Changing profile of banking

The recent data on deposits and credit of scheduled commercial banks published by the Reserve Bank of India provide valuable insights into the distribution of banking business across the country. As on March 31, 2009, the number of banked centres served by scheduled commercial banks stood at 34,636. A very large number of them – over 28, 000-were single office centres, mostly in rural and semi-urban areas. At the other extreme, there were 61 centres having 100 or more bank branches. The concentration of bank branches in a few urban and metro centres is by no means a new development. But for the unprecedented branch network expansion that followed the nationalization of large banks in 1969, the concentration would have been even more pronounced. In the reform era beginning the early 1990s, the emphasis shifted in favour of consolidation. With considerations of profitability dictating the strategic plans, branch expansion, especially to rural areas, was no longer a priority. Instead, banks tended to converge on centres that had business potential. According to the RBI, the top hundred centres, arranged according to the size of deposits, accounted for 69.2 per cent of the total deposits, while the top hundred ranked according to the size of credit accounted for 78.5 per cent of total bank credit as on March 31 this year.

The skewed pattern of distribution obviously meant heightened competition in certain centres while in a much larger number of places, including those with no banks at all, the urgent task has been to extend the range of financial services. Among the banks, non-price competition has become the norm. Technology has been harnessed in a variety of ways to take on competition and, more importantly, to reduce transaction costs. It has enabled the opening of new delivery channels such as internet banking and mobile banking. But its role in extending financial services across the country has not been fully appreciated. Quite obviously the goal of inclusive banking has to be achieved in a context where the traditional model of branch banking cannot be entirely relied upon. Technological applications are already enabling business correspondents and others to deliver many types of services now offered by a bank. However, over the medium-term it is highly unlikely that the traditional bank model will lose its relevance even in rural areas. In fact, these bank branches might be called upon to undertake newer services, including those having a development dimension such as delivery of subsidies and conditional cash transfers.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Global interest in strategy: Colombo

Several countries, including Pakistan, have expressed the desire to learn from Sri Lanka’s experience in successfully fighting terrorism, according to Sri Lankan Army chief Jagath Jayasuriya. Speaking at his Regimental Headquarters here on Thursday, Lieutenant-General Jayasuriya said the Army had no hesitation in sharing the knowledge with the armies of other countries. The Army chief said, in his assessment, Sri Lanka’s military strength needed to be enhanced from the present 2, 00,000 to 2, 25,000. “The actual new recruits could be around 50,000as for the last two-and-half years those eligible to retire were not permitted due to war.” Lieutenant-General Jayasuriya said his endeavour would be to transform the Army to cope with post-conflict challenges.

He said the Army would soon send more of its engineers for additional demining work. “I have already sent 400 engineering troops for de-mining and I am sending more battalions to be trained in ‘humanitarian demining,” he said and added that the military did not have a precise estimate of land mines planted by the LTTE. “An area about 3,100 square miles [8,000 sq.km.], including Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu and parts of Jaffna districts, must be demined before it will be safe enough for the Tamils to return. Without de-mining, I don’t think we can take a chance,” said the General.

“We have four international non-governmental organizations helping us now and I want to use mechanized mine clearing to speed up the process,” he added. Nearly 2.6 lakh war-displaced persons are sheltered in temporary government transition camps and pressure is growing on the government to let them return to their original homes.

The government is committed to a 180-day programme for rehabilitation but holds that there is no way the war-displaced can return immediately as the areas, which were earlier under the control of the LTTE, are heavily mined and basic infrastructure is in rubble.

Habitat and food mark out tigers in Sunderbans

Living in the intertidal habitat among marshy thickets, having become accustomed to the saline water, and but often without the trademark element of surprise, the Royal Bengal Tiger of the Sunderbans may have evolved differently from its brethren in peninsular India, according to experts here.

Forest Department Officials are constantly discovering aberrant behaviour patterns. The July 17 finding of poisonous snake in a tiger’s stomach is one such example. “While tigers are known to eat snakes, this is perhaps the first record of a tiger eating poisonous ones,” said Richa Dwivedi, deputy field director of the Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve.

“Although it is yet to be confirmed scientifically that the tiger is genetically different from terrestrial tigers as the DNA analysis has not been done, there are certainly many physiological adaptations,” said Pradeep Vyas, the State Forest Department’s chief conservator of forests (Central).

