Health Sector News : Overuse of antibiotics to be curbed

Pintu

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w-AIDS-cases-in-India/articleshow/5785847.cms

Maharashtra has most new AIDS cases in India
Kartikeya, TNN, Apr 12, 2010, 01.39am IST

MUMBAI: "A true AIDS epidemic is not a future possibility for Maharashtra; it is a present reality”, warns a pamphlet brought out by an NGO fighting against the spread of HIV. And this is not an alarmist tirade. In the last three years, Maharashtra has registered the largest number of new AIDS cases in India. The 98,578 fresh cases registered in the state since 2007 make up 23%—almost a quarter—of the 4,19,982 AIDS patients registered across the country.

Maharashtra was one of the earliest states in India where the disease manifested itself, registering its first AIDS case in Mumbai, in 1986. Lack of awareness, a large migrant population and a thriving sex trade have made it extremely difficult to combat the spread of HIV in the state. The National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) has drawn up a list of 49 districts in India with a "high prevalence" of HIV/AIDS, of which 14 are in Maharashtra.

According to a study conducted by Population Foundation of India, a Delhi-based NGO funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, workers in the hotel and tourism industry had the highest HIV prevalence among groups tested in the state, followed by drivers and the unemployed. Truck drivers, who travel long distances, brought the infection with them, often to areas where the disease had not yet penetrated.

What is worrying is that in Maharashtra, HIV is not confined to high-risk groups such as sex workers, but has entered the general population. Moreover, the disease is no longer an urban phenomenon, but has spread to rural areas as well. Now, even places like Latur, Jalgaon, Chandrapur and Sangli fall under NACO's list of "high prevalence" districts.

Experts say this is because "bridge groups" contribute to the spread of the virus, referring to husbands who use the services of sex workers and then infect their wives with HIV, who in turn pass on the infection to their babies.

Since 2007, 10,371 persons have succumbed to the disease in Maharashtra, second only to Andhra Pradesh, where 12,879 people have died due to AIDS.

Public health experts say the disease can only be fought through proper counseling, awareness-raising measures, and accurate testing. J J Hospital in Byculla is one of 10 centres of excellence that are battling the advent of AIDS in India. And Maharashtra has 30 anti-retroviral treatment centres—the most in the country.
 

Sridhar

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THOPUKARANAM or Super Brain Yoga

THOPUKARANAM or Super Brain Yoga


Thopukaranam
When my friend sent me this youtube attachment, I was awestruck but it also brought back very fond memories of my child hood schooling in rural Tamil Nadu schools.
Our teacher will punish us with Thopukaranams depending upon the severity of mischief.
Talking in the class 10 thopukaranamas
Late arrival 20 thopukaranams
Not doing home work 30 thopukaranamswinking at a girl 100 thopukaranams
I still remember how after my friends prodding I decided to wink at Jayalakshmi, a brahmin girl who always stood first in our class and a small angel in looks according to me.
But it is realy difficult to catch her eye which was always downcast though those girls of our times used to know what anyone is doing with their side vision.Lo behold
I could catch her eye one day and winked hard but to my utter disappointment she did not report to the class teacher. I just could not do that 100 thopukaranams. It is only
later I used to wonder why she did not report my winking !!!!!
But to call our village school punishment Thopukarnam as Super brain yoga by Yale researcher? I know left and right brain function and also read
somewhere that ear lobes has that something which can even stop a brain stroke. Did our ancient teachers punished us with thopukarnams so that
we can learn better by doing SUPER BRAIN YOGA? Hope our youngsters punish their children with superbrain yoga or THOPUKARANAMS (Tamil) in future.
This also brought to my mind the THOPUKARANAMs which most of Tamil devotees do in front of Pillaiyyar(Lord Vinayaka,Ganesha) as we Tamils call may
be a sort of confession before the Lord. Our Tamil Deity Pillaiyar is also fond of KOLUKATTAI, a type of sweet which is normally offered on Vinayaka Chathurthi.
Anyhow look at Super brain yoga below in YouTube.

Super Brain Yoga or Thopukarnam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSwhpF9iJSs
Right or Left brain?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFV6h6MXQkI&feature=related

Brain cascade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBqxVETQgcc&feature=fvw

http://captainjohann.blogspot.com/2010/04/thopukaranam-or-super-brain-yoga.html
 

Singh

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Amazing just amazing. Ancient India was a repository of knowledge.
 

Pintu

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http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=123964&sectionid=3510210

Excessive sugar bad for heart: Study
Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:19:43 GMT



While excessive sugar had long been known as a factor contributing to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, a new study links it to high levels of bad cholesterol.

