Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR)

An artificial disc is a device that is implanted into the spine to replace a degenerative disc, whose regular function is to carry weight and allow motion. A disc is the soft cushioning structure between the individual bones of the spine, (called vertebra).

Artificial discs are usually made of metal and plastic-like (biopolymer) materials, or a combination of the two. These materials have been used in the body for many years.

The reasons for choosing to replace a disc may vary for each condition. Generally, if the pain caused by the affected disc has not been reduced enough with non-surgical treatments, such as medication, injections, or physical therapy, a doctor may suggest disc replacement.

Currently, Artificial Disc Replacement is considered experimental and is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Most of the research that has been conducted on artificial discs has been carried out in Europe. Total disc replacements have been used in Europe since the late 1980s.

In addition to the potential complications associated with undergoing surgery and general anesthesia, the complications associated with artificial disc replacement may include breakage of the metal plate, dislocation of the implant, and infection. To help minimize complications associated with the implant itself, proper selection of patients and size of implant is very important.

Finally, like joint replacement surgery, artificial implants may fail over time due to wear of the materials and loosening of the implants. Therefore, long term studies that track the life span of the implants are needed.

To read more about ADR visit the following links:

http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article1671.html http://www.dhmc.org/ortho/Spine/ArtificialDiscReplacement.html

To see the first advanced ADR surgery in INDIA, click the below link: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/First-advanced-artificial-disc-replacement-surgery-done-in-city/228525/

Keywords: Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR), Spine, FDA, Disc Replacements

10,000 Health Workers Stop Polio in Somalia

Geneva (Switzerland), March'08: Somalia is again polio-free, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) announced today, calling it a 'Historic Achievement' in public health. Somalia has not reported a case since March 25, 2007, a major landmark in the intensified eradication effort launched last year to wipe out the disease in the remaining few strongholds.

Against a backdrop of widespread conflict, large population movements and a dearth of functioning government infrastructure, transmission of poliovirus in the country has been successfully stopped.

This landmark victory is a result of the efforts of more than 10,000 Somali volunteers and health workers who repeatedly vaccinated more than 1.8 million children under the age of five by visiting every household in every settlement multiple times, across a country ranked one of the most dangerous places on earth.

The use of innovative approaches tailored to conflict areas was pivotal in stopping polio in the country. These included increased community involvement and the effective use of monovalent vaccines to immunize children in insecure areas with several doses, within a short period of time.

"This truly historic achievement shows that polio can be eradicated everywhere, even in the most challenging and difficult settings," said Dr Hussein A Gezairy, Regional Director for the World Health Organization's Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.

§ Polio, which can cause lifelong paralysis, has been stopped nearly everywhere in the world following a 20-year concerted international effort. Only four polio-endemic countries remain.

§ Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan – and the eradication of polio globally now depends primarily on stopping the disease in these countries. Consistent financial commitment continues to be crucial to completing polio eradication.

§ The global effort currently faces a shortage of 525 million American dollars for 2008-2009, funding urgently needed to fight the disease in the remaining endemic areas and protect children in high-risk polio-free areas.

Keywords: Somalia, Polio, Geneva, Global Polio Eradication Initiative

Apples, apple juice may help keep Colon Cancer at Bay

Listening to your mother and ‘eating an apple a day to keep the doctor away’ seems to be a really good idea, for a new study has found that apple pectin and apple juice extracts have anticarcinogenic effects on the colon.

German researchers led by Dr. Dieter Schrenk found that Apples and Apple Juice enhance biological mechanisms that produce Anticarcinogenic compounds during the Fermentation process. The researchers believe that the presence of apple pectin and apple juice extracts increase the presence of the compound butyrate which is believed to be a Chemopreventative metabolite that might prevent the occurrence of Colorectal Cancer.

Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid that, the research states, “not only serves as a major nutrient for the colon epithelia but is also thought to play an important role in the protective effect of natural fiber against colorectal cancer.”