There is strong evidence of the fact that tigers in the Sunderbans drink saline water, says N.C. Bahuguna, director, Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve.

“There are nearly 270 tigers in the Sunderbans, but the few fresh water ponds that were ponds that were created are not sufficient to support this large a population,” said Pranabesh Sanyal, former director. “In any case, there were no fresh water ponds before 1977, so what else could the tigers drink then?

These tigers have to negotiate harsh habitat conditions, apart from non-availability of fresh water. The muddy and marshy areas, dotted with pneumatophores (spiked roots of mangroves which abound in these forests), have forced them to hunt differently, says Mr. Vyas. “When they walk on the wet soil, it is often noisy and they can’t stealthily approach their prey, like tigers normally do.”

Aquatic diet:

Difficulties faced in hunting may be the cause of their alternative food habits, although experts differ on the reasons.

“Studies have shown that nearly 20 per cent of the diet of tigers in these parts is aquatic including fish, crabs and turtles,” said Mr. Sanyal, who suggested that easy availability of these substitutes might cause them to eat this food. At times, even grasshoppers have been found in the stomach contents of these tigers, according to Mr. Bahuguna.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Link between rice intake and diabetes found

Rice is a major source of dietary carbohydrates. But the link between diet, rice in particular, and diabetes has not been studied in great detail till now.

A paper published recently in the British Journal of Nutrition shows a clear link between the consumption of white, polished (refined) rice and the prevalence of diabetes.

Every tenth participant of the 2001-02 phase I CURES (Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study) conducted by Dr.V.Mohan of the Dr.Mohan’s diabetes specialities center in Chennai was chosen for the current study to see for a link between dietary carbohydrate and diabetes. 1,843 people who did not know their diabetes status were selected for the study.

The participants: the chosen participants were then tested for diabetes and their food habits were recorded. The risk factor for diabetes such as sedentary lifestyle, age, BMI (body mass index), etc., were adjusted between the kind/ quantity of food consumed and diabetes.

When the food habits of the chosen participants were studied, it became clear that those who consumed more rice (Polished and refined) were more likely to have diabetes. For instance, the study participants were spilt into four quartiles based on the amount of various food consumed. It was found that people in the lowest quartile consumed about 320 grams per day of rice compared with 516 grams per day by those in the highest quartile.

“What we found was, as the amount of rice consumption increased, the consumption of other food items, like fruits and vegetables, legumes and diary products became less,” said Dr. Mohan. “We found a link not just between carbohydrate consumption and diabetes but the kind of carbohydrate consumed and its effect”, said Dr. Mohan.

Carbohydrate rich:

The carbohydrate derived from polished white rice is 66 per cent of the total carbo hydrate in take.

“Another interesting finding was that as the increased intake of rice was at the cost of other food items,” he said. For instance, in the lowest quartile that consumed less rice, the intake of fruits was about 300 grams per day, while fruit consumption in the highest quartile was 233 grams per day. The same trend was observed in the case of other food items.

But the biggest positive link was found in the case of dairy products. Those having the least quantity of dairy products were more likely to have diabetes; those who consumed the most had less chances of having diabetes.

Polished rice:

“It is not that our eating habits have changed in the recent past. Our fathers and grandfathers had also consumed rice. But the kind of rice they consumed and what we consume today are totally different,” he said.

The rice that we get today is the highly refined and polished variety. “The more polished the rice, the more glycaemic index (GI) it would have,” he said. The GI indicates the glucose-raising effect of a food.

Polishing removes the bran and the germ. While the bran contains fibre, protein and vitamin B-complex; polished rice has only starch, which is nothing but carbohydrate.

According to Dr. Mohan, rice used to be 2 per cent polished earlier; now it is polished to 8 per cent -10 per cent.

The only good news is that increased of the ill-effects of various food items has made many companies produce healthier food products.

Healthy food:

Rice that is relatively less polished is now available in the market. Similarly, many products made from whole wheat are available.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Chronic paronychia

Chronic paronychia is a multifactorial inflammatory reaction of the proximal nail fold to irritants and allergens which has been present for at least 6 weeks at the time of diagnosis.

What are the symptoms?

