Page 54 - Health Medical Pharma
IIT Kanpur Alumnus Donates USD 100,000 Towards Class of 1984 Endowed Chair
/ -- IIT Kanpur is happy to share that their noted alumnus Dr. Dev Joneja has gifted USD 100,000 to the Institute to upgrade the Class of 1984 Faculty Research Fellowship to an Endowed Chair. Dr. Joneja's gift will enable their faculty to continue to pursue new frontiers of research. "IIT Kanpur has always believed that its alumni are its greatest asset. We thank Dr. Joneja for this generous contribution to his batch endowment which will significantly aid the students and faculty to continue their work on cutting-edge technological innovations across various disciplines," said Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur. Dr. Joneja is currently the Chief Risk Officer at Exodus Point Capital Management. Previously, he was the Global Head of Risk and Analytics at Millennium Management LLC and has also served as its Senior Managing Director. Prior to joining the firm in 2009, Dr. Joneja was at Lehman Brothers for 13 years, most recently as the Head of Fixed Income Research and as the ..
Genes may decide if you will own a dog: Study
Your genetic makeup can significantly influence whether you will own a dog or not, a study suggests. Scientists studied the heritability of dog ownership using information on 35,035 twin pairs from the Swedish Twin Registry. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, suggests that genetic variation explains more than half of the variation in dog ownership, implying that the choice of getting a dog is heavily influenced by an individual's genetic makeup. Dogs were the first domesticated animal and have had a close relationship with humans for at least 15,000 years. Today, dogs are common pets and are considered to increase the well-being and health of their owners, researchers said. "We were surprised to see that a person's genetic make-up appears to be a significant influence in whether they own a dog," said Tove Fall, a professor at Uppsala University in Sweden. "These findings have major implications in several different fields related to understanding dog-human ...
Children who walk or pedal to school less prone to obesity, suggests study
Does your child go to school by walking or pedaling? If your answer is no, then your child can easily fall prey to obesity. A recent study has been found that children who regularly walk or cycle to school are less prone to becoming overweight.The study was published in the journal 'BMC Public Health'Based on results from more than 2000 primary-age schoolchildren from across London, the researchers have found that walking or cycling to school is a strong predictor of obesity levels, a result which was consistent across neighbourhoods, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds.The study is the first to assess the effects of physical activity on childhood overweight and obesity levels for primary schoolchildren by simultaneously relating two of the main types of extracurricular physical activity: daily commuting to school and frequency of participation in various sports activities.Instead of using Body-Mass Index (BMI) as a measure of obesity, the researchers measured body fat and ...
Air India flight lands at Jamnagar IAF base after passenger suffers cardiac arrest
An Air India flight from Delhi to Muscat was diverted to Jamnagar Air Force base Sunday night after a 33-year-old passenger suffered a cardiac arrest onboard. After landing at the Indian Air Force base, the patient was rushed to the Jamnagar civil hospital accompanied by an IAF doctor. "AI 973 Delhi Muscat flt diverted to Jamnagar Air Force Base at 2230 with an Indian passenger aged 33 sufferng cardiac arrest in flight. IAF responded promptly. Diversion to civil airfield wd hv taken more time. Patient shifted to hospital accompanied by IAF doc," PRO Defence Gujarat Puneet Chadha said in a tweet late on Sunday night. He later said patient was taken to Guru Govind Singh Hospital for treatment. Name of the patient was not know immediately. It is rare when commercial flights are allowed to land on IAF bases. However, Chadha said in the tweet that IAF responded quickly as the flight diversion to civil air field would have taken more time.
Team of researchers document impact of coffee on bowels
People who drink coffee know that it helps keep the bowels moving. As part of a recent study, researchers tried to document the reason behind the impact of coffee on bowels.Researchers, after feeding coffee to rats and mixing it with gut bacteria in petri dishes, found that coffee suppressed bacteria and increased muscle motility, regardless of caffeine content."When rats were treated with coffee for three days, the ability of the muscles in the small intestine to contract appeared to increase. Interestingly, these effects are caffeine-independent, because caffeine-free coffee had similar effects as regular coffee," said Xuan-Zheng Shi, lead author of the study and associate professor in internal medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.Coffee has long been known to increase bowel movement, but researchers have not pinpointed the specific reason or mechanism.Researchers examined changes to bacteria when faecal matter was exposed to coffee in a petri dish, and by ..
Cancer drug could be repurposed to treat brain aneurysms
Drugs used for the treatment of cancer patients can also be used to treat brain aneurysms, claims a study.The study was published in the 'American Journal of Human Genetics'.Brain aneurysms are a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the blood vessel wall. As blood passes through the weakened blood vessel, blood pressure causes a small area to bulge outwards.They can develop anywhere in the body but are most common in the abdominal aorta (the artery that carries blood away from the heart) and the brain.It's difficult to estimate exactly how many people are affected by brain aneurysms as they usually cause no symptoms until they rupture, but experts believe it could be anywhere from 1 in 100 to as many as 1 in 20 people.Treatment is difficult, involving complex surgery which is currently only attempted in select cases.Researchers have found a safer and more efficient possible treatment involving 'Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors'; a class of drug currently used to treat ...
