Page 68 - Health Medical Pharma

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery less invasive, makes recovery faster

A research has shown that thoracoscopic lobectomy- video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) - together with pulmonary artery sealing using an ultrasonic energy device decreased the risk of post-operative bleeding, complications and pain.The study was published in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery."I truly hope that the results of our clinical trial will reassure surgeons about the technical feasibility and safety of this operation and will encourage them to adopt it. A large number of patients could benefit from it and would be on their feet faster, with less pain," said Dr Moishe Liberman, one of the researchers.Unlike surgery with thoracotomy, which involves making a 25 cm incision in the patient's chest and cutting the ribs, a VATS procedure requires small incisions.A miniature video camera is inserted through one of the incisions. In both types of surgical interventions, there is a risk of bleeding because the branches of the pulmonary artery are very thin, ...

Most Indian adults not aware they are suffering from Hypertension: Study

Hypertension prevalence in India is high, but only 45 per cent of people are aware of their diagnosis, according to a first largescale population based study of hypertension care in India. Researchers have used National Health and Family Survey (NFHS-4, 2015-16) data of 731864 individuals aged 15-49 years, which covered each district of 29 states and 7 union territories of India. The study published in PLOS Medicine suggests that 3 out of 4 individuals with hypertension ever had their blood pressure measured, less than half of individuals (45 per cent) had been diagnosed,13 per cent reported currently taking hypertensive medication, while 8 per cent had their blood pressure under control. The study was carried out by researchers at the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, the University of Birmingham and the University of Gottingen. The study also found adults living in rural areas, men, and those

Staying active in midlife may depend on mental wellbeing

Staying physically active in midlife depends a lot on your overall satisfaction with life or mental wellbeing a decade earlier, not just your physical health, suggests new research.

Miranda Kerr constantly snacks

Model Miranda Kerr is constantly snacking to keep morning sickness at bay in her third pregnancy.

Brain imaging lie detector can be beaten with simple steps: Study

Scientists have shown that the lie-detector test that uses a brain imaging technique can be deceived by the using simple mental countermeasures. The research suggests that more needs to be done to detect these countermeasures to make brain imaging more reliable for forensic applications. People have certain physical 'tells' when they conceal information -- and studies show that good liars can prevent these 'tells' being detected by displaying physical red herrings of their own. Researchers from the University of Plymouth in the UK and University of Padova in Italy, have shown that even a brain imaging technique called functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), which in theory is much harder to trick, can be beaten by people who use two particular mental countermeasures. The research, published in the journal Human Brain Mapping, is the first to explore the effects of mental countermeasures on brain activity in fMRI. It showed that when people used the countermeasures, the test ...

Lupin,Zydus Pharmaceuticals recall products in US, says USFDA report

The USFDA classified both the recalls as Class III

3D-printed vascular networks pave way for artificial organs

Scientists have 3D-printed exquisitely entangled vascular networks that mimic the body's natural passageways for blood, air and other vital fluids, an advance that may pave the way for developing functional artificial organs. For the study, published in the journal Science, researchers 3D-printed a proof-of-principle -- a hydrogel model of a lung-mimicking air sac in which airways deliver oxygen to surrounding blood vessels. "One of the biggest road blocks to generating functional tissue replacements has been our inability to print the complex vasculature that can supply nutrients to densely populated tissues," said Jordan Miller, assistant professor at Rice University in the US. "Further, our organs actually contain independent vascular networks -- like the airways and blood vessels of the lung or the bile ducts and blood vessels in the liver," Miller said. "These interpenetrating networks are physically and biochemically entangled, and the architecture itself is intimately related ..

Cattle dead after grazing in Nashik farmer's jowar field

Twenty heads of cattle died after grazing in a jowar field in Maharashtra's Nashik district, a local official said Saturday. Samples of the grass have been taken and sent for testing, the official said, adding that preliminary probe points to poisoning as the cause of death. "Farmer Haribhau Gawali's jowar field in Komalwadi area of drought-prone Sinnar taluka was overrun by grass due to unseasonal rains. On May 3, he let the cattle, comprising cows and buffaloes, to graze there. They were later found dead," Dr Milind Bhange, Veterinary Medical Officer, said. "We have sent grass samples obtained from the field for testing. It appears to be a case of poisoning but a probe is underway to find the exact cause of death," Dr Bhange added. The police have also registered a case and are conducting a parallel probe, an official said.

