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Chennai: A senior Vice President of Kovai Medical Center and Hospital (KMCH), Coimbatore along with seven staffers have been arrested for allegedly thrashing a man to death on suspicion that he stole metal pipes from the hospital.
The deceased, identified as Raja was allegedly beaten by the hospital staff on Monday. Following the beating he fell unconscious and died.
Following the death of the man, his family members and relatives protested outside the hospital prompting the police to take action against the hospital staff. However, the vice president emerged in the case following allegations from family members that the employees acted with the connivance of the top management.
Also read- Tamil Nadu Doctor Confesses To Killing Mother, Staging It As ‘Murder For Gain’ Case
According to the police, Raja from Gandhi Maa Nagar in Coimbatore used to steal pipes from the hospital posing as a plumber after frequenting the hospital regularly. After the shortage of plumbing material including pipes became regular, the staff checked the CCTV visuals and found that Raja was stealing the pipes.
When he came to the hospital on Monday, the staff allegedly thrashed him mercilessly leading to his death. The Vice President of the hospital, R Narayanan, filed a complaint with the Peelumedu police in Coimbatore stating that a person Raja was caught stealing pipes from the hospital and when questioned he complained of chest pain and died in the emergency unit of the hospital, news agency IANS reported.
However, Raja’s wife filed a complaint with the police stating that her husband was beaten to death by the staff of the KMCH hospital with the connivance of the top management.
The family earlier refused to accept the mortal remains of Raja from the Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital where it was kept after postmortem. But with the intervention of the police assuring action against the attackers, the family accepted his body.
The police on Wednesday after a preliminary investigation arrested the vice President of the KMCH hospital and seven other staff members under Sections 302 (murder), 342 ( wrongful confinement ), 323 ( voluntarily causing hurt), 201 ( causing disappearance of evidence or giving false information), and 147 ( rioting) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
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USA: In cardiac interventions, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) stands as a beacon of hope for patients with severe aortic stenosis. However, the procedure has challenges, particularly concerning coronary obstruction risk. In a recent breakthrough study titled the ShortCut study, a novel approach involving leaflet modification before TAVI has shown promising results in mitigating this risk.
The study, published in the European Heart Journal, found that modifying failed bioprosthetic aortic valve leaflets using ShortCut, the first dedicated leaflet modification device, is safe, achieved successful leaflet splitting in all patients, and was tied to favorable clinical outcomes in patients at risk for coronary obstruction undergoing TAVI.
No patients died, and only one disabling stroke occurred during the procedure. The findings were presented at the EuroPCR 2024 by Danny Dvir from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel.
This trial was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of ShortCut before transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients at risk for coronary artery obstruction.
For this purpose, the researchers conducted a pivotal prospective study enrolling patients with failed bioprosthetic aortic valves scheduled to undergo TAVI and were at risk for coronary artery obstruction.
The primary safety endpoint was procedure-related stroke or mortality at discharge or seven days, and the primary efficacy endpoint was per-patient leaflet splitting success. Independent echocardiographic, angiographic, and computed tomography core laboratories assessed all images. A clinical events committee and data safety monitoring board adjudicated the safety events.
The following were the key findings of the study:
The findings showed that a first-of-its-kind device used to slice through the leaflets of a failed bioprosthetic valve to forestall coronary artery obstruction during reintervention is easy to use and safe as an add-on during repeat valve procedures.
While further research and validation are warranted to confirm the long-term efficacy and safety of leaflet modification, the initial results of the ShortCut study herald a new era in the evolution of TAVI techniques. With ongoing advancements in cardiovascular medicine, patients facing aortic valve disease can look forward to safer and more effective treatment options on the horizon.
Reference:
Dvir, D., Tchétché, D., Leon, M. B., Généreux, P., Seguy, B., Makkar, R., Pibarot, P., Gada, H., Nazif, T., Kempfert, J., Dumonteil, N., Unbehaun, A., Modine, T., Whisenant, B., Caussin, C., Conradi, L., Waggoner, T., Mishell, J. M., Chetcuti, S. J., . . . Kodali, S. Leaflet modification before transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients at risk for coronary obstruction: The ShortCut study. European Heart Journal. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae303
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Young people with diabetes may have a significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life, according to a new study by researchers in the Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
In the study, published this week in the journal Endocrines, scientists showed the presence of specific blood biomarkers indicating early signs of neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in young people with youth-onset diabetes.
“Preliminary evidence shows that preclinical AD neuropathology is present in young people with youth-onset diabetes,” said the study’s lead author Allison Shapiro, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of pediatrics and endocrinology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “These preliminary data suggest the potential for an early-onset AD risk trajectory in people diagnosed with diabetes in childhood or adolescence.”
That includes both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Most studies investigating the connection between AD and diabetes have focused on people over age 40 who have a 60-80% greater likelihood of developing dementia, and possibly AD, compared to the same age group without diabetes.
But this study examined the same association in a much younger age group.
The study looked at about 80 people, focusing on blood biomarkers and PET scans to search for evidence of neurodegenerative disease in young adults with diabetes. Some had type 1 diabetes, some had type 2 and others had no diabetes. Study participants with youth-onset diabetes came from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study, a multi-center population-based registry and cohort.
In addition to the higher blood biomarkers of AD observed in the young people with youth-onset diabetes, “Those with youth-onset diabetes showed elevated accumulation of amyloid proteins in areas of the brain where AD occurs,” Shapiro said.
