Page 577 - Health Medical Pharma

Protesters block NH-48 with dead body

Hundreds of people on Thursday blocked the Delhi-Jaipur-Mumbai National Highway here in Manesar for hours over the death of a 21-year-old man, who died due to alleged medical negligence at a private hospital here, police said.

Surgery may affect patients' memory: study

Patients may score slightly lower on certain memory tests after undergoing surgery, a study suggests. The study published in the journal Anaesthesia involved 312 participants who had surgery and 652 participants who had not (with an average age in the 50s). Surgery between tests was associated with a decline in immediate memory by one point out of a possible maximum test score of 30 points, researchers said. Memory became abnormal in 77 out of 670 participants with initially normal memory comprising 18 per cent of those who had had surgery compared with 10 per cent of those who had not, they said. "The cognitive changes we report are highly statistically significant in view of the internal normative standards we employ, and the large sample size of the control, or non-surgery, population," said Kirk Hogan from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US. "However, the cognitive changes after surgery are small - most probably asymptomatic and beneath a person's awareness," said ...

This fertility hormone may help older women conceive

Scientists have identified a hormone that could help prepare the womb lining for pregnancy, an advance that could help develop treatments to improve fertility in older women.

Tea Board for preferential trade pact between India, China

The Tea Board today pitched for a preferential trade agreement in tea between China and India to boost exports of black tea and imports of green tea. Tea Board chairman P K Bezbaruah said here that India and China were not competitors as far as tea was concerned, but rather complemented each other. On both sides, the duties at present were extremely prohibitive which was restricting exports from both the directions and needed to be lowered, he said speaking for the preferential trade pact before a 22-member business delegation from Dali prefecture in China. Eighty percent of China's annual tea production is green tea and 18 percent Oolong variety, while 98 per cent of the beverage produced in India annually is black tea. China's annual production was 2600 million kilograms, while India's was half of that, he said. India exports around seven to eight million kg of tea to China, while the the latter's exports of green tea to India was not significant. About non-tariff ...

Carbon monoxide may improve effectiveness of antibiotics: study

Carbon monoxide may significantly improve the effectiveness of antibiotics, according to a study which may open up novel ways to fight antibiotic resistance. The study led by researchers at Georgia State University in the US paired carbon monoxide with the antibiotic metronidazole. The researchers found carbon monoxide enhanced the efficacy of the antibiotic against H pylori, a type of bacteria that infects the stomach and causes peptic ulcers. "We found that if you administer carbon monoxide together with an antibiotic called metronidazole, it can sensitise bacteria towards the same antibiotic by 25-fold," said Binghe Wang from Georgia State. "It makes the bacteria much, much more sensitive to the antibiotic," he said. "We always hear about the discussions of drug resistance. When we have drug resistance, its not because these bacteria will not respond to antibiotics anymore," said Wang. "Most of the time, it means there is decreased sensitivity. If you can resensitise bacteria or ...

Revelation of glucagon's role in diabetic heart disease

A new study has provided insight into glucagon's role in diabetic heart disease.The UT Southwestern-led study revealed the hormone glucagon's importance to the development of insulin resistance and cardiac dysfunction during Type 2 diabetes, presenting opportunities to develop new therapies for diabetic diseases of the heart muscle.These findings might provide an advanced understanding of how diabetes drugs benefit heart function, especially considering cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in diabetics."This investigation found that inhibiting glucagon action has potent anti-diabetic effects. This treatment reduces the potential negative effects that fats have on tissues," said Dr Philipp Scherer, Director of the Touchstone.The study built on decades of discoveries at the Touchstone Center, first directed by Dr Roger Unger."Dr Unger's work established an important role for glucagon as a driving force for hyperglycemia, or excess glucose in the bloodstream, during the ..

E-cigarette vapours loaded with toxic metals

It has come to light that e-cigarette vapours contain a significant amount of toxic metals, which can be dangerous.According to a study conducted by at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, significant amounts of toxic metals, including lead, leak from some e-cigarette heating coils and are present in the aerosols inhaled by users.In the study, the scientists examined e-cigarette devices owned by a sample of 56 users. They found that significant numbers of the devices generated aerosols with potentially unsafe levels of lead, chromium, manganese and/or nickel.Chronic inhalation of these metals has been linked to lung, liver, immune, cardiovascular and brain damage, and even cancers."It's important for the FDA, the e-cigarette companies, and vapers themselves to know that these heating coils, as currently made, seem to be leaking toxic metals--which then get into the aerosols that vapers inhale," said senior author, Ana María Rule.Vaping, the practice of inhaling this ...

