Hearing relaxing words in your sleep slows your heart down

A discovery by researchers from the GIGA – Center of Research Cyclotron at University of Liège reveals that the sleeping body also reacts to the external world during sleep, explaining how some information from the sensory environment can affect sleep quality.

Researchers at ULiège have collaborated with the University of Fribourg in Switzerland to investigate whether the body is truly disconnected from the external world during sleep. To do so, they focused on how heartbeat changes when we hear different words during sleep. They found that relaxing words slowed down cardiac activity as a reflection of deeper sleep and in comparison to neutral words that did not have such a slowing effect. This discovery is presented in Journal of Sleep Research and sheds new light on brain-heart interactions during sleep.

Matthieu Koroma (Fund for Scientific Research-FNRS postdoctoral researcher), Christina Schmidt and Athena Demertzi (both Fund for Scientific Research -FNRS Research Associate) from the GIGA Cyclotron Research Center at ULiège teamed up with colleagues from University of Fribourg led a previous study analyzing brain data (electroencephalogram) showing that relaxing words increased deep sleep duration and sleep quality, showing that we can positively influence sleep using meaningful words. By that time, the authors hypothesized that the brain also remains able to interpret sensory information in a way that makes our body more relaxed after hearing relaxing words during sleep. In this new study, the authors had the opportunity to analyze cardiac activity (electrocardiogram) to test this hypothesis and found that the heart slows down its activity only after the presentation of relaxing, but not control words.

Markers of both cardiac and brain activity were then compared to disentangle how much they contributed to the modulation of sleep by auditory information. Cardiac activity has been indeed proposed to directly contribute to the way we perceive the world, but such evidence was so far obtained in wakefulness. With these results, the ULiège researchers showed that it was also true in sleep, offering a new perspective on the essential role of bodily reactions beyond brain data for our understanding of sleep.

“Most of sleep research focuses on the brain and rarely investigates bodily activity”, says Dr. Schmidt.

“We nevertheless hypothesize that the brain and the body are connected even when we cannot fully communicate, including sleep. Both brain and body information need then to be taken into account for a full understanding of how we think and react to our environment”, explains Dr. Demertzi.

“We shared freely our methodology following the principles of Open Science hoping that the tools that helped to make this discovery will inspire other researchers to study the role played by the heart in other sleep functions”, Dr.Koroma advocates.

This work offers a more comprehensive approach about the modulation of sleep functions by sensory information. By looking into the cardiac responses to sounds, we may, for example, study in the future the role of the body in the way sounds influence emotional processing of memories during sleep.

Reference:

Matthieu Koroma, Jonas Beck, Christina Schmidt, Björn Rasch, Athena Demertz, Probing the embodiment of sleep functions: Insights from cardiac responses to word-induced relaxation during sleep, Journal of Sleep Research, https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.14160.

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AAOS: sports-related orthopedic injuries in seniors projected to grow 123 percent by 2040

Sports-related injuries among older adults are expected to increase 123 percent between 2021 and 2040, according to a study presented at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, held from Feb. 12 to 16 in San Francisco.

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Why bans on smartphones or social media for teenagers could do more harm than good

There are growing calls for young people under the age of 16 to be banned from having smartphones or access to social media. The Smartphone Free Childhood WhatsApp group aims to normalize young people not having smartphones until “at least” 14 years old. Esther Ghey, mother of the murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, is campaigning for a ban on social media apps for under-16s.

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New cell-based immunotherapy offered for melanoma

Siteman Cancer Center, based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is one of the first centers nationwide to offer a newly approved cell-based immunotherapy that targets melanoma.

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Research examines 700 plant-based foods to see how healthy they really are

If you’re thinking about buying plant-based foods, a trip to the supermarket can leave you bewildered.

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PGIMER issues notice on spot counselling for MD, MS admissions January 2024 Session, Details

Chandigarh- Regarding spot counselling and admission in MD and MS courses for the January 2024 session, the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh has issued a notice.

The Spot counselling and admission process for MD and MS courses at PGIMER for the January 2024 session will take place on 29 February 2024 at the Bhargava Auditorium of the institute. The eligible and interested candidates are requested to sit in the auditorium on 29th February 2024 at 09:30 AM.

