Vigyan Prasar conducts health communication workshop for ICMR scientists
The importance of communication in the field of scientific research was felt even more deeply during the days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health news
Consuming a diet with more fish fats, less vegetable oils can reduce migraine headaches: study
National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded study finds frequency, the intensity of monthly migraines declined among those on a higher fish oil diet. A diet higher in fatty fish helped frequent migraine sufferers reduce their monthly number of headaches and intensity of pain compared to participants on a diet higher in vegetable-based fats and oils, according to a new study. The findings by a team of researchers from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), parts of the National Institutes of Health (USA); and the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, were published in the July 3 issue of The BMJ. Method This study of 182 adults with frequent migraines expanded on the team’s previous work on the impact of linoleic acid and chronic pain. Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid commonly derived in the American diet from corn, soybean, and other similar oils, as well as some nuts and seeds. The team’s previous smaller studies explored if linoleic acid inflamed migraine-related pain processing tissues and pathways in the trigeminal nerve, the largest and most complex of the body’s 12 cranial nerves. They found that a diet lower in linoleic acid and higher in levels of omega-3 fatty acids (like those found in fish and shellfish) could soothe this pain pathway inflammation. In a 16-week dietary intervention, participants were randomly assigned to one of three healthy diet plans. Participants all received meal kits that included fish, vegetables, hummus, salads, and breakfast items. One group received meals that had high levels of fatty fish or oils from fatty fish and lowered linoleic acid. A second group received meals that had high levels of fatty fish and higher linoleic acid. The third group received meals with high linoleic acid and lower levels of fatty fish to mimic average U.S. intakes. During the intervention period, participants monitored their number of migraine days, duration, and intensity, along with how their headaches affected their abilities to function at work, school, and in their social lives, and how often they needed to take pain…
New Study could help unravel the mystery of fatty acid accumulation in the heart
How are Fatty acids formed? New Delhi, June 30th: Fatty acids are formed when the fat in our diet breaks down during digestion. While many of the body’s organs use glucose as their primary energy source, the heart derives most of its required energy (over 70%) from the oxidation of fatty acids. These are crucial for sustaining cardiomyocytes – cardiac muscle cells that control the rhythmic beating of the heart. However, the accumulation of excess fatty acids in cardiomyocytes triggers harmful responses, often leading to severe cardiac diseases. A recent study published in Cell Reports by a team of researchers from India and the US, led by scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), provides important insights into how fatty acid uptake is regulated in cardiomyocytes. “We identified a mechanism by which fatty acid transport (to cardiomyocytes) is critically regulated by a protein called SIRT6,” says team lead Ravi Sundaresan, Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, IISc. The study shows that SIRT6 could be a potential therapeutic target for treating several metabolic diseases affecting the heart. Cardiomyocytes have several fatty acid transporters – specific proteins enhancing the uptake of fatty acids from the blood into the cells – to ensure sufficient supply. The authors say that this is the first study to show that SIRT6 regulates the genes responsible for the formation of these transporter proteins in cardiomyocytes, IISc statement said. The team observed that cardiomyocytes devoid of the SIRT6 protein had higher levels of fatty acid transporters, resulting in higher uptake and accumulation of fatty acids. They also showed that increasing the level of SIRT6 in cardiomyocytes lowered the levels of these transporters, thereby reducing fatty acid uptake and accumulation. The researchers carried out most of the studies in experimental mice models. SIRT6 belongs to a family of proteins called sirtuins, which are important biological enzymes that require specific molecules, called cofactors, to function. Surprisingly, the researchers found that SIRT6 neither functions as an enzyme nor does it require any co-factor to regulate fatty acid uptake in cardiomyocytes. Rather, it does so by binding with a specific protein…
Health News : Opioid addiction treating drug may be repurposed for type 2 diabetes
India is the diabetes capital of the world New Delhi, Nov 03: India is the diabetic capital of the world as every sixth person with diabetes in the world is an Indian. Insulin resistance has been a big challenge to the researchers who seek to understand and treat it. Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi (IIT Mandi) have unravelled the mechanism by which insulin overload in the body causes insulin resistance that is associated with diabetes. They have found the drug that is used in treating opioid addiction can potentially reverse this phenomenon. “We’ve known that one of the causes of insulin resistance is inflammation”, says Dr Prosenjit Mondal, Associate Professor, School of Basic Sciences, IIT Mandi, “We wanted to find out if and how hyperinsulinemia (excess insulin traversing the bloodstream) invokes inflammation in the body, which would provide the link between the two conditions” he told. What is the relationship between insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia? The relationship between insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia is cyclic – each increases the occurrence of the other. While it is obvious how insulin resistance leads to hyperinsulinemia – when cells cannot use the insulin, it just remains in the blood – the converse of how hyperinsulinemia increases insulin resistance has hitherto remained unclear. The researchers identified a critical protein molecule – SIRT1 which is repressed in hyperinsulinemia. They discovered that a decrease in SIRT1 activates another protein called NFkB, which instigates inflammation, thus providing the link between hyperinsulinemia and systemic inflammation. The team has also discovered a solution to this problem. The researchers found that low-dose naltrexone (LDN), a drug commonly administered for opiate addiction, can activate SIRT1, thereby reducing inflammation and increasing insulin sensitivity of cells. The significance of this discovery is enormous. “Naltrexone at low doses could potentially restore some of the diabetes-associated events in cellular and animal models”, observed Dr Mondal, who is confident that this is a viable path to follow for Type-2 diabetes management. Naltrexone: an FDA-approved drug used for the treatment of opioid addiction Naltrexone is already an FDA-approved drug that is used for the treatment…
Ensuring women have a rights-based access to emergency contraceptives is vital
Rights-based access to emergency contraception is a human rights issue and it should be included routinely in all family planning programmes, integrated into all health services and made available for all women and girls in dire need of it.
