Month: December 2013

Meditation can change gene expression

Scientists have found the first evidence that mindfulness meditation can reduce levels of pro-inflammatory genes which can lead to faster physical recovery from a stressful situation.

The new study by researchers in Wisconsin, Spain, and France found specific molecular changes in the body following a period of mindfulness meditation.

The study investigated the effects of a day of intensive mindfulness practice in a group of experienced meditators, compared to a group of untrained control subjects who engaged in quiet non-meditative activities.

After eight hours of mindfulness practice, the meditators showed a range of genetic and molecular differences, including altered levels of gene-regulating machinery and reduced levels of pro-inflammatory genes, which in turn correlated with faster physical recovery from a stressful situation.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that shows rapid alterations in gene expression within subjects associated with mindfulness meditation practice,” said study author Richard J Davidson, founder of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds and the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“Most interestingly, the changes were observed in genes that are the current targets of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs,” said Perla Kaliman, first author of the article and a researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spain, where the molecular analyses were conducted.

Mindfulness-based trainings have shown beneficial effects on inflammatory disorders in prior clinical studies and are endorsed by the American Heart Association as a preventative intervention. The new results provide a possible biological mechanism for therapeutic effects.

The results show a down-regulation of genes that have been implicated in inflammation. The affected genes include the pro-inflammatory genes RIPK2 and COX2 as well as several histone deacetylase (HDAC) genes, which regulate the activity of other genes epigenetically by removing a type of chemical tag.

The extent to which some of those genes were downregulated was associated with faster cortisol recovery to a social stress test involving an impromptu speech and tasks requiring mental calculations performed in front of an audience and video camera.

There was no difference in the tested genes between the two groups of people at the start of the study. The observed effects were seen only in the meditators following mindfulness practice, researchers said.

In addition, several other DNA-modifying genes showed no differences between groups, suggesting that the mindfulness practice specifically affected certain regulatory pathways.

The study was published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.

Source: business standard

 

Iran aims to boost medical tourism

Iran wants to increase its number of medical tourists; the country already enjoys 85,000 patients yearly for medical tourism and wants to improve that.

One of the main focuses of medical tourism in Iran is eye surgeries. The country enjoys several facilities around the country that offer quality services for all and also offer services for free to the needy. The main eye hospitals in Tehran are the Noor and Negah facilities.

These hospitals are designed in a way to offer complete services to patients from examination to surgery, catering to all the needs of the patient.
At an inauguration ceremony for a new clinic at the Noor hospital Iran’s Vice President talked about the country’s plans to boost tourism in this sector and he also said visas are no longer an issue.

“A new workgroup will be formed to plan for increasing our potentials in medical tourism in the next few years. More effort should be done on the internet to make precise data about our facilities available for those who plan to come to Iran for treatment,” VP and Head of Cultural Heritage Organization, Mohammad Ali Najafi said.

The hospital itself is improving in quality and increasing in size, this is to remain attractive to patients and possibly gain more medical tourists.

Director of the Hospital, Dr. Khosro Heydari, “We perform all modern eye surgeries offered anywhere else in the world with more competitive prices usually several times less. We enjoy competent surgeons and up to date equipment. Some of our surgeons are renowned worldwide, we have enjoyed over 10,500 patients from outside of Iran coming to our hospital since its start.”

“The Noor hospital started work 20 years ago, now we felt the need to start a clinic to separate the surgeries from examinations as the hospital was becoming crowded. As we value the quality of services offered and waiting times,” Member of the board, Dr. Seyed Mohammad Miraftab added.

But this is not all this facility offers, it has made trailers that are complete mobile hospitals to offer services to patients in small towns around Iran, for free. Till now surgeons have traveled with these mobile centers to seven provinces offering free of charge services for the poor.

Source: Press TV

$3 Million for New Medical Education Center from Four Brothers

A $3 million gift to the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has established the Joseph and Loretta Law Auditorium in the Henry A. Jordan, M’62, Medical Education Center, slated to open in 2015. Drs. Dennis, Ronald, Christopher and Jeremy Law, who between them hold seven degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, have come together to honor their parents and their alma mater.

