Lychee: More than meets the eye! Patna: often with diseases and other phenomena, when a strong statistical correlation is found, it’s time to look deeper into the matter. Earlier, Muzaffarpur reminded everyone of Lychees, but these days, it has become associated with the killer disease of encephalitis. So the question is – is there a correlation between the heavenly fruit and the diabolical disease? Thus a team of experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), New Delhi, has flown down to Bihar amidst reports that three children, suspected to have been afflicted with acute... 

  A Kondareddy woman Hyderabad: Is development skewing the girl child sex ratio in the state? Well, the final census data to be officially released on Friday reveals that in a few mandals untouched by development , the girl child is safe, thanks to the egalitarian tribal societies that accord equal status to men and women. Kunavaram mandal in Khammam where 85% of the population comprises tribals recorded the highest girl child sex ratio in the state with 1,126 girls per 1,000 boys, which activists hailed as a rare victory in the battle against rising female foeticide and infanticide, that has... 

  Grass eating lion: stupid? No way! What do animals do when they get sick? They can’t go to the doctor. But a surprising number of wild creatures have figured out ways to use herbs, resins, and even alcohol and nicotine for health’s sake. Scientists the ranks of animal pharmacists in the latest issue of Science. First on the list: primates, who are particularly good at exploiting the medicinal properties of plants. Chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas have all that swallowing rough leaves can purge their intestines of parasites. And chimps plagued by roundworm infections have been... 

  iPhone microscope: useful in remote sites! In a discovery that provides doctors in remote areas with an alternative, scientists recently created a microscope using an iPhone, tape, flashlight and camera lens. They then used it to diagnose intestinal worms in about 200 students in Pemba Island, off Tanzania’s eastern coast. “To our knowledge, this is the first time the mobile phone microscope had been used in the field to diagnose intestinal parasitic infections,” said Isaac Bogoch, an internal medicine specialist at Toronto General Hospital. Bogoch, who conducted the study... 

    An ad for clinical trials! New Delhi: As many as 436 people died last year due to serious adverse events (SAE) during clinical trials. Investigations are now on to ascertain how many of the deaths were caused by drugs administered to the trial subjects. Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Friday that deaths could be due to life-threatening diseases such as cancer, heart failure and stroke or side-effects of the drugs or their administration to critically or terminally-ill patients. “Such deaths are investigated to arrive at the causal relationship, if any,”... 

  Anopheles: at it! Researchers say they have discovered how the malaria parasite gains a foothold inside the human body, causing the life-threatening illness.  The finding could lead to a new treatment for malaria – using a drug that’s already in clinical trials for use against another condition. After taking a blood meal, experts say the malaria-infected female Anopheles mosquito injects about 1,000 parasites into the bloodstream. The microorganisms quickly reproduce after each one enters a red blood cell, according Doron Greenbaum, a professor of pharmacology at the University... 

    The lows: after the highs! Patna: after a series of deaths from illegal hooch that claimed more than 50 lives recently, the Bihar police have initiated process for the attachment of properties of a dozen of “big fish” in the business. “We have send proposals to state government seeking permission for attachment of properties of around 12 people who have amassed wealth from illegal liquor trade,” Director General of Police (DGP) Abhyanand told the press. Topping the list is Mantu Yadav, brother of RJD MLA from Belaganj Surendra Yadav, the DGP said. Huge... 

  Smashing bottles: removing crutches! Mithai, Madhepure: it is now well-known that consumption of alcohol is becoming a serious problem in the villages of Bihar all over. Village streets and even orchards may often be seen littered with ‘pouches’ of government made country liquor, a telltale sign of the state of affairs. While alcohol may be a means of celebration for some, it is mostly used as a crutch by the frustrated and unemployed youth, who tend to vent their anger through violent fights. Almost uniformly, this means of celebration proves a source of suffering for the women in the... 

Generic drugs: away from scams! Thiruvantapuram: Stage is set for the generic drug wave in the state. From Thursday the doctors in all the five medical college hospitals and general hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode will prescribe only free generic drugs to the patients. In the first phase through these eight hospitals 952 varieties of generic drugs would be disbursed free of cost irrespective of the APL, BPL divide,” said V S Sivakumar, health minister. The main aim of the initiative is to help the people of the state who are being fleeced by the drug mafia by charging... 

  The Potato men! New Delhi: according to reports, McDonald’s Corp. will shift from its near-exclusive focus on non-veg food to potato sandwiches with its two vegetarian restaurants in India next year. A first time for the world’s biggest restaurant chain. The fast-food chain will open two new outlets in northern Indian cities that are pilgrimage sites for Hindus and Sikhs, according to Rajesh Kumar Maini, a spokesman for the company’s north and east Indian operations. Of course, McDonald stayed away from beef and pork products menu in India with its Hindu and Muslim populations. The...