News

On Saturday 9 November 2024, Channel 4 broadcasts Ottoman Empire by Train with Alice Roberts!

Season 1 Episode 3 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Ottoman Empire by Train with Alice Roberts” promises an exciting journey through history. This episode, set to air on Channel 4, takes Alice to the vibrant city of Istanbul. Here, she explores the fascinating story of how the Ottomans managed to conquer the city, which was once thought to be impossible to take from the Romans.

As Alice walks through the streets of Istanbul, she delves into the strategies and events that led to the Ottoman victory. The episode offers a chance to learn about the rich history of the city and the significant role it played in the rise of the Ottoman Empire. Viewers can expect engaging storytelling, as Alice brings to life the challenges faced by the Ottomans during their conquest.

In addition to the historical insights, Alice...

Southern Charm star Craig Conover is opening up about what happened with his law career. Southern Charm Season 3 featured the process of Craig trying to finish up passing the bar. The season featured some of the struggles that Craig went through to achieve his goal of becoming a lawyer. Fans have been curious about what happened with Craig’s law career.

Craig Reveals What Happened

Fans have been curious about what happened to Craig being a lawyer as he was adamant that was his career goal in the earlier seasons of Southern Charm. During a recent Q&a on Instagram Craig answered fan questions about his law career. One fan has Conover’s former professor and they shared their mutual love of the professor. The fan said “Prof Alexander told me she adores you!! I have her for prop lmao & she said you got an A hah.” Craig replied, “I...

A glimpse at upcoming UK DVD and Blu-ray release dates until early 2025: here’s what’s coming to disc and when.

Here, then, are a few of the upcoming dates for new movies on DVD and Blu-ray that may not yet have been officially announced. Note that all dates are for the UK.

Also: We’ve started adding affiliate links. If you click on those, we benefit, and can spend more money paying more people to write more things for this website. No pressure, just hugely obliged.

Obviously in the current climate everything is subject to change, of course…

Just released

First Time On UK Blu-ray: No Way Out (Film Stories Blu-ray #2)

First Time On UK Blu-ray: Bull Durham (Film Stories Blu-ray #3)

14th October: The Stones And Brian Jones

14th October: That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime: The Movie

14th October: The Mouse Trap

14th October: Twisters...

On Monday 10 June 2024, BBC Four broadcasts The Sky at Night!

Episode Summary

In this episode of “The Sky at Night” on BBC Four, viewers are in for a spine-tingling treat as the show takes on a spooky twist. This month, the team delves into the mysteries of the universe, exploring hidden objects that astronomers and scientists believe exist but cannot see. To unravel these cosmic enigmas, the team embarks on a ghost hunting adventure with a celestial twist.

Led by Prof Chris Lintott and Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, the team ventures to Provan Hall, one of the oldest buildings in Glasgow with a rich history spanning over 550 years. This historic site has been the subject of numerous ghost sightings throughout its existence, making it the perfect location for cosmic ghost hunting.

As the team explores the eerie surroundings of Provan Hall, viewers are treated to a fascinating journey through space and time,...

The Sky at Night takes on a spooky twist this month. The episode, titled “Cosmic Ghosts,” airs on Monday 10 June, explores the hidden objects in our universe that astronomers and scientists believe exist, despite being invisible to the naked eye. Prof Chris Lintott and Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock visit Provan Hall in Glasgow, a site […]

The Sky at Night: Cosmic Ghosts...

Prepare to explore the mysteries of the cosmos with a spooky twist in the latest episode of “The Sky at Night,” airing at 10:00 Pm on Monday, June 10, 2024, on BBC Four. This month, the show takes on a ghostly theme as it delves into the realm of hidden objects across the universe that astronomers and scientists believe exist but cannot be seen.

Hosted by Prof Chris Lintott and Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, the episode takes viewers on a cosmic ghost hunting adventure at Provan Hall, one of the oldest buildings in Glasgow with a history spanning 550 years. With several supposed ghost sightings recorded throughout its long history, Provan Hall serves as the perfect backdrop for the team’s investigation into the existence of these mysterious objects.

As the team explores the connections between cosmic phenomena and paranormal sightings, viewers are in for a thrilling and thought-provoking journey through the realms of space and the supernatural.

Invincible Season 2 ended its month-long remaining run of episodes, closing out on its big finale with Mark Grayson facing off against Angstrom Levy, who sends the young hero across the multiverse. Given that this was hotly anticipated by fans, the show had a very tough nut to crack with the cameo of a beloved superhero: Spider-Man.

Invincible Season 2

However, it must be noted that the rights to the Team-Up comics sit with Marvel Comics, and the license to use these characters for streaming, is with Sony. This would have caused Amazon to put in a tremendous amount of money for the finale, for a relatively short cameo. However, Invincible was able to come up with a great substitute that brought not one, but two separate Marvel characters into the show (in a manner of speaking)

A spider-themed hero did make a cameo in Invincible Season 2

Agent Spider in Invincible Season 2 Episode 8

Josh Keaton,...

