Page 99 - Health Medical Pharma
US investigates seizure risk with electronic cigarettes
U.S. health officials are investigating whether electronic cigarettes may trigger seizures in some people who use the nicotine-vaping devices. The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it has reviewed 35 reports of seizures among e-cigarettes users, mainly in young people. Regulators stressed it's not yet clear whether vaping is responsible. But they said they're concerned and encouraged the public to report information about the issue. These cases warrant "investigation into whether there is in fact a connection," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement. Gottlieb is stepping down on Friday after nearly two years heading the agency. Cases go back to 2010 and were reported to the FDA or poison control centres around the country. Regulators said they detected an uptick in reports beginning mid-2018. While they represent a tiny fraction of Americans who have used e-cigarettes, many safety issues with foods, supplements and other consumer products can go unrecognized ...
Media multitasking may increase obesity risk: Study
Do you keep switching between digital devices like smartphone, tablet and PC? Beware. A study has linked media multitasking to obesity.
Long travel to work during pregnancy may harm baby
Women who travel long distances to their workplaces during pregnancy are likely to birth underweight babies.
AI can help treat brain tumours, finds a study
Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence-based (AI) method for analysis of brain tumours, paving the way for individualised treatment of tumours.
Regular intake of sleeping pill may impact BP
Be cautious if you use sleeping pills regularly as a new study has found that it may impact blood pressure (BP) in older adults.
ISS astronauts looking for Parkinson's cure in space: NASA
Scientists aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are working to find out new ways to treat and prevent Parkinson's disease, a chronic neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than five million people globally, according to NASA. The team working on the project, Crystallization of LRRK2 Under Microgravity Conditions-2 (CASIS PCG 16), grows protein crystals of Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) on the space station. People with Parkinson's disease experience increased function of LLRK2, and genetic studies link mutations in the LRRK2 gene to an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, NASA said in a statement. Medications that inhibit LRRK2 are in development, but without knowing the precise structure of this enzyme, such work is like making a key without knowing the shape of the keyhole it must fit. Growing LRRK2 crystals on Earth is difficult and does not produce samples with high enough quality for researchers to determine the protein's shape and structure -- ...
Research on ISS may offer cure for Parkinson's
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are striving to provide an insight into Parkinson's disease, the chronic neurodegenerative disease that affects more than five million people worldwide, NASA has revealed.
53 dead due to swine flu since January in Indore
As many as 53 people have died due to swine flu in Indore since the start of this year.Among the patients who have died, 29 were residents of Indore, whereas 24 had come to Indore for treatment."From January till date, we have sent 774 samples for tests, out of which 183 people have been found positive in the swine flu test," Praveen Jadiya, chief medical and health officer, Indore told ANI.Earlier, former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan had written a letter to incumbent Chief Minister Kamal Nath, for ensuring proper medical facilities to patients suffering from swine flu.Swine flu is an infection caused by one of several swine influenza viruses (SIV), with the H1N1 strain being the most common across the country.H1N1 virus spreads when an individual touches an infected person or breathes droplets of coughs and sneezes that are in the air.
Emcure launches generic metastatic breast cancer drug in India
Drug firm Emcure Pharmaceuticals Wednesday said it has launched generic metastatic breast cancer treatment drug under the brand name 'Eribilin' in India. The product is a generic version of Eisai Pharmaceutical's cancer drug sold under the brand name, Halaven, Emcure Pharmaceuticals said in a statement. "Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer affecting women in India and its incidence is on the rise. Currently available treatment for triple negative breast cancer in India is out of reach of most patients due to its high cost," Emcure Pharmaceuticals Business Strategy & Specialty Business President Sainath Iyer said. Emcure's Eribilin will change this scenario by offering the drug at a reasonable price to the patients in India, he added. The company will manufacture the product at its plant at Hinjewadi in Pune and market it at a cost which will be approximately 40 per cent less than the innovator brand, Emcure Pharmaceuticals said. "The drug would currently be marketed in
Novel 3D-printed skull provides a peek into brain
Scientists have developed a new 3D-printed transparent skull implant for mice that provides an opportunity to watch activity of the entire brain surface in real time. The device called See-Shell allows fundamental brain research that may provide new insight for human brain conditions such as concussions, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, said researchers at the University of Minnesota in the US. "What we are trying to do is to see if we can visualise and interact with large parts of the mouse brain surface, called the cortex, over long periods of time. This will give us new information about how the human brain works," said Suhasa Kodandaramaiah, an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota. "This technology allows us to see most of the cortex in action with unprecedented control and precision while stimulating certain parts of the brain," Kodandaramaiah said in a statement. In the past, most scientists have looked at small regions of the brain and tried to understand it ..
