Page 638 - Health Medical Pharma
Those who underwent surgery, transfusion before 2002 to be
People who underwent surgery or blood transfusion for any reason before 2002 will be screened for Hepatitis C in a new drive by the government. The step has been initiated, as before 2002, blood samples at the blood banks were not examined thoroughly, a senior health ministry official said. The screening programme is expected to start from March, the official said. The number of such people who have undergone surgery or blood transfusion before 2002, ranges between 60 lakh to 1.2 crore. People who are diagnosed with Hepatitis C would undergo treatment free of cost, he said. "The population that would be focused include those who received blood transfusion or underwent surgery before 2002, injection drug users, people receiving repeated blood transfusions (thalassemics and hemophiliacs), those living with HIV and attendees of STI clinics, among others," the official said. The test facilities are available from primary health centres to district hospitals and the ...
Taking paracetamol in pregnancy may harm daughter's fertility
Taking paracetamol - an over-the- counter treatment for pain relief - during pregnancy may impair the fertility of female offspring, a study has warned. Researchers reviewed three separate rodent studies that report altered development in the reproductive systems of female offspring from mothers given paracetamol during pregnancy, which may impair their fertility in adulthood. Paracetamol, or acetaminophen, is commonly taken by pregnant women worldwide. Recent studies have linked paracetamol use during pregnancy with disruptions in the development of the male reproductive system but the effects on female offspring had not yet been investigated. David Kristensen and colleagues from Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark, reviewed findings from three individual rodent studies that evaluated the effects of paracetamol taken during pregnancy on the development of the reproductive system in female offspring. In rodents and humans, females are born with a finite number of ..
Smelling your partner's clothes could help beat stress: study
Feeling stressed out? Try smelling your partner's T-shirt, suggest scientists who found that women feel calmer after being exposed to their male partner's scent. They also found that being exposed to a stranger's scent had the opposite effect and raised levels of the stress hormone cortisol. "Many people wear their partner's shirt or sleep on their partner's side of the bed when their partner is away, but may not realise why they engage in these behaviours," said Marlise Hofer, graduate student at University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada. "Our findings suggest that a partner's scent alone, even without their physical presence, can be a powerful tool to help reduce stress," said Hofer, lead author of the study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. For the study, the researchers recruited 96 opposite-sex couples. Men were given a clean T-shirt to wear for 24 hours, and were told to refrain from using deodorant and scented body products, ...
Total body rejuvenation: Get beautiful from inside
Paying attention to your appearance is a good thing. We all know that we feel confident when we look good. Not just that, a bit of primping is essential as it reflects our overall sense of well-being.Ageing is a natural process; our cells and organs degenerate as we grow older. Today's lifestyle -- stress, processed food, pollution, long working hours and lack of physical activity -- makes ageing set in early.The usual and most visible signs of ageing are lackluster skin, wrinkles, age spots, hair loss, and setting in of degenerative diseases like diabetes and arthritis.But fret not. In labs around the world scientists are working overtime to stir up magical formulas and coming up with products and procedures to help you revitalise, rejuvenate and stay beautiful.Dr Prabhu Mishra, CEO, StemGenn Therapeutics lists some latest therapies to defy your age challenge.-Laser & IPL Therapy: Your Passport to Unblemished SkinIf age spots are bothering you, you could go in for laser therapy ..
Immune response to Zika virus may harm fetal development: Study
A study has recently revealed that the proteins that mount a potent immune response to Zika viral infection can affect the placenta and fetal development.These antiviral proteins, known as type I interferons, are required to fight Zika infection in mothers.But the role of interferons in providing an immune defence for the fetus is still not clear.The team lead Akiko Iwasaki from Yale University studied two different types of mouse models -- one type lacked the receptor for type 1 interferon altogether and the other had only one copy of the interferon receptor gene.The results revealed that the latter group showed signs of abnormal placental development, restricted fetal growth, and death.The finding demonstrates that the damaging effects of the immune response to Zika virus can outweigh the benefits for fetuses, said the researchers, noting that although type 1 interferon is critical to blocking replication of the virus, too much of it can be detrimental during pregnancy.The study ...
New MRI can detect abnormalities in fetuses in second trimester
A team of researchers recently found that a powerful MRI technique can detect early signs of abnormalities in fetuses due to congenital heart disease (CHD) during the second trimester of pregnancy.According to researchers, the findings demonstrate that placental dysfunction due to CHD can be apparent as early as in the second trimester of pregnancy using this imaging technology.The researchers used velocity-selective arterial spin labeling (VSASL), a powerful MRI technique, that directly measures the rate of delivery of arterial blood to organs like the brain.ASL tracks water molecules within the blood as blood flows through arteries, eliminating the need to use a contrast agent.The team was able to distinguish between the placenta perfusion contributions by the fetus and the mother.They pointed out that non-invasive imaging can provide an early warning of placental dysfunction.During the first few months of pregnancy, the fetal heart follows a parallel developmental course as the ...
