The government on Sunday observed the World Cerebral Palsy Day, with nation-wide awareness campaigns to foster an inclusive world for everyone. Under the leadership of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), the government marked the day with awareness campaigns across the nation. Various national institutes and regional centres under the Department hosted programmes to spread awareness about cerebral palsy and empower those affected by it. The World Cerebral Palsy Day serves as a platform to amplify the voices of individuals living with cerebral palsy (CP). This year's theme, ‘#UniquelyCP’, celebrates the uniqueness of the cerebral palsy community - their interests, passions, and identities - showing that they are not solely defined by their disability. The 2024 theme is a positive step towards raising awareness that a person's disability is not their entire identity. The theme emphasises that each person is special in their own way and that society must understand and embrace these unique identities. Cerebral palsy is often misunderstood, and those affected face numerous societal challenges. The aim of this day is to break these stereotypes and work towards building an inclusive society where individuals with cerebral palsy are respected for their identity and talents. According to Dr Sowmya M, Senior Consultant-Neurology, Aster RV Hospital, cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder caused by damage to the developing brain, leading to difficulties with movement, muscle tone, and posture. While the brain injury itself is non-progressive, symptoms can vary, from mild motor impairments to severe physical disabilities, and may evolve as the child grows. “Treatments such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, medications and surgical interventions can enhance mobility and quality of life. Timely intervention is essential, as it helps prevent complications and enables individuals with CP to achieve greater independence and manage conditions associated with it,” said the doctor. There is no cure though. Early treatment is the main mantra for celebral palsy. Timely intervention can be life-altering. Also Read: World Alzheimer's Day: Can hustle culture lead to Alzheimer's? Experts answer This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 October,2024 10:30 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSAbout half the cases of gestational diabetes, a common pregnancy complication, could be avoided if body weight was maintained in the normal range, according to a study that followed almost two million births in Sweden from 2000 to 2020. Gestational diabetes, in which a pregnant woman develops high blood sugar levels, can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes later in life. Obesity and overweight, indicated by a higher-than-30 body mass index, have been studied to have adverse pregnancy outcomes. In this study, researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, estimated the extent to which pregnancy complications could be averted if women had normal weight before conceiving. "For example, we concluded that about half of all cases of gestational diabetes could potentially be prevented. This applies to both women born in Sweden and foreign-born women," Maryam Shirvanifar, a PhD student at Linköping University and first author of the study published in The Lancet Public Health journal, said. The researchers also found that over a quarter of pre-eclampsia cases could be avoided if a healthy weight is maintained prior to pregnancy. The condition involves high blood pressure and can be accompanied with severe headaches, vision problems such as blurring, and swelling in feet and ankles, among others.The study looked at both women born in Sweden and those who had moved to the country from regions around the world, including Europe, Latin America and South Asia. Efforts to promote a healthy weight could be beneficial to all women, regardless of ethnicity, according to lead researcher Pontus Henriksson, a senior associate professor at the Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences at Linköping University. "A healthy weight is good for everyone. The earlier in life the better, because once obesity is established, it is difficult to treat," Henriksson said. Of the nearly two million pregnant women studied, close to 17,000 were born in South Asia. "The number of cases of gestational diabetes attributable to overweight and obesity was about four times higher for women born in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and North Africa and the Middle East than for Swedish-born women, which is probably due to a higher prevalence of gestational diabetes in the former birth regions," the authors wrote. Some of the other complications the researchers looked at included infant death in the first year of life, premature births and unusual baby sizes at birth. They took data from national registers to analyse the relationship between a woman's body mass index prior to pregnancy and complications depending on which region of the world she was born in. "Promotion of a healthy weight in pregnancy has the potential to reduce the burden of adverse pregnancy outcomes and possibly reduce inequalities in reproductive health," the authors wrote. Also Read: Obesity, diabetes, PCOS increasing gynaecological cancers among women: Experts This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 October,2024 07:43 PM IST | Mumbai | PTIAn