Plant-based diet effective in reducing gingivitis
A new study has revealed that plant-based diet was effective in reducing gingivitis.The trial was published in the 'Journal of Clinical Periodontology'."Study results clearly demonstrate the possibility to naturally reduce gingivitis by an optimized diet that also promotes general health," said lead author Dr. Johan Woelber.The trial incorporated 30 patients already suffering from gingivitis in an experimental and controlled group. The patients were put on the said diet for four weeks.The new diet included low processed carbohydrates and animal proteins, rich omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, vitamin D, antioxidants, plant nitrates, and fibers.The group experienced a notable drop in bleeding due to gingivitis. The group also depicted an increase in vitamin D values and slight weight loss.He further added, "According to this, dental teams should address dietary habits and give adequate recommendations in the treatment of gingivitis, since it might be a side effect of a pro-inflammatory ..
'India can leap ahead with AI in healthcare'
India has a unique opportunity to leap ahead with Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, as well as to bring the powers of cloud and AI to the broader world, a top Microsoft executive said on Wednesday.
Sleeping pill use indicator of a future need for blood pressure medications
While it may help you to sleep, regular use of sleeping pill use linked to a greater need for blood pressure medications, a recent study suggests.The association was observed regardless of sleep duration and quality, body mass index, diet, physical activity, and hypertension control.The findings, published in the Journal of Geriatrics & Gerontology International, suggest that sleeping pill use may be an indicator of a future need for greater hypertension treatment and the need to investigate underlying sleep disorders or unhealthy lifestyles that may contribute to hypertension."Previous reports on associations of sleep characteristics with blood pressure and hypertension were focused on middle-aged adults; however these associations were absent or inconsistent among older adults," said Jose Banegas, senior of the study.
Blue light could treat superbug infections: Study
Exposing superbugs to blue light can render them defenseless against even mild antiseptics, according to a study that may help leverage the fight against the growing global threat of drug-resistant bacteria. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a bacterium that causes infection in various parts of the body, is often called a "superbug" thanks to its ability to dodge many common antibiotics. Although most MRSA infections are not serious, some can be life-threatening, sometimes resulting in amputation of the infected appendage, researchers said in a statement. Rather than trying multi-drug combinations or wasting precious time determining which medicine to prescribe, doctors could soon use light therapy for disarming the superbugs, according to a study published in the journal Advanced Science. Researchers at Purdue University and Boston University in the US have discovered that exposing the bug to blue light can render it defenseless against antiseptics as mild as ...
Stress in childhood, adulthood have combined impact on hormones and health: Study
Stress in childhood and adulthood has combined impact on hormone patterns and ultimately in health outcomes, a recent study suggests.One of the ways that our brain responds to daily stressors is by releasing a hormone called cortisol. Typically, our cortisol levels peak in the morning and gradually decline throughout the day. But sometimes this system can become dysregulated, resulting in a flatter cortisol pattern that is associated with negative health outcomes."What we find is that the amount of a person's exposure to early life stress plays an important role in the development of unhealthy patterns of cortisol release. However, this is only true if individuals also are experiencing higher levels of current stress, indicating that the combination of higher early life stress and higher current life stress leads to the most unhealthy cortisol profiles," said Ethan Young, lead researcher of the study.As part of the study, the team of researcher examined data from 90 individuals who ...