#Healh: Breast cancer treatment takes a big leap forward
Cancer news India | Cancer care in India | Health news New Delhi, Sep 01 (India Science Wire): Breast-cancer is the most common cancer in women in India. An estimated one in twenty-eight women is likely to develop breast cancer during her lifetime. In urban areas, one in twenty-two women is likely to develop breast cancer during her lifetime as compared to rural areas where one in sixty women develops breast cancer in her lifetime. Earlier research had demonstrated that breast cancer patients had reduced production of a protein in the body called Estrogen-related receptor beta (ERRβ), that resulted in proliferation or rapid division of breast cancer cells and their migration to other parts of the body, and that if the protein can be overexpressed in breast cancer patients, it can result in an improved prognosis and prolonged relapse-free survival. However, it was so far not known as to how and why the production of ERRβ protein was reduced in breast cancer patients. A new study by the cancer research group at the Department of Biotechnology’s Institute of Life Sciences (DBT-ILS) has resolved the mystery and promises to pave the way for developing better drugs for breast cancer. The researchers have unravelled the molecular mechanism for the phenomenon. It is found that the ERRβ protein is a key substrate of the SCF complex and deregulated activation of the SCF complex due to the NEDDylation of Cullin subunits of the SCF complex, targets ERRβ for degradation in breast cancer. Consequently, the team led by Dr. Sandip K Mishra has demonstrated that a molecule called MLN4924 can restore the expression of the ERRβ protein and help reduce cell proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. The study has also demonstrated that restoration of ERRβ expression in breast cancer with the help of MLN4924, promotes the production of two important tumour suppressors p21 and E-cadherin, involved in the arrest of cell proliferation and migration. Breast cancer is the predominant cause of cancer deaths in underdeveloped countries, representing 14.3% of all cancer deaths. In 2018, 1,62,468 new cases and 87,090 deaths were reported for…
Comparing heart disease treatments
Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease. It’s caused by narrowed arteries that reduce blood flow to the heart. Affecting about 18 million Americans, it is the leading cause of death in the United States. Symptoms can vary, but some people don’t have any symptoms at all. They may not know they have heart disease until they experience chest pain, a heart attack, or sudden cardiac arrest. To determine the best approach to help reduce these outcomes, the International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches (ISCHEMIA) study followed more than 5,000 patients with stable, moderate to severe heart disease for a median of about 3 years. The trial compared a conservative treatment approach to an invasive treatment strategy. The study was funded in part by NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Results were published online on March 30, 2020, in the New England Journal of Medicine. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either the conservative medical therapy (unless their symptoms worsened) or medical therapy and an invasive intervention. The conservative treatment strategy involved medications to control blood pressure, cholesterol, and angina (chest discomfort caused by inadequate blood to the heart), along with counseling about diet and exercise. The invasive strategy involved medications and counseling, as well as coronary procedures performed soon after patients recorded an abnormal stress test. By the end of the 5-year trial, the death rates between the two groups were similar. Among people who had invasive procedures, 145 died, compared with 144 who received medication alone. The overall rate of disease-related events differed slightly. Among those who took medication alone, 352 experienced an event such as heart attack, compared with 318 who had invasive procedures. A companion paper showed that, among patients with angina, those in the invasive treatment group showed greater improvement in angina-related symptoms, physical function, and quality of life than those in the conservative treatment group. “ISCHEMIA showed an impressive, sustained improvement in patients’ symptoms, function and quality of life with an invasive strategy for up to four years of follow-up,” says Dr. John…
Health news : What is Amebiasis – Entamoeba histolytica Infection
Amebiasis – Entamoeba histolytica Infection Amebiasis is a disease caused by the parasite Entamoeba histolytica. It can affect anyone, although it is more common in people who live in tropical areas with poor sanitary conditions. According to “CDC” Diagnosis can be difficult because other parasites can look very similar to E. histolytica when seen under a microscope. Infected people do not always become sick. If your doctor determines that you are infected and need treatment, medication is available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) affiliated with U.S. Department of Health & Human Services protects people’s health and safety by preventing and controlling diseases and injuries; enhances health decisions by providing credible information on critical health issues; and promotes healthy living through strong partnerships with local, national and international organizations. According to “CDC”Although anyone can have this disease, it is more common in people who live in tropical areas with poor sanitary conditions. In the United States, amebiasis is most common in: People who have traveled to tropical places that have poor sanitary