Canadian Online Pharmacy

Medindia Health News

Medindia Health News

Link to Medindia Health News

New Smartphone App Measures Heart Rate Accurately and Faster

Posted:

A new smartphone app has been developed to accurately measure heart rate in children faster than any other equipment. The app, RRate, works fine on both Apple and Android devices. The University of British Columbia worked in conjunction with the Child and Family Research Institute at B.C. Children's Hospital to design this app which can measure heart rate in 9.9 seconds, almost 6 times lesser than the time taken by other methods of heart ...

Midwifery Matters 'More Than Ever', Finds the Lancet

Posted:

Crucial to saving the lives of millions of women and children who die during and around the time of pregnancy is the role of Midwifery, suggests a major new Series, published in emThe Lancet/em. The Series, produced by an international group of academics, clinicians, professional midwives, policymakers and advocates for women and children, is the most critical, wide-reaching examination of midwifery ever conducted. It shows the scale of the positive impact that can be achieved ...

Russians Parade Up Rio Beach, Hopes of World Cup Melting

Posted:

As Russian team lost to Belgium, the scores of Russians who paraded up the Rio de Janeiro's beachfront Sunday in wintry shapka hats, seemed to lose their hopes. Decked out in red, white and blue, a visibly beach-deprived group of about 100 Russians stood out from the suntanned crowd on Copacabana Beach. They marched up Rio's iconic Avenida Atlantica before the match, carrying a banner that read "Final World Cup 2014: Russia-Brazil." That ...

Ghaziabad Ordnance Factory Worker in Critical Condition After Friend's Mischievous Play

Posted:

A 30-year-old ordnance factory worker is in critical condition in the hospital after his friend played a practical joke on him in Muradnagar area of Ghaziabad. The ordnance factory worker was seriously injured after one of his co-workers, also his friend, rushed compressed gas via his rectum into his intestine. The incident occurred on Thursday and came to light only on Friday. The victim, Rajendra Singh alias Pintu, was working on ...

France's Chauvet Cave, Travelling 36,000 Years Underground

Posted:

France's Chauvet Cave is guarded by a half-tonne reinforced door that seals it entrance, the code known only by three people, with cameras keeping watch 24 hours a day. But AFP was given a rare chance to step through this gateway into prehistory and into the depths of the Grotte Chauvet in southern France -- home to the earliest known figurative drawings and now a World Heritage site. For tens of thousands of years, time stopped in the cave nestled deep ...

Metabolic Benefits of Keeping Cool

Posted:

A study that demonstrates that ambient temperatures can influence the growth or loss of brown fat in people is being presented Monday at ICE/ENDO 2014, the joint meeting of the International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society in Chicago. Cool environments stimulate growth, warm environments loss. Brown fat, also known as brown adipose tissue, is a special kind of fat that burns energy to generate heat. It keeps small animals and babies warm, and ...

Knowledge of Key Receptors Enhanced by Architecture of Signalling Proteins

Posted:

The underlying architecture of a cellular signalling complex involved n the body's response to stimuli such as light and pain has been determined by a team of scientists from Duke Medicine, the University of Michigan and Stanford University. This complex, consisting of a human cell surface receptor and its regulatory protein, reveals a two-step mechanism that has been hypothesized previously but not directly documented. The findings, reported on June ...

Hematopoietic Stem Cells, the New Target for Myeloproliferative Disorders

Posted:

A new therapeutic target for certain kinds of myeloproliferative disease has been discovered by the Stem Cell Physiopathology group at the CNIC (the Spanish National Cardiovascular Research Center), led by Dr. Simon Mendez-Ferrer. The team has shown that the microenvironment that controls hematopoietic stem cells can be targeted for the treatment of a set of disorders called myeloproliferative neoplasias, the most prominent of which are chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), ...

