Month: August 2014

BKS Iyengar: A pioneer who brought yoga to masses

World-renowned yoga guru BKS Iyengar, the founder of Iyengar Yoga, passed away at a hospital in Pune on Wednesday morning. Iyengar was 95 years old.

The internationally-acclaimed yoga guru introduced Iyengar Yoga to the world. It is a form of Hatha Yoga which lays emphasis on physical alignment of the body while one is performing different asanas.

According to Wikipedia, BKS Iyengar has systematised over 200 classical yoga poses and 14 different types of Pranayama (with variations of many of them) ranging from the basic to advanced.

BKS Iyengar A pioneer who brought yoga to masses

All about Iyengar Yoga

Yogacharya Iyengar, with his intellect and practices, invented the art of Iyengar Yoga. He opened classes all throughout the world, which help students learn this technique that involves physical unity which will be later reflected in the mind. Iyengar Yoga eventually evolved as a brand.

Iyengar Yoga is different from other forms of yoga mainly because it involves three different elements, namely, technique, sequence and timing.

Technique here refers to alignment of the body while one is performing various pranayamas.

Sequence refers to the order in which asanas and breathing exercises are practised. While, timing refers to the amount of time devoted while performing each pose or pranayama.

Iyengar Yoga makes use of `props` which may be ropes, belts, cushions, blocks, gadgets etc, which
are used to assist the students who are beginners to experience asanas more easily and attain ideal alignment.

Healing effects of Iyengar Yoga

Iyengar Yoga has gone a long way in helping patients with back pain, hypertension, depression, menopause and even myocardial infarctions.

Source: Zee news

A New Vegetable That Kills Cancer Cells

The unusual color of the vegetable comes from black pigment, which is produced when exposed to sunlight. The black tomato has great potential to prevent the spread of cancer in the body because it contains Anthocyanin, an antioxidant that kills its cells. Now, for the first time, it’s being grown in Great Britain.

A-New-Vegetable-That-Kills-Cancer-Cells. 1

Ray Brown is a 66 year-old man who works in agriculture. He found this plant when one of his clients sent him a package labelled with the words “black tomato”. He decided to plant the seeds and the tomato proved to be very useful.

A New Vegetable That Kills Cancer Cells 2

I thought that it was a joke, but when I planted the seeds and got a plant I was surprised by the product, says Ray. The taste of the tomato is very strong, but this is a very healthy vegetable, which has yet to be researched fully.

After the research has been done many benefits of this plant will certainly emerge.

Source: for healthy life style

14 lakh children do not live beyond the age of five: Dr Harsh Vardhan

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday said, “It is a national shame that 14 lakh children do not live beyond the age of five. To change this reality the government needs the collective energy of the people, and should not rely on the government machinery.”

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan addresses press at Patna Airport on June 20, 2014. (Photo: IANS)

Speaking here at the launch of a music video, ‘Phool Khil Jayenge’ (The flower will bloom), on the subject of immunization, Dr Harsh Vardhan said, “Let’s make a pledge here to become ‘health sainiks’ and each of us would strive to inspire other ordinary people to become health volunteers to work for a healthy nation.”

In 1994, Dr Harsh Vardhan, in his capacity of Delhi’s Health Minister, had motivated hundreds of school children to become “polio sainiks” with the task of seeking out families with small children who needed polio immunization. It was their commitment and sincerity which resulted in the success of the first pulse polio day in Indian history –October 2, 1994.

“Today we are poised to replicate India’s success with polio eradication which was brought about by the unrequited and unpaid labour of thousands of people. We need more such heroes and heroines to make Universal Immunization in India a success,” the health minister said.

The music video, which emphasises the importance of providing immunity from disease to a child through timely inoculation, was made by Global Health Strategies in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The lyrics have been penned by Javed Akhtar, and the video features Vidya Balan and Farhan Akhtar. The music is by Lalit Pandit and the song is sung by Sonu Nigam.

