Now get insulin from bubblegum.

Now get insulin from bubblegum
November 11 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

Diabetics who take regular insulin jabs could soon ditch the needle for a bublegum. Researchers are developing a gum that allows the medicine to be taken orally and then absorbed into the bloodstream.
 

The reason why insulin and many other drugs cannot be swallowed is that they cannot survive the trip through the digestive system. They are destroyed by the acid bath in the stomach and the enzymes in the intestines.
But professor Tejal Desai of the University of California is designing devices that use tiny microscopic capsules to protect the drug and deliver it to the bloodstream, reports the Telegraph. They are so small they can dissolve in the saliva of the mouth and be swallowed without the patient noticing. AGENCIES

Synthetic booze for a high sans health risks.

GOODBYE TO HANGOVER
Synthetic booze for a high sans health risks
November 11 2009 | Times of India Bangalore.

 
London: A substance is being developed which will give the high of alcohol without the negative effects like a hangover or liver damage.
Controversial former UK government drugs tsar professor David Nutt is the man behind the unique creation. I am working on a prototype of a synthetic alcohol. We can make someone feel pleasantly inebriated then reverse it, the Sun quoted him as saying.
He added: We have a partial alternative tested on volunteers. The first ever synthetic alcohol could be available in three to five years. 

Nutt, who was sacked as chairman of the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs after saying ecstasy is safer than alcohol, believes the drink would cut down the number of alcohol related deaths.
He said: At the moment it is very hard to treat alcohol poisoning medics simply have to wait for booze to clear the system. With the new approach , they would have an antidote available immediately. 

We have worked out how alcohol affects the brain and can target these areas. We gave one volunteer a substance similar to Valium, which is a sedative. The feeling was similar to being drunk. We then reversed this, he added. ANI

Monday is the most popular sick day.

Monday is the most popular sick day: study
November 11 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

 
Monday is the most popular day for workers calling in sick, a new UK research has confirmed. The study, by consultant firm Mercer, found that more than a third of all sick leave is taken on the first day of the week. Whats more, the highest rate of absence by far occurs in January, the study added. And the most common reason for absence was musculo-skeletal problems. Following them were viral infections and stress-related illness, reports the BBC. The study found that 35% of all sick leave is taken on a Monday. However, the lowest sick leave rate was recorded on Fridays at just 3% of the total. The study found that 13 of the 20 most popular days for sickness absence occurred in January six of these between 2 and 9 January.

Videogame that boosts intelligence.

Videogame that boosts intelligence.

November 9 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

A new videogame developed by an online gaming site along with scientists from University of Michigan has been found to improve intelligence. Developed by Luminosity.com, the Dual N-Back training program improves intelligence and memory capacity by challenging users to simultaneously remember items that they see and hear. The researchers said that training on the Dual N-Back task resulted in gains in working memory and fluid intelligence that were significantly greater than those seen in the control group.

Obesity causes 100k cancer cases a year.

BLOW FOR US
Obesity causes 100k cancer cases a year
November 8 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

 
Washington: Obesity causes more than 100,000 incidents of cancer in the US every year, the American Institute for Cancer Research said in estimates published on Friday. 

The group, which funds research on the link between diet and the disease, said 49% of endrometrial cancers, which originate in the womb, and 35% of oesophageal cancers are linked to excess body fat. Its clearer than ever that obesitys impact is felt before, during and after cancer, it increases risk, makes treatment more difficult and shortens survival, said Laurence Kolonel of the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii. 

Scientists have long seen a link between obesity and certain types of cancer, but the study extrapolated from US cancer incidence data is among the first to conclude the link exists on such a scale. According to the government-backed Centers for Disease Control, 34% of American adults aged 20 and over are obese. AFP

Tea can boost heart, brain.

Tea can boost heart, brain:
November 8 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

 
Drinking eight cups of tea daily might sound a bit too much, but health experts say the intake can help fight heart disease, improve brain power and also boost longevity. Independent dietician Dr Carrie Ruxtons research on caffeine at Kings College saw her review 47 published studies to reach the conclusion that caffeinated drinks have positive effects on mental function, increasing alertness, feelings of well-being and short-term memory.

Yoga can reduce lower back pain.

Yoga can reduce lower back pain
November 7 2009 | Times of India Kolkata

Washington: Yoga may be more effective than standard treatment in reducing chronic low back pain in minority populations, according to a new study.
Individuals from low-income , minority backgrounds with chronic lower back pain (CLBP) may be more affected due to disparities in access to treatment.
Although many CLBP patients seek relief from complementary therapies such as yoga, use of these approaches are less common among minorities and individuals with lower incomes or less education. For the study, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center recruited adults with CLBP from two community health centres that serve racially diverse , low-income neighbourhoods of Boston. 

They were randomly assigned to either a standardized 12-week series of hatha yoga classes or standard treatment including doctors visits and medications.
As part of the trial, the researchers asked participants to report their average pain intensity for the previous week, how their function is limited due to back pain, and how much pain medication they are taking.
The yoga group participated in 12 weekly 75-minute classes that included postures, breathing techniques, and meditation.
Classes were taught by a team of registered yoga teachers and were limited to eight participants. Home practice for 30 minutes daily was strongly encouraged.
Participants were provided with an audio CD of the class, a handbook describing and depicting the exercises, a yoga mat, strap, and block. AGENCIES

Newborns cry in their mother tongue.

EARLY LESSONS
Newborns cry in their mother tongue
Infants Begin Picking Up Elements Of Their First Language In The Womb
November 7 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

 
Washington: From their very first days, newborns cries already bear the mark of the language their parents speak, reveals a new study. The findings suggest that infants begin picking up elements of what will be their first language in the womb, and certainly long before their first babble or coo. 

The dramatic finding of this study is that not only are human neonates capable of producing different cry melodies, but they prefer to produce those melody patterns that are typical for the ambient language they have heard during their fetal life, within the last trimester of gestation, said Kathleen Wermke from the University of Wurzburg in Germany. Contrary to orthodox interpretations , these data support the importance of human infants crying for seeding language development.
Human fetuses are able to memorize sounds from the external world by the last trimester of pregnancy, with a particular sensitivity to melody contour in both music and language, earlier studies showed. 

