LOS ANGELES :  US researchers have developed the first fully implantable micropacemaker designed for use in a foetus with complete heart block.
Congenital heart block is a defect of the heart’s electrical system that originates in the developing foetus, greatly slowing the rate of the heart and impacting its ability to pump blood.
Although the condition can be diagnosed in utero, all attempts to treat the condition with a standard pacemaker have failed.
“Up until now, the pacemaker devices that have been used in an attempt to treat this condition in a foetus were designed for adults,” said Yaniv Bar-Cohen, pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
“We have lacked an effective treatment option for foetuses,” Bar-Cohen said.
“We now have a pacemaker that can be implanted in utero, potentially without harm to the foetus or the mom,” said Ramen H Chmait, Director of the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles – University of Southern California Institute for Maternal-Fetal Health.
“This novel device provides a real opportunity to prevent miscarriage and premature birth in babies affected with these abnormalities,” Chmait said.
The size of the adult device requires a small part to be implanted in the foetus and the rest to remain externalised. This design has uniformly failed, likely due to foetal movement causing the electrodes to become dislodged from the heart.
“Building on our experience of using microfabrication techniques to create biomedical devices, we have developed a micropacemaker small enough to reside entirely within the foetus,” said Gerald E Loeb, professor of Biomedical Engineering at the Viterbi School of Engineering at USC.
“This will allow the foetus to move freely without risk of dislodging the electrodes,” Loeb said.
Each year, approximately 500 pregnancies in the US are affected by foetal heart block and could be candidates for receiving this device.
The study was published in the journal Heart Rhythm. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI :  The Aam Aadmi Party today removed party’s internal Lokpal Admiral L Ramdas and Prashant Bhushan as the chief of National Disciplinary Committee, a day after the latter and senior leader Yogendra Yadav were expelled from the National Executive (NE).
At an “emergency” NE meeting here, the party removed former navy chief Ramdas from the internal Lokpal and set up a new Lokpal panel, comprising former IPS officers N Dilip Kumar and Rakesh Sinha and educationist S P Verma.
“All these people have given their consent to be part of the party’s Lokpal panel,” party’s national secretary Pankaj Gupta said.
The AAP National Executive, while sacking Bhushan from the disciplinary committee, decided to replace him by a three -member panel headed by Dinesh Waghela. The other members are Arvind Kejriwal loyalist Ashish Khetan and national secretary Pankaj Gupta.
The removal of Ramdas came a day after he was sent an SMS asking him not to attend the National Council meeting to avoid “confrontation”.
Miffed over the snub, he then wrote a letter to the Political Affairs Committee criticising the leadership.
Ramdas said he had come from his village in Maharashtra to attend the meet. However, he said he would not attend the meet to “honour” the party’s request.
The AAP body also announced a committee that will take care of the April 22 agitation against the Land Acquisition Bill, when the party plans to gherao Parliament on the issue.
This committee comprises Ilyas Azmi, Prem Singh Pahadi, Yogesh Dahiya, Somendra Dhaka, Gurnam Singh and Kiran Vissa, which would decide on the details of the agitation programme.
The party has also formed a committee under the eadership of senior leader and PAC member Sanjay Singh to look into expansion of the organisation in other states. (AGENCIES)

