Page 556 - Health Medical Pharma
'Sleep spindles' key to boosting memory: study
Sleep spindles or bursts of brain activity while we are asleep play a vital role in strengthening new memories, say researchers who found a way to decode and even enhance these brain waves. The findings may lead to new ways to help people remember things better, researchers said. Scientists have long known that sleep spindles - sudden bursts of oscillatory brain activity - play an important role in the formation and retention of new memories. Sleep spindles are half-second to two-second bursts of brain activity that occur during deep sleep, and can be visualised and measured on an electroencephalogram (EEG). Earlier studies have shown that the number of spindles that occur during the night could predict a person's memory the next day. However, many questions about the link between sleep spindles and how a person's recently acquired information is 'reactivated' and strengthened during sleep remained. Researchers from University of Birmingham and University of York in the UK ...
36 genes linked to heart failure identified
Scientists have identified 36 new genes linked to heart failure, paving the way for novel personalised drug therapies to treat or prevent the deadly condition. Researchers from Northeastern University in the US confirmed that one of those genes plays a causal role in cardiac hypertrophy - abnormal thickening of the heart muscle - which can lead to heart failure. "This is an exciting direction for personalised medicine, and also for identifying genes and therapeutic targets for complex diseases that involve many genes," said Alain Karma from Northeastern. The ultimate goal is to create personalised therapeutic drugs to reverse heart disease. The framework can also be used to predict whether individuals suffering from a particular disease will respond to a given drug treatment, said Marc Santolini, a postdoctoral research associate at Northeastern's Center for Complex Network Research. "The method can predict beforehand whether a patient should be prescribed a different drug using just .
Cancer threat looming large over NE Pan-NE rally to sensitize masses
A marathon pan-North- East bike rally and run to create awareness on cancer is in offing as a collaborative initiative of Tata Trusts in collaboration with Silchar-based Cachar Cancer Hospital& Research Centre and National Cancer Grid.The 2200-km 11-day pan-NER Bike Rally from March 12 covering seven NE states has been named as 'Cruise Against Cancer'. A 5-km cancer run will be conducted at Shillong (Mar 12), Guwahati (Mar 13), Tezpur (Mar 14), before arriving at Naharalgun (Mar 14) and then travel to Dibrugarh (Mar 15), Kohima (Mar 16), Imphal (Mar 17), Aizwal (Mar 18), Agartala (Mar 20) and culminate at Silchar on Mar 22 in which over 300 to 400 people are expected to take part in each ocation.The maiden event aims at promoting cancer awareness on ailment, certain common practices leading to cancer; connect to the community & communicate the importance of screening & early detection of cancer; reach out to general public, corporates, educational institutions, aid ...
Scientists identify 36 new genes implicated in cardiac disease
Researchers have identified 36 new genes that plays a causal role in cardiac hypertrophy -- abnormal thickening of the heart muscle -- which can lead to heart failure.
Cancer threat looming large over North-East Pan-NE rally to sensitize masses
A marathon pan-North- East bike rally and run to createawareness on cancer is in offing as a collaborative initiative of Tata Trusts in collaboration withSilchar-based Cachar Cancer Hospital& Research Centre and National Cancer Grid.The 2200-km 11-day pan-NER Bike Rally from March 12 covering seven NE states hasbeen named as 'Cruise Against Cancer'. A 5-km cancer run will be conducted at Shillong (Mar12), Guwahati (Mar 13), Tezpur (Mar 14), before arriving at Naharalgun (Mar 14) and thentravel to Dibrugarh (Mar 15), Kohima (Mar 16), Imphal (Mar 17), Aizwal (Mar 18), Agartala(Mar 20) and culminate at Silchar on Mar 22 in which over 300 to 400 people are expected totake part in each location.The maiden event aims at promoting cancer awareness on ailment, certain commonpractices leading to cancer; connect to the community & communicate the importance ofscreening & early detection of cancer; reach out to general public, corporates, educationalinstitutions, aid agencies and ...
Sleep spindles may help in improving memory retention
Want to strengthen your cognitive skills regarding any relevant information? Sleep spindles can help you in retaining new memories related to any newly learned information when you sleep.
British Indian boy travels to US for revolutionary treatment
A seven-year-old Indian-origin boy who suffers from cerebral palsy left with his family for the US today for a revolutionary treatment that has the potential to improve the quality of his life and give hope to others with neurological disorders. Jay Shetty suffers from a debilitating form of cerebral palsy and autism since he was a baby, which means he cannot walk, talk or sit up unaided. He is now set to undergo a pioneering clinical trial at Duke University Medical Centre in North Carolina, which relies on the infusion of his younger brother's umbilical cord blood frozen at birth. After a lot of research on stem cells, we had decided before I got pregnant with Kairav, our younger son, that we would save our child's cord blood. Then towards the end of the pregnancy in 2015, I got in touch with Duke University and they were planning on doing a sibling cord blood therapy trial, said Jay's mother Shilpa. She and husband Raj had the umbilical cord blood of their younger child .
