Month: September 2014

Man lives with bullet lodged in his heart for TWO MONTHS

An Indian man survived for two months with a bullet lodged just in his heart after walking in on a bank robbery. Bharat Sharma, from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, northern India was shot on July 22 as thieves targeted his local bank.

Man lives with bullet lodged in his heart for TWO MONTHS

As the 32-year-old tried to deposit a number of cheques for his company, he walked in on the ambush. Two 20-caliber bullets were fired – one hit Mr Sharma’s waist, while the other became lodged in his heart.

A week after the robbery, surgeons at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Aligarh, removed the bullet in Mr Sharma’s waist. But doctors refused to remove the bullet in his heart, fearing the newly married man would lose his life.

A second referral to Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi saw Mr Sharma refused for surgery a second time. For two months he lived with the bullet lodged in his heart.

Eventually doctors at Sal Hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, accepted the challenge and agreed to take on Mr Sharma’s case. They successfully removed the 20-caliber bullet yesterday.

Dr Anil Jain, Cardiac Surgeon, who led the surgery, said: ‘It was a very rare case and extraordinary that he was living with a bullet in his heart for two months. ‘The bullet was lodged in the heart muscle before the apex of the left ventricle, one of the two chambers of the heart.

‘It was just a millimetre away from puncturing the left chamber and could’ve killed him. ‘Whenever the heart pumped, the bullet would’ve moved proving fatal.

Man lives with bullet lodged in his heart for TWO MONTHS 2

‘It’s a unique story and he’s been a very lucky man.’

During the three-hour surgery, the team of five doctors put Mr Sharma on a life support machine so they could take out the bullet and stitching up the vital organs with less risk. His brother Manish Sharma, 38, said: ‘I am relieved that my brother has got a new life.

‘I am thankful to the doctors for accepting our case and giving him his life back.’ Mr Sharma, who is now recovering at the hospital’s ICU, wants to preserve the bullet as a reminder of how close he came to death.

The bullet will also be used as evidence in the case against the burglars, who are still on the run.

Source: dailymail

For Varicose Veins, Laser Treatment Is Best

When treating varicose veins, laser therapy remains the best option, a new study says.

Researchers in the study examined 798 participants who had varicose veins and were treated at 11 vascular surgery centers in the United Kingdom, between November 2008 and October 2012. The participants underwent one of three types of treatments: closing off the veins with a laser, injecting a drug “foam” into the vein or surgically removing the vein.

After six months, the researchers compared the outcomes, looking at how well the treatments worked and at their complication rates, as well as how the participants rated the change in their quality of life since their treatments.

“The main findings indicated that laser therapy was the preferred treatment for varicose veins,” said study author Dr. Julie Brittenden, a professor in vascular surgery at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. “We found that all three treatments reduced symptoms associated with varicose veins, but there were fewer complications after laser treatment

What causes varicose veins?

Varicose veins are blood vessels that have become swollen, enlarged and twisted. Improperly working valves in the veins cause the disorder, Brittenden explained. In people who have this condition, blood returns up to the heart from the veins in the legs because of the contraction of the calf muscles, she said. Normally, valves in these veins prevent blood from flowing backwards, down towards the feet.

“People with varicose veins have leaky valves, which means that some blood flows backward and pools in the veins, causing them to become enlarged,” she said.

The procedure called endovenous laser ablation, or laser therapy, uses heat generated by laser energy to seal off faulty blood vessels, diverting blood flow immediately to nearby healthy veins.

Foam treatment involves injecting drugs into a blood vessel. The medicines, when mixed with air, cause the vessel wall to thicken, which also helps to seal off blood flow. The recent study showed that foam was less likely than the other treatments to completely close a vein that had leaky valves, which may increase the likelihood that a patient will need future treatment, Brittenden said.

In the study, about 1 percent of patients who underwent treatment with a laser experienced complications such as lumpiness, skin staining and numbness. About 6 percent of those who received the foam treatment, and 7 percent of those who underwent surgery experienced such complications, according to the study.