Source: India medical Times

Medical mystery as boy grows giant 40-pound hands

Doctors in India are baffled over an 8-year-old boy whose hands have ballooned to a combined weight of nearly 40 pounds.

Identified only by his first name, Kaleem, the young cricket fan is now unable to use his hands for simple tasks such as tying his shoes because they have swelled to such mammoth proportions.

Medical mystery as boy grows giant 40-pound hands

His gigantic hands weigh around 18 pounds apiece and measure 13 inches from the base of his palm to the tip of his middle finger.

Kaleem lives with his parents in eastern India and they say it’s been hard to find help for their son because they only make around $20 a month.

Doctors who have had the chance to examine Kaleem have been mystified by his condition, but do believe it is most likely the result of lymphangioma or hamartoma

Medical mystery as boy grows giant 40-pound hands222

Lymphangioma is a rare condition of the lymphatic system that causes the development of non-malignant masses consisting of fluid-filled parts of the body.

A hamartoma is a benign tumor-like malformation that consists of an abnormal mixture of cells and tissues found in areas of the body where growth takes place. Both conditions are said to be treatable.

Source: New York Post

 

Admissions Closing Soon : Online Clinical Research Program at TAU

A clinical research is a study with the goal of answering specific questions about new therapies, vaccines or diagnostic procedures, or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical research (also called medical research and research studies), are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people.

Online clinical research
TAU’s Online clinical research program is one of the flexible ways by the flexible Online Learning from Web Campus i.e., TAU Online Learning Management System. For more details register here: http://www.tauedu.org/texila-connect/signup.html

Watch our Clinical Research video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEFrIS03gz4

What Kids’ Drawings Say About Their Intelligence

The number of features a child draws into their sketch of a person may say a little something about their intelligence

A large and long-term new study shows the way a 4-year-old draws a person not only says something about their level of intelligence as a toddler but is also predictive of their intelligence 10 years down the line.

What Kids’ Drawings Say About Their Intelligence

A team of researchers at King’s College London had 7,752 pairs of identical and non-identical 4-year-old twins draw a picture of a child. Every sketch was rated on a scale from 0 to 12 based on the presence of features, like legs, arms, and facial features. The kids also underwent verbal and nonverbal intelligence measurement tests.

When the kids turned 14, the researchers once again tested their intelligence. They found that a higher score on their drawing was moderately associated with the child’s intelligence both at age four and at age 14. The researchers expected to see a connection at age 4, but for the results to have consistency a decade later was surprising.

The researchers also found that the drawings of identical twins were more similar than the drawings of non-identical twins, suggesting that a genetic link was involved in drawing, though its exact mechanism was unknown. For instance the kids could be predisposed (or trained) to pay attention to detail well or hold their pencil in a specific way, the researchers say.

“The correlation is moderate, so our findings are interesting but it does not mean that parents should worry if their child draws badly,” said study author Dr. Rosalind Arden, the lead author of the paper in a statement. “Drawing ability does not determine intelligence, there are countless factors, both genetic and environmental, which affect intelligence in later life.”

The study was published Tuesday in the journal Psychological Science

Source: TIME

Nickel Allergies on Rise as Devices Meet Skin

As wearable devices become more popular, some doctors and consumers have expressed concerns about a lack of regulatory oversight to monitor the frequency of skin allergies and other reactions to certain metals or plastics used in the products.

Nickel Allergies on Rise as Devices Meet Skin

Nickel, one of the most common allergens in the United States, can be found in things like hand-held devices and jewelry. But unlike Europe, the United States has no restrictions on its widespread use in consumer products. That worries some doctors who say that the growing use of mobile and hand-held devices combined with a lack of regulatory oversight could lead to a spike in allergic reactions.

“I am absolutely concerned about it,” said Stephen P. Stone, the director of clinical research in dermatology at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and the former president of the American Academy of Dermatology.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 10 to 20 percent of the population is allergic to nickel. The reactions can be unpleasant, but not fatal. Typically they include blistering, redness and dry skin.