Spot counselling is being conducted for those candidates who have qualified for INI-CET January 2024 conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi and have not joined or held any seat in INIs for the January- 2024 session.

Also Read: PGIMER Announces Schedule For Spot Counselling For INI CET January 2023 Session

The details of vacant seats for admission to the MD and MS courses along with the counselling procedure are below

S.NO

Name of the MD/MS course

Total

UR

SC

1

BIOCHEMISTRY

1

1

2

RADIOTHERAPY AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY

1

1

Total

2

1

1

For Foreign Nationals and Bhutanese Nationals

S.NO

Name of the MD/MS course

FN

BHUTANI

1

BIOCHEMISTRY

1

2

PSYCHIATRY

1

3

MEDICINE

1

4

PHARMACOLOGY

1

Total

3

1

COUNSELLING PROCEDURE

Date

Time

Event/Proceedings

Venue

29.02.2024

09:30 AM to 11:00 AM

Reporting and submission of self-attested copies of INI-CET (January-2024) Scorecard/Rank letter, Final Registration Slip, copy of Admit Card and undertaking for not holding any seat in any INIs for the January 2024 session.

Bhargava
Auditorium,

PGIMER,
Chandigarh

12:00 PM

Counselling of eligible candidates
Also Read: PGIMER Informs On Spot Counselling, Admission For BSc Nursing 4 Years, Post Basic Courses 2022, details

It is to be noted that no candidate will be allowed spot counselling after 11:00 am on 29th February 2024.

Further, the Candidates willing to participate in spot counselling are instructed to bring all their original documents with them. Also, candidates who will opt for the seat during counselling will have to join immediately on the same day and also submit the original documents at the time of counselling. On this, no request for an extension of joining will be considered. The original documents should be submitted along with one set of self-attested photocopies.

DOCUMENTS

1. INI-CET (January 2024) Scorecard.

2. Final Registration Slip.

2. Admit Card issued by AIIMS New Delhi.

3. Mark Sheets of MBBS/ 1st, 2nd and 3rd Professional Examinations.

4. MBBS Degree Certificate.

5. Internship Completion Certificate/Certificate from the Head of the Institution or College that the candidate will be completing the internship by 31st January 2024.

6. Permanent/Provisional Registration Certificate issued by NMC/State Medical Council. 7. High School/Higher Secondary Certificate/Birth Certificate as proof of date of birth (Matriculation).

8 The Candidate should also bring the valid category certificate (SC/ST/OBC) in Original issued by the competent authority, if applicable.

PAYMENT

Selected candidates will have to deposit a course fee or security deposit of Rs. 4470/- for provisional confirmation of their seat on the spot through a debit card.

Also Read: PGIMER informs on Spot counselling, Admission for BSc Nursing (4 Years & Post Basic) Course 2020

IMPORTANT POINTS

1 All provisional eligible candidates, who are not holding any seat by allocation, are eligible to participate in spot counselling and spot admission.

2 All those candidates who have been allotted a seat in any previous round of seat allocation and have joined/reported on the allotted seat as per the procedure of joining/reporting and seat holding, are not eligible for the stray round/Spot counselling and spot admission

3 The candidates with minimum percentile in INI-CET January-2024 as mentioned below against each category and not joined or held any seat in INIs for the January 2024 session are eligible to attend the Spot Counseling.

a. For seats under Unreserved (UR), the 50th percentile will be for foreign nationals including Overseas Citizens of India (OCI).

b. The seats for OBC, SC, ST, PWBD and Bhutanese nationals will be 45th percentile.

4 Seats of Foreign Nationals/Bhutanese Nationals will not be converted to any other category.

5 No Foreign National/Bhutanese National candidate will be allowed to join the MD/MS course without registration with the National Commission of India.

6 Any seats accumulated till the date of counselling will be filled and this will change the position of available seats shown in this notice. Therefore, the above seats are provisional and subject to change.