The researchers also found that successful ablation of the great saphenous vein occurred in 83 percent of those who received the laser treatment and 84.4 percent of the participants who underwent surgery. These numbers were significantly higher than the 54.6 percent who had such successful ablation after the foam treatment. The great saphenous vein, the longest in the body, runs along the length of the leg.

The study appears in today’s (September 24) issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr. Kevin McMullen, a vascular surgeon at Surgical Hospital of Oklahoma who was not involved with the study, said he agreed with Brittenden’s conclusion. “Laser is preferred over surgery or foam due to higher success rates with the least amount of complications,” he said.

Laser therapy works better than foam on larger veins, as the success rates for foam treatments worsens with increasing vein size, McMullen said. However, surgery may be the best choice for patients who have previously had vein procedures, or who have anatomical issues, such as veins that are very close to the skin or are larger than three-quarters of an inch (20 millimeters) in diameter, he said.

Can varicose veins be prevented?

Varicose vein treatment is not done just for cosmetic reasons, Brittenden said. “People with varicose veins often suffer from aches and discomfort,” she told Live Science. “The condition can also cause swelling of the ankles, skin changes and sometimes ulcers.”

Both men and women get varicose veins, she said. The condition is more common in pregnant women, older patients, overweight people and those who stand for long periods. It is also more prevalent in people who have a family history of varicose veins.

People can’t prevent varicose veins from forming, but may be able to delay their formation or prevent existing varicose veins from getting worse, according to the National Institutes of Health. The NIH recommends that people avoid standing or sitting for a long time without taking breaks; avoid crossing their legs when sitting; and keep their legs raised when sitting, resting or sleeping.

Losing weight and doing exercise that works the leg muscles can also help, the NIH said.

Brittenden said that she and her team plan to follow the study participants for five years, as long-term results are important in determining longer-term costs and consequences of each of the treatments, such as recurrent varicose veins.

Source: yahoo news

Stressed? Walk outdoor to boost spirit

Group nature walks are linked with significantly lower depression, less perceived stress and enhanced mental health and well-being, the findings showed.

stressed Walk outdoor to boost spirit

The researchers found that people who had recently experienced stressful life events like a serious illness, death of a loved one, marital separation or unemployment especially saw a mood boost after outdoor group walks.

“Walking is an inexpensive, low-risk and accessible form of exercise and it turns out that combined with nature and group settings, it may be a very powerful, under-utilized stress buster,” said senior study author Sara Warber, an associate professor at the University of Michigan in the US.

“Our findings suggest that something as simple as joining an outdoor walking group may not only improve someone’s daily positive emotions but may also contribute as a non-pharmacological approach to serious conditions like depression,” Warber added.

For the study, the researchers evaluated 1,991 participants from the Walking for Health programme in Britain.

The findings appeared in the journal Ecopsychology.

Source: zee news

Baby babbling linked to hearing ability

The reason why the amount of vocalisations often differ between hearing and deaf infants is that vocalisations are primarily motivated by their ability to hear their own babbling, the findings showed.

The researchers also found that cochlear implants can help infants with profound hearing loss to correct their hearing. Cochlear implants are small electronic devices embedded into the bone behind the ear that replace some functions of the damaged inner ear.

“Hearing is a critical aspect of infants’ motivation to make early sounds,” said researcher Mary Fagan, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri in the US. This study shows babies are interested in speech-like sounds and that they increase their babbling when they can hear,” said Fagan.

Fagan studied the vocalisations of 27 hearing infants and 16 infants with profound hearing loss who were candidates for cochlear implants. She found that infants with profound hearing loss vocalised significantly less than hearing infants. However, when the infants with profound hearing loss received cochlear implants, the infants’ vocalisations increased to the same levels as their hearing peers within four months of receiving the implants.

“After the infants received their cochlear implants, the significant difference in overall vocalisation quantity was no longer evident,” Fagan said. “These findings support the importance of early hearing screenings and early cochlear implantation,” Fagan noted.