Aiming to prevent rather than simply treat disease, health officials had recently urged FDA to start regulating the sodium intake in foods. The new study adds to mounting pressure on food companies to make their foods healthier.

According to the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, individuals who eat more added sugar are at a greater risk of higher blood levels of triglycerides.

Eating large amounts of added sugar was also associated with a tripled risk of having low HDL levels, the major risk factor for heart disease.

"Just like eating a high-fat diet can increase your levels of triglycerides and high cholesterol, eating sugar can also affect those same lipids," said lead researcher Miriam Vos.

Scientists, therefore, urged individuals to limit their sugar consumption, recommending them to follow the existing guidelines in which women should eat no more than 100 calories of added processed sugar per day — six teaspoons, 25 grams, while men should keep it to just 150 calories — nine teaspoons, 37.5 grams.

PKH/PKH
 

RAM

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Learn CPR and you could save a life

You are sitting in a lounge talking to friends when, to your horror, someone at the next table shows signs of a cardiac arrest. Distressingly, you can only wring your hands in despair. Or tweet, depending on your age and response mechanism.

Now consider this: this can happen in your circle of family and friends.

Consider this as well: you can save a life by learning the simple technique of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which is a critical part of managing cardiac arrest. Doctors say that a correctly performed CPR increases chances of survival. But not many people know that anyone can learn the technique.

Training
Acknowledging the need for people to be trained in CPR and basic first aid, Nightingales Medical Trust established the Nightingales Lifesaving Services (NLS) in 2000. Nearly 15,000 people, including students and teachers, have been trained in CPR technique and nearly 19,000 people have been trained in basic first aid, said Radha S. Murthy, founder of the trust.

Adding to the effort of Nightingales, is 24-year-old software engineer Neha Kuduva, who has been motivating people through social networking sites to learn the technique and save lives.

Cardiac arrest
Ms. Kuduva realised how important it was to know CPR after receiving a scare last December when her uncle suffered a cardiac arrest while playing squash. "Fortunately there was a cardiologist on the spot. But how many people are that lucky? It was then that I decided to learn CPR. I am now motivating people to equip themselves with this life-saving skill," Ms. Kuduva said.

She gets people together to undergo the four-hour training programme at Nightingales in Malleswaram every Sunday between 1.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. Three certified doctors train nearly 25 participants every week.

"Training is held in three sessions. During the first session, participants are taught how to resuscitate a person who suffers a cardiac arrest. In the second, they learn how to manage victims of drowning, electrocution, choking and accidents during the golden hour. And in the third one, they learn how to deal with child patients," explained Ms. Kuduva.

Crucial skill
C.N. Manjunath, Director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology told The Hindu that it was extremely important for people to know CPR. "It is not confined to medical professionals alone. Anybody can learn it. Even with a few gentle massages in the first one or two minutes and sprinkling water, there are chances that the person will recover until medical help arrives," he explained.

"It should be started as soon as possible and interrupted as little as possible. Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency that is potentially reversible in certain cases if treated early. Immediate CPR will improve blood circulation and help revive the heart," he said, and added that it was imperative that everyone learn the technique.

Nightingales can be contacted on 080-23342929/ 41244017

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/cities/Bangalore/article424644.ece
 

nandu

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India gets own vaccine against swine flu

NEW DELHI: In a major advancement in influenza science, India is ready with its first indigenous vaccine against H1N1 swine flu.

Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) has developed a H1N1 vaccine -- not a painful syringe shot but a harmless nasal spray -- which can be used by anybody above the age of three except pregnant women.

To cost around Rs 150, SII will apply to the drug controller general for licensure of its product next week.

Scientists, who are presently completing tabulation of results from the vaccine's phase-III clinical trial, say it is safe and effective with side-effects being runny nose and a bout of sneezing.

Interestingly, the breakthrough comes exactly a year after India reported its first case of swine flu (May 15, 2009).

Confirming this to TOI, SII's executive director (operations) Adar Poonawala said, "Our nasal mist vaccine is now ready. We will apply for licensure next week. It had no side-effects which are synonymous to injectible vaccines like fever, swelling or convulsions."

Poonawala added, "India now has the capability to make its very own seasonal influenza vaccines. With the technology now in place, all we have to do is switch the pandemic H1N1 strain with the seasonal flu virus."

The vaccine will be delivered into your nose through a devise fitted on top of a syringe. A quick spray in each nostril, the major route that the flu virus takes to enter, and the body develops antibodies to protect against H1N1.

"It is a live attenuated vaccine containing weakened forms of the H1N1 virus designed not to cause the flu. The strain was given to by the World Health Organisation once H1N1 was declared a pandemic," said Serum's H1N1 vaccine project director Dr Rajeev Dhere.