Lastly, it is directed that if any applicant deliberately gives false information during the process of seat allotment of INI-CET January then it will be considered as a cheat and the candidature will be cancelled and Legal And disciplinary action will also be taken further.

False information such as

1 Submitting a document which is not issued between dates as prescribed in the prospectus and submitted by a candidate to obtain eligibility despite knowing the fact that certification is not valid as not issued as prescribed in the prospectus.

2 Applying in anticipation of obtaining the desired qualification and not obtaining it on the date as required.

3 False reporting on caste, age, gender, date of acquiring eligibility and date of completion of internship.

4 Any other information which is not true as required in the prospectus/ notice and submitted to dispute at a later stage.

To view the official notice, click the link below

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/notice-regarding-spot-couselling23feb2024-232979.pdf

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Electric bike injuries, hospitalizations increased significantly in recent years

The incidence of electric bicycle (e-bicycle)-related injuries, particularly head injuries, has surged in the United States since 2017, according to a research letter published online Feb. 21 in JAMA Surgery.

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EU medicines regulator backs Biogen ALS drug

Cambridge: Biogen Inc. has announced the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) adopted a positive opinion recommending a marketing authorization under exceptional circumstances for QALSODY (tofersen) for the treatment of adults with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), associated with a mutation in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene.

“If authorized by the European Commission (EC), QALSODY will be the first treatment approved in the European Union to target a genetic cause of ALS, also known as motor neuron disease (MND),” the release stated.

“The CHMP’s positive opinion reinforces the impact QALSODY can have in SOD1-ALS and further demonstrates Biogen’s commitment to address the unmet needs of people living with ALS and neuromuscular diseases,” said Priya Singhal, M.D., M.P.H., Head of Development at Biogen. “We are proud to help pioneer the role of neurofilament in SOD1-ALS clinical trials and are deeply grateful to the people living with SOD1-ALS, their loved ones and study care teams for their dedication to furthering research for the ALS community.”

The CHMP’s recommendation for QALSODY is based on the totality of evidence, including the targeted mechanism of action, biomarker and clinical data. In the 28-week Phase 3 VALOR study, reductions of 60% in plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) were observed in participants who received QALSODY compared to the placebo group, suggesting reduced neuronal injury. Trends towards improvement in the physical abilities of participants who received QALSODY were seen compared to those who received placebo, as measured by the ALS Functional Ratings Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R). 

“The CHMP’s recommendation in support of QALSODY approval provides new hope for the ALS community in Europe,” said Philip Van Damme, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology and director of the Neuromuscular Reference Center at the University Hospital Leuven in Belgium. “This is a significant milestone for the entire ALS community – for the first time we have a treatment that led to sustained reductions in neurofilament, a marker of axonal injury and neurodegeneration. The QALSODY development program has provided critical learnings on clinical trial design and the use of biomarkers that is advancing the entire field.”

A marketing authorization under exceptional circumstances is recommended when the benefit/risk assessment is determined to be positive but due to the rarity of the disease, it is unlikely that comprehensive data can be obtained under normal conditions of use. The CHMP’s recommendation for QALSODY will now be reviewed by the EC for a decision on a marketing authorization in the European Union, with a decision expected in the second quarter of 2024.

Read also: Biogen, Eisai get Japanese nod for Leqembi Intravenous Infusion for Alzheimer’s Disease

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PM Modi to inaugurate 250-bed IPD at AIIMS Rajkot on February 25

Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Gujarat’s first All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rajkot built at a cost of Rs 1,195 crore on February 25. The Institute will begin admitting patients to its 250-bed Indoor patient department (IPD). 

This will be one of the five AIIMS to be dedicated to the nation by the prime minister from Rajkot on February 25, state Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said on Friday.

While the out-patient department (OPD) of the super-speciality hospital near Para Pipaliya village on the outskirts of Rajkot city is already operational, Modi will inaugurate the in-patient department (IPD), Patel told reporters in Gandhinagar.

Also Read:AIIMS Rajkot likely to be fully operational by October 2023

Modi laid the foundation stone for Rajkot AIIMS through video-conferencing in December 2020.