The study was published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.

Source: the health site

Benefits of statins slightly outweigh diabetes risk

“Statins increase risk of diabetes, but benefits are still worth it, say experts”.

Benefits of statins slightly outweigh diabetes risk

A large study found the medication lead to a modest increase in weight and subsequent diabetes risk. The authors report that these risks were more than offset by the reduction in cardiovascular disease, but these results were not provided in the study.

The study involved nearly 130,000 people, which found that statin use (used to lower cholesterol levels) increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by 12% and is associated with weight gain of around quarter of a kilo (half a pound) over four years.

It found indirect evidence that the protein statins target to reduce cholesterol could be at least partly responsible for the effect on type 2 diabetes as well. This evidence was based on looking at the effect of natural genetic variations that affect the protein, and not on a direct analysis of the effect of statins.

Importantly, the authors themselves note that this “should not alter present guidance on prescription of statins for prevention of [CVD]”. They do suggest that lifestyle changes, such as exercise, should be emphasised as still being an important part of heart disease prevention in people who are taking statins. This seems reasonable, and it is likely to be part of what doctors already recommend.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal

Source: NHS

Ebola cases may hit 1.4 mn mark by January 2015, warns CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reportedly predicted that the number of Ebola cases in Liberia and Sierra Leone could rise to between 550,000 and 1.4 million by January if there are no “additional interventions or changes in community behavior.”

Liberia Ebola

The prediction was made in a report released by the CDC on Tuesday and is based on a new forecasting tool developed by the organization. The estimated range is wide because experts suspect that the current count is highly under-reported, reported  The CDC said that it was possible to control the epidemic and end it eventually if 70% of Ebola-infected people are properly cared for in medical facilities.

However, in a press conference on Tuesday, CDC Director Tom Frieden, warned that this model was based on older data from August and the numbers were not projections, but “scenarios.” It also did not take into account the medical help coming from the United States and other countries. However, he added that the model does suggest that the current surge of help can curb the epidemic and is “exactly what’s needed” to end it.

According to a World Health Organization estimate, the official death toll in West Africa has risen to more than 2,800 in six months, with 5,800 Ebola cases confirmed as of Monday. The report came a day after the WHO warned that that the number of people infected with the Ebola virus could reach 20,000 by the beginning of November if efforts to contain the outbreak are not accelerated.

Source: ierra leone times

New type of brain cell discovered

Researchers have discovered a strange new type of brain cell that sends signals by bypassing the cell body altogether. Neurons come in different shapes and sizes but the basic blueprint consists of a cell body, from which protrudes spindly appendages called dendrites and axons.

New type of brain cell discovered

Dendrites are branchlike structures that receive signals from other nerve cells and deliver them to the cell body. The neuron then processes the signals and zaps along information to the next cell via a long projection called the axon.

The newly discovered cells, however, have a different, and until now, unknown process. In these cells, the signals skip the cell body altogether, instead travelling along an axon that projects directly from one of the dendrites.

“We found that in more than half of the cells, the axon does not emerge from the cell body, but arises from a lower dendrite,” said study researcher Christian Thome, a neuroscientist at Heidelberg University and the Bernstein Center Heidelberg-Mannheim. The new cells were discovered in the hippocampus of a mouse. Humans have the same general brain structure and types of hippocampus cells as mice. The hippocampus is home to extensively branched neurons called pyramidal cells because of their triangular cell bodies, ‘Live Science’ reported.

Source: times of india

7 tips to be more energetic

Do you feel drained out and completely exhausted during the day no matter what you do?

Sometimes, it’s just the simple lack of energy that could be causing exhaustion and the over-tired feeling. All you need to do to correct the problem and keep your energy levels high is follow these energy boosting tips.

7 tips to be more energetic

Never skip breakfast: Being the first meal of the day, breakfast is the key determinant of your overall energy level throughout the day. When you skip your breakfast, your body slows down your metabolism to conserve energy. And without any readily available source to derive energy from, the brain signals various energy-related processes to slow down, making you feel energy-deprived. Therefore, it is extremely important that you eat a heavy breakfast packed with carbohydrates and proteins.