Proteins Family Key Role in Cellular Pump Dynamics

Posted:

The mechanism of a family of proteins - cation diffusion facilitators (CDFs) - regulating an important cellular cycle of cell's energy conversion to necessary functions, has been discovered by Case Western Reserve University scientists. The finding has the potential to inform future research aimed at identifying ways to ensure the process works as designed and, if successful, could lead to significant breakthroughs in the treatment of Parkinson's, chronic liver disease and ...

Protein Portal Powered With Protons Push Zinc Out of Cells

Posted:

The inner workings of a protein called YiiP has been reportedly deciphered by researchers at John Hopkins University that prevents the lethal buildup of zinc inside bacteria. They say understanding YiiP's movements will help in the design of drugs aimed at modifying the behavior of ZnT proteins, eight human proteins that are similar to YiiP, which play important roles in hormone secretion and in signaling between neurons. Certain mutations in one of them, ZnT8, ...

Gene That Is A Key Player In Brain Development Identified

Posted:

An Ottawa-led team of researchers has identified a gene, Snf2h, that plays a key role in the proper development of cerebellum. Cerebellum is the master control center of the brain that is responsible for motor movement, coordination, balance, equilibrium and muscle tone. Snf2h gene is located in our brain's neural stem cells and acts as master regulator. When this gene was removed early on in a mouse's development, its cerebellum grew ...

Earliest Drawings of French Cave Wins World Heritage Status

Posted:

Prized World Heritage status of the UN cultural agency UNESCO was granted on Sunday to a prehistoric cave in southern France containing the earliest known figurative drawings. Delegates at UNESCO's World Heritage Committee voted to grant the status to the Grotte Chauvet at a gathering in Doha, where they are considering cultural and natural wonders for inclusion on the UN list. The cave in the Ardeche region, which survived sealed off for millennia before ...

Europe's 'Largest Ever' Heroin Seizure In Greece

Posted:

More than two tonnes of heroin has been discovered in Greek warehouses in as many weeks in what authorities claim to be Europe's largest ever seizure of the drug. Close to a tonne was found by police in a warehouse near Athens on Friday, a little more than a week after an even bigger haul in the city. Merchant Marine Minister Miltiadis Varvitsioti said Sunday that the discoveries constituted "the largest amount of heroin ever seized in Europe". Friday's ...

Lawsuit on Burger King for Cooking Veggie Food in Meat Oil

Posted:

A lawsuit may be file against Burger King for contaminating vegetarian food with meat oil. Stephen Galloway, an NHS healthcare assistant said that the brand has been dismissive from start to finish and instead of dealing with the problem they tried to silence him with 500 pounds and a gagging contract, the Daily Star reported. The food giant had been plugging onion rings and chilli cheese bites as vegetarian on their website with a tiny asterix beside ...

While Driving, Women Follow Rules Better Than Men

Posted:

Women are best at obeying the rules of the road than men while driving, revealed a new data. Jim Kirkwood, of the AA Driving School said that men and women learn to drive in different ways but the fact that men are a little more likely to pass their test first time can't be taken as an indication of whether men or women are safer, the Daily Star reported. The Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has revealed few reasons behind people failing driving ...

Thousands of British Soldiers Found to be Overweight

Posted:

The British army has a global reputation for performance and efficiency. But new figures published on Sunday suggest that its soldiers might be getting a little soft. More than 32,000 soldiers failed a basic fitness test at some point in the past three years, and more than 22,000 were found to be overweight and at risk of health problems, according to Ministry of Defence figures. All soldiers in the British army are required to complete a personal fitness ...

Heat is Recycled from the Sewer In Austria

Posted:

Huge amount of hot water from household appliances, factories and businesses gurgle down the drain every day, wasting not only H2O but also another precious resource: heat energy. Not, however, in the Austrian town of Amstetten, where a pilot project by the local utility company is "recycling" this energy from a place where normally few dare to tread -- the sewer. This it uses to heat 4,000 square metres (45,000 square feet) of buildings, or cool them ...