“Spread across 201 acres, Rajkot AIIMS is a world-class hospital with 720 beds, including ICU and super-speciality beds. On February 25, the prime minister will inaugurate 23 operation theatres, 30-bed AYUSH block and 250 beds of IPD. The remaining beds will be made available gradually,” Patel said.

The hospital was built at the cost of Rs 1,195 crore, he said, adding that the OPD has already served nearly 1.44 patients so far.

As per a government release, the prime minister will arrive at Rajkot AIIMS on Sunday afternoon and address a rally at the Race Course ground in the city later in the evening.

He will take part in a kilometre-long roadshow from the old airport to the venue of the public rally, it stated.

During the function, the prime minister will also virtually inaugurate four other newly-built AIIMS, located in Mangalagiri (Andhra Pradesh), Bathinda (Punjab), Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh), and Kalyani (West Bengal), Patel said.

The five super-speciality hospitals, including the one in Rajkot, have been built by the Centre at a cost of Rs 6,300 crore, he said.

Apart from this, Modi will inaugurate and perform ground-breaking for projects of Rs 48,000 crore of different state and Central departments, such as NHAI, Railways, Energy and Petrochemicals, Road and Building, Ports and Health and Family Welfare, the minister said.

Of these, projects of Rs 35,700 crore are for Gujarat, while the remaining are for other states, he said.

The prime minister will launch key projects, including power generation projects in Kutch, ground-breaking for the new Mundra Panipat crude-oil pipeline project, new cardiology hospital in Vadodara and doubling of the Rajkot-Surendranagar railway line, among others, Patel said.

Also Read:Historic day for Haryana’s Healthcare ecosystem: Foundation stone for 750-bed AIIMS Rewari laid

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Register or face action: Medical Establishments in Telangana Get Ultimatum

Hyderabad: Issuing an ultimatum to the medical establishments, the Telangana Government authorities have asked them to ensure that they have proper registration.

In case they lack the requirement, the authorities have asked them to register or renew their registration in the next few days. Failing to do so, such medical establishments shall face action under the Clinical Establishments Act.

According to the concerned Act, all medical practitioners or centres must have a valid registration. In case, they do not have the registration, such facilities are considered to be illegal.

Also Read: Telangana Medical Council Continues Battle Against Quackery: 2 more FIRs Filed Against Unqualified Practitioners

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, one such ultimatum order was issued by the District Medical and Health Officer Suryapet. In the order, the DMHO asked all the nursing homes, clinics, hospitals, diagnostic centres, cathlabs, CT scan centres, X ray centres, dental clinics, physiotherapy and ultrasound centres to get their registration and renewals within three days.

Issuing a warning to take action for non-compliance, the order mentioned, “Any lapses, gaps and violations in registration and renewals will be viewed seriously.”

The daily adds that now that the vigil by the Drug Control Administration (DCA) and the Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) has increased, genuine establishments, lacking the required registration, will get a chance to complete the paperwork.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that earlier this month TSMC filed an FIR against a quack at the Jubilee Hills police station after finding that the accused was running a clinic and prescribing allopathic medicines without the required qualifications (MBBS degree).

The complaint was filed by TSMC Vigilance Officer Sri M. Ramu, who has the responsibility to inspect and bring to the Council’s notice the irregularities and illegal practices in allopathic medicines.

Several other FIRs were later filed by the Council in its attempt to eradicate quackery in the State. Earlier, the Council had decided to launch an online database of registered doctors. As per the Council, this user-friendly registry would be accessible to the public, allowing individuals to easily verify the legitimacy of doctors before seeking their consultation.

With over 60,000 doctors enlisted in TSMC, the absence of digital records posed a challenge during council elections. Renewing registrations was particularly difficult as there was no online option available. In the absence of a streamlined process, TSMC introduced a portal during the recent elections, addressing concerns related to certification, renewals, NoCs for practising in other states, and more.

Meanwhile, recently, the Gujarat Government also decided to make it mandatory for all the medical establishments across the state to register themselves, irrespective of their size.

Also Read: Gujarat Clinical Establishments Act to be amended, Registration to become Mandatory for All hospitals

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