ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting around 496,000 people in the UK. The term 'dementia' describes a set of symptoms which can include loss of memory, mood changes, and problems with communication and reasoning. These symptoms occur when the brain is damaged by certain diseases and conditions, including Alzheimer's disease. This factsheet outlines the symptoms and risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, and describes what treatments are currently available.

Alzheimer's disease, first described by the German neurologist Alois Alzheimer, is a physical disease affecting the brain. During the course of the disease, protein 'plaques' and 'tangles' develop in the structure of the brain, leading to the death of brain cells. People with Alzheimer's also have a shortage of some important chemicals in their brain. These chemicals are involved with the transmission of messages within the brain.

Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, which means that gradually, over time, more parts of the brain are damaged. As this happens, the symptoms become more severe.

Symptoms

People in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease may experience lapses of memory and have problems finding the right words. As the disease progresses, they may:

·        become confused and frequently forget the names of people, places, appointments and recent events

·        experience mood swings, feel sad or angry, or scared and frustrated by their increasing memory loss

·        become more withdrawn, due either to a loss of confidence or to communication problems

·        have difficulty carrying out everyday activities - they may get muddled checking their change at the shops or become unsure how to work the TV remote.

As the disease progresses, people with Alzheimer's will need more support from those who care for them. Eventually, they will need help with all their daily activities.

While there are some common symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, it is important to remember that everyone is unique. No two people are likely to experience Alzheimer's disease in the same way.

Mild cognitive impairment

Recently, some doctors have begun to use the term mild cognitive impairment (MCI)when an individual has difficulty remembering things or thinking clearly but the symptoms are not severe enough to warrant a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Recent research has shown that individuals with MCI have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. However, the conversion rate from MCI to Alzheimer's is low (about 10-20 per cent each year), and consequently a diagnosis of MCI does not always mean that the person will go on to develop Alzheimer's.

What causes Alzheimer's disease?

So far, no one single factor has been identified as a cause for Alzheimer's disease. It is likely that a combination of factors, including age, genetic inheritance, environmental factors, lifestyle and overall general health, are responsible. In some people, the disease may develop silently for many years before symptoms appear.

Age

Age is the greatest risk factor for dementia. Dementia affects one in 14 people over the age of 65 and one in six over the age of 80. However, dementia is not restricted to older people: in the UK, there are over 17,000 people under the age of 65 with dementia, although this figure is likely to be an underestimate.

Genetic inheritance

Many people fear that they may inherit Alzheimer's disease and scientists are currently investigating the genetic background to Alzheimer's.

We do know that there are a few families where there is a very clear inheritance of the disease from one generation to the next. This is often in families where the disease appears relatively early in life.

In the vast majority of cases, however, the influence of inherited genes for Alzheimer's disease in older people seems to be small. If a parent or other relative has Alzheimer's, your own chances of developing the disease are only a little higher than if there were no cases of Alzheimer's in the immediate family.

Environmental factors

The environmental factors that may contribute to the onset of Alzheimer's disease have yet to be identified. A few years ago, there were concerns that exposure to aluminium might cause Alzheimer's disease. However, these fears have largely been discounted.

Other factors

Because of the difference in their chromosomal make-up, people with Down's syndrome who live into their 50s and 60s are at particular risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

People who have had severe head or whiplash injuries also appear to be at increased risk of developing dementia. Boxers who receive continual blows to the head are at risk too.

Research has also shown that people who smoke, and those who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels or diabetes, are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's. You can help reduce your risk by not smoking, eating a healthy balanced diet and having regular checks for blood pressure and cholesterol from middle age. Maintaining a healthy weight and leading an active lifestyle combining physical, social and mental activity will also help.

Getting a diagnosis

If you are concerned about your own health, or the health of someone close to you, it is important to seek help from a GP. An early diagnosis will have a number of benefits including the opportunity to plan for the future and access treatment, advice and support.

There is no straightforward test for Alzheimer's disease or for any other cause of dementia. A diagnosis is usually made by excluding other causes which present similar symptoms. The GP will need to rule out conditions such as infections, vitamin deficiency, thyroid problems, depression and the side-effects of medication.

Specialists

The GP may ask a specialist for help in carrying out a diagnosis. The specialist may be an old-age psychiatrist, a neurologist, a physician in geriatric medicine or a general psychiatrist. Who the person sees will depend on their age, how physically able they are and how well services are developed in the local area.