Take Care of Your Hair All Year Round

Posted:

A simple hairstyle could change your whole look, but even a good hairstyle is at its best when you have undamaged and beautiful hair. Actress Kangana Ranaut, who despite her unruly corkscrew curls is famous for experimenting with them, says, "the beauty of Indian women is their thick dark hair", while Sonam Kapoor agrees that she constantly looks at new things to do with her hair. Hair expert Adhuna Akhtar says, "If you follow certain hair-care tips, ...

Angelina Jolie was Honoured to Work With Rape Survivors

Posted:

As part of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI), Angelina Jolie admitted that she was 'honoured' to work with the rape survivors. While talking to Hello Magazine, the 39-year-old actress said that it is known that it is hard to lock convictions for rape, which is why it requires everyone to work even harder to make bring justice in frail countries, Contactmusic reported. Jolie, who's a special ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency, added ...

State Level Watermelon Festival Held in Imphal

Posted:

...

Makeup Speaks Volume for Iranian Women

Posted:

Iranian women are unrestrained in showing off one feature on which they feel a need to spend money -their faces- under the compulsory veil and despite hard times. Everyday wearing of makeup is probably more common in Iran, an Islamic republic, than in some liberal western countries. It is a rare opportunity to parade one's beauty without fear of official censure. With a female population of more than 38 million, Iran is the second-largest cosmetics ...

Here is the Real-Life Popeye With One Enormous Arm

Posted:

Matthias Schlitte, dubbed as the real-life Popeye, is a German arm wrestling champion, who has a superhuman right arm due to a rare genetic defect. Nicknamed as "Hellboy" Schlitte's left arm is of normal size but a rare genetic defect makes his right forearm bone 33 per cent larger than his left, News.com.au reported. According to Yahoo! 7 Sport, the 27-year-old said that his gift was recognized when he was 3-year-old but when he was just 16-year-old ...

Cambodia Casinos Getting Thai Customers by the Droves

Posted:

Thais are making a beeline for casinos in a seedy Cambodian border town as they seek to avoid the junta crackdown at home. For over a decade Poipet, a scruffy, vice-ridden frontier town studded with casinos and online gambling booths, has lured customers from neighbouring Thailand, where betting is all but banned. Casino staff in Poipet told AFP the chips have been changing hands at an unusually fast rate since the Thai army seized power across the border ...

Asian Shoppers Get Urge to Splurge Via Korean TV Dramas

Posted:

A hard-selling world of branded entertainment that uses product placement to push smartphones and lipsticks has been given maximum exposure by the export success of South Korea's TV dramas. The so-called Hallyu (Korean Wave) of TV shows and pop music has long conquered most of Asia and, in recent years, found new, devoted fans in the Middle East, Latin America and North Africa. The vast audiences opened stealth marketing opportunities that have become ...

US Agriculture Feels the Big Impact of Small Farms

Posted:

Danelle Myer dreamt of becoming a big-city advertising executive as she spent time as a teenager on her family's farm in Iowa. Now, the 42-year-old juggles orders for cabbage and deals with hail damage on her patch of land. After building a career in public relations, Myer returned three years ago to her rural roots in the US farm belt -- the tiny Iowan town of Logan, less than 40 miles (60 kilometers) north of Omaha, Nebraska. "In my 20s, ...

Philippine Prison is the Ideal Setting for Murderers Who Wander With Machetes

Posted:

A unique approach to reforming criminals sees one hundred convicts armed with machetes wandering through a vast prison without walls in one of the most beautiful islands in Philippines. Two token guards with shotguns slung on their shoulders relax in the shade nearby as the blue-shirted group of inmates chop weeds at a rice paddy at the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm on Palawan island. But Arturo, who is 21 years into a life sentence for murder, has no ...