His portrayals of the idiosyncratic, moustache-fanatic, and rule-imposing Bhawani Shankar or the stern Acp Dhurandhar Bhatawadekar in a brace of breezy Bollywood comedies are undeniably unforgettable, but he played a more realistic role in ‘Guddi’ – that gentle deconstruction of the glittering yet hollow edifice of filmdom.

Utpal Dutt, as Prof Gupta in the 1971 film, knows neither scolding nor advice will change the filmstar-struck teenager (then Jaya Bhaduri in her first Hindi film), and the only way out is to let her indulge in fascination with films and learn first-hand the artificiality, heartbreaks, and struggle that lies behind them.

Portraying a teacher, with innovative ideas, was not difficult for Dutt, who was born on this day (March 29) in Bengal’s Barisal (now in Bangladesh) in 1929. He had been an English teacher in (then) Calcutta’s South Point School in the 1950s and earned his students’ admiration for his insights into literature,...

Fremantle Completes Asacha Deal

Fremantle has completed its big-money acquisition of Death in Paradise producer Asacha Media Group. The super-indie notified this morning that the deal, which was revealed several weeks ago, has gone through, and will see the Poor Things maker acquire the group from Asacha’s founding partners, managers and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management. Fremantle hasn’t revealed how much Asacha cost but has said it has spent more than €200M ($216M) on both Asacha and 80% of Singapore’s Beach House Pictures since the start of this year. Fremantle takes hold of an eight-label group including Death in Paradise producer Red Planet, Arrow Media and Italy’s Stand By Me. Headquartered in Paris, France, Asacha will continue to be run by Co-Founder and Group CEO Gaspard de Chavagnac who will report to Fremantle’s Andrea Scrosati. De Chavagnac will continue to be supported by Marina Williams...

The star known as Miss Moneypenny in Never Say Never Again and Prof Rachel Jensen in Doctor Who has died aged 80

Pamela Salem, known for her role as James Bond’s secretary Miss Moneypenny in Sean Connery’s Never Say Never Again, has died at the age of 80. The British actor, who also had a role in 1978 crime film The Great Train Robbery opposite Connery, died on Wednesday according to Big Finish Productions.

Born in 1944 in India, she attended Heidelberg university in Germany and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, before starting in repertory theatre in Chesterfield and York. She also appeared in US drama series The West Wing, where she played the UK prime minister, and medical series ER.

The green baize artist comes across as an all-round nice bloke as he amicably and candidly reveals his struggles with mental health, addiction and M&s scones

It’s the final of the 2022 World Snooker Championships, and a TV pundit is showering compliments on Ronnie O’Sullivan, who’s back in his stride after losing a couple of frames to Judd Trump. “He just looks so relaxed, so cool,” marvels the pundit. Behind the scenes, we’ve just watched O’Sullivan nervy, on the edge of a meltdown, and venting at his psychiatrist, Prof Steve Peters. “Fuck me, I feel bashed up Steve,” he says. It’s one of the biggest games of O’Sullivan’s career; if he wins, he’ll have seven world crowns – equalling Stephen Hendry’s modern-era record. At 46, who knows how many finals he’s got left in him? As history records, O’Sullivan did get past Trump,...

Lucknow, Sep 13 (Ians) More than half of the sepsis patients that are admitted for treatment at King George’s Medical University (Kgmu) have been found to be antibiotic resistant.

According to experts, resistance is caused by overuse or misuse of antibiotics.

Head of the respiratory critical care department, Prof Ved Prakash explained that sepsis or septicaemia, or infection in the blood can lead to damage in multiple parts of the body.

Decreased blood pressure can result in multi-organ failure and even death. “What is concerning is that antibiotic resistance is found in sepsis cases,” he added.

Prof Ved Prakash said that out of over 2,000 ICU patients treated annually in their department, more than 1,000 have developed antibiotic resistance.

This resistance significantly increases their risk of contracting sepsis.

Highlighting the reason, he said, “People are indiscriminately using antibiotics for minor issues like colds and coughs, often without a doctor’s prescription. This...

London, Sep 12 (Ians) Women who have been treated for cancer as a child with a certain type of chemotherapy have an increased risk of breast cancer, according to a large-scale international study of survivors of childhood cancer.

Three out of four children with cancer are successfully treated and survive the disease.

But the treatment, which often consists of a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, can cause serious side effects and late effects in some survivors. One of those late effects is developing a second cancer in adulthood, said scientists from the Princess Maxima Center for paediatric oncology in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

“We work hard to make treatment for children with cancer more effective, and to improve the quality of life during and after treatment. In our research we saw that the majority of survivors fortunately do not get breast cancer at a young age. But a number of patient...

Lucknow, Sep 7 (Ians) One woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every four minutes in India while the average age of Indian women at diagnosis is almost a decade younger to their western counterparts.

Prof Anand Misra, HoD endocrine surgery department, King George’s Medical University, gave this information, citing the Globocan 2020 study.