“It’s inspiring to see how strongly our alumni, far and wide, support our innovative education spaces that will support the training of future generations of doctors, scientists and health-care leaders,” said Dr. J. Larry Jameson, Executive Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System and Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine. “We are extremely pleased to have such support from a remarkable Penn family.”

The gift by the Law brothers is the second largest from an alumni family to support the Jordan Medical Education Center, currently under construction atop the Ruth and Raymond Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine. Also adjacent to the Smilow Center for Translational Medicine, the Jordan Center will be among the first in the United States to integrate learning spaces with active research and patient care facilities.

The Jordan Center will feature wired classrooms, an information commons, big screens and small learning spaces, all to support the collaborative and self-directed style of current medical education. Other new enhancements include integrating the space for 24-hour, 7-day-a-week availability and round-the-clock food options.

The Joseph and Loretta Law Auditorium, to be situated in the northern end of the Jordan Center and overlooking Civic Center Boulevard, will offer state-of-the-art technology, including recording and simulcast capabilities to support global conferences, telemedicine and creation of online courses. “This is beyond anyone’s imagination,” Dr. Jeremy Law said, after touring the Jordan Center construction site in September.

“Graduates of the Perelman School of Medicine are prepared to be not only exceptional physicians but also leaders. The Henry Jordan Center is designed to keep us at the forefront of medical education, and we are very proud to have the interest and generosity of the Law family support this one-of-a-kind facility,” said Senior Vice Dean Gail Morrison.

The Law brothers, all of whom are based in Colorado, have each staked their own territory within medicine. The eldest, Dennis, is a retired vascular and thoracic surgeon. Ronald is a cardiologist, Christopher is a plastic surgeon and Jeremy is an orthopedic surgeon.

“We are proud to participate in Penn’s forward-looking strategy in medical education,” said Dr. Christopher Law. The Law brothers contribute to various health, civic and cultural institutions and have supported the University of Pennsylvania in various impactful ways through efforts supporting student financial aid. “The time felt right for us to give back to our medical school, and at the same time honor our parents for their love and the sacrifices they made for us,” added Dr. Ronald Law.

In addition to practicing medicine, the Law brothers operate real estate investment and development companies as well as Four Brothers Entertainment, specializing in live-show productions in Chinese performing arts. “Since retiring from medicine I have found fulfillment in helping Chinese performing arts through programs and training to reach international standards of artistic excellence,” said Dr. Dennis Law. “In the same way, I’m pleased to support medical education at a place that means so much to me and my family.”

The Law brothers’ philanthropic streak was inspired by the principles instilled by their parents, Joseph and Loretta Law, who overcame political hardship. Mr. Law became a successful industrialist in southern China while Dennis and Ronald were medical students at Penn and Christopher and Jeremy were undergraduates at Penn and the University of Colorado, respectively.

When the Joseph and Loretta Law Auditorium and Henry A. Jordan M’62 Medical Education Center open in 2015, that will coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Perelman School of Medicine.

Source: University of Pennsylvania

97 Doctors Punished by MCI for Medical Negligence

As many as 97 doctors have been punished by Medical Council of India for medical negligence and misconduct in the last three years.

“As per information furnished by MCI, 97 doctors who have been found guilty of medical negligence or misconduct have been awarded punishment by MCI during the period of May 2010 to November 30, 2013,” Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told Rajya Sabha today.

Of the 97 doctors punished by MCI, seven were registered with Andhra Pradesh Medical Council.

The professional conduct of doctors in the country is regulated by MCI and the respective state medical councils.

The Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations 2002 empowers the MCI and state medical councils to award punishment to a doctor against any act of violation of Code of Ethics and illegal practices.

Source: New Indian express

How to get long and shiny hair this winter

However it is very difficult to look after the hair in the winter season due to the cold waves and other odds of the season. The complications like lack of humidity and other factors affects badly your hair care but you should not worry about all this things. Here are some tips which can help you in caring your hair without any more expenses for the same as these remedies can help you keeping your hair silky, long and shinning in the winter season.

Massage coconut oil to moisturize and add extra shine to your hair.