conditions Immigrants from tropical countries that have poor sanitary conditions People who live in institutions that have poor sanitary conditions Men who have sex with men Symptoms of Amebiasis According to “CDC” Only about 10% to 20% of people who are infected with E. histolytica become sick from the infection. The symptoms are often quite mild and can include loose feces (poop), stomach pain, and stomach cramping. Amebic dysentery is a severe form of amebiasis associated with stomach pain, bloody stools (poop), and fever. Rarely, E. histolytica invades the liver and forms an abscess (a collection of pus). In a small number of instances, it has been shown to spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or brain, but this is very uncommon. Treatment of Amebiasis According to “CDC”, Several antibiotics are available to treat amebiasis. Treatment must be prescribed by a physician. You will be treated with only one antibiotic if your E. histolytica infection has not made you sick. You probably will be treated with two antibiotics (first one and then the…
What is Stress, how it affects your mental and physical health
Stress is a physical and emotional reaction that people experience as they encounter changes in life. Stress is a normal feeling. However, long-term stress may contribute to or worsen a range of health problems including digestive disorders, headaches, sleep disorders, and other symptoms. Stress may worsen asthma and has been linked to depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. Relaxation response techniques to release tension Some people use relaxation techniques (also called relaxation response techniques) to release tension and to counteract the ill effects of stress. Relaxation techniques often combine breathing and focused attention on pleasing thoughts and images to calm the mind and the body. Examples of relaxation response techniques Some examples of relaxation response techniques are autogenic training, biofeedback, deep breathing, guided imagery, progressive relaxation, and self-hypnosis. Mind and body practices, such as meditation and yoga, are also sometimes considered relaxation techniques. (Note – This news is not a medical consultation in any case. You can not make any decision based on this news story. Do not become a doctor yourself, consult a qualified doctor.) source of information -National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH),
Sympathetic Nervous System Influences Development and Tissue Maintenance, Mouse Research Suggests
How stress influences tissue regeneration? New Delhi, 17th February New animal research funded in part by the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) an institute of U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, USA.gov, suggests that stress-induced hair graying in mice may be an accessible model to investigate how stress influences tissue regeneration. Research published in journal Nature This research “Hyperactivation of sympathetic nerves drives depletion of melanocyte stem cells” by a multicentre team of scientists was published in a recent issue of the journal Nature. Bing Zhang of Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA is the lead author of the study. In their research, the scientists found that hair graying in black-furred C57BL/6J mice results from activation of the sympathetic nerves that innervate melanocyte stem cells. What is melanocyte A melanocyte is a cell in the skin and eyes that produces and contains the pigment called melanin. Under conditions of stress, this activation leads to burst release of the neurotransmitter noradrenaline (norepinephrine), which then leads to the rapid proliferation of melanocyte stem cells. This is followed by their rapid differentiation, migration, and permanent depletion. To understand how stress affects the melanocyte lineage, the scientists exposed the animals with different stressors. Following each stress, the scientists saw that the number of melanocyte stem cells decreased across the entire skin. In a series of experiments, the researchers noted that the stress-induced loss of melanocyte stem cells is independent of immune attack or adrenal stress hormones. Instead, the scientists noted that hair graying resulted from activation of the sympathetic nerves that innervate the melanocyte stem cell niche. The scientists say their findings show that acute stress can lead to irreversible depletion of somatic stem cells via activation of the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in permanent damage to tissue regeneration. These findings, they say, support the emerging notion that the sympathetic nervous system not only regulates body physiology but also influences a variety of processes in development and tissue maintenance. Future…
Patients with newly diagnosed musculoskeletal pain are prescribed opioids more often than recommended