Dr Schrenk and his colleagues conducted laboratory tests in which they found that by the increased production of butyrate via the addition of apple components, Histone Deacetlyases (HDAC) were inhibited. With slowed production of HDAC, there would be significantly less growth of Precancerous and Tumour Cells.

The researchers therefore noted: “Apples are a major source of natural fiber and of low molecular weight plan polyphenols in the Western diet. Pectin-rich apple products can thus be expected to exert anticarginogenic effects in the colon.”

So don’t forget ‘an apple a day keep doctor away’.

Keywords: Apples, Health, Wellness, Histone Deacetlyases

Worst Fiscal for Sensex in last Five Years???

Stock market appears to be heading for its worst fiscal in the past five years with a 951-point fall in the benchmark Sensex on Monday dragging its year-to-date gain to just about 13 per cent. Following Monday's fall of over Six per cent, which saw the Sensex dropping to the sub-15,000 level, at least one in every three stocks is currently trading below the level it was at the beginning of the current fiscal.

The Sensex closed at 14,809.49 points at the end of today's trading, which saw an intra-day loss of 1,022 points. This represents a gain of 13.3 per cent over its level at the end of last fiscal ended March, 2007. Analysts believe there is no immediate signs of recovery in sight for the domestic market as global cues continue to worsen each passing day.

There are less than 10 days of trading left in the current fiscal, which ends on March 31, 2008. In 2006-07, the Sensex had gained 15.9 per cent, when it moved from 11,279.96 points to 13,072.10 points. Prior to that, the 30-share benchmark had registered a whopping gain of 73.7 per cent in the fiscal ended March 2006, while in 2003-04, the rise was even steeper at 83.4 per cent. In the fiscal ended March 2005, the gain was 16.1 per cent.

The market had seen losses in three consecutive fiscals before the uptrend began in the fiscal ended March 2004. The losses were of about 12 per cent, four per cent and 28 per cent in fiscals 2002-03, 2001-02 and 2000-01 respectively. Before that, the Sensex had gained about 34 per cent in 1999-2000, while it had dropped by about four per cent in 1998-99 and gained about 16 per cent in the fiscal prior to that.

An analysis of share price movements since the beginning of the current fiscal shows that close to 1,000 companies are currently trading at levels below those where they ended the last fiscal. However, close to 1,500 stocks are still maintaining a gain for the fiscal.

Today itself, as many as 125 stocks dropped to their all-time lowest levels.

Keywords: Sensex, Nifty, NSE, BSE, Indian Stock Market

Microsoft's Yahoo buy might hurt Internet World: Google

Google Inc, the world's leading search engine, said on Monday it was concerned about the free flow of information on the Internet if Microsoft Corp were to succeed in acquiring Yahoo Inc.

Last month, Microsoft proposed buying Yahoo in a deal originally worth $44.6 billion, but Yahoo's board has rejected the offer, saying it was too low. "We would be concerned by any kind of acquisition of Yahoo by Microsoft," Chief Executive Eric Schmidt told reporters.

"We would hope that anything they did would be consistent with the openness of the Internet, but I doubt it would be." Schmidt pointed to Microsoft's past history and "the things that it has done that have been so difficult for everyone", but he did not elaborate.

Last year, a European court upheld a landmark 2004 decision that Microsoft abused the near-monopoly power of its Windows OS to damage competitors, along with a 497 million euro ($695 million) fine. "We are concerned that there are things Microsoft could do that would be bad for the Internet World," said Schmidt. Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer pledged earlier this month that his company would gain market share against Google in online advertising and Web searching, even if led to his "last breath" at the company.

Keywords: Microsoft Yahoo Bid, Google Inc

USA H-1B Visa: Two new Bills to raise Capacity

Has US Congress yielded to Bill Gates appeal on H1-B visa? Not yet. But the lobbying seems to be working. Just a day after the software czar headed for Capitol Hill to lobby for the increase in the annual quota of temporary skilled worker (H-1 B) visas, two bills were introduced in the Congress to fulfill Bill's wish.