Newborns prefer their mothers voice over other voices and perceive the emotional content of messages conveyed via intonation contours in maternal speech. Their perceptual preference for the surrounding language and their ability to distinguish between different languages and pitch changes are based on melody, Science Daily reported.
Although prenatal exposure to native language was known to influence newborns perception, scientists had thought that the surrounding language affected sound production much later, the researchers said. It now appears that isnt so. Wermkes team recorded and analyzed the cries of 60 healthy newborns, 30 born into French-speaking families and 30 born into German-speaking families, when they were three to five days old. That analysis revealed clear differences in the shape of the newborns cry melodies, based on their mother tongue. IANS

Avoid coffee during night shifts.

Avoid coffee during night shifts:
November 6 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

Night-shift workers should avoid drinking coffee if they wish to improve their sleep, according to new research. A study led by Julie Carrier, a University of Montreal psychology professor has found the main byproduct of coffee, caffeine, interferes with sleep and this side-effect worsens as people age. The combined influence of age and caffeine makes the sleep of middle-aged subjects particularly vulnerable to the circadian waking signal.

Experimental vaccine cures pre-cancer vulvar growths.

Experimental vaccine cures pre-cancer vulvar growths
November 6 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

An experimental vaccine cured nearly half of women with pre-cancerous growths on their genitals, producing major improvement in nearly four out of five, researchers in the Netherlands reported. We hope to get results like this in women with cancer, but those tests are in the future, team leader Gemma Kenter of Leiden University said. The vaccine is different from the Mercks Gardasil vaccine and GlaxoSmithKlines rival Cervarix, which are available to prevent cervical cancer caused by common forms of the human papillomavirus, known as HPV.

Renting clothes may help cut CO emissions.

Renting clothes may help cut CO emissions
November 5 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

The British Governments waste watchdog has determined that large wardrobes of seldom-used clothes are no longer environmentally acceptable and people should instead rent outfits and accessories, thus helping to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. According to the Times, a report by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has called for the transformation of a large part of the retail sector into a service industry specialising in renting goods, with each item used by many different people during its lifetime. WRAP has identified five categories of goods suitable for renting, namely, high-end clothing, glassware and tableware, tools and equipment for house and garden, vehicles, and telephone, audio and recreational equipment.

Antibiotics can cause birth defects.

CHOOSE WITH CARE
Antibiotics can cause birth defects
November 4 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

 
Chicago: Researchers studying antibiotics in pregnancy have found a surprising link between common drugs used to treat urinary infections with birth defects. Reassuringly , the most-used antibiotics in early pregnancy penicillins appear to be the safest. 

Bacterial infections can cause problems for the fetus if left unchecked, experts said, so pregnant women shouldnt avoid antibiotics entirely . Instead, women should discuss antibiotics choices with their doctors. The study is the first large analysis of antibiotic use in pregnancy. It found that mothers of babies with birth defects were more likely than mothers with healthy babies to report taking two types of antibiotics during pregnancy: sulfa drugs and urinary germicides called nitrofurantoins . 

It was the first time an association had been seen between urinary tract treatments and birth defects, said lead author Krista Crider, a geneticist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , which funded the research . Additional studies are going to need to be done to confirm these findings.
Used for many decades, the antibiotics in question predate the Food and Drug Administration and its requirements for rigorous safety testing. The FDA now grades all drugs for safety to the fetus based on available research , but rigorous studies are so lacking in many cases, that no antibiotics get the highest grade of A . 

Sulfa drugs are the oldest antibiotics and some animal studies have found harm during pregnancy. Nitrofurantoins previously have been viewed by doctors as safe to treat urinary tract infections during pregnancy. The study, appearing in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, may cause doctors to change the drugs they choose to treat pregnant women with infections. 

Susan Mehnert-Kay , a family practice doctor in Tulsa , Oklahoma, said the research is very interesting and would cause her to reconsider antibiotic choices in early pregnancy.
Birth defects linked to sulfa drugs included rare brain and heart problems, and shortened limbs. Those linked to nitrofurantoins included heart problems and cleft palate. The drugs seemed to double or triple the risk, depending on the defect. AP

2-year-old could die if she cries.

2-year-old could die if she cries:
November 4 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

A two-year-old girl in the UK endures a rare condition that could lead her to death if she burst into tears. Little Tianna Lewis McHugh suffers from an extreme form of the condition where simple crying could set off a seizure and block breathing as her skin turns white, her body stiffens and her heart stops beating. Parents Ceri Lewis and Andy McHugh revealed their daily struggle to keep Tianna from shedding those tears.

Obesity damages liver more than alcohol.

Cut the flab: obesity damages liver more than alcohol
November 2 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

London: Heres another reason why you should shed the flab excess weight can damage your liver more than alcohol , a leading doctor in UK has warned.
According to Christopher Hawkey, president of the British Society of Gastroenterology , obesity will overtake alcohol as the main cause of liver cirrhosis in the not too distant future . Obesity is the biggest health problem we face this century. It is almost certainly going to reverse the rise in life expectancy, so we start living shorter lives than before.
It will increase the risks of a number of cancers; hip and knee surgery requirement is going to be vast; and it is now projected to overtake alcohol as the biggest cause of liver cirrhosis within two decades, he said.
A poll of 1,959 people released on Sunday has found that while the majority understood that obesity could cause diabetes, high blood pressure and infertility, few understood its link to certain cancers or liver problems. 

 
New figures show a huge spike in the number of people under the age of 65 dying of liver disease while deaths linked to other problems, such as diabetes, cancers and stroke, have fallen for that age group.
The average age of death from liver disease is 59 compared to between 82 and 84 for heart disease and strokes. PTI

Mobile overuse may up tumour risk.

