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Blood, urine tests can detect autism in kids

Scientists have developed new blood and urine tests that can diagnose autism in children, allowing patients to get appropriate treatment much earlier in their lives. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are defined as developmental disorders mainly affecting social interaction and they can include a wide spectrum of behavioural problems. These include speech disturbances, repetitive and/or compulsive behaviour, hyperactivity, anxiety, and difficulty to adapt to new environments, some with or without cognitive impairment. Since there is a wide range of ASD symptoms diagnosis can be difficult and uncertain, particularly at the early stages of development. "Our discovery could lead to earlier diagnosis and intervention," said Naila Rabbani, at the University of Warwick in the UK. "We hope the tests will also reveal new causative factors. With further testing we may reveal specific plasma and urinary profiles or "fingerprints" of compounds with damaging modifications," said Rabbani. ...

Placenta-on-a-chip developed to test drug transfer

Scientists have developed an "organ-on-a-chip" platform to study how drugs are transported across the human placental barrier. Some maternally-administered medications can enter the fetal bloodstream, but how the placenta determines which molecules can get through is still poorly understood. The new placenta-on-a-chip developed by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania in the US is a small block of silicone that houses two microfluidic channels separated by a porous membrane. The researchers grow human trophoblast cells on one side of the membrane and endothelial cells on the other. The layers of those two cell types mimic the placental barrier, which determines what passes from the maternal to the foetal circulatory systems. By adding different molecules to the blood-like fluid flowing through the "maternal" microfluidic channel, the researchers can measure the rate at which they transfer to the "foetal" channel and how much they accumulate in the barrier itself. The ...

Novel blood, urine tests may predict autism in kids

In a first of its kind, scientists have developed novel tests that can indicate autism in children, a finding that could lead to earlier diagnosis of the developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact.

Scientists develop tests to indicate autism in children

Researchers at the University of Warwick have developed blood and urine tests to indicate autism in children.The academic team, who conducted the international research, believes that their new tests, which search for damage to proteins, are the first of their kind.The tests could lead to earlier detection of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and consequently children with autism could be given appropriate treatment much earlier in their lives.ASDs are defined as developmental disorders mainly affecting social interaction and they can include a wide spectrum of behavioural problems. These include speech disturbances, repetitive and/or compulsive behaviour, hyperactivity, anxiety, and difficulty to adapt to new environments, some with or without cognitive impairment. Since there is a wide range of ASD symptoms diagnosis can be difficult and uncertain, particularly at the early stages of development.The team was led by Dr Naila Rabbani, Reader of Experimental Systems Biology at the ...

Paper-based DNA test 'SHERLOCK' can rapidly diagnose diseases

Scientists have developed the first inexpensive, miniature paper test that can precisely detect diseases from DNA samples and allows the results to be seen with the naked eye, just like pregnancy tests. After dipping the paper strip into a processed sample, a line appears, indicating whether the target molecule was detected or not. The test can accurately quantify the amount of target in a sample and test for multiple targets at once. The innovations build on the team's earlier version of SHERLOCK (Specific High Sensitivity Reporter unLOCKing) and add to a growing field of research that harnesses CRISPR systems for uses beyond gene editing. "SHERLOCK provides an inexpensive, easy-to-use, and sensitive diagnostic method for detecting nucleic acid material - and that can mean a virus, tumour DNA, and many other targets," said Feng Zhang, professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US. "The SHERLOCK improvements now give us even more diagnostic information and ...

Quicker recovery options for ACL tear through hESC therapy

Patients suffering from chronic sports injury can now be treated with human embryonic stem cell (hESC) therapy.With athletes wanting to get back quickly on track, hESC therapies are the preferred option as they are less invasive and focus on regeneration and healing of the tissues and ligaments rather than to cut and replace it.ACL tear is the most common type of chronic sports injury that keeps a sports person out of the game. These ligaments are found in the front and back of the knee joint in a cross formation that holds the bones together.The tough, non-stretchable fibers control the back and forth motion of the knee and can tear when stretched beyond its normal range."In surgical procedure, the graft goes in at a steeper angle than the original ACL which causes compression of the cartilage and hence most of the young athletes undergoing surgery end up with arthritis by the age of 30. Moreover the position sense and the strength of the knee can never be restored. The fast growing .