Explaining the clinical trials of this vaccine, Serum's additional medical director Dr Prasad Kulkarni said it was a double blind placebo control trial involving 330 people of which 110 were 18-49 years, 110 were above 50 years and the rest children aged 3-17 years.

This means half of them were given the vaccine while half were given placebo. Testing of the samples was jointly done by Serum and the National Institute of Virology (Pune). Trials were conducted in three institutes from Pune -- KEM hospital, D Y Patil Medical College and Bharatiya Vidyapith -- and one each from Indore and Ahmedabad -- Chacha Nehru hospital and Lambda Lab.

"We are tabulating the final results. But the vaccine has passed both the safety and immunogenecity trials," Dr Kulkarni said.

According to Dr Dhere, the vaccine works by generating protective antibodies in the nose and pharynx and also produces antibody in blood.

"We have seen protective antibodies develop within a week of getting vaccinated. This will be a one-time vaccine. Influenza viruses are notorious for changing their strain. Though immunity provided by live vaccines last a long time, it won't work if the influenza virus changes strain next year," Dr Dhere added.

India till now did not have an influenza vaccine. That is why it imported 1.5 million doses of this single-shot vaccine from French vaccine manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur for use on frontline health care workers.

Several other Indian companies besides Serum are also in their last leg of creating an indigenous Indian H1N1 vaccine.

Cadila Healthcare had on January 3 started human trials of India's live and inactivated indigenous H1N1 vaccine. Two other companies, Bharat Biotech International (Hyderabad) and Panasia Biotec (New Delhi), were given clearance by the DCGI to conduct human trials on January 8 and January 14 respectively.

Union health ministry officials said India's vaccine manufacturing market has become very mature and is growing rapidly. Around 60% of all vaccines in the DTP family are produced and supplied globally by Indian companies. 90% of the measles vaccines are manufactured by India.

"Usually a vaccine test takes years. But since this was a pandemic virus and we needed a vaccine urgently, the Indian companies were given permission for Phase 1 to Phase 111 trials at one go to cut down on time," DCGI Dr Surinder Singh had earlier said.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ine-against-swine-flu/articleshow/5935533.cms
 

nandu

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Scientists make breakthrough in stem cells

London: For the first time, human embryonic stem cells have been cultured under chemically controlled conditions without the use of animal proteins, paving the way for harvesting large quantities of stem cells to treat human diseases.

The method has been developed by researchers at Karolinska Institutet, in Stockholm, one of the foremost neuroscience research centers in Europe. The results of the latest research have been presented in the journal Nature Biotechnology.

Embryonic stem cells can be turned into any other type of cell in the body and have potential uses in treatments where sick cells need to be replaced.

However, a major problem is that it is difficult to culture and develop human embryonic stem cells without simultaneously contaminating them as they are cultured with the help of proteins from animals.

Another method is to culture the stem cells on other human cells, known as feeder cells, but these release thousands of uncontrolled proteins and, therefore, lead to unreliable research results.

A research team at Karolinska Institutet, KI, has managed to produce human stem cells entirely without the use of other cells or substances from animals. Instead, they are cultured on a matrix of a single human protein: laminin-511, according to News-Medical.net.

"Now, for the first time, we can produce large quantities of human embryonic stem cells in an environment that is completely chemically defined," Professor Karl Tryggvason, who led the study said at the KI Monday. "This opens up new opportunities for developing different types of cell which can then be tested for the treatment of disease."

Together with researchers at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, the KI researchers have also shown that they can culture in the same way what are known as "reprogrammed stem cells", which have been converted "back" from tissue cells to stem cells.

Laminin-511 is part of our connective tissue and acts in the body as a matrix to which cells can attach. In the newly formed embryo, the protein is also needed to keep stem cells as stem cells. Once the embryo begins to develop different types of tissue, other types of laminin are needed.

Until now, different types of laminin have not been available to researchers, because they are almost impossible to extract from tissues and difficult to produce.

Over the last couple of decades, Karl Tryggvason's research group has cloned the genes for most human laminins, studied their biological role, described two genetic laminin diseases and, in recent years, even managed to produce several types of laminin using gene technology.