SRINAGAR :  The world famous ski resort of Gulmarg and tourist resort of Sonamarg and other heights in the Kashmir valley received fresh snowfall while plains, including Srinagar city, were lashed by heavy rains since last evening.
There was considerable improvement in the weather at Leh and Kargil in Ladakh region, which remained cut off from Kashmir since December last year due to snow.    A Met department spokesperson said two Western Disturbances (WD), already hitting the region since yesterday, would remain active till April 4 which could result in heavy to very heavy snow or rain in the Jammu and  Kashmir.
He has warned of landslides, particularly on Srinagar-Jammu national highway during the period.    Few inches of snow was experienced during the night on the ski slopes, which are already under three to four feet of white powder, a hotel owner told over phone from  Gulmarg.
He said the upper heights, including Kongdori, Khilanmarg and Affarwat, the highest skiing point, connected through Cable Car, received light to moderate snowfall since last  night.
The sky remained under dark clouds and there could be more snow, he said.
After recording considerable improvement in the minimum temperature, it dropped again to sub zero. Against 4.2 degree night temperature at Gulmarg it was minus 0.6, which is being considered normal during this time of the season, Met spokesman said.
The upper reaches in north Kashmir, including areas near the Line of Control (LoC) also received fresh snowfall since last evening. These areas remained cut off from their respective district and tehsil headquarters for the past several weeks due to snow.
Sonmarg, a tourist resort on Srinagar-Leh national highway in the central Kashmir, also experienced fresh snowfall early this morning. It was snowing though very lightly there. Zojilla, Meenmarg and other places on the highway also received fresh snowfall.    The highway remained closed since December last year and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had recently started snow clearance operation from Drass and Sonmarg to put the road through from the middle of next mnonth.    Reports said that Baltal, base camp of holy Amarnath cave shrine also experienced fresh snowfall.
Interestingly, famed health resort Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir received only rain, melting snow there, reports reaching here said.
However, the holy cave shrine and its periphery, Sheshnag, Mahaguns, Pisso top and Panjterni received fresh  snowfall.
Met spokesperson said the 47.8 mm rainfall was recorded at Pahalgam during the night. However, the minimum temperature has dropped from 4.8 degree recorded yesterday to 3 degree, still two notches above normal.    It was water everywhere in the summer capital, Srinagar, after 43.8 mm rainfall during the night due to which the mercury has also dropped. Against yesterday’s 12 degree minimum temperature in the city it was 6.2 degree, he said.    All city roads, including the historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the city, were waterlodged disrupting pedestrian and traffic movement. It was still raining, disrupting normal life.
The other plain areas in the valley were also lashed by heavy rains since last night.
The minimum temperature at Qazigund, gateway of Kashmir, recorded 7.6 degree minimum temperature about three degree above normal after more than 21 mm rainfall, Kokernag 6.4 degree, more than two notches above normal 20.5 mm rainfall and Kupwar  5.1 degree, one degree above normal after 57.8 mm rainfall.
There was considerable improvement in the weather condition in Leh and Kargil in Ladakh region.    Against yesterday’s chilly weather due to minus 7 degree minimum temperature it was minus 1,8 degree at Kargil, a border town while at Leh it was 6.6 degree against minus 0.7 degree recorded yesterday.
(AGENCIES)

COIMBATORE :  India’s automotive industry is expected to reach 7 million vehicles milestone by 2020, making the country the third-largest auto manufacturer in the world, behind the US and China, a top official at Ford Motor has said.
The automotive sector has a direct bearing on the economy with a near 7 per cent contribution to the GDP, playing an important role in the development of other crucial sectors as well, David Dubensky, President and Managing Director, Ford Motor Private Ltd, said here today.
Addressing the students at the graduation function of the Kumaraguru College of Technology, Dubensky said India is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world and as the country moves towards this milestone, the opportunities to build a career in the automotive sector are tremendous.
He said by working together as one global team over the last 110 years, Ford been able to fully leverage the resources around the world.
“We are building great products, creating strong business, and contributing to a better world”, he added.
Advising students to be open, flexible and willing to learn, even if the lesson is a hard one, Dubensky said, “Bring people together, and work together, for something bigger than yourself.” (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI : In a unique case, some top IPS officers heading important posts of border security, intelligence and investigation have moved the government claiming “anomalies” in their salary packages, which they contend, lower their dignity and morale.
The officers have been bracketed in the second top pay scale of Rs 75,500-Rs 80,000 as compared to the highest salary of Rs 80,000 fixed pay scale, despite they being the top police officers in the country as either being Directors General (DGs) of paramilitary forces or being the senior-most in the serving ranks of the Indian Police Service (IPS).
Those affected include two DGs, Border Security Force (BSF) chief D K Pathak and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) head B D Sharma, NIA DG Sharad Kumar, two Special Directors in the Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain and Surender Singh and National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) DG R R Verma.
While 1978-batch Bihar cadre officer Verma is the seniormost among these officers, National Investigation Agency chief Kumar is of the 1979-batch, the two IB officers are of the 1980-batch while for Pathak (1979) and Sharma (1980), the government rules stipulate that DGs of central paramilitary forces will get Rs 80,000 fixed salaries.
Sources said while some officers have made written representations to the Union Home Ministry, some have “verbally” made their grievance known to the top security establishment including former Home Secretary Anil Goswami and his successor L C Goyal.
“The officials have made their grievances known to the government. This has never happened earlier. Their cases are being actively processed,” a source in the Home Ministry privy to the development said.  (AGENCIES)