Hindu Rao resident doctors plan indefinite strike from Monday over pending salaries
Health services at North Delhi Municipal Corporation-run Hindu Rao hospital are feared to be disrupted as its resident doctors plan to go on an indefinite strike over pending salaries from Monday. There is no word on payment of salaries due for past three months. Around 450 resident doctors and interns are forced to go on strike from Monday, said Rahul Chaudhary, president of Resident Doctors Welfare Association at the hospital. "We have planned to set up a temporary OPD on the campus for patients but will not join our respective departments and other duties," Chaudhary said. The resident doctors will also stage a march and seek "alms" from patients as a symbolic protest against failure of the corporation authorities to pay their salaries, he said. The municipal corporation, suffering financial stress, has been facing hardships in regular payment of salaries to its employees, including sanitation workers and those serving in other departments. A senior NDMC official said salaries of ..
New method helps personalise therapy for high-risk pulmonary patients: Study
Researchers have found a new method that helps personalise therapy to patients beyond severe pulmonary disorder diagnosis alone and provides additional risk information to physicians.The study will be presented at the annual international conference of the American Thoracic Society.The Laboratory-based Intermountain Validated Exacerbation (LIVE) score is a prediction model that predicts all-cause mortality, morbidity, and hospitalisation rates for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a chronic, progressive lung disease that gradually makes it hard to breathe.The LIVE score combines a patient's simple laboratory values (levels of haemoglobin, albumin, creatinine, chloride, and potassium) to identify patients who are at high risk of death or further disease advancement, and who may most need referrals to palliative care and advanced care planning resources.In the study, Intermountain Healthcare researchers calculated the LIVE scores of 17,124 patients with ...
Just visualising a kiss can alter your attitude
You would never forget that inconspicuous street corner where you kissed her for the first time. However, according to researchers, our attitudes can be influenced not only by what we actually experience but also by what we imagine.
Why muscle wannabes ignore steroid abuse risks
In pursuit of the body beautiful, most muscle wannabes continue to abuse steroids despite knowing that they have serious, life-limiting and potentially lethal side effects, say researchers.
Machine Learning may help capture fusion energy on Earth
A team of researchers in the US have used Machine Learning (ML) to rapidly control plasma that fuels fusion reactions, paving the way to help Earth get the clean fusion energy that lights the Sun and stars.
Early Dengue infection could defuse Zika virus, says study
Existing immunity against dengue virus is capable of significantly reducing the risk of Zika virus in newborns, claims a new study.According to the study published in the Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases, researchers compared genomes of all known dengue viruses in Brazil to investigate interactions between dengue and Zika viruses."We can now say that people who have had early infections with dengue do not need to worry much about contracting more severe forms of Zika infection due to this," said virologist Prof Felix Drexler.According to the virologist, it is known for sure that Zika virus infection during pregnancy can potentially affect the unborn fetus in such a way that the child develops microcephaly or malformations of the head and other severe symptoms.Zika viruses are usually transmitted by mosquitoes, particularly by the Aedes species, but they can also be transmitted sexually. Symptoms of Zika include rashes, headaches, joint pain and muscle pain, conjunctivitis and ..
Men ignore health risks of steroids in pursuit of 'beautiful' body: Study
Many men continue to abuse steroids to achieve muscular bodies despite knowing that the drug have potentially lethal side effects, a study has found. Anabolic steroids such as testosterone are performance-enhancing hormones that increase muscle mass and boost athletic ability, which has led to their misuse and abuse by some, and men in particular. However, the use of steroids has some life-limiting and serious side effects including reduced sperm count, erectile dysfunction, baldness, breast development and an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and liver or kidney failure. Researchers from Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University in Russia found that men using anabolic steroids to improve strength and physical performance are often aware of the side effects but choose to continue taking them. The team conducted an anonymous survey of men, who regularly attend the gym, to assess their knowledge of, use of and attitude towards the health risks of anabolic steroids. Of
Eat well, exercise more to reduce risk of dementia
While dementia is affecting people worldwide, many people can escape or reduce the risk of this cognitive disorder by adopting a healthy lifestyle.Dementia is a disorder in which the person experiences the loss of cognitive functioning such as thinking, remembering, and reasoning. The disorder interferes with a person's daily life and activities. It is caused by a head injury, a stroke, or a brain tumour.According to CNN, dementia effect approximately 50 million people worldwide.However, the World Health Organisation suggested that the progression of the disorder can be delayed by doing regular physical exercise, not using tobacco, consuming less alcohol, maintaining healthy blood pressure, and eating a healthy diet.In an effort to combat dementia, the WHO also stressed avoiding dietary supplements like vitamins B and E."While some people are unlucky and inherit a combination of genes that makes it highly likely they will develop dementia, many people have the opportunity to ...