These new data have researchers concerned given the rising burden of obesity among the nation’s youth and the younger ages at which people are developing diabetes. Shapiro said about 20% of young people in the U.S. have obesity. Obesity contributes to diabetes and inflammation which drive numerous other diseases including AD.
“We are about to enter into a different world of health care because of the obesity epidemic in young people,” Shapiro said. “Young people are catching up with adults. We are now seeing more aging-related diseases in young people.”
“We are not saying these people have AD or have cognitive impairment,” she said. “We are saying that this trajectory is concerning.”
Alzheimer’s disease is often seen as a late-life disease, but this study shows that early life factors may play a significant role in developing the neurodegenerative disease, Shapiro said.
She and her fellow researchers in the LEAD Center, a research and training center at the Colorado School of Public Health, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center are hoping to obtain additional funding for future testing of this same group of people as they get older. Follow-up of these participants is critical, Shapiro said, to better understand the risk and its driving factors as well as providing clinical insights for doctors caring for people with youth-onset diabetes.
She said that cognitive testing, which is considered for older adults with diabetes, might benefit younger people too.
“The field of diabetes care is beginning to recognize the importance of cognitive testing as a part of clinical follow-up,” said Shapiro. “And it should be something we consider in youth-onset diabetes as well.”
Reference:
Shapiro, A.L.B.; Coughlan, C.; Bettcher, B.M.; Pauley, M.E.; Kim, J.; Bjornstad, P.; Rajic, B.; Truong, J.; Bell, C.; Choi, Y.J.; et al. Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s Disease Neuropathology in Adolescents and Young Adults with Youth-Onset Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes: A Proof-of-Concept Study. Endocrines 2024, 5, 197-213. https://doi.org/10.3390/endocrines5020014
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Srinagar: Dr Mir Mushtaq, Nodal Officer of National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) has been awarded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for his outstanding services in Tobacco control in Kashmir.
Dr Mir Mushtaq is the first doctor in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to receive such a distinguished award from the WHO.
Dr Mushtaq, who is a Nodal Officer of National Tobacco Control Programme Directorate of Health Service Kashmir (NTCP DHSK), has been honored with the prestigious WHO Award for his outstanding contributions to tobacco control in the Kashmir Division, news agency UNI reported.
The award celebrates Dr Mushtaq’s relentless dedication and impactful work in the field of tobacco control, reflecting his commitment to public health and the well-being of the community.
This award signifies progress made in tobacco control in Kashmir and serves as an inspiration for continued efforts towards a healthier, tobacco-free future for the region.
The presentation of the award will take place in New Delhi on the eve of World No Tobacco Day.
Dr. Mir Mushtaq has expressed his profound happiness and termed the award a matter of immense pride.
He conveyed his deepest gratitude to the Secretary of Health, Director of Health Services, and Mission Director NHM for their unwavering support and guidance, which have been instrumental in this accomplishment.
He also thanked the WHO for recognizing his contributions in the field of tobacco control.
This award signifies progress made in tobacco control in Kashmir and serves as an inspiration for continued efforts towards a healthier, tobacco-free future for the region.
As per a media report in the Daily Excelsior, Each year, the Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia Region honours individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to tobacco control through the Regional Director’s Special recognition award.
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Boosters that target the omicron subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 are still providing reasonably durable protection against infection, hospitalization and death from COVID-19, according to new data from a study led by researchers at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.
Published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study found that COVID-19 boosters targeting the XBB.1.5 subvariants were most effective one month after receiving one. After four weeks, the vaccines were 52.2% effective at preventing infection and 66.8% effective at preventing hospitalization.
The vaccines were also highly effective at preventing death, but exact certainty was hard to quantify given the small number of deaths reported during the study period.
After peaking at four weeks, booster effectiveness waned over time. Effectiveness at preventing infection decreased to 32.6% after 10 weeks and 20.4% after 20 weeks, while effectiveness at preventing hospitalization decreased to 57.1% after 10 weeks.
Danyu Lin, PhD, Dennis Gillings Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biostatistics at the Gillings School, is lead author on the study. Additional co-authors include Yangjianchen Xu at the Gillings School; Yi Du, PhD, Sai Paritala, PharmD, and Matthew Donahue, MD, from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services; and Patrick Maloney, PhD, from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Using data from the Nebraska Electronic Disease Surveillance System and the Nebraska State Immunization Information System, the research team studied the efficacy of vaccination before and after Oct. 25, 2023, when the JN.1 variant began to emerge.
Vaccine effectiveness was lower in the second group, suggesting that the booster was less protective against the now-dominant JN.1 strain.
“The JN.1 subvariant has been the dominant strain in the United States this year,” said Lin. “The relatively low effectiveness of the XBB.1.5 vaccines against the JN.1 subvariant, together with the waning effectiveness over time, underscores the need for new vaccines targeting the JN.1 strain.”
Lin says the Food and Drug Administration’s general strategy is to deploy new COVID-19 vaccines annually in the fall that target the circulating strains in the spring, and that the findings in this study may contribute to this decision.
“It would be worthwhile to deploy new vaccines this fall that target the JN.1. strain,” he said.
Reference:
Danyu Lin, Durability of XBB.1.5 Vaccines against Omicron Subvariants, New England Journal of Medicine, DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2402779.
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