Health

New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) While paracetamol or acetaminophen has long remained the first choice of painkiller in pregnancy, a new study claims it may lead to neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), such as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in babies.Acetaminophen is the most commonly used over-the-counter medication taken during pregnancy, with more than 50 per cent of pregnant women using the drug worldwide. It is widely used for headaches, pain, or fever by pregnant women.Researchers from the universities of Massachusetts and Harvard analysed 46 studies that incorporated data from more than 100,000 people. Of these, 27 studies reported significant links to NDDs.“The majority of the studies reported positive associations of prenatal acetaminophen use with ADHD, ASD, o...

New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) Preterm babies with very low birth weight who received a probiotic alongside antibiotics had fewer multidrug-resistant bacteria and a more typical gut microbiome, according to a study.The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, is based on a trial testing probiotics among a group of 34 preterm babies born with a very low birth weight, under 1,500g, representing around 1-1.5 per cent of babies born around the world.Researchers from the University of Birmingham in the UK sequenced gut bacteria from the babies during the first three weeks after birth.They found that among babies who received a probiotic treatment of a certain strain, including Bifidobacterium, alongside antibiotics -- the typical bacterial strains associated with early-life gut microbio...

New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) UK researchers have discovered eight new genes associated with schizophrenia, an advance that will improve the understanding and future treatment development for the severe mental disorder.Schizophrenia significantly affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. It can cause a range of symptoms, including hallucinations, delusions, disorganised thinking, and changes in behaviour.In the breakthrough study, scientists at the Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG) at Cardiff University focused on detecting rare, high-impact mutations in protein-coding genes that are significantly more common in people with schizophrenia.The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, identified two genes -- STAG1 and ZNF136 -- that were linked to schizo...

New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) An enhanced version of an immunotherapy drug has shown significant promise against aggressive cancers in phase-1 trials, according to researchers.While CD40 agonist antibodies -- a class of cancer drugs -- have, over the past 20 years, been effective at activating the immune system to kill cancer cells in animal models, they have also caused dangerous systemic inflammatory responses, low platelet counts, and liver toxicity, among other adverse reactions -- even at a low dose in humans.However, in 2018, a team of US researchers led by the Rockefeller University enhanced the CD40 agonist antibody to improve its efficacy and limit its serious side effects.The results from the Phase I clinical trial of the drug -- dubbed 2141-V11 -- showed that of the 12 patients, six ...

New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) A simple blood or urine test may now help better predict how chronic kidney disease is likely to progress, according to a study on Friday, which identified key biological signals of the disease.The team from The University of Manchester showed that higher levels of Kidney Injury Molecule-1(KIM-1) -- a special marker of kidney damage in the blood and urine -- are associated with higher risks of mortality and kidney failure.Last month, the team measured 21 markers in blood and urine that reflect key processes driving kidney disease, inflammation, and heart disease.Unlike the generic tests used in routine kidney clinics, these markers shine a light on the biological changes, underpinning CKD, that truly drive the disease.By revealing the hidden drivers, the discovery ...

New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) A total of 4.5 lakh people in the national capital have registered for the government's flagship health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat Yojana, said Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday.In her maiden Independence Day address from the Chhatrasal Stadium, Gupta stated that all the beneficiaries are being provided with a health insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh.“On the very first day, our government implemented the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi, and so far, 4.5 lakh people have registered for it,” the CM said.“Under this scheme, each beneficiary is being provided with a health insurance cover of 10 lakh rupees,” she said, adding that 166 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (neighbourhood clinics) have also been opened in the national capital.Ayushman Bharat -- the world’s largest ...

New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) The new e-Sushrut@Clinics will empower doctors and help create an interoperable digital health ecosystem, said Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava.The National Health Authority (NHA) and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to roll out e-Sushrut@Clinic.e-Sushrut@Clinic provides a lightweight, cloud-based Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) designed specifically for outpatient clinics and is designed specifically for small and medium healthcare providers. It also marks a pivotal step in expanding the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) ecosystem, which aims to support the development of an integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.“The demand for an affordable g...

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) A study of population-specific responses to fermented food shows that the health effect of the bioactive peptides they contain, differ across populations and can personalise nutrition for India's diverse population, the government said on Thursday.A recent study conducted by Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) emphasises the health benefits of traditional fermented foods. They showed that the bioactive peptides (BAPs) or short protein fragments consisting of 2 to 20 amino acids that they contain can regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, immunity and inflammation.The study, published in Food Chemistry and led by Professor Ashis K. Mukherjee, corresponding a...

Mumbai, Aug 14 (IANS) AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited on Thursday reported a 4.12 per cent decline in net profit for the first quarter (Q1) of FY26, with earnings falling to Rs 55.8 crore from Rs 58.2 crore in the previous quarter (Q4 FY25). This dip came despite a strong rise in revenue from operations, which grew 9.56 per cent sequentially to Rs 526.3 crore from Rs 480.4 crore, according to its stock exchange filing.Other income saw a sharp decline of 30.43 per cent, dropping to Rs 11.2 crore from Rs 16.1 crore in Q4 FY25.However, total income rose 8.23 per cent to Rs 537.5 crore from Rs 496.6 crore, driven by solid operational performance.Total expenses increased by 12.12 per cent to Rs 462.4 crore, compared to Rs 412.4 crore in the previous quarter, the company stated in its regulator...

Seoul, Aug 14 (IANS) Seven out of 10 dog farms in South Korea have closed their doors since the country enacted a law banning dog meat consumption a year earlier, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday.Of a total of 1,537 dog farms nationwide, 1,072, or 70 percent, have shut down their operations since the special bill on banning dog meat consumption took effect in August last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.The shuttered farms had raised 346,000 dogs, which account for 74 percent of the 468,000 dogs raised for meat across the country, reports Yonhap news agency.By the end of 2025, more than 75 percent of the farms are expected to have closed their doors, according to the ministry.A ministry official said the closure rate was higher than expected t...