Page 548 - Health Medical Pharma

Smart software can diagnose prostate cancer: study

Scientists in China have developed a learning artificial intelligence (AI) system which can diagnose and identify cancerous prostate samples as accurately as any pathologist. This holds out the possibility of streamlining and eliminating variation in the process of cancer diagnosis. It may also help overcome any local shortage of trained pathologists. In the longer term it may lead to automated or partially-automated prostate cancer diagnosis. Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer, with around 1.1 million diagnoses ever year. Confirmation of the diagnosis normally requires a biopsy sample, which is then examined by a pathologist. Now an artificial intelligence learning system, presented at the European Association of Urology Congress in Copenhagen, has shown similar levels of accuracy to a human pathologist. In addition, the software can accurately classify the level of malignancy of the cancer, so eliminating the variability which can creep into human diagnosis. "This is not

Experimental obesity drug may prevent kidney stones

Japanese scientists have found that an experimental obesity drug can potentially prevent the formation of kidney stones in mice, a finding that paves the way to develop medications to prevent the condition in at-risk individuals.

New AI system can diagnose prostate cancer just good as pathologists

Researchers have developed a new learning artificial intelligence (AI) system which can diagnose and identify cancerous prostate samples as accurately as any pathologist.

Alzheimer's patients may benefit from cell therapy

Transplanting a special type of neuron into the Alzheimer's brain can restore memory and other cognitive functions, a study has revealed that can lead to new treatment.

Omega-3 levels better predictors of death risk than serum cholesterol

Scientists have found that omega-3 levels are better predictors of risk for death than serum cholesterol. A study, published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology, looked at the value of measuring blood levels of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids to assess an individual's risk for developing certain diseases. The "Omega-3 Index" (the EPA plus DHA content of red blood cell membranes) was measured in 2500 participants. The results showed that the risk for death from any cause was reduced by about 33 per cent comparing the lowest Omega-3 Index participants to the highest. "We all know that the serum cholesterol level is a major risk factor for CHD, and since the latter is a major cause of death, it would be reasonable to expect that a high cholesterol level would portend higher risk for premature death," said William Harris from the University of Nottingham in the UK. The researchers primarily focused on total mortality (death from any cause) as an endpoint, but also tracked death from ...

Omega-3 levels may better predict mortality risk than cholesterol

Measuring the levels of Omega-3 fatty acids present in the blood may indicate the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and mortality more profoundly than serum cholesterol, researchers have claimed.

New mobile application can reduce stroke risk

Scientists have developed a new mobile application that can detect atrial fibrillation that causes strokes. The mobile application can save lives all over the world as timely diagnosis of atrial fibrillation is crucial for effective stroke prevention. The researchers studied 300 patients with heart problems, half of whom had atrial fibrillation. They managed to identify the patients with atrial fibrillation from the other group with a smart phone. The mobile application detected which patients had atrial fibrillation even with a 96 per cent accuracy. In other words, the application recognised automatically near all cases with atrial fibrillation and the number of false alarms was very low. "The results are also significant in that the group included different kinds of patients, some of whom had heart failure, coronary disease, and ventricular extrasystole at the same time," said Tero Koivisto from the University of Turku in Finland. According to the study, published in the journal ...

Online intervention helps teenage moms deal with depression

If you are a teenage mom and suffering from depression, an online intervention may help as it can improve your depression treatment rates, a new study suggests.

Sedentary lifestyles more harmful if type 2 diabetes in the family: study

Scientists have found that a reduction in physical activity and an increase in sedentary behaviour has detrimental effects on the body, and could be more harmful if a first degree relative has type 2 diabetes. "The results of our study highlight the critical importance of avoiding low levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour, for example too much sitting, television viewing, computer gaming and so on," said Kelly Bowden Davies from the University of Liverpool in the UK. "We know the benefits of exercise, the challenge now is to encourage people to simply move more and sit less," said Davies. The study looked at 45 people with active lifestyles, including 16 who have close blood relatives with type 2 diabetes. After 14 days of reduced physical activity, all participants had higher levels of fat and their bodies were less able to respond to the hormone, insulin (known as insulin resistance). In those closely related to someone with type 2, a greater amount of fat was gained .

New mobile application can reduce stroke risk

Researchers have developed a new mobile application that can detect atrial fibrillation, a leading cause of stroke, and can timely prevent heart-related complications.

Skills to help patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

A new study has revealed that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) sufferers need to adopt adaptive coping skills.The new research led by Steffen Moritz of the University Hospital Hamburg in Germany showed that coping skills were proven to be more helpful than the maladaptive strategies often used such as repetitive, compulsive actions or creating emotional distance from a situation, in order to effectively manage their condition.OCD is a complex psychological condition, and those who suffer from it experience severe reduction in their quality of life.Moritz and his colleagues compared the behaviour of 60 patients suffering from OCD with 110 people with depression and 1050 adults in a control group.All participants completed anonymous online surveys in which their medical and psychological history was ascertained, along with their levels of compulsivity and ability to cope in specific situations.They answered a questionnaire that covered different adaptive and maladaptive coping styles

Shilpa Medicare update on USFDA inspection of Polepally formulations unit

The is a confirmation that earlier status of our formulation Unit is maintained.

Male-to-female transgender surgery can give better life

The male to female transgender surgery can give a better life to the majority of patients, revealed a study.Scientists have developed a transgender-specific questionnaire, which confirms for the first time that gender surgery significantly improves quality of life for the majority of patients.The study shows that 80 percent of male-to-female patients perceived themselves as women post-surgery. However, the quality of life of transgender individuals is still significantly lower than the general population.Many transgender individuals request gender reassignment surgery, but until now there only existed information on general aspects of health-related quality of life (QoL) and non-validated questionnaires about the improvement of QoL.A team at the University Hospital in Essen, Germany, led by Dr. Jochen Hess, followed 156 patients for a median of more than 6 years after surgery. They developed and validated the new Essen Transgender Quality of Life Inventory, which is the first ...

