Page 555 - Health Medical Pharma

Genes too decide how empathetic you are

Not just upbringing and experience as you age, genes too decide the level of empathy in humans, a team led by an Indian-origin scientists has found.

Researchers find link between childhood trauma, schizophrenia

Childhood trauma link has offered treatment hope for people with schizophrenia.Researchers from Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health; the University of Melbourne; Port Phillip Prison and University Hospital of Gran Canaria Dr Negrin, Spain, have shown that childhood sexual, physical and emotional abuse are associated with severe hallucinations in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.The study's strongest finding was that hallucinations in those with psychotic disorders were associated with all types of childhood trauma, said Dr Sarah Bendall, the study's lead author."This means there's something about childhood trauma that leads some people to develop hallucinations," Dr Bendall said.The meta-analysis, which analysed 29 studies on childhood trauma and psychotic symptoms, also found that childhood sexual abuse was associated with delusions.The study provides the missing link for clinicians who have long theorised about the association between ...

One in 10 stroke survivors require more help with medication

One in 10 stroke survivors need more help with taking medication, according to a study.According to the Stroke Associations, as many as four in ten people who have had a stroke, go on to have another one within ten years. As a second stroke carries a greater risk of disability and death than first time strokes, it is important that survivors take medicine daily to lower their risk.Half of survivors of stroke are dependent on others for everyday activities, though the proportion dependent on others for medicine taking or needing more practical help with tablets is not known.To examine the practical support stroke survivors living in the community need and receive with taking their medicines, researchers at the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University of London carried out a postal questionnaire study.The researchers developed the questionnaire together with stroke survivors and caregivers. The questionnaire was completed by 600 participants across 18 GP practices in the ...

UP: Muscular Dystrophy patients stage hunger strike seeking Centre's assistance for treatment

A mother-daughter duo suffering from Muscular Dystrophy embarked on a hunger strike demanding assistance from the Centre for medical treatment or permission to undergo euthanasia or mercy killing.The patients, Anamika Mishra, and her mother Shashi Mishra, who are residents of Yashoda Nagar here, alleged that they were forced to go on strike as the government failed to respond to multiple letters written by them seeking medical treatment."I have written several letters to the President, Prime Minister, and Chief Justice of India. However, we have not received any response so far. I have written to the leaders to either provide assistance for our medical treatment or grant me permission for mercy killing. I will continue this hunger strike until I receive a proper response from the authorities," Anamika told ANI.Furthermore, a protestor and helper of the duo stated that although their food and basic needs were being taken care of, medical treatment was unaffordable, and therefore, urged

High-Fiber diet may help gut bacteria fight type 2 diabetes

Now the fight against type 2 diabetes may soon improve just by introducing high-fiber diet in our daily life.As per a study led by a Rutgers University-New Brunswick professor, the promotion of a select group of gut bacteria by a diet high in diverse fibers could led to better blood glucose control, greater weight loss and better lipid levels in people with type 2 diabetes, reported Science Daily.After a rigorous study of six years, it was found out at eating the right dietary fibers could rebalance the gut microbiota, or the ecosystem of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract that would eventually help digest food and are important for human health."Our study lays the foundation and opens the possibility that fibers targeting this group of gut bacteria could eventually become a major part of your diet and your treatment," said Liping Zhao, the study's lead author and a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at ...

Doctors take out protest rallies in Hry, Pb

A large number of doctors today took out cycle rallies at many places in Haryana and Punjab to register their disapproval to the current form of the National Medical Commission Bill. According to the bill, the government can fix the fee for only 40 per cent of the seats in private medical colleges. The doctors fear that as the remaining 60 per cent of seats do not come under the guidelines, the colleges shall be charging higher fee. The IMA is also opposing the clause in the bill which calls for allowing practitioners of traditional medicine system to pursue modern medicine. "This Bill is not at all in favour of the doctors," a medical practitioner, who was part of the protest taken out in Haryana's Karnal, said. Protest rallies were also taken out by doctors at Faridabad, Gurgaon and Sonipat. In Punjab's Phagwara, the 150 member-branch of local IMA also took out protest cycle rallies against the Bill. "The Bill will adversely alter the course of medical education and healthcare ...