Haslab joins hands with 3EA to bring homeopathy to the forefront
The homoeopathy sector is ready to witness a new benchmark. Haslab and 3EA have released a detailed study to address the massive challenges faced by the homoeopathy players to stay firm.Haslab is already a known brand in the market for their products that carry no side-effects and make sure that medical practice doesn't take any toll on the health.While the study by 3EA, a recognized management consulting group with Hahnemann Scientific Laboratory (HSL), charts down several benefits of using homoeopathy and how more people are getting inclined towards using natural medicines. The report suggests that a vital surge can be expected in the homoeopathy market in the coming years.Gone are the days when one would strictly adhere to the allopathic offerings for the cure. Nowadays, people are more than willing to adapt the wellness and the sustainable way. It is turning out to be a niche market for the marketers and the medical product providers alike and Haslab is looking to tap the ...
Hearing difficulty might keep older patients away from health care routine
Patients who are 65 years and above in age, with hearing difficulties, have lower involvement in their health care routine, according to a study published in the 'Journal of the American Geriatrics Society'."Poor hearing puts patients at risk for poor outcomes. For example, people with hearing loss may be unable to understand their doctor when she explains medication changes," said senior author Dr Jan Blustein.The study done on 13,490 adults of 65 years and above in age analysed 'patient activation', or the knowledge, skills and the confidence that enables them to actively follow their health care routine.The results of 'no trouble' hearing were compared with those reporting 'some trouble' hearing. The latter had 42 per cent higher risk of low 'patient activation'.While some people who complained of a 'lot of trouble' hearing, had a 70 per cent higher risk.The authors of the study noted that if clinicians stay aware of the hearing troubles, their use of simple steps to enhance ...
'Cheat day' during keto diet may damage blood vessels
Having just a plate of fries or a bottle of soda while following a 'keto diet' may damage your blood vessels, say scientists who warn against going for a 'cheat day' while following the popular weight loss regime. The ketogenic or keto diet has become very common for weight loss or to manage diseases like type 2 diabetes. "It consists of eating foods rich in fats, moderate in protein, but very low in carbohydrates and it causes the body to go into a state called ketosis," said Jonathan Little, associate professor at University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada. The diet can be very effective because once the body is in ketosis and starved for its preferred fuel glucose, the body's chemistry changes and it begins to aggressively burn its fat stores, Little said in a statement. This leads to weight loss and can reverse the symptoms of diseases like Type 2 diabetes. The often embraced 'cheat day' is a common theme in many diets. However, researchers found just one 75-gramme dose of ...
Depression can't be predicted by few genes: Study
A team of US scientists claim that no specific set of genes can predict the risk of depression, and efforts to treat the mental disorder by targeting a few 'genetic culprits' is bound to fail. The researchers, who assessed genetic and survey data from 620,000 individuals, found that the 18 most highly-studied candidate genes for depression are actually no more associated with it than randomly chosen genes. Over the past quarter-century, researchers have published hundreds of studies suggesting a small set of particular genes or gene-variants plays a substantial role in boosting susceptibility to depression. Such research fuelled hopes that clinicians could soon use genetic testing to simply identify those at risk, and drug companies could develop medications to counteract a few genetically-driven culprits, researchers said in a statement. According to the team from the University of Colorado Boulder in the US, previous studies were incorrect -- or "false positives" -- and the ...
Vikram Patel awarded the prestigious John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award
The Gairdner Foundation announced the 2019 Canada Gairdner Award laureates, recognising Goa and Boston-based Vikram Patel, Ph.D., F. Med.Sci., for his research career raising the global profile of mental health problems.Prof Patel has been awarded 2019 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for his world-leading research in global mental health, generating knowledge on the burden and determinants of mental health problems in low-and-middle-income countries and pioneering approaches for the prevention and treatment of mental health in low-resource settings.Each year seven Canada Gairdner Awards are presented to honour the world's most significant biomedical and global health researchers. The John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award recognizes a contribution to health in the developing world. Laureates receive a $100,000 cash honorarium and will be formally presented with their awards on October 24, 2019, at the annual Canada Gairdner Awards Gala in Toronto."This prize is .