Page 546 - Health Medical Pharma
Infant with large hole in the heart saved in a Rare Complex Surgery
A one year old infant named Aksar with large hole in the heart got a second life after he underwent rare and complex emergency surgery. The child hails from Palakkad district in Kerala and his parents are daily wage labourers.The child was brought to Believers Church Medical College Hospital in Thiruvalla by a Police team on 3rd March 2018 and the surgery took place on 5th March 2018. The Police team escorted the child and covered the 5 hours long journey in just 2.5 hours.Dr. John Valliethu, Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon who led the team which carried out the procedure said, "The child was in severe heart failure due to a large hole in the heart a condition known as Ventricular Septal Defect. Things got complicated when the child was examined and diagnosed with simultaneous pneumonia."The surgery took nearly four hours and involved a series of life saving procedures.Speaking about the surgery, Prof. Dr. George Chandy Mateethra, Director, Believers Church Medical College ...
New male birth control pill found safe and effective
In a major step forward in the development of a once-daily "male pill", researchers have found an experimental oral contraceptive to be safe in men with hormone responses consistent with effective contraception.
Fake Hepatitis B vaccines found at Ugandan health facilities
Ugandan authorities say they have found fake Hepatitis B vaccines at some health facilities, including in the capital, Kampala. A statement from the Ministry of Health says the fake vaccines allegedly originating from India, were discovered during routine checks at facilities in four districts. It says some suspects have been arrested in the scam. The scandal has fueled concerns about corruption in a health sector long plagued by malfeasance. Fake drugs are a common problem across Africa. A Ugandan lawmaker died of complications related to Hepatitis B last year, bringing more attention to the virus that attacks the liver and can cause chronic illness. The Hepatitis B prevalence rate in Uganda stands at 10 percent, higher than the HIV rate, according to the most recent government figures.
Why breastfeeding is important for high-birthweight infants
New mothers, take note. If you are breastfeeding your high-birthweight infants, you may probably be protecting them from being overweight or obese in childhood, a new study suggests.
Men with low sperm count at increased risk of illness
Low sperm count is not just limited to infertility, it may also put men at increased risk of illness, according to a new study.
New diabetes drug may help obese to reduce weight
Suffering from obesity? A diabetes drug may help you cut down fat as a compound that mimics a naturally occurring hormone which regulates appetite, researchers say.
New diabetes drug may help shed extra kilos: study
A compound which mimics a naturally occurring hormone that regulates appetite may help obese people lose weight, according to a study. The compound, semaglutide, has a chemical structure very similar to the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which regulates both insulin secretion and appetite. "This randomised study of weight loss induced with semaglutide in people with obesity but without diabetes has shown the highest weight reductions yet seen for any pharmaceutical intervention," said Patrick M O'Neil from the Medical University of South Carolina in the US. The study, presented at Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, included 957 participants, 35 per cent of whom were male. All participants had a body mass index (BMI) of at least 30, but did not have diabetes. They were randomly assigned to seven different groups. Five groups received different doses of semaglutide (between 0.05 milligrammes (mg) and 0.4 mg) via injection once daily. A sixth group received a ...
Australia court rules Heinz 'healthy' toddler food misleading
Food giant Heinz's misled consumers about the health value of Little Kids Shredz products for toddlers, an Australian court ruled today, adding that the US firm should have been aware the claims were deceptive. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission took Heinz to court in 2016, saying images and statements on Shredz products, which contain fruit pastes, purees and concentrate, indicated they were healthy and nutritious for young children. The national consumer watchdog said such claims were misleading as the products contain over 60 percent sugar, significantly higher than fruit and vegetables, with the Federal Court agreeing. "Heinz ... represented that (they were) beneficial to the health of children aged 1-3 years when by reason of their high sugar content and sticky texture, the products were not beneficial," Justice Richard White said in his judgement. He found that Heinz had "engaged in conduct which was misleading or deceptive or likely to mislead or deceive in ...