Mobile overuse may up tumour risk:
November 2 2009 | Times of India Bangalore
 

Though its not yet proved that cell phones cause brain cancer, a new study has claimed that long-term use of mobiles could up the risk of brain tumours. Researchers have based their findings on an analysis of the key 23 studies that have investigated the effects of the phone the study involved more than 12,000 patients who had developed brain tumours and 25,000 who hadnt . The study concluded mobile phone use of 10 years or longer was associated with an increased risk of tumours of up to 34 per cent, the Sunday Express reported.

Charcoal may help fight heart disease.

Charcoal may help fight heart disease, says study
November 2 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

New studies have found that charcoal can prove useful in dealing with the high rate of heart disease in patients with advanced kidney disease. It has been observed in the past that patients with advanced kidney disease have high rates of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries and death from heart disease. The form of oral activated charcoal a product called AST-120 has previously been used by doctors in emergency treatment for certain types of poisoning. But now, recent studies presented before the American Society of Nephrology have shown that AST-120 can be helpful in treating kidney disease as well.

Kissing was devised to spread germs.

Kissing was devised to spread germs
It Passes A Bug Dangerous In Pregnancy To Women, Giving Them Time To Build Immunity 

November 1 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

It is an international symbol of love and romance. But the kiss may have evolved for reasons that are far more practicaland less alluring. British scientists believe it developed to spread germs.
 

They say that the uniquely human habit allows a bug that is dangerous in pregnancy to be passed from man to woman to give her time to build up immunity.
Cytomegalovirus, which lurks in saliva, normally causes no problems. But it can be extremely dangerous if caught while pregnant and can kill unborn babies or cause birth defects. These can include problems ranging from deafness to cerebral palsy.
Writing in the journal Medical Hypotheses , researcher Dr Colin Hendrie from the University of Leeds said: Female inoculation with a specific males cytomegalovirus is most efficiently achieved through mouth-to-mouth contact and saliva exchange, particularly where the flow of saliva is from the male to the typically shorter female.
Kissing the same person for about six months provides optimum protection , he added. During a relatively chaste first kiss, just a small amount of virus is passed to the woman, cutting her odds of becoming ill. As the relationships progresses and the kisses become more passionate, her immunity builds up.
By the time she becomes pregnant, the odds of her unborn baby becoming infected are much lower. Previously scientists have claimed that kissing acts as a form of evolutionary quality control , with saliva holding clues to fertility , health and genes.
But the psychologists from Leeds and the University of Central Lancashire said these things can be judged without getting quite so intimate. Dr Hendrie said: Information concerning body tone, smell, reproductive condition, disease state and, of course, personal physical and oral hygiene can all be gained solely from close physical proximity.
The small amount of additional information from kissing is an unlikely pressure for its development. AGENCIES

Oz woman dies after using iron lung for 60 years.

Oz woman dies after using iron lung for 60 years
November 1 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

An Australian who spent a record-breaking 60 years confined to an iron lung after contracting polio died on Saturday in a Melbourne nursing home, aged 83. June Middleton was paralysed when she entered the respiratory chamber in 1949, aged 23, and doctors gave her a slim chance of survival. Middletons was permitted limited weekly outings free of the lung with the use of a portable chest respirator, and an automated page turner meant she could still read while being confined.

Alcohol, cigarettes beat LSD in list of harmful substances.

Alcohol, cigarettes beat LSD in list of harmful substances 

October 31 2009 | Times of India Bangalore 

London: Alcohol and cigarettes are more dangerous than illegal drugs such as cannabis, LSD and ecstasy, the British governments top drugs advisor has said. 

David Nutt of Imperial College London on Thursday called for a new system of classifying drugs to enable the public to better understand the relative harm of legal and illegal substances. 

Alcohol would rank as the fifth most harmful drug after heroin, cocaine, barbiturates and methadone, he said in a briefing paper for the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at Kings College London.
 

Tobacco would come ninth on the list and cannabis , LSD and ecstasy while harmful, are ranked lower at 11, 14 and 18 respectively . The ranking is based on physical harm, dependence and social harm. No one is suggesting that drugs are not harmful.The critical question is one of scale and degree, said Nutt,the chairman of the governments Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
 

He added: We have to accept young people like to experiment and what we should be doing is to protect them from harm . AFP

Wearing your cellphone on hip weakens pelvic bones.

Wearing your cellphone on hip weakens pelvic bones 

October 31 2009 | Times of India Bangalore 

Accra: Are you wearing the cellphone on the waist belt If yes, think twice.
In a new research, health experts have warned that wearing a cellphone on ones belt could lead to decreased bone density in the area of the pelvis that is commonly used for bone grafts.

The report, carried out by Tolga Atay and colleagues of Suleyman Demirel University in Turkey, is one of the first to document bone-weakening effects of cellphone use.
However, the researchers said that the findings were preliminary , said GNA. Even though findings have not been conclusive, the World Health Organisation and scientists have called for precaution in the use of cellphones.
It would be better to keep mobile phones as far as possible from our body during our daily lives. With long-term exposure , electro-magnetic fields from cellphones could weaken the bone, potentially affecting the outcomes of surgical procedures using bone grafts , the report said.
The report said the researchers measured bone density at the upper rims of the pelvis in 150 male cellphone users who carried their phones on their belts. Out of the 150 men, 122 carried their phones on the right side and 28 on the left side and they had all used cell phones for an average of six years. PTI

Junk food can hook bingers like heroin.

Junk food can hook bingers like heroin 

October 29 2009 | Times of India Bangalore 

London: A diet of junk food is almost as addictive as taking a drug like heroin, warn scientists. 

Researchers found that regularly eating doughnuts, burgers and chocolate cakes can become a substitute for happiness. And as years pass, a diet rich in these junk foods can lead bingers to effectively become hooked just like a drug addict, reports the Daily Express.
 

To reach the conclusion, Paul Kenny, a neuroscientist, carried out tests on rats.
The research shows how dangerous high fat and high sugar foods can be. You lose control. Its the hallmark of addiction, he said.
The researchers believe it is one of the first studies to suggest brains may react in the same way to junk food as they do to drugs.
This is the most complete evidence to date that suggests obesity and drug addiction have common neuro-biological foundations, said Paul Johnson, Kennys colleague.
Kenny, who began his research at Guys Hospital, London , but now works at Floridas Scripps Research Institute , divided rats into three groups for his research, due to be published in the US soon.
One got normal amounts of healthy food to eat. Another lot was given restricted amounts of junk food and the third group was given unlimited amounts of junk, including cheesecake, fatty meat products, and cheap sponge cakes and chocolate snacks.
There were no adverse effects on the first two groups, but the rats who ate as much junk food as they wanted quickly became very fat and started bingeing.
When researchers electronically stimulated the part of the brain that feels pleasure , they found that the rats on unlimited junk food needed more and more stimulation to register the same level of pleasure as the animals on healthier diets. AGENCIES

One cigarette is enough to ruin your health.

One cigarette is enough to ruin your health.

October 29 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

Lighting a single cigarette can have serious adverse effects on young adults, says a new study. Stella Daskalopoulou at McGill University Health Centre found that smoking one cigarette increases the stiffness of the arteries in 18 to 30 year olds by a whopping 25%. Arteries that are stiff or rigid increase resistance in the blood vessels, making the heart work harder-the stiffer the artery, the greater the risk for heart disease or stroke. Young adults aged 20-24 years have the highest smoking rate of all age groups in Canada. Our results are significant because they suggest that smoking just a few cigarettes a day impacts the health of the arteries. This was revealed very clearly when these young people were placed under physical stress, such as exercise, she said.

Pill doubles stroke risk.

Pill doubles stroke risk:
October 28 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

Oral contraceptives nearly double stroke risk, according to a study by three Loyola University neurologists. Nearly 100 million women worldwide use birth control pills. Pills nowadays contain much lower concentrations of estrogens than older preparations. There are about 4.4 ischemic strokes for every 100,000 women of childbearing age. Birth control pills increase the risk 1.9 times, according to a meta-analysis , which combines the results of multiple studies.

Contract killing for just Rs 150

Contract killing for just Rs 150
Pervez Iqbal Siddiqui | TNN | Oct 26 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

Lucknow: That the value of human life is going down by the day we all know. But, how low could it go In Etah district of Uttar Pradesh, police arrested an alleged contract killer who strangled an old man for just Rs 150 contract.

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The sequence of events related to the shocking incident on October 20, when the body of one Narottam was recovered from his house in Birampur village of Etah district . Prima facie, it appeared that the victim, aged around 80 years, was strangled with a nylon rope. A widower, Narottam lived all alone ever since his only child - a daughter - was married to a petty landless farmer Patwari Lal.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP), Etah, RK Chaturvedi, said in the absence of any apparent motive for the murder, investigators took to the theory of elimination to zero in on the suspects, but to no avail. Next, we began to shortlist those who have had or could have benefited from Narottams death. In the name of wealth there was a piece of four bigha land near GT Road, valued at an estimated Rs 25 lakh, Chaturvedi told TOI. 

 
Police soon discovered that Narottams daughter Sushila and her husband Patwari Lal were his heirs, hence the only ones to benefit from his death. Patwari began to sing without much effort. Confessing to have got Narottam murdered , he led the police to a brother-duo Rajpal and Veerpal . Patwari said his wife Sushila, who had a history of fits, was keeping unwell for months and he was in dire need of money for her treatment. When he suggested Narottam to sell off the land, the latter refused to oblige. He then hired the brother duo who strangled Narottam, SSP, Etah said.

Smoking can trigger back pain.

Smoking can trigger back pain: 

October 26 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

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 Canadian researchers have linked smoking to chronic lower back pain. In the study, boffins identified a higher rate of chronic lower back pain among people who smoke every day. According to Michael Cousins, the study found that smoking interferes with pain transmitters, causing osteoporosis. The condition resulted in chronic lower back pain which could also trigger a downward spiral in a persons life, he warned. Chronic pain is now regarded as a disease in its own right, said Cousins, who is a director at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney.

Mona Lisa smiling: Its all in your eyes.

Mona Lisa smiling Its all in your eyes 

Mystery Solved: Retina Cells Determine Whether You Can See Her Smile  

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October 26 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

Neuroscientists at the Institute of Neuroscience in Alicante, Spain claim to have solved the mystery as to why some people see the Mona Lisa smile and some dont . 

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According to boffins, Leonardo da Vincis Mona Lisa is both smiling and not smiling, depending on what cells in the retina pick up the image and through what channel the image is transmitted in the brain. 

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Sometimes one channel wins over the other, and you see the smile, sometimes others take over and you dont see the smile , says Luis Martinez Otero, a neuroscientist at Institute of Neuroscience in Alicante, Spain, who conducted the study along with Diego Alonso Pablos.
To get a fuller picture of the reasons behind Mona Lisas vanishing smile, Martinez Otero and Alonso Pablos varied different aspects of the Mona Lisa that are processed by different visual channels, and then asked volunteers whether they saw a smile or not.
To start with, the duo asked volunteers to look at the painting in varying sizes from varying distances. When the volunteers moved in closer, or viewed a larger copy, they began to see the smile and the larger the picture more likely they were to see it. This suggests that retinal cells that process deadcentre vision convey information about the smile just as well as the cells that contribute to peripheral vision. 

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Eye gaze also affects how volunteers see the smile, Martinez Otero says. With a minute to gaze at the painting, volunteers tended to focus on the left side of her mouth when judging her as smiling further evidence that dead-centre vision picks out the smile. 

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So did Leonardo intend to sow so much confusion in the brains of viewers, not to mention scientists Absolutely, Martinez Otero contends. He wrote in one of his notebooks that he was trying to paint dynamic expressions because thats what he saw in the street. ANI  

Interesting Facts on Forensic Science.

Forensic Science: Fact or Fiction
October 17 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

Surfing helps the elderly stave off dementia.

