Health Bulletin 18/April/2023

Here are the top health news for the day:

436 cases of XBB1.16.1 mutated sub-variant found in India: INSACOG

According to Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (Insacog) data, 436 cases of XBB1.16.1 mutated sub-variant have been detected in India till now. 2,735 cases of the XBB1.16 variant have been reported in a total of 24 states and Union Territories, INSACOG data has revealed.

NCPCR informs SC allowing adoption to same sex couple is akin to "endangering" children

DCI directs dental colleges to submit application for renewal permission, gives deadline

Dental Council of India (DCI) has asked the Dental Colleges whose renewals for PG courses are due to apply for renewal permission.

The Dental Colleges can apply to the Dental Council of India by 30th April 2023. All the Dental Colleges are at this moment directed to apply to DCI without any delay, for the purpose, along with the requisite fee as prescribed in the Dental Council of India (Establishment of New Dental College, Opening of New or Higher Course of Study or Training and Increase of Admission Capacity in Dental College) Regulations, 2006 (14th Amendment), and other requisite documents, etc. to enable this Council to process the request of renewal in time as per DCI Regulations, 2006.

For more details, check out the link given below:

DCI Directs Dental Colleges To Submit Application For Renewal Permission, Gives Deadline

A Game-Changer in Male Contraception: Researchers identify key gene

Discovery of a gene in multiple mammalian species could pave the way for a highly effective, reversible and non-hormonal male contraceptive for humans and animals.

Washington State University researchers identified expression of the gene, Arrdc5, in the testicular tissue of mice, pigs, cattle and humans. When they knocked out the gene in mice, it created infertility only in the males, impacting their sperm count, movement and shape. The researchers detailed their findings in the journal Nature Communications.

“The study identifies this gene for the first time as being expressed only in testicular tissue, nowhere else in the body, and it’s expressed by multiple mammalian species,” said Jon Oatley, senior author and professor in WSU’s School of Molecular Biosciences. “When this gene is inactivated or inhibited in males, they make sperm that cannot fertilize an egg, and that’s a prime target for male contraceptive development.”

Reference:

Giassetti, M.I., Miao, D., Law, N.C. et al. ARRDC5 expression is conserved in mammalian testes and required for normal sperm morphogenesis. Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37735-y