This drug may cut fat without sacrificing food intake
Happy news for people who have been trying hard to shed those extra kilos, as a team of researchers are developing a drug that can selectively shrink excess fat.Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston explained that the drug significantly reduced body weight and blood cholesterol levels without lowering food intake in obese mice.Senior author Stanley Watowich said, "As fat cells grow larger, they begin to overexpress a protein that acts as a metabolic brake and slows down fat cell metabolism, making it harder for these cells to burn accumulating fat".Watowich stated, "As the fat tissue expands, they secrete greater amounts of hormones and pro-inflammatory signals that are responsible for several chronic diseases, including Type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease."The team discovered a molecule that blocks this metabolic brake from operating in obese white fat cells. By blocking this metabolic brake, they were able to increase the metabolism of white fat
Ban on private practice: Director SKIMS removed, 3 docs
The Jammu and Kashmir government today removed the director of a premier state-run hospital and suspended three senior doctors for allegedly violating the ban on private practice. Director, SKIMS, A G Ahangar was attached to the general administration department while senior doctors Altaf Kirmani,Mushtaq Ahmad Wani and Syed Wajid Ali were suspended, officials said. The suspended doctors were attached to the office of the divisional commissioner, Kashmir,they said. The decision was taken on the direction of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti,who is also the chairperson of the Governing Body of the SKIMS, in the wake of a sting operation carried out by a private TV news channel, the officials said. The channel caught the three senior doctors treating patients at their private clinics, they said. Government doctors have been barred from private practice and they are compensated for it through a non-practicing allowance.
Assam family approaches PMO demanding action into kin's death
The family of 42-year-old man from Assam, who died at a hospital here due to alleged wrong treatment by a man impersonating as a doctor, has urged the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to look into the matter and take action against the hospital.
Haryana first to launch high-risk pregnancy portal
Haryana has achieved the distinction of becoming the first state in the country to launch high-risk pregnancy portal, a minister said on Saturday.
Tea exports rise over 8.3% in January-November of 2017
India's tea exports grew by over 8.3 per cent to 216.99 million kg during January to November period of 2017 as compared to 200.36 million kg exported in the corresponding period of 2016.
Fitbit pumps USD 6 mn into San Francisco-based glucose-monitoring startup
Fitness wearable device aggregator Fitbit announced its investment in a San Fransisco-based startup, Sano, to the tune of USD 6 million.In a bid to monitor overall health and wellness, the company has invested in the glucose-monitoring startup, as confirmed by The Verge.Founded in 2011, Sano is a biometric sensor that tells users important things about their health by revealing personalised information about metabolism of glucose, thus doubling as a continuous glucose monitor that users could consider a skin patch.Sano is also working on a minimally invasive method of monitoring glucose, which means testing blood sugar without physically drawing blood or monitoring the interstitial fluid just below the skin.Meanwhile, the report says that Fitbit, in September last year, was exploring an opportunity to partner with Dexcom, Inc. to bring a continuous glucose-monitoring display to its Ionic smartwatch.Further, the company has also revealed plans to develop on a solution for tracking ...
New brainstem changes identified in Parkinson's disease
Scientists have found that patients with Parkinson's disease have more errors in the mitochondrial DNA within the brainstem, leading to increased cell death in that area. The study revealed that surviving brain cells in the brainstem have more copies of mitochondrial DNA and this has not been identified before. "Our study is a major step forward in gaining an enhanced insight into the serious condition," said Joanna Elson, from the Newcastle University in the UK. "Only by understanding the complexities of what happens in specific cell-types found in specific areas of the brain during this disease can targeted treatments for Parkinson's disease be produced," Elson said. The study, published in the journal Annals of Neurology, shows that in Parkinson's disease a brainstem region called the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) develops changes in DNA found in mitochondria - the batteries of the cell - as they produce and store energy that cells can use. The research looked at ...