The bills introduced by two members of the US House of Representatives -- one Republican and the other a Democrat -- have introduced legislations that would increase the annual cap of temporary skilled worker (H-1 B) visas. Senator Lamar Smith, from Texas introduced a bill that would increase the annual cap on H-1B visas to 195,000, while the Democrat Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona introduced another bill that aims to take the cap to 130,000 in 2008, and increase it further depending on demand.

Smith's legislation "Strengthening United States Technology And Innovation Now Act" (SUSTAIN Act) suggests making 1,95,000 H-1 B visas as the base level for the fiscal year 2009, which will begin October 1, 2008. Alongside, Compete America, a coalition of industry, research and education institutions have also begun pitching for an increase in the annual quota.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will start accepting applications for temporary skilled worker (H-1 B) visas from April 1 for the fiscal year 2009 that begins on October 1. As was the case in the past couple of years, it is expected that the annual quota of H-1 B visas will be exhausted on the first day itself. At present, the quota is at 65,000 visas a year. Of this, 6,800 visas are set aside for Chile and Singapore as per their trade agreements with the US.

This leaves 58,200 H-1 B visa for applicants from the rest of the world. Let’s see this year breaks the record of last year total noof processing.

Keywords: Bill Gates, H1B Visa American Visas, USCIS, SUSTAIN

IT Companies look at India as offshore R&D Centre

Few companies will look at India as their destination for Offshore R&D Centers in the next 18 months. In fact, there is already a sort of slowdown in the number of such units being set up in the country.

From 75 new offshore R&D centers in 2005, the number has dwindled to just 15 last year. There are about 600 MNC captives in India and R&D off shoring activity in the country is estimated at $6 billion and is seen as growing at 23%. Software product development captures over 50% of R&D market, with the balance contributed by embedded systems space.

According to a study, some key reasons for this trend were cost escalation of 8% to 15%, attrition of up to 20%, difficulty in scalability and lack of recruitment bandwidth. However, the silver lining is that many of the large and established R&D centers will lend a lot of buoyancy to R&D activity from India. In fact, large companies will grow till their head count reaches 30%-40% of their global R&D workforce, the study says. While there are several challenges, what has worked for some of the successful R&D captives in India is stable and strong leadership team that has spent a good number of years to stabilize the centre.

Talking about future possibilities, Indian R&D centers would be at the centre of conceptualization, design and development of low-cost products like cars, mobile chips and consumer software products. “Business model innovations will be experimented to tap the SMB market place”.

Small companies are expected to use third party services and temporary contractors to keep a check on costs while mid-sized firms, who followed the collaborative model, may move into own captive centers. Also, operating costs and wage inflation are expected to stabilize after 2009, the study forecasts.

Keywords: Indian IT/ITES

Reliance, HDFC Bank to launch Virtual Credit Card..!

Imagine your Mobile Phone doubling up as your Credit Card. Reliance Communications and HDFC Bank have joined hands to offer Virtual Mobile Credit Cards in the country. Under the scheme, a Reliance Mobile phone will get credit card functionality and the mobile number will act as the credit card number.

“Initially, the service would allow card holders to make payments to merchant partners like Adlabs, Yatra and Billdesk, with the list to be expanded to other partners follwing the roll out,” Mahesh Prasad, president of the applications, solutions and content group at Reliance Communications said.

For HDFC Bank, this will be an additional payment choice for customers who don’t want to disclose their credit card details online. “This is not an exclusive agreement. Over the next few months, we might tie up with more mobile companies as well for similar services,” said CN Ram, country head for IT, said.

The service will come with a transaction passcode and there will be no financial liability to the user in the case of mobile phone theft. It could become a preferred way of making payment in future as it does away with the risks associated with carrying cards and revealing its details at merchant establishments. Security and convenience are two major benefits of the new facility, he said. Internationally, this technology was introduced only a couple of years ago and has been a great success in countries like South Korea, Japan and Philippines, Mr Prasad added.

Keywords: Mobiles, Reliance Communications, Virtual Mobile Credit cards,

Has the India Stock Market bottomed Out?

The global turmoil has pushed Indian stock indices to levels unthinkable. Is there more pain ahead or is it time to buy? Three experts weigh in.