In this latest experiment, the researchers produced the laminin-511 using recombinant techniques, News-Medical.net said.

http://www.zeenews.com/news630571.html
 

nandu

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A ray of hope

The results of a vaccine trial for preventing breast cancer in mice have raised hopes of finding an effective vaccine for use in humans. Breast cancer is one of the biggest killers in several countries. With nearly 100,000 new cases reported every year in India, it has overtaken cervical cancer as the number one cancer afflicting women. The results published online in the journal Nature Medicine ("An autoimmune-mediated strategy for prophylactic breast cancer vaccination," by Ritika Jaini et al, of Cleveland Clinic, Ohio) show that none of the genetically breast cancer-prone mice vaccinated with a single dose of alpha-lactalbumin protein developed the cancer while those that received a placebo did. Except for a couple of studies, research has shown the significance of using this protein as a potential antigen for breast cancer. Alpha-lactalbumin is normally not present in non-breast human tissues. Hence to be chosen as a preventive vaccine candidate antigen to prime the immune system, the protein should satisfy certain conditions. It should be expressed by a majority of breast tumours at significant levels that allow its detection. Secondly, its production by normal breast cells should be restricted to certain easily traceable situations. In this case, alpha-lactalbumin, a lactation-dependent milk protein, is expressed only by lactating mothers. Also, there appears to be less likelihood of the prophylactic vaccine causing any harm to vaccinated women because, the authors note, the availability of the protein is "insufficient in normal non-lactating tissue."

Preventive vaccines against cervical cancer and liver cancers have been approved for use in the United States and in several European countries. But unlike in the case of breast cancer, the approved vaccines are directed against a virus that causes the cancer and not cancer formation itself. Another challenge is that while viruses are easily detected by the immune system, breast cancer cells are normal cells that have turned into rogue cells and hence escape detection and destruction by the immune system. Despite the study showing that the targeted protein lies dormant in the breast tissue in non-lactating mothers and therefore poses less risk of destroying normal cells through vaccination, the need to collect more supporting evidence before undertaking human clinical trials cannot be over-emphasised. However, if proven safe, a preventive breast cancer vaccine can be administrated to those past child-bearing age. This study is significant for another reason: it has successfully demonstrated in animal trials the criteria to be used for choosing the ideal antigen for cancer prevention vaccines.

http://beta.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/article444949.ece
 

Pintu

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...dias-own-H1N1-vaccine/articleshow/6009654.cms

Ahmedabad's Cadila launches India's own H1N1 vaccine
Kounteya Sinha, TNN, Jun 4, 2010, 05.30am IST

NEW DELHI: In a major scientific advancement, India on Thursday unveiled its first-ever indigenous vaccine against H1N1 influenza virus. Created by Ahmedabad-based pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila from an H1N1 strain given by WHO, the single-shot vaccine called Vaxiflu-S will cost a maximum of Rs 350.

Cadila's CMD Pankaj Patel was the first to take the vaccine followed by Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. H1N1 flu has killed over 1,500 in India.

Calling the vaccine a "remarkable feat in service of the nation", Azad said, "Till date, India didn't have its own influenza vaccine. H1N1 swine flu pandemic made us realise that we can't depend on importing influenza vaccines taking India's sheer vastness and population into consideration. Scientists therefore created the country's very own vaccine against influenza."
 

nandu

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India's H1N1 vaccine to hit market today

Calling it a "great day", Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday launched India's first-ever indigenous vaccine for the H1N1 virus, more than a year after it had surfaced.

"Post-Independence, this is the first influenza vaccine which has been indigenously made. The H1N1 made us think that we could not wait for importing vaccines, keeping in view the huge population. I am happy we achieved our goal on time," said Azad, who also got himself administered with this single-dose vaccine.

Called Vaxi Flu-S and manufactured by Zydus Cadila, the vaccine is expected to reach all parts of the country within this week. It has been tested on over 250 people and can be administered to people above 18 years to 60 years of age.

This is not an over-the-counter vaccine and can be bought from medical stores on doctor's prescription for Rs 350. Azad hoped the price would come down once the other three companies — Serum Institute of India (Limited), Bharat Biotech International (Ltd), Hyderabad, and Panacea Biotech (Ltd) — also launched their products.

While Zydus Cadila has the capacity for manufacturing 6-7.5 million doses per annum of this vaccine, as many as 4.5 lakh doses will be released in the market shortly. "Dispatches for all the major cities will start from Friday," said a senior official of Zydus Cadila.

Another three million doses would be released after two months, said Health Ministry officials.

"According to the World Health Organisation, the strain is not going to change very soon. Going by that, we can say that once injected, the vaccine will give us protection for one year at least," said Pankaj R Patel, chairman and managing director, Zydus Cadila.

While no side effects were seen in those administered with the vaccine, it is not advisable for those having allergy to eggs. Experts also maintain Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a neurological disorder affecting the peripheral nervous system, has to be watched out for. "Though no case of GBS has been reported, there is a need to remain watchful. Also, those having allergy to eggs should not get themselves vaccinated with this vaccine," said Dr V M Katoch, director general, Indian Council of Medical research.