College football players prone to future breathing problems

Turns out, college students who play football on a regular basis are prone to future breathing problems.According to a new study, health problem in football players may begin much earlier, and at an age when the condition is less likely to occur in the general population.The study, which was conducted by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, suggested while it is not yet possible to identify the cause of the increased risk, a comparison study with other competitive athletes of the same age implied a relationship between physical conditioning specific to football linemen and the health threat.Studies with professional football players have also shown that sleep apnea, a serious breathing disorder during sleep common in older men, is also common in professional players, and in particular, in linemen.The authors are exercise physiologists Bailey Beck and Joseph S. Marino, sleep psychologists Hannah Peach and Jane Gaultney, and biologist Timothy Renzi.Though the sleep apnea risks

New tech could provide better case for kidney disease patients

Researchers have found a new technology in order to improve the care of patients with kidney diseases, a new study says.According to physicians at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, a portable ultrasound can help nephrologists better detect fluid in the lungs of patients with end-stage kidney disease.The trick is to know where the fluid is and how much needs to be removed, said Dr Omar Saleem, and accumulation in the lungs can lead to complications like heart failure and high blood pressure.When it comes to diagnosing "wet lungs," the standard has been listening for chest crackling sounds with a stethoscope and measuring blood pressure - more fluid on the lungs prevents oxygen from being absorbed into the bloodstream."But that's quite subjective," he said. "For instance, sometimes you can't hear the crackling. That's why the ultrasound adds to the physical exam."He examined 24 ESKD patients and as part of the normal physical exam, he placed the ultrasound probe on ..

Surgery, anaesthesia may affect memory

Turns out, surgery and anaesthesia can slightly affect memory of patients.According to a new study, patients may score slightly lower on certain memory tests after having surgery and anaesthesia.In the study of 312 participants who had surgery and 652 participants who had not (with an average age in the 50s), surgery between tests was associated with a decline in immediate memory by one point out of a possible maximum test score of 30 points.Memory became abnormal in 77 out of 670 participants with initially normal memory comprising 18 percent of those who had had surgery compared with 10 percent of those who had not.No differences in other measures of memory and executive function were observed between participants having and not having surgery.Reduced immediate memory scores at the second visit were significantly associated with the number of operations in the preceding nine years. Working memory decline was associated with longer cumulative operations.Dr Kirk Hogan, the senior ...

Protein rich diet may reduce Alzheimer's risk: study

A diet high in protein rich foods such as meat and legumes may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a study claims. Researchers from Edith Cowan University in Western Australia examined the diets of 541 Australians and measured the levels of amyloid beta (A) in their brain, which is a precursor to Alzheimer's disease. They found that participants with higher levels of protein in their diet were less likely to have high levels of A in their brain, reducing their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The participants were divided into three groups based on their protein intake. The team found that those with the highest consumption, around 118 grammes per day, were 12 times less likely to have high levels of A than those in the lowest consumption group, who ate only 54 grammes per day. According to Binosha Fernando, who led the study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, this was the first ever study to examine the relationship between protein consumption and .

Carbon monoxide can make some antibiotics more effective

Carbon monoxide can improve the effectiveness of antibiotics that fight stomach infections, says a study that could open up novel ways to fight antibiotic resistance.

Wine may be good for oral health: study

Sipping wine may be good for your oral health, say scientists who found that certain compounds in the drink can fend of harmful bacteria in the teeth and gums. Traditionally, some health benefits of polyphenols have been attributed to the fact that these compounds are antioxidants, meaning they likely protect the body from harm caused by free radicals. However, recent work indicates polyphenols might also promote health by actively interacting with bacteria in the gut. Plants and fruits produce polyphenols to ward off infection by harmful bacteria and other pathogens. Researchers including M Victoria Moreno-Arribas from Institute of Food Science Research (CIAL) in Spain wanted to know whether wine and grape polyphenols would also protect teeth and gums, and how this could work on a molecular level. The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, checked out the effect of two red wine polyphenols, as well as commercially available grape seed and red wine ...

