• The Delhi High Court passed judgment on the widespread usage of oxytocin hormone in dairy colonies, that are packaged in white plastic bottles with a red or silver lid.

• The Court released a statement addressing the following points:

1. In addition to being concerning, the use of oxytocin hormone to boost dairy and cattle productivity is also considered cruelty under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, of 1960, and The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, of 1940.

2. As a result, relevant authorities are directed to investigate and prosecute any such cases.

3. Any unreported manufacturing or delivery of oxytocin in any form without authorization should be investigated by the police and intelligence division.

4. The court acknowledged the noncompliance with a previous ruling it had issued, which ordered the relocation of the specified dairies outside of Delhi's municipal zone.

5. Nine large dairies ought to be moved to regions with adequate drainage, sewage, and biogas facilities, as well as lots of open space for cattle grazing and movement.

6. If humans, especially children, were to ingest the milk from the dairies near the Sanitary Landfill Sites (also known as "SLFS"), there could be grave repercussions. The cattle likely raised there would be fed hazardous waste.

• According to several studies, dairy product’s steroid hormone content may be a significant risk factor for several human malignancies.

• Even though oxytocin does not enter the bloodstream in its active state, it has been observed that milk containing this hormone has negative impacts on human health, necessitating tighter laws and controls

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• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) along with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) monitors local, state, and national level outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

• These are the updates as of May 2, 2024 -

1. 9 states reported outbreaks of HPAI in cattle, with 36 herds affected starting on March 25, 2024. This was the first time that bird flu viruses were found in cattle.

2. One human with exposure to dairy cows, presumably infected with the virus, was infected with HPAI in Texas. This was the first case of mammal-to-mammal transmission.

• Though the risk of spreading these infections from mammals to mammals is rare, the CDC has released guidelines to prevent infections among people routinely being exposed to poultry or cattle.

• These include avoiding dead birds or animals and eating cooked uncontaminated meat.

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• A retrospective study based on the data from patients who received treatment from Tata Memorial Hospital in 2016 was followed up till 2021.

• Researchers studied the overall five-year survival of oral cancer patients.

• A total of 1895 cases were recruited, of which >80% were men.

• The most common cancers were of the buccal mucosa and tongue, while lip and oral cavity cancer cases were the least common.

• Patients aged <40 years had a 69% five-year survival rate compared to those >60 years, who had a 60% survival rate.

• Those who were diagnosed with poorly differentiated carcinoma belonged to stage IV of the TNM stage, received only chemotherapy, and received partial treatment had higher hazards of dying. 

• The hazard of death was lower among literates.

• The study findings emphasized the need for awareness for developing treatment-seeking behavior and completing treatment courses.

• The study indirectly depicts the poor health-seeking behavior of women, noted by the higher proportion of men recruited in the study.

• However, the study cannot be generalized to the community as it was based only on hospital data and was subject to Bercksonian bias

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• In April 2024, Delhi achieved its highest number of 'Good to Moderate' air quality days in the past six years, except for 2020.

• April 2024 also marked the second-lowest average Air Quality Index (AQI) since 2018.

• The daily average AQI for April 2024 was 182, demonstrating a significant improvement over the previous year.

• Only 7 days in April 2024 had an AQI exceeding 200, showcasing effective control over 'Poor to Severe' air quality days.

• This improvement is attributed to favorable weather conditions and collaborative efforts by the NCR Commission for Air Quality Management and stakeholders.

• Additionally, April 2024 witnessed a notable reduction in daily average PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations compared to previous years.

• The CAQM continues to work closely with stakeholders to combat air pollution and enhance the overall air quality in the NCR.

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• Swachhata Pakhwada is a 15-day programme that has been conducted since 2016 to foster awareness and action toward a healthier and cleaner India.

• Prof. Shridhar Dwivedi, Senior Consultant Cardiologist & Head of Academics at the National Heart Institute, spoke about the link between health and sanitation at the National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi during the program.

• He focused on a holistic approach to health with proper sanitation and a balanced lifestyle, giving equal importance to not only physical health but also mental and spiritual well-being.

• He also urged everyone to continue the healthy habits adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The director of the institute also reiterated the institute's commitment to making cleanliness a mission, aiming to rectify and enhance India's image as a clean nation

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• India's Ministry of Earth Sciences will host a key environmental summit, the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM 46), and the 26th Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP 26) in Kochi, Kerala, from May 20-30, 2024.

• Nations and stakeholders will address crucial issues in Antarctica, like sustainable management, governance, climate change, tourism regulations, and biodiversity conservation. 

• India's role as host reflects its growing commitment to safeguarding Antarctica for future generations.

• India maintains two permanent research stations on the continent, Maitri (1989) and Bharati (2012), to conduct annual scientific expeditions.

• Over 350 delegates from more than 60 nations are anticipated to attend the meeting,  with Ambassador Pankaj Saran being nominated to chair the proceedings.