Study: Weed motivates people to workout

Researchers have discovered a complicated intersection between cannabis use and physical activity. A new study says consumers reported that the use the drug before and after exercise increases enjoyment enhances recovery and heightens motivation.According to the study published in the Journal of Frontiers in Public Health, eight out of 10 marijuana users in states where cannabis is legal say they partake of the drug shortly before or after exercise and most report that it motivates them to work out, helps them enjoy exercise more and improves their recovery."There is a stereotype that cannabis use leads people to be lazy and couch-locked and not physically active, but these data suggest that this is not the case," said senior author Angela Bryan.Bryan, however, said that she is in no way recommending using cannabis as an adjunct to exercise."The evidence is not there yet. But I am also not convinced it is harmful," she added.Marijuana is now legal for recreational use in 10 states and

Exercise helps boost heart failure patients' memory

Heart patients who exercise regularly and have better fitness are likely to have less cognitive impairment, says a study. Fitter patients have better memory, it adds.

Researchers create embryo stem cells from skin cells

Researchers have found a way to turn skin cells into embryonic stem cells, which could lead to the creation of a complete embryo from skin cells.The research conducted on mice has significant implications for modelling embryonic disease and placental dysfunctions. The study was published in Cell Stem Cell.Dr Yossi Buganim and his team discovered a set of genes capable of transforming murine skin cells into all three cell types that comprise the early embryo: the embryo itself, the placenta and the extra-embryonic tissues, such as the umbilical cord.In the future, it may be possible to create entire human embryos out of human skin cells, without the need for sperm or eggs. This discovery also has vast implications for modelling embryonic defects and shedding light on placental dysfunctions, as well as solving certain infertility problems by creating human embryos in a petri dish.Back in 2006, Japanese researchers discovered the capacity of skin cells to be "reprogrammed" into early ...

FB slammed for banning breast cancer non-profit's ads

Facebook is facing criticism from breast cancer survivors after the social network banned an ad campaign run by an Australian breast cancer non-profit, citing nudity rules.

Oral vaccine of Hepatitis B will protect kids from dangerous viruses

A team of researchers found that oral administration of Hepatitis B vaccine protects children against dangerous viruses and have also delivered a 'recipe' called virologists to improve the vaccine drops.The study was published in Scientific Reports.Millions of people are infected with hepatitis B every year and particularly small children are at risk. Due to the high cost and the stable environmental conditions required for vaccine storage, many people in developing countries are not vaccinated against this dangerous virus."Getting rid of needles being poked into the arms of little children is an advantage in itself. It also eliminates any need to sterilize needles and possible side effects such as swelling and infection. And, unlike the vaccine in use today, this type of vaccine needn't be refrigerated. As such, costs will be reduced and the vaccine's administration will be eased," explained Martin K. Rasmussen, one of the main authors.As such, researchers have been working to ...

Study reveals urgent need to monitor heart of cancer patients

There is an urgent need to monitor the heart of cancer patients, as physicians are not revealing them about the cardiotoxicity risks of treatments and may not be fully aware of the dangers themselves, suggest researchers.The growing number of cancer survivors and the increasing number of chronic cancer therapy mean that the need for cardio-oncology services is rising. Heart failure caused by cancer therapy can occur up to 20 years after treatment, as per the details presented in The Meeting of EuroHeartCare."Depending on the type of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, between 1% and 25% of cancer patients may develop heart failure due to cancer treatment. Risk also depends on cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking and obesity. Better monitoring of the heart and intervention before, during and after treatment can prevent or lessen the impact of this cardiotoxicity," said study author Professor Robyn Clark."Monitoring the heart throughout the cancer journey can ensure it is protected. ..