In February, Fitbit, the maker of a popular brand of devices that measure physical activity, had to recall more than a million of its wristbands after receiving complaints about adverse skin reactions. In a statement on its website, the company said that users were most likely suffering from allergic contact dermatitis, a red and itchy rash, caused by either the adhesive or the nickel content.

That frustrated some users, especially those who had not previously suffered from a nickel allergy. Fitbit is facing legal action from consumers who want more information about the Fitbit Force, the line of products the company recalled.

“One of the things that’s really frustrating is that Fitbit will not say what caused the reaction,” said Alexandra Schweitzer, a health insurance executive from Massachusetts who said she developed what looked like an infected bug bite from her Force last year. Several years ago, dermatologists began seeing allergic reactions to cellphones, but some say the scope of the problem has since expanded.

In 2011, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts recalled about 1,200 children’s watches because of nickel in the watch’s back, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the independent government agency in charge of recalls. A recent article in The Journal of Pediatrics pointed to a rise in nickel allergies among children and cited an 11-year-old boy who most likely had an allergic reaction to his iPad.

“With the increasing prevalence of nickel allergy in the pediatric population, it is important for clinicians to continue to consider metallic-appearing electronics and personal effects as potential sources of nickel exposure,” the article stated.

Nickel exposure from children’s toys in the United States poses a unique problem, because researchers say that frequent exposure to nickel can create sensitivity.

“I think nickel is still a really big issue in the United States,” said Bruce A. Brod, a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania’s medical school. “Now we’re seeing some cases from iPads and laptop computers and some of the video games where there are metal pods.”

In an email, Chris Gaither, a spokesman for Apple, said that reactions described in the Pediatrics article were “extremely rare,” and that the company voluntarily adhered to international nickel guidelines.

“Apple products are made from the highest-quality materials and meet the same strict standards set for jewelry by both the U.S. Consumer Safety Product Commission and their counterparts in Europe. We rigorously test our products to make sure they are safe for all our customers,” he said.

When a recall is fast-tracked, as with the Force, the Consumer Product Safety Commission rarely performs its own testing. That leaves consumers at the mercy of the company to disclose the source of a problem.

“One of the scary things about a situation like this is that it induces a near state of panic when consumers have an adverse reaction and fear the worse,” said Joseph J. Siprut, a lawyer who filed a class-action complaint against Fitbit in March. The company said it did not believe that the lawsuit had merit.

The product safety agency has already received similar complaints for another Fitbit wristband, the Fitbit Flex, according to the safety agency’s online database.

“The company is constantly evaluating its products and working to improve its next-generation products,” James Park, the chief executive of Fitbit said in a statement. “As with any jewelry or wearable device, prolonged contact may contribute to skin irritation or allergies in a few users. Guidelines for product safety and hygiene are available on the website and we encourage users to follow these for maximum enjoyment of their Fitbit products.”

A spokesman for the consumer agency, Scott Wolfson, said it had the “power to take action” against “harmful metals or chemicals upon receiving information that there is a risk of exposure to consumers.”

Not all products that contain nickel pose a threat. How much nickel is in a product affects how much nickel seeps out of it, and Europe has guidelines that companies must follow. “The European directive has limited the use of nickel, but in the United States we haven’t, and it results in suffering and health care expenditure,” Dr. Brod said.

Source: New York Times

Breastfeeding ‘cuts depression risk’, according to study

Breastfeeding can halve the risk of post-natal depression, according to a large study of 14,000 new mothers. However, there is a large increase in the risk of depression in women planning to breastfeed who are then unable to do so.

Breastfeeding can halve the risk of post-natal depression, according to a large study of 14,000 new mothers.

The study, published in the journal Maternal and Child Health, called for more support for women unable to breastfeed. A parenting charity said mental health was a “huge issue” for many mothers. The health benefits of breastfeeding to the baby are clear-cut and the World Health Organization recommends feeding a child nothing but breast milk for the first six months.

However, researchers at the University of Cambridge said the impact on the mother was not as clearly understood.

