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The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Low-cost test on anvil to detect life-threatening pregnancy complication of preeclampsia: expert
Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication, characterised by high blood pressure and kidney damage. It can endanger both the mother and the baby and, if left untreated, can progress to eclampsia, a life-threatening condition, according to S. Ananth Karumanchi, director of Renovascular Research Centre, Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles, the U.S. Dr. Ananth was in Visakhapatnam to deliver the Dr. GRK Raju Oration at the valedictory event of Waves 2025, the FOGSI Presidential Conference on Sunday (May 18). 'Preeclampsia affects both the mother and baby owing to high BP, and it can turn fatal for the mother. We have discovered molecules in blood that can be identified to detect the triggers of preeclampsia much before its onset. At present, the disease is being detected only after complications like high BP set in, affecting body organs. This new molecular test gives a much higher degree (92%) of accuracy than conventional tests,' Dr. Ananth told The Hindu on the sidelines of the conference. 'The molecular test has been approved by the US FDA and is being used in the U.S. and Europe. It's, however, very expensive right now. We are in the process of developing a low-cost test, and a study is being done in Delhi to validate the low-cost version. Once this gets approved, it can be a game changer to prevent the complications of preeclampsia in pregnant women and thereby bring down the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate(IMR) in developing countries,' he opines. On new therapies to combat eclampsia, Dr. Ananth says: 'As the pathway for early detection of preeclampsia has been found, we are in the process of developing RNA interference therapy, which can be given as a single dose during pregnancy.' 'An estimated 15% of maternal deaths during pregnancy in the world and 25% of [such] deaths in India are caused by preeclampsia. MMR [maternal mortality rate] is 93 in India and 45 in A.P.,' says T. Radha, the organising chairperson of the conference who had invited Dr. Ananth to update all the practitioners on the latest research on preeclampsia. 'After completing MBBS in Kilpauk Medical College in Chennai, Dr. Ananth pursued higher studies at Harvard University and later completed his Fellowship in Nephrology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. His path breaking research will usher in a paradigm shift in the management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and provide solace to millions of pregnant women,' added Dr. Radha.
American Military News
18-05-2025
- Health
- American Military News
US military to screen members for gender dysphoria ‘immediately'
The Pentagon issued a memorandum on Thursday instructing U.S. military commanders to 'immediately' screen military members for gender dysphoria as part of President Donald Trump's ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. In Thursday's memorandum, which was issued by acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Jules Hurst III, the Pentagon said, 'In accordance with reference (j), the Secretaries of the Military Departments will direct unit commanders – working in coordination with supporting medical assets – to ensure Service members comply with their IMR program obligations1 and will immediately commence the identification of affected Service members.' 'Commanders who are aware of Service members in their units with gender dysphoria, a history of gender dysphoria, or symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria will direct individualized medical record reviews of such Service members to confirm compliance with medical standards under the [Individual Medical Readiness] program,' the memorandum added. According to the Department of Defense, a senior defense official told reporters on Thursday that roughly 4,200 military members were previously estimated to have gender dysphoria. The senior defense official explained that active duty military members who voluntarily separate from the U.S. military have until June 7 to identify themselves, and reserve members have until July 7 to identify themselves. READ MORE: Trump transgender military ban upheld by Supreme Court The Department of Defense explained that military members with gender dysphoria who voluntarily separate from the military will receive higher separation pay than individuals who are involuntarily removed from the military. The senior defense official told reporters, 'The department encourages currently serving service members that are impacted by the policy to elect to do the voluntary identification and voluntary separation process, which may afford certain benefits not available to those who go through the involuntary separation process.' According to Thursday's memorandum, U.S. military commanders are instructed to protect the privacy of military members' medical records throughout the screening process and only disclose medical information to officials when it is 'necessary for the conduct of official duties.' The Pentagon's memorandum also noted that compliance reports will be required from each military branch by June 15. In January, the 47th president signed an executive order to ban transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military. Trump's executive order stated, 'Consistent with the military mission and longstanding DoD policy, expressing a false 'gender identity' divergent from an individual's sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service.' While the president's executive order was delayed due to legal challenges, the Supreme Court upheld the Pentagon's ban on transgender individuals last week by lifting a lower court order.
BusinessToday
15-05-2025
- Business
- BusinessToday
At The Crossroads Of Sharing: Has the Consumer Economy Found Its Next Oasis Of Trust?