international team of researchers on Friday said that by leveraging AI to analyse retinal images for cardiovascular risk assessment, they aim to bridge a crucial gap in early disease detection. A recent position paper in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology explores the transformative potential of AI in ophthalmology. The work represents a collaboration among researchers from Penn Engineering, Penn Medicine, the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, St John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem, and Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine in Korea. With fundus photography enabling the visualisation of retina at the back of the eye, the potential of AI in providing systemic disease biomarkers is becoming a reality. When fundus images are of sufficient quantity and quality, it becomes possible to train AI systems to detect elevated HbA1c levels — an important marker for high blood sugar. A pilot study trained AI models to predict HbA1c levels based on fundus images. This study evaluated various factors — such as AI model size and architecture, the presence of diabetes, and patient demographics (age and sex) — and their impact on AI performance. One of the study observations was that biased training samples for an oculomics model, such as a pool of predominantly older patients, can degrade model performance. The results of the case study highlight the importance of developing trustworthy AI models for assessing cardiovascular risk factors while addressing the challenges and problems that must be overcome prior to clinical adoption, as well as advancing reliable "oculomics" technology. This method not only enhances our ability to identify at-risk individuals but also holds promise for transforming how we manage chronic conditions such as diabetes. By focusing on practical applications of this technology, we are advancing towards more personalised and preventative healthcare solutions, the authors noted. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 October,2024 01:27 PM IST | New York | IANSFacing severe back pain? A new study suggests reducing daily sitting time and walking or doing some brisk exercises to prevent back pain from worsening. Back pain is very common and common reasons include muscle strain, disk damage, and some health conditions, such as scoliosis and osteoporosis. Doctoral Researcher and Physiotherapist Jooa Norha from the University of Turku in Finland said that people concerned about back health, must "reduce sitting at work or during leisure time" To understand the link between activity and back pain as well as the mechanisms related to back pain, the researchers included 64 adults with overweight or obesity and metabolic syndrome. The participants reduced their sitting by 40 minute per day, on average, during the six-month study. People with back pain tend to have excessive fat deposits within the back muscles. They are also likely to have impaired glucose metabolism, or insulin sensitivity, which can predispose them to pain. The study did not, however, find a link between "the fattiness or glucose metabolism of the back muscles". Further, the researchers said that being overweight or obese and having metabolic syndrome not only increases the risk for back pain but also for cardiovascular disease. Just standing up also may not help, instead "walking or more brisk exercise" may be more beneficial", Norha said. The researchers also said that switching between postures is more important than only looking for the perfect posture. According to recent analysis published in the journal Lancet Rheumatology, more than 800 million people will suffer from lower back pain by 2050, a 36 per cent increase from 2020. The study showed that since 2017, the number of low back pain cases has ticked over to more than half a billion people. In 2020, there were approximately 619 million cases of back pain. Also Read: Physical inactivity on the rise: Experts share ways to incorporate exercise amid sedentary lifestyle and hectic schedules This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
04 October,2024 06:27 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSDiabetes and obesity can fuel the relapse of liver cancer -- the sixth most common cancer worldwide, according to a study. The study led by Osaka Metropolitan University, focussed on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) -- a type of liver cancer associated with hepatitis infections -- known to have a high recurrence rate after cancer removal. It is also the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Obesity and diabetes, which are closely associated with metabolic syndrome development, are well known to induce steatotic liver diseases, potentially causing liver cirrhosis and HCC development. However, obesity and diabetes’ effects on patient survival and cancer recurrence have been unclear. “Because the risk of late recurrence is higher in hepatocellular carcinoma with comorbid obesity and diabetes, controlling obesity and diabetes is an important treatment strategy for the liver cancer,” said Dr. Hiroji Shinkawa’s research team at the University’s Graduate School of Medicine. In the study, published in the journal Liver Cancer, the team analysed the relationship between diabetes mellitus, obesity, and postoperative outcomes in 1,644 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent liver resection. The results revealed that obesity increased the risk of recurrence two years after the operation approximately by 1.5 times, and in the case of diabetes, the risk was 1.3 times higher. In addition, the risk of recurrence after five years postoperatively was 3.8 times higher with obesity, while with diabetes it was 2 times higher. The findings can contribute to the early detection of cancer recurrence and the design of appropriate treatment strategies, Shinkawa said. Obesity is a common risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and the two conditions are often linked. Recent research showed that the number of adults with obesity will increase by six times in the next 40 years, while people with diabetes will soar 642 million by 2040. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 October,2024 06:48 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSA 65-year-old woman weighing just 23 kg has successfully undergone bilateral hip replacement surgery, enabling her to walk after two years of being bedridden, according to a private hospital here on Thursday. “It is India’s low-weight bilateral hip replacement surgery on a 65-year-old woman weighing just 23 kg,” said CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, in a statement. “She is the lightest person of this age in the country to undergo such a complex surgery,” it added. Shubhangi Devi had been suffering severe pain for the past two years in both hips due to advanced age-related arthritis, rendering her unable to walk, and fully dependent on a wheelchair. The doctors opted to proceed with Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) -- a surgical method that uses smaller incisions and advanced techniques that minimise tissue damage, resulting in less postoperative pain, faster recovery, and a quicker return to daily activities. Devi underwent two surgeries -- first on the right hip and later on the left -- each carefully planned and completed within approximately one hour. The surgery presented several challenges for the doctors. She had a high risk of bone fractures during the procedure due to her severely osteoporotic bones, which were brittle and soft with low calcium content. In addition, her small bone size made implant placement particularly difficult. Despite the heightened risk of anaesthesia-related complications due to her advanced age, the medical team managed these risks effectively. Post-surgery, the patient experienced a smooth recovery with no complications. She was able to walk with a walker the very next day and was discharged after six days with a comprehensive care plan. “Regular follow-ups, proper diet, and physiotherapy are essential to ensure the longevity of the implants and overall health improvement. We are optimistic about Shubhangi Devi's complete recovery and her ability to lead a pain-free, independent life,” said Dr Ashwani Maichand, Director of Orthopaedics at the hospital. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 October,2024 06:33 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSBanning the purchase of cigarettes and other tobacco products for youth can significantly prevent 12 lakh lung cancer deaths in the young population, according to a study, published in The Lancet Public Health journal on Thursday. The findings aim to secure future generations from the risks of smoking, which is the biggest risk factor for lung cancer. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide and is estimated to cause more than two-thirds of the 18 lakh deaths every year. In the first-of-its-kind simulation study, researchers from the University of Santiago de Compostela, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), called for creating a generation of people who never smoke. They suggested banning the purchase of cigarettes and other tobacco products for people born between 2006 and 2010. Their results showed it can prevent 12 lakh lung cancer deaths in 185 countries by 2095. This could prevent 40.2 per cent (1.2 of 2.9 million) of the total lung cancer deaths expected to occur in this birth cohort by 2095. “Lung cancer is a major killer worldwide, and a staggering two-thirds of deaths are linked to one preventable risk factor -- tobacco smoking. Our modelling highlights how much there is to gain for governments considering the implementation of ambitious plans towards creating a tobacco-free generation," said Dr. Julia Rey Brandariz, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. “Not only could this save huge numbers of lives, it could massively reduce the strain on health systems of treating, and caring for people in ill health as a result of smoking,” Brandariz added. The study further showed that banning tobacco sales could prevent almost half of expected lung cancer deaths among men (45.8 per cent), and close to one-third of expected deaths in women (30.9 per cent). To date, no country has made laws to make it illegal to sell tobacco to young people. While New Zealand took the bold step to ban the sale of tobacco products to anyone born in or after 2009, it was recently repealed. Also Read: Increasing number of women are falling victim to lung cancer: Doctors