Patient's severed leg put under his head as pillow at UP govt hospital

A man's leg, which got severed in a bus accident, was allegedly used as a pillow to prop him up at the state-run Maharani Laxmibai Medical College here, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to suspend four staff and order a departmental probe into it. Ghanshyam (28) claimed that the hospital staff put the severed leg under his head as a pillow. He had lost the leg in the accident on Saturday and was brought to the hospital in a critical condition. Sadhna Kaushik, the medical college's principal, said a four-member committee has been formed to find out who put the severed leg under the patient's head. Meanwhile, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today expressed sorrow over the incident. A UP government spokesperson said, "The UP chief minister has announced a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the youth. The chief minister, while taking a serious stand on the incident, has directed that stringent action be initiated against the guilty persons." The spokesperson said, "The principal

2-yrs after euthanasia appeal, youth wants to start life anew

Two years after a spinal cord injury had crippled him and took away his desire to live, 24-year-old Suman Das of Malda district has now started looking back at life with new hopes. Suman had raised the euthanasia debate in West Bengal by seeking permission to end his life in the face of serious illness and abject poverty. But now his focus has changed. "No, I do not want to die any more," said Suman who is now able to walk with the help of a walker, thanks to the effort of a physiotherapist who is treating him free of cost. Das had shot off a letter to the District Magistrate on October 28, 2016 praying that he be allowed to opt for euthanasia after returning from a Bengaluru hospital following a spinal cord surgery. He had to return from Bengaluru as the post-operation physiotherapy procedures involved high medical expenses which the poor labourer from Englishbazar block could not afford. "My son could not move his hands and feet after the surgery in Bengaluru in ...

2 minors dead, 11 taken ill after consuming spurious tea

Two children died and 11 others were taken ill after consuming tea laced with some spurious substance in Bihar's Sitamarhi district today, police said. The incident occurred at Ranauli village under Bathnaha police station limits, the police said. A wedding was scheduled to be held in a house in the village tomorrow and the children had gone there to have morning tea. The children, all minors, complained of nausea and started vomiting after drinking the tea, and two of them fainted, Station House Officer of Sitamarhi Town police station Anil Sharma said. The two children, who had fainted, died when they were taken to a sorcerer for treatment, Sharma said. It is suspected that some spurious substance had been mixed with the tea. The 11 other children were admitted to Sitamarhi Sadar Hospital, Civil Surgeon Bindeshwar Sharma, said, adding that all of them were out of danger. The reason behind the death of the two minors could be ascertained after post-mortem examination, ..

Man's severed leg used as 'pillow' in UP govt hospital, 4 suspended

CCTV footage would be reviewed to find out who was responsible for placing the severed leg as a pillow

New app can help smartphones monitor your BP

Scientists, including those of Indian-origin, have developed a new smartphone app and hardware that could help measure blood pressure more accurately than existing cuff devices. The team, from Michigan State University in the US, also discovered a more convenient measurement point. "We targeted a different artery, the transverse palmer arch artery at the fingertip, to give us better control of the measurement," said Anand Chandrasekhar, doctoral student at MSU. "We were excited when we validated this location. Being able to use your fingertip makes our approach much easier and more accessible," said Chandrasekhar, lead author of the study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The approach uses two sensors: an optical sensor on top of a force sensor. The sensor unit and other circuitry are housed in a one centimeter-thick case attached to the back of the phone. Users turn on the app and press their fingertip against the sensor unit. With their finger on the unit, ...

Increase funds to ICMR for robust research: Par panel

A parliamentary panel has sought increased fund allocation to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as it fears that a funds crunch will adversely affect the research activities and development of new drugs, vaccines and diagnostics in the country. The panel, in its 106th report on Demands for Grants 2018-19 for the department of health, extended its support to the department's demand for additional funds to the tune of Rs 350 crore. The department had cited less allocation of funds to the ICMR against its projected allocation. The committee emphasised that the ICMR being the only custodian of health research activities needed to be promoted and encouraged so that tangible outcomes are witnessed for various health care challenges. "The committee would like to urge upon the Ministry of Finance to increase the budgetary allocation to the Department of Health Research so that the latter is able to ensure continuity in critical health research," the report said. ICMR is an apex .

New tech for critical patient monitoring and recovery

A new technology has been introduced in India for dynamic patient monitoring and recovery.Introduced by Medanta - The Medicity in association with a US-based medical technology firm, Masimo Corporation, the technology is said to be a first-of-its-kind critical patient monitoring and recovery technology in South Asia.Named as 'Radius-7', it is a wearable tether-less Pulse CO-Oximeter that works in conjunction with a bedside monitor to provide continuous non-invasive monitoring, while allowing patients freedom of movement.On a constant, dynamic, real-time basis this wearable tool helps ensure patient stability, besides aiding faster recovery through minimum time in bed.The technology additionally allows supplemental remote monitoring and clinician notification system that enables monitoring patient data remotely, as well as relaying alarm notifications to clinicians, wherever they may be.It significantly reduces false alarms and increases true alarm detection, allowing clinicians to ...