• One or several fingernails are usually affected,
• Sudden pain, redness like acute paronychia
• Pus discharge
• Retraction of the proximal nail fold and absence of the adjacent cuticle.
• The nail plate becomes thickened and discolored, with transverse ridges.
• Nail loss.

What is the cause for this infection?

The cuticle separates from the nail plate, leaving the region between the proximal nail fold and the nail plate vulnerable to infection.

Who are all prone to get this problem?

• Laundry workers,
• House and office cleaners,
• Food handlers, cooks, dishwashers, bartenders,
• Chefs,
• Fishmongers, confectioners,
• Nurses,
• Swimmers.

What is the common organism thought to cause this infection?

• Candida albicans (controversial)

How to prevent?

• Apply moisturizing lotion after hand washing.
• Avoid chronic prolonged exposure to contact irritants and moisture (including detergent and soap)
• Avoid finger sucking.
• Keep nails short.
• Use rubber gloves, preferably with inner cotton glove or cotton liners.

What is the treatment?

• Steroids and Antifungal agent (ointment) used to treat and prevent recurrence.
• In severe cases- Oral antifungal and/or Steroids.

What are the options for non responders?

• Simultaneous total or partial avulsion of the nail plate.
• En bloc excision of the proximal nail fold is effective.
• Eponychial marsupialization, with or without nail removal.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Go the fruit and nut way for a healthy life

A healthy diet helps prevent kidney stones, says a new study. The study, appearing in the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN), claims that loading up on fruits, vegetables, nuts, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains, while limiting salt, red and processed meats, and sweetened beverages is an effective way to ward off kidney stones.

To reach the conclusion, Eric Taylor, MD (Maine Medical Center) and his colleagues at Brigham and Women’s Hospital conducted a large study. They collected information from individuals enrolled in three clinical studies. Dr. Taylor’s team assigned a score to each participant based on eight components of a DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) style diet: high intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains and low intake of salt, sweetened beverages, and red and processed meats. Individuals with higher DASH scores consumed diets that were higher in calcium, potassium, magnesium, oxalate, and vitamin C and lower in sodium.

A total of 5,645 incident kidney stones developed in the participants in the three studies. In each, participants with the highest DASH scores were between 40 per cent and 45 per cent less likely to develop kidney stones than participants with the lowest DASH scores. The reductions in stone risk were independent of age, body size, fluid intake, and other factors. Because a DASH style diet may affect the development of hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseases associated with kidney stones, the researchers also performed an analysis limited to study participants without hypertension or diabetes. Even among those individuals the DASH diet reduced the risk of kidney stones.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Australia takes steps to ensure quality education in universities

The Australian government is getting tougher with private education providers who recruit international students through unscrupulous agents making it mandatory for them to provide the list of agents. This was one of the key aspects included in the changes proposed to the education services for overseas students act, 2000 (ESOA). The amendment bill was introduced by minister for education Julia Gillard in Parliament on Wednesday.

The changes will require the education provides to list the names of education agents, who represent them and promote their education services, and comply with any matter prescribed in the regulations. The changes will also ensure that the principal purpose of educational institutions is to provide education, and the provider demonstrates the capacity to give education of a satisfactory standard.

The amendments call for re-registration by December 31, 2010 of all institutions now registered on the commonwealth register of institutions and courses for overseas students (CRICOS) conditions imposed on the education provides will be recognized by the commonwealth.

Under the scanner: the amendments are the first in a series of measures the government is taking to ensure that Australia continues to offer world-class, quality international education in the changing environment. These measures assume significance with the quality of education coming under the scanner after the international media, particularly the Indian media, highlighted the issue in the wake of attacks on Indian students here.

Many students and teachers from popular universities here view the courses, mostly vocational diplomas, offered by private colleges as substandard, which do not meet the quality prescribed by the Australian government and are being used as a dashboard to get into the country. Interestingly, the majority of students coming under attack are enrolled in such institutions here and mostly in Victoria.

Earlier, skills and workforce participation Minister of Victoria Jacinta Allan told a visiting Indian media delegation that Victoria initiated a repid audit of education and training providers suspected of breaching their legal obligations. “ The audit is on and expected to be completed soon,”.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Effective advice giving calls for understanding emotions

Often while discharging your duties at work you are required to provide advice based on your technical expertise to others say your boss, a client or a colleague. But to your surprise your well-intentioned advice frequently falls on deafears.