03 October,2024 10:46 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSWhile India continues to face a deficit in blood donation, making Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) mandatory may ward off the risk of infections to those requiring regular blood transfusions, said experts here on Tuesday. National Voluntary Blood Donation is celebrated on October 1 every year to raise awareness about the importance of blood and the need for voluntary blood donation. India has consistently fallen short of the World Health Organization's recommendation that 1 per cent of the population donate blood. This is despite having a potential donor base of 402 million people. While the country needs 14.6 million units of blood annually, it faces a deficit of around one million units. Myths and misconceptions about contracting infections like HIV, and lack of awareness, are the major reasons for the lack of volunteer blood donations in India, said the experts. "Voluntary blood donation in India has seen growth, yet there remains a significant gap in meeting the national demand majorly due to lack of awareness," RishiRaj Sinha, transfusion medicine Specialist, AIIMS Delhi, said. "People probably do not know that there are so many people out there who need blood regularly. That is why there is no motivation to give blood voluntarily, a reason why there is so much demand-supply gap," added Anubha Taneja Mukherjee, member Secretary of the Thalassemia Patient Advocacy Group. Further, safe blood supply to needy patients, such as those who require repeated blood transfusions is also a concern, said the experts. This can be eased by making Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) mandatory. "No blood is donated to any patient across India, without proper testing. But, NAT is extremely beneficial as the highly-sensitive method of testing blood can detect even the lowest amount of virus in the blood," Sinha said. NAT test improves the safety of donor blood for transfusion, V. K. Khanna, director, Institute of Child Health Preeti Tuli Thalassemia Unit at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. "When compared with routinely performed tests on donor blood, NAT test reduces the chances of transmission of certain infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C by early detection of these infections in donor blood," he added. The expert explained that the implementation of NAT testing on donor blood would benefit everyone who receives a blood transfusion, especially those patients who receive repeated blood transfusions such as patients of thalassemia, sickle cell disease, haemophilia, aplastic anaemia, cancer, kidney disease, and others conditions. Mukherjee said safe blood is a huge challenge, especially for patients with thalassemia who need blood every 15 to 20 days. "Because we do not have much voluntarily donated blood, if screening is stringent, then probably that will take care of the safety aspect at least," she said, urging the government to make "NAT testing mandatory throughout India, at least in government hospitals". This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
02 October,2024 12:05 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSObesity, diabetes, and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) are the key reasons why India is seeing a rise in gynaecological cancers like endometrial, ovarian, and uterus, said experts on Monday. The rise is particularly of concern among younger women, and calls for greater awareness and early screening. There have been more incidences of endometrial cancer -- cancer that develops in the lining of the uterus -- among young women in their early 30s, a condition traditionally seen in post-menopausal women. “As obesity rates climb and more women delay childbearing or remain childless, they face prolonged exposure to oestrogen, a known risk factor for endometrial cancer. Conversely, progesterone, produced during pregnancy, provides a protective effect against this cancer,” Dr. Vandana Jain, Sr. Consultant and Chief of Gynae Oncology Services, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre (RGCIRC), told IANS. “Women with conditions like Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD), who often do not ovulate regularly, also find themselves at heightened risk,” Jain added. According to statistics 1 in 100 women are either diagnosed with cancer of the uterus or cancer of the ovary. However, a steady rise in the numbers of these two cancers has been observed of late. “Obesity, diabetes, and PCOS have all been scientifically proven to be the reasons for the rise in the incidence of cancer of the uterus and ovary, albeit indirectly,” Dr. Sai Lakshmi Daayana, Senior Consultant - Surgical Oncology, Apollo Cancer Centres, Hyderabad, told IANS. Ovarian cancer is the third most common type of cancer among women in India. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the age-adjusted incidence rate of ovarian cancer in India is estimated to be around 6.8 per 1,00,000 women. Daayana said in the majority of cancers of the ovary, no particular cause is identifiable. The majority of these patients are above 50 years of age. “However, it has been established that women who seek fertility treatment are at an increased risk of developing cancers of the ovary many years down the line. Previously infertility was seen in about 1:10 couples. This number has now risen to 1:3 capsules. PCOS also contributes to a majority of female infertility,” the expert said. Further, the doctor explained that cancer of the uterus is seen with increasing frequency in two groups of people. Uterus cancer in women aged 50 and above, who have attained menopause is "due to the ever-increasing incidence of diabetes and obesity,” Daayana said. The other group of women where alarming numbers of cancers of the uterus are seen is the PCOS cohort. “Unfortunately this group is much younger, a majority are in their late 20s or 30s, and most of them have yet to conceive. These women face menstrual issues such as scanty and infrequent periods, diabetes-like metabolic profile, and weight gain -- all three being causative factors for cancer of the uterus,” Daayana told IANS. Stressing the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the experts called for long-term lifestyle changes and medication. Also Read: Why contraception is still essential after 40 until menopause is confirmed This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