“This increase in the incidence of breast cancer in India has dramatically increased the need for qualified breast surgeons equipped to treat these patients,” said Prof Mishra.

“Kgmu Breast Update 2023, a two-day conference beginning Friday will focus on early breast cancer diagnosis and oncoplastic surgery techniques under the theme “Let’s do oncoplasty,” said Prof Misra, the organising chairman of the event.

Dr Kul Ranjan Singh, organising secretary of the conference, said, “New technologies have changed how we identify breast cancers early, and treatment has changed from radical surgery to breast-conserving surgeries with similar prognosis and outcomes. Oncoplastic...

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (Iit) Delhi on Friday unveiled a novel human-computer interface hand-exoskeleton device named RoboExo Smart. Stroke is a debilitating condition that severely impacts the brain functions of the patient, making him/her paralysed for the rest of their life.

Designed and developed Dr Amit Mehndiratta and Dr Neha Singh along with a committed team in the Centre of Biomedical Engineering (Cbme) at Iit Delhi, the transformative robotic exoskeleton device for upper limb rehabilitation aims to alleviate the paralysing effects of strokes.

Conventional rehabilitation methods often fall short in treating stroke patients, with physiotherapy proving labour-intensive and subjective assessment.

But, the exoskeleton synchronises wrist and finger joint movements, significantly enhancing daily functions and minimising muscle rigidity. Its muscle activity-controlled interface, adaptable settings, and real-time performance feedback promise a journey toward swiffer recovery.

The trailblazing device uniquely addresses size and cost concerns plaguing conventional robotic solutions.

New Delhi, Aug 31 (Ians) The heavily-mutated new BA.2.86 Omicron variant is seeing a rapid increase in cases globally, with the number rising to 25. However, experts state that there is nothing to worry about.

After just three cases the World Health Organization (Who) had declared it a variant under monitoring (Vum), and also called for closer monitoring of the variant to understand its spread and severity.

BA.2.86, which is a spin-off of the BA.2 version of Omicron, was first detected in Denmark on July 24. It has so far infected people in the UK, US, Israel, Denmark, South Africa, Portugal, Thailand and Switzerland, Sweden, Canada and Scotland.

It carries over 35 mutations in crucial parts of the virus when compared to Xbb.1.5. This mutation count is roughly similar to the original Omicron variant that caused a surge in infections compared to its predecessors.

But BA.2.86 “will not be more severe. Like other Omicron sub-lineages,...

Seoul, Aug 28 (Ians) Eating a salt-free diet can reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke by almost a fifth, finds a study.

According to the study, led by researchers from the Kyungpook National University Hospital in South Korea, people who always add salt to their foods are 22 per cent more likely to suffer atrial fibrillation than those who never (18 per cent), or sometimes (15 per cent) add it.

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots in the heart. It increases the risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. People with Af are five times more likely to have a stroke.

“Our study indicates that lower frequency of adding salt to foods was associated with lower risk of Af,” said lead author Yoon Jung Park of Kyungpook National University Hospital.

For the study, presented at...

New Delhi, Aug 27 (Ians) With Chandrayaan-3 scripting history by becoming the first to land on the South Pole of the Moon, the Indian space sector has made a successful mark globally, experts have said.

The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (Isro) Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft consisted of a propulsion module, a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan (26 kg). It landed near the South Pole of the Moon on August 23 after travelling about 3.84 lakh km for over 40 days.

“From the international perspective, India is viewed as a space giant nation due to its tremendous progress in recent times. Indeed, India is an emerging space power as Isro successfully marks its footprints globally because of its capability in achieving goals in a cost-effective and time-efficient manner,” Prof Santabrata Das, Department of Physics, Iit Guwahati, told Ians.

“In particular, Isro has gained trust among the developing countries who continuously seek assistance in building...

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 23 (Ians) A team of researchers at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (Rgcb) here has found that dengue, a recurring tropical disease that witnesses an outbreak in the monsoon, becomes more severe and hostile in animal models when its virus (Denv) while being grown in mosquito-derived cells is exposed to higher environmental temperature.

The research, which can phenomenally help in predicting and mitigating the severity and virulence of dengue, has assumed critical importance as it seeks to establish the impact of global warming on the disease, with an estimated global disease burden of 390 million cases per year (Who).

The study was recently published in The Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology (Faseb) journal of America.

Dr Easwaran Sreekumar, who led the research team, said: “The body temperature of mosquitoes is not constant as in higher animals and it increases or decreases with the environmental temperature… So far...

Lucknow, Aug 17 (Ians) The doctors at King George’s Medical University have performed a complex yet successful C-section surgery on a 26-year-old woman suffering from a rare heart condition called Eisenmenger syndrome (Es).

This was the third successful surgery of its kind, out of four cases in the past two years.

Doctors claimed it is the highest survival rate for pregnant women with Es, a rare illness, among government hospitals in the country.

