Google Glass.price tag of $1,500 was too expensive for Indian doctors.

In a first, Chennai doctor uses Google Glass to air operation live

, TNN | Sep 18, 2013, 01.27 AM IST
READ MORE Google glass|Lifeline Hospitals|Apollo Hospitals|Google Glass to air operation live
In a first, Chennai doctor uses Google Glass to air operation live
Google Glass is a wearable computer that has a frame similar to traditional eyeglasses. It follows voice commands to take photos and videos that show the viewpoint of the user.
CHENNAI: When the surgeon's scalpel drew a red line on the patient's abdomen, two blocks away a group of medical students leaned toward their screens.

The procedure was a simple hernia repair, but the surgical team was unusually upbeat as they turned to look at the latest gadget in the operation theatre - the Google Glass worn by their chief.

As the medical fraternity in the west debates the usefulness of the newest device produced by software giant Google Inc, doctors in India have joined the chorus with bouquets and brickbats, even as a surgeon in the city became the first in the country to live-stream a surgery using the Google Glass.

On Tuesday, Lifeline Hospitals live-streamed an upper gastro-intestinal laparoscopy procedure on a 45-year-old man and a hernia repair on a 42-year-old woman to medical students seated two blocks away using Google Glass.

"It felt like I was glancing at my rearview mirror while driving. I was focusing on the surgeries and talking to my students at the same time. At one point, I stopped feeling it was an external device," said Dr J S Rajkumar, chief surgeon of the hospital.

Google Glass is a wearable computer that has a frame similar to traditional eyeglasses. It follows voice commands to take photos and videos that show the viewpoint of the user.

The surgeries were live-streamed on Google Hangout as well. Doctors say the gadget is yet another step forward in opening the doors of the operation theatre. "People need to know what is happening behind those doors. This is one more gadget towards that end. Students can see the surgical procedures through their seniors' eyes, quite literally. This is a phenomenal surgical tool," said Dr Rajkumar.

"We did face some practical glitches like problems with wi-fi and the battery dying early."

Although the gadget is yet to hit the market, Google distributed 2,000 of the gizmos earlier this year for testing before its release to the general public.

Besides being an educational tool, doctors say the technology could be used to view X-rays, MRI images and other medical information as they conduct surgeries. It could also be used to connect with doctors in far flung places, provided their internet connectivity is good.

"The gadget could help professionals access data and communicate with colleagues far away, while getting feedback to improve efficiency and quality of patient care. The possibilities are endless, but at the end of the day any gadget is only as good as the user," said Dr Sai Satish, consultant interventional cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals.

While some doctors say the device could soon become a fixture in operation theatres, some see it as a distraction. "It's too early to celebrate this as a breakthrough in healthcare tools. Unless it is carefully vetted, it could be a disaster for patients," said Dr R Ravi Kumar, director, institute of cardiovascular disease, robotic surgery centre at Chettinad Health City.

He said operation theatres already had gadgets performing the same functions as Google Glass. "I use a camera attached to my head which is live-streamed to audiences in different parts of the world. So what makes this gadget special? We'll have to wait till it hits the market," said the doctor, adding that the price tag of $1,500 was too steep too expensive for many doctors.
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Rajasthan set to get largest solar plant in world

, TNN | Sep 18, 2013, 03.34 AM IST
READ MORE solar energy|crude oil refinery in Barmer|CPSE Hindustan Salt Ltd
JAIPUR: After the Rs 37,000 crore crude oil refinery in Barmer, Rajasthan is set to get the largest single-location solar plant in the world with an investment of Rs 30,000 crore and the announcement of the mega project most likely to come this month.


While top government officials are unwilling to flesh out details and are quietly preparing the pitch for poll-bound chief minister to unveil the project in grand style before the election code of conduct becomes effective, a source in the CMO said five central public sectors enterprises have formed a consortium to implement the venture.

The project will be anchored by Jaipur-based CPSE Hindustan Salt Ltd through its subsidiary Sambhar Salt Ltd with BHEL, Solar Energy Corporation of India, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam and Power Grid Corporation of India being the other equity holders.