01 October,2024 12:38 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSFinding it hard to manage blood sugar levels? Take heart, limiting your food consumption to a 10-hour window daily may keep your diabetes in check, according to a study. Following the 10-hour eating window, a type of intermittent fasting, can also help you manage metabolic syndrome -- a group of medical conditions that can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Risk factors attributing to the syndrome include elevated blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol -- key factors for poor heart health. Researchers led by the University of California San Diego and Salk Institute in the US said the findings may help people looking to address their metabolic syndrome and reduce their risk for Type 2 diabetes. In the trial, published online in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 108 adult patients with metabolic syndrome were randomised into either a time-restricted eating group or a control group. Both groups continued to receive standard-of-care treatments and underwent nutritional counselling on the Mediterranean diet. In the time-restricted eating group, each person had to reduce their eating window to 10 hours per day, which began at least one hour after waking up and ended at least three hours before going to sleep. After three months, patients who had completed the time-restricted eating regimen showed significant improvements in key indicators of heart health. Satchidananda Panda, a professor at the Salk Institute explained that the time of day plays an important role in human bodies’ processing of sugars and fats. When people limit their eating window, they “re-engage the body’s natural wisdom and harness its daily circadian rhythms to restore metabolism and improve health”. The routine also helped people lose body weight, maintain proper body mass index (BMI), and manage abdominal trunk fat -- a type of fat closely linked to metabolic disease, the researchers said. Importantly, participants did not experience significant loss of lean muscle mass, which is often a concern with weight loss. Also Read: Midday Explains | Weight-loss drugs, diet fads, viral trends: Are they worth it for weight management? Experts answer This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
01 October,2024 12:20 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSAs Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was hospitalised after he was diagnosed as suffering from leptospirosis, a disease not many are familiar with, a doctor explains how this bacterial infection occurs, its dangers, and the precautions that must be taken. Explaining how leptospirosis spreads, Dr M Wali, Senior Consultant from the Department of Medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, said that this infectious disease is caused by the bacteria Leptospira, and often spreads to humans through rats. The infection can occur when food, water, or soil contaminated by animal urine comes into contact with the nose, mouth, eyes, or broken skin, he said. Regarding the symptoms of this disease, Dr Wali said that in the early stages of leptospirosis, patients may experience flu-like symptoms. However, in more severe cases, it can lead to internal bleeding and organ damage. Early symptoms include high fever, eye infections or redness, headaches, chills, muscle pain, diarrhoea, and jaundice. In more critical situations, symptoms may include coughing up blood (hemoptysis), chest pain, difficulty breathing, and blood in the urine, all signs of internal bleeding. Dr Wali further revealed that globally, around 1 million cases of leptospirosis are reported each year, and 50 per cent of these cases result in death. To prevent leptospirosis, the best approach is to avoid contaminated water, he said, adding that food must be kept in places where rats cannot reach it, and always covered properly. Maintain distance from animal urine as much as possible. Rivers and streams are often places where animals swim or bathe, which can lead to infection if you enter such water. In areas affected by floods, extra precautions are necessary, he maintained. Dr Wali also emphasised that individuals should never self-medicate if they suspect an infection. If anyone notices any symptoms, it is crucial to consult a doctor and follow their advice for treatment. Leptospirosis is a serious disease, but taking the right precautions can help prevent infection and reduce the risk of severe complications, he added. Also Read: What is the extremely rare Leptospirosis which affected Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann? This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 September,2024 11:34 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSADVERTISEMENT
