Chennai, May 26 (IANS) In a pioneering step towards promoting mental well-being within the police…

New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) Australian researchers have developed a new, rapid testing method to help diagnose rare diseases in babies and children.There are more than 7,000 types of disease caused by mutations in more than 5,000 known genes, affecting approximately 300 million individuals worldwide.Currently, about half of all patients with a suspected rare disease remain undiagnosed, and existing testing methods for undiagnosed conditions are typically slow.Researchers from the University of Melbourne developed a new blood-based method of analysing thousands of proteins in a single, untargeted test.The DNA sequence of most genes is the code to produce proteins, the molecular machines of our cells and tissues, said Dr. Daniella Hock, a Senior Postdoctoral student at the varsity, while presenting the research at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics in Germany.”Our new test can identify more than 8,000 proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) covering more than 50 per cent of known Mendelian and mitochondrial disease genes, as well as enable us to discover new disease genes,” Hock said.The new test is unique as it sequences proteins rather than the genes themselves, and the data can help understand how changes in the gene sequence affect its corresponding protein’s function and lead to disease.It applies to potentially thousands of different diseases, and it can even be used to detect new ones by providing the evidence needed to confirm that a genetic change is the likely cause of the disease.Importantly, the proteomic test is minimally invasive, requiring only 1 ml of blood from infants and with results available in under three days for patients in acute care.”When the test is also performed on blood samples from parents, we call it trio analysis. In recessively inherited conditions, this helps considerably in differentiating between carriers, who only have one copy of the defective gene, and the affected individual who carries two copies,” Hock said.Besides early detection and hope of better outcomes, replacing a battery of targeted tests with a single analysis can also cut down costs for patients as well as for healthcare systems.–IANSrvt/

London, May 25 (IANS) Israeli researchers have found dangerous, antibiotic-resistant Vibrio bacteria in the Mediterranean and Red Seas, raising public health concerns, Tel Aviv University (TAU) said in a statement on Sunday.

These bacteria can cause serious illnesses in humans, including stomach issues, wound infections, and ear infections. They also harm marine animals like corals and shellfish, Xinhua news agency reported.Vibrio bacteria can share genes, meaning once one becomes harmful, it can turn others into threats too. Warmer ocean temperatures, driven by climate change, are helping these bacteria spread to new areas and infect more people.In their study published in mSphere, TAU scientists analysed the genomes of 23 Vibrio bacteria samples collected from the coastal waters of Tel Aviv and Eilat.Their findings revealed a wide range of toxins, secretion systems, and mobile genetic elements that help the bacteria spread traits that boost their survival and virulence.It was also found that at least 10 bacterial strains caused immune cells to die, and at least 12 could intoxicate competing Vibrio strains.When tested against antibiotics commonly used to treat Vibrio infections, many samples showed strong resistance, especially to azithromycin.One strain detected in the Red Sea produces a toxin deadly to shrimp, which has caused damage worth billions of U.S. dollars to shrimp farms worldwide.According to the team, the results highlight the clear disease-causing potential of Vibrio bacteria in Israeli coastal waters and point to the urgent need for ongoing environmental monitoring to track and manage emerging threats.–IANSint/dan

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) In a big step to take India’s traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda and Yoga to the global stage, the Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organization (WHO) have signed a major agreement, the government announced on Sunday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the importance of this agreement in the 122nd episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, saying that this move will help make Ayush accessible to people across the world in a scientific manner.”Friends, something has happened in the field of Ayurveda as well, which you will be very happy to know about,” said PM Modi.”Just yesterday, i.e. on 24th May, an MoU was signed in the presence of the WHO Director General and my friend Tulsi Bhai. Along with this agreement, work has started on a dedicated traditional medicine module under the International Classification of Health Interventions,” PM Modi added.“This initiative will help in making Ayush reach a maximum number of people across the world in a scientific manner,” the Prime Minister stated.This agreement marks the beginning of work on a new traditional medicine module under the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI), which is a system developed by WHO to classify medical treatments and procedures.The module will include traditional Indian therapies such as Panchakarma, Yoga therapy, Unani regimens, and Siddha treatments.These will now be documented in internationally accepted scientific terms.The inclusion of traditional medicine in the ICHI system will not only bring more recognition to Ayush therapies worldwide but will also improve their acceptance in health insurance, hospital records, and clinical research.It will make billing more transparent and help set fair prices for these treatments.WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also welcomed this step. He posted on X saying he was pleased to sign an agreement with the Ministry of Ayush for a $3 million contribution from India towards WHO’s work on traditional medicine and ICHI.This move also supports India’s vision of promoting its traditional knowledge in global healthcare systems with scientific backing.The combination of WHO’s ICD-11 for classifying diseases and the new ICHI module for interventions is expected to make Ayush an important, evidence-based part of health policies and systems around the world.–IANSpk/dan