Use conditioner or apply mixer of egg white once in a week. You can also use Heena, which is a natural hair conditioner.

Raghu Reddy, a hair loss specialist at the Private Clinic of Harley Street, gives out some hair tips for healthy hair during winter, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Here are some suggestions on How to get long and shiny hair this winter:

Take extra care of your roots: Avoid putting products like conditioner, wax or gel directly onto the roots of your hair. This will clog the pores and hair follicles, making it difficult for hair to grow as it normally would.

Choose products wisely: In winter, go for a gentle shampoo to keep some moisture intact in your hair. Use a deeper conditioner to protect the hair and prevent damage from extreme weather or central heating.

Indulge in protein-rich diet: Embark on a protein high diet that can keep hair shiny and strong. Eat meat, fish and eggs.

Go natural: Several women wish to avoid frizzy hair in the winter months, and they prefer to dry their hair before venturing out in to the cold. Try to keep the use of straighteners and hair driers to a minimum, as intense heat can be bad for hair.

Stay away from straightening and curling as they may make the hair brittle and prone to breakage, contributing to the overall weakening of each individual hair. Also, avoid using hair dyes regularly as well.

No heat please: A hot water bath can bring much relief in the winter, but this can be detrimental to your hair. Always wash your hair with lukewarm or cool water, rather than very hot water.

Be gentle: Avoid brushing your hair rigorously to stay away from unwanted breakage. Try not to scratch the scalp too, as this can cause the scalp to become dry and to flake.

Keep calm: Don’t let the stress of the festive season get to you. Sustained periods of stress can lead to a change in hormonal balances, which can pave the way for hair thinning or patterned baldness.

Source: News track India

Diabetes linked to higher liver cancer risk

A new study has found that diabetes was associated with an increased risk for developing a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma.

‘People with diabetes have a two- to threefold higher risk for hepatocellular carcinoma compared with those without diabetes,’ V. Wendy Setiawan, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, said.

‘We also found that the interethnic differences in the prevalence of diabetes were consistent with the pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma incidence observed across ethnicities: Ethnic groups with a high prevalence of diabetes also have high hepatocellular carcinoma rates, and those with a lower prevalence of diabetes have lower hepatocellular carcinoma rates,’ Setiawan said. (Read: ‘Anyone who is above the age of 35 is at risk of diabetes’)

Setiawan and colleagues examined if the association between diabetes and hepatocellular carcinoma differed by race or ethnic group. They analyzed data from more than 150,000 people enrolled in the Multiethnic Cohort Study between 1993 and 1996.

Compared with non-Hispanic whites, Latinos had 2.77 times the risk for being diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, the highest risk identified. Native Hawaiians had 2.48 times the risk; African-Americans, 2.16; and Japanese-Americans, 2.07.

The prevalence of diabetes was consistent with that of hepatocellular carcinoma. Sixteen percent of Hawaiians, 15 percent of Latinos and African-Americans, 10 percent of Japanese-Americans, and 6 percent of non-Hispanic whites had diabetes.

The study was presented at the Sixth AACR Conference.

Source: health India

45 deaths due to Japanese Encephalitis in UP, Bihar in 2013

A total of 45 deaths due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) have been reported from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during this year, parliament was told Tuesday .

All the deaths have been in eastern UP, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

He said while the two eastern UP districts of Gorakhpur and Basti reported 277 cases, 14 were reported from Bihar.

JE is a mosquito-borne disease, the symptoms of which include fever, headache and convulsions. It has a high mortality rate among children.

Azad said a national programme for prevention and control of JE was started with a multi-pronged strategy in 60 high endemic districts of five states, including UP and Bihar.

Some of the aims of the programme were strengthening and expansion of JE vaccination in affected districts, strengthening of surveillance, vector control, access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities to the target population in affected areas, he said.

During the current year, an amount of Rs.346.9 million and Rs.603.83 million is allocated to the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar respectively for controlling the disease, he added.

Source: News track India

5-year-old recorded in UK: weighs 143 pounds

Child on Scale

Britain’s fattest five-year-old has been taken into care after weighing in at more than 143 pounds, or at least three times the weight of what is expected of a healthy child.