Tests

The person being tested will usually be given a blood test and a full physical examination to rule out or identify any other medical problems. The person's memory will be assessed, initially with questions about recent events and past memories. Their memory and thinking skills may also be assessed in detail by a psychologist.

A brain scan may be carried out to give some clues about the changes taking place in the person's brain. There are a number of different types of scan, including computerised tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Treatment

There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease. However, drug treatments are available that can temporarily alleviate some symptoms or slow down their progression in some people.

People with Alzheimer's have been shown to have a shortage of the chemical acetylcholine in their brains. The drugs Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl (trade names for the drugs donepezil hydrochloride, rivastigmine and galantamine) work by maintaining existing supplies of acetylcholine. As of March 2011, these drugs are recommended as an option for people in the mild-to-moderate stages of Alzheimer's disease. Please refer to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) website for guidance (see Useful organisations at the end of this factsheet). Side-effects are usually minor but may include diarrhoea, nausea, insomnia, fatigue and loss of appetite.

A drug called Ebixa (trade name for the drug memantine) was launched in the UK in 2002. Ebixa works in a different way from the other three and is the only drug that is recommended for people in both the moderate and severe stages of Alzheimer's disease. Side-effects may include dizziness, headaches and tiredness, and - rarely - hallucinations or confusion.

These drugs are not a cure, but they may stabilise some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease for a limited period, typically 6-12 months or longe

 Source: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk 

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Carbon nanotube (CNT)

Carbon nanotube (CNT) is a new form of carbon, configurationally equivalent to two dimensional graphene sheet rolled into a tube. It is grown now by several techniques in the laboratory and is just a few nanometers in diameter and several  microns long.

CNT can be metallic or semiconducting and offers 

amazing possibilities to  create future 

nanoelectronics devices, circuits, and computers.

CNT exhibits extraordinary mechanical properties: the Young's modulus is over 1 

Tera Pascal. It is stiff as diamond. The estimated tensile strength is 200 Giga Pascal. 

These properties are ideal for reinforced composites, nanoelectromechanical systems 

(NEMS).

Source: ipt.arc.nasa.gov

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GOVT BANS POPULAR DIABETES DRUG AND ANALGIN

The government has banned three popular medicines, the widely prescribed anti-diabetes drug pioglitazone, painkiller analgin and anti-depressant in the wake of health risks associated with them. While it's believed that pioglitazone can cause heart failure and increases the risk of bladder cancer, analgin has been discarded the world over on grounds of patient safety. Deanxit, on the other hand is a harmful combination, which has been long banned even in Denmark, its country of origin.

his decision comes in the wake of a strong stand by the government on suspending marketing of all drugs prohibited for sale in other countries like the US, the UK, EU and Australia.

The ministry of health and family welfare has suspended the manufacture and sale of all three drugs under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 with immediate effect, through a notification issued on June 18, informed sources told TOI. While the ministry has been dilly-dallying on withdrawing analgin and deanxit for years now, despite pressure from a parliamentary panel, the decision on the diabetes drug pioglitazone has taken the industry completely by surprise.

The decision to ban pioglitazone and its combinations will hit the Rs 700-crore market for such drugs and adversely impact a clutch of companies including Abbott, Sun Pharma, USV, Lupin, Ranbaxy and Wockhardt.

Pioglitazone combination is a bigger market than plain pioglitazone itself which is has posted a strong double-digit growth, with over 30 companies marketing the drug. The top-selling brands of posiglitazone include Pioz MF G and Pioz (USV), Gemer P (Sun Pharma), Tribet (Abbott), Tripride (Micro Labs) and Gluconorm PG (Lupin). (See chart)

Popular pain-reliever analgin is a relatively small market with brands like Baralgan and Novalgin (Sanofi Aventis), as most companies fearing a ban have already pulled out from the market, industry experts said. The third drug, a combination of Flupenthixol and Melitracen sold as Deanxit (Lundbeck), Placida (Mankind), Franxit (Intas) and Restfull (Lupin) is facing a ban because deanxit is prohibited for sale in Denmark, its country of origin, and also, the combination is not sold in major countries.

Under the Drugs and Cosmetic Rule 30-B, the import and marketing of any drug the use of which is prohibited in the country of origin, is banned in India. A parliamentary panel report on health earlier this year had rapped the government for dilly-dallying on withdrawing deanxit and analgin, which are not sold in markets globally.

The family of 'glitazones', used for blood glucose lowering properties, has been mired in controversy since the beginning, with many drugs under the class having already been banned globally, and in India. Three years back, another drug from this family, rosiglitazone, marketed by a host of companies including GSK India was banned, following a decision taken in Europe.

In the case of pioglitazone too, France has already taken it off the shelves, while in the US it is sold with a boxed warning. The warning emphasizes that it may cause or worsen heart failure, and its use for over a year may be associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer.

Doctors here in India had said in a study last year that more robust data on use of pioglitazone on Indian patients was needed. Till that time, the patient should be adequately informed about this adverse effect and the drug should be used in as small a dose as possible, with careful monitoring and follow up. Earlier this month, the ministry had suspended sale of dextropropoxyphene, sold as Wockhardt's Proxyvon, a widely-used pain-killer.

 Source: Times of India

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World's first talking robot-astronaut ready to go to space

TOKYO: In a world first, Japan is set to send a talking robot-astronaut to the International Space Station to conduct the first conversation between a human and a robot in outer space.

Kirobo, the robot astronaut, is scheduled to be launched from the Tanegashima Space Center, located in southwestern Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture, aboard the Kounotori 4 cargo spacecraft to ISS on August 4.

Named after a combination of the Japanese word kibo, or "hope", and the word "robot", the Kirobo project is part of an experiment that will see the first human-robot conversation held in space, the 'Japan Daily Press' reported.

Kirobo is about 34 centimetres tall and weighs about one kilogramme, which makes it smaller than most robots that go into space.

The robot has already undergone several pre-launch tests, including simulations with zero gravity, the report said.

During one of the first demonstrations, the robot's developers asked Kirobo what its dream was. It replied that it "hoped to create a future where humans and robots live together and get along."

Kirobo, the talking robot, was jointly developed by the University of Tokyo, Toyota, and Dentsu Inc.

Source: Times of India article

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Swine Flu

What is Swine Flu?

Swine Influenza also known as H1N1 flu, Swine flu, Pig and Hog flu is a respiratory disease caused by virus commonly found in pigs throughout the world. Most commonly it is due to H1N1 influenza subtype but sometimes H1N2, H3N1, and H3N2 can also be responsible. The major difference is that the current virus has strains of bird and pig viruses in it, and humans have very low or negligible immunity to it. That is what has made it more likely to become a pandemic virus (that can cause a global outbreak) as it could easily spread from human to human. Swine flu can look like a normal fever as its symptoms are similar to normal human influenza like cold and cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue. If diagnosed eairler treatment can be done to avoide further complications.
For confirmed case of Swine flu Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) are administered for treatment of virus infection.

Swine influenza virus is very common in pigs worldwide. Approximately 1%-4% of pigs get infected and die from it. The main mode of spread among pigs either direct or indirect contact. In many parts of the world pigs are vaccinated against it.

Types

The Influenza viruses causing sickness in humans are classified into three types - A, B and C. Type A is most common in pigs and C is rare. Influenza B has not been reported in pigs.

Swine influenza is commonly of the H1N1 influenza subtype, but sometimes they can come from other types, such as H1N2, H3N1, and H3N2.The recent outbreak of swine flu in humans is of the H1N1 type which is not as dangerous as some other types. It is caused by a new virus that has changed in ways that allow it to spread from person to person and it’s happening among people who haven’t had any contact with pigs.

Normaly swineflu virus do not transmit from pigs to human and do not cause swineflu, althuough if it happens, antibodies are produced in human blood.

To distinguish from viruses that infects pigs and the seasonal influenza A H1N1 viruses that have been in circulation for many years, The World Health organization (WHO)calls it “pandemic (H1N1) 2009.” The CDC calls H1N1 illness “H1N1 flu”.

Its official name or scientific name is H1N1 influenza A. The H means hemagglutinin and the N means neuraminidase and the 1s refer to their antibody type. Influenza A is a genus of the Orthomyxoviridae family of viruses, and refers to the fact that the virus is first identified in an animal, usually a pig or a bird. When put together, they describe the 2009-2010 swine flu virus.

Some important things to note:

* Generally Swine flu virus transmits through direct contact with respiratory secretions like coughing and sneezing of a infected person close or near to you.

* Swine flu is likely contagious from one day upto seven days if a person get sick with its symptoms.

* Surfaces such as a doorknob, drinking glass or kitchen counter can also be contaminated if droplets from cough or sneez fall on them. But these germs survive for only few hours.