This commentary was contributed by Tey Eng Xin, a financial columnist and co-author of an international academic journal about investor sentiment From departmental stores in the industrial age to the mobile commerce screens of today, the evolution of retail has never been a battle of products alone but a relentless reshaping of trust anchors in society. In the past, towering malls, supermarket chains and glossy TV infomercials stood as symbols of credibility. But in the digital bazaar of 2025, a different force is at play. Social media hosts, livestream presenters and micro-influencers are quietly replacing billboards and celebrity endorsements as the new gatekeepers of consumption. However, the explosion of online commerce and livestreaming in Malaysia is no accident. It is the byproduct of a nation where smartphone penetration reached 140.2% of the population in 2023, and internet penetration surged to 96.8%, one of the highest rates in Southeast Asia These figures are not merely statistics; they are signposts of a society where the screen has become the first window to the world. Malaysians are not just mobile-first; they are mobile-dominant, with multiple devices per capita, using them as gateways for shopping, entertainment, socialising and increasingly, livestream commerce. From Transaction to Interaction: The Emotionalisation of Retail Based on the independent market research (IMR) of Oasis Home Holding Bhd, it paints a telling picture: Malaysia's online retail market is forecasted to surge from RM32.6 billion in 2023 to RM48.5 billion by 2028, driven primarily by mobile-first platforms, livestream shopping, and social recommendation commerce. Consumers are no longer shopping for products, they are shopping for reassurance, identity and community. The livestream window has morphed into a digital campfire where hosts tell stories, share laughs and forge bonds with viewers, subtly embedding consumption within the rituals of companionship. This shift is not merely cosmetic. According to the same IMR report, over 68% of Malaysian livestream shoppers cite the host's credibility and relatability as their primary trigger for purchase, not price, not features. The Inescapable Human Pulse in an AI-First World In an era obsessed with automation, personalisation algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven recommendations, some futurists boldly predict the death of human livestream hosts. They claim that hyper-realistic avatars, voice bots and scripted AI can seamlessly replace human engagement. Yet, this is a profound misunderstanding of the livestream phenomenon. The notion that AI will replace human livestream hosts is not just premature, it is fundamentally flawed. Livestream commerce thrives precisely because of its imperfections — the off-script jokes, the genuine eye contact, the awkward moments that make viewers feel they are part of an authentic, unscripted interaction. Strip away the humanity, and what remains is a glorified vending machine. Viewers do not tune in for products alone, they tune in for the familiar face, the spontaneous banter, the authentic stories and the sense of shared experience that no algorithm can replicate. AI can curate, optimise and recommend, but it cannot replicate the serendipity, tension and warmth that occur when two humans connect. In retail, the heartbeat is irreplaceable. The Underrated Battlefield: Post-Purchase Experience Beyond the glittering surface of livestreams, a quieter battleground is shaping consumer loyalty: After-sales service. Many brands neglect this phase in the pursuit of growth, reducing it to a back-office function. Yet data shows that the top consumer complaints in Malaysia's online commerce sector still stem from post-purchase frustrations: poor service, vague policies, and robotic replies. Here lies a hidden truth: The most powerful marketing often happens after the sale, when a complaint is met with empathy, when a refund is handled with dignity, when a voice at the other end of the call listens, not scripts. Brands that overlook this stage are not just risking bad reviews; they sever the emotional contract they painstakingly built during the purchase journey. The Emergence of Human-Centric Platforms Amid this seismic consumer shift, companies like Oasis Home have emerged, less as pure retailers and more as orchestrators of digital communities. Without making grand proclamations, Oasis Home has quietly woven the codes of sharing economy into its model — not as a business gimmick but as an embrace of ancient human instincts: The joy of recommending, the pride of influencing, the comfort of belonging. With its omni platform approach of livestream commerce, affiliate-driven community marketing and hybrid online-offline experience centres, the company echoes a broader societal desire to redefine consumption as participation rather than transaction. This is not just about selling more beauty products or kitchen gadgets, it is about transforming consumers into stakeholders, turning buyers into storytellers and turning commerce into a living, breathing social ecosystem. At first glance, livestream commerce may appear as a flashy trend. But beneath the surface, it reflects a deeper human craving for connection in an age of isolation. It reclaims the marketplace as a stage for human stories, laughter and rituals, elements that no algorithm can automate. As we stand at the crossroads of consumer civilisation, the question is no longer whether livestream commerce is here to stay. The question is: Will brands and platforms evolve into enablers of human warmth and social belonging or will they reduce themselves to algorithmic vending machines in a sterile, post-human retail landscape? Is Oasis Home simply one of the many players in this space? Or is it the early silhouette of a new consumption ecosystem where commerce returns to its primal roots: Trust, storytelling and community? Related
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
No blockage still a heart attack: Pune techie's case highlights a hidden threat, say doctors