Child protection experts told the Sunday Times the case was “a tragedy”, expressing disbelief that action was not taken sooner by the local council.

The newspaper says the girl was seized in Newport, south Wales, in August last year weighing approximately 145 pounds – heavier than any 5-year-old of either sex recorded in an English school since 2008. Typically, girls that age weigh about 42 pounds.

Newport city council said the decision was made purely because of the girl’s obesity.

Source: Fox news

9,400 Kids Injured in High Chairs Every Year

Every year, about 9,400 young children in the U.S. are injured falling off high chairs, a new study finds. Doctors warn that despite the chairs’ perceived safety, children in high chairs can be harmed if a chair is not used properly. The study also showed that the rate of such injuries increased by 22 percent over the study period, from 2003 through 2010. Head injuries were the most common type of injury associated with high chairs, followed by bumps or bruises and cuts, according to the study. The researchers looked at children ages 3 and younger who were treated in U.S. emergency departments, and the results are published today (Dec. 9) in the journal Clinical Pediatrics. “Maybe even more concerning, the rate of head injuries has increased by almost 90 percent between 2003 and 2010, and I think it begs the question, what’s going on?” said study researcher Dr. Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Nearly all injuries associated with high chairs or booster seats involved falls. Most children fell as they were climbing or standing on the chair, suggesting that the chair’s safety restraint system was either not being used, or faulty, the researchers said. “We know that over the recent years, millions of chairs have been recalled in the U.S. because of not meeting safety standards. But usually, a very low percentage of recalled products are actually returned,” Smith told LiveScience. Parents should check the website of the federal government’s Consumer Product Safety Commission for product recalls, he said Another reason for the increase seen in the study could be that more parents are taking their children to the hospital if a head injury occurs, Smith said. “There has been an increased awareness about the importance of minor head injury and concussion in the news. It is primarily related to sports, but it has also become on the radar for clinicians and parents,” Smith said. The researchers also compared injuries related to high chairs and booster seats with injuries associated with other types of chairs, including traditional chairs, and kids’ chairs. More than 40,000 injuries associated with chairs were reported each year during the study period, which translates to four children every hour. Children injured while using traditional chairs were more likely to sustain broken bones, cuts and bruises, compared with children who got hurt using high chairs, which have restraining systems. “I believe high chairs are safe, if they haven’t been recalled and if they are used properly,” Smith said. “Parents need to check the high chair they are using hasn’t been recalled. They also need be careful to use the restraining system, and use it every time.” Source: live science

Paracetamol poisoning could be better treated: Study

Patients with paracetamol poisoning could be helped by a new way of delivering an antidote more quickly and with fewer side-effects, researchers say.

Treating patients with the common antidote remedy acetylcysteine over a shorter time period than currently applies leads to fewer side-effects, a trial study found.

Patients are normally given the drug by intravenous drip over a 21-hour period, with a large part of the dose given very quickly.

In a study, patients who received the same dose of acetylcysteine more gradually over a 12-hour period experienced less vomiting and fewer associated reactions.

Their treatment was also less interrupted than those receiving conventional treatment with a 21-hour drip.

Treatment with acetylcysteine often causes vomiting, a drop in blood pressure and other side-effects such as flushing, rashes and difficulty breathing.

Paracetamol is the most common cause of overdose in the UK and every year around 45,000 people are hospitalized for paracetamol poisoning.

The pilot, led by University of Edinburgh scientists, treated more than 200 patients and is the largest trial of its kind for paracetamol poisoning.

The treatment for poisoning was first used and developed by University of Edinburgh doctors in the 1970s.

“Our finding offers a major advance in treating paracetamol poisoning, both in terms of fewer unpleasant side-effects for patients and a shorter hospital stay,” said Nick Bateman, Professor at the University of Edinburgh’s BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science.

“We need to do more work on a larger population group to find out whether treatment over a shorter time frame is as safe as the current standard,” Bateman said.

The study, published in Lancet, was carried out with the Universities of Newcastle and Aberdeen and funded by the chief scientist office of the Scottish government.

Source: Times of India