• The upcoming Antarctic Treaty meetings in India are critical for international efforts to protect Antarctica's environment and foster scientific research.

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• A recent study in Clinical Infectious Diseases revealed that malnourished individuals in households with tuberculosis (TB) exposure are three times more likely to develop TB, despite not necessarily having a higher risk of initial Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

• It was conducted across multiple centers in India and involved 857 household contacts of TB patients diagnosed within two months.

• Of these, 27.9% were underweight, with a median age of 29 years, and 59% were females, monitored for 24 months.

• During follow-up, 18 new TB cases emerged, with 10 among underweight contacts and four developing early TB with severe malnutrition (BMI <16), resulting in a hazard ratio of 3.16 for TB disease.

• The authors stress recognizing malnutrition's role in TB progression to refine transmission models and interventions, urging timely provision of adequate household rations alongside preventive therapy by TB programs.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Patient Safety Rights Charter at the Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety, emphasizing the significance of patient safety within healthcare systems worldwide.

• This Charter, the first of its kind, outlines patients' rights in the context of safety and aims to guide stakeholders in shaping legislation, policies, and guidelines.

• Patient safety encompasses processes, procedures, and cultures that minimize risks of harm to patients, regardless of their demographics or status.

• The Charter delineates 10 crucial patient safety rights, including timely and appropriate care, safe healthcare practices, qualified staff, and patient and family engagement.

• The Charter aligns with global priorities identified in the Global Patient Safety Action Plan and the World Health Assembly resolution on patient safety.

• It aims to empower healthcare workers, leaders, governments, and patients alike to foster patient-centered healthcare systems and advocate for high-quality, safe healthcare.

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• The study conducted by Ruffin et al., from April 2016 to November 2019, involved 362 patients hospitalized in U.S. hospitals with bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE).

• These 362 encompassed both Black and White racial groups.

• The findings indicated that Black females were more likely to be admitted from long-term care facilities and had higher rates of heart infections.

• In contrast, Black males were generally younger and more prone to cerebrovascular disease.

• Among the Whites, malignancy was the reason for the hospital admission of 39% of White males and 39% of White females.

• The primary source of infection for both Black females (32%) and White males (27%) was often unidentified.

• An independent predictor of 30-day mortality was the interaction between sex and race (p=0.016).

• Notably, Black females exhibited a higher 30-day mortality rate compared to Black males (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) - 2.59, 95% CI 1.02 - 6.56) and White females (aOR 2.15, 95% CI 1.01 - 4.58).

• On April 23, 2024, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was inked between the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

• The objective of this MoU is to foster collaborative research and training, focusing on addressing complex scientific and health-related issues pertinent to the nation and the Indian Armed Forces.

• This collaboration aims to address multidisciplinary scientific, technological, and educational problems of relevance to the country and the Armed Forces.

• The collaboration will focus on research on the following points:

1. High Altitude,

2. Battle-related trauma/Post-traumatic stress disorder,

3. Aerospace medicine,

4. Infectious diseases

• Under this joint activity, opportunities for AFMS officers to register for PhDs under the ICMR-AcSIR PhD programme are also going to be available.

• This collaboration aims to leverage both organizations' strengths in biomedical research and academics.

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• The 6th National Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure was held in New Delhi in April 2024.

• This coalition began in 2019 and involves 39 countries and 7 organizations with the singular aim of building resilient infrastructure.

• This year’s conference theme was “Investing today for a more resilient tomorrow."

• The honorable Prime Minister of India also graced the occasion via a video message and emphasized various points, including a funding project that will protect the small island developing states against such disasters.

• Emphasis was placed on the need for countries to strengthen their resilience individually so that disasters can be addressed collectively.

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• Researchers at IIT-Madras developed a point-of-need diagnostic tool for testing underground water samples in rural areas.

• As explained, the tool can be used for up to 200 meters underwater in lakes and other water bodies as well.

• The fundamental element of the tool is a micro bottle optical resonator, a device as small as a grain of sand, fabricated using optical fiber, and whose surface is coated with a chemical sensitive to arsenic.

• The tool consists of an optical tip (probe), as small as a skinny ballpoint pen, with the tip attached to a spool of fiber that can extend around 200m when drawn out.

• This battery-operated device detects the reflected light, measuring the levels of arsenic in water.

• The pen will be immersible in water.

• Prof Ravinder K Jain, University of Mexico, explained how the notch in the laser spectrum will shift when the contaminant (arsenic) binds to the surface of the micro bottle resonator, and this shift will indicate the levels of arsenic in the water.

• This tool can sense even very low levels (below parts per billion levels) of arsenic within a few seconds after the probe is dipped to determine the safety of drinking water..

• In 2017, around 240 million people across  the country were found to have arsenic levels higher than normal, even today, levels are measured using electro-chemical sensors that are not very efficient at detecting further lower levels.