Have a balanced diet: Having a heavy breakfast doesn’t mean you should skip your lunch or any other meal for the day. But you need to control portion size and type of food you eat. Apart from carbohydrates and proteins, ensure that you include a lot of fruits like bananas, apples and berries in your diet. In fact, there are a lot of energy boosting foods like eggs, whole cereals, oats and nuts that you cannot afford to miss out if you constantly keep feeling low on energy.

Exercise: Without boosting your metabolism with physical activity, no matter what you eat you’ll feel lethargic. Whether it’s an early morning jog or an evening stroll in the park, any form of physical activity is good for your health and can boost your energy.

Drink more water: Sometimes, not drinking enough water could make you feel drained out and even dizzy. Water is required by all metabolic reactions of the body. So if the cells do not get enough water, the brain will automatically not allow you to be energetic. It is suggested that 7-10 glasses of water must be consumed by everyone. But, your water requirement will vary depending on your daily physical activity.

Don’t be stressed: Stress has the ability to lower both physical and mental energy, so lowering stress is the most crucial strategy you need to implement if you want elevated energy levels. Deep breathing, listening to good music, watching a good movie or meditating are some good ways to de-stress that you can try.

Cut down the vices: Alcohol and cigarettes might rev up your mood and energy levels for a short period of time but that state will not persist forever and it will instead make you feel even more energy-deprived the next day. So, quit smoking and drink moderately, if you cant avoid it completely.

Surround yourself with cheerful people: We all know that negative emotions like anger, jealousy, fear and frustration just adds up to stress, blocking the positive energy flow. But what we forget is that just as there are people around us who bring our energies down, there are people who can help us regain them. Instead, we just cut ourselves from people who actually boost our energy. So the next time you’re feeling tired and exhausted, meet your friends, plan a short trip with them or just talk to them, and you’ll feel much better.

Source: the health site

Smoking can cause urologic diseases: Experts

Smoking can cause urologic disease

Cigarette smoking can lead to a number of urological diseases and only a few people are aware of this, experts have warned. According to the Association of Austrian Urologists, smoking can also cause reduced fertility, impotence, and bladder carcinoma.

A recent survey carried out by the association found that few people are aware of the problem, Xinhua news agency reported. In the survey, only 13 per cent of respondents said they know smoking has an impact on the urinary bladder.

“Smoking is the most important preventable risk factor for many diseases,” said Shahrokh F Shariat from the Urology Clinic at the Medical University of Vienna. Experts from the association said even if people stop smoking after a positive cancer diagnosis, it can lead to an improvement.

Source: ibn live

Proper iron intake must to save babies from autism

A new study has linked low iron intake with a five-fold greater risk of autism in children if the mother was 35 or older at the time of the child’s birth or if she suffered from metabolic conditions such as obesity, hyper-tension or diabetes. Mothers of children with autism are significantly less likely to report taking iron supplements before and during their pregnancies than mothers of children who are developing normally, the study indicates.

“The association between lower maternal iron intake and increased autism spectrum disorders (ASD) risk was strongest during breastfeeding,” said Rebecca J. Schmidt, an assistant professor from the MIND Institute at the University of California, Davis. The study was conducted in mother-child pairs enrolled in the Northern California-based Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment (CHARGE) study between 2002 and 2009.

The participants included mothers of children with autism and 346 mothers of children with typical development. The researchers examined maternal iron intake among the participants, including vitamins, other nutritional supplements and breakfast cereals during the three months prior to through the end of the women’s pregnancies and breastfeeding.

The mothers’ daily iron intake was examined, including the frequency, dosages and the brands of supplements that they consumed. “Iron deficiency and its resultant anemia is the most common nutrient deficiency, especially during pregnancy, affecting 40 to 50 percent of women and their infants,” Schmidt noted.

The research was published online in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Source: economic times