You are baffled at why your suggestions though technically sound have not been implemented. Herein lies the catch. To become a good advisor technical brilliance alone is not enough. Along with good advice you must have some good interpersonal skills too. You are wrong if you think advice giving is just a logical process.

It has an emotional undercurrent that you must take into account. Before you can influence others, you must build a good rapport with them and earn their trust. Unless you learn to recognize and respond to others’ emotions, you cannot become an effective advisor.

Your success greatly depends on your ability to understand their personalities and adjust the advice-giving process accordingly. Therefore the next time you are asked for advice, remember to do the following to improve your effectiveness:

Choose right words:

While giving advice pay careful attention to language. Suggestions for improvement may carry an implied indication that things are not being done well at the moment. This feeling switches the other person into a defensive mode.

So first you must find a way to convince him that your intention is not to criticise but to help him. Choose the right words to express your views so that it comes across with respect and any implied criticism is softened.

Understand perspectives:

If you talk directly about how to improve things, you may not find instant talkers. To be really effective as an advisor you must know how to influence the thinking of other people.

As a first step, try to gain good insights into what they think and why. When dealing with more than one person such as committees you must take extra pains to collect this data. Each person in the group brings a different perspective to the problem you have been asked to help with. So find out beforehand who is going to attend the meeting. Call each of them in advance to find out their take on the issue.

When you understand their individual views and concerns you will be better equipped to provide expert guidance and secure a buy-in for a preferred solution.

Be a guide:

The most effective way to influence a client, subordinate or a colleague is to help him find the solution himself. Instead of saying what you want him to do, develop a gradual reasoning process that helps him arrive at the logical conclusion himself.

The whole process should involve more of questioning and listening than suggesting improvements. While helping the person solve a problem you can ask questions like:

• Why do you think this problem occurred?
• How can we do things differently?
• What pros and cons do you think exist for the various options?
• What do you think is the best option under the current circumstances?

By helping him discover all the available options, their costs, benefits as well as risks involved, you can gently guide him to the preferred solution.

Emotional support:

People in general look forward to support, affirmation, approval and appreciation from others. This also applies to people whom you need to give advice be it your boss, client or a colleague.

In order to make them listen to your advice and accept it you must develop the right behavioural skills that ensure the kind of emotional support they expect along with your technical guidance.

Customise:

Tailor your advice giving approach to suit the individual who has sought your help. Depending on the situation and the other person’s preferred style of interaction, you have to make amends to your approach. The key to success is to be sufficiently flexible and discover what works best in any given situation.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Tunisian woman pregnant with 12 babies

A Tunisian woman is said to be pregnant with 12 babies. The unnamed teacher and her husband are ecstatic about the pregnant that was achieved with fertility treatment after she suffered two miscarriages. The couple is expecting six boys and six girls, the media reported.

The husband, identified only as Marwan, is also a teacher of Arabic at a high school in their home town of Gafsa, southwest of the capital Tunis. The couples have said, it was an “amazing and wonderful miracle”.

“In the beginning we thought that my wife would give birth to twins, but more fetuses were discovered. Out joy increased with the growing number,” The Daily Telegraph quoted him as telling the local media.

The woman is about to eclipse the American “octomom,” Nadia Suleman Fertility experts have condemned the news, alleging the doctors who treated the couple are “irresponsible” and risking the health and lives of both, the mother and her babies

Simon Fisher, a fertility expert from the University of Oxford said the news of the duodecaplets was “horrendous” and the doctors involved were “irresponsible” to allow it.

“The chances of all of them surviving are extremely remote and the chance of some of them surviving without any problems is unlikely- they are likely to have significant problems”.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Amino acid discovered on comet

Astronomers claim to have found an amino acid on a comet. The ‘discovery’ confirms that some of life’s building blocks were delivered to the early earth from space. Amino acids form when organic, carbon-containing compounds and water are zapped with a source of energy, such as photons- a process that can take place on earth or in space.

Previously, amino acids have been found in space rocks that fell to earth as meteorites. Now, a team at NASA Goddard space flight center has analysed the samples from the agency’s stardust mission and traces the amino acid called glycine to an icy comet for the first time, the new scientist reported.