Physical activity may improve mental action in heart failure patients: Study

Researchers suggest that physical activity improves mental action in heart failure patients, further improving quality and length of their life.According to research presented at the Meeting of EuroHeartCare, two-thirds of patients with heart failure have cognitive problems.Heart failure patients who walked further in a six-minute test, as well as those who were younger and more highly educated, were significantly less likely to have cognitive impairment. The results suggest that fitter patients have healthier brain function.Study author Professor Ercole Vellone, said: "The message for patients with heart failure is to exercise. We don't have direct evidence yet that physical activity improves cognition in heart failure patients, but we know it improves their quality and length of life. In addition, studies in older adults have shown that exercise is associated with improved cognition - we hope to show the same for heart failure patients in future studies."The cognitive abilities that

Scientists develop method to detect Alzheimer's at early stage

Researchers have developed a new two-tier method that can detect Alzheimer's disease at an earlier stage. Using the current technique, Alzheimer's disease can only be detected once the typical plaques have formed in the brain of the patients.The research was published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring."This has paved the way for early-stage therapy approaches," said Klaus Gerwert, lead researchers.In Alzheimer's patients, the amyloid beta protein folds incorrectly due to pathological changes long before the first symptoms occur.A team of researchers headed by Gerwert successfully diagnosed this misfolding using a simple blood test; as a result, the disease can be detected approximately eight years before the first clinical symptoms occur.The test wasn't suitable for clinical applications, however, it did detect 71 per cent of Alzheimer's cases in symptomless stages, but at the same time provided false positive diagnoses for nine per .

Children who developed multiple allergies more vulnerable to diseases later in life: study

A recent study states that children who develop multiple allergies tend to suffer from chronic inflammatory diseases and psychiatric disorders in their adulthood.The study was published in the journal BMC Medicine.The human immune system forms during childhood. The "hygiene hypothesis" provides a widely regarded perspective on this. It suggests that improved hygiene, changes in agriculture and urbanisation have caused our immune systems to come in contact with certain microbes. It is presumed that these developments have adversely resulted in an increased incidence of chronic inflammatory diseases, allergies and mental disorders such as depression.Taking the hygiene hypothesis as a starting point, an interdisciplinary group of researchers at the Universities of Zurich and Lausanne analysed epidemiological data from a cohort of almost 5,000 people who were born in the mid-20th century. They focussed on the co-incidence of allergies, viral and bacterial diseases, and psychosocial stress

DNA test, an effective cervical cancer detecting tool for women in low- and middle-income countries

DNA test is an effective method of Cervical cancer screening for women in low-and-middle-income countries, shows new research.The study was published in ASCO's Journal of Global Oncology.Cervical cancer is a major issue in low- and middle-income countries due to the lack of adequate screening such as routine Pap smear testing.These countries have high incidences of cervical cancer linked to human papillomavirus (HPV). Due to the lack of resources for cancer screenings, these countries account for 85 per cent of all cervical cancer cases.The team found that of 1,732 women screened, 28 per cent were positive for a high-risk HPV type and of those, 26 per cent had more than one HPV infection.Results also showed that the most common HPV genotypes detected during testing were different than those commonly found in the United States."We have shown that cervical cancer screening can be implemented in low-resource settings using this method and that women are very interested and engaged in ...

Cranberry compounds that prevent UTI identified

Scientists have identified active compounds in cranberries that help prevent urinary tract infection (UTI) in humans, a finding that may pave the way for treating the painful condition. Many people have heard that drinking cranberry juice can help prevent UTIs. Although clinical trials of this popular folk remedy have produced mixed results, some studies have shown that drinking cranberry juice can keep bacteria that cause UTIs from sticking to cells lining the urinary tract. Researchers from University of Mississippi and University of Georgia in the US identified cranberry oligosaccharides in the urine of cranberry-fed pigs that could be responsible for this activity. Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics to treat UTI, but this could contribute to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To enable better UTI prevention strategies, researchers wanted to identify active compounds from cranberries that end up in urine and potentially keep bacteria from adhering to human cells. They ..

Therapy-oriented website may help cope with suicidal thoughts

A therapy-based website can help people struggling to cope with suicidal thoughts, a study has found. Mental health researchers behind the website 'nowmattersnow.org' asked over 3,000 website visitors how they felt before they got to the site compared to a few minutes on the website. Nearly one-third were significantly less suicidal, and the intensity of their negative emotions had also decreased, according to a research published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. Ursula Whiteside, a clinical psychologist at the University of Washington (UW) in the US, said the results offer hope for people struggling to cope. The site, developed by UW psychology professor Marsha Linehan, exposes visitors to dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), a form of psychotherapy that combines behavioral science and Buddhist principles on mindfulness and acceptance. "We set out to build a free resource based not only in science but also with the voices and stories of people who had experienced ...