Gaining those extra pounds during pregnancy can be predicted
Turns out, weight gain during pregnancy can be predicted by certain measures, a research has revealed.According to an Endocrine Society-led study, race and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) both affect leptin and adiponectin levels. Also, leptin levels in mid-pregnancy may be an important predictor of weight gain during pregnancy."Gaining too much or too little weight during pregnancy poses potential health risks. Leptin and adiponectin, hormones released primarily from fat cells, are known to play roles in appetite regulation, insulin resistance, lipid metabolism, blood pressure and the development of metabolic syndrome. During pregnancy, lower levels of adiponectin are associated with higher risk of gestational diabetes and higher leptin levels are observed in women who develop pre-eclampsia," said lead study author Adam Jara.Jara and his co-authors at Ohio State investigated the effects of race and pre-pregnancy BMI on serum adiponectin, leptin, the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio ..
Low sperm count may signal poor health: study
Men with low sperm count are more likely to have a number of health issues that put them at increased risk of illness, a study has found. The research on 5,177 men in Italy evaluated semen quality, reproductive function and metabolic risk in males referred for fertility evaluation. "Our study clearly shows that low sperm count by itself is associated with metabolic alterations, cardiovascular risk and low bone mass," said Alberto Ferlin, who carried the study at University of Padova in Italy. "Infertile men are likely to have important co-existing health problems or risk factors that can impair quality of life and shorten their lives," said Ferlin, now an associate professor at University of Brescia in Italy. "Fertility evaluation gives men the unique opportunity for health assessment and disease prevention," he said. In the study, about half the men had low sperm counts and were 1.2 times more likely than those with normal sperm counts to have greater body fat (bigger waistline and ..
Lupin gets USFDA nod for psoriasis treatment spray
Drug major Lupin today said it has received approval from the US health regulator to market Desoximetasone Topical spray, used for treatment of plaque psoriasis, in the American market. It is a generic version of Taro Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.'s Topicort Topical Spray, 0.25 per cent. The approval has been granted to the product in the size of 30 ml, 50 ml, and 100 ml. In a BSE filing, Lupin said it has received final approval for the spray, 0.25 per cent, from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). As per IQVIA MAT data of January 2018, the product had annual sales of around USD 19.5 million in the US. Shares of Lupin were trading up 1.12 per cent at Rs 770.75 apiece on BSE.
Obese people with breast cancer gene have increased DNA damage
It is found that in BRCA (BReast CAncer gene) mutation carriers, obesity is linked with increased DNA damage.According to a study, being obese or having a higher body mass index (BMI) while carrying a BRCA mutation is positively linked with higher levels of damage to the DNA in normal breast gland cells.Obesity is a known risk factor for breast cancer, and breast cancer has been shown to occur more frequently in BRCA mutation carriers who are obese than in those who are lean."These data show for the first time that obesity is associated with increased DNA damage in breast epithelium of BRCA mutation carriers," wrote lead study author Priya Bhardwaj and colleagues in their abstract.Bhardwaj and her colleagues analysed archival breast tissue from 82 BRCA mutation carriers. Using immunofluorescence to stain the gamma-H2AX foci, which occur as a result of DNA damage, they examined the normal breast epithelium for DNA damage.The researchers counted the number of gamma-H2AX foci and found a
Small dose of Viagra daily may cut bowel cancer risk: study
A small, daily dose of popular erectile dysfunction drug Viagra may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, according to a study conducted in mice. Viagra cut in half the formation of polyps, an abnormal and often asymptomatic clump of cells on the lining of the intestines that may become cancer, said Darren D Browning, researcher at Augusta University in the US. Next steps should include a clinical trial for the drug in patients considered at high risk of colorectal cancer, such as those with a strong family history, multiple previous polyps and chronic intestinal inflammation like colitis, according to the study published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research. Viagra has been used safely for years in a wide range of doses and age groups, from premature infants with pulmonary hypertension to the elderly with erectile dysfunction, Browning said. When placed in the drinking water, Browning's team found that Viagra reduced polyps in a mouse model with a genetic mutation that occurs in
Small dose of Viagra daily may cut colorectal cancer risk
A small, daily dose of the popular erectile dysfunction drug Viagra may significantly reduce colorectal cancer risk, shows a study in mice.