“It’s not necessarily surprising, but it’s very satisfying to find it there because it hasn’t been observed before, “lead astronomer Jamie Elsila said.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Prince William to marry Kate in 2011: media report

Prince William and his girl friend Kate Middleton have reached “an understanding” that their eight year relationship will culminate in marriage by 2011, a media report said on Sunday.

“Done deal”

While marriage is a “done deal” between Prince William and Ms.Middleton, both 27, it is not expected till 2011 at the earliest, the News of the World reported, quoting well-placed sources in the royal family. The plan is that by the time the queen celebrates her diamond jubilee in 2012, Ms.Middleton will be on the palace balcony by her side as a full-fledged princess.

Insiders say the prince and his key advisers, including his father prince Charles, have a route map to the altar in place, with Ms.Middleton, at its heart.

Ms.Middleton is secure in the knowledge that the secret pact has already been made, and the palace blueprint for the future, creating the prince and princess of Wales, is in place.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Lack of rain in Gulbarga hits pulses output

The failure of Kharif crop in Gulbarga district will have a disastrous impact on the foodgrain production, particularly pulses, in Karnataka.

Gulbarga, popularly known as the “pulses granary of Karnataka” because of the large area under pulses cultivation, is experiencing drought owing to the failure of rain resulting in crops of major pulses, including red gram, black gram and green gram, failing this year. While the cultivation of short-duration green gram and black gram has been ruled out this year following lack of rain in June and July, red gram, which is known for its drought-resistant qualities, too has failed owing to extended dry spells.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Unrest over health hazards in China

Hundreds of villagers in China’s Shaanxi province stormed a lead smelting plant on Monday after it emerged that more than 600 children in two villages had taken ill with lead poisoning.

Monday’s incident is the latest in a number of recent cases of public unrest caused by environment pollution by factories in China’s provinces. While the government has in recent years begun to strengthen its environmental pollution laws, violations are still widespread at the provincial level.

Officials said on Monday the Dongling Lead and Zinc Smelting Group in central China’s Shaanxi province was responsible for poisoning at least 615 children in two villages near the township of Chagqing located near its plant. Officials found that lead content in the water and soil in surrounding areas was dangerously high.

Out of the 615 children who had taken ill with lead poisoning, 166 were in a serious condition and admitted to local hospitals. Officials said in some cases the lead content found in their blood was more than four times safe levels. “The medical test by doctors showed that for 20 out of 30 children the lead in blood was excessive, and 10 had more than 200 mg of lead per litre of blood,” Zhang Yongxiang, a local villager, told the State run China Daily newspaper. The normal lead content in blood is between 0 and 100 mg per litre. “One girl was taken to a hospital because her lead content was 306 mg,” he said.

While environmental laws have been strengthened at the central level, enforcement at the local level remains week, and many say influential companies, which often enjoy close relationships with local governments, escape strict enforcement. It emerged on Monday that Dongling had even passed emission standards tests and inspections conducted by local authorities.

Another high-profile case last year saw more than 3 lakh children fall ill after consuming milk powder tainted with the industrial chemical melamine. Later, investigations found that the Sanlu Company, China’s largest dairy producer, had for months covered up tests which had found its milk products to be unsafe. It also emerged that Sanlu had close ties with the provincial government in Hebei where the company was based.

Next month, the first ever environmental protection lawsuit filed against a government body in China on behalf of residents will be heard in Guizhou province. Usually, affected residents receive little compensation given the weakness in enforcement of environmental laws. But a local municipal court last month, for the first time, accepted a public interest petition filed against the government for a construction project that polluted two water bodies.

“No matter what the conclusive is, we hope it will serve as a warning to government departments that they should fulfil their duty to protect the environment,” Liu Haiying, a judge at the Qingzhen municipal court in Guizhou told China Daily. “They need to gradually realise they are not only under the supervision of the Communist Party and other administrative departments, but also under the watch of citizens.”

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Indian consignment handed over to U.N

High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Alok Prasad on Tuesday handed over to the U.N Resident Representative, Neil Buhne, the fourth consignment of relief goods from India meant for the war-displaced population in northern Sri Lanka.

The 600-tonne consignment, valued at over $3-million, arrived in Colombo on August8. It consists of more than 6,00,000 packages of grocery items, utensils, plastic mats, clothing materials including children’s clothing, footwear, jerry cans and personal hygiene items.