Pregnant women and children will have to wait for vaccination for some more time as more "extended researches" are under way.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indias-h1n1-vaccine-to-hit-market-today/629218/0
 

Prince

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Dental X-ray link to thyroid cancer

Repeated exposure to dental X-rays could increase the risk of developing thyroid cancer, according to new research.



The thyroid gland, in the neck, is sensitive to ionising radiation, especially in children, but the potential risk posed by dental radiography is often ignored, researchers said.
In a study of 313 cancer patients, scientists from Brighton, Cambridge and Kuwait found the chances of developing cancer rose with increasing numbers of dental X-rays
The researchers said the idea that dental radiography is absolutely safe merits further examination due to their findings.
They argued that their study drew attention to concerns that dental X-rays should only be prescribed to cater for a specific clinical need, rather than as part of a routine check-up.
About 1,900 new cases of thyroid cancer are diagnosed each year in Britain and the figures more than doubled between 1975 and 2006.
The researchers, led by Dr Anjum Memon, of the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, said the increasing use of sensitive diagnostic techniques does not necessarily account for the entire increase and that other causes warrant investigation.
They said the results of their work should be treated with caution because the data was based on self-reporting by the participants and comprehensive historical dental X-ray records were not available from the clinics.
Dr Memon said the findings were consistent with previous reports of increased risk of thyroid cancer in dentists, dental assistants and X-ray workers, suggesting that frequent low-dose exposures in adults may be significant.
Dental X-rays have also been linked with an increased risk of brain and salivary gland tumours, he added.
He said: "The public health and clinical implications of these findings are particularly relevant in the light of increases in the incidence of thyroid cancer in many countries over the past 30 years."
The research was funded by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and was administered by the Kuwait University Research Grant Administration.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7802609/Dental-X-ray-link-to-thyroid-cancer.html
 

nandu

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Indian doctor leads breakthrough in breast cancer research


Pink umbrellas and balloons are displayed over a stream to promote the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign in Seoul. The recently developed interoperative radiotherapy offers new hope for breast cancer cure.

An Indian oncologist is among three experts in the U.K. who have achieved a breakthrough in the treatment of breast cancer after a 10-year trial that demonstrates that a single dose of radiation during surgery is just as effective as a prolonged course of radiotherapy.

Goa-origin Jayant Vaidya, who works at the University College, Royal Free and Whittington Hospitals, designed and led the trial called interoperative radiotherapy (TARGIT) involving 2,000 women along with oncologists Jeffrey Tobias and Mike Baum.

The new approach means selected patients receive just one dose of radiation during surgery to remove breast cancer.

A probe is inserted into the breast so that it can target the exact site of the cancer.

Dr. Vaidya said: "This has been my dream for the last 15 years. The new treatment could mean that many more women could conserve their breasts. TARGIT saves time, money and breasts."

He added: "Scientifically, the results change the way of thinking about breast cancer and its treatment.

It suggests that in selected patients the whole breast does not need to be treated and that the radiation dose and that the radiation dose can be much lower."

Dr. Vaidya, who hails from a prominent doctors family from Goa, studied at the Peoples's High School, Panaji, Dhempe College, and the Goa Medical College.

Dr. Tobias, who enrolled the first ever patient on the trial at the former Middlesex Hospital in London along with Dr. Vaidya, said: "I think the reason why it works so well is because of the precision of the treatment.

It eradicates the very highest risk area — the part of the breast from which the tumour was removed."

He added: "It is given in a single dose via an intra-operative probe and the conventional surgery is extended by just 30-40 minutes while the patient is asleep under anaesthetic."

It also means there is an otherwise unachievable degree of immediacy because the cancer is taken out and radiation goes in as soon as the surgery is complete — rather than weeks after.

The surgery and radiotherapy which would otherwise take around five weeks is done and dusted.

Kate Law, director of clinical research at Cancer Research U.K., said: "Radiotherapy is already a very effective treatment, so improving that even further is an exciting prospect.

"Further follow-up of these women will be needed to confirm whether this strategy not only makes the most of the therapy's power but also minimises any long—term side effects."

Results published in the Lancet show that in selected patients, the new method appears to be just as effective as conventional post-operative breast cancer treatment which can be a lengthy process.

A prolonged course of radiotherapy can mean 20 or 30 visits to hospital over five to six weeks.

However, targeted intra-operative radiotherapy benefits patients by reducing their exposure to radiation toxicity and reducing the number of journeys they have to make to hospital.