E-cigarettes can harm your liver
Using e-cigarettes may lead to an accumulation of fat in the liver, a study of mice exposed to the devices suggests."The popularity of electronic cigarettes has been rapidly increasing in part because of advertisements that they are safer than conventional cigarettes. But because extra fat in the liver is likely to be detrimental to health, we conclude that e-cigarettes are not as safe as they have been promoted to consumers," said lead author Theodore C. Friedman of Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles, Calif. "This has important public health and regulatory implications."E-cigarettes contain nicotine, which Dr Friedman and other researchers have reported is associated with non-alcohol fatty liver diseases. However, the long-term effects of e-cigarettes on liver disease, diabetes, heart disease or stroke are unknown.In the 12-week study, Friedman and colleagues studied mice missing the gene for apolipoprotein E, which makes them more prone to developing ..
Breastfeeding can ward off childhood obesity
Turns out, warding off childhood obesity is as easy as feeding babies breast milk.According to a recent study from the Ewha Womans University College of Medicine in Seoul, breastfeeding may protect high-birth weight infants from having overweight or obesity as children."High birth weight is associated with overweight or obesity during early childhood. Among high-birth weight infants, exclusive breastfeeding is a significant protective factor against overweight and obesity," said lead author Hae Soon Kim.High-birth weight infants were highly likely to meet the criteria for obesity or overweight through 6 years of age compared with normal birth weight infants. But the risk of becoming overweight or obese dropped significantly among the high-birthweight infants who were breastfed for first six months of life," Kim added.In a retrospective cohort study, Kim and co-authors investigated the weight-growth trajectory and the protective effect of breastfeeding for obesity in children. They ...
Wish someone warned me against tobacco usage 40 years ago: Pawar
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar today said he regretted consuming tobacco and supari, adding that he wished someone had warned him to get rid of the habit 40 years ago. Pawar, a cancer survivor, was speaking here at the launch of the Indian Dental Association's (IDA) mission to eradicate oral cancer by 2022. The former Union agriculture minister said he suffered tremendously because of surgery, the removal of teeth and the resulting difficulty in opening his mouth wide, in swallowing food as well as talking. He said he was pained that lakhs of Indians continued to fall prey to the scourge and promised to raise the issue in Parliament. Pawar also pledged support to the IDA's cause of eradicating oral cancer and curbing the menace of tobacco usage. The event was held to commemorate the World Oral Health Day.
3 AIIMS doctors en route to Agra killed in accident on Yamuna e-way
Three AIIMS doctors, one of them woman, died early today and four others of the same institute were injured in an accident on the Yamuna Expressway near here, police said. The seven doctors including three women, posted as resident doctors in Emergency Medicine department of the AIIMS, were travelling to Agra from Delhi in an SUV to celebrate birthday of Dr Harshad Wankhade, who was among those killed in the accident. The SUV rammed into a canter around 2.30 AM, they said. While three doctors died on the spot, the other four were rushed to a private hospital here. They were then referred to the AIIMS Trauma Centre in New Delhi, Superintendent of Police (Rural) Aditya Kumar Shukla said. They were admitted to AIIMS Trauma Centre at 9.30 AM. The speeding SUV rammed the canter and got mangled, he said. The deceased have been identified as Dr Yashpreet Kathpal (25), who hailed from Fazilka in Punjab, Dr Himbala (about 25), a resident of Haryana's Yamunanagar, and Dr Wankhade (35), a native
UK-US firms create largest genomics project to study Indian population
A UK-based genomics data platform and an American genetics company today collaborated to create the world's largest project of its kind to study Indian population. Cambridge-headquartered Global Gene Corp (GGC) said its new multi-year tie-up with Regeneron Genetics Center (RGC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of New York-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, is aimed at finding innovative diagnosis and therapies for rare diseases. "We believe that genomics will help India achieve a paradigm shift in healthcare," said Deepak Bagla, managing director and CEO of Invest India, the country's investment promotion and facilitation agency which is supporting GGC to build world-class capabilities in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Invest India said the latest collaboration marks a step forward in the Indian government's "Healthcare for All" plans, particularly with the Ayushmann Bharat initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Genomic technology is important to achieve this mission. This ...