BIZARRE!

Woman survives a week in the Australian Outback by drinking her own urine

29.11.2018

A woman survived nearly a week in the Australian Outback after getting stuck in a bog by drinking her own urine and windscreen wiper fluid. Brooke Phillips, 40, took a wrong turn and got stuck miles away from civilisation.

She said, “I drank my own urine on the last day because I was thinking no one is going to come here to save me.”

Incredibly, her daughter, 16, found her while taking part in a large-scale search and rescued her. Now the woman drives with 20 litres of water in her car wherever she goes.

Foreign PhD holders can directly join as asst prof: UGC

New Delhi:29.11.2018

Doctoral degree holders from the top 500 foreign universities are now eligible for direct recruitment as assistant professor in Indian varsities, according to the University Grants Commission (UGC).

As per the new recruitment norms, the top 500 ranking of the university shall be referred from four famous world university ranking systems — Quacquarelli Symonds, Times Higher Education rankings and the Academic Ranking of World Universities of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

“The direct recruitment eligibility of international PhD holders is applicable for the disciplines of Arts, Commerce, Humanities, Education, Law, Social Sciences, Sciences, Languages, Library Science, Physical Education and Journalism and Mass Communication. This will help students learn from global talent in India itself,” a senior UGC official said.

Earlier, the candidates eligible for the post were required to have minimum 55%marks in the Master’s degree in concerned subject from an Indian University or an equivalent degree from an accredited foreign university.

The candidate was also required to have cleared the National Eligibility Test conducted by the UGC or the CSIR, or a similar test accredited by the UGC, like SLET, SET. While PhD degree holders from Indian university with required percentage in Masters’ are also eligible for direct recruitment, the minimum requirements related to Masters’programme have been waived off for international PhD holders. PTI

Caught cheating in exam, student commits suicide
Kollam:29.11.2018

A19-year-old girl from Kollam’s Koottikkada area allegedly killed herself on Wednesday by jumping in front of a train after she was caught cheating in her college examination. Rakhi Krishna was a first-year degree student at Fatima Mata National College.

According to students, Rakhi was caught while trying to copy during a semester examination and taken to the college’s anti-copying squad. While squad members were talking to her, a teacher allegedly clicked Rakhi’s photograph. She was also asked to summon her parents to the college.

Following this, teachers said Rakhi left college around 12pm. Teachers and other college staff looked for her but they couldn’t find her. Rakhi was found dead on the railway tracks near the Kollam police commissioner’s office. Sources said she jumped in front of the New Delhi-bound Kerala Express around 12.45pm.

Soon after the death, students held a protest and blocked teachers and police from entering the campus. TNN

Kerala govt sanctions ₹10cr to TN for Gaja

Thiruvananthapuram:  29.11.2018

The Kerala government on Wednesday sanctioned ₹10 crore as emergency aid to cyclone Gajahit Tamil Nadu. The cabinet meeting, chaired by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, took the decision in this regard.

“Kerala stands With Tamil Nadu. The cabinet sanctioned ₹10 crore as emergency aid to Tamil Nadu. Fourteen trucks with essential supplies like food and clothes, were sent earlier. Six medical teams, 72 officials of the state electricity board and volunteers with rescue experience were sent for relief activities, Vijayan said in a Tweet.

The Tamil Nadu government, in its report to the Centre, has estimated the number of people rendered homeless at 3.7 lakh, and houses destroyed at 3.4 lakh.

The cabinet meeting also decided to give a compensation of ₹3.25 crore to the fishermen whose boats were damaged in the rescue works during the August deluge. The funds for fishermen will be alloted from chief minister’s distress relief fund. PTI

NEW FRONTIERS OF MEDICINE

Thanks to technological advancements, every field of medical science has been revolutionised

Dr Vasundhra Atre: 29.11.2018

By 2030 India would be amongst the youngest nations in the world. The last two decades have seen a transformation in the medical and educational landscape of the country. The last two decades have seen a transformation in the medical and educational landscape of the country.

It is expected that by 2030, one in every four graduates in the world, would be the product of an Indian higher education system. Not surprising, considering that India has always been regarded as a seat of learning. Historically, students from all over the world, would converge on the universities of Nalanda and Taxila to study medicine.

Most of the times, the decision to take up medicine is driven by a family member, the perceived glamour of the profession or just because 'I am good in biology'. The true extent of what medicine is, gets driven home only over the next five-and-a-half years of the course. Some love it, some do not.

BEYOND TRADITIONAL MEDICAL PRACTICES

The traditional medicine practice of a formal visit to the doctor for a diagnosis and treatment is giving way to greater use of technology for the same purpose.

Just a couple of years ago, terms such as artificial intelligence, stem cell technology, gene manipulation or the thought of an operating robot in healthcare belonged to science fiction. Today, these are a reality and bound to greatly impact healthcare in the days ahead. Interestingly, both practicing health professionals and the patient population alike are open to accepting and willing to adopt these transitions.

Healthcare is becoming more collaborative and broad based. Specialists from telecommunication, the computer and software experts, geneticists, cell biologists, pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers among others need to work together for the development of successful solutions.

Some trends that are likely to become part of daily healthcare practices in days ahead include: Medical Artificial intelligence uses computers for clinical diagnoses, suggesting treatment and predicting results. It is expected to change the way medicine is practised. Imagine a system which provides customised personal therapies, targeted treatments and uniquely composed drugs-precision medicine.

3D Bio-printing is expected to revolutionise medicine, with its possible potential to fabricate tissues and organs, create customised implants and prosthesis, and aid pharmaceutical research.

The field of Stem Cell Therapy is the result of the combined effort of geneticists, cell biologists and clinicians; offering hope for treatment of both malignant and non-malignant medical conditions. Imagine being able to regenerate organs and human tissues like a tooth with help of one's own cells.

Nutrigenomics combines genetics and nutrition science. Our genome can reveal valuable information about our needs. The data could be used to lead a long and healthy life. Imagine one has a health issue, the DNA is sequenced and then a smart app gives a personalised diet plan to say what foods should be eaten, and which avoided, for a healthy you.

Tele-health is essentially the use of electronic information and telecommunication technology to provide healthcare remotely. It includes the virtual chat or video conferencing that is done with the doctor, in lieu of a visit to the clinic. In fact, online scheduling of doctor appointments is a part of tele-health.

Medical facilitators help facilitate the movement of medical tourists for treatment not available in their country or help them find less expensive medical destinations for the treatment. They often act as a direct interface between the hospital/doctor and patient. They make all arrangements relating to stay, travel and treatment while remaining their single point of contact for any additional assistance that the patients may require.

Software platforms are set to revolutionise healthcare. The various health applications available are putting the health in the hands of the individual. The apps are helping one to track calorie intake, exercise done, calories burnt, medication compliance among others. Personal wearable devices like smart watches help in tracking and monitoring health parameters.

Healthcare price transparency tools will help the consumer compare cost of diagnostics and treatment at different health facilities. Given that healthcare costs are a concern, the tools will help consumers take informed healthcare decisions.

Robotics in medicine is not a fantasy; it is a reality. From surgical robots guided by the surgeon with their greater flexibility, reach and precision allow for smaller incisions and are used from head and neck to urological surgery. The use of medical robots find application as phlebotomists as assistants to care givers, as exoskeletons to help rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury or stroke and even as a disinfectant robot to quickly and efficiently disinfect spaces in a healthcare facility.

Once fully developed, these technologies promise inexpensive, personalised medical care for all.

Contact email:

Dipti.Srivastava@timesgroup.com

HC censures lawyer over bid to extract fee from former client

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.11.2018

Censuring an advocate for attempting to extract fees from a former client despite relinquishing the brief, the Madras high court imposed Rs 25,000 as costs and said it could not sit back and watch this attempt to gain ‘champertous’ litigation fee.