Pune: When 49-year-old Vikram, an IT professional from Baner, was rushed to hospital with chest congestion and breathlessness, his family first thought it was probably severe acidity or a digestive issue. Vikram recounts the day: "I felt fatigued two days before the congestion in the chest. I had dismissed it as severe acidity and took some ENO, but later, I began experiencing an intense pain in the lower jaw too, and felt restless. That's when my wife took me to the hospital." Doctors there found Vikram's ECG to be abnormal and called for an angiography. "And although my doctors said I had suffered a heart attack, my angiogram revealed no blockages in the coronary arteries, which was baffling," Vikram said. He was diagnosed with a little-known condition called Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries, or MINOCA. "Sometimes, people can have a heart attack even when coronary arteries are not blocked. This is called MINOCA," senior cardiologist Dr Suhas Hardas, Vikram's treating doctor. Dr Hardas explained that a heart attack without blockage can be due to several factors. "It may be from transient clots (thrombi) that dissolve before testing, or due to coronary artery spasms, a sudden tightening of the artery often triggered by emotional or physical stress," he said. "In some cases, clots from elsewhere in the body (emboli) travel to the heart. Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) and stress-induced heart weakness (Takotsubo syndrome) can also damage the heart. These issues don't show up in standard imaging, but can still lead to heart injury," he said. Another possibility is microvascular dysfunction — problems in the tiny blood vessels of the heart that are not visible during routine tests. It's for such hidden reasons that doctors are now turning to advanced tools such as FFR (Fractional Flow Reserve) and CFR (Coronary Flow Reserve). "Micro-vascular dysfunction means there is a problem with the very small blood vessels in the heart, which is hard to detect. But now, a special pressure wire (already used to check FFR) can also measure IMR (Index of Microcirculatory Resistance) and CFR, helping doctors find and understand these tiny vessel problems. This technology will soon be available in India and will help diagnose and treat MINOCA better," Dr Hardas said. Kolkata-based cardiologist Dr PK Hazra said: "Unlike traditional heart attacks, MINOCA is 'non-atherosclerotic', meaning it is not related to LDL cholesterol. Though men can also suffer from MINOCA, especially smokers or cannabis users, it has been far more common in women." Dr Hazra added: "During Covid, MINOCA cases were seen due to spontaneous coronary thrombosis — a clot forming without cholesterol deposits. Many of these patients were middle-aged women dealing with mental health issues, depression, family problems, divorces, or simply living alone. Such mental trauma can lead to a heart attack. These cases are also treated like typical heart attacks, but in an angiogram, the arteries may look normal or show abnormalities that do not require stents or bypass surgery." Diagnosing MINOCA can be challenging as it does not follow the typical pattern of a heart attack. Doctors then rely on a combination of clues or symptoms, like chest pain or fatigue, ECG changes, elevated cardiac enzymes, and echocardiography. Recent studies have brought MINOCA into the spotlight. A paper in JAMA Cardiology said 6% to 8% of all heart attacks fall under the MINOCA category, with a disproportionate number occurring in younger individuals and post-menopausal women. The treatment remains the same in MINOCA. "Whenever there is a heart attack, the basic treatment is to give antiplatelet drugs, which are blood thinners. Next, injectable blood thinners can be used for a short time in the hospital. If the cause is stress-induced cardiomyopathy or myocarditis, medications to reduce stress, like beta-blockers, are given. Sometimes, calcium antagonists are also used to reduce spasms in the heart's arteries," Dr Hardas said. He also stressed on the importance of lifestyle changes: quitting smoking, regular aerobic exercises and a diet rich in antioxidants. "Legumes, berries and nuts help repair the heart at a cellular level. Prevention remains the best medicine," he added.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oceaneering Announces Award of Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair Contract by bp Mauritania Investments Limited
HOUSTON, May 07, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oceaneering International, Inc. ("Oceaneering") (NYSE:OII) announced that its Offshore Projects Group ("OPG") has been awarded a multi-year contract by bp Mauritania Investments Limited for the provision of subsea inspection, maintenance, and repair (IMR) services and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) services in the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim field. Oceaneering will support this contract with one of its multi-purpose vessels outfitted with two Oceaneering work class ROVs. The scope of work will also include project management, engineering, and integration services provided by Oceaneering's local and international personnel. Engineering and pre-mobilization activities have commenced, with field operations expected to commence in the second quarter of 2025. The initial contract duration is three years, with two one-year options to extend. Ben Laura, Oceaneering's Chief Operating Officer, stated, "Oceaneering has a track record of safely providing inspection, maintenance, and repair solutions globally. We believe that our expertise in delivering high-quality subsea solutions in harsh environments, utilizing our advanced products and services, was a key element to winning this contract. We look forward to supporting bp's operations in this field." For more information on Oceaneering's inspection, maintenance, and repair services, please visit: IMRGE™ Integrated, Customizable IMR Solutions | Oceaneering Statements in this press release that express a belief, expectation, or intention, as well as those that are not historical fact, are forward-looking. The forward-looking statements in this press release include statements concerning Oceaneering's work scope, provision of local and international personnel, contract commencement, and contract duration. These forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are based on current information and expectations of Oceaneering that involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, including risks and uncertainties related to counterparty performance under contracts and market conditions and other economic factors affecting Oceaneering's business. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual outcomes could vary materially from those indicated. These and other risks are more fully described in Oceaneering's latest annual report on Form 10-K and its other periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