MP: Woman gives birth at hospital entrance
A women from Madhya Pradesh's Katni village was forced to deliver a baby right at the entrance of a government health centre with the help of local women after no help was allegedly provided by the hospital staff.After the incident came to light, chief medical and health office (CMHO) Ashok Awdhiya claimed that the woman was provided with all the facility and only during the time of delivery the nurse went to another health care center.'ANM nurse gave full assistance to the woman. When the pregnant woman came to centre the ANM nurse was at a sub-centre nearby," Awdhiya said.Last year, in another similar incident, a newborn baby girl died owing to the unavailability of ambulance in Katni.The death took place after a pregnant woman walked nearly 20 kilometres before giving birth to the baby on road. The infant died soon after birth.
Heavy makeup may create doubt over women's leadership ability
If you aspire to be a leader, you should go easy with your makeup, a new study suggests, adding that women wearing heavy makeup are less likely to be thought of as good leaders.
Decoded: What causes bone loss
The lack of a protein key to the control of inflammation may be responsible for rapid and severe bone loss, finds a study that could lead to improved care for older adults at higher risk for osteoporosis and gum disease.
Early exposure to thirdhand smoke may up lung cancer risks
Babies exposed to thirdhand smoke in vitro may be at increased risk of the suffering severe lung cancer, finds a study.
3 people taken hostages at veterans home in US
A gunman on Friday took three people hostage at a veterans home in the US state of California.
Saliva prevents traveller's diarrhoea: Study
Researchers have identified a protein in saliva that protects the body from traveller's diarrhoea, a finding that may lead to the development of new preventive therapies for the disease.
New drugs may help prevent hearing loss
Researchers have found that inhibiting a new enzyme protects mice and rats from noise or drug-induced hearing loss.
Insomnia might be in your genes
Finding it difficult to sleep? Blame your genes, say researchers, who identified specific genetic factors that may trigger the development of sleep problems.
Stored blood may be unsafe for severely injured patients
Blood stored for long may be less safe for patients with massive blood loss and shock as it may have adverse effects on them, researchers, including one of Indian origin, suggest.
Why living in high altitudes raises depression, suicide risks
People living in the high-altitude areas have increased rates of suicide and depression, possibly due to reduced oxygen levels in their blood, finds a study.
Over 17,000 corneal transplants done at AIIMS till date: Titiyal
Over 17,000 corneal transplant surgeries have been conducted at the AIIMS till date, out of which 1,285 were done last year, Chairman of the National Eye Bank Jeewan S Titiyal said today. He was addressing a press conference at the Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here, to mark the foundation day of the centre. The eye bank is situated in the over 50-year-old centre is housed in the AIIMS campus, and various programmes have been lined up to commemorate the occasion. "We (AIIMS) have conducted 17,000-18,000 corneal transplant surgeries till date. Last year, we had corneas from 1,844 donors, out of which 1,285 were used for surgeries," Titiyal said. The senior doctor said about 27,000 corneas were collected altogether but not all are used for various reasons. "After an eye is donated, only then we go for testing. And, if it found to be unhealthy or carrying infection, then we don't use it," he added. The press conference ...
Odisha govt urges for treatment of separated twins at AIIMS,
Odisha government has urged the authorities of AIIMS, New Delhi to allow the Kandhamal conjoined twins, who were separated in a marathon operation in the hospital, to stay there till their complete recovery, state Health Minister Pratap Jena today said. The craniopagus twins, Jaga and Kalia who were joined at the head were separated in an 11-hour surgery conducted by a special team of doctors comprising 20 surgeons at AIIMS on October 25 last year. "Of the twins, Kalia is still under treatment though Jaga has recovered. Therefore we have requested AIIMS New Delhi to keep them under its treatment," Jena told reporters here. The parents of the twins had urged the state government to request for continuing the treatment of the twins in the Delhi hospital till they recover completely. Jaga is quite fine but Kalia is still being fed with the help of tubes. He is vomiting after being fed. How can we admit the child to SCB Hospital in Cuttack in this condition ?" asked Bhuyan .
IMA to hold 'mahapanchayat' against National Medical Commission bill on March 25
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) which has been on a nationwide march from February 25 to deprecate the current form of the National Medical Commission Bill will hold a 'Mahapanchayat' on March 25. The Mahapanchayat will be held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi. The IMA has strongly opposed the draft Bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India with a new body, claiming it will cripple the medical profession. "The bill, which has the potential to adversely alter the course of medical education and healthcare delivery in India, will also make irrevocable damage if passed in its current forms," IMA's general secretary Dr R N Tandon said. Cutting across party lines, the members of Parliament have also voiced their concern and opposition towards the bill, which has now been referred to the standing committee. "Vehemently opposing the commission, IMA has already started a march across India and will converge before the Doctors Mahapanchayat in New Delhi. Over 20,000 ..