According to the authors, for the National Health Service it could mean reduced waiting lists for breast cancer treatment and estimated savings of as much as 15 million pounds a year, despite the initial outlay for new equipment.

http://beta.thehindu.com/health/medicine-and-research/article448059.ece
 

Pintu

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...r-drug-gets-US-patent/articleshow/6058657.cms

RSS-developed cancer drug gets US patent
PTI, Jun 17, 2010, 02.49pm IST

NAGPUR: An anti-cancer drug extracted from cow urine and developed by an affiliate of the RSS has got a US patent for the third time for its anti-genotoxicity properties, a senior official has said.

The drug developed by RSS-backed Go Vigyan Anusandhan Kendra had earlier got the US patent as a bio-enhancer with antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs.

The research for the drug brand named 'Kamdhenu Ark' was carried out jointly by the Anusandhan Kendra and National Environmental Engineer Research Institute (NEERI), Acting Director of NEERI Tapan Chakraborty said.

The research found that Re-distilled Cow Urine Distillate (RCUD) was useful for protecting and repairing DNA from oxidative damage, Chakraborty and Sunil Mansinghka of Kendra told reporters yesterday.

Oxidative DNA damage is a leading cause of ageing, cancer and other diseases.

RCUD works against genotoxicity, a harmful action on a cell's genetic material, they said, adding research has strengthened the efficacy of 'Kamdhenu Ark' as an anti-cancer drug.

The research was carried out on three patients, two of them having throat and uterus cancer, Mansinghka said.
 

Pintu

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...pull-off-another-feat/articleshow/6242318.cms

City doctors pull off another feat
TNN, Aug 1, 2010, 02.26am IST

KOLKATA: A patient on whom the first successful allogeneic bone marrow transplant in Kolkata was done on June 1, completed two months after the transplant on Saturday.

The transplant was done at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Cancer Research Institute on Virendra Pal Singh from the bone marrow of one of his four siblings. The long operation was performed by a team of five doctors comprising Pinaki Ranjan Gupta, Ujjwal Roy and Chinmoy Bose, Subhasis De and the hospital's medical director Ashis Mukhopadhyay.

"The transplant was done on an aplastic anaemia patient whose own bone marrow was incapable of producing red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Such patients, thus, require repeated blood transfusions. A bone marrow transplant is the only cure. Virendra's tissues matched only that of his youngest sister. We did the transplant on June 1," said Mukhopadhyay.

He added that on June 14, all the cell counts of the patient were destroyed at 0 level. "On that particular day, we collected 600 ml of bone marrow from the pelvic bone of his sister and transfused it to the patient. It took three weeks for the transfused bone marrow to start functioning. During these three weeks, the patient required repeated blood and platelet transfusions. After three weeks, his bone marrow started working. The patient is no longer dependent on transfusion now," Mukhopadhyay said.

Singh is a resident of Pilibhit in UP. "They will have to stay in Kolkata for another four months. This is the 23rd bone marrow transplant in the hospital," the doctor pointed out.

Virendra will have some female chromosomes, too. However, he will not face any particular problem as he has already developed his functioning sexual organs. He will be back home after four months. He will stay in a separate room since the body's immunity system takes six months to recover.
 

Pintu

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...men-who-are-expecting/articleshow/6245570.cms

'Vaccinate all women who are expecting'
TNN, Aug 2, 2010, 02.46am IST

MUMBAI: There might be no swine flu by 2012, say doctors. But this could be so because by that time, the virus may have mutated into a more potent strain or a majority of the population would have developed immunity to the disease.

In a conference at Nair Hospital on Sunday, doctors from various fields came together to review both the waves of H1N1 pandemic. Given that 553 people in Maharashtra have succumbed to the disease since June 2009, the experts discussed what could be the plan of action in case of a third wave of the disease.

Dr Om Srivastav, head of infectious diseases, BMC said that vaccination should be a must for certain groups of people. "Health care workers, especially those who work in the isolation wards or with H1N1 patients, should take the vaccination. The vaccine should be made mandatory for pregnant women, too; more so for those in their second or third trimesters,'' he said.

Dr Khusrav Bajan, consultant physician and intensivist at Hinduja Hospital was of the opinion that not everybody needed to be vaccinated. "A person who has completely recovered from the virus need not worry about taking the vaccine. Their immune system would have developed the antibodies to fight the virus,'' he said.

Though the technology for swab tests has advanced since last year, the panel of doctors agreed that in order to be prepared to fight the disease, the test needs to be up-to-date. "Last year, a patient had to wait for a few days for the swab to be tested. We could decide on the course of action only after the test result came in. It was not enough to know whether it was the influenza A virus. We also needed to know whether it was indeed the pandemic virus. Now, with machines the deliver results in real time, the results are precise and take less time,'' said Dr Gita Natraj, professor of microbiology at G S Medical College. "We no longer wait for the tests. If doctors feel that the patient shows symptoms of H1N1, he or she is administered oseltamivir,'' she added.