Seoul, May 25 (IANS) The amount of compensation paid to victims of drug side effects in South Korea declined in 2024 for the first time in six years, government data showed on Sunday.The government collected 4.75 billion won (US$3.5 million) last year from 760 pharmaceutical companies for the national drug side effects relief fund, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Institute of Drug Safety & Risk Management.The relief program provides financial support to individuals or bereaved families of those who suffer death, disability or illness caused by adverse drug reactions, reports Yonhap news agency.Financial assistance includes lump-sum payments for death or disability, medical expenses and funeral costs.In 2024, compensation was paid out for 161 cases, reaching 1.84 billion won, down 18.3 percent from 2.25 billion won a year earlier, the data showed.The decline is mainly due to a decrease in compensation for deaths linked to side effects and lack of public awareness of the program.”As payouts accounted for only 38.7 percent of the funds collected last year, the government should more actively promote the program through hospitals, medical professionals and pharmacies,” an industry official said.Meanwhile, South Korea will work to triple the size of the animal medicine market to 4 trillion won (US$2.7 billion) by 2035 as part of efforts to foster new growth engines for the economy, the agriculture ministry said last month.The government also aims to increase the country’s exports of veterinary medicine products fivefold to 1.5 trillion won and create 15 animal pharmaceutical companies with an annual revenue of at least 50 billion won each over the next 10 years, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.The ministry said the plan comes amid growing demand for animal pharmaceutical products around the globe, sparked by an increase in pet ownership, livestock product consumption and infectious diseases in animals.—IANSna/

Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) The CBI on Sunday arrested Dr Tapan Kumar Jana, the head of the anatomy department at West Bengal’s Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, in a human organ trafficking racket. Dr Jana was arrested in Kolkata. His arrest followed a night-long raid and search operations at his residence in Burdwan town in East Burdwan district of West Bengal, which started from Saturday midnight and continued till Sunday morning.At the time of the raid and search operation, Jana was not at his residence, and his wife, Sushmita Jana, who is also a doctor at a medical college and hospital in Kolkata, reportedly told the CBI officials that her husband was on duty at his workplace in Murshidabad.The accused doctor will be presented at a special court in Kolkata on Sunday, and the CBI counsel will seek his custody. Besides his post in the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, he is also attached to the National Medical Council as an assessor.Apart from his involvement with a human organ smuggling racket, there are charges of producing doctored assessment reports from the NMC in certain cases against money.Recently, a complaint was lodged by a Karnataka-based medical college and hospital against Jana, where he was accused of demanding Rs 10 lakh for arranging an NMC assessment report for the said medical entity.The investigating officials doubt that Jana is a part of a major racket and therefore, are keen to interrogate him after taking him into custody.Earlier during the nightlong raid and search operation at his residence, the CBI sleuths seized cash, gold, and diamond ornaments, a computer hard disc and some paper documents.The raid and search operations were conducted by the CBI officials strictly as per protocol, with the officials first contacting the local police station on Saturday night before conducting the raids that started around midnight.The raid and search operations were conducted by a team of eight CBI officials.–IANSsrc/dpb