Stigma can cause depression in Multiple Sclerosis patients

According to a study, the stigma of Multiple Sclerosis can increase the risk of depression in the patients.The researchers added that having a support system of friends and family and a sense of autonomy may help reduce the harmful effects of stigma.As part of an ongoing research project, people living with MS who reported higher levels of stigma also reported more symptoms of depression and were more likely to meet the thresholds for clinical depression.By using a longitudinal methodology, which gathers data from the same people over time, the researchers conclude that stigma is likely to be a cause of depression.Researchers have known for some time that people with MS have high rates of depression, but had limited data on why depression rates were so high, said Margaret Cadden, a doctoral student in psychology at Penn State and lead author of the study."About 50 percent of people with MS will have depression during their lifetime compared to 17 percent of the general public, but the

Maha govt to allocate space for dispensary in Mantralaya

The Maharashtra government will allocate space for a dispensary in the compound of Mantralaya for emergency medical aid, state Health minister Deepak Sawant said today. He added that special funds will be allocated for procurement of scheduled and life saving essential drugs for the dispensary. "The officers and employees of Mantralaya and visitors have, at times, had to face medical emergencies. The government shall allocate space within the Mantralaya compound for emergency medical aid," Sawant said in a statement issued here. At present patients are referred to St George, JJ and GT hospitals. He added that the life of a patient could be saved if medical aid was given in the golden hour itself. After taking review of the stock of medicines for blood pressure, chest pain, diabetes etc, Sawant assured that special funds will be allocated for procurement of these medicines. Sawant also reviewed the arrangements for providing immediate first aid to those who had consumed .

CORPORATE-BRIEFS

FMCG maker GSK Consumer Healthcare has extended its health food drink brand Horlicks into a new category of high protein drink for active adults. The company has launched Horlicks Protein+ to cater the growing nutritional requirements, specifically protein related needs, of modern day professionals. It has also announced to rope in Bollywood actor R Madhavan as the brand ambassador for Horlicks Protein+. ***** AHBC to relaunch range of Anchor Advance toothbrushes * Anchor Health and Beauty Care (AHBC) today announced to re-launch of its range of Anchor Advance toothbrushes. The company is revamping its footprint with range of beauty and oral care products over the last one year. "We have a strong oral care portfolio with Anchor toothpastes, and now with a range of new toothbrushes we are further strengthening Anchors credentials as a complete oral care brand," said AHBC MD Sanjay Shah. ***** Walmart India top 10 best workplaces in retail in 2018 * Walmart India, the wholly owned ...

Businessman announces Rs 200 cr donation for cancer hospital

In a major charitableinitiative, a leading city-based businessman today announced donation of Rs 200 crore to the self-funded NGO "New India" to build a 'cashless cancer care super-specialty hospital' at Anekal, near here, for the underprivileged. Vijay Tata said he andhis wife Amrita made the announcement to celebratetheir daughter's birthday in a memorable way. Speaking to PTI, Vijay Tata said he welcomed the budgetary provision of Rs five lakheach to 10 crore poor families for healthcare. He, however, felt thatthe amount is insufficient for cancer patients. "The announcement is a welcome one but it isinsufficient for cancer patients. The expenditure is muchmore, which the underprivileged cannot afford," he said. "Hence, wedecided to build this hospital. We are donating 50 acres ofland worth Rs 100 crore and an additional Rs 100 crore for thebuilding and equipment," he added. It will be a 150-bed hospital whichcan accommodate at least 400 patients at a time. The ...

Nair hospital doctors surgically remove largest brain tumour

In a rare feat, doctors at the civic-run Nair Hospital successfully removed a tumour weighing 1.873 kg from the brain of a 31-year-old man after a seven-hour-long operation. According to neurosurgeon Dr Trimurti Nadkarni, the tumour is the largest of its kind in the world. Santlal Pal, a cloth vendor, was operated upon yesterday by a team led by Dr Trimurti Nadkarni, Head of Neurosurgery, Nair Hospital, located in Central Mumbai. "Pal was admitted in the Department of Neurosurgery with progressive swelling of scalp, heaviness, headaches and diminution of vision in both eyes since the last one year. On examination, he was found with a firm scalp swelling measuring 30x30x20 cms," the civic body said in a statement. After conducting various tests, the doctors came to know that the tumour invaded into the brain on both sides of the midline through the skull bone. Explaining the high-risk surgery, Dr Nadkarni said the patient required transfusion of 11 units of blood. "He was .

Philip Morris may have breached Lithuania's advertising rules with new smoking device

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuania's tobacco regulator believes Philip Morris's new electronic smoking device should be subject to the same advertising restrictions as tobacco, potentially dealing a blow to a product the company has touted as the future of smoking.

Manohar Parrikar's health condition stable, confirms BJP

"Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's health condition is stable and is improving," confirmed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Narendra Sawaikar on Wednesday.On February 14, Parrikar was hospitalised in Mumbai for mild pancreatitis."Condition of Manohar Parrikar is stable and is improving. The doctors are constantly monitoring his health. He is positively responding to the treatment," Sawaikar told ANI.On February 18, Prime Minister Modi visited Parrikar at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital.The Chief Minister complained of stomach ache and visited the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for a health check-up. He was later taken to the Mumbai hospital for further examination.