International credit markets are in a crisis and the stock markets have been shaky. Nobody is in a position to react to the big macro issues such as where the dollar is going, what is the likely GDP growth of US or China, and so on. For every smart person on one side of the question, there is another smart person on the other side.

The Indian Financial Markets have also been witnessing sustained volatility and clearly global cues are the deciding factor, in the absence of any strong domestic positive news. The US economy and its future course will be a critical factor in assessing the FII mood and market sentiments, going ahead.

As far as the valuations are concerned although the Indian markets are now trading at 14-15x FY09E, and a large part of the froth generated is now out of the system, the sustainability of any upward move in the market clearly depends on global factors. I feel that the markets are trading closer to fair fundamental value but a minor down-move is not ruled out in the short term. One key deciding factor for the Indian markets will be FII liquidity, which seems to have completely dried up and unless this revives substantially way, we may continue to see volatile and choppy markets for another 3-4 months, followed by a noticeable recovery that could start from September ’08 onwards. However, even this will be subject to the forthcoming general elections, which now look scheduled early.

Clearly, retail investors should look at the SIPs (systematic investment plans) of mutual funds as the right investment option if they do not have the ability and the capacity to take risk directly. Equity as an asset class will definitely bounce back and offer significantly better returns over the next two-to-three year horizon. With elections looming near the corner, the markets will continue to remain choppy and volatile and this may keep investors away from the markets.

Nevertheless, this is an excellent time for an investor to build a quality portfolio of stocks because prices of almost all blue chip stocks have come off by almost 50% and hence returns from these levels over the next two to three years will be a significant for any retail investors. However, they will have to be patient and have the conviction in their investment decisions and take a long-term call on the markets without looking at the short-term aspects. It should be very clearly understood that the India story continues to remain strong but sentiment has taken a beating due to unfavorable global developments.

However, unfortunately, while investing in equity, retail investors tend to take a short-term view and look for almost instant gains. This short-term approach needs to be curbed and equity, as an asset class, needs to be considered by the investors for long-term deployment. If this approach to investment is followed, the current market scenario is ripe for retail investors to enter for making substantial long-term gains.

Keywords: NSE/BSE, Indian Stock Market, Indian Economy, SIP, FIIs, Mutual Funds, Equity, Futures

83 Indian Companies Made Acquisitions In US In 2007; 70% of them IT/ITES

India’s US conquest continues with over 73 per cent increase in outbound Indo-US cross border transactions. According to a report released by Vitrus Global Partners, a cross-border investment and advisory firm focused on US and India-based transactions, Indian companies accounted for a total of 83 US-bound acquisitions in 2007.

This accounted for a cumulative transaction value of over $10 billion in 2007. In 2006, there were only 48 transactions. Among the conclusions it draws, about 70 per cent of these transactions were in the Information Technology/ IT-Enabled Service (IT/ITES) sector compared to only 40 per cent last year. The report says that it reflects “the growing pressure amongst IT/ITES companies in India to scale up their size and service offerings”.

What has led to the increase in number of M&As is that there is easy access to the US, the need for acquiring more customers, marketing and distribution channels of the acquired company, low interest rates and tariffs. Besides, there is easy access to external commercial borrowings which provide Indian companies sufficient liquidity for global acquisitions.

The mega deals of 2007 were Hindalco’s acquisition of Novelis for $6 billion, Rain Calcining’s acquisition of CII Carbon for $595 million, Wipro’s acquisition of Infocrossing for $568 million and Firstsource’s acquisition of MedAssist for $330 million.

IT/ITES remains the most acquisitive industry capturing over 51 per cent share of the total US-bound transactions by volume, followed by health-care (11%); chemicals, textiles, and automotive (5% each); metals & mining, jewelry, travel, and media (4% each). Other industries accounted for less than 2 per cent each in terms of volume.

Keywords: India Inc, Acquisitions, IT/ITES, Hindalco, Novelis, Rain Calcinings, CII Corbon, Wipro, Firstsource, Infocrossing