Survey Suggests Mandarin Speakers in Demand Among British Firms

Posted:

Britain's biggest employers' organization has revealed that British firms are increasingly seeking workers who can speak Mandarin. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) found that while European languages were still in demand there are signs of businesses increasingly seeking language skills that could help break them into new markets. The annual CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Survey of around 300 British firms found that nearly two-thirds of ...

Research Debunks 'Trophy Wife' Stereotype

Posted:

The "trophy wife" stereotype is largely a myth fueled by selective observation that reinforces sexist stereotypes, claim researchers, adding that it also trivializes women's careers. Using, for the first time, a nationally representative sample of young couples in which both partners were interviewed and rated for physical attractiveness, University of Notre Dame Sociologist Elizabeth McClintock, was able to control for matching on attractiveness. She says prior ...

Research Suggests Genomic Technology Has Entered the Mainstream Practice of Medicine

Posted:

Clinical genome and exome sequencing (CGES) is now being used by clinical geneticists and other specialists to diagnose rare, clinically unrecognizable disorders that are suspected to be genetic in origin. This process was previously thought to be exotic in nature. Several thousand CGES tests across the country have already been ordered for patients and thousands more are expected in coming years. CGES is quickly moving from research laboratories into clinical ...

Heart-Transplant Rejection Identified Earlier Than Biopsy Via New Stanford Blood Test

Posted:

A noninvasive way to detect heart-transplant rejection weeks or months earlier than previously possible has been devised by Stanford University researchers. The test, which relies on the detection of increasing amounts of the donor's DNA in the blood of the recipient, does not require the removal of any heart tissue. "This test appears to be safer, cheaper and more accurate than a heart biopsy, which is the current gold standard to detect and monitor ...

Agriculture and Health Care in Rural Areas can be Improved by Innovative Technologies

Posted:

Articles on both innovations in rural regions and general articles on technology and innovation are available in the current special issue of Technology and Innovation. An article from the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) by McDevitt et al. that discusses the value of technology transfer for universities beyond money is also included in the issue. The five papers in this special issue of emTechnology and Innovation/em dealing with innovations in ...

How Genetic Mutation Causes Early Brain Damage Explained by Scripps Florida Scientists

Posted:

The way in which a specific kind of genetic mutation can cause damage during early brain development that results in lifelong learning and behavioral disabilities has been explained by scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI). The work suggests new possibilities for therapeutic intervention. The study, which focuses on the role of a gene known as Syngap1, was published June 18, 2014, online ahead of print by the journal ...

Early Alzheimer's Deficits can be Triggered by Blocking Brain's 'Internal Marijuana'

Posted:

The blocking of endocannabinoids has been implicated in the early pathology of Alzheimer's disease in a new study led by investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The former are signaling substances that are the brain's internal versions of the psychoactive chemicals in marijuana and hashish. A substance called A-beta - strongly suspected to play a key role in Alzheimer's because it's the chief constituent of the hallmark clumps dotting the brains ...

How the Brain Learns to Ignore Familiar Stimuli Explained

Posted:

A new explanation for the fundamental process of 'habituation' has been proposed by a neuroscientist from Trinity College Dublin. This mechanism has never been completely understood by neuroscientists. Typically, our response to a stimulus is reduced over time if we are repeatedly exposed to it. This process of habituation enables organisms to identify and selectively ignore irrelevant, familiar objects and events that they encounter again and again. Habituation ...

Brain Shifts from Subdued to Alert Via Fight-or-Flight Chemical

Posted:

The brain cells surrounding a mouse's neurons do much more than fill space, claims a new study from The Johns Hopkins University. According to the researchers, the cells, called astrocytes because of their star-shaped appearance, can monitor and respond to nearby neural activity, but only after being activated by the fight-or-flight chemical norepinephrine. Because astrocytes can alter the activity of neurons, the findings suggest that astrocytes may help control ...