OCD patients lack adaptive coping skills: study

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) should adopt adaptive coping skills rather than the maladaptive strategies often used such as repetitive, compulsive actions or creating emotional distance from a situation, in order to effectively manage their condition. "Coping skills are important for many aspects of daily life beyond mental health. Teaching children skills such as how to cope with bullying at school, poor performance or problems with their parents may help children to better deal with emotional turmoil and challenging situations during adolescence," said Steffen Moritz from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany. "It may also prevent the progression of a vulnerability to later obsessive-compulsive disorder or depression as well as other disorders," said Moritz. For the study, published in the journal Cognitive Therapy and Research, the scientists compared the behaviour of 60 patients suffering from OCD with 110 people with depression and 1050 ...

Online intervention helps teen moms deal with depression: study

Online intervention may help improve depression treatment rates in teenage mothers, a study has found. An online programme persuaded teenage mothers across 10 Kentucky counties to seek medical help for depression, highlighting an inexpensive way to increase mental health treatment rates for the vulnerable group. The website included videos of adolescent mothers describing their experiences with postpartum depression and treatment, questions and answers, and local and national resources, including referrals for counselling services and suicide and child-abuse prevention hotlines. Untreated postpartum depression hinders a mother's relationship with her child, her functioning at work and school, mothering skills and development. "The condition also can harm a baby's development and attachment to the mother," said M Cynthia Logsdon from the University of Louisville in the US. Half of the roughly 400,000 adolescents 18 and younger who give birth annually in the US experience depressive ...

Are chemical peels a safe treatment option for darker skins?

Results from a new study indicate that, when performed appropriately, chemical peels can be a safe treatment option for people with darker skin.The Boston Medical Center (BMC) findings show that less than four percent of people with darker skin experienced unwanted side effects from a chemical peel. In addition, the researchers observed a lower rate of side effects compared to previous studies that included all skin types.Chemical peels have been shown to effectively treat acne, premature aging, and dark or light spots on the skin. Side effects of chemical peels include swelling, crusting, reddening, acne, and pigmentation changes in the skin. Although having darker skin is a risk factor for complications during a chemical peel, no large-scale studies have looked into the long-term side effects of the treatment in a racially and ethnically diverse population."These findings should give some assurances to people with darker skin who are considering getting a chemical peel," said lead ..

New genetic find offers hope for asthma sufferers

A new study has offered fresh hope for asthma sufferers by identifying a genetic variant that could improve the safety and effectiveness of corticosteroids, drugs that are used to treat a range of common and rare conditions including asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Corticosteroids are very effective in the treatment of asthma and COPD, with more than 20 million prescriptions issued in the UK annually. Unfortunately, corticosteroids can also cause side effects, one of which is adrenal suppression, seen in up to 1/3 of people tested. People with this condition do not make enough cortisol. Cortisol helps the body respond to stress, recover from infections and regulate blood pressure and metabolism.Adrenal suppression can be very difficult to diagnose, as it can present with a spectrum of symptoms from non-specific symptoms such as tiredness, to serious illness and death. The majority of patients do not develop adrenal suppression, and the reasons why some do, and

Here's why oldies should have a personal physician

When it comes to healthcare quality of older adults, "personal physicians" play an important role, according to a recent study.The Wolters Kluwer research found that about five percent of older adults on Medicare don't have a "personal physician," and this group scores lower on measures of healthcare quality."Beneficiaries without personal physician report worse care experiences, rating their overall quality of care substantially lower than those with a personal physician," according to the new research by Marc N. Elliott and colleagues. They believe that encouraging Medicare recipients to have a regular doctor might help to improve continuity and quality of healthcare.The researchers analysed data from more than 272,000 elderly Medicare beneficiaries responding to a nationally representative survey (the 2012 Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey). The survey included a question about whether the respondents had a personal physician: a doctor they would see ...

Online intervention helps teen moms beat the blues

An online programme persuaded teenage mothers across 10 Kentucky counties to seek medical help for depression, highlighting an inexpensive way to increase mental health treatment rates for the vulnerable group, according to a University of Louisville study.The website included videos of adolescent mothers describing their experiences with postpartum depression and treatment, questions and answers, and local and national resources, including referrals for counseling services and suicide and child-abuse prevention hotlines.Untreated postpartum depression hinders a mother's relationship with her child, her functioning at work and school, mothering skills and development. The condition also can harm a baby's development and attachment to the mother, said lead researcher M. Cynthia Logsdon.Half of the roughly 400,000 adolescents 18 and younger who give birth annually in the United States experience depressive symptoms, but less than 25 percent follow referrals for depression evaluation and

CDSCO raids 2 firms in U'khand for making drugs without approval

The Central Drug Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) has conducted raids at two firms based in Haridwar and Roorkee and is mulling cancellation of their licenses for manufacturing and selling medicines without approval from the drug regulator, officials said today. The two companies were apparently found to be manufacturing and selling fixed dose combination for treatment of diabetes and fungal infection without the permission from Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). DCGI official said two separate teams of CDSCO raided the premises of the two firms in coordination with the state drug control officials of Uttarakhand and local police officials yesterday. During the raids, the teams found that both the firms were involved in manufacturing fixed dose combination which are not yet approved under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, he said, adding drugs worth Rs 3 lakh were seized.