* People who are in regular exposure to pigs have increased risk of getting swineflu.

* The swineflu vaccine developed by GlaxoSmithKline is called Pandemrix and the vaccine developed by Baxter is known as Celvapan.

Finally, transmission of the virus doesn’t require you to come into contact with pigs. It can pass from one human to another. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), there is some evidence that people who do come into contact regularly with pigs may be immune to this virus.

H1N1 Symptoms

H1N1 is also a influenza virus similar to that causes seasonal fever. The major difference is that the current virus has components of both pig and bird viruses in it, and humans don’t have any immunity to it. The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to cold flu, but there are some different swineflu symptoms which are indicated in infected person.

Swine flu symptoms include :

*fever, which is usually high, but unlike seasonal influenza, is sometimes absent.

* cough.

* runny nose or stuffy nose.

* sore throat.

* body aches.

* headache.

* chills.

* fatigue or tiredness, which can be extreme.
* Neurological problems .

* diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes, but more commonly seen than with seasonal flu.

Nearly everyone infected with H1N1 or swineflu show atleast two to three of these symptoms but only high level lab tests can definitively show whether person is infected or not. State health departments can do these tests in major health care centers or special cells for diagonosis of Swine flu.

According to reports of WHO Clinical findings or the clinical picture of severly infected cases are very different to that seen in seasonal influenza.

In severly infected cases the condition of the patients starts getting deterioted within 3 to 5 days after the onset of symptoms. It is so fast that many patients progress to respiratory failure within 24 hours.

There are some warnig signs issued by CDC and advise was given for immediate medical help. These warning signs are -

In Children -

* Fast and hard breathing

* Skin color turning blueish.

* Not drinking enough fluids and unable to eat

* Not interacting properly

* Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

* Flu-like symptoms that improve and return with fever and cough

* Fever with a rash

* Having no tears when crying

In Adults:

* Difficult and short of breath

* Pain in the chest or abdomen

* Sudden and regular dizziness

* Severe or persistent vomiting or vomiting sensation.

* Low temperature

Diagnosis of Swine Flu

Swine flu A infection is diagnosed when an infected person is most likely to be shedding virus i.e, within the first four to five days of illness (children may shed virus for ten days or longer) during this period respiratory specimens are collected and sent for diagnosis to the state labs.

This is diagnosed clinically by the patient’s history of association with people known to have contracted the disease and also based upon their symptoms.

Tests

A quick test (for example, nasopharyngeal swab sample) is done to see if the patient is infected with influenza A or B virus. Most of the tests can distinguish between A and B types.

The test can be negative (no H1N1 infection) or positive for type A and B. If the test is positive for type B, the flu is not likely to be swine influenza (H1N1). If it is positive for type A, the person could have a conventional influenza strain or swine influenza (H1N1). H1N1 is mainly diagnosed by identifying the particular antigens associated with the virus type.

In general, this test is done in a specialized laboratory and is not done by many doctors clinics or hospital laboratories. However, doctors clinics are able to send specimens to specialized laboratories if necessary.

Is H1N1 a cause of an Epidemic or Pandemic in 2009?

An epidemic is defined as an outbreak of a contagious disease that is rapid and widespread, that affects many individuals at the same time.

The H1N1 influenza A virus spread in Mexico comes under this category. Whereas pandemic is an epidemic that becomes so widespread that it affects a region, continent, or the whole world. As of April 2009,the H1N1 was not declared as pandemic. However,as of June 11, 2009, WHO officials determined that H1N1 2009 influenza A reached WHO level 6 criteria and is now declared as the first flu pandemic in 41 years. Until now, it has reached 74 different countries on every continent except Antarctica but still the severity of the disease has not increased.

Treatment

Antiviral Treatements for Suspected and Confirmed cases.

Suspected Cases.

1.Empiric antiviral treatment is recommended for any ill person suspected to have swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection.

2.Antiviral treatment with either zanamivir alone or with a combination of oseltamivir and either amantadine or rimantadine should be initiated as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms.

3.Recommended duration of treatment is five days.

4.Antiviral doses and schedules recommended for treatment of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection are the same as those recommended for seasonal influenza.

Confirmed Cases

1.For antiviral treatment of a confirmed case of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, either oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) may be administered.

2.Recommended duration of treatment is five days.

3.These same antivirals should be considered for treatment of cases that test positive for influenza A but test negative for seasonal influenza viruses H3 and H1 by PCR.

