General
Monkeypox: Trivitron healthcare develops real-time PCR based kit in India

Medical devices company Trivitron Healthcare on Friday announced it has developed the real-time PCR-based kit for the detection of monkeypox virus in India.
Monkeypox, once endemic to countries in West and Central Africa, is spreading at a fast pace globally — with about 200 confirmed and more than 100 suspected cases in over 20 countries.
“India has always been at the forefront of extending help to the world, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, and this time also the world needs assistance,” said Chandra Ganjoo, Group Chief Executive Officer, Trivitron Healthcare, in the statement.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Monkeypox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. The Orthopoxvirus genus also includes variola virus (which causes smallpox), vaccinia virus (used in the smallpox vaccine), and cowpox virus.
The PCR kit is a four colour fluorescence based, which can differentiate between smallpox and monkeypox in a one tube single reaction format within an hour.
“In this four gene RT-PCR kit, the first detects the viruses in the wider orthopox group, the second and third targets and differentiates the monkeypox and smallpox virus, respectively, and the fourth detects the internal control corresponding to human cell to address the assay performance and aid in following its epidemic spread,” the company said.
However, the kit is now available only for research-use (RUO) and based on literature search and in-silico design, it added.
For the response measures such as tracing efforts and treatment strategies, the diagnostic tools are crucial for responding to control the emerging public health challenges.
Trivitron has 15 manufacturing facilities in India, US, Finland, Turkey and China to roll out medical technology products.
General
Mumbai News: ‘Won’t return to JJ hospital,’ say senior doctors who resigned following protest of resident doctors

“We will not resume work at Sir Jamshetji Jeejeebhoy Hospital even if all the issues are resolved,” said Dr Tatayrao Lahane, the former dean of the hospital and Dr Ragini Parekh, head of the ophthalmology department, and the other honorary doctors who resigned on Thursday. Further, they have also demanded an enquiry against the hospital dean and strict action against her.
The hospital dean, Dr Pallavi Saple, has sought an explanation from Dr Parekh, on the appointment of Dr Sumeet Lahane, the son of Dr Lahane, who was allowed to perform surgeries in the department.
This comes after a three-member committee headed by Dr Sanjay Surase, medical superintendent, submitted its investigative report against Dr Sumeet Lahane.
“The report submitted to the dean reveals that the committee has sought an explanation from Dr Ragini Parekh, HoD, on the appointment of Dr Sumeet Lahane and also asked her to clarify three points, based on documents submitted by resident doctors as proof,” said Dr Saple.
Report submitted by the investigative committee is biased: Dr Lahane
“We have been serving J J Hospital and patients for the last 36 years and have done more than lakhs of surgeries and operations. But we did not expect to be humiliated by resident doctors and the hospital dean. All of us have resigned and will not be part of J J Hospital any further. The report submitted by the investigative committee is biased, as they have not asked for our version and we have the right to tell our side of the issue,” Dr Tatyarao Lahane said.
Meanwhile, the deadlock between resident and senior doctors entered the third day on Friday. The Maharashtra State Resident Doctors Association (MARD) is threatening to go on a state-wide indefinite strike if their demands are not met.
According to Dr Shubham Soni, MARD president, J J Hospital, resident doctors have alleged that Dr Lahane and Dr Parekh had been running the ophthalmology department ‘dictatorially’ and in a way that clearly violated the guidelines issued by the National Medical Commission at multiple levels.
Resident doctors’ protest
Resident doctors in the ophthalmology department say that they have been dealing with several issues, such as not getting hands-on experience with surgery, minimal academic and research activity.
The report of the investigative committee said that Dr Sumeet Lahane was performing cataract surgeries and was also looking at routine OPD. If a government letter or order had been issued, asking him to perform surgeries and examine patients, a photocopy of the order had to be submitted. The third point raised by the committee was that a criminal case could be filed against Drs Sumeet Lahane and Ragini Parekh, as it was a legal offence for outsiders to perform patient examinations, surgeries, and other patient care work, without an order.
“We have raised these points with Dr Parekh and sought a detailed explanation and asked why no case should be registered against Dr Sumeet Lahane,” Dr Saple added.
General
Bill to allow Sikhs to ride without bike helmets in California