BOOSTING GREY MATTER | Surfing helps the elderly stave off dementia
Internet Stimulates The Mind More Strongly Than Reading: Study
Jonathan Leake | October 19 2009 | Times of India Bangalore
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Googling is good for grandparents. Internet use can boost the brain activity of the elderly, potentially slowing or even reversing the age-related declines that can end in dementia, researchers have found.

Using brain scans, they found the internet stimulated the mind more strongly than reading , and the effects continued long after an internet session had ended. We found that for older people with minimal experience, performing internet searches for even a relatively short time can change brain activity patterns and enhance function, said Gary Small, professor of neuroscience at University of California , Los Angeles (UCLA).
Small and his colleagues worked with 24 men and women aged between 55 and 78. They were asked to conduct a series of internet searches while their brains were scanned using a technique known as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This measures changes in blood flow around the brain to work out which parts are the most and least active.
After the initial scan, participants went home and used the internet to carry out specified tasks for an hour a day at least seven times over the next fortnight. Then they had another brain scan. Small and his colleagues found the impacts began immediately, with the first scan showing brain activity in regions controlling language, reading, memory and vision. By the second scan, the activated areas had spread to the frontal gyrus, an area important in working memory and decision-making .
Searching online may be a simple form of brain exercise for older adults, said Teena Moody, a UCLA researcher who co-wrote the report. Moody says internet searching challenges the brain more than reading as people need to perform several tasks at once, like holding information in memory while assessing data on screen and extracting the parts they want from graphics. SUNDAY TIMES, LONDON

Smoking ban cuts heart attack.

Smoking ban cuts heart attack 

Pam Belluck October 20 2009 | Times of India Bangalore 

Bans on smoking in places like restaurants, offices and public buildings reduce cases of heart attacks and heart disease, according to a report released on Thursday by a federally commissioned panel of scientists. 

The report, issued by the Institute of Medicine, concluded that exposure to second-hand smoke significantly increased the risk of a heart attack among both smokers and non-smokers . The panel also said it found that a reduction in heart problems began fairly quickly after a smoking ban was instituted and that exposure to low or fleeting levels of second-hand smoke could cause cardiovascular problems. 

Even a small amount of exposure to second-hand smoke can increase blood clotting, constrict blood vessels and can cause a heart attack , said Dr Neal L Benowitz, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco , and a member of the panel.
The report was commissioned by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

NYT NEWS SERVICE

Eating lots of fish causes diabetes.

Eating lots of fish causes diabetes.

October 20 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

New York: Making sure fish ends up on your dinner plate a couple of times a week may be a good way to cut your risk for developing heart disease, but it may not do the same for diabetes, new study findings hint. 

In the study, researchers found no evidence of reduced risk for diabetes among adults who ate more fish, or the essential omega-3 fatty acids obtained primarily from seafood.Rather, their findings suggest that eating 2 or more servings of fish a week may slightly increase diabetes risk. 
 

Dr Frank B Hu, at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues examined ties between fish and omega-3 fatty acid intake and the development of diabetes among 152,700 women enrolled in the Nurses Health Study and 42,504 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. REUTERS  

Now, instant facelift with a cup of coffee.

Now, instant facelift with a cup of coffee 

October 20 2009 | Times of India Bangalore 

 

London: Want to get rid of those pesky wrinkles Well, then forget lotions and grab a cup of coffee. 

  
Nescafe, brand of instant coffee made by Swiss-based manufacturer Nestle, has started selling a version aimed at women, and it comes with the beauty-enhancing ingredient collagen. 

 
So, instead of applying lotions to smooth out wrinkles, users can simply rely on a cup of coffee. Sachets contain coffee, skimmed milk and 200mg of collagen a protein found naturally in body tissue.
The precise beauty benefits of mixing collagen with coffee are unclear, but this product is part of a much wider trend known as nutri-cosmetics . 

This is where food and drink manufacturers promote new products by emphasising the positive effect they can have on the hair, eyes, skin or general appearance.
Collagen is just one popular ingredient used to lend a more skin/beauty-friendly image to a product , and is increasingly found not just in beauty products but also in food and drink products including coffee, the Daily Express quoted David Jago, director of trends and innovation at market analysts Mintel, as saying. 

The drink has so far made its debut only in Singapore.
But health experts questioned how drinking collagen could boost levels in the skin because it would be simply broken down by the gut before being excreted.
Collagen is the elastic material that helps give skin its shape. It is used by cosmetic surgeons as a filler to remove fine lines and is an ingredient in many anti-wrinkle creams. AGENCIES  

Vitamin pills can cause cancer.

Vitamin pills can cause cancer 

October 20, 2009 | Times of India Bangalore

 

London: Vitamin supplements do nothing to stave off illness and could even lead to cancer, a leading expert has warned.

Professor Martin Wiseman, medical and scientific adviser for the World Cancer Research Fund, has pointed out that people who regularly take vitamin and mineral supplements instead of eating a balanced diet are at greater risk.

 
Many people think they can reduce their cancer risk by taking supplements, but the evidence does not support this, the Daily Express quoted Wiseman as saying. Just because a dietary pattern that provides a relatively high level of a particular nutrient might protect against cancer, it does not mean taking it in tablet form will have the same effect. 

In fact, at high doses the effect of these micronutrients is unpredictable and can be harmful to health, Wiseman added. Research suggests that vitamins A and E can actually cause illness. Wiseman said: There are studies that show high doses of some supplements can increase risk of some cancers. ANI  

In Europe, heart attacks dip by 10% after smoking ban.

