinds of metabolites. Untangling their different effects is a significant challenge.In this study, researchers used a kind of 'genetic scalpel' to remove a particular gene from the microbiome and then investigated the effects of this change on host metabolism. They decided to focus on a group of substances that occur naturally in the human gut called bile acids.Imbalances in the bile acid pool are thought to contribute to diet-induced obesity.The team also focused on a class of ...

Australia scientists develop 'world first' melanoma blood test

Australian researchers today said they have developed a blood test for melanoma in its early stages, calling it a "world first" breakthrough that could save many lives. The scientists, from Edith Cowan University, said the new test could help doctors detect the skin cancer before it spreads through a person's body. "Patients who have their melanoma detected in its early stage have a five-year survival rate between 90 and 99 per cent," lead researcher Pauline Zaenker said in a statement. She added that survival rates fell to less than 50 per cent if the cancer spread in the body. "This is what makes this blood test so exciting as a potential screening tool because it can pick up melanoma in its very early stages when it is still treatable," Zaenker said. The research, published in the journal Oncotarget today, included a trial involving 105 patients with melanoma and 104 healthy people. The procedure detected early stage melanoma in 79 per cent of cases, the scientists said. Melanoma ..

Coffee scent may boost analytical performance

In addition to the physical boost, coffee may now help people perform better on the analytical portion of their respective areas.Drinking coffee seems to have its perks but its scent may now help one for Graduate Management Aptitude Test or even a computer adaptive test required by many business schools.A new study led by the researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology not only highlights the hidden force of scent of coffee and the cognitive boost it may provide on analytical tasks, but also the expectation that students will perform better on those tasks.The team of the researchers administered a 10-question GMAT algebra test in a computer lab to about 100 undergraduate business students, divided into two groups. One group took the test in the presence of an ambient coffee-like scent, while a control group took the same test - but in an unscented room. They found that the group in the coffee-smelling room scored significantly higher on the test."Olfaction is one of our most ...

Childhood abuse can lead to endometriosis

Childhood abuse has been generally associated with chronic pelvic pain and hypertension but a new study revealed that it can also lead to endometriosis.Endometriosis is a condition in which the endometrium, the layer of tissue that normally covers the inside of the uterus, grows outside of it. However, in rare cases, it may also occur in other parts of the body.A large prospective study conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has found that sexual and physical abuse in childhood and adolescence is associated with a greater risk of endometriosis diagnosed during adulthood.The study found that women reporting severe-chronic abuse of multiple types had a 79 percent increased risk of laparoscopically-confirmed endometriosis."Our findings suggest that similar mechanisms may be involved in the association between early abuse and endometriosis diagnosed during adulthood. We need an increased focus on the potential underlying biological mechanisms to fully understand these ...

Ankrd16 gene prevents Alzheimer's disease

Ankrd16 gene can prevent faulty proteins from causing neurological disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.In a recent study, researchers found out about this gene.Scientists know that faulty proteins can cause harmful deposits or "aggregates" in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.Although the causes of these protein deposits remain a mystery, it is known that abnormal aggregates can result when cells fail to transmit proper genetic information to proteins.Usually, the information transfer from gene to protein is carefully controlled--biologically "proofread" and corrected--to avoid the production of improper proteins.Researchers found that the Ankrd16 gene rescued specific neurons--called Purkinje cells --that die when proofreading fails.Without normal levels of Ankrd16, these nerve cells, located in the cerebellum, incorrectly activate the amino acid serine, which is then improperly incorporated into proteins and causes protein ...

China heart drug sold globally may have had impurity since 2012

LONDON (Reuters) - A common blood pressure and heart drug manufactured in bulk by a Chinese company and sold worldwide may have contained an impurity linked to cancer since 2012, European regulators said on Tuesday.