Cold claims 9 lives in southern Nepal
At least nine people have died in southern Nepal districts over the past 48 hours due to intense cold weather. Six people died in Saptari district and three in Rautahat district due to shivering cold, according to the police. Many children and aged people have fallen sick in the region with the occurrence of cold waves. Most of those who died are the elderly. It is normal for people to become affected by hypothermia due to the cold, said Dr Ranjit Kumar Jha, a senior consultant at Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital in Saptari district. Daily dozens of people suffering from cold are coming to hospital for medical treatment. In Saptari, 412 schools have been closed for the past one week due to the cold.
Thirty minutes of sauna bath may reduce hypertension: Study
Suffering from hypertension? Taking a sauna bath of 30 minutes may help reduce blood pressure levels, according to a study.
30-minute sauna bath may influence a person's health: study
Taking a sauna bath of 30 minutes reduces blood pressure and increases vascular compliance as well as heart rate similarly to medium-intensity exercise, a study has found. The research provides new insight into changes that take place in the human body during and after having a sauna. The study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension analysed the effects of a 30-minute sauna bath in 100 participants. In particular, the objective was to analyse the role of vascular compliance and reduced blood pressure in the health benefits caused by sauna bathing. Vascular compliance was measured from the carotid and femoral artery before sauna, immediately after sauna, and after 30 minutes of recovery, said researchers from the University of Eastern Finland. These vascular compliance measurements carried out in the experimental study constitute a new assessment method in a sauna setting. Immediately after 30 minutes of sauna bathing, systolic blood pressure of the participants ..
Excess fat disrupts heart cell's energy system: study
Excess fat in the heart may contribute to the two-to five-fold increased risk of heart failure in people with diabetes, a study has found. The heart is the most energy-hungry organ in the body. Just like a combustion engine burning fuel to power the pistons, healthy heart cells consume fuel molecules to create the necessary energy to keep the heart pumping. This essential energy production takes place inside mitochondria, the self-contained "powerplant" organelles inside cells. Although mitochondria in a healthy heart primarily use fatty acids as fuel, they can easily adapt to use other fuel molecules as needed, including glucose, lactate, and ketone bodies. Diabetes, however, reduces the heart muscles metabolic adaptability and causes heart cells to overuse fat as a metabolic fuel. The study, published in the journal Circulation Research, found this cardiac lipid overload leads to numerous small, misshapen mitochondria that don't produce energy as efficiently as normal
Five healthcare startups to watch out for in 2018
Healthcare has become India's one of the largest sectors - both in terms of revenue and employment. Healthcare is an industry with the potential to drastically disrupt or improve everyday life.Healthcare has demonstrated massive growth in the recent few years. Beyond this, the last year has signaled a huge growth in health-tech trends, and startups are getting better at commercial innovations.Based on general momentum during 2017 and the likelihood of serious advancement during the next year, these are the top five healthcare startups to watch out for in 2018:PractoSequoia Capital-funded Practo provides healthcare solutions for healthcare providers and consumers. Practo Search lets patients to browse through doctor profiles online and book appointments, while Practo Ray, serves as a practice management solution for healthcare providers to manage patient data and digital healthcare records.The company added specialty specific modules for Physicians, Paediatricians and Dentists to ...
Eating foods with choline in pregnancy may boost baby's brain
Consuming foods such as egg yolks, lean red meat, fish, poultry, legumes, nuts and cruciferous vegetables - that are rich in nutrient choline - during pregnancy may boost your baby's brain, a study has found. Researchers from the Cornell University in the US used a rigorous study design to show cognitive benefits in the offspring of pregnant women who daily consumed close to twice the currently recommended amount of choline during their last trimester. "In animal models using rodents, there's widespread agreement that supplementing the maternal diet with additional amounts of this single nutrient has lifelong benefits on offspring cognitive function," said Marie Caudill, from the Cornell University in the US. "Our study provides some evidence that a similar result is found in humans," Caudill said. The finding is important because choline is in high demand during pregnancy yet most women consume less than the recommended 450 milligrammes per day. For the study published .
Kids with chronic illness show signs of mental health problems
Children suffering from chronic illness such as asthma, food allergy, epilepsy or diabetes are at an increased risk of developing mental health problems, a study warns. Researchers from the University of Waterloo in Canada surveyed children between the ages of six and 16, and all within a month of their diagnosis with asthma, food allergy, epilepsy, diabetes or juvenile arthritis. According to parents' responses to a standardised interview, 58 per cent of children screened positive for at least one mental disorder. "These findings show that risk for mental disorder is relatively the same among children with different physical conditions," said Mark Ferro, from the University of Waterloo. "Regardless of their condition, children with a physical and mental health problems experience a significant decline in their quality life within the first six months after receiving their diagnosis, indicating a need for mental health services early on," Ferro said. Six months after ...