Seven out of every 1 lakh adults might have this condition. The chances of survival are quite low and 65-70 per cent pregnancy can make Es even worse. Doctors from Who suggest that women with this condition should not get pregnant.

Pregnant woman Nilima came from Gorakhpur to Kgmu’s Queen Mary’s Hospital last week.

She was in the last trimester of her pregnancy and had trouble in breathing and experiencing palpitations.

The doctors diagnosed she had a heart condition,...

San Francisco, Aug 13 (Ians) Tech major Ibm has said that its prototype ‘brain-like’ chip could make artificial intelligence (AI) more energy efficient.

There are growing concerns about the emissions generated by the large warehouses filled with computers that power AI systems, reports the BBC.

According to Ibm, its prototype could lead to more efficient, less battery-draining AI chips for smartphones.

The prototype’s effectiveness is due to components that function similarly to connections in human brains, the tech major said.

Compared to traditional computers, “the human brain is able to achieve remarkable performance while consuming little power”, said scientist Thanos Vasilopoulos, based at Ibm’s research lab in Zurich, Switzerland.

Vasilopoulos said that superior energy efficiency would mean “large and more complex workloads could be executed in low power or battery-constrained environments”, such as cars, mobile phones and cameras.

“Additionally, cloud providers will be able to use these chips to...

London, Aug 8 (Ians) Extreme events in Antarctica such as ocean heat waves and ice loss will almost certainly become more common and more severe, according to researchers.

With drastic action now needed to limit global warming to the Paris Agreement target of 1.5 degrees Celsius, the scientists warn that recent extremes in Antarctica may be the tip of the iceberg.

The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Science, reviews evidence of extreme events in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, including weather, sea ice, ocean temperatures, glacier and ice shelf systems, and biodiversity on land and sea.

It concludes that Antarctica’s fragile environments “may well be subject to considerable stress and damage in future years and decades” — and calls for urgent policy action to protect it.

“Antarctic change has global implications,” said lead author Prof Martin Siegert, from the University of Exeter.

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero...

London, Aug 1 (Ians) Men and women who follow a vegetarian diet face a 50 per cent greater risk of a hip fracture compared to people who regularly eat meat, according to a large-scale study.

Researchers at the University of Leeds analysed data on 413,914 people — both men and women — and gave the first evidence that vegetarian men also face a greater risk of hip fracture than men who regularly eat meat.

“Hip fractures are a growing problem in an ageing society, and can trigger debilitating health conditions and a loss of quality of life,” said James Webster, a doctoral researcher in the School of Food Science and Nutrition who led the study.

“While vegetarian diets have health benefits, understanding diet quality and the balance of key nutrients may help to reduce risk and improve future bone health,” added Prof Janet Cade, who leads the Nutritional Epidemiology Group at the varsity.

The study,...

London, Aug 1 (Ians) Combining ultrasound and Mri technology can help detect prostate cancer at an earlier stage, accelerate treatment and potentially save more lives, according to a new research led by one of Indian-origin.

The study, published in the journal Radiology, showed that a fusion of ultrasound and Mri at targeted biopsy can detect more clinically significant prostate cancer lesions than existing detection methods.

The current methods available for diagnosis and treatment are significantly flawed. The most common tests used are PSA blood test, digital rectal examination, Mri scans, and biopsy.

Each carries significant problems, with Mri scans unable to always give a definitive answer. Ultrasound has similar issues, however, combining the two forms of biopsy could potentially increase the detection rate of cancers.

According to Ghulam Nabi, Professor of Surgical Uro-oncology at the University of Dundee, in Scotland, “as with all cancers, the earlier that prostate cancer is detected...

New Delhi, July 17 (Ians) A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between All India Football Federation (Aiff) and Imt Ghaziabad in a bid to empower Indian football through research and innovation, here on Monday.

Shaji Prabhakaran, secretary general, Aiff, Razek Zaman, Head- Partnerships & Collaborations, Dr Vishal Talwar, Director- Imt Ghaziabad, Kanishka Pandey, Head-Sports Research Centre Imt Ghaziabad, Prof Nivisha Singh and Prof Nihar Amoncar amongst other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Shahji said that this is the first example for India when a reputed educational institution has come forward to promote football as well and is doing research in this scientific manner.

Imt Ghaziabad Director Vishal Talwar said that the world’s famous universities Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford are not only leading in academics, but the students of these universities are leading among Olympic medal winners.

Imt Ghaziabad has come forward to take initiatives to promote sports in the country...

King Charles‘ second coronation in Edinburgh introduced a significant change to the traditional royal protocol. This grand event, part of the annual Royal Week, highlighted a deviation from the norm as the monarch received the Scottish Crown Jewels.

The historic Sword of State, typically an integral part of the ceremony, was replaced with a new ceremonial sword. Called The Elizabeth, this contemporary piece offers a unique fusion of tradition and modernity while honoring the late Queen.