Noting that the sentiment embodied in the quote “Law is no trade, briefs no merchandise” was fast eroding, Justice P T Asha said, “Today we are faced with falling standards in the profession where an unscrupulous few have started commercialising this noble profession and professional ethics have taken a back seat.”

Advocates were a vital part of the justice dispensation system. In addition to being professionals, they were also officers of the court. Their conduct, therefore, should not only be impeccable but above reproach.

They were expected to follow the norms of professional ethics and try and protect the interests of their clients in relation to whom they occupied a position of trust, the judge added.

Advocate N Ponnusamy of Coimbatore had initially been engaged in a suit involving non-payment of rental arrears. Eventually, his clients decided to terminate his services and appoint another lawyer. According to the clients, the new counsel was engaged after Ponnusamy said he had no objection.

Ponnusamy then filed a petition before the Additional District Judge in Coimbatore alleging that he was owed legal fees of about Rs 56lakh and that the clients could not engage another lawyer as they had not obtained the leave of the court.

His former clients filed a revision petition challenging Ponnusamy’s plea.

When the plea came up for hearing, the judge wondered how the Additional District Judge had entertained the petition given the peculiar manner in which Ponnusamy had drafted it. The judge then concluded that the cause of action claimed by Ponnusamy did not exist.

At 92, TN’s oldest prisoner languishes behind bars

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

Chennai:29.11.2018

Convict no.16712 in the central prison in Vellore is no ordinary prisoner. At 92, S Dasaraj is the oldest prisoner serving jail sentence in the state.

The nonagenarian, who was arrested for murder, has been admitted to a hospital on the premises of the 188-yearold central prison due to agerelated ailments.

Dasaraj, a native of Kowthalam village in Thenkanikottai taluk in Krishnagiri district, along with two sons and two other relatives, was arrested in 1998 in connection with a murder following a land dispute. They were sentenced to life imprisonment under sections 302 (murder) and 34 (act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC.

After the Madras high court upheld the Krishnagiri district court’s verdict, he was lodged in the Vellore central prison on March 7, 2002. After spending 18 months in jail, the five came out on bail and appealed in Supreme Court against the HC verdict. The apex court upheld the lower court verdict. “Following the SC order, Dasaraj and his relatives returned to prison in mid-2017,” said a senior officer.

Since then, he has been admitted to the prison hospital and is fighting age-related ailments with no hope of stepping out of the prison alive, Vellore prison sources said.

The Tamil Nadu Prison Rules 341 (6) states that old and decrepit prisoners, who are incapable of committing crime, and male life convicts aged 65 years and above; and female convicts, aged 55 years and above, were eligible for premature release after they complete 28 months of imprisonment.

Despite Dasaraj having completed 40 months imprisonment (as on November 27), his name was not proposed by the advisory board for premature release. “He uses a walking stick and goes out often to meet his sons and relatives in the tower block. But his health condition has deteriorated over the past few months and his movement has been limited,” said the official.

The prison authorities said he violated the prison rules as he disappeared after going on parole. Hence, he was not considered by the advisory board that recommended convicts for premature release.

Sources in the department said Dasaraj was not alone. A Chottu Sahib, 86, of Krishnagiri and D Ethirajulu Naidu, 80, of Walajah taluk in Vellore district were among the aged prisoners in Vellore. They were in the prison hospital for various ailments — joint pain, breathing issues, digestive problems, diabetes, blood pressure, heart disease, sleep disorders and Alzheimer’s disease.

“They need a caretaker. The prison department is violating the rules by keeping the chronically ill and aged prisoners,” said an official, on condition of anonymity.

SPENDING LAST DAYS CONFINED: Dasaraj, imprisoned for murder, has been admitted to the prison hospital and is fighting age-related ailments. Prison authorities said he violated the prison rules as he disappeared after going on parole and was hence not recommended for premature release