Heart attack protocol that improves outcomes, reduces gender disparities

A four-step protocol for the most severe type of heart attack, if followed, not only can improve outcomes and reduce mortality rates, but also put an end to gender disparities in health care.Cardiovascular disease is the foremost cause of death in women. STEMI (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction), in which one of the heart's major arteries that supplies oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the heart muscle gets blocked resulting in death, is a very serious type of heart attack which impacts about one million women each year.Studies, in the past, have shown that women with STEMI have worse clinical outcomes, including higher mortality. It has also shown that women have higher door-to-balloon times (time from when they arrive at the hospital to when they receive a coronary intervention like angioplasty and stenting). They receive lower rates of guideline-directed medical therapy.The four-step protocol for STEMI patients includes: (1) Standardized emergency department (ED) cardiac ...

New technology to identify blockages in heart patients

A new technology has been found that can identify blockages in the heart, a study has revealed.Doctors evaluating patients for blockages in the heart are aided by having a good roadmap of the vascular terrain before they can insert stents to clear the impasse.Presented by Duke cardiologists, the study shows that the newer method carries a much lower cost, potentially saving each patient at least U$800.In a study of nearly 2,500 heart patients, researchers found that a new technology, non-invasive instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR), was less expensive than an older technology known as fractional flow reserve (FFR)According to senior researcher Manesh Patel, "There are clear clinical advantages to using these technologies to map coronary physiology prior to coronary revascularization procedures, because they provide an accurate evaluation of the blockage, as well how best to treat it."Patel said that iFR has emerged as an alternative in recent years. Unlike FFR, which requires ...

Manipulating gut microbes may reduce intestinal parasitic infections

The kinds of microbes living in the gut influences the severity and recurrence of parasitic worm infections, researchers have found.

Having kids may cut women's lifespan by 11 years: study

Having a child may shorten a woman's life by as much as 11 years, a study claims. Researchers from George Mason University in the US found that women who have given birth have shorter telomeres compared to women who have not given birth. Telomeres are the end caps of DNA on our chromosomes, which help in DNA replication and get shorter over time. The length of telomeres has been associated with morbidity and mortality previously, but this is the first study to examine links with having children, researchers said. The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, found that telomeres among women who had children were the equivalent of 11 years shorter. This was a larger change than has been reported by other research groups for smoking or obesity. "We can't tell if having children is related to shortening of telomeres or merely whether women who have children start out with shorter telomeres," said Anna Z Pollack, from George Mason University. "Additional factors to consider ...

Monkey fever grips Goa's Sattari taluka, 35 people infected

At least 35 people in Goa have tested positive this year for the Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), or the 'monkey fever', a health official said. The fever had claimed three lives in the coastal state's remote Sattari taluka of North Goa district in 2016, and one in 2015. All the 35 people, who have tested positive for the monkey fever this year, are also from the Sattari taluka and have been provided treatment for the viral infection, an official at the Valpoi community health centre (CHC) said. "No death has been reported from KFD so far this year," he said. "Most of the positive cases have been found in the Sanvorderm panchayat area of Sattari. The health department has intensified its vaccination drive and distributed tick repellent oils in the villages there," he said. KFD, referred to as Makad Taap in local language, is a tick-borne viral hemorrhagic fever endemic to South Asia. The virus is transmitted to human beings through parasitic ticks which latch on to ...

Binge watching TV for hours may up cancer risk in men: study

Sitting down to binge watch more than four hours of TV over a day could increase the risk of bowel cancer in men, a study has found. Researchers analysed data from more than half a million men and women and found that men who spent less time in front of the TV were also less likely to develop bowel cancer later in life. After six years of follow-up 2,391 people went on to develop bowel cancer. When researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in France, Imperial College London and the University of Oxford in the UK analysed the data they made the link between sedentary behaviour and bowel cancer. The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, found that an increase in physical activity was associated with lower colon cancer risk in men. However, they found no link between computer screen time and bowel cancer risk. "Previous research suggests that watching TV may be associated with other behaviours, such as smoking, drinking and snacking more, and we

Managing eating habits may be key to mitigate malaria, parasite: Study

Malaria infections might be brought under control by managing the eating habits of infected people or animals, as a new study suggests that meal times are an important driver in enabling the disease to thrive.