‘Highest risk’
One in 10 women will develop depression after the birth of their child. The researchers analysed data from 13,998 births in the south-west of England. It showed that, out of women who were planning to breastfeed, there was a 50% reduction in the risk of post-natal depression if they started breastfeeding.

But the risk of depression more than doubled among women who wanted to, but were not able to, breastfeed. Dr Maria Iacovou, one of the researchers, told the BBC: “Breastfeeding does appear to have a protective effect, but there’s the other side of the coin as well.

“Those who wanted to and didn’t end up breastfeeding had the highest risk of all the groups.” The benefit increased for each week of breastfeeding up to one month.

However, any longer term impact on post-natal depression could not be determined due to the small number of women in the study who were still breast feeding several months after the birth.

Action needed
Dr Iacovou said the health profession needed to pay attention. She added: “It is right to tell mothers it’s right to breastfeed, there’s so many benefits, but the thing we need to rethink is giving more support to those who did want to breastfeed and to recognise those who are unable to, are at substantially elevated risk and to make sure health visitors keep an eye on these women.”

Possible explanations for the beneficial effect include the release of feel-good hormones when milk is produced.Dr Iacovou added that social or psychological factors such as feelings of “failing as a mother” were also contributing.

She says the improving the health of the mother will also help the baby.

Rosemary Dodds, a senior policy adviser at parenting charity NCT, said: “Mothers often experience pressures after the birth such as pain, shortage of sleep and anxiety.

“Breastfeeding can help to relax mothers and reduce stress, so it might play a part in preventing mental health issues developing. “We welcome further research into this subject as perinatal mental health is a huge issue for many mothers. At least one in ten suffer with postnatal depression.”

Source: bbc news

 

Blood Transfusions May Cut Stroke Risk From Sickle Cell

Monthly blood transfusions may lower the chances of “silent” strokes in some children with sickle cell anemia, a new clinical trial indicates. The study, reported in the Aug. 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, found that in children with a previous silent stroke, monthly blood transfusions cut the rate of future strokes by more than half.

Blood Transfusions May Cut Stroke Risk From Sickle Cell

The researchers said their findings support screening children with sickle cell for evidence of silent stroke — something that is not routinely done now. “Prior to this, there was no treatment, so the argument was, ‘Why screen?'” explained Dr. James Casella, vice chair of the clinical trial and director of pediatric hematology at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore. “Now we have a treatment to offer.”

However, Casella also stressed that “this study is a first step, not the last one.” Many questions remain, he said. A big one is, do the blood transfusions have to be continued for life? “It’s possible the treatment could be indefinite,” Casella said.

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disease that mainly affects people of African, South or Central American or Mediterranean descent. In the United States, about one in 500 black children are born with the condition, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

The central problem in sickle cell is that the body produces red blood cells that are crescent-shaped, rather than disc-shaped. Those abnormal cells tend to be sticky and can block blood flow.

About one-third of children develop problems with blood flow to the brain, including strokes and silent strokes — so called because they cause no obvious symptoms, but leave behind areas of tissue damage in the brain.

For the new study, Casella’s team used MRI brain scans to screen over 1,000 sickle cell patients between the ages of 5 and 15 for signs of a past silent stroke. In the end, 196 children with a previous stroke were randomly assigned to one of two groups: one received monthly blood transfusions, and one stayed with usual care.

Over three years, 6 percent of kids in the transfusion group had a new silent stroke or, in one case, a full-blown stroke. That compared with 14 percent of kids in the other group.

While the study found an association between blood transfusions and a lower risk of a silent stroke, it did not prove a direct cause-and-effect link.

What is the benefit of preventing silent strokes? Casella said the brain injury can lower a child’s IQ and impair “executive function” — vital mental abilities such as focusing attention, planning and organizing.

In this study, there was no evidence that kids on transfusions had higher IQs or sharper mental function. But the children were followed for only three years. And it’s reasonable to assume that preventing silent strokes would ultimately protect brain function, said Dr. Martin Steinberg, director of the Center of Excellence in Sickle Cell Disease at Boston University School of Medicine, who wrote an editorial published with the study.