King Charles III is presented with the Elizabeth Sword by Dame Katherine Grainger | Andrew Milligan – Pool/Getty Images King Charles’ Scottish Coronation will feature a new ceremonial sword

Charles was the center of attention at his second coronation event in Edinburgh. This grand ceremony was one of the highlights of the annual Royal Week, where the reigning monarch sets up residence at the Palace of Holyrood House.

The coronation procession commenced along the famed Royal Mile,...

New Delhi, July 5 (Ians) Sirolimus-drug coated balloon (Scb) could be the best alternative to drug-eluting stents in the treatment of various coronary artery diseases (Cad), according to top cardiologists.

The alternative is especially valuable for young patients with multiple blocks and underlying conditions that may render angioplasty procedures with drug-eluting stents ineffective, said the doctors at the educational session cum knowledge feast titled “Sirolimus Drug Coated Balloons (Dcb): Expanding the Scope of Coronary Artery Diseases (Cad)” held in Mumbai on Tuesday.

“The utilisation of drug-coated balloons in coronary intervention is consistently growing,” said Prof Antonio Colombo, Director, Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan.

“Initially developed to address in-stent restenosis and avoid additional stenting, their application has now expanded to de novo lesions, particularly in cases of small vessel diffuse disease, where the risk of restenosis and stent thrombosis is high,” he added.

Further, the doctor said that diabetic patients are highly...

Sydney, July 2 (Ians) Opioid pain relievers have no benefit for people suffering from acute lower back and neck pain, and rather carry misuse risks, warned a study published in The Lancet.

Results of the first randomised controlled trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of opioid pain relievers for acute lower back and neck pain with a follow-up of one year, showed there was no significant difference in pain levels in patients with lower back or neck pain who were given opioid pain relievers compared to those given a placebo.

Further, it carried the risk of future dependence, misuse, and overdose.

Lower back and neck pain are very common worldwide. Clinical guidelines currently recommend opioid pain relievers for patients where other treatments have failed or are contraindicated, but there are concerns around the strength of the evidence to support this recommendation.

“Our study now suggests that they could be making...

London, June 29 (Ians) Researchers have found that the “very online” Gen Z and millennials are most vulnerable to fake news by performing the first misinformation susceptibility test (Mist), a new study has shown.

Psychologists from the UK-based University of Cambridge have developed the first validated “misinformation susceptibility test” — a short quiz that indicates whether you are susceptible to being duped by fabricated news flooding the internet.

The researchers performed a series of experiments involving over 8,000 participants taking place over two years.

The survey used the 20-point test by researchers and developed using an early version of ChatGPT, and has found that — on average — adult US citizens correctly classified two-thirds (65 per cent) of headlines they were shown as either real or fake.

However, younger adults were worse than older adults at identifying false headlines, and the more time someone spent online recreationally, the less likely they were to be able to tell real news from misinformation,...

Musk told reporters in conversations following his meeting with Modi on Tuesday, "He really cares about India because he’s pushing us to make significant investments in India, which is something that we intend to do and we’re just trying to figure out the right timing."

It was a change of plans for the mercurial Musk who had earlier refused to consider manufacturing in India unless India lowered tariffs for imported Teslas to be sold in India.

Modi "really wants to do the right thing for India," he said.

Modi wants to make sure that the advantage from investments "accrues to India’s advantage, which is, you know, obviously, that’s the job," he added.

India has more "promise than any large country in the world," he said.

If Tesla comes to India, it will be following the pattern of companies like Apple diversifying their manufacturing from China because...

Lucknow, June 20 (Ians) With medicines out of stock, patients suffering from the Hepatitis C virus (Hcv) who come to King George’s Medical University (Kgmu) here, hoping to receive free treatment for their condition, are being forced to turn back or purchase medicines from the open market at a cost of around Rs 8,000-10,000.

Patients in advanced stages of liver cirrhosis require two critical drugs for their treatment. Currently, approximately 200-250 Hcv patients are undergoing treatment at Kgmu and an equal number of new patients are registered here on a monthly basis.

The university receives drugs from the Centre under the National Health Mission (Nhm), but the existing stock is only sufficient for old patients.

Officials mentioned that the new stock was expected to arrive 30 days ago but did not. Kgmu officials have submitted a request letter to the Nhm addressing the urgent need to replenish the medicine stock.

A...

Lucknow, June 20 (Ians) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has asked the CMOs and CMSs of all government hospitals to reserve 10-15 beds in the emergency departments and create separate wards for patients suffering from heat-related diseases, including diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and abdominal pain.

Additionally, at least two beds should be reserved in the ICU, he said.

Besides, he directed the officials to ensure prompt availability of symptomatic treatment and make adequate arrangements of glucose, Ors, and medicine for vomiting, stomach pain and gas.

Pathak further stressed that hospitals should ensure heat protection to patients.

To accomplish this, fans, coolers, air conditioners, etc. should be operational, and a sufficient number of water coolers should be installed to ensure that patients do not face any inconvenience in accessing cool and clean water.

Meanwhile, with persistent heat wave giving rise to cases of dehydration, diarrhoea, indigestion and heat strokes, experts have...

After Peter Hotez, a leading vaccine researcher and expert who helped develop the Covid vaccine Corbevax, called out Democratic presidential candidate and anti-vaxxer Robert R. Kennedy Jr for spreading “nonsense” on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Rogan offered Hotez $100,000 to debate Kennedy on his podcast.

Kennedy appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience on Thursday and repeated his claim that routine vaccinations cause autism.

That prompted Dr. Hotez, an MD/PhD who is Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, to label Kennedy’s statements as “misinformation.” Hotez retweeted Vice’s story “Spotify Has Stopped Even Sort of Trying to Stem Joe Rogan’s Vaccine Misinformation” writing, “Just awful. And from all the online attacks I’m receiving after this absurd podcast, it’s clear many actually believe this nonsense.”

Also Read:

Meta Will Stop Removing Covid-19 Misinformation on Facebook, Instagram

Rogan then...

London, June 15 (Ians) Even as the UK government attempts to prepare for new pandemics, the country’s scientists have warned about a new ‘deadly virus’ that kills nearly every second patient.

The government’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee was informed of a “highly likely” arrival of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (Cchf) due to climate change, the Mirror reported.

According to the World Health Organisation (Who), Cchf has a mortality rate of up to 40 per cent and is difficult to prevent or treat as it spreads by ticks or animal tissue.

It is also on the Who’s list of “priority” diseases, and it’s found in eastern Europe and now France.

The scientists noted that Cchf infections may not be picked up by doctors in the NHS, as previously they hadn’t been expected, the scientists informed the Committee.

Prof James Wood, head of veterinary medicine at Cambridge University, told...

Lucknow, June 15 (Ians) The King George’s Medical University (Kgmu) here has launched a voluntary donors’ registry booklet to help patients in dire need of platelet transfusions.

The booklet contains contact numbers, consent letters and details of the blood group of 6,000 voluntary donors who want to donate platelets in case of emergency.

Head of transfusion medicine, Kgmu, Prof Tulika Chandra said, “For the first time in Uttar Pradesh a blood bank is introducing a registry that will prove beneficial to patients who do not have donors.”

Meanwhile, the government hospitals in Lucknow have decided to provide ‘donor blood’ to patients.

Patients undergoing treatment in the government hospitals will be able to take donor blood on the advice of doctors.

While Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (Rmlims) will provide blood units to all those patients who do not have donors on Thursday and Friday, Kgmu will provide B and...

Lucknow, June 13 (Ians) Prolonged use of ear buds by the young generation is causing severe ear infection.

Prof Virendra Verma, head of Kgmu Ent department said, “Every week, we come across four cases of ear infection in which extended use of earphones is common. The infections increase more during hot and humid weather because of moisture in the environment.”

He added, “Five to six years ago, such cases were rare. Studies have proven that prolonged usage of earphones has increased the prevalence of hearing loss in adolescents and young adults between the ages of 16 and 30.”

Explaining the reasons behind the infection as well as hearing loss, Dr Rakesh Srivastava, president of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India (Aoi) in Lucknow, who sees around seven such cases weekly, said the ear canal needs air just like the rest of our body, and keeping it closed for a long time leads to sweat buildup and infection.

Lucknow, June 13 (Ians) Nearly 40 per cent of cancer cases are caused by tobacco, alcohol and pan masala, 4 per cent cases are genetic and 10 per cent are related to cleanliness, while there is no clue about 20 per cent cancer cases.

Prof Pankaj Chaturvedi, Head Cancer Surgeon and Deputy Director of Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, said: “We have no clue as to what causes blood and bone cancer. It is very important to know the causes. There is a misconception about cancer in society.”

Prof Chaturvedi, in his presentation at the efficiency enhancement lecture on ‘Victory over Cancer’ held at the Lok Bhawan here on Monday, said that 70,000 cancer patients have been treated in Varanasi hospital so far and 25,000 patients are getting registered every year, yet there has been no drop in cancer patients getting admitted to cancer hospitals in Mumbai as they had thought of.

Prof. Chaturvedi further pointed out: “The...

Hyderabad, June 4 (Ians) Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar has said that the threat of pandemics is far from over and called for integrating and strengthening One Health-based surveillance system.

She was addressing the third health working group meeting under G20 India Presidency which began here on Sunday.

Underlining the importance of global collaboration and partnerships, she said “the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted that partnerships are most fruitful only when developed during peacetime and not amidst an ongoing pandemic; and that we need to focus on creating resilient health systems, with primary health as its cornerstone.” She further stated that “partnership we share as G20 members is vital and facilitates in building trust, sharing knowledge, creating networks and working together to achieve meaningful impact and results.”

The two-day meeting is being attended by top officials, representatives from the G20 member countries, special invitee countries, international organisations,...