"It is important for the doctors to know the facts about the disease and train themselves to treat patients more effectively,'' said Dr Jayanthi Shastri, head of microbiology lab in Kasturba Hospital, who had organised the conference.

Man dies of malaria

A 45-year-old resident of Malad succumbed to malaria on Saturday. This takes the toll of total malaria deaths to 19 in July and the total number of deaths due to monsoon related diseases to 28.

Meanwhile, 20 patients tested positive for swine flu on Sunday. Of the 466 persons admitted to various hospitals, 204 patients had malaria, 54 had gastroenteritis, four were down with dengue and two were suffering from leptospirosis.
 

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...nt-deadlier-comeback-/articleshow/6263561.cms

Malaria stages silent, deadlier comeback
TNN, Aug 6, 2010, 05.21am IST

KOLKATA: At a time when the health department and the KMC are busy tackling swine flu, malaria has turned out to be a silent killer. Two persons have died and hundreds more are suffering from the dreaded disease across the city.

The second victim, Sheikh Akhtar Ali, a 37-year-old real estate promoter and resident of Kusthia Masjidbari Lane, was attacked with both plasmodium vivax and plasmodium falciparum and died on July 16 at the Calcutta National Medical College. Two days before his death, Ali had gone to a KMC malaria clinic in his locality and tested positive for malaria.

Though two malaria deaths have been confirmed, senior KMC health officials seem to be hushing up the case. Even MMiC(health) Atin Ghosh has not been informed about these deaths. Ghosh was taken aback when asked to comment on the two malaria deaths. "I haven't been informed about these deaths. I will definitely inquire and find out if there was any negligence on our part," Ghosh said on Thursday. The MMiC, who has been making surprise visits to KMC malaria clinics for the past one and half months, said he would not spare his health officials if their negligence was proved.

The case of the first victim, Sibnath Roy, is being examined by KMC doctors as he tested positive for plasmodium vivax, which is benign in nature and not generally considered fatal. Senior KMC health department officials have been asked to study the case in detail with particular reference to the nature of medicine prescribed after the patient was diagnosed with malaria. KMC health department sources said Roy, a 60-year-old resident of Raja Lane in Rajabazar area, had come from Bihar 10 days before he died on May 5. Roy went to KMC's Narkeldanga malaria clinic and tested positive. He was admitted to NRS.

KMC health department sources said cases of malaria have registered a growth last month. Latest figures show that 168 people tested positive for plasmodium falciparum or malignant malaria in the last week of July, as compared to 12 in the last week of June. In the first seven months of this year, 21,977 persons tested positive for plasmodium vivax compared to 13,739 last year. Malaria clinics in Hatibagan, Jorabagan, Amherst Street, College Street, Surja Sen Street, Alimuddin Street, Park Circus, Picnic Garden, Ballygunge, Bhowanipore, Chetla and New Alipore have registered a sharp spurt in malaria cases, said KMC health department sources.

However, the true picture could be much worse as officials said they were yet to receive information from major state government hospitals.

Doctors in private clinics are concerned that even vivax malaria, which is normally not fatal, is taking a serious turn this season. "We are surprised over the trend. There is a genetic shift in the parasite as a result of which patients' conditions are turning critical with several organs getting affected, something that we normally see in case of malignant malaria," said Syamasis Bandopadhyay, a doctor with Apollo.

"Indeed, vivax malaria is behaving strangely. The patients are showing cerebral malarial symptoms," said Nilanjan Patranobis, a doctor of at West Bank Hospital.
 

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Ambulance turns into delivery centre

Daniel Thimmayya
Express News Service
Last Updated : 29 Aug 2010 05:21:02 PM IST

CHENNAI: Manjula went into labour a little after 7.30 am on August 24; "Our vaithiyar said the baby was due only after two days," said the 20-year-old, "Suddenly the pain became very bad."

With the hospital 11 km away from their village, her husband remembered a medical campaign he had seen. "I dialled 108, they arrived in 15 minutes," he recounts, "The baby was born in the ambulance itself."

Manjula's story is not surprising, considering that 1,980 babies in Tamil Nadu have been delivered in ambulances run by Emergency Management and Research Institute-GVK, from September 2008.

More commonly known by the utility number they operate from, '108' services employ paramedics (Emergency Medical Technicians) who are trained to handle deliveries and any emergencies, free of charge. EMT's are trained specifically to handle natural childbirth at places such as the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Chennai. The ambulances themselves are well equipped to handle a 'complete delivery on the road'. Facilities include a delivery kit with everything from sterilised aprons to necessary knives, and even 'warming spot lights' to keep the newborns warm.