In Europe, heart attacks dip by 10% after smoking ban 

Jonathan Leake  | Times of India Bangalore | September 14 2009

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The ban on public smoking has caused a fall in heart attack rates of 10%, researchers have found.
Researchers commissioned by the British government have found a far sharper fall than they expected in the number of heart attacks across England in the year after the ban was imposed in July 2007.
In Scotland, where the ban was imposed a year earlier, heart attack rates have fallen by 14% because of the ban. The success of the public smoking ban is emerging as one of the most significant improvements in public health that UK has seen, even measured by heart attack rates alone.
Over time the ban should bring more benefits by cutting cancer and chronic pulmonary disease killers also caused by smoking. We are amazed by just how big and how rapid (the benefits) are, said John Britton, director of the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies at Nottingham University.
The research into heart attack rates in England is being led by Anna Gilmore of Bath University . There is already overwhelming evidence that reducing peoples exposure to cigarette smoke reduces hospital admissions due to heart attacks , she said.
Ellen Mason, a cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: Exposure to cigarette smoke induces rapid changes in blood chemistry , making it more prone to clotting . In someone who has damaged arteries, smoke exposure can tip the balance and cause an attack.
Similar results were reported in western Europe after smoking bans. France had a 15% drop in emergency admissions for heart attacks after a year, while both Italy and Ireland had an 11% reduction . SUNDAY TIMES, LONDON

Soon, drug to wipe out bad memories.

Soon, drug to wipe out bad memories 

John Harlow  | Times of India Bangalore | September 14 2009

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Scientists believe they could one day be able to create a drug to remove unhappy or embarrassing memories, from the death of a pet to childhood teasing or a failed love affair.
Research by Andreas Luthi, of the Friedrich Miescher Institute in Switzerland , has found that, after receiving treatment, laboratory animals stopped being scared of sounds associated with electric shocks, indicating the memories had been erased.
They had been given a drug that dissolves a sheath around the amygdala, an organ in the brain where mammals store memories of fear.
Joseph LeDoux of New York University said human brains had similar sheaths and that drug treatment and therapy could help human sufferers overwrite memories with cheerier thoughts.
A memory-cleansing pill formed the plot of the Oscarwinning film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, in which Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey erase memories of their soured love affair.
Ashok Hegde, a neurologist at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, said mockery topped many peoples lists of the memories they want to erase. SUNDAY TIMES, LONDON

Living near noisy roads raises BP.

Living near noisy roads raises BP

September 11 2009, Times of India Bangalore

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Individuals living near noisy roads are at greater risk of developing high blood pressure, says a new study. A team of researchers from Lund University Hospital, Sweden, investigated the association between living close to noisy roads and high blood pressure. We found that exposure above 60 decibels was associated with high blood pressure among the relatively young and middle-aged , an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke , lead researcher Theo Bodin said.

Smoking can help create stronger memories.

Smoking can help create stronger memories 

September 11 2009, Times of India Bangalore

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Smoking is injurious to health, everyone knows. Yet, a new study has claimed that it can help create stronger memories. Researchers, led by Baylor College of Medicine, have carried out the study and found that remembering what happened the night before might be easier for smokers as compared to non-smokers . According to them, this is because nicotine, the addictive component in cigarettes, tricks the brain into creating links between smoking and a feeling of well-being . They said that events such a drinking alcohol, dining with friends or even driving home from work can act as cues that give people the urge to light up, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Painkillers can be addictive in just 3 days.

Painkillers can be addictive in just 3 days.

September 07, 2009, Times of India Bangalore 

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London: Popular painkillers, which are routinely used to ease headaches, back problems and period pain, can cause addiction in just three days, the UK governments drug watchdog has warned. 

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The drugs, which contain codeine and include brand names such as Nurofen Plus and Solpadeine Plus, are taken by millions of people. However, official figures have shown that tens of thousands of people have become dependent on the drugs, many accidentally , with women most at risk of developing an addiction. 

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Growing concern about the spread of what experts describe as a hidden addiction , has led the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to announce a series of measures to counter the problem , reports the Telegraph.
The watchdog said that from next year all packets of the painkillers would carry a prominent label that read: Can cause addiction . For three days use only .
The pills will only be available in a maximum of 32 per packet without a prescription, instead of up to 100, and warnings will be repeated on leaflets inside.
Advertising will no longer state that the drugs are remedies for ailments such as coughs and colds; only that they can relieve acute and moderate pain.
The move follows a report in July by MPs on the all-party parliamentary group on drug misuse which highlighted the danger of the drugs. Official estimates state that 32,000 people are addicted to the painkillers but the MPs said that this was just the tip of the iceberg .
The drugs are particularly easy to abuse because they are available without a prescription, said experts. All contain codeine , an opiate related to heroin and morphine. After enjoying initial relief from pain, patients can find themselves taking pills in increasing numbers to gain the same effect.
There are examples of addicts taking up to 70 pills a day, putting them at risk of seriously damaging their health with complications such as stomach bleeding, liver problems, gallstones and depression. Users of codeine have said withdrawal symptoms include sweating, irritability, and nausea. AGENCIES

Worlds first cloned wolf dies.

Worlds first cloned wolf dies.

September 02 2009, Times of India Bangalore

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A scientist in South Korea says one of the worlds first cloned wolves has died for unknown reasons. Seoul National University professor Shin Nam-sik says the wolf, named Snuwolf, was found dead at its zoo on Aug 26. Shin, who was involved in the project that produced the two first cloned wolves in 2005, said on Monday that autopsy results will be released in about a week. Shin said the other cloned wolf remains healthy. Scientists at Seoul National University also created the worlds first cloned dog earlier in 2005. Their canine cloning was confirmed as genuine, but the published human stem cell work of another cloning expert at the university, Hwang Woo-suk , was later revealed as fraudulent.

World’s coldest place discovered.

World’s coldest place discovered.

September 02 2009, Times of India Bangalore

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Washington: Researchers have found the ideal spot for an observatory. The search for the best spot has led to the discovery of what is thought to be the coldest, driest, calmest place on Earth a place where no human is thought to have ever set foot.
The untouched stretch of Antarctic terrain Ridge A is expected to yield images of the heavens three times sharper than any ever taken from the ground.

The team combined data from satellites, ground stations and climate models to assess factors that affect astronomy cloud cover, temperature , sky-brightness , water vapour, wind speeds and atmospheric turbulence.
The researchers pinpointed a site, known simply as Ridge A, that is 4,053m high up on the Antarctic Plateau. It is not only particularly remote but extremely cold and dry.