Research Sheds Light on How Neurons Work Together

Posted:

New research suggests that a highly accurate representation of the way in which neurons behave when performing movements could enhance understanding of the complex dynamics at work in the brain. It can also aid in the development of robotic limbs which are capable of more complex and natural movements. Researchers from the University of Cambridge, working in collaboration with the University of Oxford and the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), have ...

Brain Function can be Preserved by Self-Repairing Mechanism in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Posted:

A process called neurogenesis, which is the self-repairing mechanism of the adult brain, can help to preserve brain function in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, scientists at the University of Southampton have found. The progressive degeneration and death of the brain, occurring in many neurodegenerative diseases, is often seen as an unstoppable and irrevocable process. However, the brain has some self-repairing potential that accounts ...

Levels of Potentially Harmful Compounds in Lake Lady Bird Lowered by Ban on Pavement Sealant

Posted:

A commonly used pavement sealant was banned in Austin, Texas, in 2006 over concerns that it was a major source of cancer-causing compounds in the environment. Eight years later, the city's action seems to have made a big dent in the targeted compounds' levels - researchers now report that the concentrations have dropped significantly. They published their study in the ACS journal emEnvironmental Science (and) Technology/em. Peter C. Van Metre and Barbara ...

Cerebral Grey Matter Abnormalities Linked to Childhood Maltreatment

Posted:

The association between childhood maltreatment and the volume of cerebral grey matter has been analyzed in an international study. The results revealed a significant deficit in various late developing regions of the brain after abuse. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), child maltreatment is defined as all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, ...

Bolivians Mark the Aymara New Year

Posted:

Several thousand Bolivians marked the Aymara Indian new year Saturday at ceremonies across the South American country with chants and offerings. President Evo Morales, himself boasting Aymara roots, led rituals at Samaipata. He raise the palm of his hands at the UNESCO world heritage site to feel the energy of the sun as day broke at precisely 6:44 am (1044 GMT). "My great wish is national unity," Morales told reporters after the ceremony. For ...

Belgians Count the Cost of Cup Woes With Unhappy Campers

Posted:

Belgian fans were looking forward to a "luxury camping" trip to the World Cup in Brazil, but got a muddy mess which was far from five-star treatment. Around 500 people paid around 150 euros ( (Dollar) 200) a night per person -- all for the privilege of sleeping in tents that lack electricity and the promised wi-fi connection. The tourists at the "Belgian Village" at Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a coastal resort some 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Rio de Janeiro, ...

Relaxation of Efforts to Contain Spread may Have Caused Ebola to Spread

Posted:

The efforts to contain the deadly Ebola virus have been relaxed according to World Health Organisation specialist. Question: We have around 530 cases of hemorrhagic fever, mostly from the Ebola virus, in the region, compared to 225 at the end of April. How do you explain this leap? Answer: We have had since March 21, when the epidemic was declared in Guinea, a first wave that has started to diminish. Since the start of May we have had a sort of resurgence ...

Hungary Holds 'Yellow Star' Holocaust Memorials

Posted:

On the 70th anniversary of the forced relocation of Jews during World War II, over 1,000 Hungarians took part in some 160 Holocaust memorial events across Budapest. After a city hall decree in 1944, authorities forced some 220,000 Budapest Jews to move on June 21 into around 2,000 buildings marked with yellow Jewish Stars of David. The Jewish residents were also forced to wear the stars on their clothes for around six months while an enclosed ghetto ...

Nazi-themed Indonesian Cafe Finally Reopens

Posted:

Following an international outrage with its walls bearing swastikas and a painting of Adolf Hitler, a Nazi-themed cafe in Indonesia has now re-opened. Henry Mulyana voluntarily shut down his SoldatenKaffee last year after media reports exposed his swastika-clad establishment, prompting death threats and accusation of inciting racial hatred. Following the closure, his lawyer told AFP that Mulyana would later reopen his business with a broader World War ...

