Remove tobacco ads from Metro: NGO tells DMRC

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• Remove tobacco ads from Metro: NGO tells DMRC
• Pakistan hopes to end polio in two years
• Researchers discover new combination of 2 previously approved FDA drugs to treat lung cancer
• Skeleton key
• 'Low chances of polio coming to India from Pakistan'
• Gates praises India for containing polio
• Tobacco control programme to be combined with NRHM
• Haryana's low cost health for all plan stillborn
• Dementia care model that reduces hospitalizations successfully translated into practice
• EPSRC/GSK announce creation of new Chair in Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Nottingham

Remove tobacco ads from Metro: NGO tells DMRC Posted: 01 Jun 2012 03:49 PM PDT ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) New Delhi, June 1 - An anti-tobacco advocacy group, raising concern over display of tobacco product advertisements in Delhi Metro, has asked the DMRC chief to take them off. Indirect/surrogate advertisements of tobacco products like 'Chaini Chaini', 'Cool Lip', 'Dilbag', 'Rajdarbar' have been displayed at many prominent and most busy metro stations like Rajiv Chowk, Kashmere Gate and Central Secretariat, said NGO Health Related Information Dissemination Among Youth - in a letter Friday to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation - head Mangu Singh. Feeder buses around several Delhi metro stations have been seen completely painted with tobacco advertisements, it added. The voluntary organisation expressed concern at over 90 percent of oral cancer cases in the Indian population being attributed to consumption of gutka or smokeless tobacco. The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act - prohibits any form of direct or indirect advertisement of tobacco products. A total of 20 advertisements were reported at various metro stations. With a total footfall of about 15 lakh passengers, it is imperative that DMRC initiate immediate steps to order removal of all such advertisements and penalise the violators, the letter said. The photographs of tobacco advertisements at metro stations have also been attached with the letter. We would be happy to assist DMRC in disseminating tobacco control messages at metro stations and trains, the letter concluded. http://www.rxpgnews.com

Pakistan hopes to end polio in two years Posted: 01 Jun 2012 02:30 PM PDT ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) New Delhi, June 1 - Alhough natural calamities and militancy have hit the war against polio, Pakistan hopes to eradicate it from most parts of the country in two years. But the task is proving to be tough in the troubled tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, admitted Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Pakistan Prime Minister Youuf Raza Gilani's representative for polio eradication. Ali is visiting India as the head of a nine-member Pakistani delegation to study how India banished polio. According to UN statistics, Pakistan registered 198 cases of polio in 2011, up from 144 cases in 2010. According to Ali, only 16 cases have been reported so far this year. Ali says that 75 percent of the cases are spread from Pashtun tribes from the troubled Federally Administered Tribal Areas - along the Afghan border. Mostly the cases of polio are reported from FATA, particularly from the Pashtun tribes, because reaching them for polio vaccination is very difficult, says Ali. Polio cases in Pakistan dropped to 32 in 2007 but again started rising, she said, adding that natural calamities like floods also affected the drive. Ali explains that the increase in cases was primarily because of Pashtun migration to other parts of Pakistan due to disturbance in the area. Delegation member Azra Fazal Pechuho, a member of Pakistan's national assembly, admitted that the task of administering polio drops in the tribal areas was a mammoth task. Health workers have to either wait for a brief ceasefire, during which vaccines are rushed to the region, or wait for the tribals to come out. The Pakistani delegation said they were impressed by the methods India took to battle polio. We got to know what actually took India to make it polio free. We have understood the scale and efforts we require to make Pakistan polio free, Ali added. http://www.rxpgnews.com

Researchers discover new combination of 2 previously approved FDA drugs to treat lung cancer Posted: 01 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Cleveland -- A team of researchers led by Dr. Goutham Narla at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in collaboration with scientists at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, have discovered a previously unrecognized signaling network disrupted in lung cancer that can be turned back on by a novel combination of two previously approved FDA drugs. The drug combination targets a pathway to treat advanced/late stage lung cancer. The work highlights how understanding the basic mechanisms regulating cancer development and progression can lead to new uses for existing FDA approved drugs in the treatment of cancer. Because of the financial constraints and length of time it takes to bring new drugs through clinical trials, scientists are moving toward using existing drugs in new ways so that the process of translating the discoveries of today into the treatments of tomorrow can be accelerated, said Goutham Narla, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Institute of Transformative Molecular Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Dr. Narla is also a medical geneticist at University Hospitals Case Medical Center. This 'movement' in science toward using existing FDA approved drugs for new purposes in the treatment of cancer has expanded our understanding of the pathways that cause the disease and significantly accelerates our ability to treat a greater number of patients. In many instances, every month makes a difference for a patient when dealing with terminal cancer, said Dr. Narla. Dr. Narla's laboratory focuses on the identification and characterization of the genes and pathways involved in cancer metastasis. By studying the functional role of the KLF6 tumor suppressor gene, Dr. Narla and his team have identified new signaling pathways regulated by this gene family thus providing new insight into cancer diagnosis and treatment. The team's research found that KLF6 and FOXO1,... http://www.rxpgnews.com