The study revealed that Ridge A has an average winter temperature of -70 degree Celsius and that the water content of the entire atmosphere there is sometimes less than the thickness of a human hair.
It is also extremely calm, which means that there is very little of the atmospheric turbulence elsewhere that makes stars appear to twinkle: Its so calm that theres almost no wind or weather there at all, says Will Saunders, of the Anglo-Australian Observatory and visiting professor to UNSW, who led the study.
The astronomical images taken at Ridge A should be at least three times sharper than at the best sites currently used by astronomers, says Saunders.

Because the sky there is so much darker and drier, it means that a modestly-sized telescope there would be as powerful as the largest telescopes anywhere else on Earth, the expert added.
The site is located within the Australian Antarctic Territory . AGENCIES

Indian women puff their way to the top.

Indian women puff their way to the top 

Kounteya Sinha | TNN August 27 2009, Times of India Bangalore.

New Delhi: Indian women are among the worst in the world when it comes to smoking . According to the latest Tobacco Atlas, the country ranks third in the top 20 female smoking populations across the globe.
Only the US with 2.3 crore female smokers and China with 1.3 crore women smokers are worse off than India in this chart. However, as far as percentage of women smoking is concerned, it is below 20% for India. Among Indias immediate neighbours, only Pakistan figures in this infamous list, but right at the bottom at 20th with around 30 lakh female smokers.
Published by the American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation, the Atlas makes another serious observation female smokers in India die an average eight years earlier than their nonsmoking peers.
According to the Atlas, about 250 million women in the world are daily smokers 22% being from high resource countries and 9% from low and middle resource countries.  

H1N1 vaccine ready, India napping.

H1N1 vaccine ready, India napping 

August 30 2009, Times of India Bangalore.

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Several countries have booked millions of doses of anti-flu shots. But India is yet to place its first order with any company foreign or local Rupali Mukherjee | TNN
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New Delhi: The first batches of swine flu vaccine rolled out from Baxter Inc labs on Friday but theres little to cheer for India. While the first supplies from Baxter went to the British health network, subsequent batches from Baxter and other pharma companies have been booked by countries such as the US and the UK which are stockpiling the vaccine to ward off a harsher bout of swine flu. 

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While huge quantities 195 million and 90 million doses respectively are going to the US and the UK India is still miles from getting vaccines because the government has not entered into any pre-booking contracts with Novartis , GlaxoSmithKline or any others. More alarmingly, India also may not have its indigenous vaccine ready by February-March next year. 

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Neighbouring China has some 20-odd companies racing to get the vaccine in the market, with Sinovac Biotech perhaps the first company worldwide to complete clinical trials for influenza A vaccine.
The WHO said recently that countries in the northern hemisphere alone had ordered more than one billion doses of swine flu vaccine , sparking warnings about shortages , given the intense demand and production delays.
Developing an anti-flu vaccine (against the H1N1 virus) is the only way to protect people against the disease , which may become severe with the onset of winter and the even more dire possibility of the H1N1 virus mutating. Despite the swine flu touching 90, Indian health authorities have failed to move fast enough.

Giving It Their BEST SHOT
Has booked 195m anti-H 1N1 shots in all. Mass vaccinations to start by mid-October . 45m doses will be available at the start, followed by 20m doses every week

UK:  

Has booked 90m doses. Baxter to supply 30m, has begun delivery to govt

China:
Has booked 10m doses from Sinovac Biotech. Plans to inoculate 50% of urban population

France:
94m doses

Mexico 

40 m doses

India:
Yet to book a single dose. Indian firms unlikely to produce vaccine before May next year . 

UPDATING THIEVES :: Networking sites help burglars home in.

UPDATING THIEVES
Networking sites help burglars home in.

August 30, 2009 , Times of India Bangalore
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Scraps, Tweets Inform Not Only Friends But Also Criminals That Users Are Away On Holiday
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Sydney: Facebook users enthusing about an upcoming holiday or a recently purchased high-tech gadget may not just be telling their friends but also potential burglars, warns an insurance company.
A survey of 2,092 social media users by British-based Legal & General found 38%, or nearly four in ten, of people using social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter post details about holiday plans and 33% details of a weekend away.
Coupled with the finding that an alarmingly high proportion of users are prepared to be friends online with people they dont know, this presents a serious risk to the security of peoples home, said the insurer.
In a report called The Digital Criminal, Legal & General said that people used social media sites to connect with people who were essentially strangers , which could provide potential thieves with vital, personal information.
To test how readily people accepted friends online, Legal & Generals survey, conducted by European market researcher Opinion Matters, involved sending out 100 friend or follow requests to strangers selected at random. Of those 13% were accepted on Facebook and 92% on Twitter without any checks.
But despite these new friends, the survey found that 64%, or nearly two-thirds , of 16-24 year olds shared their holiday plans, with younger users the most likely to give away information about their whereabouts.
Men were found to be quite relaxed about giving personal information online, with 13% including their mobile number on their profile compared with 7 % of women. About 9% of men also posted their address compared to 4% of women.
This reaction could result in a complete stranger potentially being able to learn about a persons interests, location and movements in and out of their home, said Legal & General.
Reformed burglar Michael Fraser, who appears in BBCs Beat The Burglar series and helped Legal & General prepare the report, said this kind of information was being used by professional burglars to establish a list of targets.
I call it internet shopping for burglars. It is incredibly easy to use social networking sites to target people, and then scope out more information on their actual home ... all from the comfort of the sofa, said Fraser. REUTERS 

Researchers can detect a lie through handwriting.

Researchers can detect a lie through handwriting.