Ancient Inca Road Wins the Coveted World Heritage Status

Posted:

The coveted World Heritage status has been granted to a vast and ancient Inca road system spanning six countries in South America. The listing of the Qhapaq Nan roads will boost efforts to preserve and promote the network -- an engineering marvel comparable to the vast road system of the Roman Empire. Delegates at UNESCO's World Heritage Committee voted to grant the status at a gathering in Doha, where they are considering some 40 cultural and natural ...

Sao Paulo Slum Kids Throw Down World Cup Gauntlet

Posted:

A World Cup gauntlet has been thrown down by youngsters from a slum on the outskirts of Sao Paulo's Guarulhos airport. With support from an NGO called Techo, the players from Anita Futbol Club, in the Anita Garibaldi slum, issued their cheeky invite to whichever team lifts the trophy on July 13. They want the professionals to see for themselves their favela, or slum, whose tumbledown housing has no water supplies or connection to the electricity grid. ...

Key to Identifying, Enriching Mesenchymal Stem Cells Found

Posted:

A biomarker that could help researchers characterize the properties and function of mesenchymal stem cells in the body has been found. MSCs are the focus of nearly 200 active clinical trials registered with the National Institutes of Health, targeting conditions such as bone fractures, cartilage injury, degenerative disc disease, and osteoarthritis. The finding, published in the journal iCell Stem Cell /ion June 19, significantly advances the field of MSC biology, ...

Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy Linked to Childhood Obesity and Diabetes

Posted:

A new study has found that women who take antidepressants during pregnancy could be unknowingly disposing their infants to type 2 diabetes and obesity. The study finds a correlation between the use of the medication fluoxetine during pregnancy and an increased risk of obesity and diabetes in children. Currently, up to 20 per cent of woman in the United States and approximately seven per cent of Canadian women are prescribed an antidepressant during pregnancy.br ...

Playing Football may Help Reduce Blood Pressure in Mature Women

Posted:

Playing football could help women between 35-50 years of age lower their blood pressure levels. According to the study, women within this age group with mild high blood pressure achieve a significant reduction in blood pressure and body fat percentage through playing recreational football for 15 weeks. Researcher Magni Mohr said that after 15 weeks of participation in recreational football, systolic and diastolic blood pressure had fallen by 12 and ...

Salamanders may Unviel the Secret to Limb Regeneration in Humans

Posted:

Salamanders can reveal the secret to limb regeneration in humans, scientists have revealed. According to the researchers of UCL, the 'ERK pathway' must be constantly active for salamander cells to be reprogrammed, and hence able to contribute to the regeneration of different body parts. The research team has identified a key difference between the activity of this pathway in salamanders and mammals, which helps us to understand why humans can't regrow ...

Animal Rights Activists Protest Against Custom of Eating Dog Meat

Posted:

Animal lovers protested against a controversial festival in a Chinese city where the locals celebrate summer solstice by eating dog meat. Activists have flocked for weeks to Yulin, in the southwestern region of Guangxi, to protest the local custom of eating dog -- particularly on the summer solstice, which fell Saturday, in an event dubbed the "dog meat festival". But their efforts have backfired. "A lot of people have said, 'I don't eat dog meat, but ...

Music Unlocks the Secrets of How Memory Works

Posted:

Scientists have used hit music tunes including those of Elvis Presley, Abba and the Spice Girls to understand the secrets of how memory works. Researchers have created a fun online game, where fans must identify song clips and compare them by their catchiness, to shed light on why some tunes get stuck in people's head, the BBC reported. The findings might help understand how the memory process works and eventually it could lead to the treatment for dementia. ...

How Effective are Rapid Diagnostic Tests for the Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis?

Posted:

An independent review has been conducted by researchers to test the effectiveness of rapid diagnostic tests in diagnosing patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL). VL (or kala-azar) is caused by a parasite and results in fever, a large spleen and other health problems. It occurs in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, east Africa, the Mediterranean region and Brazil. Without treatment it can be fatal, and proper treatment can result in cure, so diagnosis is extremely important. ...