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals presents findings from Phase 2a study of GBR 830

At the 2018 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meet

Ayush Minister attends National Natural Food Festival in Hyderabad

Union Minister for Ayush, Shripad Yesso Naik, on Sunday attended the two-day National Natural Food Festival in Hyderabad.Dr C Laxma Reddy, Minister for Health, Telangana was also present at the event that was oraganised by the National Institute of Naturopathy, Pune.While addressing the valedictory of the event, the Ayush Minister said that in Naturopathy, the concept of food was considered as an important factor to attend wellness and better health."I am glad that National Institute of Naturopathy, Pune has organised the two-day Natural food festival in Hyderabad. Ministry of Ayush is committed to providing sustainable health care to the citizens of India. In Naturopathy and Yoga the concept of the food is regarded as an essential component in achieving the wellness and health," said Shripad Naik"In the present scenario when we are fighting against lifestyle diseases like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and others, the awareness of the right choice of the food, it's cooking method ..

Patients complain of inadequate facilities at medical center in MP

Patients at a medical center at Madhya Pradesh's Chhattarpur district have complained of medical negligence by the hospital authorities.Patients have complained that doctors, in the medical center located in Chandla's Sarwai, leave them unattended and the staff member demand extra money to perform their duty."I have been here since 2 a.m, but no one has come to see me or my child yet. When I asked them to discharge me, they asked for money in exchange," a distressed patient, Sangeeta, told ANI.Another patient alleged that the driver of the ambulance demanded money from him after he dropped his sick relative at the center."We called for the ambulance, but then we were told that the driver does not know the address. When he actually dropped us at the center, he demanded Rs. 200 from us. We are poor people. How could we give that?" asked the relative of a patient in the medical center.Meanwhile, the staff members have also complained that the condition of the hospital is "bad" and they ..

Create mass awareness on health cooking, diet: Ayush minister

Union Minister Shripad Naik today advised the National Institute of Naturopathy-Pune to take up mass awareness programmes across the country on a healthy way of cooking and on the importance of having a nutritious diet. "I advise the National Institute of Naturopathy, Pune to conduct mass awareness programmes throughout the country, along with workshops on healthy cooking, to create a healthy diet culture among the public," the Minister of State for AYUSH said. He was addressing the valedictory of the two-day National Natural Food Festival organised by the Pune-based NIN to promote natural food preparation, in the form of salads, juices, herbal tea among others. Naik said that the NIN could also think of making this campaign a job oriented one in terms of providing short term training to people about preparation of food so that such people would run food outlets. He said that it would create jobs as well as promote health, and hoped that the festival would increase ...

Revive dull, dry skin with oatmeal

Many individuals have a never-ending tiff with dry skin. Experts suggest moisturisers with natural ingredients like oatmeal that can be a saviour as it restores the skin's pH balance, preventing dry skin.

Post stroke, babies use opposite side of brain for language

A stroke in a baby -- even a big one - may not have the same lasting impact as it could in an adult. Researchers have found that they regain language function in the "opposite side" of the brain if they experience a stroke around the time of birth.

'J K's health sector improved considerably'

Jammu and Kashmir has made a considerable improvement in health sector over the years as the state has better parameters than the corresponding national average on various fronts, even as patient load on the public health institutions has increased tremendously. The state has been able to bring down the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) by eight points from 34 to 26 in a single year which is highest among all states, Health Department officials said here. Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has also come down from 1.7 to 1.6 in 2016-17. Early Neonatal Mortality Rate has dipped from 22 in 2014 to 18 in 2015. Neonatal Mortality Rate has declined from 26 in 2014 to 20 in 2015. Under-five mortality rate reduced from 35 in 2014 to 28 in 2015," they said, adding that the national average of TFR is 2.3. The officials said the Crude Death Rate (CDR) as well as the IMR in the state was lower than the national average. "While the Crude Birth Rate (CBR) is 17.6, which is lower than the national average Birth ..

Depression ups risk of work-related injuries in women: study

Women who suffer from depression, anxiety, and fatigue are more likely to be injured at work, a study has found. The study found that these health factors significantly affected women's risk of injury but not men's risk. "The findings of our study demonstrate that keeping workers safe requires more than your typical safety program. It requires an integrated approach that connects health, well-being, and safety," said Natalie Schwatka, assistant professor at University of Colorado Boulder in the US. Researchers examined the insurance claims data of 314 businesses from a range of industries. Close to 17,000 employees ranging from executives to laborers were represented in the study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The researchers found that men were more likely to sustain a work-related injury but behavioral health factors, like poor sleep and anxiety, did not directly affect their risk of injury. Women were more likely to report experiencing ...

