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Cardiac stem cells can restore heart muscles, says study
- Infusion of cardiac stem cells into persons who suffered heart attack recently can help to regenerate their heart muscles, says a study published
- The stem cells were created from the patients' heart tissues.
- Visible improvements were seen in those who received infusion of stem cells, compared with the control group at the end of six months and a year. While no change in the scar size was seen in the control group, there was more than 12 per cent reduction in the size at the end of six months in the treatment group.
- Surprisingly, scar mass reduction was accompanied by an increase in viable myocardial mass.
- The study thus “challenges the conventional wisdom that once established, cardiac scarring is permanent, and that, once lost, healthy heart muscle cannot be restored.”
- However, a change in scar size was accompanied by only 2 per cent increase in ejection factor (the amount of blood pumped by the heart), which is not considered significant.
AYUSH to be included in national health schemes
- The Centre is planning to launch a special scheme for delivery of healthcare services in 100 out of 264 focus districts across the country where the health indicators are very low, by integrating allopathic and other Indian systems of medicine soon.
- Under the scheme, joint teams of doctors of allopathy, Ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and homoeopathy systems of medicine will visit villages frequently to bring about an improvement in the general health condition of people.
- Validation of systems of treatment in allopathic and AYUSH could not be done on common parameters as procedures in allopathy were laboratory-based while they were based on nature in AYUSH.
“Indian systems of medicine will get back the body of a patient in harmony with the nature,”
‘DARE should become main lab for avionics in the country'
- The Defence Avionics and Research Establishment (DARE), which is celebrating its silver jubilee, should be developed as “the main laboratory for avionics in the country”
- Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister V.K. Saraswat urged technologists at the facility to prepare for the opportunities which would arise from the defence offsets that would result from the recent decision to source 126 Rafale medium multi-role combat aircraft.
- Warning that “that there will be cut-throat competition for supplying weapon systems”, Dr. Saraswat urged technologists at DARE to develop “indigenous systems.”
- Dr. Saraswat said the DRDO's labs were developing its “exclusive” operating system.
