Injections of botulinum toxin (Botox) into the major epicardial fat pads during coronary bypass was associated with persistent protection from atrial tachyarrhythmias, according to 3-year follow-up of a pilot trial (Alexander Romanov, MD, PhD, of the National Medical Research Center in Novosibirsk, Russia at Heart Rhythm Society)

In older syncope patients with bi-fascicular block head straight to pacing without watching for actionable findings with an implantable loop recorder (SPRITELY (POST 3) trial)

Scientists and doctors from around the globe are urging the World Health Organisation to tackle the "deadly" ancient virus HTLV-1, which has been found at "astounding" rates in Australia. About 5,000 adults are estimated to have HTLV-1 in Australia, but most dont know they carry it. The virus, considered to be a distant relative of HIV, does not affect all carriers but can cause an aggressive type of leukemia, spinal cord injury, and is associated with chronic lung infection.

Ebola has erupted again in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the country’s ninth outbreak since the virus was discovered there in 1976, and world health officials are moving unusually swiftly to contain the outbreak

Patients with Ebola virus disease usually have an abrupt onset of nonspecific symptoms and signs, such as fever, malaise, headache, and myalgias. As the illness progresses, vomiting and diarrhea may develop, often leading to significant fluid loss. Patients with worsening disease display hypotension and electrolyte imbalances leading to shock and multiorgan failure, sometimes accompanied by haemorrhage.

In the first 15 months after they began screening blood donations for the Zika virus the American Red Cross identified just eight true positives, at a cost of $5.3 million each, according to data published online today in the New England Journal Medicine.

In 2016, the US FDA recommended individual-unit nucleic acid testing for all blood donations to minimize the risk for transmission of ZIKV through transfusions.

Public Health

Thirty-five people in USA have been sickened by a salmonella outbreak linked to the recall of nearly 207 million eggs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in an update this week.

Particulate Matter ranges in size and is classified as: Coarse (2.5 to 10 micrometers); Fine (0.1 to 2.5 micrometers) and Ultrafine (<0.1 micrometers)

1. Green buildings — There has been a growing movement to adopt more environmentally friendly building design and construction standards, or "green" building practices. Studies have shown perceived improvements in respiratory symptoms and stress after green renovations of low-income housing or moving workspace from a conventional to a green office space.

Building materials and furnishings are selected for low toxicity, green buildings are not free of chemical emissions. For example, wood may be selected for low formaldehyde emissions but may result in wood with phenol emissions, which may have different health effects.

Policy

1. PTI/TOI: The Delhi High Court dismissed petitions challenging the Central Board of Secondary Education’s notification that laid down upper age limits for candidates appear for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test. Candidates from general category above 25 years cannot appear for the exam while candidates from reserved categories older than 30 are ineligible. Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar, however, struck down a clause in the notification that bars students from open schools or those who have studied privately from appearing in the examination.
2. Supreme Court has approved a scheme for mandatory grant of compensation to rape and acid attack victims under which a gangrape victim will be paid upto Rs 10 lakh. The scheme would be enforced in all states and Union Territories. The scheme has been prepared by National Legal Services Authority(NALSA) in consultation with Centre.

The monetary relief granted under the “Compensation Scheme for Women Victims/Survivors of Sexual Assault/other crimes” is not linked with the trial in such cases and the victim can approach the State or District Legal Services Authority for compensation immediately after the incident. The scheme empowers legal services authority to take suo motu cognizance of cases of sexual assault and acid attack to grant interim relief to victims. The scheme sets out the minimum amount as relief for gang rape, rape and acid attack cases.

3. US President Donald Trump denounced foreign countries for "extorting unreasonably low prices from US drug makers" to enable their citizens to pay much less than American consumers for the same drugs. "In some cases, a medicine that costs a few dollars in a foreign country costs hundred in America for the same pill, with the same ingredients, in the same package, made in the same plant. And that is unacceptable. You can look at some of the countries, their medicine is a tiny fraction of what the medicine costs in the USA. Its unfair and its ridiculous, and its not going to happen any longer," Trump asserted. Toi

Maximum Temperature

Températures more than 40.0°C is recorded at most parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidharbha, Telangana, Punjab and Marathwada ; at some parts of Chhattisgarh, East Uttar Pradesh, interior Odisha, Rayalaseema, Gujarat region and Saurashtra & Kutch.

Highest maximum temperature of 46.6°C recorded at Chandrapur (Vidharbha).

Maximum temperatures were markedly above normal ( 5.1°C or more) at many places over Himachal Pradesh; at isolated places over Jammu & Kashmir; appreciable above normal (3.1°C to 5.0°C) at many places over Vidarbha; at a few places over Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Konkan & Goa; at isolated places over Rajasthan and above normal (1.6°C to 3.0°C) at many places over Saurashtra & Kutch,Marathwada; at a few places over Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Heat Wave Warnings for Next 24 hours

Heat wave warning for next 24 hours : Heat wave conditions at some places over Vidarbha.