The 4,000 MW solar plant will be set up near Sambhar lake, about 70 km from Jaipur, where Hindustan Salt has 57,000 acres of land in its possession. But the source said modalities are being worked out and some clearances are being sought to develop 1,000 MW in first phase which will require investments of Rs 7,500 crore spread over 5,000 acre area.

"The shareholding pattern of the project has more or less been finalized and all the CPSEs in the consortium would have equity holdings. The project is expected to be operational in three years," said the source.

Confirming the development, a source in the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation said all the loose-ends of the project are being tied up to announce the big-ticket event soon. There was a meeting on Tuesday where the state's chief secretary CK Mathew sought to put in place all modalities, he added. But when TOI spoke to Mathew, he said this is a central project and they would decide on the timing of the announcement.

The source at RREC said unlike the refinery which will see massive government funding leaving many uncertainties in the air, the solar plant will face no such challenges as the companies in the consortium are not only cash-rich but have a proven track record in implanting projects. He said one of major advantages for the project is that land is already available.

The macro trends in the solar industry will also work as a tailwind for the project in achieving financial feasibility.

"The prices of solar panels have significantly come down in last four years. Companies which offered to sell solar power at Rs 17 per unit in 2010 are now willing to supply at Rs 6.5/ unit. At this tariff, solar power will be cheaper for commercial customers who pay Rs 8-10/ per unit for conventional energy. So, developers will have financial feasibility," added the RREC source.

Sunny facts

A consortium of CPSEs driven by Hindustan Salt to put up 4000 MW solar plant near Sambhar lake at the cost of Rs 30,000cr

In the first phase, 1,000 MW will be developed, which will require Rs 7,500cr capital investment

Along with Hindustan Salt, BHEL, Solar Energy Corporation, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam and Power Grid will have equity holding in the venture

5000 acre of land is required for 1000 MW and Hindustan Salt has already has land in its possession. It has a total of 57,000 acre of land.

Since the cost of developing solar power has crashed, the project is likely to be financially feasible
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Blood test may help detect lung cancer

PTI | Sep 17, 2013, 01.32 PM IST
READ MORE NSCLC|lung cancer|IDH1|blood test
Blood test may help detect lung cancer
Researchers found that a protein called isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1) is present at high levels in lung cancers and can be a diagnostic marker for the disease.
WASHINGTON: Scientists have found that people with lung cancer have high levels of a protein in their blood, paving way for development of a simple blood test to diagnose the disease.


Researchers found that a protein called isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1) is present at high levels in lung cancers and can be a diagnostic marker for the disease.

"This study is the first to report identification of IDH1 as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) using a large number of clinical samples," said Jie He, director of the Laboratory of Thoracic Surgery at the Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing.

"Lung cancer has a high mortality rate, mostly because of late diagnosis. With an increase in ageing population, we are likely to see an increase in lung cancer incidence and a need for better biomarkers for early diagnosis.

"We have identified IDH1 as an effective plasma biomarker with high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of NSCLC, especially lung adenocarcinoma," He said.

He and colleagues found that IDH1 could be detected in the blood of lung cancer patients with 76 per cent sensitivity and 77 per cent specificity.

When they used a mathematical model to combine the detection of IDH1 with the detection of existing markers, the sensitivity increased to 86 per cent.

"Based on the present data, IDH1 can be used to detect stage 1 lung cancer; however, it is also possible that IDH1 could be used to detect precancer but further studies are required to address that possibility," said He.

He and colleagues used blood samples collected from 943 patients with NSCLC and 479 healthy controls, enrolled between 2007 and 2011 in the Cancer Institute and Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

None of the study participants had a cancer diagnosis, nor were they treated for cancer in the three years prior to the study.

Researchers measured the levels of IDH1 and other existing markers in the participants' blood.

The researchers then divided the samples into a training set and a test set to validate the detection efficiency of IDH1.

They found the data obtained from the test set were as good as those from the training set, demonstrating the robustness of IDH1 as a biomarker for lung cancer diagnosis.

"Our research also suggests IDH1 may be involved in the development of lung cancer, and it may be a good target for the treatment of NSCLC," said He.

The study was published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
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