Most of the items are in enough quantity to cover the needs of 80,000 families, nearly the entire IDP population in the north. The Indian mission said New Delhi was appreciative of Colombo and the U.N. for facilitating distribution of materials to the war displaced.

“The Government of India hopes that the process of resettlement will continue apace. It reiterates its readiness to work with the Government of Sri Lanka in assisting the later to fulfil its commitment for early resettlement of all displaced families to their original habitat.”

Important contribution:

The U.N. said would distribute the materials in the coming weeks with particular focus on those returning to their homes under the government’s 180-day plan. “This contribution is extremely important now,” said Mr. Bhune.

“The goods provided will help to meet the needs of the displaced in the welfare centres, but can also be used to support the return of the displaced to their homes.”

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

11 test positive for flu in Coimbatore

Test results received here on Monday from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in New Delhi confirmed that 11 persons had tested positive for the A(H1N1) influenza. They include two doctors, health officials said. These cases add to the four declared on Sunday.

Three men, a woman doctor, six girls and a boy were declared flu positive by health officials on Monday.

The Coimbatore Medical College Hospitals sent for tests throat swabs of seven persons – three women, including a doctor, two men and two boys.

Collector P. Umanath told reporters that all the patients were stable and asked people not to believe rumours that two persons had succumbed to the flu.

“There is no need to panic,” he said after inaugurating an orientation meeting at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for government and private doctors on combating and preventing the flu.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

The unvarnished facts about swine flu

‘Swine’ is not a nice word. We use it in a derogatory sense to describe people we don’t much like. ‘Pig’ on the other hand is fairly neutral. It could indicate a likeable animal. “The three little swine and the big bad wolf someone does not seem appropriate. Hence it is not surprising that the influenza pandemic, which no one can help but hear about, has been labelled ‘swine’ and not ‘pig’ flu.

It is caused by a virus that originally infected pigs and was labelled ‘H1’. This occasionally infected humans but, importantly, did not spread from person to person. As most of us are less likely to meet a pig than another human being, this meant the virus had a limited chance of spreading.

Viruses, which are one of the most basic of living beings, essentially consist of strings of DNA or RNA, which are the building blocks of all life. Viruses can change their DNA (or RNA) sequence fairly easily during replication, helping them evade the immune system of their hosts. This change can sometimes alter the character of the virus. The HI virus, which infected mainly pigs, did just that. The new avatar had the important characteristic of spreading from human to human; this change was of sufficient importance for it to acquire a new addition to its label.

Thus was born the H1n1 virus. Its DNA sequence is a mix of DNAs from three different viruses, affecting birds, pigs, and humans. Occasionally a human could infect a pig with H1N1 but the infection is predominantly among humans. The first time the H1N1 virus infected humans was in 1918. Over the years, several epidemics have occurred by similar strains, which were also called Human Influenza A (seasonal) and were also H1N1. The current pandemic probably resulted from cross transmission from pigs again, the first case occurring in a 17-year-old in Wisconsin, USA in 2008. This strain is sometimes referred to as S-OIV.

Viruses produce a wide range of diseases. Influenza, common cold, polio, small pox, chicken pox, encephalitis, rabies, and measles are some of the well known ones. Many viruses are yet to be identified and named but can still cause serious disease. Hundreds and possibly thousands of children die everyday in India from acute respiratory infections and acute gastroenteritis, often caused by viruses. Overcrowding, poor hygiene, and malnutrition increase the chances of not only getting infected but also dying of it.

The swine flu, like most flu, affects mainly the respiratory system. This facilitates its spread as the viruses travel through droplets dispersed while sneezing or coughing. The typical symptoms are fever, cough, body pain, lethargy and, in severe cases, mental obtundation and respiratory failure. When the patient dies, the virus dies. Hence, overtime, the more virulent strains die out and subsequent infections are milder. The flu viruses generally spread, almost inevitably, to infect large sections of the population in the course of a few months unless effective vaccines are developed and deployed quickly for the entire population. But vaccines can cause problems and the occasional fatality too.

For milder infections like the common cold and the milder forms of flu, it may be better to allow the spread of sub-clinical or mild infection for natural immunity to develop in the community. The H1N1 (S-OIV) virus is estimated to have infected about 2.5 million people in the United States. Previous epidemics of similar viral infections have left behind sufficient innate immunity in many, protecting them from fresh infection with the current pandemic.