SRINAGAR : The office timing in Kashmir valley has been rescheduled, except in case of educational institutions situated within the limits of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), with effect from April 1. According to the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, the working hours in all Government offices and Institutions in Kashmir valley except in case of Educational Institutions located within SMC limits shall be from 1000 hrs to 1600 hrs with effect from April 1, 2015.
These timings shall remain operative up to October 31, 2015. All Heads of Departments, Offices and Institutions shall ensure strict adherence of the office timings. The office timing in government offices and educational institutions changes during winter when day become shorter. (AGENCIES)

MELBOURNE : A collective display of disciplined bowling from the Australians helped them restrict a nervous New Zealand to a paltry 183 in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup here today.
A mid-innings collapse, which saw New Zealand lose their last seven wickets for only 33 runs in 10 overs, effectively ended their hopes of putting up a respectable total despite semi-final hero Grant Elliott’s gutsy innings of 83 off 82 balls.
Ironically, this is the second time that a team in a World Cup final has been bowled out for 183 after India in the 1983 final against West Indies, which they won by 43 runs.
Seamer James Faulkner’s brilliant change-ups during the middle overs saw him end with impressive figures of 3/36 in 9 overs as the Black Caps collapsed from a decent 150/3 after 35 overs to 183 all-out in 45 overs in about an hour.
This was after Elliott along with Ross Taylor (40) had added 111 runs for the fourth wicket after the visitors were tottering at 39 for three.
Faulkner was well complimented by the two Mitchells — Starc (2/20 in 8 overs) and Johnson (3/30 in 9 overs) — who had the opposition batsmen in trouble with pace and movement on a lively MCG track in front of 91,000 plus spectators.
Mitchell Starc bowled a brilliant delivery first up, to get rid of Brendon McCullum, who was out without scoring.
McCullum charged and missed out on a couple of balls dug short and the result was a full delivery at the base of off-stump which the batsman had no answer.
Guptill, at the other end, got a freak six when his intended pull off a Josh Hazlewood short delivery flew behind the wicketkeeper for a six. Before that, he had hit a copybook square drive.
Both Guptill and Williamson were cautious during the first 10 overs in which New Zealand scored 31 runs as they got rid of the impetuosity that brought about McCullum’s downfall.
The best shot during that particular phase was a straight drive from Williamson off Hazlewood’s bowling. (AGENCIES)

JAMMU : Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today witnessed pandemonium over 2013 Kishtwar riots after the Justice Gandhi Commission Report was submitted to the Government.
The BJP-PDP members created ruckus in the House alleging that the name of former National Conference Minister Sajjad Kichloo has been inducted in the report. They said Minister’s involvement was surfaced in the riots and action must be taken against him. However, the PDP MLAs also supported the protesting BJP members on the issue.
They demanded arrest of the Minister and also sought action against the then officers including IGP Jammu, DIG Kishtwar and DC Kishtwar for their alleged involvement in riots.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Syed Basharat Bukhari told the House that the report has been submitted to the Government and action will soon be initiated into it accordingly. Mr Kichloo who lost the Kishtwar Constituency seat to BJP in 2014 Assembly elections was elected to the Upper House as MLC by the National Conference with the support of Congress. Kishtwar Riots took place on Eid Day on August 9, 2013 resulted in polarisation of votes.   (AGENCIES)

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU: The Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is on way to Srinagar to personally monitor the situation arising due to incessant rains in the Valley.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Nirmal Singh informed the Legislative Assembly that administration is on full alert in the wake of heavy rains in valley and the situation is being monitored continuously. He said people should not panic and assured that all precautionary measures have been put in place.
Giving the latest update by 11 A.M, Deputy Chief Minister informed that the water level at Sangam stands at 12 feet against the alarm level of 18 feet. At Ram Munshibagh the water level stands at 12.6 feet against alarm level of 16 feet, while as at Asham the water level has been recorded as 8.50 feet against alarm level of 30 feet.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the water levels are being relayed to the control room on regular basis and right now there is no need for panic.