Page 569 - Health Medical Pharma

Daffodil extract may help fight cancer: study

Scientists have extracted a natural anti-cancer compound from Daffodils that may help improve treatments for the deadly disease. Researchers, led by Denis Lafontaine from Universite libre de Bruxelles (ULB) in Belgium, discovered that this compound triggers the activation of an anti-tumoral surveillance pathway. They established that this compound, an alkaloid named haemanthamine, binds to the ribosome. Ribosomes are nanomachines essential to the survival of our cells because they synthesise all our proteins. To sustain their unrestrained growth, cancer cells rely on increased protein synthesis. They are therefore particularly sensitive to treatments that inhibit the production and the function of ribosomes. In the study published in the journal Structure, the researchers have shown that haemanthamine from Daffodils blocks the production of protein by ribosomes, thus slowing growth of cancer cells. Haemanthamine also inhibits the production of these nanomachines in the nucleolus (the .

Checking unhealthy behaviour as a teenager may cut obesity risk later

It's not only junk food, but a combination of unhealthy behaviours like sedentary lifestyle in teenagers that increases the risk of being overweight in adulthood, say researchers emphasising the need to focus on more than eating habits to combat the obesity epidemic.

Zydus Cadila receives USFDA's final approval to market sedative injection

The injection will be manufactured at the group's formulations manufacturing facility at Moraiya, Ahmedabad

Cannabis compound may reduce epileptic seizures: study

Treatment with an active compound found in marijuana may reduce seizures in epilepsy patients, a study claims. About one third of patients treated for epilepsy continue to have seizures, according to the study published in the journal Epilepsy & Behavior. Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the many active compounds in the cannabis (marijuana) plant, has gained attention as a treatment for epilepsy. Purified CBD is being tested, but artisanal formulations of CBD (oils) are already available and being used by patients. To evaluate the efficacy of artisanal CBD for patients with epilepsy, Robert Carson from Vanderbilt University in the US and colleagues performed a retrospective study of medical records. They found that among 108 pediatric patients with epilepsy, 39 per cent who added CBD oil to their treatments experienced a 50 per cent reduction in seizures. Ten per cent became seizure-free, and 22 per cent were able to decrease doses of other anti-seizure medications, researchers said. The

Max Healthcare to introduce 24x7 ward monitoring system

To bring Intensive Care Unit (ICU)-standard monitoring across general wards, Max Healthcare on Wednesday announced a partnership with US-based medical technology company Vios Medical to launch a continuous vital monitoring system built on a medical-grade Internet of Things (IoT) framework.

Metformin during pregnancy may up childhood obesity risk

Kids born to pregnant women who consume metformin -- a medication used for the treatment of gestational diabetes or a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-- are at higher risk of developing obesity, researchers have claimed.

Renowned doctor censures PNB chief for comparing scam with cancer

PNB MD and CEO Sunil Mehta got chastised from unexpected quarters when a globally acclaimed doctor V Shanta censured him for using the word 'cancer' to describe the Rs 12,717 crore fraud at the bank by billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi and his associates. Corruption is something to be ashamed of, cancer is not, she said. "... do not try to find parallels where none exist. Do not mix cancer with corruption. Ever.", said the Ramon Magsaysay Award winner and cancer specialist in a letter to Mehta. While addressing a press conference in connection with the USD 2 billion scam earlier in the month, the Punjab Nation Bank chief had said: "This cancer, that's been going on since 2011, we have brought it out and we are resolving it." Strongly objecting to the use of the word 'cancer', the legendary cancer specialist who was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2006 and is currently Chairman of Chennai based Cancer Institute (WIA), said one ought to be ashamed of corruption but not of cancer. "I was ...

Metal detection tech helps with studying cancer

Seems like, the benefits of metal detection technique is not just limited to airport security and mining companies - it also helps in studying cancer.According to a new study conducted by the University of Southern California, a new metal detection technique can be successfully utilised for studying cancer cells with the aim of improving the precision of treatment.By imaging metal-tagged antibodies on biopsies from a patient with metastatic prostate cancer, Bridge Institute researchers at the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience have created highly detailed, digital facsimiles of cancer cells that can travel through the body.The metal tags enable scientists to identify and characterize the cancer cells in a blood sample after it is placed on a slide."That is exactly what is happening when the TSA swipes your hands," said Peter Kuhn, a Dean's Professor of Biological Sciences at the Bridge Institute at the USC Michelson Center. "They are looking for metals, which are really ...

'Cool first, transport second' - Mantra while treating athlete of heat stroke

Turns out, the best course of action while treating an athlete for heat stroke is 'cool first, transport second'.According to a study conducted by experts at Loyola University Health System, athletes who suffer life-threatening heat stroke should be cooled on site before they are taken to the hospital.The principle of "cool first, transport second" differs from the usual practice of calling 911 and getting to the hospital as soon as possible."In the case of heat stroke, the definitive care is cooling, which may best be performed immediately onsite before transport," said Jolie C. Holschen, co-author of the expert panel's consensus statement.First author of the statement is Luke Beval of the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut.Exertional heat stroke is one of the most common causes of death in athletes. Although it can happen in cooler temperatures, it typically occurs in warm weather during events such as marathons and preseason football practices.The athlete ...