London, June 2 (Ians) A novel blood test that can detect for more than 50 types of cancer has shown promise to accelerate diagnosis and fast-track patients for treatment, according to results of a trial.

The trial, conducted by the UK National Health Service, showed that the test correctly revealed two out of every three cancers among 5,000 people with suspected symptoms, the BBC reported.

In 85 per cent of those positive cases, it also pinpointed the original site of cancer. The test is particularly good at finding hard-to-spot cancers such as head and neck, bowel, lung, pancreatic, and throat cancers, revealed the results presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting in Chicago.

Known as Galleri test, developed by the US-based company Grail, it is intended to detect a cancer signal and predict cancer signal origin to inform diagnostic evaluation.

The test looks for distinct changes in bits of genetic...

Varanasi (Up), June 2 (Ians) Scientists from the Centre for Genetic Disorders, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University (Bhu) have been granted a German patent for coming up with a novel therapeutic approach against Covid-19, using sominifericin, a phyto molecule which inhibits the growth and proliferation of the Sars CoV-2 virus.

The patent has been granted by the German Patent and Trade Mark office (Dpma) to the team of researchers led by Prof Parimal Das, for their work which is being considered as breakthrough research in the fight against Covid-19.

Coordinator, Centre for Genetic Disorders, Prof Parimal Das, one of the lead researchers, said, “This German patent is a testament to our team’s dedication and commitment to finding innovative solutions to combat the Sars CoV-2 virus. We believe that the somnifericin phyto molecule growth inhibitor has the potential to make a significant impact in the ongoing battle against this global pandemic.

Lucknow, May 31 (Ians) Tobacco consumption remains a major issue as even minors were getting addicted to it. According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (Gyts), nearly one-fifth of children aged 13-15 years are using tobacco products in India.

The survey revealed that 38 per cent of cigarettes, 47 per cent of bidi and 52 per cent of smokeless tobacco users have picked up the habit before their 10th birthday.

Bhavna B. Mukhopadhyay, chief executive, Voluntary Health Association of India, said: “The Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2016-2017 says about 27 crore people consume tobacco in our country and about 12 lakh people die every year due to tobacco-related illness. The average age of starting tobacco use in India is 18.7 years. Men start using tobacco at a younger age than women.”

She further said that tobacco can cause 25 types of diseases and about 40 types of cancer, in which the major ones are mouth cancer, throat cancer, lung cancer,...

London, May 25 (Ians) Canadian and US researchers have – with the help of artificial intelligence – discovered a new antibiotic that kills a deadly species of “superbug” which can infect wounds and cause pneumonia, media reports said.

‘Acinetobacter baumannii’ is one of the three superbugs the World Health Organisation has identified as a “critical” threat, as the bacteria can withstand multiple antibiotics and survives on surfaces and medical equipment.

Infections caused by superbugs or antibiotic resistant infections kill more than a million people a year.

Dr Jonathan Stokes, from Canada’s McMaster University, described this bug as “public enemy number one” as it’s “really common” to find cases where it is “resistant to nearly every antibiotic”, the BBC reported.

Scientists used AI to narrow down thousands of potential chemicals to a handful that could be tested in the laboratory and zeroed in on a potent, experimental antibiotic called abaucin. However, it...

London, May 25 (Ians) A team of researchers said that heavy drinkers could be putting themselves at risk of muscle loss and frailty in later life, suggesting another reason to cut back on booze, a new study has shown.

According to the study by the UK-based University of East Anglia, people with the least amount of muscle were drinking 10 units or more per day — roughly a bottle of wine.

Researchers said people in their 50s and 60s are more prone to the risk of muscle loss.

“Losing muscle as we age leads to problems with weakness and frailty in later life,” said Prof Ailsa Welch from Uea’s Norwich Medical School.

The researchers examined data from the UK Biobank, a large-scale database of anonymised lifestyle and health information from half a million people in the country.

They looked at data for nearly 200,000 people aged between 37 and 73 years, the study mentioned.

The...

Lucknow, May 24 (Ians) What has heat got to do with mental health?

A lot, if one believes the doctors at the King George’s Medical University (Kgmu).

According to medical experts, there has been about 50 per cent increase in cases of psychosis and bipolar disorders in major government hospitals and institutes due to rise in temperatures in the past two weeks.

The patients, experts said, are those who are already suffering from psychological issues, and extreme heat or cold makes them vulnerable to such disorders.

However, there is nothing to panic about because incidence of such cases is 50 in 10 lakh population and can be prevented by taking precautions.

Doctors said at Kgmu, the number of outpatient department (Opd) cases has risen from 20-25 to 30-35 daily, while at Balrampur Hospital, such cases have increased from 45 to 75 on a daily basis.

Faculty at Kgmu psychiatry department Prof Bandana Gupta said that...

Varanasi (Up), May 22 (Ians) A study conducted by the Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University (Ims-bhu), has found that Ayurvedic medicines started giving relief to around 4000 patients suffering from various common diseases within three days and to 8000 patients within seven days.