Measures and Preventions

1.Keeping hands clean is the most important step to avoid getting sick and spreading the H1N1 virus. Wash hands with clean water and hand soap.Rub hands together to form lather.

2.Warning! Do not give aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) to children or teenagers who have the flu; this can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye’s syndrome.

3.Check ingredient labels on over-the-counter cold and flu medications to see if they contain aspirin.

4.Children younger than 2 years of age should not be given over-the-counter cold medications without first speaking with a healthcare provider.

5.The safest care for flu symptoms in children younger than 2 years of age is using a cool-mist humidifier and a suction bulb to help clear away mucus.

6.Over-the-counter cold and flu medications used according to the package instructions may help lessen some symptoms such as cough and congestion. Importantly, these medications will not lessen how infectious a person is.

7.Check with your health care provider or pharmacist if you are taking other over-the-counter or prescription medications not related to the flu.

 Source: www.swineflu.net.in

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FLU

The flu is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. The flu is not the same as a cold, although they share many of the same symptoms. The cold is caused by a different virus, and it tends to have milder symptoms than the flu. Colds are also less likely to cause serious complications.

When the influenza virus gets into the body, it moves into the respiratory tract. Once there, it binds to the surface of cells. The virus then opens and releases its genetic information (RNA) into the cell's nucleus. The nucleus is where the cell's genetic information (DNA and RNA) is stored. The virus replicates, or copies itself, and takes over the functions of the cell. The copies of the virus move to the cell membrane until the cell finally dies and releases them out into the body, where they go on to infect other cells.

The respiratory tissues swell up and become inflamed (the inflammation usually heals within a few weeks). As the virus moves through the respiratory tract and into the bloodstream, the first symptoms begin to emerge. The replication process continues for up to several days, until the body's immune system begins to fight the virus off.

Flu symptoms can include any or all of the following:

·        Coughing

·        Sneezing

·        Fever

·        Body aches

·        Runny nose and/or congestion

·        Tiredness

These symptoms, although uncomfortable, are generally not dangerous. But the flu also weakens the immune system, leaving it vulnerable to more serious infections. High-risk individuals in particular are susceptible to serious complications, such as:

·        Bacterial pneumonia

·        Dehydration

·        Sinus problems and ear infections (primarily in children)

·        Worsening of preexisting conditions, such as asthma or diabetes

Source : http://health.howstuffworks.com

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STEM CELLS

Stem cells are mother cells that have the potential to become any type of cell in the body. One of the main characteristics of stem cells is their ability to self-renew or multiply while maintaining the potential to develop into other types of cells. Stem cells can become cells of the blood, heart, bones, skin, muscles, brain etc. There are different sources of stem cells but all types of stem cells have the same capacity to develop into multiple types of cells.

Types of stem cells

Pluripotent Stem Cells (PS cells)

These possess the capacity to divide for long periods and retain their ability to make all cell types within the organism. The best known type of pluripotent stem cell is the one present in embryos that helps babies grow within the womb. These are termed embryonic stem cells. These cells form at the blastocyst stage of development. A blastocyst is a hollow ball of cells that is smaller than a pinhead. The embryonic stem cells lie within this ball of cells. Recent research has enabled scientists to derive pluripotent cells from adult human skin cells. These are termed induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells.

Fetal stem cells

These are obtained from tissues of a developing human fetus. These cells have some characteristics of the tissues they are taken from. For example, those taken from fetal muscles can make only muscle cells. These are also called progenitor cells.

Adult stem cells

These are obtained from some tissues of the adult body. The most commonly used example is the bone marrow. Bone marrow is a rich source of stem cells that can be used to treat some blood diseases and cancers.

Discovery of stem cells

Scientists first studied the potential of stem cells in mouse embryos over two decades ago. Over years of research they discovered the properties of these stem cells in 1998. They found methods to isolate stem cells from human embryos and grow the cells in the laboratory.

Early studies utilized embryos created for infertility purposes through in vitro fertilization procedures and when they were no longer needed for that purpose. The use required voluntary donation of the embryos by the owners.

Potential for use

Stem cell research is improving by leaps and bounds. These may soon become the basis for treating diseases such as Parkinson's disease, diabetes, heart failure, cerebral palsy, heart disease and host of other chronic ailments.

Stem cells may also be used for screening new drugs and toxins and understanding birth defects without subjecting human volunteers to the toxins and drugs.

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