Hip fractures may increase death risk in senior citizens
A recent study suggested that hip fracture dramatically increases the risk of death or other severe health conditions in older people.According to CNN, older the patient, higher is the risk of death from a hip fracture.Hip fracture primarily happens because of accidental falls and when people collide with solid surface or object. In rare cases, it can also occur because of trauma. Other factors responsible for falling can be dementia, frailty, poor vision, the use of a combination of medications, and trip hazards at home in older people.Osteoporosis, a disease where bone tissue degrades, was also evident in causing hip fractures.Initially, the fracture affects several other physical conditions apart from causing pain. Due to this, patients aren't able to perform any physical function, are likely to decrease social engagements and become more dependent.More than three-quarters of patients undergo surgery with joint replacement being the most common among them.In most of the cases, the .
AstraZeneca moves US court against Aurobindo Pharma on generic
: Pharma major AstraZeneca has filed a petition in a US court, alleging that Aurobindo Pharma is attempting to come out with the generic version of its patented drug Daliresp (Roflumilast Tablet 500 mcg). In a petition filed in the United States District Court for the District Court of New Jersey on May 15, AstraZeneca alleged thatthe Indian drug makers proposed generic Daliresp would infringe the patents on three counts and requested the court to pass an injunction order against manufacturing, importing and selling that drug in the USA. Daliresp isis a prescription medicine used in adults with severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to decrease the number of flare-ups or the worsening of COPD symptoms (exacerbations). AstraZeneca prayed for a permanent injunction, restraining and enjoining Aurobindo Pharma from making, using, selling, offering to sell, or importing any product that infringes the 206, 064, and 142 Patent, including the product ...
Potential addiction-free painkiller identified
Scientists have identified an enzyme that can help control inflammation and may pave the way for non-addictive painkillers which produce few side effects. Millions of people suffer from substance abuse disorders related to opioid use for pain relief, and thousands die as a result of drug abuse involving opioids and related drugs, researchers said. As the problem amplifies, researchers are seeking non-addictive chronic pain treatment options that produce few or no negative side effects. Ken Hsu, a professor at the University of Virginia in the US, and his graduate student, Myungsun Shin, identified an enzyme that "chews up fat" molecules to produce chemical signals that control inflammation. The naturally occurring enzyme, called diacylglycerol lipase-beta (DAGL-b), is a possible new drug target for reducing pain. Hsu developed selective molecules that inhibit DAGL-b and reduce inflammation, similarly to aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS. However, ...
States, UTs asked to hold screening sessions in schools, colleges for mental health, cancer
The Union Health ministry has advised states and Union Territories to hold screening sessions in school and college campuses for mental health and non-communicable diseases like cancer, diabetes and blood pressure at regular intervals. The aim is to ensure early diagnosis of these chronic diseases for their treatment on time. In a letter to principal secretaries in states and UTs, a senior health ministry official sought implementation of measures like ensuring tobacco free campus, restricting use of unhealthy diet including sugar sweetened beverages and junk food in canteens and establishing counselling centres on mental health condition and tobacco cessation. The official also advised promoting physical activity and yoga in the campus and creating an enabling environment to mitigate air pollution. "Investment in risk behaviour prevention and health promotion among youth are the most cost-effective ways to improve health outcomes. Education institutions can play a critical role in ...
Men continue steroid abuse even after knowing side effects
Attaining a strong physique is something that most men desire, and they are ready to go any length to achieve that. Probably this is the reason why they continue to take a high dosage of steroids despite knowing the side associated with it, a new study has revealed.The study was presented at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE.Findings of the study highlighted that men who use anabolic steroids to improve strength and physical performance are often aware of the side effects but choose to continue the dosage.The use of steroids poses some life-limiting and serious side effects including reduced sperm count, erectile dysfunction, baldness, breast development and an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and liver or kidney failure.Despite this steroid misuse persists, a 2014 study estimated that worldwide 3.3% of the population or 6.4% of the male population are abusing steroids. Recent evidence has suggested that not only do steroids pose serious health risks to .
Electric field-based dressing helps heal wound infections
Scientists, including those of Indian origin, have developed a wound dressing that uses an electric field to disrupt bacterial biofilm infection. Bacterial biofilms are thin, slimy films of bacteria that form on some wounds, including burns or post-surgical infections, as well as after a medical device, such as a catheter, is placed in the body. These bacteria generate their own electricity, using their own electric fields to communicate and form the biofilm, which makes them more hostile and difficult to treat. Researchers including Chandan Sen and Sashwati Roy from the Indiana University in the US are the first to study the practice of using an electric field-based dressing to treat biofilms rather than antibiotics. They discovered the dressing is not only successful in fighting the bacteria on its own, but when combined with other medications can make them even more effective. This findings, published in the journal Annals of Surgery, have the potential to create significant ...