Antibiotics have no effect against viruses. Specific anti-viral agents, namely Ostelamivir (Tamiflu), are effective against H1N1 if used early, preferably within the first two days. However, as early symptoms are non-specific, potentially millions of people with ordinary viral infections like the common cold will have to be tested and/or treated with anti-viral agents. Such a strategy may be impractical and without established benefit.

Swine Flu (H1N1 S-OIV) is one among many infections caused by viruses and bacteria. Many of these infections are more infections and dangerous than swine flu in India. TB kills a thousand people in India every day.

1. Most cases of swine flu are likely to recover with or without Tamiflu.
2. The virus may get less virulent with time.
3. Many may already have natural immunity against the virus.
4. In course of time, a significant proportion of the population will test positive for swine flu due to swine flu infection without disease. Because of this, there may be a danger of misdiagnosing many other conditions for swine flu.

Possible beneficial outcomes:

1. Greater awareness of the nature of infections and their spread. Better hygiene and preventive methods for all infections may evolve.
2. Preventive methods may curb the spread of their infections like TB.
3. The government and the public may become more aware of the lacunae in health care delivery and corrective steps may be taken.

Possible deleterious effects of excessive publicity:

1. Mass hysteria and panic, leading to inappropriate and useless actions.
2. Diversion of scarce funds from other badly needed areas to activities with little benefit.
3. False expectations of medical interventions from doctors and institutions.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Plan to utilize equipment at university for swine flu test

The State Health Department is planning to use the advanced laboratory equipment available at Madurai Kamaraj University for conducting swine flu tests.

Since the requisite machines for testing the samples were not available in private hospitals in the city, the officials of Directorate of Public Health have approached the university which has the ‘Real Time-PCR Test’ equipment needed to carry out A (H1N1) influenza tests.

Official sources told The Hindu here on Sunday that a team of health officials visited the MKU on Saturday to assess whether the proposal was feasible. The university has two PCR machine at the laboratories in School of Biological Sciences and the School of Biotechnology.

Asked about the proposed move by the Health Department, Vice-Chancellor R.Karpaga Kumaravel said, “The University is ready to extend its facility if the State Government is satisfied with our laboratory equipment. We have a social obligation to support the Health Department.”

A two-member team comprising Deputy Director of Health Services A. Palanichamy and faculty member of Madurai Medical College Jhansi Charles visited the university’s ascertain if the university’s equipment met the specifications given the Directorate of Public Health.

Even while agreeing to share the infrastructure, Dr.Karpaga Kumaravel said that the Health Department must arrange for the requisite trained manpower to carry out the swine flu tests.

When contacted, the Director of Public Health S.Elango said that the university would be the immediate option available for diagnosing swine flu. A senior faculty member at the university in the field of genomics P. Gunasekaran said that the Health Department has asked for BSL-3 bio-safety specification whereas the Real TimePCR machine in the university was only of bio-safety-2 level. “Our university is working in the field of molecular biology and not in pathogenic levels. Since the handling of machine is different in the case of swine flu, it is for the Health Department to decide. They will have to upgrade our PCR machine,” Dr. Gunasekaran said.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Turkey supports China on Xinjiang

Turkey, the lone voice in the international community that strongly criticized China for its handling of July’s ethnic unrest in Xinjiang, now appears to have mended its fences with China.

Only a few weeks ago, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the events as “a kind of genocide”. Now, it appears to have considerably changed its tone.

“We have the confidence that those who caused the incident would be brought to transparent, fair and swift justice by the Chinese authorities,” said Turkish Ambassador to China Murat Salim Esenli on Friday, during a four-day visit to the troubled Muslim-majority Xinjiang region. Relations between the two countries have been strained following the ethnic clashes between Han Chinese and minority Uighurs, an ethnic Turkic-speaking Muslim group that broke out in Urumqi on July 5.

At least 197 people were killed in what was the biggest ethnic unrest in China’s recent history.

Migrant community:

Turkey has a large Uighur migrant community, which is viewed in the country as sharing a common pan-Turkish ethnic identity. Shortly after the violence, Mr.Erdogan said he would approach the United Nations to “discuss” the issue.