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reiterated his appeal to…

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) The Department of Pharmaceuticals has invited applications from drug manufacturers under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to set up new manufacturing units for 11 key pharmaceutical products.This move aims to strengthen India’s domestic drug production capabilities.The products include important antibiotics and painkillers such as Neomycin, Gentamycin, Erythromycin, Streptomycin, Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, and Diclofenac Sodium.These medicines are either unsubscribed or only partially subscribed under the earlier phases of the scheme. Manufacturers can submit their applications until June 14.The PLI scheme comes with certain conditions. Incentives will be provided based on available capacity, a defined ceiling for each product, and the production timeline.For chemical synthesis products, the incentive period will last until the financial year 2027-28, while for fermentation-based products, it will extend up to 2028-29.However, companies that were previously approved and later withdrew or had their approvals cancelled are not eligible to reapply.The Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) has encouraged its members to make the most of this opportunity.Pharmexcil Director General Raja Bhanu said the scheme offers a significant chance for companies to boost their manufacturing capacity in essential drug ingredients.This fresh call for applications is part of the government’s ongoing push to promote domestic production of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs), Drug Intermediates (DIs), and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).The PLI scheme for these categories was first introduced in 2020 and later revised to better suit the industry’s needs. It covers a total of 41 products and has a financial outlay of Rs 6,940 crore.The initiative is part of a broader effort by the government, which launched PLI schemes for 14 major sectors four years ago.These include bulk drugs, medical devices, electronics, food processing and automobiles.According to official data, till November 2024, about 764 applications had been approved under these schemes, leading to an investment of Rs 1.61 lakh crore (around $18.7 billion).The government has disbursed Rs 14,020 crore in incentives so far under 10 sectors.–IANSpk/rs

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Engineers in the US have developed a simple device using specially designed dental floss that can easily and accurately measure cortisol, a stress hormone, in real time.Chronic stress can lead to increased blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, decreased immune function, depression, and anxiety.“It started in a collaboration with several departments across Tufts University, examining how stress and other cognitive states affect problem solving and learning,” said Sameer Sonkusale, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the study published in the ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces journal.“We didn’t want measurement to create an additional source of stress, so we thought, can we make a sensing device that becomes part of your day-to-day routine? Cortisol is a stress marker found in saliva, so flossing seemed like a natural fit to take a daily sample,” he added.Their design of a saliva-sensing dental floss looks just like a common floss pick, with the string stretched across two prongs extending from a flat plastic handle, all about the size of your index finger.The saliva is picked up by capillary action through a very narrow channel in the floss.The fluid is drawn into the pick handle and an attached tab, where it spreads across electrodes that detect the cortisol.Cortisol recognition on the electrodes is accomplished with a remarkable technology developed almost 30 years ago called electropolymerized molecularly imprinted polymers (eMIPs).The eMIP molds are versatile, so one can create dental floss sensors that detect other molecules that can be found in saliva, such as estrogen for fertility tracking, glucose for diabetes monitoring, or markers for cancer.There is also potential for detecting multiple biomarkers in saliva at the same time, for more accurate monitoring of stress, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other conditions, said researchers.Accuracy of the cortisol sensors is comparable to the best-performing sensors on the market or in development.Bringing this device into the home and in the hands of individuals without need for training will make it possible to fold stress monitoring into many aspects of health care.Currently, Sonkusale and his colleagues are creating a startup to try and bring the product to market.–IANSna/

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) A team of researchers has discovered how daylight can boost the immune system’s ability to fight infections.The finding paves the way for development of drugs that target the circadian clock in neutrophils to boost their ability to fight infections, said the study led by scientists at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.The team focused on the most abundant immune cells in our bodies, called ‘neutrophils’, which are a type of white blood cell. These cells move quickly to the site of an infection and kill invading bacteria.The researchers used zebrafish, a small freshwater fish, as a model organism, because its genetic make-up is similar to ours and they can be bred to have transparent bodies, making it easy to observe biological processes in real time.“In earlier studies, we had observed that immune responses peaked in the morning, during the fish’s early active phase,” says Associate Professor Christopher Hall, from the Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology.“We think this represents an evolutionary response such that during daylight hours the host is more active so more likely to encounter bacterial infections,” Hall added.However, the scientists wanted to find out how the immune response was being synchronised with daylight.With this new study, published in Science Immunology, neutrophils were found to possess a circadian clock that alerted them to daytime, and boosted their ability to kill bacteria.Most of our cells have circadian clocks to tell them what time of day it is in the outside world, in order to regulate the body’s activities. Light has the biggest influence on resetting these circadian clocks.“Given that neutrophils are the first immune cells to be recruited to sites of inflammation, our discovery has very broad implications for therapeutic benefit in many inflammatory diseases,” Hall noted. Current research is now focused on understanding the specific mechanisms by which light influences the neutrophil circadian clock.—IANSna/