The big questions, according to Steinberg, center on how to translate this treatment from a clinical trial, done at large academic medical centers, to the real world.

“The results of this trial are solid,” Steinberg said. “But it could be very difficult to do this in a community hospital setting, where the resources might not be there.”

Monthly transfusions are not a simple matter, Steinberg noted. For one, kids have to be monitored for side effects like “iron overload,” which is very common. Excess iron in the blood is potentially dangerous because the mineral can damage organs, and it may require treatment with special “chelating” drugs that draw excess iron from the blood.

And while this study ran for three years, blood transfusions would almost certainly have to continue for a longer time, according to Steinberg.

“I don’t think three years would be enough,” he said. “Sickle cell disease doesn’t go away.” He pointed to a 2005 study where transfusions were used to prevent overt — not silent — strokes; as soon as the treatment was stopped, patients’ stroke risk climbed again.

Casella said that based on his team’s findings, it’s reasonable for children with sickle cell to have an MRI brain scan before starting elementary school. If there are signs of a silent stroke, transfusions could be considered.

But whether that will become the standard remains to be seen. Casella agreed that the hospital resources might not be there, depending on where a family lives. And at least for now, insurers are unlikely to cover the costs.

Steinberg’s advice to parents: “First of all, if you can, go to a center with expertise in treating sickle cell disease. I wouldn’t run out and try to get MRI screening without that consultation.”

Casella said he is not suggesting blood transfusions are the final answer to sickle-cell-related strokes — and continuing research into alternatives is vital. Steinberg agreed. “This is a difficult disease,” he said. “To make it better, the body has to make better red blood cells. Research is underway, and there are drugs under development. But they’re not here yet.”

Source: web md

No confirmed or suspected case of Ebola in India

The union health ministry on Tuesday said that as on date, there is no confirmed or even suspected case of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in India.

No confirmed or suspected case of Ebola in India

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 1848 cases including 1013 death due to Ebola Virus Disease, as on August 9. The affected countries are Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria in western Africa.

A 28-year-old male traveller from Nigeria manifesting symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Saturday was taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for observation in the morning of Sunday. He has been tested negative for EVD in tests done at National institute of Virology, Pune and National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday.

The cabinet secretary took a meeting on Tuesday with secretaries and senior officers of ministries of health, civil aviation, home affairs, external affairs and information & broadcasting to review preparedness of the government on EVD, the statement said.

“There is no reason for getting worried over the odd case of a visitor to the country arriving in an indisposed condition. We have all the mechanisms in place for prompt treatment and subsequent monitoring,” Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said on Monday.

The two passengers who reached Chennai on Saturday — a 27-year-old-male who travelled from Guinea and a 40-year-old-male who travelled from Liberia — are in good health and they are under observation, according to an official statement issued on Monday.

Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday (August 10) denied reports in some media of a “suspect case” of EVD in Chennai. “The department of health, Government of Tamil Nadu, has informed the central government that a person had indeed landed at Chennai airport from Guinea on August 9. He was checked for symptoms and was found healthy. However, the health authorities of the state are monitoring his health,” he said.

WHO had informed that one Indian passenger had travelled on the same flight in which Ebola virus patient (foreign national) was travelling from Monrovia to Lagos. This Indian passenger is back in India. He has been tracked and his health is being regularly monitored. “We are happy to share that the said person is healthy, fit and fine,” Dr Harsh Vardhan said on Saturday.

On August 8 (Friday), WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern after an abnormal rise in the incidence of the dreaded infection this year. Within hours the union health ministry unravelled its advanced surveillance and tracking system. A 24-hour helpline (011 – 23063205, 23061469 and 23061302) was also opened, which has been functional since Saturday.

In New Delhi, the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital has been identified for treatment and management of any case of EVD.

The health ministry was alerted by WHO about a traveller who landed in New Delhi on July 20 as a confirmed case of EVD. He was later traced to Dwarka in South-West Delhi and was found to be healthy.

Source: India Medical Times