Skeleton key Posted: 01 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Northwestern University researchers are the first to discover that very different complex networks -- ranging from global air traffic to neural networks -- share very similar backbones. By stripping each network down to its essential nodes and links, they found each network possesses a skeleton and these skeletons share common features, much like vertebrates do. Mammals have evolved to look very different despite a common underlying structure (think of a human being and a bat), and now it appears real-world complex networks evolve in a similar way. The researchers studied a variety of biological, technological and social networks and found that all these networks have evolved according to basic growth mechanisms. The findings could be particularly useful in understanding how something -- a disease, a rumor or information -- spreads across a network. This surprising discovery -- that networks all have skeletons and that they are similar -- was published this week by the journal Nature Communications. Infectious diseases such as H1N1 and SARS spread in a similar way, and it turns out the network's skeleton played an important role in shaping the global spread, said Dirk Brockmann, senior author of the paper. Now, with this new understanding and by looking at the skeleton, we should be able to use this knowledge in the future to predict how a new outbreak might spread. Brockmann is associate professor of engineering sciences and applied mathematics at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and a member of the Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO). Complex systems -- such as the Internet, Facebook, the power grid, human consciousness, even a termite colony -- generate complex behavior. A system's structure emerges locally; it is not designed or planned. Components of a network work together, interacting and influencing each other, driving the network's evolution. For years, researchers have been... http://www.rxpgnews.com

'Low chances of polio coming to India from Pakistan' Posted: 31 May 2012 09:49 PM PDT ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) New Delhi, May 31 - Despite apprehensions, India is not at risk of the polio virus being exported from Pakistan, the Pakistani Prime Minister's Focal Person for Polio Shahnaz Wazir Ali said here Thursday. Ali, who is in India leading a delegation on polio, said historically, there had been no such incidence of polio being exported from Pakistan to India or other countries, except a few isolated cases. The likeliness of polio virus being exported to India from Pakistan is very low, and historically, it has not happened, Ali told reporters here . Those who travel from India to Pakistan are mostly adults. There are rarely any babies. So the chances are low, she said. India, which has just been removed from the list of polio endemic countries, has been worried about import of the virus from neighbouring Pakistan, which, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria, is among the last three countries where polio is prevalent. Posts have been created on India-Pakistan border to administer polio drops to children in a bid to stop export of the virus from either side. Asked about the polio strain which had spread to China from Pakistan, delegation member Azra Fazal Pechuho said it was a case of export through adults, from Chinese who had come to work in Pakistan. The export of polio virus from Pakistan is mostly to Afghanistan and vice-versa, Pechuho said. The nine-member delegation also met Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to discuss India's strategy in containing polio. We got to know what actually took India to become polio-free. We have understood the scale and efforts that we require to make Pakistan polio-free, Ali said. http://www.rxpgnews.com

Gates praises India for containing polio Posted: 31 May 2012 06:40 PM PDT ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) New Delhi, May 31 - Bill Gates met Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad here Thursday and praised India's triumph over polio, even as the software tycoon's foundation is also helping India contain HIV/AIDS. The country has 2.5 million people infected with the deadly disease. India has not reported any new polio case since last year. Following this, the World Health Organisation - removed India's name from the list of polio endemic countries. Azad said the Gates foundation, which also provides financial and infrastructural help to India on containing malaria and tuberculosis, has extended catalytic support to innovations in health, particularly in HIV/AIDS and polio. He said support from Gates Foundation is valuable. Apart from polio - a paralytic disease, the two also discussed the country's initiative in bringing down HIV/AIDS infections. He - said that in fact the strides made by India - go beyond his expectations, a statement issued here said. The meeting between them lasted one-and-half hours. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one of the government partners in eradicating polio from the country. The minister also said that they have earmarked this year as the year of intensifying routine immunisation programme in the country. Azad said the Gates Foundation has helped in establishing Immunisation Technical Support Unit - in order to accelerate coverage and to ensure system preparedness for new vaccines. http://www.rxpgnews.com

Tobacco control programme to be combined with NRHM Posted: 31 May 2012 04:56 PM PDT ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) New Delhi, May 31 - In a step to increase the reach of the National Tobacco Control Programme -, the central government has instructed the states to use the National Rural Health Mission - workforce for anti-tobacco programmes. Operational guidelines for NTCP released Thursday emphasise on synergising NTCP with the NRHM at state and district levels. For capacity building of state/district, awareness generation through mass media, and monitoring/enforcement of anti-tobacco law, states must explore the possibilities of integrating it as a part of the NRHM activities and through the existing state health care delivery mechanism, the guidelines said. It has also advocated involving workforce under other non-communicable disease programmes for prevention of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and strokes, in the tobacco control programme. The guidelines say it is being done as tobacco has been identified as the reason behind several communicable and non-communicable diseases. The guidelines were released on World No-Tobacco Day. World Health Organisation India representative Nata Menabde stressed that tobacco lobbies needed to be fought to control tobacco. The economic returns from tobacco industry has been overrated while the loss of productivity, and social cost of tobacco is ignored... the struggle against tobacco lobbies will be tougher, she said on the sidelines of a function to release the guidelines. http://www.rxpgnews.com