Holding partner's hand may lower pain in women: study

Women experience less pain when holding the hand of a person they love, a study claims. Researchers, including those from the University of Colorado in the US, exposed women to some degree of pain and then asked them to report how painful it felt under different conditions. They enlisted the assistance of 20 couples willing to undergo several experiments, consisting of having the women hold onto a tube through which hot water could be pumped to induce pain. In the study published in the journal PNAS, the women and their significant others were placed in different sorts of situations. In some, the man held the woman's hand as the hot water was applied; in others, the man sat nearby but did not offer a hand. In all of the cases, both volunteers were asked to rate the degree of pain the woman was experiencing, 'Medical Xpress' reported. Researchers found that the women reported on average experiencing less than half as much pain when they were holding their loved one's hand. They suggest

Hearing loss may indicate memory impairment for some

Elderly people with a certain type of hearing loss may be more likely to also have memory loss and thinking problems called mild cognitive impairment, says a study.

Tripathi new CS of Jharkhand

Additional Chief Secretary Sudhir Tripathi has been appointed as the new chief secretary of Jharkhand, an official notification said today. He succeeds Rajbala Verma who retired today. A 1985 IAS batch, Tripathi held the departments of health, and family welfare.

New advances made to measure blood flow velocity in deep tissue

Seems like, new advances have been made in measuring blood flow velocity in deep tissues.In a study conducted by the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE), researchers announced new advances in measuring blood flow velocity in deep tissue.Blood flow speed is a critical element in assessing tissue functionality as well as diagnosing diseases, and photoacoustic flowmetry (PAF) is already acknowledged as a promising technique for deep tissue measurement of blood flow velocity.The new work demonstrated successful use of a handheld ultrasound probe common in clinical settings, paving the way to explore the feasibility of measuring flow in a physiologically realistic situation.The study outlined key steps in their processing methods - including image filtering, motion detection, and masking - that brought photoacoustic flowmetry an important step closer to clinical applicability, according to the journal editor, Andreas Mandelis."The manuscript by Brunker and her colleagues .

People who keep phones away enjoy dinner more: study

People who use their smartphones while out for dinner with friends and family enjoy themselves less than those who do not, a study has found. Researchers from the University of British Columbia in Canada looked at the effect of smartphones on face-to-face social interactions. "As useful as smartphones can be, our findings confirm what many of us likely already suspected," said Ryan Dwyer, PhD student at University of British Columbia. "When we use our phones while we are spending time with people we care about - apart from offending them - we enjoy the experience less than we would if we put our devices away," said Dwyer, lead author of the study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. The researchers asked more than 300 people to go to dinner with friends and family at a restaurant. Participants were randomly assigned to either keep their phones on the table or to put their phones away during the meal. After the meal, they were asked a variety of questions, ...

50 new gene regions linked to schizophrenia risk identified

Scientists have identified 50 new gene regions that increase the risk of developing schizophrenia, a finding that could lead to improved treatment for the debilitating psychiatric condition that affects over 20 million people worldwide.

AstraZeneca spins off autoimmune drugs into new biotech company

LONDON (Reuters) - AstraZeneca is spinning off six early-stage experimental drugs into a new $250 million standalone biotech company focused on severe autoimmune diseases.

Axiostat becomes first indigenous wound care product to get US FDA clearance

Giving a fillip to the Government's 'Make in India' initiative, Axiostat has become the first Indian wound care product to receive 510(K) FDA clearance in the US for its pioneering haemostatic dressing.Axiostat, a 100 percent chitosan haemostatic dressing to stop external bleeding, was earlier approved with CE mark in Europe. The FDA clearance now allows Axiostat to be marketed in the US as over-the-counter (OTC) product for control of bleeding.Axiostat Chitosan Hemostatic Dressing is a patented product that has prevented countless deaths due to bleeding in battlefields, hospitals, and on roadsides, worldwide. The innovative first-aid dressing stops uncontrollable bleeding within just two-three minutes of its application. Axiostat has become the de-facto product of Indian armed forces, since its life-saving quality came to the fore during a surgical strike."The FDA clearance of Axiostat in the US is a major milestone in our journey so far. This is a validation of the performance, ...

Simple urine test may predict biological age, death

A simple urine test may determine how much people are getting older biologically, an advance that could help predict the risk of developing age-related disease and even death.

Daffodils extract may help combat cancer

Scientists have found that a natural alkaloid extracted from Daffodils has anti-cancer properties, in an advance that may help improve treatments for the deadly disease.

Take care of your spinal health to avoid life-long malaise

Over the years spinal health has emerged as one of the major concerns among millennials.Our busy and mostly sedentary lifestyles attached with a digital-heavy existence has resulted in a large number of young professionals being afflicted with back pain.Injuries, poor postures, obesity, heavy schoolbags and puberty are some of the reasons for poor spinal health. Therefore, back pain is a matter of concern and should not be neglected.Apart from diminishing your quality of life, back pain also affects your work and social engagements and in extreme cases, even prevents in accomplishing simple, everyday tasks.Like all other structures of the body, the disc in the spine ages and degenerates with time and inactivity.Early treatment can solve the pain and the root cause of the problem within a short span of time providing complete recovery. Early diagnosis and proper treatment is recommended to avoid the risk of surgeries and to live a better life without back pain and spine problems.Dr. ...