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Should You Bring Antibiotics on Vacation in Case of Stomach Issues?

Loknath Das, , , , , , , , , ,

Q: I am vacationing abroad and want to avoid having stomach issues. Should I ask my doctor for antibiotics just in case? A: It’s not a good idea to use antibiotics as a preventive measure. Taking them when you don’t need them can kill off your gut’s normal microflora. And the drugs won’t protect you from viruses or parasites. That said, if you will be traveling to areas where traveler’s diarrheais common, like Asia, Africa, and Latin America, it’s not a bad idea to have a stash of antibiotics (typically ciprofloxacin or…

You can make your bones live after you

Loknath Das, , , , , ,

Rahul Sharma (name changed) teaches at Delhi University today thanks to a bone donor. He had lost a part of his thigh bone to cancer, and when the metal replacement became infected eight years later his only hope was a bone graft as he could not buy another implant for Rs 5 lakh. Sharma was lucky the bone bank at AIIMS–India’s first–had bone tissue when he needed it. In its 18-year existence the bank has got only 32 donations, and none at all in the past two years.The number of…

Decoded: What your yawn means

Loknath Das, , , ,

Things a yawn could mean beyond tiredness   If you think yawning is a mere indication from your tired body to take a nap or a relaxing break, you need to give it a thought again! You might have experienced that despite being vigilant, you still yawn. If facts are to be believed, yawns are contagious, more so if it’s a friend who is yawning. What could be the other possible causes? We decode. Does yawning really mean your body lacks oxygen?   Many of us have this misconception that…

How Much Water Should You Be Drinking Daily?

Loknath Das, , , , , , ,

Much has been said about the magic elixir water. Covering 70 percent of our planet and 60 percent of our own body, water is one of the key reasons of human survival and civilization in general. Yet despite its abundance, why is there a constant fixation to stay hydrated at all times? Even when you aren’t particularly thirsty? That is because we keep losing water from our body, though urine and sweat. And also because water carries out many important jobs, crucial for smooth running of our essential body functions…

3-D Printed Ovaries Can Help Restore Fertility in Female Cancer Survivors

Loknath Das, , , , , , , , , ,

In its one-of-a-kind discovery, experts at the Northwestern University in America were able to successfully implant 3-dimensional ovaries in female mice. These bioprosthetic ovaries housed immature eggs and were able to produce healthy offspring in mice. “Using bioengineering, instead of transplanting from a cadaver – to create organ structures that function and restore the health of that tissue for that person – is the holy grail of bioengineering for regenerative medicine,” noted Teresa K Woodruff, from Northwestern’s Women’s Health Research Institute in the US.   The team created biological hydrogel…

LICs investment in ITC makes govt party to tobacco promotion PIL

Loknath Das, , , , , , , , , ,

The Bombay High Court on Thursday heard a petition alleging that PSU insurers such as LIC are going against the government’s anti-tobacco stand by investing in cigarette manufacturing company ITC. The World Health Organization tobacco treaty bars the government from investing in tobacco companies, they said. The petitioners also said that the investments make the government party to tobacco’s promotion. The six petitioners include the Managing Trustee of the Tata Trusts, Lakshman Sethuraman, Ashish Deshmukh, Member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Sumitra Hooda Pednekar, widow of a Maharashtra Minister who died of throat cancer, Pankaj Chaturvedi, a Surgeon…