HEALTH

New vaccines for control of fertility, cancer, allergy
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 24
With nearly 100 new vaccines under development, the fascinating property of vaccines to eradicate infections is now available in what is popularly termed as combination vaccines.

According to Prof GP Talwar, Director, Research, Talwar Research Foundation, to spare repeated injections, combination vaccines incorporating DPT plus Recombinant Hepatitis B and DPT plus polio have already been evolved. In addition to this, another strategy is being employed wherein antigen are given in biodegradable microspheres at a single contact point, told Professor Talwar.

Talking to The Tribune, he said the new vaccines being developed were not only against infectious diseases, but also for control of fertility, autoimmune diseases, allergy and cancers. He added that vaccines for dental caries, duodenal ulcer, carcinoma of cervix and prostate hypertrophy amongst others were already in clinical trials.

Discussing the vaccines introduced in children’s immunisation programme which reduced the infant mortality significantly, Professor Talwar said while tetanus toxoids and diptheria were highly immunogenic and had no side effects, the old pertussis being a crude vaccine entailed side effects and therefore, recombinant mutants retaining protective immunity devoid of side effects had also been introduced.

Expressing concern over the increasing incidence of new cases of leprosy, Professor Talwar said an immunotherapeutic vaccine ‘Immuvac’ had been developed by him which had also received the approval of the Drugs Controller-General of India and of US FDA. The vaccine is being marketed by Cadilla Pharma and has cross reactive protection against tuberculosis, he added.

Professor Talwar also drew attention on the useful role performed by probiotic organisms in suppressing infections in gastro-intestinal and reproductive tract. Talking about abnormal vaginal discharge, Professor Talwar said a polyherbal formulation called Praneem had already undergone phase I safety trials and phase II efficacy trial and would be very soon available.

300 examined at eye camp
Tribune News Service

Mohali, November 24
The Mohali Industries Association as a part of its ISO objectives for improving relationship between the members and their workers organised a free eye check up camp in collaboration with the Sahibzada Ajit Singh Free Poly Clinic Trust, Parchh, at the MIA Bhawan, Industrial Area here.

As many as 300 workers and their family members having eye ailments were examined by a team of eye specialists led by Dr J.P. Singh. 25 persons requiring operation were identified and they will be operated upon on subsequent dates and provided medicines, spectacles etc. free of cost. One patient has been identified with acute problem from him birth and a specialised operation is required costing more than Rs 20,000. The same would be provided by the Mohali Industries Association, said Mr Balbir Singh, president of the association.

SPORTS

Bye for Punjab, Haryana
Our Sports Reporter

Monika of St Anne’s School controls the ball during a match against GNPS-36 in the ongoing Fourth Emily Gosain Memorial Basketball Tournament at St Xavier’s School in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Chandigarh, November 24
Defending champions Punjab, hosts Haryana, Andhra Pradesh Transco, and Madhya Pradesh got a bye to enter the quarter-final of the All-India Inter-State Electricity Boards Badminton Tournament to held at Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, Sector 3, Panchkula, from tomorrow.

Chairman of the organising committee Ram Pal said 22 teams had opted to vie for top honours.

Punjab and AP Transco have been placed in the top of the draw, while Madhya Pradesh and runners-up Haryana are in the lower part of the draw.

Punjab, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttaranchal, Bombay (Reliance), Bihar, Bombay Tata, Orissa, Calcutta, AP Transco, MP, Delhi, Bhakra and Beas Management Board, AP Henco, DYC, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, TNEB, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana are competing in the 32nd edition of the championship.

Chairman, Power Utilities Haryana, Lieut-Gen O.S. Lohchad (retd), will inaugurate the tournament at 10 am.

General secretary, All-India Electricity Sports Control Board, Maha Singh said competitions would be conducted in team as well as individual events (singles and doubles).

Haryana is hosting its second major competition. Earlier this year, Power Utilities Haryana had conducted the All-India Inter-State Electricity Boards Volleyball Tournament.

Athletics meet

Akhil Sharma of BPEd-I won the 10,000m race in the two-day 53rd annual athletics meet that began at Government College, Sector 11, here today.

The meet was inaugurated by college Principal Pahlad Aggarwal.

The results of other events are: 800m: Satish (Ist); high jump: Bhavtaran Singh (Ist); 3,000m: Parveen Kumar (Ist); 1,500m: Virender Singh (Ist); long jump: Bhavtaran Singh (Ist); discus throw: Arvind (Ist); 400m: Virender Singh (Ist); hammer throw: Jatinder Verma (Ist); triple jump: Pardeep Kumar (Ist); javelin throw: Kundan Singh (Ist).

Cycle races

The Chandigarh Amateur Cycling Association will hold races on November 27 at 7.30 am at Lake Club circuit.

The criterium cycling races will be held as part of the Chandigarh Bicycle Festival.

Bicycles and other attractive prizes will be awarded to the winners.

“Cycle for healthy heart” will be the theme of the bicycle ride which will start from Gandhi Bhavan, Panjab University and end at Sukhna Lake, said secretary of the association Rakesh Mohindra.

Soccer tourney

St Stephen’s and Chandigarh Football Academy surged ahead in their league matches in the Chandigarh Under-14 Soccer Tournament at Football Ground, Sector 17, here today.

While Stephen’s boys beat DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, 3-0, the spirited CFA boys got the better of Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, 4-1.

Tomorrow, in another league encounter, DAV take on CFA and Stephen’s will meet SPS.

Basketball meet

Hosts St Xavier’s-44 won their respective matches against St Xavier’s, Panchkula, and St Xavier’s, Mohali, 25-6 and 24-6, respectively, in the Emily Memorial Basketball Tournament here today.

In other matches of the day, St Anee’s-32 beat GNPS-36 25-9, Sacred Heart-26 defeated Shishu Niketan-22 31-7, New Public School, Sector 18, beat St Xavier’s Panchkula, 46-6 and Shishu Niketan-22 beat MRA Senior Secondary School, Sector 27, 41-40.