Public Health

Antioxidants have received a lot of attention in recent years for all the health benefits they supposedly provide. Some studies have suggested that they may play a role in lowering cancer and heart disease risk, slowing the aging process, and treating  neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. But recent research shows that antioxidants may also cause harm--specifically, they may impair muscle function. "Antioxidant is one of those buzz words right now," said Steven Copp, a doctoral student in anatomy and physiology from Manhattan and a researcher in the lab. "Walking around…

Putting A Lid On The Spread Of Infection The common phrase "put a lid on it" can apply to stopping something or setting a limit to it.  For example, putting a lid on spending means the same as a cap on spending.  More generally, the phrase is a request to cease and desist, applied to behaviour such as persistent complaining or playing loud music. How do you put a lid on the spread of infection?  The answer is simple, effective and quite literal: put a lid on it. Back in the 1950s I was taught as a small child to wash my hands after using the toilet. Or bathroom if you prefer.…

A comparison of two popular weight loss methods demonstrates that both are equally effective at helping people lose significant amounts of weight. But the low-carbohydrate diet proved better at lowering blood pressure than the weight-loss drug orlistat, according to a new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Studies had already indicated that a low-carbohydrate diet and prescription-strength orlistat combined with a low-fat diet are effective weight loss therapies. But the two common strategies had not been compared to each other, an important omission now that orlistat is available…

When the menu boards at a McDonald's restaurant included the calorie content for the various meal options, parents chose lower calorie items for their children, according to a new study in Pediatrics. The authors say their study is the first to suggest that labeled menus may lead to significantly reduced calorie intake in fast food restaurant meals purchased for children. In the study, 99 parents of 3- to 6-year-olds who sometimes eat in fast food restaurants with their children were surveyed about their fast food dining habits. They were presented with sample McDonald's restaurant menus…

Candida albicans is a diploid fungus (a form of yeast) and a causal agent of opportunistic oral and genital infections in humans.[3][4] Systemic fungal infections (fungemias) have emerged as important causes of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients (e.g., AIDS, cancer chemotherapy, organ or bone marrow transplantation). In addition, hospital-related infections in patients not previously considered at risk (e.g., patients in an intensive care unit) have become a cause of major health concern. C. albicans is commensal and is among the gut flora, the many organisms that live in…

Natural drug from the plants are gaining popularity because of several advantages such as often fewer side effect, better patient tolerance, relatively less expensive and acceptance due to a long history of use, especially herbal medicines provide rational means for the treatment of many diseases that are obstinate and incurable in other system of medicine. However, the chemical complexity of many natural products and the lack of assurance of a renewable supply have created a diminishing interest by the pharmaceutical industry, which in turn endorses the pivotal role of academia and public…

Albizia lebbeck Linn. Vernacular Names :- Assam : Hirih, Kothiakoroi ; Bengal : Siris, Sirisha; Bombay : Chinchula, Garso, Harreri, Siris ; Central Provinces : Chinchola , Kinhi, Samkesar ; English : East Indian Walnut, Oriental Ebony, Parrot Tree, Siris Tree, Sizzling Tree ; Gujrat : Kaliosaras, Kalokansakio, Kalosadasado, Kaloshirish, Pilosarshio ; Hindi : Garso, Kalshish, Kalsis, Lasrin, Mathirshi, Shiris, Tantia ; Punjab : Lasrin, Siris ; Rajasthan : Siris; Tamil : Adukkavagai, Kalindi, Kattuvagai, Pandil, Sonagam ; Telgu : Dirasan, Dirisanamu, Girisamu, Kapitanamu, Sirishamu. Family :-…

Acacia pinnata Willd. ( Biswul ) Vernacular Names :- Assam : Kuchai ; Gujrat : Khervel ; Hindi : Aila, Biswul ; Sanskrit : Ari, Khadirapatrika, Svadikhallari ; Tamil : Indambudai , Kattindu, Mulluchingai ; Telgu : Giddukorinda. Family :- Mimosaceae. Distribution :- It is found throughout India. Morphology :- A glabrescent, stout climbing and prickly shrub. Stem woody and young branches pubescent. Leaves 7-15 cm long, pinnae 9 pairs and leaflets 35-45 pairs, glabrous, apex obtuse and base semi-truncate, linear-oblong and rachis glabrescent. Panicles terminal. Flowers pale-yellow and…

Pithecellobium dulce Benth. Vernacular Names :- Bombay : Chinch, Deccanibabul, Vilaitiyamli ; English : Deccany Babool, Madras Thorn, Manila Tamarind ; Gujrat : Ekadasi , Vilayati ambli ; Hindi : Dakhani babul, Vilaiti yimli, Vilati imli; Tamil : Karkapilli, Kattuppilli, Konapuli, Korukapuli ; Telgu : Simachinduga, Simachinta. Family :- Mimosaceae . Distribution :- It is found throughout India. Morphology :- A small shrub or a middle sized tree with straight stipular spines. Leaves unipinnate ; leaflets elliptic to obovate-elliptic and glabrous. Flowers in small heads and arranged in…

Seventy-nine isolates of Candida albicans and 33 of 5 other pathogenic species of Candida were cultured for 3 h at 37°C in 1·5% aqueous solution of 6 peptone media. While all isolates of C. albicans formed germ tubes, the other species did not. Some isolates of C. albicans formed germ tubes in 1·5% trypticase peptone and neopeptone, and all did so in phytone, bactopetone, polypeptone and proteose peptone at the same concentration. Subsequently, 140 isolates of C. albicans were inoculated at the rate of 106 organisms/ml into concentrations of bactopeptone from 0·5% to 2·5%, into distilled…