Last month, Trade Minister Nihat Ergun also called on consumers to not buy Chinese goods. But Turkey has found itself isolated in the international community over its stance on Xinjiang.

The country’s trade relationship with China has also grown close in recent years, and Mr. Erdogan’s government has found itself walking a tight-rope balancing economic and geo-political considerations with domestic public opinion that remains strongly against China.

Opposition parties in Turkey have also sought to gain political mileage out of the issue, and more than 10,000 people attended a recent protest rally criticizing China’s handling of the unrest and calling for a strong response from the government.

But now, the government appears to have softened its stance. Mr. Esenli for the first time toured Xinjiang last week, as part of a delegation of envoys from the U.S., Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Togo, Egypt, Turkey, Kuwait and Afghanistan. During the visit, Mr. Esenli praised the Chinese government for opening up the region to foreign media, and blamed the Western media’s “biased and prejudiced reporting” for influencing public opinion in Turkey, State media reported.

Economic ties:

The trip, organized by the Chinese government, comprised a number of envoys from Muslim countries, many of whom enjoy close economic ties with China and have in recent weeks publicly voiced their support to the Chinese government on the Xinjiang issue. Turkey has now joined that list.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

Number of swine flu cases rises to39 in west Bengal

Even as the number of people who tested positive to swine flu in west Bengal rose to 39 on Sunday, the health department issued guidelines to collect throat swabs on a priority basis.

A large number of people rushed to the city’s three swine flu clinics to undergo test. “Seven new A (H1N1) positive cases were detected on Sunday”, said Dr.Taposh Sen, nodal officer of the state health department’s swine flu wing. He said 21 people were undergoing treatment at various state-run facilities.

The large number of samples being sent in to the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), the only swine flu testing facility in West Bengal, has created a backlog, Dr.Sen said.

“This is causing delays in the detection of patients in the detection of patients in the most vulnerable groups”, he added.

A case in point is that of Akash Chowdhury, who was admitted to the R.G.Kar medical college hospital on Tuesday but doctors had to wait till Saturday to know his results. Admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit, his condition was critical and remained unchanged on Sunday, said Dr.Sen.

The other 20 victims, who are currently undergoing treatment, have been kept in the isolation wards of the Infectious Diseases (ID) Hospital at Beliaghata and the M.R.Bhangur Hospital. As the combined capacity of the two hospitals was only 28 beds, the authorities will have to find alternative isolation facilities.

The health department has issued guidelines that samples collected from four categories of patients will be given priority-children up to 5 years and people above 65 years, a person with an underlying disease such as diabetes, asthma or a pregnant woman, a suspect suffering from breathing difficulties, high fever or diarrhoea and an individual who has travelled abroad or has come in contact with a swine flu victim.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]

British tabloid claims add a new twist to Jackson’s death

In a new twist to the circumstances surrounding pop star Michael Jackson’s death, it has emerged that his “drug-riddled” body may have been lying in his bedroom for more than an hour before help arrived, a British tabloid claimed on Sunday, quoting what it sensationally described as a “bombshell” ambulance report.

It said the report made on a comprehensive official form showed that Jackson was clinically dead along before paramedics arrived at this Los Angels home.

The revelation contradicts claims by Jackson’s personal physician Conrad Murray that the singer had a faint pulse when the ambulance came.

The News of the world, which reported the claim, said that Steven Hoefflin, a close friend of Jackson had “confirmed” its details.

“I’ve spooken to a chief in the fire department who told me Michael was dead when they arrived. He had no pulse and was not breathing. They gave him an electro-cardio-gram, but he was flatlined. They say he even had lividity, which meant the blood had sunk to the back, indicating that his heart had stopped a couple of hours earlier. This is the most important aspect of the report, as it means he must have been dead for over an hour, or probably longer,” Dr. Hoefflin was quoted saying.

The report, the newspaper said, was completed more than seven weeks ago, but was kept from the public by the police.

The 50-year –old King of pop died of a heart attack on June 25 after taking a cocktail of prescription pills. According to his Physician Dr. Murray, the singer was unconscious, but still had a faint pulse and the body was warm when he walked into Jackson’s bedroom.

www.rajagiriworld.com

[IMG]http://www.rajagiriworld.com/happy.gif[/IMG]