August 30 2009, Times of India Bangalore
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New York: For years, experts have been trying to crack the code of handwriting characteristics, in order to detect an individuals personality traits, or in most cases, gauge their innocence in the case of a crime.
Now, a team at the University of Haifa has come up with a computerised handwriting tool which it claims can provide ease and increased accuracy over common , verbal-based methods to detect a lie.
Researchers have utilised a computerised tablet that measures the physical properties of the subjects handwriting , which are difficult to consciously control, for examplethe duration of time the pen is on paper versus in the air, length and height and width of each writing stroke, the pressure that is implemented on the writing surface etc.
They have found that these handwriting characteristics differ when an individual is in process of writing deceptive sentences as opposed to truthful sentences.
According to researchers, the handwriting tool has the potential to replace, or work in tandem, with popular, verbal-based lie detection technology such as the polygraph to ensure greater accuracy and objectivity in law enforcement deception detection.
Additionally, polygraphs are often intrusive to the subject and sometimes inconclusive . PTI

Indian natural herb Tulsi to fight back swine flu..

Source: http://in.news.yahoo.com/242/20090812/1512/tls-indian-natural-herb-tulsi-to-fight-b_1.html

Ayurveda, the traditional 'science of life', has a remedy for diseases when every other stream of medicine fails. Now, at a time when swine flu is spreading like wildfire across the world, Ayurveda has the remedy in the form of the miraculous herb, the basil leaves commonly known as Tulsi.

Tulsi, the purest and most sublime plant, has been known and worshipped in India for more than five millennia for its remarkable healing properties. Considered as an 'Elixir of Life', this wonder herb has now been claimed to keep the deadly swine flu at bay and help fast recovery in afflicted persons.

"The anti-flu property of Tulsi has been discovered by medical experts across the world quite recently. Tulsi improves the body's overall defence mechanism including its ability to fight viral diseases. It was successfully used in combating Japanese Encephalitis and the same theory applies to swine flu," Dr U K Tiwari, a herbal medicine practitioner says.

Apart from acting as a preventive medicine in case of swine flu, Tulsi can help the patient recover faster.

"Even when a person has already contracted swine flu, Tulsi can help in speeding up the recovery process and also help in strengthening the immune system of the body," he claims.

Dr Bhupesh Patel, a lecturer at Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar is also of the view that Tulsi can play an important role in controlling swine flu.

"Tulsi can control swine flu and it should be taken in fresh form. Juice or paste of at least 20-25 medium sized leaves should be consumed twice a day on an empty stomach." This increases the resistance of the body and, thereby, reduces the chances of inviting swine flu," believes Patel.

As its name suggests, Tulsi has again proved to be the 'the incomparable' medicine - this time, in the prevention and cure of swine flu.

The symptoms of the H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with novel H1N1 flu virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. The high risk groups for novel H1N1 flu are not known at this time, but it's possible that they may be the same as for seasonal influenza. However, Please consult a practitioner in case of any such symptoms. Doctors have strictly advised against self medication.

(With PTI inputs)

Keep Yourself Updated with Rediff SwineFlu Updates..

Link: 

[[[ http://news.rediff.com/news/sflu-2009-commtry.html ]]]

Friends, today's sad news is that Swine Flu had destroyed a total of 17 lives in India... In continuation to my previous post stating how to stay alert and vigil over Swine Flu.. here in this Post i present a Rediff.com's Swine Flu Commentary...  Visit the above mentioned site to keep a record of the deaths and infected people.

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Apart from that stay updated on various areas like:

1.  List of govt hospitals authorised to treat swine flu  
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2. Everything you need to know about swine flu 
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3.  How to prevent getting and spreading H1N1
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4.  Guidelines for schools, colleges and institutions
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5.  More ways to prevent swine flu
. 

6. List of Isolation facilities
. 
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Link: 

[[[ http://news.rediff.com/news/sflu-2009-commtry.html ]]]

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Stay Healthy, Stay Vigil.

Debaroon Gupta

Blog Admin. 

Swine Flu :: What You should know...

Hello Friends...
Its hardly couple of days and India is already gripped by the infectious palm of Swine Influenza. A death in Pune, then several detected positive of this Virus. Pune, West Bengal, Mangalore and now Gujarat... The Swine Flu's Reign is expanding slowly.. 

Without taking much of your healthy time, Here i am listing out some links which would be helpful for you to understand this epidemic and also to stay away from it.. Do go through and shield yourself of the effects of this flu.

Link 1: World Health Org.: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/ 

Link 2: Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_influenza
Link 2.1: Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_flu_pandemic 

Link 3: Rediff.com: http://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/aug/07/slide-show-1-faq-on-swine-flu.htm

Link 4: SwineFluIndia: www.swinefluindia.com

Link 5: SwineFlu India: http://www.swineflu.co.in

Link 6: Google Search Results: http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q=swine+flu+india&btnG=Search&meta=&aq=f&oq= 

Take Care. Take good care of Swine Flu.
- Blog Administrator. 

More.. Indians and H1N1 (Swine Flu).

Govt: Pune girl got H1N1 vaccine late
Kounteya Sinha | TNN | Times of India Bangalore, August 4, 2009

India recorded its first H1N1 case in Hyderabad on May 16 and since then the virus has spread to almost 22 cities across the country. Explaining the series of events that led to the death of the 14-year-old girl from Pune, Maharashtras health secretary Sharvari Gokhale told TOI, On July 21, the girl first showed symptoms. She then consulted a general practitioner and kept attending school till July 23. Two days later, she reported high fever. She was then admitted to Jehangir hospital , a private nursing home on July 27. Her condition worsened following which she was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit and was put on a ventilator on July 29.
On July 31,her throat and nose swab was sent to National Institute of Virology (Pune) which confirmed that she was infected with H1N1.The same day,almost 10 days after her symptoms first appeared, she was administered the first dose of Tamiflu , which was too late, Gokhale said. Inspite of telling people, day in and day out that in case they show symptoms of H1N1, they should immediately report only to stipulated government hospitals, the instructions are not followed. We are sending a team tomorrow to trace all contact cases in the school, Gokhaleadded.
 
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Indian woman dies in Singapore
TNN | Times of India Bangalore, August 4, 2009

A 29-year-old Indian woman suffering from swine flu died in Singapore on Monday, becoming the sixth victim of the dreaded disease in two weeks in the country, according to media reports. The woman had no underlying medical conditions other than being obese. All five others who have so far died had pre-existing illnesses or chronic conditions. TNN