The Faculty of Ayurveda conducted the study to assess the impact of Ayurvedic medicines on 13,936 patients in eight government Ayurvedic college hospitals and certain dispensaries across the state between June 2022 and February 2023.

“The patients suffering from fever, cough, cold, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, jaundice and other common diseases were surveyed to assess impact of Ayurvedic medicines on them,” said Vaidya Sushil Kumar Dubey, professor, Faculty of Ayurveda, Bhu.

Dubey along with former dean of the faculty Prof Yamini Bhushan Tripathi had planned the study in April 2022.

The vaidyas (Ayurveda practitioners) gave medicines to the patients and recorded their impact on them when they visited...

Lucknow, May 14 (Ians) Neurosurgeons at the King George’s Medical University (Kgmu) operated upon an 85-year-old ex-iit Roorkee professor whose urgent brain surgery was held up due to lack of consent from the family for the past over 20 days.

The five-hour operation on Saturday by a team led by head of the neurosurgery department, Prof Bk Ojha, was successful and the patient Prof Devendra Swaroop Bhargava was shifted to the Centenary Hospital where he has been kept under observation because of his co-morbid conditions.

Prof Kshitij Srivastava, who was in the team, said, “He suffered from acute subdural hematoma, a medical emergency in which blood accumulates between the brain and its outermost layer. It is quite serious condition. The surgical intervention has been done and now we hope that he regains his consciousness soon.”

Bhargava was admitted to Aastha Centre for Geriatric Medicine Hospital and Hospice about 20 days ago in a semi-conscious state.

Lucknow, May 9 (Ians) Ignoring large stones in both kidneys can lead to serious complications. Doctors at the King George’s Medical University (Kgmu) in Lucknow have come across one such case of a middle-aged man who developed cancer. Such a condition is reported once in 5-10 years, said a doctor treating the patient at the King George’s Medical University.

“It is called Bilateral Staghorn (kidney) stone which is usually large. In this case, the size was between 6 to 7 cm and the man ignored treatment for several years,” said Prof Vishwajeet Singh, nephrology head of department.

“When stones of this size are ignored, they damage the walls of the kidney and in the long run, cause cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma is known but being caused due to stones in the kidney is something we see once in five or maybe in 10 years.”

The man is now under treatment with the...

Lucknow, May 7 (Ians) The King George’s Medical University (Kgmu) in Lucknow now has Orbital Atherectomy technology that is a cost effective and efficient way of removing calcium deposits in coronary arteries and can even prevent open heart surgeries.

The technology was launched in India in mid-February after a nod from the Drug Controller General of India.

According to Prof Rishi Sethi of Kgmu cardiology department, “Orbital Atherectomy machine is especially beneficial for patients with heavy calcium build-up in their arteries, as they are more susceptible to heart attacks. Calcium build-up can cause heart blockages and heart attacks as it blocks regular blood flow to the heart.”

He said that out of 300 angioplasty cases conducted at Kgmu, around 10-15 per cent of coronary artery blockage cases exhibit heavy build-up.

Earlier, rotational atherectomy was performed that involved a grinder with diamond cutters at its tip moving forward into the artery.

However,...

Scholars have devoted tomes to it, politicians have waxed long about it, but it was an Urdu poet who furnished the most abiding, yet concise expression of the idea, history, and ethos of India. And that too in less than a dozen words – though with two compound formulations, while including his pen-name too: “Sarzameen-e-Hind par aqwam-e-alam ke ‘Firaq’ / Kafile baste gaye, Hindustan banta gaya.”

This composite and syncretic sentiment forms the bedrock of the poetry of Raghupati Sahai ‘Firaq Gorakhpuri’, considered among the foremost Urdu poets of all time, and one who enriched and further indigenised the tradition.

Equally fluent in Hindi and Urdu, Persian and Sanskrit, he incorporated elements from his deep, self-taught knowledge of the Vedic and Puranic ethos into his poetry.

If he could proclaim: “Meri ghutti mein padhi this ho ke hal Urdu zabaan/Jo bhi mein kehta gaya husn-e-bayan hota gaya”, he could also pen:...

Beijing, April 25 (Ians) Scientists in China have identified strains of influenza A-H3N2 virus, circulating in dogs that might be gaining the capacity to spill over into humans.

Influenza A viruses in animal reservoirs have repeatedly crossed species barriers to infect humans. H3N2 avian influenza or bird flu viruses first transmitted to dogs around 2006 and have since formed stable lineages in the canines.

A team from the China Agricultural University analysed swabs from more than 4,000 dogs.

The findings, published in the journal eLife, showed that the H3N2 canine influenza viruses (CIVs) are able to recognise the human-cell receptors and hold the potential to replicate in humans.

“We found that, during adaptation in dogs, H3N2 CIVs became able to recognise the human-like receptor, showed gradually increased hemagglutination (Ha) acid stability and replication ability in human airway epithelial cells,” they wrote in the paper.

Further, they found that “human...