Study shows treatment recommendations impacted by patient and physician factors. Washington, 16th January 2020. During their first physician visit, patients experiencing newly diagnosed chronic musculoskeletal pain are prescribed opioids more often than physical therapy, counseling, and other nonpharmacologic approaches, according to a new study published in the Journal of Pain. The use of opioids over other approaches stands in contrast with clinical recommendations for the use of nonopioid pain approaches and nonpharmacologic approaches. The study included authors from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health; the University of Montreal; and McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. “Particularly when the patient is experiencing pain that may become chronic, that first clinical encounter can set the course for patient care moving forward,” said Helene Langevin, M.D., director of NCCIH. “This study was designed to assess the ways in which real-world practice compares and contrasts with practice guidelines for these initial patient encounters.” Study authors analyzed data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), conducted between 2007 and 2015. The survey data are collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics and represent how medical care services are used in the United States. The results concur with the high prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain in the United States, with an average of 36.8 million initial visits (for a new chronic pain problem) per year or approximately 11.8% of the population. Overall, on initial visit, patients were prescribed nonopioid medication 40.2% of the time, opioids 21.5%, counseling 15.2%, other nonpharmacologic treatments 14.3%, and physical therapy (PT) least often, at 10%. The most common nonopioid medication prescribed was nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), prescribed at 31.1% of initial visits. Nonpharmacologic treatments included counseling, prescribed at 15.2% of initial visits, exercise at 11.7%, diet and nutrition at 6.4%, complementary approaches at 6%, and weight reduction at 3%. The study identified multiple patient-related factors that affected the likelihood of patients being prescribed opioids versus physical therapy, counseling, and other nonpharmacologic approaches including age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, race and ethnicity,…
Breaking : Modi’s MP says, FM Sitharaman doesn’t know economics. Top headlines of the day
‘Mee punha yaeen’ sparks humour in Maharashtra assembly. Twitterati vent anger over Hyderabad rape-murder. Twitter users commemorate World AIDS Day ….
Fewer Women with Ovarian, Breast Cancer Undergo Genetic Testing than Expected
Tests for inherited genetic mutations can provide women diagnosed with ovarian or breast cancer with important information that can have implications for family members and potentially guide treatment decisions and longer-term screening for second cancers.
High lead levels during pregnancy linked to child obesity : study
Health News : NIH-funded study suggests high lead levels during pregnancy linked to child obesity.
Folic acid may lower risk of being obese or overweight.
NCIC’s Trial Network program contributes clinically meaningful, cost-efficient evidence to guide patient care
National Clinical Trials Network (NCIC)’s Trial Network program contributes clinically meaningful, cost-efficient evidence to guide patient care. ….
Top headlines This Morning | 17 August 2019
Verdicts in some major cases expected before CJI retires in 3 months. US envoy for DPRK to visit Japan, South Korea
Top 10 headlines this morning : Supreme Court fines 7 states for not filing responses on Human Rights Courts
Our decision on Jammu & Kashmir is driven by national interest, not politics : Modi One of the biggest decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the first 75 days of his government is undoubtedly the unshackling of Jammu and Kashmir so that there is better integration and mobility and the faux concept of dual citizenship is scrapped once and for all. In what was not just a political but a diplomatic masterstroke as well, the PM, who has been obsessed with resolving the Kashmir imbroglio, hit his straps very early on in his second avatar using the heft of his mandate to prise through the contentious issue. Ladakh UT involves Chinese territory, Wang told Jaishankar China, whose forces regularly intrude into Ladakh, stuck to its opposition to the creation of Ladakh Union Territory, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi telling his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar that the move “involves Chinese territory”. UNGA president expresses solidarity with flood-affected people in India General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa has expressed her solidarity with those affected by floods in India, according to her Spokesperson Monica Grayley. ‘Bombay Rose’ to head to Toronto after Venice Gitanjali Rao’s debut directorial feature film “Bombay Rose” will open Venice International Film Critics’ Week on August 29, before its North American premiere in Toronto on September 7. SC orders Assam govt to publish NRC exclusion list by Aug 31 The Supreme Court today ordered that the list of those excluded from the final Assam NRC be published only online on 31st of this month. Don’t live in fool’s paradise, not easy to get USNC support on Kashmir: Pak FM tells his countrymen Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has told his countrymen not to live in a fool’s paradise saying that it will not be easy for Islamabad to get the support of the UN Security Council. Supreme Court fines 7 states for not filing responses on Human Rights Courts The Supreme Court yesterday slapped cost of up to one lakh rupees on seven states for failing to file responses regarding setting up of Human Rights…
Top headlines this morning : Achchhe Din, CBSE hikes exam fees for SC/ST by 24 times, general to pay double
Top headlines this morning : Achchhe Din, CBSE hikes exam fees for SC/ST by 24 times, general to pay double
Top headlines of the day : Unnao rape survivor continues to be critical and is on advanced life support systems
The Unnao rape survivor, who was brought to the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi earlier this week, continues to be critical and is on advanced life support systems.
Dial a motorbike ambulance in case of a heart attack
CATS ambulance : idea is to reach with medical help much faster. Dial a motorbike ambulance in case of a heart attack