Chandru, a paramedic in Adyar says calls from pregnant mothers are low in Chennai.

Vijayan, a veteran having delivered 11 babies in the ambulance, explains "When we get to villages they realise the baby is almost born and start screaming to us to save their life."
 

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India moves ahead with robotic revolution in surgery

Mon, Aug 30 01:05 PM

New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) A robot performing surgery sounds like a scene out of a Hollywood sci-fi flick. But fiction is fast turning into reality in Indian operation theatres where high-precision robotic surgeries - a less cumbersome procedure than conventional operations - are gaining acceptance.

Leaving behind the days of low technology methods, doctors are now ushering in a new era of medical treatment successfully. Robotic surgery in Delhi's premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is one of the success stories.

'Robotic surgery is the next major revolution in the field of surgery since the discovery of anaesthesia,' Arvind Kumar, head of the department of surgery at AIIMS, told IANS.


So far more than 60 chest surgeries have been performed through robots in India. The robot is also used for urological surgeries like prostate.

'The minimally invasive methods have brought a paradigm shift in the way we operate by making equipments an extension of hands. This reduces the risk of infection and shortens the recovery period,' said the doctor who is an expert in minimally invasive general surgery, general thoracic, thoracoscopic and robotic surgery.

Earlier, the use of robotic surgery was confined to the field of cardiology. However, the doctors soon discovered that it was much more useful for other surgeries.

'With the robot for chest surgery, the doctors do not need to dissect the whole chest as is the norm in the traditional open chest surgery or to break the rib bones or the sternum bone for operation,' Kumar said.

The robot consists of a set of four arms, two to operate, one to hold the camera and the fourth one for assistance. These arms are mounted on a platform and are controlled by the doctor sitting at the control panel.

The panel consists of an eye piece which gives a three-dimensional view and two joy-sticks to move the robot's arms. The movement of the robot's hands is same as that of the doctor, making the procedure simple
.

In robotic operation, only three incursions of 10 mm to 1 cm each are needed, which prevents excessive bleeding and also reduces the rehabilitation period by up to seven times.

'Moreover, the robotic arm is designed in such a way that it can reach the interior part of the organ curvature, which is not possible in the traditional or microscopic surgery without damaging the normal tissues,' Arvind Kumar said.

Similar convenience of minimal invasion is also possible through the laparoscopy method in which surgeries are done with the help of a rod like instrument which has a camera and surgical tools attached to its end. The instrument is operated by doctors on the basis of images obtained by the camera.

'Laparoscopy's shortcoming is that the camera fitted at the instrument provides only a two-dimensional view and hence the dimension of depth is lost,' he adds.

On the other hand, the camera used in robotic surgery has two lenses - giving a lifelike or 3-D picture.

Its other advantage is that the arm of the robot has a 360-degree movement - just like a human hand, while laparoscopic instrument's arm has a unidirectional movement.

'Robotic surgery gives the best of both - open surgery in terms of 3-D view and laparoscopy in terms of smaller cuts,' he said.

The only disadvantage of the surgery is its high cost, which is at least Rs.1 lakh (about 2,000 USD) more than a normal surgery.

The chest surgeries performed by robots are mainly for Myasthenia Gravis - a disease characterised by nervous and muscular weakness.

Usually these operations leave a deep scar on the chest of the patient - making it medically complicated as well as a stigma. In the robotic surgery, the long cut is replaced by three small holes which are barely 10 mm to 1 cm in size.
 

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap...NUvueg?docId=0db7b22e645e43678e0b4f3fa8ecf4c1

New tuberculosis test cheaper for poor countries

(AP) – 6 hours ago

LONDON (AP) — Health officials say a new test to diagnose tuberculosis in less than two hours will be available to poor countries for a fraction of its original price.

Foundation for Innovative and New Diagnostics officials said Wednesday the test will be sold to more than 100 developing countries at a 75 percent discount — about $17 (euro12.72), instead of $67 (euro50.14).

The Swiss-based foundation said it negotiated the price reduction with manufacturer Cepheid after realizing it would be too expensive for poor countries or international donors to roll it out at the original price

Several donors are investigating introducing the test in South Africa and India. Officials expect the price to drop once it is produced in commercial quantities.

The World Health Organization said the test could revolutionize tuberculosis treatment and is a dramatic improvement on the standard test, which takes up to three months to confirm a diagnosis. The agency recommended countries hardest hit by tuberculosis include the test in their strategies to control the disease. The test was announced in September.
 

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