Senators in California voted in favour of a bill that exempts Sikhs from wearing a safety helmet when riding a motorcycle.
The Senate Bill 847, authored by Senator Brian Dahle cleared the state senate this week with a 21-8 vote margin, and will now move to the Assembly.
“Freedom of religion is a core foundation of this country. We, as Americans, have the right to freely express our religion and I believe that right should equally extend to everyone. Any law that limits the ability to express one’s religion, goes against what this country is all about,” Dahle said in a statement after presenting the bill on the senate floor.
“Exempting those who wear turbans or patkas from wearing helmets is a simple way to ensure that everyone’s religious freedoms are protected,” he added.
According to 2021 American Community Survey estimates, 211,000 Sikhs live in California, which is nearly half of all Sikhs living in the US.
The State Senate was told that as of now, no helmet exists in the market that will accommodate a turban or a patka, but according to members of the Sikh community, a turban is a good enough protection.
Currently, 18 states and Washington D.C. have a universal helmet law for all riders. 29 states require helmets for specified riders, generally riders under a certain age (usually 18 or 21).
Only Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire have no motorcycle helmet laws.
“Although other countries and our own military make accommodations for Sikhs’ deep beliefs, out of the US states that require helmets, none has exemptions for Sikhs or any other group based on religious practice,” a statement from Dahle’s office read.
This question of helmets for Sikhs has also been debated and considered in other countries, like Canada and the UK.
In Canada, Sikhs are exempt from motorcycle helmet laws in several provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario.
Among the supporters of the bill were the Legendary Sikh Riders, the Sikh Legends of America and the Sikh Saints Motorcycle Club.
According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 5,500 motorcyclists died in 2020, and more than 180,000 were treated in emergency departments for crash injuries.
General
BIZARRE! Pune student scores the perfect 35 in all subjects at Class 10 board exam

Mumbai: There are those who get more than 90% in the board exams and still crib about not scoring high enough. Then there are those who are just happy to have scored enough marks to get passed. But what if someone scores the exact marks needed to clear the exam, not a point less not a point more? They would consider themselves to be the luckiest person on the planet. Vaibhav More, a student from Junnar taluka in Pune, is one of them.
As the state education board declared the Class 10 exam results on Friday, Vaibhav got the most peculiar marksheet – one with 35 marks in each of the subjects, the bare minimum required for passing the exam. He couldn’t believe it, and neither could anyone else. “Bhari, na (Awesome, isn’t it)” is his reaction when asked about the amusing scorecard.
Son of a farm labourer couple at the tiny Bori Khurd village situated 93 km north of Pune, Vaibhav doesn’t really like to study and was expecting to fail the test. “I did prepare for the exam but didn’t have much expectations. I was astonished to see 35 in each of the subjects. I haven’t seen anyone with such a mark sheet. My friends, too, are surprised,” says the delighted student.
The 16-year-old says that his teacher and mother were both relieved as they didn’t have much hope. His father, on the other hand, was far from amused. “He yelled at me as he wanted me to score more,” said Vaibhav.
When asked about his son’s bizarre feat, Krushna More, the father, shot a rather probing question. “Did he actually get those marks, or was he passed through condonation?”
While the condonation or grace marks, awarded to students who miss the passing score by a few points, seems to be the most likely explanation behind the improbably neat result, it must take special skill, or luck, to muster just enough marks to benefit from this provision in as many as six subjects.
Vaibhav said that he never had much affinity for education as he struggled to understand what was taught in the classroom. He particularly abhorred Mathematics. To make matters worse, his school was shut for more than a year due to the Covid-induced lockdown. He credits his elder sister, a Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS), to help him study for the exam and get across the line.
While he doesn’t spend much much time studying, Vaibhav helps his parents with farm work and plays Cricket and Kabaddi in his spare time. He is fascinated by electronic equipments and often fasten and unfasten them and he is now planning to pursue some vocational course at the nearby Industrial Training Institute (ITI), though he isn’t very sure about it.
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Targeted in Sandalwood drugs case for being a woman: Actress Ragini Dwivedi
-
Crime10 months ago
Class 10 student jumps to death in Jaipur
-
Crime1 year ago
‘You must stop this’, SC expresses concern on hate speeches made at Dharam Sansads
-
Maharashtra2 years ago
Corona third wave knocked in Maharashtra!
-
Bollywood1 year ago
Anushka Sharma starts shooting for her ‘Chakda Xpress’
-
Entertainment5 months ago
Rakhi Sawant changes name to Fatima after her wedding with Adil Khan Durrani – Check viral Nikah pics
-
Uncategorized10 months ago
Sufi conference in J&K’s Bandipora hosts a sizeable gathering
-
Business11 months ago
IT department finds pharma group gave freebies worth Rs 1000 cr to health professionals