Haryana's low cost health for all plan stillborn Posted: 31 May 2012 11:10 AM PDT ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) Rohtak -, May 31 - Low cost health for all at the doorstep! The Haryana dream seems to be over before it began. Having failed to get polyclinics across the state operational even after setting up the buildings, the Haryana Urban Development Authority - has proposed that the structures be auctioned to the private sector. The state governments's plans to set up scores of polyclinics across the state was a virtual non-starter with the health department unable to install either the required infrastructure or get the requisite manpower. The result: the move to have health institutions at the doorstep has come a cropper. In 2009, the state government planned to set up the polyclinics to provide medical facilities free of cost to residents of various HUDA colonies and sectors and adjoining areas across Haryana. By 2011, the buildings were completed, but there was little action after that, with health authorities not taking possession. And now, HUDA officials have sent a proposal to their headquarters at Panchkula, near Chandigarh, to auction the buildings to the private sector. The auction proposal originates from Rohtak, home district of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. His son, Deepinder Singh Hooda, represents the Rohtak parliamentary seat in the Lok Sabha. Chander Prakash, HUDA administrator at Rohtak, told IANS: 'The auction is likely to be held through an open bid in the month of June and the preparations have been initiated. The reserve price for bidding at the auction is being finalised. The proposal for auction, however, is yet to be approved by HUDA's head office.' Prakash was hopeful of an early approval as senior officers of HUDA were in favour of the decision to auction the buildings. 'Since the polyclinic buildings were not being taken over by the health authorities responsible for making the facilities operational, it was decided to bring them to auction.' Rohtak Civil Surgeon V.K. Gowila retorted that he... http://www.rxpgnews.com

Dementia care model that reduces hospitalizations successfully translated into practice Posted: 31 May 2012 05:00 AM PDT ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) INDIANAPOLIS -- An innovative model of dementia care that significantly reduces emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and encourages use of medications that are not harmful to older brains, has now been used to treat over 1,000 patients. The Aging Brain Care model was developed by researcher-clinicians from the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University School of Medicine. Extending the definition of a patient to include family members who enable cognitively impaired individuals to live in the community, physicians, nurses, social workers and other staff members work closely with both the older adult and family caregivers -- in the exam room and in the home, as well as over the phone and via email -- to deliver care to improve both brain and physical health. This month, the 1,000th patient was seen at the Wishard Healthy Aging Brain Center, the first facility to use the ABC model. The Healthy Aging Brain Center is both a research lab and a treatment facility focused on the mental status of elder adults. The center has seen reductions of 45 percent in hospital emergency department visits and 54 percent in hospitalization stays in patients compared to similar individuals not seen in the center. Patients treated utilizing the ABC model have fewer behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia after one year than they had at the onset of treatment, said Regenstrief investigator Malaz Boustani, M.D., associate professor of medicine at the IU School of Medicine and the medical director of the Wishard center. Patients receiving care in the Healthy Aging Brain Center are given an initial cognitive assessment including neuropsychological testing, an MRI, a medication review and a structured neurological and physical evaluation. The staff then helps both patient and caregivers develop a personal treatment plan that typically includes recognizing potentially harmful medications, prescribing new medications, initiating... http://www.rxpgnews.com

EPSRC/GSK announce creation of new Chair in Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Nottingham Posted: 31 May 2012 05:00 AM PDT ( From http://www.rxpgnews.com ) The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) today announced that they will jointly contribute to the funding for a Chair in Sustainable Chemistry to be based at the planned GSK Carbon Neutral Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Nottingham. It is hoped that this new investment in sustainable chemistry will help to further strengthen the UK as a leader in life-sciences while contributing to environmental stewardship. The creation of the Chair is part of a wider research agenda into sustainability and green chemistry at the University of Nottingham, and will have a particular focus on research of relevance to the pharmaceutical industry. The Chair will be responsible for developing and sharing best practice in green chemistry and catalysing new collaborations with other institutions and industry partners. The role will also be pivotal to successfully attract top UK academics, postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers to Nottingham helping to embed sustainable chemistry principles in the next generation of scientists. Commenting on the announcement, Business Secretary Vince Cable, who is visiting the University of Nottingham today, said: This appointment will further strengthen links between the University of Nottingham and GlaxoSmithKline, encouraging collaboration on a range of important research. It marks another important step in the establishment of the Carbon Neutral Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry based at the university, which will hopefully come to play an important role in the development and manufacture of new drugs. Professor David Delpy, EPSRC Chief Executive said: The Chair will be pivotal to the UK's sustainable chemistry research base, leading a collaborative partnership with GSK and other institutions that will put environmental stewardship firmly at the heart of future drug discovery. Furthermore, our vision is to provide an innovative,... http://www.rxpgnews.com

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