Cleaning sprays as harmful as smoking: study

Using cleaning sprays can cause a decline in lung function comparable to the damage seen in regular smokers, a study warns. Researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway analyzed data from 6,235 participants in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey. The participants, whose average age was 34 when they enrolled, were followed for more than 20 years. "While the short-term effects of cleaning chemicals on asthma are becoming increasingly well documented, we lack knowledge of the long-term impact," said Cecile Svanes, a professor at University of Bergen. "We feared that such chemicals, by steadily causing a little damage to the airways day after day, year after year, might accelerate the rate of lung function decline that occurs with age," Svanes said. The study found that the accelerated lung function decline in the women working as cleaners was "comparable to smoking somewhat less than 20 pack- years." That level of lung impairment was surprising at first, said Oistein ...

NHPS: Expert for strong regulation, cap on med prices

In order to make the ambitious National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) successful, the government should introduce strong regulation and put a cap on prices of medical inputs including medicines and health implants, an expert has said. Touted as the world's largest government-funded health care programme, the (NHPS) aims at benefiting 10 crore families by providing coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary health care. In an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr G S Grewal, Member Core Committee of Alliance of Doctors on Ethical Healthcare (ADEH), said that "revolutionary measures need revolutionary reforms". Ideally, after the scheme was announced, one would have felt satisfied of being secured in case of a medical emergency but given the way the health and pharmaceutical sector is operating currently in the country, Rs 5 lakhs will appear to be "just peanuts", Grewal said. "We have a recent example of a corporate hospital charging Rs 17

New tech for stroke recovery treatment

A new stretchable electronics has been found for stroke recovery treatment which has proven to be a game changer.A groundbreaking new wearable designed to be worn on the throat could have been developed in the field of stroke rehabilitation in the Northwestern University.The new technology's sensor is the latest in Professor John A. Rogers' growing portfolio of stretchable electronics that are precise enough for use in advanced medical care and portable enough to be worn outside the hospital, even during extreme exercise.Rogers' sensors stick directly to the skin, moving with the body and providing detailed health metrics including heart function, muscle activity, and quality of sleep."Stretchable electronics allow us to see what is going on inside patients' bodies at a level traditional wearables simply cannot achieve", Rogers said. "The key is to make them as integrated as possible with the human body."Rogers' new bandage-like throat sensor measured patients' swallowing ability and .

Depressed and fatigued women more prone to injuries at work

A new study revealed that depression and fatigue can increase women's risk of work-related injuries.It stated that women suffer from depression, anxiety, and fatigue are more likely to be injured at work.The study led by researchers from the Colorado School of Public Health, these health factors significantly affected women's risk of injury but not men's risk."The findings of our study demonstrate that keeping workers safe requires more than your typical safety program. It requires an integrated approach that connects health, well-being, and safety," said Dr. Natalie Schwatka, the study's lead author and assistant professor in the Colorado SPH's Center for Health, Work & Environment and Department of Environmental and Occupational Health.The researchers collaborated with Colorado's largest workers' compensation insurer, Pinnacol Assurance, to examine the claims data of 314 businesses from a range of industries.Close to 17,000 employees ranging from executives to labourers were ...

Brain's language functions get changed after perinatal stroke

Turns out, newborn babies' brains function in a different way after experiencing stroke at the time of birth.According to a new study, investigators found that a decade or two after a "perinatal" stroke damaged the left "language" side of the brain, affected teenagers and young adults used the right sides of their brain for language.The Georgetown University Medical Center-study stated that a stroke in a baby - even a big one - does not have the same lasting impact as a stroke in an adult.It's not rare that a baby experiences a stroke around the time it is born. Birth is hard on the brain, as is the change in blood circulation from the mother to the neonate.At least 1 in 4,000 babies are affected shortly before, during, or after birth.The findings demonstrated how "plastic" brain function is in infants, says cognitive neuroscientist Elissa L. Newport.Her study found that the 12 individuals studied, aged 12 to 25, who had a left-brain perinatal stroke all used the right side of their ..

New stroke treatment reduces brain damage, boosts healing

Scientists have developed a new treatment for stroke that reduces brain damage and accelerates its natural healing tendencies. Researchers from the University of Georgia and Augusta University in the US created a treatment called AB126 using extracellular vesicles (EV), fluid-filled structures known as exosomes, which are generated from human neural stem cells. Fully able to cloak itself within the bloodstream, this type of regenerative EV therapy appears to be the most promising in overcoming the limitations of many cell therapies - with the ability for exosomes to carry and deliver multiple doses - as well as the ability to store and administer treatment. Small in size, the tiny tubular shape of an exosome allows EV therapy to cross barriers that cells cannot. This is truly exciting evidence, because exosomes provide a stealth-like characteristic, invisible even to the body's own defences, said Steven Stice, professor at UGA. When packaged with therapeutics, these treatments can ...