USFDA issues warning letter to Claris Injectables

The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued a warning letter to Baxter-owned Claris Injectables for violating current good manufacturing practice norms at its Ahmedabad-based plant. In the letter, the USFDA said inspectors during July 27, 2017 to August 4, 2017, had found significant deviations from standard manufacturing practices at Baxter (Claris Injectables Ltd) Ahmedabad-based plant. The significant violations included failure to maintain plant premises and thoroughly investigate any unexplained discrepancy or failure of a batch or any of its components to meet any of its specifications, the US health regulator said. The USFDA said that drug firm failed to maintain buildings used in the manufacture, processing, packing or holding of drug products in a good state of repair. "Our investigators observed significant evidence of water damage in your facility, including warped ceiling panels, puddles of water, and water stains," it said. In addition, USFDA investigators ...

C'garh: Father says baby died after ambulance door got stuck

A two-and-half-month-old baby today died due to a delay in treatment after the door of the ambulance, in which he was brought to a local hospital, failed to open because of a malfunction, alleged the infant's father. The infant, who was slated for a cardiac surgery in a private hospital here, had to be rushed to Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Hospital nearby from Raipur station in the morning after his condition started deteriorating, he said. "I contacted Sanjeevani Express 108, a free ambulance service, in the morning and rushed my child to Dr Ambedkar Hospital. When we reached the hospital, the door of the ambulance could not be opened for about 40 minutes," the infant's father, Ambika Singh, told reporters. He said the child had to be extricated from the window of the ambulance and rushed to the hospital where doctors declared the infant as dead on arrival. Singh and his wife had come from Gaya in Bihar by train to get the cardiac surgery performed on the child at the Sathya Sai ...

Injured female panther cub rescued, put under medical care

An injured female panther cub, trapped in a snare in Bansuwada reserve forests in Telangana, has been rescued and put under medical care at the Nehru Zoological Park here. The cub, which is less than a year old, was rescued yesterday by a team of veterinarians, who found that it had injuries in the right forelimb, an official release said. The panther was given primary treatment and taken back to the veterinary hospital in Nehru Zoological park last night, it said. The panther was now eating well, the release said.

Kjeriwal orders probe against Delhi hospital

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday ordered a probe against a doctor at a government hospital for allegedly refusing to operate a patient.

Unhealthy fat, cholesterol linked with lower fertility

Young women with unhealthy levels of fat in their blood before pregnancy are more likely to only have one or no child at all, finds a study explaining the previously observed association between lower fertility and heart disease.

Can a magnetic wire help early detection of cancer

Scientists, including one of Indian origin, have developed a magnetic device that could capture scarce and hard-to-capture tumour cells in the bloodstream, an advance that could lead to efficient and early detection of cancer.

Brain area linked to binge eating identified

Researchers have identified that a small group of brain cells in the hypothalamus could be a promising target for medications for controlling binge eating episodes in individuals with obesity.

CRISPR gene editing can cause genetic damage, says study

The much celebrated CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technique can cause greater genetic damage in cells than was previously thought, scientists have warned.

Prenatal exposure to plastic chemical may reduce cognitive skills

Prenatal or early exposure of your kids to a plastic chemical may harm brain development as well as reduce cognitive function, a study says.

Speed up immunisation to cover 5mn kids: WHO

Lauding the immunisation efforts being made by countries including India's Mission Indradhanush, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday called for accelerating efforts to reach the nearly five million unvaccinated children in south-east Asia.

WHO calls for accelerating efforts to reach nearly 5 million unvaccinated children

Lauding countries such as India for their work towards saving lives through immunisation, including during public health emergencies, the WHO today asked nations falling under its South-East Asia Region to further accelerate efforts to reach the nearly five million unvaccinated children. The WHO South-East Asia Region records about 37 million births annually, of them over 88 per cent children are now getting three doses of diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT) vaccines per annum, an indicator of basic vaccination coverage, the global health body said. "It is critical to identify who are missing vaccination and reach them with lifesaving vaccines. "Equity and improving vaccination coverage is the key to preventing resurgence of diseases, especially the ones eradicated with painstaking efforts, and for further reducing diseases and deaths among children, said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia, while inaugurating a 3-day meeting of Immunization Technical ...